GEOSCIENCES
Electromagnetic wrap-up
Gene Kliewer • Houston
If the original plans hold, OHM Ltd. will have initial results from a controlled source electromagnetic (CSEM) survey in the UK North Sea which will apply OHM’s well integration with seismic and electromagnetics (WISE) technology.
The survey was scheduled for June on Nautical Petroleum’s Kraken discovery in North Sea block 9/2b. It follows a pilot program in the area earlier this year. CSEM data taken by OHM was integrated with the operator’s existing well and seismic data. The results of applying WISE indicated the resistive body associated with the discovery extends north and south of the well.
Electromagnetic Geoservices AWA (EMGS) has won a contract for 3D electromagnetic data acquisition offshore Newfoundland, Canada. The $12-million award is for work in the second half of this year. TheSiem Mollie will acquire the data.
At the same time, EMGS is restructuring the company to reduce costs, focus on key areas, and improve financial results.
First Australian Resources says CSEM data acquisition over part of its Sangomar Offshore, Rufisque Offshore, and Sangomar Deep Offshore blocks in Senegal, West Africa is complete. The survey was funded by Shell and used the MVBoa Thalassa.
The purpose of the survey is to help Shell decide whether to exercise its option to acquire 70% of the license area and to commit to a second renewal period which would include drilling a well.
Gippsland basin off Australia to be researched
CSIRO and the Victorian Department of Primary Industries plan to combine for a study of the Gippsland basin. The three-year agreement aims to assist energy companies to better explore for petroleum off Victoria.
“CSIRO techniques will measure various properties of rock cores, organic matter, and formation fluids,” says project leader Dr. James Underschultz. “They will model the basin’s histories, including the generation, migration, and trapping of oil and gas.
“This will improve the characterization of Victoria’s sedimentary basins and the mechanisms that drive the petroleum systems, which could contribute to an increase in resource estimates, attracting industry to invest into the state.”
The project is scheduled for completion in 2011.
New survey reports
Petroleum Geo-Services ASA and TGS-NOPEC are joining for a multi-client high-density 3D survey in Quad 211 of the East Shetland basin in the UK North Sea.
Quad 211 is home to several producing fields in the North Sea, including Brent, Ninian, Hutton, and Cormorant. The new 3D survey is expected to improve understanding of the geology of the area and uncover additional hydrocarbon accumulations.
TheRamform Viking is running the survey with 16 streamers at 50 m (164 ft) separation.
“We expect to unveil new perspectives on the prospectivity of this historically prolific area,” says Per Arild Reksnes, president, Marine EAME. “Previous knowledge of Quad 211 is piecemeal and includes a number of older surveys. This single, contiguous high density dataset will offer a clearer image of the entire play.”
A 2D survey was scheduled to begin offshore India using theMunin Explorer. SeaBird Exploration Ltd. contracted with Fugro Data Services for the program.
Petrobras now has authorization from environmental agency Ibama to conduct 4D seismic work offshore Campos basin in Albacora, Espadarte, Marlim, and Barracuda/Caratinga, according to reports from Brazil.
Dalia, Rosa, Girassol, and Jasmine fields offshore Angola are the subject of a seismic reservoir characterization by CGGVeritas for Total E&P Angol. CGGVeritas’ Hampson-Russel Software & Services company will perform the work using its proprietary global 4D inversion program StratiSI 4D.
“With the increasing number of 4D vintages available over producing fields, global 4D inversion is better constrained and yields results that are more readily interpretable in terms of production effects,” says Philippe Doyen VP, R&D, at Hampsopn-Russel. “In particular, it can provide quantitative estimates of reservoir properties, such as fluid saturation, with more certainty and capture the movement of fluids and changes in pressure with greater accuracy.”