First Break July 2025 - Reservoir Engineering & Geoscience

SPECIAL TOPIC

Reservoir

Engineering & Geoscience

CROSSTALK The ethical challenge for geoscientists

TECHNICAL ARTICLE Machine learning algorithms for predicting pore pressure

CHAIR EDITORIAL BOARD

Clément Kostov (cvkostov@icloud.com)

EDITOR

Damian Arnold (arnolddamian@googlemail.com)

MEMBERS, EDITORIAL BOARD

• Philippe Caprioli, SLB (caprioli0@slb.com)

• Satinder Chopra, SamiGeo (satinder.chopra@samigeo.com)

• Anthony Day, NORSAR (anthony.day@norsar.no)

• Peter Dromgoole, Retired Geophysicist (peterdromgoole@gmail.com)

• Kara English, University College Dublin (kara.english@ucd.ie)

Adding value and breathing new life into difficult onshore seismic through a novel bandwidth extension approach FIRST BREAK ® An EAGE Publication

Hamidreza Hamdi, University of Calgary (hhamdi@ucalgary.ca)

Fabio Marco Miotti, Baker Hughes (fabiomarco.miotti@bakerhughes.com)

• Roderick Perez Altamar, OMV (roderick.perezaltamar@omv.com)

• Susanne Rentsch-Smith, Shearwater (srentsch@shearwatergeo.com)

• Martin Riviere, Retired Geophysicist (martinriviere@btinternet.com)

• Angelika-Maria Wulff, Consultant (gp.awulff@gmail.com)

EAGE EDITOR EMERITUS

Andrew McBarnet (andrew@andrewmcbarnet.com)

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Hang Pham (publications@eage.org)

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ISSN 0263-5046 (print) / ISSN 1365-2397 (online)

33 Capacitance retrieval from resistivity and P-wave velocity products and ratios

Romaric Limacher, Sophie Mann and Antoine Misse

41 Application of machine learning algorithms for predicting formation pore pressure: a case study in the Sapphire field, offshore Nile delta, Egypt

Mohamed Ahmed Abdelhay, Abdel Nasser Helal, Abdel Aleem Elessawy and Amir Lala

Special Topic: Reservoir Engineering & Geoscience

49 Drilling for ultradeep exploration

Rasoul Sorkhabi

55 Remote sensing detection of gases and surface anomalies as potential seismic precursors

Gabriela Correa Godoy and Carlos Alberto Vargas Jiménez

63 Enhancing geothermal efficiency with autonomous flow control devices: a new era in sustainable energy extraction

Mojtaba Moradi

69 The application of dispersion and attenuation seismic attributes to determine the gas saturation in the low-impedance sandstone: a case study in the Sadewa field, Indonesia

Mokhammad Puput Erlangga, Wahyu Triyoso, Sigit Sukmono, Fatkhan, Pongga Wardaya and Erlangga Septama

79 Pioneering fully remote reservoir monitoring with time-lapse gravimetry and seafloor deformation measurements Endre Vange Bergfjord, Håvard Alnes, Trond Arne Espedal and Lars Hille

85 Adding value and breathing new life into difficult onshore seismic through a novel bandwidth extension approach Marianne Rauch, Umberto Barbato, John Castagna and Alex Fick

82 Calendar

cover: A cross-section of geological layers is exposed as a drill reaches the oil reservoir.

European Association of Geoscientists & Engineers Board 2025-2026

Environment, Minerals & Infrastructure Circle

Andreas Aspmo Pfaffhuber Chair

Florina Tuluca Vice-Chair

Esther Bloem Immediate Past Chair

Micki Allen Liaison EEGS

Martin Brook Liaison Asia Pacific

Ruth Chigbo Liaison Young Professionals community

Deyan Draganov Technical Programme Representative

Vladimir Ignatev Liaison CIS / North America

Madeline Lee Liaison Women in Geoscience and Engineering community

Gaud Pouliquen Liaison Industry and Critical Minerals community

Eduardo Rodrigues Liaison First Break

Mark Vardy Editor-in-Chief Near Surface Geophysics

Oil & Gas Geoscience Circle

Johannes Wendebourg Chair

Timothy Tylor-Jones Vice-Chair

Yohaney Gomez Galarza Immediate Past Chair

Wiebke Athmer Member

Alireza Malehmir Editor-in-Chief Geophysical Prospecting

Adeline Parent Member

Jonathan Redfern Editor-in-Chief Petroleum Geoscience

Xavier Troussaut EAGE Observer at SPE-OGRC

Robert Tugume Member

Anke Wendt Member

Martin Widmaier Technical Programme Officer

Sustainable Energy Circle

Giovanni Sosio Chair

Benjamin Bellwald Vice-Chair

Carla Martín-Clavé Immediate Past Chair

SUBSCRIPTIONS

First Break is published monthly. It is free to EAGE members. The membership fee of EAGE is € 85.00 a year including First Break, EarthDoc (EAGE’s geoscience database), Learning Geoscience (EAGE’s Education website) and online access to a scientific journal.

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First Break is published by First Break B.V., The Netherlands. However, responsibility for the opinions given and the statements made rests with the authors.

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All rights reserved. First Break or any part thereof may not be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transcribed in any form or by any means, electronically or mechanically, including photocopying and recording, without the prior written permission of the publisher.

PAPER

The publisher’s policy is to use acid-free permanent paper (TCF), to the draft standard ISO/DIS/9706, made from sustainable forests using chlorine-free pulp (Nordic-Swan standard).

Mike Branston Vice-President

Sanjeev Rajput President

Martin Widmaier Technical Programme Officer

Andreas Aspmo Pfaffhuber Chair Environment, Minerals & Infrastructure Circle

Maren Kleemeyer Education Officer

Johannes Wendebourg Chair Oil & Gas Geoscience Circle

Giovanni Sosio Chair Sustainable Energy Circle

Diego Rovetta Membership and Cooperation Officer

Eric Verschuur Publications Officer

Christian Henke Secretary-Treasurer

The pillars of empowerment, expansion and elevation will build EAGE’s future

Incoming president Sanjeev Rajput lays out his strategy for EAGE and what has shaped his career and philosophy.

Tell us a little about your background

I was born in India and shaped by a sense of inquiry. My journey has moved across four continents, gathering research depth in the US system, thinking in Australia, and strategic execution in Malaysia, where I currently serve Petronas. These geographies gave me more than career stations; they embedded global awareness in my approach. Across over 20 countries, I’ve worked to integrate technology, science, and leadership into meaningful outcomes, from carbon storage strategy to seismic innovation and AI integration. That fusion is now central to how I lead.

How did your interest in geoscience develop?

It began with a village potter who selected clay not by luck, but by reading the soil’s texture, moisture, and scent. He tapped the ground and said, ‘This one will hold water.’ He wasn’t trained in geology, but he understood stratigraphy in his own way. That moment revealed to me that the Earth leaves clues, if you know how to observe. Years later, geoscience became my method to decode those signals. That foundational insight still guides me.

Highlights of your career so far?

Three themes define my career: innovation, impact, and integration. At Petronas, I’ve led initiatives that dramatically improved decision-making across exploration and development by embedding advanced digital frameworks into subsurface workflows; I helped deliver a national-scale transformation by leveraging AI and geoscience integration to reduce subsurface uncertainty, enhance reservoir

understanding, and improve confidence in strategic investments; and earlier in my career, I championed one of the industry’s first digital field development concepts, bringing together real-time data, predictive analytics, and reservoir intelligence to unlock new production.

