GEOSCIENCES

Gene Kliewer • Houston

SEG directs program at STEM students

The Society of Geophysicists planned a program to introduce high school students to the world of geosciences at its International Exposition and 85th Annual Meeting in New Orleans. The program is directed at science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) students and hopes to influence students to meet the American Geosciences Institute projected shortage of 135,000 geoscientists by the end of the decade.

Geosciences business

Geophysical and geotechnical surveys are continuing offshore Mexico in the GoM.PEMEXhas extended the ongoing campaign by Fugroand Diavaz. The operations are in support of exploratory drilling in the Bay of Campeche and deepwaters around Perdido. The ultra-deepwater geotechnical work fromFugro Synergy should be under way now, while the geoconsulting program will continue through 2016.

Dolphinhas commenced the East Campeche 2D long offset multi-client survey offshore Mexico, using theArtemis Arctic. The licensed approved 19.597-line km (12.177-mi) survey is positioned toward the recent Mexican announced five-year plan for leases. The survey is supported by industry pre-funding.

Exploration in northern waters is garnering attention. Thegovernment of Norwayhas a line item of NOK 173 million ($21.2 million) for seismic surveys that would target the Barents Sea. The spending is contained in the government’s 2016 budget proposal.

Tord Lien, minister of Petroleum and Energy, said the government believes there are substantial remaining resources of oil and gas in the Barents Sea, and that the survey will help to increase activity and employment in the north.

“Mapping of these areas is also important to highlight the presence in the north and to safeguard national interests,” he said.

Searcher Seismichas completed acquisition of the Silver-Eye 3D seismic survey in the Hammerfest basin area of the Norwegian Barents Sea. Silver-Eye comprises 3,000 sq km (1,158 sq mi) covering the north and south flanks in the basin.

Lundin Norwayhas consent to drill an exploration well on license 708 in the Barents Sea using the Transocean Arcticsemisubmersible. Drilling is scheduled to start this month and run for about two months, depending upon results.

Electromagnetic Geoservices has signed a multi-client acquisition agreement with the Directorate General of Hydrocarbons of India. The agreement gives EMGS a two-year permit to acquire 3D EM data in a 325,000 sq km (125,843 sq mi) area off western India. The area crosses eight tectonic provinces from Kutch-Saurashtra in the north to Ratnagiri in the south.

Offshore Ireland joins list of new exploration prospects

Ireland’s 2015 Atlantic Margin Licensing Round drew a record 43 applications. Minister of State for Natural Resources, Joe McHugh, said the response was the largest for any of the country’s offshore licensing rounds to date, with applicants ranging from small companies to majors. All the country’s main Atlantic basins - Porcupine, Goban Spur, Slyne, Erris, Donegal, and Rockall - were included. Successful bidders will be offered a two-year licensing option, to be granted under the Petroleum and Other Minerals Development Act, 1960.

The main purpose of the licensing option is to define exploration potential and actively promote the acreage, but the terms do not include exploration drilling. Holders wishing to progress to exploration license can apply for a 15-year frontier exploration license with a first phase of three years and three subsequent phases of four years each.

Europa Oil & Gas, which applied for multiple blocks in this year’s round, plans to assume a 100% interest in, and operatorship of, licenses FEL 2/13 and FEL 3/13 in the Porcupine basin.

26 Offshore November 2015www.offshore-mag.com

CGG completes BandaSeis survey processing

CGG has completed the processing on all four phases of data acquired in its BandaSeis 2D BroadSeis multi-client program around East Indonesia and Timor Leste. The program covered more than 14,000 km (8,700 mi) and was collected in cooperation with the Indonesian Directorate General of Oil and Gas (Migas) and the Timor Leste National Petroleum Authority.

Data was processed to prestack depth migration in CGG’s Singapore imaging center with the final of the four phases delivered in 2Q 2015. The results cover the Banda Arc in the active collision zone between the Australian continental plate and the Indonesian island arc system.