Page 41: of Offshore Engineer Magazine (Apr/May 2013)

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Geology & Geophysics areas are assumed to be slim, but Continental Shelf. Now renamed not so slim that the latest seismic Johan Sverdrup, after a 19th might not highlight some previously Century Norwegian prime minister, unseen reserve possibilities. the combined discovery is cur-

Based on previous surveys in the rently estimated to contain gross region, CGG says that use of broad- contingent resources of between band in its Cornerstone project 1.7 and 3.3billionbbl of recoverable enables the imaging of thinner and oil, making it one of the fve larg-

Malcolm Webb, more complex reservoirs from the est known accumulations on the chief executive, deep Carboniferous-Permian section Norwegian Continental Shelf. Icing

UK Oil & Gas.

through the Jurassic and up to the on the cake is that the feld is in shallower Paleogene targets, which does not have the proprietary 115m of waterthe reservoir hasex- could be an important solution for acquisition technology like the Big cellent characteristics and oil qual- unlocking bypassed hydrocarbons Three (Petroleum Geo-Services, ity, at a depth of less than 2,000m, in the Southern Central Graben. WesternGeco, and CGG). Instead, and is close to existing infrastruc-

Another early starter is TGS, Dolphin depends on a processing ture with spare capacity. which has started on two 3D multi- solution called SHarp BroadBand What seismic contractors are client surveys in the Norwegian High Resolution. There is an acqui- primarily looking for is sustained

Barents Sea. The Finnmark Platform sition aspect to this: the company oil company E&P investment, that 2013 (FP13 ) survey, covering says that 75m streamer separa tion is requires seismic survey support. 3500sq km, was started last month necessary to image steeply dipping The omens are still favorable in by the Geo Barents ship towing salt fanks and faulting. Norway and the UK, where, like the eight streamers. In the meantime, In a way, it’s strange that NW US Gulf of Mexico, there is a huge the Hoop to Fingerdjupet 2013 Europe should continue to be such pool of operators and licensees, (HF13) survey, scheduled for early a key focus. The UK and Norway from supermajor to small indepen-

Q2, will cover 8600sq km deploying have both slipped standings in dent, many of them playing in their the Oceanic Challenger towing 12 the oil production league and no own backyard. The human dimen- streamers. Both 3D seismic surveys longerfeature in the top 10. Any sion of this proximity is not to be are said to cover areas of complex expectation of big fnds that would underestimated, in terms of close- geology and are designed to address potentially attract signifcant invest- ness to home and family, and work- specifc customer imaging require- ment by the supermajors (preoc- ing in a familiar environment. ments. TGS has no broadband cupied with fnding “elephants”) There are obvious business advan- acquisition capability of its own, is now mainly confned to some tages of working offshore Europe, but is using its Clari-Fi processing emerging areas off Norway, notably starting with stable, industry-friend- technology to meet customer appe- the Barents Sea. Some still believe ly governments andorderly fscal tite for broadband insight. that West of Shetlands could be a and regulatory regimes. That means

Dolphin Geophysical 3D seismic sleeper; west of Ireland remains to access to everything from technol- vessel Polar Duke is embarking be properly investigated, and who ogy, equipment, and fnance to peo- on acquisition of its remaining 3D knows what will eventually emerge ple. The infrastructure accumulated multi-client survey in UK Quads from Greenland exploration. duringfour decades of production 29 and 30, expected to take fve Of course, there is always the enables otherwise marginal fnds to months with sister vessel Polar capacity to surprise. The most be worth developing.

Duchess taking over some of the dramatic examples in recent years The Norwegian Petroleum project when Polar Duke leaves for were the Avaldsnes and Aldous Directorate (NPD) is predicting high other pre-booked contract work. Major South fnds in 2010 and 2011 activity in the next 5-years, with

Dolphin is also playing up the by Lundin Petroleum and Statoil total production expected to remain broadband advantage, although it respectively, on the Norwegian about the same as in 2012. Thirteen oedigital.com April 2013 | OE 43 oe_g_and_g.indd 43 4/1/13 3:48 PM