One project stands out: our model predicted overlooked pay in a mature field, others missed it, we drilled it, and oil flowed. That shifted our entire mindset. We saw digital not just as technology, but as insight. Yet what I cherish most is mentoring the next generation, watching them apply fresh thinking and bold tools to solve complex challenges, often in ways we never imagined possible.

Your current job in Petronas?

Imagine translating billions of data points into billion-dollar decisions. That’s my daily landscape. I serve as technical authority and general manager for reservoir geoscience innovation at Petronas. My work spans front-endloading (FEL), reservoir characterisation, field-development, AI-led interpretation, seismic QI, CCUS workflow automation, and enterprise-level computing architecture through platforms like EPIC. I also

EAGE president Sanjeev Rajput.

provide strategic oversight for digital procurement, innovation sourcing, and platform governance. It’s where geoscience meets enterprise, and where insight becomes action.

How would you like to see the EAGE evolve?

I want EAGE to move from being a repository of knowledge to a real-time enabler of transformation. That means integrating digital fluency, equity, and regional relevance. We must be as agile as the technologies we study. EAGE should provide mobilefirst, multilingual, and bandwidth-friendly platforms for learning and certification. Our regional chapters, from Southeast Asia to Latin America, should be empowered to

co-lead the digital transition. I see EAGE as an evolving system, not a static society. We must also go deeper into frontier themes, like geomechanical risk in CCS, or AI bias in seismic prediction, ensuring members lead the discussions that will define the next decade.

One of my top priorities is to strengthen EAGE’s leadership in the energy transition. We must accelerate our focus on CCUS, geothermal energy, hydrogen systems, and sustainable subsurface technologies. These are no longer emerging topics, they are core pillars of our collective future.

Any personal objectives for EAGE?

Yes, my focus for EAGE is built around three pillars: empowerment, expansion, and elevation.

Empowerment involves engaging students as co-creators of real challenges, not just attendees. Expansion means building grassroots momentum through school outreach, student chapters, and regional hubs. Elevation positions EAGE as a thought leader in policy and innovation for CCUS, geothermal, and AI-driven field development.

A key priority is to spotlight game-changing technologies like DUG’s multi-parameter full waveform inversion (MP-FWI).

To mainstream such innovation, I plan to launch EAGE Global Learning Labs, making tools like MP-FWI, machine learning, and digital twins accessible across the EAGE ecosystem.

Any special message for members?

You are no longer just interpreters of subsurface data, you are architects of Earth’s energy transition. In an era of climate urgency, geopolitical complexity, and digital acceleration, our role is more vital than ever. Let’s not just analyse the wavefield, let’s shape the wave.

Geoscience must evolve as a bridge, linking knowledge, sustainability, and impact. Let’s learn beyond disciplines. Let’s collaborate across boundaries. And let’s rise beyond routine, to lead, to include, and to inspire.

Because we’re not just digging for answers anymore, we are laying the foundations of the future; and in every seismic line lies a story, and in every young professional, the potential to reshape how that story is told. Let’s empower them not just to see the layers beneath, but the horizons ahead.

We are no longer just exploring the subsurface, we are exploring the future. Let’s lead it with science, shape it with purpose, and share it with the world.

Prof Ringrose is our Best Instructor 2024

Former EAGE president Philip Ringrose has been named the Best Instructor of 2024 for his highly acclaimed course CO2 Storage Project Design and Optimization (Saline Aquifers), which was a cornerstone of EAGE’s educational programme last year.

Delivered at multiple major EAGE events – including the GET 2024 in Rotterdam and the EAGE Masterclasses on CO2 Storage in London (2024) and Utrecht (2025) – the course has garnered exceptional feedback from participants across industries. Ringrose is also part of an Extensive Online Short Course on Geological CO2 Storage, making the content accessible to professionals worldwide.

His course provides a comprehensive overview of how to design and optimise CO2 storage projects, with a particular focus on sandstone (siliciclastic) saline aquifer systems.

By the end of the course, participants had the opportunity to gain a rounded, practical understanding of what it takes to implement effective and safe CO2 storage projects. These are skills that are increasingly in demand as industries and governments work toward net-zero goals.

Ringrose views CO2 storage as a crucial tool in tackling climate change. ‘I am quite passionate that it is technically possible to dramatically cut CO2 emissions to atmos-

phere to achieve the net-zero goals to which our politicians have committed,’ he says. ‘The challenge is: are we willing to make the changes needed in our society since it will be costly and will require behavioural changes and societal commitment?’

Rajput represented EAGE at the 2025 IPTC Society Presidents Panel (photo courtesy of IPTC).

Philip Ringrose receiving Best Instructor recognition at EAGE Annual in Toulouse.

SHEAR BRILLIANCE

Conventional Workflow

TIME PROCESSING, DEPTH IMAGING AND AVA INVERSION

Vp/Vs

USING FIELD-DATA INPUT

SCATTER = LESS UNCERTAINTY!

Quantitative interpretation requires true amplitudes and high signal-to-noise ratio.

DUG Elastic MP-FWI Imaging eliminates the need for conventional time processing, depth imaging and AVA inversion workflows, along with their assumptions that ultimately affect AVA compliance. With DUG Elastic MP-FWI Imaging more certain predictions can be realised — all using field-data input. Brilliant!

info@dug.com | dug.com/fwi

DUG Elastic MP-FWI Imaging

Vp/Vs

P-impedance

P-impedance

Brine Sand

Gas Sand

Shale

Nominations for our achievement awards are open

Everhard Muijzert, chair Awards Committee, encourages members to recommend candidates for EAGE’s range of honours.

The EAGE honours its outstanding members for their significant contributions to geosciences and engineering as well as for contributions to our Association. Last year, the Awards Committee received an exceptional nomination that was supported by 26 members, showing an unprecedented support for a candidate, possibly the highest ever. This remarkable example shows the capabilities and dedication of our members.

Nominations for the 2025 EAGE achievement awards are now open and the EAGE Awards committee is looking

by the achievements of award winners, motivating them to pursue careers in geosciences and engineering.

Overall, the EAGE awards play a crucial role in advancing the fields of geosciences and engineering by celebrating outstanding achievements and fostering a culture of collaboration and togetherness.

A key element of the EAGE awards is recognition by peers. Therefore, prospective candidates are nominated by our members. As a recipient of one of EAGE’s awards, I can personally attest to the great

forward to again seeing our members providing extraordinary support to outstanding candidates.

The EAGE has a total a six achievement awards that together serve several key purposes: Recognition: They acknowledge the hard work and dedication of individuals who have made significant strides in their respective fields. Encouragement: By highlighting exemplary work, these awards encourage others to strive for excellence and innovation. Visibility: Award recipients gain increased visibility within the professional community, which can foster further collaboration and advancements. Inspiration: Young professionals and students are inspired

value and pleasant surprise of the support from fellow members, and the significant impact this recognition had on my early career. Both myself and the members of the Awards committee are now looking forward to receiving nominations for deserving candidates for each of the EAGE achievement awards.

The Desiderius Erasmus Award is presented to individuals for their lifetime contribution in the field of resource exploration and development. It is EAGE’s most prestigious award and is our only award open to non-member candidates. The Conrad Schlumberger Award honours individuals who have demonstrated innovative work in the field of geophysics.

It is one of the most esteemed awards in geophysical research and technology. The Alfred Wegener Award is given to individuals who have made an outstanding contribution to the scientific and technical advancement of EAGE’s disciplines, particularly petroleum geoscience and engineering.

