Africa Geology & Geophysics News

A 4,000-sq km (1,544-sq mi) deepwater seismic acquisition program offshore Guinea is in processing with first results expected this March.

Now that a final agreement has been reached with Sonangol E.P., TGS-NOPEC Geophysical Co. will begin acquisition of a 3D multi-client seismic survey offshore Angola covering about 12,500 sq km (4,826 sq mi).

Spectrum, CGGVeritas and the National Petroleum Corp. of Namibia have started a new 2D multi-client seismic survey in the deepwater Orange basin offshore Namibia.

Petroleum Geo-Services ASA’s Ramform Valiant is underway to acquire 26,000 sq km (10,039 sq mi) of 3D data in five Kwanza/Benguela basin blocks offshore Angola.

African Petroleum Côte d’Ivoire Ltd. has agreed with the Société Nationale d’Opérations Pétrolières de la Côte d’Ivoire (PETROCI) and the Republic of Côte d’Ivoire to acquire an offshore exploration permit for block CL-513.

Namibia’s government has formally confirmed the award of a petroleum agreement to Serica Energy for an offshore license in the central Luderitz basin.

Eco (Atlantic) Oil & Gas has agreed a farm-out with Azimuth concerning its three licenses offshore Namibia.

Seabed seismic data acquisition can be applied to many seismic and geological challenges and may improve reservoir characterization and management. The technology has in recent years become strategic for many oil companies in their de-risking of wells and recovery factor improvement.

New leads are emerging from re-processed 2D seismic on the Tarfaya block offshore Morocco, according to Tangiers Petroleum.

Production from the shallow-water Ebok Phase 1 development off Nigeria is currently at 15,800 b/d of oil, according to operator Afren.

CGGVeritas has completed a marine 3D seismic survey for Cooper Energy over the western portion of the Nabeul permit offshore Tunisia.

A 3D seismic acquisition program offshore Namibia is underway by Petroleum Geo-Services, reports Chariot Oil & Gas Ltd.

Hyperdynamics Corp. reports that CGGVeritas has started the planned 3D deepwater seismic survey offshore the Republic of Guinea.

Serica Energy has secured exploration interests in the Luderitz basin offshore Namibia.

In a trip that may be the first-ever transit to the Asia/Pacific arena via the Northern Sea Route, the Ulstein X-BOW designed Polarcus Alima has cut the travel time from Norway to New Zealand by at least eight days.

New Zealand Oil and Gas (NZOG) has secured a seismic vessel for a program on its Diodore permit offshore Tunisia, due to start in December.

Brazil currently produces 100,000 b/d of oil from its deepwater pre-salt fields, but is targeting a tenfold increase to 1 MMb/d by 2017.

Clontarf Energy is keen to start exploration in the Tano 2A block offshore/onshore Ghana.

TGS says it has started acquisition of new multi-client 3D seismic data offshore Sierra Leone and will add 1,038 sq km (401 sq mi) of data.

Hyperdynamics Corp. says it has contracted CGGVeritas to conduct a 3D seismic acquisition and processing project covering about 4,000 sq km (1,544 sq mi) offshore Guinea.

The M/V Northern Explorer has started a 15,000-km (9,320-mi) multi-client 2D seismic survey for TGS offshore Namibia.

Electromagnetic Geoservices ASA has won a contract to acquire and process 3D electromagnetic data offshore Ghana.

Cooper Energy says a 300-sq km (116-sq mi) 3D acquisition program has been completed in the Hammamet permit offshore Tunisia.

Longreach Oil and Gas expects seismic reprocessing on two licenses offshore Morocco to be completed this summer.