Offshore staff
OSLO, Norway – PGS has completed a 2D seismic acquisition program in the Norwegian sector of the Barents Sea for the Norwegian Petroleum Directorate (NPD).
Work on the survey started July 8 following an agreement over the demarcation line between Norway and Russia in the Barents Sea.
“This is the first time Norwegian petroleum authorities have carried out systematic data acquisition in this sea area,” said Sissel Eriksen, NPD’s director of exploration activity.
Some seismic data was acquired in the 1970s, but there had been a hiatus on further petroleum activity here until this summer’s agreement.
PGS used the R.V. Harrier Explorer for the survey, towing an 8,100-m (26,575-ft) long streamer. PGS applied its GeoStreamer technology, which involves the streamer being towed deeper in the water than normal to allow the process to withstand greater wave heights.
This reportedly makes the acquisition less dependent on good weather, and therefore more efficient.
NPD says there was minimal downtime due to bad weather. In total, the vessel acquired 11,400 line km (7,084 mi) of seismic. A further survey is planned next summer.
“We expect the area to be sufficiently mapped by then to formulate viewpoints on the potential resources in this new Norwegian area,” Eriksen added.
09/15/2011