The EAGE recognises young professionals with the Arie van Weelden Award

This is our award for highly significant contributions to one or more of the disciplines in our Association. Candidates must be EAGE members under 35 years of age at the time of the nomination. Now in its third year, the Marie Tharp Sustainable Energy YP Award recognises promising and creative talents among the next generation of energy transition leaders. It is EAGE’s only self-nominating award and candidates for this award must be MSc or PhD students at the time of the application.

Finally, EAGE’s Honorary Membership is open for individuals who have made highly significant and distinguished contributions to the geoscience community at large or to the Association in particular.

Nomination by peers is a key ingredient for the awards. Members are encouraged to get together and collate letters of support for their candidate where the best candidates have a broad support from different members and interest groups. We encourage personalised letters of support.

Each year there are more nominations than winners and the committee encourages resubmission of past nominations, possibly with an improved package. Rules and requirements for the nomination package for each of the achievement awards are available on our website https://eage. org/about_eage/nominations/. Please read and follow these instructions as occasionally a nomination package is received that does not meet the requirements and has to be rejected. We encourage nominations from all EAGE’s technical disciplines, geographies and background.

Winners of the 2025 awards.

Toulouse Annual proves one for the ages

We report on some of the highlights of this year’s Annual Conference & Exhibition in Toulouse.

Our 86th Annual proved a landmark event in the Association’s history. The theme Navigating Change: Geosciences Shaping a Sustainable Transition resonated with the thousands of delegates who came to the vibrant city of Toulouse in the week of 2-5 June. Hosted by TotalEnergies, the event showcased both technical excellence and a shared vision for a low-carbon, multi-energy world in line with EAGE’s support of energy transition initiatives.

Opening Ceremony

The Opening Ceremony was one of the best attended in EAGE history and set a dynamic tone for the week. It celebrated longstanding excellence with the 2025 Award winners, Laurie Dake Challenge winners, and the Best Local Chapters of the year.

A major highlight was the leadership interview in which Kevin McLachlan, SVP exploration at TotalEnergies, in discussion with Andrew McBarnet, EAGE editor emeritus, provided a candid and compelling overview of the company’s multi-energy strategy. McLachlan spoke about TotalEnergies’ commitment to being a ‘major player in both hydrocarbons and renewables’ outlining a dual approach to investment. With approximately $4.5 billion annually allocated to low-carbon power, including solar-integrated LNG projects, he said TotalEnergies was leveraging its exploration legacy while actively shaping a sustainable future. He stressed the company’s ambition for ‘more energy, less emissions’, stating Scope 1 and 2 emissions were already down 36% from a decade ago, and new goals being exceeded ahead of schedule.

Importantly, McLachlan reaffirmed the continued value of geoscientists, noting they are central to both conventional exploration and the energy transition. Far from phasing them out, he shared that TotalEnergies is hiring geoscientists for lifelong careers, underlining the discipline’s adaptability and enduring relevance.

The Opening Debate reflecting the event theme featured a distinguished panel of executives from TotalEnergies, bp, S&P Global, the World Energy Council, and Viridien.

Takeaways from the discussion included geoscience’s central role in energy efficiency, from exploration to carbon sequestration and geothermal development; a consensus that oil and gas will remain part of the mix for decades, even as renewable investment increases; ‘duality’, as coined by Emmanuel Garanet (TotalEnergies), is the new normal, i.e., simultaneously investing in production and emissions reduction; confirmation of the need for responsible exploration, targeting ‘advantaged barrels’ with lower carbon intensity and higher returns; and acknowledgement that geoscientists must be data-literate but remain grounded in domain fundamentals.

Marie-Line Vaiani (World Energy Council) reminded attendees of the energy trilemma, balancing security, equity, and sustainability across diverse regions. Ariel Flores (bp) and Bob Fryklund (S&P Global) both acknowledged the growing tension between energy affordability and transition ambitions, affirming geoscientists’ role in unlocking resilient, efficient, secure energy systems.

In the keynote A New Energy Path for the 21st Century, Dr Scott Tinker, chairman of Switch Energy Alliance, presented the data-driven, global perspective on energy development for which he has become a major advocate. Tinker challenged binary narratives around energy transition, arguing that energy poverty and economic development hinge on access to secure, scalable energy (hydrocarbons, nuclear, or renewables). Using rich visuals and global case studies, his main point included the need for energy diversity and pragmatism, especially in the Global South; transition must be a managed evolution with infrastructure, technology, and policy alignment; renewables require vast material inputs and cannot currently displace hydrocarbons at global scale; and secure energy underpins environmental progress, i.e., without economic development, environmental goals are unreachable. His final call to ‘power all the people’ reinforced the conference theme that geosciences must not only shape the future of energy but also ensure it is equitable, inclusive, and grounded in real-world physics and economics.

Technical Programme

As ever the technical programme was the mainstay of the event. Over 1400 presenters shared innovations and real-world case studies across oral sessions, posters, workshops, and dedicated sessions, reflecting the full spectrum of geoscience and engineering expertise.

Exhibition

The Exhibition floor reported high engagement from both long-term clients and new prospects. Three dedicated theatres – the Energy Transition Area, Digital Transformation Area, and International Prospecting Centre – drew full sessions and delivered high-value insights, reinforcing the Exhibition’s role as a global platform for knowledge exchange and commercial growth.

Conference Evening

The week was capped off with a festive Conference Evening at the historic Victor Hugo Market, transformed into a private venue for EAGE attendees. With over 70 stalls featuring local wines, cheeses, charcuterie, and desserts, the evening offered a vibrant, relaxed setting for networking, and a true taste of southern France. Many participants described it as one of the best Annual Conference Evenings, if not the best, they had experienced.

On to Aberdeen

EAGE 2025 reaffirmed that geosciences are not on the sidelines of the energy transition, they are at its core. Now, the countdown begins for the 87th EAGE Annual Conference & Exhibition, taking place on 8-11 June 2026 in Aberdeen. We’re thrilled to bring the event to Aberdeen for the first time, hosted by bp at the state-of-the-art P&J Live convention centre. With strong local enthusiasm and global anticipation, Aberdeen promises to be another milestone in our shared journey of shaping the future of energy through geoscience.

STRATEGIC PROGRAMME

Discussing the bigger picture behind energy transition

EXHIBITION FLOOR

Dynamic booths, interactive displays, and engaged attendees

2025 HIGHLIGHTS AT A PRODUCTIVE MEMORABLE WEEK IN

TOULOUSE

Thanks for Joining Us

Your presence made the event special!

Scan the QR code for the event report

AWARDS & RECOGNITION

Acknowledging outstanding contributions in our community

WORKSHOPS & COURSES

Learning from experts, gaining practical knowledge

CAREER ACTIVITIES

Helping professionals take their next step

A LOOK BACK AND MEMORABLE TOULOUSE EAGE ANNUAL HIGHLIGHTS

FIELD TRIPS

Exploring geology in the region first-hand

CONFERENCE

EVENING

A night to remember in the heart of southern France

AT A PRODUCTIVE MEMORABLE WEEK IN TOULOUSE ANNUAL 2025 HIGHLIGHTS

GET 2025 field trips offer chance to witness energy transition in action

An exciting series of technical field trips providing a rare opportunity to witness energy transition projects up close will be available to participants at the upcoming 6th Global Energy Transition Conference & Exhibition (GET 2025) in Rotterdam on 27-31 October 2025.

From the innovative CCS infrastructure in the Port of Rotterdam to the geothermal-powered greenhouses of Westland, these excursions are designed to complement the conference’s rich technical programme with practical, real-world insights.

