TGS on active survey duty in Arctic regions

Offshore staff

ASKER, Norway – TGS Nopec has started a 22,000-km (13,670-mi) multi-client (MC) survey offshore Labrador-Newfoundland in partnership with PGS.

Data is being acquired by the M/V Sanco Spiri, and TGS will do the processing in Houston. After suspending work on the program this fall, the vessel will return early next summer to complete the survey.

In the same region, TGS started a 1,800-km (1,1180-mi) 2D program offshore northeast Greenland this summer with the M/V Akademik Shatski, supported by the ice breaker M/V Fennica.

This is a joint TGS/Fugro project, with TGS processing the data.

In southeast Greenland, TGS acquired 29,000 km (18,019 mi) of airborne gravity, magnetic, and seep data during the third quarter of the year, the first time the company has deployed Seepfinder technology to detect oil seeps on the sea surface.

Another survey under way this summer and still in operation is a 2D operation involving the M/V Akademik Fersman. The vessel acquired 5,050 km (3,138 mi) of MC 2D during 3Q and early 4Q in the Laptev and East Siberian Sea of the Russian arctic, in partnership with Russian contractor DMNG. Acquisition will continue into 4Q as long as ice conditions allow.

Elsewhere, TGS expected to complete acquisition of two 3D surveys off Sierra Leone (2,535 sq km/979 sq mi and 1,038 sq km/401 sq mi) early in the current quarter, using the M/V Geo Caribbean.

Also in northwest Africa, the company continued its NWAAM 2D MC survey with Dolphin Geophysical. By the end of 3Q, the partnership had completed acquisition of just over 14,000 km (8,700 mi).

Finally, TGS has started a 15,000-km (9,320-mi) 2D survey covering Namibia’s major prospective offshore basins. The data should be available to customers early next year.

11/04/2011