GEOSCIENCES

Gene Kliewer - Houston

JIP studies effects of noise on marine life

The E&P Sound & Marine Life Joint Industry Program (JIP) recently held a three-day status review to learn what its various studies into the affects of the noise created by upstream operations on marine life have found to date, and to define areas for further study.

In his introductory remarks, John Young of Exxon Mobil, JIP executive committee chairman, said, “This is the biggest JIP in industry history and it is designed to fill in gaps in knowledge about the impact of noise created by offshore operations on marine life.

By the end of 2008, the JIP, which currently consists of 13 operators and one industry association, will have funded 57 projects at a total cost of $16.4 million in the following areas:

1. Sound source characterization
2. Physical and hearing affects of sound on ocean creatures
3. Behavioral reactions of sea animals to sound
4. Mitigation and monitoring.

A number of these Phase II projects are under way and scheduled for completion by 2011. The JIP is talking about a three-year extension. An agreement in principal has been reached and a final agreement is expected early next year.

Members of the JIP are Anadarko, BG Group, BHP Billiton, BP, Chevron, ConocoPhillips, Eni, ExxonMobil, the International Association of Oil & Gas Producers, International Association of Geophysical Contractors, Santos, Shell, StatoilHydro, Total, and Woodside.

New surveys in the works

Vietnam: TGS NOPEC is conducting a multi-client seismic survey using Nordic Venturer offshore Vung Tau, Vietnam. The 2D survey, which started in September, is expected to be complete by the end of this year. Nordic Venturer was converted from an Icelandic factory trawler at a shipyard in Europe. The vessel is on a two-year charter to TGS NOPEC, plus options for two one-year extensions.

India: Wavefield Inseis has won a long-term contract for 3D seismic services for ONGC. Commencing during 4Q 2008, the contract is for 3D surveys offshore India to be acquired each season through to 2011. The total contract value is in excess of $170 million. The first season’s program will be acquired by the Geowave Commander which will be mobilized from Europe. Earlier this year, Wavefield acquired a 2D project offshore India and says that experience will positively impact this first large 3D contract in the country. “This is not only our first 3D in India, this three year contract is also our largest to date,” says CEO Atle Jacobsen, Wavefield Inseis.

Black Sea: TPAO, Turkey’s national oil company, has awarded Wavefield Inseis a new 3,000-sq-km (1,158-sq-mi) 3D project offshore Turkey in the Black Sea.

TPAO expects the final 3D data to be available by mid-2009. Data collected from the survey will be used to identify drilling prospects for 2009 and 2010.

West Africa: TGS-NOPEC Geophysical Co. is acquiring some 9,000 sq km (3,745 sq mi) of multi-client 3D seismic data offshore Liberia in a program which could grow by the end of 2009 if planned additional phases are executed. The program covers a number of blocks recently awarded by the National Oil Co. of Liberia.

The Liberia data will be processed in TGS centers in London and in Houston. The first data deliveries are expected to be in 2Q 2009.

Technology development

ION Geophysical Corp. has signed a multi-year, multi-vessel agreement covering marine acquisition technology with Norway-based Fugro-Geoteam AS. The agreement involves continued development and improving steerable streamer technology using ION’s next generation Orca command and control system and DigiFIN lateral streamer control, and outlines the terms under which Fugro will develop these technologies on its 3D streamer-vessel fleet.

Fugro already has installed these technologies on most of its 3D fleet. The next phase of collaboration intends to ensure that marine acquisition technologies will meet the increasingly complex survey requirements of the future.

“Fugro is committed to providing a technical edge to our oil and gas company customers, and it is important that we have advanced technologies to help improve image quality and reduce HSE exposure, while increasing productivity,” says Dag Sigurd Stensholt, vice president Operations of Fugro-Geoteam.

ION is extending its use of marine streamer acquisition with Intelligent Acquisition. The portfolio of technologies is designed to work together as a single intelligent system to improve operational productivity and seismic image quality.

Dave Moffat, senior VP of Marine Imaging Systems at ION says, “ION is focused on delivering advanced technology that improves the quality, productivity, and safety of towed streamer operations in the most complex offshore environments. By integrating traditionally stand-alone navigation, positioning, acquisition, and source systems, the result of [IA] is better seismic images acquired more efficiently.”