Carbon

in Transit: Capturing, transporting & storing CO2 beneath the North Sea

This visit to the Portland Visitor Centre in Maasvlakte explores the Porthos project, a first-of-its-kind carbon capture and storage (CCS) initiative in the European Union. The project collects CO2 from multiple industrial emitters in the Port of Rotterdam and transports it via a shared pipeline to depleted gas fields more than 3 km below the North Sea. Experts from EBN and the Porthos team will guide participants through the collection, compression, transport, and storage process, as well as the legal and environmental frameworks governing such operations giving them an insight into one of Europe’s most ambitious decarbonisation infrastructures.

Sea

of Change: the North Sea as a future-proof energy and climate zone

A sweeping view of the North Sea’s transition from fossil fuel frontier to a

These field trips are immersive experiences that provide crucial context to the discussions taking place at GET 2025. Whether you’re a geoscientist, policy maker, engineer, or investor, each excursion is designed to enhance your understanding of how theory meets practice in the evolving energy landscape. Spaces are limited, and pre-registration is required, so secure your spot early to make the most of your GET 2025 experience. For more details and booking, visit: eageget.org.

multi-faceted energy and climate zone is offered including topics such as offshore wind deployment, hydrogen production at sea, infrastructure reuse, and marine biodiversity initiatives. Coastal observation points will highlight cable landings and offshore facilities, showcasing how energy transport, system integration, and ecological adaptation are converging in this vital region. Participants should walk away with a deeper understanding of the North Sea’s role in Europe’s sustainable energy future.

Heat Below, Harvest Above: Geothermal energy and sustainable horticulture in Westland

In the agricultural powerhouse of Westland, attendees can visit advanced greenhouses that utilise geothermal heat for sustainable food production. The excursion includes a tour of operations like Ammerlaan The Green Innovator where geothermal energy and captured CO2 are used to grow crops with a lower environmental footprint. The trip highlights circular economy approaches linking energy, food, and climate.

Sinking Grounds, Rising Questions: Subsidence in Gouda’s historic cityscape

A walking tour through the city of Gouda draws attention to the effects of subsidence in urban settings. From water management and peatland subsidence to mining-related ground movements, the trip explores the scientific and historical dimensions of a city shaped by a sinking landscape. A special visit to the iconic Grote or Sint-Janskerk will add cultural context to this geoscientific exploration, a blend of geology with urban planning, sustainability, and heritage preservation.

Journey through the Anthropocene: Site visits to the Sand Motor and River De Rogge

The excursion explores two unique Dutch landscapes shaped by both human intervention and natural forces. The Sand Motor, a large-scale coastal protection experiment, and River De Rogge illustrate how dynamic, nature-based solutions are being designed to manage water, erosion and climate resilience. Attendees will see first-hand how the Anthropocene is being studied and engineered in the Netherlands.

Rotterdam and its surrounding areas provide valuable access to large-scale energy transition projects.

A visit to explore Porthos, the first large-scale CO2 transport and storage project in the European Union.

Every month we highlight some of the key upcoming conferences, workshops, etc. in the EAGE’s calendar of events. We cover separately our four flagship events – the EAGE Annual, Digitalization, Near Surface Geoscience (NSG), and Global Energy Transition (GET).

32nd International Meeting on Organic Geochemistry (IMOG) 7-11 September 2025 – Porto, Portugal

IMOG, the largest conference on organic geochemistry, brings together leading experts to explore organic matter cycles across geological and modern time scales. The event highlights integrated paleoenvironmental and climatic studies, advancing our understanding of Earth’s past and present systems focusing on the tools and insights needed to enhance the entire life cycle of energy activities. With 300+ poster and 80+ oral presentations, IMOG 2025 continues to serve as a key platform for driving progress in geochemistry and sustainable energy development through multi-disciplinary research and shared global expertise.

Discounted registration fee available until 10 August 2025

EAGE Workshop on Enhancing Subsurface Practices using AI/ML

10-11 November 2025 – Perth, Australia

This two-day event aims to converge experts from academia, industry, and research institutions to explore and share knowledge on the transformative potential of AI and ML in revolutionising subsurface workflows. Applications of AI/ML across various domains to be discussed include seismic processing and interpretation, reservoir characterisation, well log analysis, and production optimisation with emphasis on how these technologies can improve accuracy, efficiency, and decision-making in the energy sector and beyond. Discussions will also address challenges, best practices, and future directions in deploying AI/ML solutions for subsurface applications.

Abstract submission deadline: 17 August 2025

1st EAGE Conference on the Future of Mineral Exploration: Challenges and Opportunities

14-16 October 2025 – Santiago de Chile, Chile

Dedicated to addressing the critical role of mineral exploration in meeting the growing global demand for strategic resources, the conference focuses on innovative technologies, sustainable practices, and collaborative solutions to unlock mineral potential while minimising environmental and social impacts. From advanced geophysical techniques to sustainable water management in salt flats, the conference will highlight trends and challenges shaping the future of the industry. It also aims to promote inter-disciplinary collaboration, encouraging partnerships that will shape the future of the sector.

Abstract submission deadline: 1 August 2025

Fifth EAGE Eastern Mediterranean Workshop 1-3 December 2025 – Cairo, Egypt

The Eastern Mediterranean presents promising exploration opportunities, particularly below the Messinian salt layer. As focus shifts to low-carbon solutions, the region is well-positioned to support global energy security and sustainable growth through diversified, forward-looking energy strategies. The 5th EAGE Eastern Mediterranean Workshop will cover recent exploration successes, deepwater challenges, and the use of advanced technologies associated with seismic imaging and AI. It is also set to examine licensing, infrastructure, and regulatory frameworks, conscious of the evolving role of hydrocarbons in the energy transition. Key topics include carbon capture, synthetic fuels, and energy storage.

Abstract submission deadline: 1 September 2025

LC Czech Republic hears how peatlands contribute to climate change mitigation

Dr Lee Slater from Rutgers University Newark (New Jersey, USA) was recently on hand to present his talk Looking into the hydrology and carbon cycling of Northern Peatlands via geophysics to Local Chapter Czech Republic in collaboration with the Faculty of Science of Charles University (Prague). The event provided a valuable trailer for the upcoming NSG 2025 conference and exhibition in Naples on 7-11 September.

Dr Slater’s presentation offered a deep dive into the critical role of peatlands in global ecosystems and how geophysical research is advancing our understanding of these environments. Peatlands are wetland ecosystems

characterised by the accumulation of organic material – mainly plant matter – that builds up over thousands of years under waterlogged conditions. Despite covering only 3% of the Earth’s land surface, peatlands store nearly twice as much carbon as all the world’s forests combined. As such these ecosystems, primarily found in northern regions such as Canada, Russia, and Scandinavia, play a crucial role in carbon sequestration and climate regulation.

Near-surface geophysical techniques have significantly advanced the understanding of critical zone structures and the processes influencing boreal peatland systems, according to Dr Slater. His research highlights

how the subsurface mineral sediment architecture plays a crucial role in controlling hydrology and carbon cycling in these ecosystems. He also discussed how geophysical imaging can be used to observe free-phase methane gas dynamics within peatlands. This approach offers valuable insights into how methane is produced, stored and released, helping to improve our understanding of peatland ecosystems and their role in the global carbon cycle.

Finally, Dr Slater presented findings from his ongoing studies that combine geophysical methods with temperature sensing. This work provides novel insights into how subsurface piping systems might regulate peatland hydrology by channelling mineralised groundwater influencing both water flow and nutrient distribution.

The discussion was particularly relevant in view of NSG 2025 as the conference offers extensive opportunities to explore water-related geophysical applications. Register today at www. eagensg.org and explore more topics such as Geophysical surveys of the cryosphere and Arctic, Groundwater exploration and hydrogeophysics, Geophysical investigations in soils and agriculture and much more under the umbrella of the 31st Meeting of Environmental and Engineering Geophysics.

