Geochemical analyses indicate prospectivity in frontier basins offshore Newfoundland

July 11, 2019

Offshore staff

HOUSTON – Fugro, in partnership with Amplified Geochemical Imaging (AGI), have sold multiple licences for datasets acquired over the past two years in frontier regions offshore Newfoundland.

The two hydrocarbon seep surveys were in the Orphan basin (2017) and Carson basin (2018).

Fugro is licensing the data packages which include multi-beam echo sounder data (bathymetry, backscatter intensity and water column); sub-bottom profiler data, heat flow measurements and shipboard geochemical screening analyses; and geochemical analyses, with biomarkers on selected samples.

The Orphan basin dataset covers an area of 11,070 sq km (4,274 sq mi) and the Carson basin extends more than 18,880 sq km (7,289 sq mi); each survey was followed by heat flow and geochemical sampling and analysis.

Geochemical datasets (shipboard, conventional shore-based and AGI adsorbent-based analyses) all indicate the presence of thermogenic hydrocarbons, Fugro added.

“It is clear to us there is much excitement surrounding Canada’s growing offshore industry and Newfoundland and Labrador’s licensing rounds,” said Keith Kneale, Fugro’s business development director for the Americas.

Fugro plans further investigations such as establishing environmental baselines, evaluating seafloor geohazards and preliminary planning for field development.

Nalcor Energy-Oil and Gas was a partner in the completed campaigns.

07/11/2019