CO2 storage in Northern Peatlands of Kemijärvi, Northern Finland.

LC Czech Republic learns how 1+1>2 is the Synergy project formula

LC Czech Republic recently hosted Dr Lucie Janků of the Czech Geological Survey in a presentation of the Synergys project.

The hybrid meeting started with learning about the meaning of synergy, the interaction or cooperation of two or more organisations, substances or other agents to produce a combined effect greater than the sum of their separate parts. In the case of the Synergys project, it is the use of deep and shallow geothermal in conjunction with solar energy and green hydrogen as a system integrator to increase the share of these sources in the production and storage of thermal and electrical energy. Synergy is often referred to as the inequality formula ‘1+1>2’.

SYNERGYS concept. System 1 – Green Building provides heating and cooling to the RINGEN research centre. System 2 – Green Hydrogen stores excess heat from the electrolyser powered by photovoltaics. System 3 – Shallow Green Heat accummulates seasonal heat from photothermal panels. System 4 – Deep Green Heat harnesses heat from a deep geothermal reservoir. Systems 2, 3 and 4 aim to supply heat to the town‘s district heating network in the future.

Dr Janků explained that the project has been running since 1 January 2023 at the RINGEN research centre in Litoměřice. A subsidy of CZK 1,208.7 million, 95% of the total cost, has

been granted under the Just Transition 2021-2027 operational programme co-financed by the European Union. Main beneficiary is Charles University Faculty of Science with five partners – Czech Geological Survey, the Czech Technical University in Prague, the Geophysical Institute of the Czech Academy of Sciences, the City of Litoměřice and the Jan Evangelista Purkyně University in Ústí nad Labem (see also https://rin-gen.cz/en/aktualne/funding-approval-synergys-geothermal-project).

The project aims to develop three shallow borehole fields at depths of 100, 200 and 500 m to store seasonal heat from the RINGEN building and energy generated by solar panels. Additionally, a 3 km deep well is planned to supplement the system with heat from a deep geothermal reservoir. The well is probably going to be stimulated to increase permeability as the target formation´s natural permeability will likely be below economic use. The challenges addressed in the chosen area represent both low permeability in the crystalline basement and drilling complications in the sedimentary sequence due to the presence of unconsolidated sandstones and weak mudstones. To quote Dr Janků, ‘if the geothermal energy can be used in Litoměřice, it can be used in many other similar unfavourable sites’.

Recently, several 2D seismic profiles across Litoměřice region have been acquired and initial images were shown and discussed. They were targeting fault system imaging in both shallow sedimentary basins and deeper basement. The current images in sediments seem to outline the known faults well and the deeper parts of the image are still being improved. The next stage is developing shallow borehole fields and starting to test the operations and technical challenges associated with drilling these fields. The 3 km deep geothermal well will be drilled in 2026. The project is part of the wider EU effort and knowledge transfer will be an essential part of the work in progress.

Young professionals compete at Hungarian event

The 55th Meeting of Young Geoscientists organised by the Association of Hungarian Geophysicists and the Hungarian Geological Society took place in March in the spa town of Hévíz, providing a competitive environment for the 28 oral and 10 poster presentations that made up the event.

Supported by 16 institutions and companies with valuable special awards,

young professionals, doctoral candidates and university students under 35 years of age could present their latest theoretical and practical research results. Several foreign doctoral students studying at Hungarian universities also presented their research results at the event.

A six member jury awarded prizes to the presentations in theoretical, practical and poster categories.

Young geoscientist gathering in Hungary.

Jean-Jacques Biteau (1955-2025)

The untimely death of Jean-Jacques Biteau, at the age of 70, weeks before the EAGE Annual in Toulouse has dealt a devastating loss to his family, friends and colleagues and to the Association which benefited from his dedicated service, remarkable for passionate and inspiring advocacy of both geology and multi-disciplinary geoscience always with kindness and irresistable humour.

His lasting impact on the Association was commemorated in a short presentation to Marie Pierre Biteau, his wife of 37 years, at the Opening Ceremony in Toulouse.

From 2017, Biteau served a total of four years on the Board, including two as president, an achievement matched by only one other president in EAGE’s history. He was a committed member of numerous committees

and a familiar face on the Technical Programme Committee. He tirelessly travelled the world on behalf of the Association. Leveraging his geological background, he also acted as a strong bridge-builder between EAGE and AAPG, fostering international collaboration and shared scientific excellence.

A particular highlight of his contribution to EAGE was being instrumental in securing a record number of geology papers, no fewer than 19 sessions in total, for the Technical Programme at the 2019 Annual Conference in Paris.

Valentina Socco, EAGE president 2024-25, said: ‘Jean-Jaques always impressed for his ability to combine a crystal-clear vision with a humble, open-minded attitude. He always looked at problems from a compre-

hensive perspective, giving them a meaning that extended beyond the mere technical aspects. This made him a truly inspiring figure, who tirelessly made himself available to younger generations and colleagues. He was one of those rare individuals who work daily to improve themselves and, in doing so, improve the environment around them and positively impact the lives of others.’

Biteau was born in 1955 in Vendée, where he spent much of his youth, completing his studies at the Lycée Clemenceau in Nantes. A graduate of the École Nationale Supérieure de Géologie (ENSG) de Nancy in 1977, Jean-Jacques devoted his career to studying the structure and content of sedimentary basins, becoming an internationally recognised expert in oil exploration. One of Jean-Jacques’s defining characteristics was his exceptional capacity for work, organisation, and speed.

Hired by Société Nationale Elf Aquitaine Production, he worked in several subsidiaries around the world, notably in The Netherlands, Cameroon, France, and Angola, before joining Total’s Paris headquarters (now TotalEnergies) in 2000 during the merger of ELF and Total.

Jean-Jacques published numerous articles and books, including a notable volume on petroleum geology co-authored with François Baudin. He was also preparing a memoir for the Geological Society of France tracing 100 years of oil exploration in France highlighting the importance of the accumulated data and knowledge for future potential uses of the subsurface such as hydrogen exploration, underground storage, access to drinking water, and geothermal energy. In later years he was an active member of the ENSG of Nancy alumni association and its president from 2016-19.

EAGE extends its sincere condolences to Biteau’s wife, three sons and their families.

How first World CCUS Conference in Bergen plans to set a new standard

Conference co-chair Tao Yang, chief professional and senior specialist at Equinor, discusses the significance of the inaugural World CCUS Conference (www.ccus.org) being held in Bergen, Norway on 1-4 September.

What inspired the launch of this conference?

While there are many CCUS conferences globally, most tend to focus on a single discipline or are led by one main organisation. Across different engineering communities, there was a strong sense that we needed a truly cross-disciplinary, cross-organisational event, one that really highlights the engineering challenges and innovations.

How does the programme reflect the status of CCUS today and emerging solutions?

We’re seeing an exciting wave of large, real-world CCUS projects taking off around the world, and that momentum is very much reflected in our technical programme, keynote talks, and panel discussions. I’m particularly excited about

sessions on emerging areas like bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS) and early experiments in subsurface CO2 conversion and utilisation. These are frontier topics that could open entirely new pathways for CCUS.

How can this conference engage the next generation of CCUS professionals?

We’ve made it a priority to create a welcoming and inspiring space for young professionals. Beyond the plenary sessions and technical talks, we have a dedicated Young Professionals (YP) programme and contest designed to highlight emerging talent. The conference will offer opportunities for deep learning and networking across different areas of CCUS, helping to broaden horizons and energise the next generation.

Are there unique aspects of the conferencee that will set it apart?

Absolutely. The Bergen location alone offers an exceptional experience. Beyond the beautiful surroundings, we have easy access to key CCUS field sites. Attendees can visit the Northern Lights CO2 transport and storage project, the Mongstad CO2 capture test centre, and see live demonstrations like the FluidFlower experiment. These site visits will give par-

ticipants direct exposure to cutting-edge work in the field, something you don’t often get at other conferences.

What legacy do you hope this inaugural conference will leave, for the community and the future of CCUS?

Our goal is to build a new platform for cross-industry and cross-organisation collaboration. By bringing together academia, industry, and policymakers in a balanced way, we aim to create a different kind of event, one that goes beyond the traditional government- or industry-driven conferences. We hope it will set a new standard for collaboration and knowledge-sharing in the CCUS community for years to come.

Tao Yang, co-chair of the World CCUS Conference.

At the World CCUS Conference, we're striving for a future where CO2 is not just captured, but also stored, transformed, and turned into new opportunities.

EAGE launches latest courses for 2025

Eleven new courses have been introduced to the EAGE Education Catalogue in the first semester of 2025. The additions highlight the Association’s commitment to providing multi-disciplinary, forward-looking training opportunities led by top-tier instructors to meet the demands of the energy transition, digital innovation, and sustainable resource management.

The courses will be featured at key events including the EAGE Annual Conference & Exhibition, GET, and the EAGE Masterclass on Geothermal Energy, while also being available through interactive online formats and as in-house training courses for companies looking to upskill their teams.

Among the new offerings is Introduction to Python for Geoscientists by Claude Cavelius, an ideal entry point for professionals seeking to build digital fluency. Cavelius will also teach A Dive in AI & Machine Learning for Geoscientist, which guides participants through the core applications of AI across geoscientific datasets, demystifying machine learning and placing it in the context of real-world use cases.

The increasing relevance of hydrogen as a clean energy vector is addressed in Underground Hydrogen Storage in Rocks by Kamaljit Singh. To be held at GET 2025, the course investigates subsurface hydrogen behaviour at pore-to-core scale and explores advanced imaging and modelling techniques to improve prediction and storage performance.

At the intersection of innovation and practice, Sebastien Soulas will lead two new impactful courses. VSP Technology – From Check Shot to Advanced Distributed Acoustic Sensing walks participants through the evolution of VSP, now revolutionised by DAS systems, while Borehole Seismic Monitoring for Sustainable Energy Solutions adopts a wide-lens view of how borehole seismic data can be integrated into new energy projects. Soulas comments: ‘I believe that a holistic approach to understand value and limitations of borehole seismic data and its complex integration with surface seismic for new energies geophysical monitoring and reservoir characterisation is paramount. Experienced and young professionals from geologists, geophysicists, geoscientists to reservoir engineers could benefit from joining these courses.’

Another highlight is Ian Jones’ much-anticipated course on state-of-the-art full waveform inversion (FWI), which many seized the chance to attend during the EAGE Annual in Toulouse. With decades of experience in velocity model building, Jones offers a comprehensive understanding of the various FWI implementations, shedding light on the motivation, limitations, and future possibilities. Jones says: ‘I saw a need to focus on these many variants of FWI, outlining the motivation for the development of each method, its limitation, and potential benefits.’

The catalogue also expands into stratigraphy and structural analysis with courses such as Clastic Sequence Stratigraphy: Concepts, Methods and Workflows by Rene Jonk and Structural Geology Must Knows by Pascal D. Richard who also leads Integrated Fracture Characterisation and Fracture Modelling This latter provides a unified approach to understanding fractures across scales, ideal for those working in exploration or reservoir development.

Subsurface system modelling is further supported with Practical Basin Modelling, Petroleum System Analysis and Geochemistry by Naidu Bodapati, and Geothermal Energy Systems and their Role in the Energy Transition, led by Andrea Moscariello, which addresses a key pillar of sustainable energy solutions. The course will be part of the EAGE Masterclass on Geothermal Energy in November in Paris and GET 2025 in Rotterdam, The Netherlands.

Finally, reflecting the changing energy landscape, Shaji Mathew brings a new course to GET 2025 – Seismic Data Processing for Offshore Wind Farm Development. The course addresses the growing need for high-resolution seismic data in wind energy infrastructure development, guiding participants from legacy data reuse to state-of-the-art acquisition and processing techniques.

With more than 100 short courses now available across classroom, online, and in-house formats, EAGE’s training programme continues to grow to offer more depth and diversity for members’ continuous professional development.

EAGE members can benefit from special discounted rates for both online and in-person course registrations. Whether you’re looking to explore AI, support the energy transition, or refine your seismic expertise, these expertly developed courses offer practical tools to help you thrive in your geoscience career.

The EAGE Student Fund supports student activities that help students bridge the gap between university and professional environments. This is only possible with the support from the EAGE community. If you want to support the next generation of geoscientists and engineers, go to donate.eagestudentfund.org or simply scan the QR code. Many thanks for your donation in advance!

Personal Record Interview

Life of an intrepid entrepreneur

Canadian geoscientist Peter Duncan is best known as the founder of Microseismic, which brought an entirely new technology to market principally for shale oil and gas production. His career has also included many other achievements and innovative entrepreneurial ventures. A former president of SEG, he continues to be active inspiring a new generation of industry professionals, plus regular outings playing guitar at the Annual meeting.

Beginnings

Growing up in New Brunswick, Canada, I had really inspiring teachers and parents who encouraged curiosity and learning. My dad and I did physics experiments in the kitchen and constantly fiddled to keep the household gadgets working. My high school teachers steered me toward public speaking and debating. Those skills played a major role in my career.

University

I registered in geology to get a great paying summer job. That first summer hunting copper in Newfoundland I was introduced to geophysics, induced polarisation. Back at University of New Brunswick I switched majors to physics. The department designed a customised course that let me do geology and math for a hybrid geophysics degree. I continued with field summer jobs, including underground geology in Sudbury. Grad school at University of Toronto came next. It was a phenomenal learning opportunity.

Industry

I always imagined that I would be a professor, but my industry experience led me to Shell in Calgary. My first project was a continuation of my doctoral research. After two years of running EM models on Cray #2 I jumped to manage a tin exploration project in Nova Scotia. Shell decided to sell the deposit and retooled me as a seismologist, the one geophysics discipline that I had never touched. I became party chief on Shell’s first marine 3D seismic survey, Glenelg, offshore Nova Scotia. I was drinking from a fire hose.

Entrepreneurship

I found Shell oil and gas a bit big compared to the minerals group. I joined Pulsonic Geophysical in Calgary to manage processing the Glenelg 3D. I even kept my Shell office to co-ordinate with the exploration team. Two years on I headed to Houston with Digicon, Pulsonic’s parent. At the time more 3D was being shot in Canada than the US. My role was to reverse that for the benefit of Digicon’s business. I told my wife we would be in the US for three years. It’s been 39. Rudy Prince, Digicon’s founder was a visionary. He asked me to start a new enterprise for Digicon providing multi-disciplinary field studies. ExploiTech was born. We got noticed by Landmark Graphics who acquired us to be their wet lab. An industry slowdown in 1992 allowed us to do a leveraged buyout and hang out our shingle as a non–operating 3D exploration company, 3DX Technologies. Success led to an IPO. I was an oilman now. At least on paper. The crash of ’99 forced us to sell out at much less than the IPO price.

Microseismic

I moved back into technology, participating in a couple of tech startups and serving a term as president of SEG. My SEG colleagues were worried about my work situation until one day I announced I was starting a new company, MicroSeismic (MSI). When I explained this would be a passive seismic business there was a collective groan. One friend suggested to my wife that she find a job to prevent us from losing our house. Fortunately, my timing was almost perfect. Riding the shale gale, we rapidly grew to 250 employees.

Microseismic evolution

Frac monitoring work slowed as engineers became confident in their completion recipes and the oil business became increasingly cost conscious. Covid struck. Bankruptcy loomed. I furloughed myself and all but five employees. We survived and rebuilt, finding other markets beyond fracking: mitigating sinkhole hazards, monitoring CO2 sequestration, and enhanced geothermal field development.

Achievements

I am pleased that my wife did not have to get a job to save our house. I am proud of the resilience of MSI over the last 22 years. I am proud of how the team has pushed microseismic technology forward. I feel that I have realised most of my desire to be a prof by teaching dozens of young graduates who have passed through MSI, presenting hundreds of lectures at schools and hosting the SEG Student Challenge Bowl quiz.

Outlook

Geoscience is about the thrill of discovery. Geophysicists revel in their ‘toys’ Ahead I see bigger and better computers doing ever more complex calculations on larger and denser datasets. Geophysicists will never stop opening windows into the earth while relishing the challenge. I wish I could start all over again.

Leisure time

My work is my leisure but when not living the MSI dream I enjoy playing tennis, one of my guitars or my Yamaha Grand. When I grow up, I want to be a rock star.

Peter Duncan

CROSSTALK

BY ANDREW M c BARNET

BUSINESS • PEOPLE • TECHNOLOGY

The ethical challenge for geoscientists

It is reassuring, almost quaint, that in the geoscience community a discussion on what consitutes ethical behaviour and practice can be referenced and indeed appears to be gaining increasing traction.

If only the powers behind the worsening theatres of turmoil in the world could come under such scrutiny. The always quotable polymath Albert Schweitzer wrote, ‘Ethics is nothing else than reverence for life.’ The conflicts we are witnessing clearly flout the value of human life, the essence of ethics, and raise many other questions such as the concept of a just war and the value of international conventions. Blended in the background are further disturbing trends such as the rise of authoritarianism, contradications of capitalism and the accumulation of wealth, energy poverty, societal polarisation, etc, etc.

Such disturbing issues present more than a moral maze, rather a moral morass. They are distinctive in being way beyond our power as individuals to affect change, yet are ever present in our daily discourse. It raises the question as to whether a decline in the ethics of ordinary community and business life is an inevitable corollary to the appalling events happening around the world and the motivations that drive them. The answer may not be what we think.

moral behaviour, e.g., volunteerism, levels of cooperation, helping strangers, etc. found no meaningful change over time. In as much as it could be measured, daily morality (involving friends, communities, etc.) was said to be stable, with less than 0.3% variation in responses. These results were reflected in many other countries. The authors also point to the obvious decline over centuries – hopefully not prematurely – in violence such as slavery, murder, rape, and massacres plus in many societies better treatment for those with disabilities and tolerance for different sexual orientations.

‘There’s a strange dichotomy between perception and real life’

By way of explanation the authors show how a simple mechanism is responsible for this strange dichotomy between perception and real life. It is based on two well-established psychological phenomena – biased exposure to negative information and biased memory for information. The negativity stems from the fact that we tend to pay more attention to bad news – ‘if it bleeds it leads’ – and hence gain an impression that the moral state of the world is low.

An article in Nature (7 June 2023) by Adam M. Mastroianni (Columbia University) and Daniel T. Gilbert (Harvard University) entitled The illusion of moral decline attracted a great deal of attention when they published their findings that more than 12 million people in at least 60 nations around the world interviewed between 1949 and 2021 believed that morality (as in kindness, honesty, ethical behaviour, civility, and decency) had been going downhill for at least 70 years. Yet they revealed that the reality was strikingly different. ‘People say it just gets worse and worse – that moral decline has been happening their whole lives and it’s still happening today’ is how Mastroianni has described the phenomenon noting that young and old perceived the same rate of decline.

Belief is the operative word here. The authors found that over 100 surveys between 1965 and 2020 asking 400 million Americans about

Mastroianni suggests that ‘If something good and something bad happen to you today, in five years’ time the bad thing will seem less negative and the good thing will not have lost its positive aspect … The first bias makes the present seem like a moral wasteland, the second makes the past seem like a fabulously moral universe.’

Rather scarily these American researchers conclude: ‘If low morality is a cause for concern, then declining morality may be a veritable call to arms, and leaders who promise to halt that illusory slide – to “make America great again”, as it were – may have out-sized appeal. Our studies indicate that the perception of moral decline is pervasive, perdurable, unfounded and easily produced. Achieving a better understanding of this phenomenon would seem a timely task.’

If we accept plausibility of the authors’ premise, then lessons to bear in mind would be separating reality from perception and establishing a baseline for judging any improvement (the possibility for which Mastroianni and Gilbert leaves open). Such learnings

may be more simply applied to a specific field of activity such as geoscientific endeavour compared with the complications of our everyday lives in general when even the choice of breakfast coffee can have ethical implications.

Historically religions have tended to provide the community with its moral compass, obviously not so universal these days given the need to recognise the authority of a deity of some kind. Many professional geoscience organisations do promote a ‘10 Commandments’ style guidance for their members, for example, the International Association for Promoting Geoethics (IAPG). Endorsed by numerous international societies, IAPG was established in 2012 during the 34th International Geological Congress (IGC) in Brisbane Australia. It aims to provide an important platform for geoscientists to share experiences, ideas, reflections and information on geoethical issues. The rationale is that geoscientists have specific knowledge and skills, which are required to investigate, manage and intervene in various components of the Earth system to support human life and well-being, to defend people against geohazards and to ensure natural resources are managed and used sustainably. It follows they should embrace ethical values in order best to serve the public good, IAPG argues.

from Western Europe. ‘Between 2010 and 2019, women accounted for 50% of the United States workforce, but only one third of geoscientists and environmental scientists (AGI, 2019). While there have been steady gains in the number of women earning PhDs in the geosciences, reaching 45%, women are still only 27% of geoscience faculty. The percentage of women in faculty positions decreases with rank, and there is a higher rate of attrition for women than men from geoscience faculty positions (Ranganathan et al., 2021).

Unsurprisingly most literature on issues of race in the geosciences is based on the US experience. An indictment tempered with some positive solutions can be found in an Americal Geophysical Union article Combating Racism in the Geosciences: Reflections from a Black Professor in which Prof Vernon R. Morris, a professor of chemistry and environmental sciences at Arizona University and self-styled ‘advocate for STEM equality’, decries institutional racism based on his career experience and calls for geosciences to be diverse, equitable, and inclusive.

‘Disconnnect between everyday geoscience life and the global ethical issues in the resources field’

In 2016, the Association published its Capetown Statement on Geothics available in 38 languages, the product of an international effort to focus the attention of geoscientists on the ‘development of shared policies, guidelines, strategies and tools, with the long-range goal of fostering the adoption of ethical practices in the geoscience community’.

The Hippocratic-like nine vows (the Geoethical Promise) for adoption by early career geoscientists proposed by IAGC to promote respect for geoethics values in geoscience research and practice may be asking too much, but it does demonstrate a seriousness of purpose. With the same motivation of promoting awareness among engineering students, Prof Raffaella Ocone, current president of the UK Institute of Chemical Engineering (recently featured in our First Break Personal Record series), has been advocating the need for increased teaching of ethics in the academic engineering curriculum to supplement the profession’s established code of practice.

Putting aside our biased beliefs and assessing the reality, we may ask whether setting ethical standards for the profession has any measurable effect? Anecdotally we may feel that progress is being made regarding workplace issues such as racial discrimination and gender bias. On the latter, more women seem to be coming into the geoscience profession but, as EAGE’s Women in Geoscience Special Interest Group regularly attests, there are plenty of gender-related challenges and certainly a lack of women in senior management and leadership roles, pace Irene Basili and Sophie Zurquiyah, CEOs of Shearwater Geoservices and Viridien respectively.

A position statement by the Geological Society of America paints the actual picture in the US reporting a trend not that different

In an unusually candid posting, the US Geological Survey (USGS) last year posted an article on its participation in a virtual 16-week virtual programme initiative Unlearning Racism in the Geosciences (URGE) programme, established in 2021 by a group of young professionals to counteract racism supported by the National Science Foundation, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, and Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UC San Diego. USGS was prompted by its struggle to diversify the geoscience workforce.

What such initiatives do not address is the disconnnect between such community action and everyday geoscience life and the global ethical issues in the resources field of oil and gas and mining for which geoscientists can be held accountable but can do little to influence. This is where we came in. The common strategy advice to cope with the kind of overwhelming news we are currently experiencing is to limit news consumption, practice self-care, and focus on what we can control, also perhaps acknowledge our feelings, seek support from loved ones, and engage in activities that bring us joy.

Such counsel may be a little touchy-feely not to mention impractical for geoscientists in a corporate environment. Many are engaged (without meaningful control) in energy industries widely held to be unethical in both their disregard of climate change and some of their industrial practices, yet oil and gas exploitation can legitimately be interpreted as providing the ‘greatest good for the greatest number’, the creed of Utilitarianism (Bentham). If philosophy is to help provide peace of mind, then we should sample the smorgasbord of ethical approaches making sure to include essentials such as deontology (Kant), virtue ethics (Aristotle) and natural law (Aquinas). Unfortunately every ethic is open to critique, so developing your own personal philosophy is really the only answer, the cue for a multitude of self-help books.

Views expressed in Crosstalk are solely those of the author, who can be contacted at andrew@andrewmcbarnet.com.

MORE TO EXPLORE

Just 29% of the Earth’s surface is covered by land, we cover the rest. We explore and analyse what’s beneath the seabed. This provides the knowledge needed to make informed decisions for responsible use of the Earth’s resources.

We’re explorers at heart.

INDUSTRY NEWS

Global investment in CCS to reach $80 billion in next five years, says DNV

Global investment in carbon capture and storage (CCS) is expected to reach $80 billion over the next five years, according to DNV’s Energy Transition Outlook: CCS to 2050 report.

DNV forecasts that capture and storage capacity is expected to quadruple by 2030 owing to a sharp increase in capacity in the project pipeline. The immediate rise in capacity is being driven by short-term scale-up in North America and Europe, with natural gas processing still the main application for the technology.

‘In the longer term, CCS is crucial for addressing sectors that are challenging to decarbonise, such as steel and cement production,’ said DNV. ‘These hard-to-decarbonise industries are forecast to be the main driver of growth from

2030 onwards, accounting for 41% of annual CO2 captured by mid-century. Maritime onboard capture is expected to scale from the 2040s in parts of the global shipping fleet.’

As the technologies mature and scale, the average costs will drop by an average of 40% by 2050, said the report.

CCS will grow from 41 MtCO2/yr captured and stored today to 1300 MtCO2/ yr in 2050, which will be 6% of global emissions. However, CCS will need to scale to six times this level to reach the amount outlined in DNV’s Pathway to Net Zero Emission report.

Ditlev Engel, CEO, Energy Systems at DNV said: ‘For all this advancement, the trajectory of CCS deployment remains a long way off where it must be

to deliver net zero by 2050. Economic headwinds in recent years have put pressure on this capital-intensive technology and corrective action will need to be taken by government and industry if we are to close the gap between ambition and reality.’

DNV forecasts that carbon dioxide removal (CDR) will capture 330 MtCO2 in 2050 – one-quarter of total captured emissions. Bioenergy with CCS (BECCS) is generally the cheaper CDR option and will be used primarily in renewable biomass for power and manufacturing.

Direct air capture (DAC) costs on the other hand remain high at around $350/ tCO2 through to 2050, but voluntary and compliance carbon markets still ensure the capture of 32 MtCO2 in 2040 and 84 MtCO2 in 2050.

Jamie Burrows, global segment lead CCUS, energy systems at DNV, said: ‘CCS is entering a pivotal decade and the scale of ambition and investment must increase dramatically. It remains essential for hard-to-decarbonise sectors like cement, steel, chemicals, and maritime transport. But as DNV’s report shows, delays in reducing carbon dioxide emissions will place an even greater burden on carbon dioxide removal technologies. To stay within climate targets, we must accelerate the deployment of all carbon management solutions, from industrial capture to nature-based removal.’

Photo credit: Northern Lights, Ruben Soltvedt.

Viridien reports first quarter net loss of $28 million but revenue is up

Viridien has made a first quarter net loss of $28 million on IFRS revenues of $258 million, compared to a net loss of $3 million on IFRS revenues of of $249 million in Q1 2024.

Segment operating income was $65 million on revenues of $301 million compared to $28 million on revenues of $273 million in Q1 2024.

Sophie Zurquiyah, chief executive officer, Viridien, said: ‘The first quarter of 2025 was marked by two significant milestones for the group. The end of the vessel capacity agreement opens a new chapter of enhanced flexibility in our cost base and stronger cash generation, while our bond refinancing reflects the financial market’s confidence in the execution of our strategy and our long-term potential.

‘In parallel, our financial results for the first quarter of 2025 confirm the robust performance of our business, with commercial wins, solid profitability, and cash generation fully aligned with our long-term ambitions.

‘Assuming moderate fluctuations in the oil market, we expect to achieve our target of approximately $100 million in net cash

flow generation for the year and to continue our deleveraging journey.’

Digital, Data and Energy Transition (DDE) revenue was $214 million, up 16% with growth in Geoscience (+25%) and Earth Data (+7%). Geoscience revenue was $110 million (+25%), driven by adoption of Elastic FWI technologies worldwide.

Earth Data revenue of $104 million was up 7% with Viridien active on multiple reprocessing projects worldwide.

Sensing and Monitoring (SMO) revenue of $87 million is 2% down, although the company reported ‘sustained activities in Land with strong momentum on nodal systems’.

New infrastructure monitoring contracts were signed in North America. Viridien is pursuing several geotechnical monitoring opportunities in rail and mining sectors worldwide, it added.

During the quarter Viridien refinanced its April 2027 $447 million and €578 million notes, replaced with $450 million (10% interest) and €475 million (8.5% interest) senior secured notes, which are due October 2030.

Net debt is at $974 million and liquidity at $257 million.

TGS partners with Oseberg to upgrade well data

TGS is partnering with Oseberg to bring its lease data attributes into TGS’ Well Data Analytics (WDA) platform for enhanced analysis WDA users can seamlessly access lease ownership data

ownership and leasehold constraints, said TGS. Key use cases include merger and acquisition analysis, project site planning, investment evaluation, and resource inventory management.

for Texas, New Mexico, and Oklahoma, as well as other subsurface well data. This combined offering enables E&P companies to plan wells more efficiently, reduce legal and operational risks, and optimise development strategies by aligning drilling programs with land

Carl Neuhaus, vice-president of Well Data Products at TGS, said: ‘Our partnership with Oseberg creates a full-service subsurface data offering combining the highest quality lease data with the most comprehensive geological and well database. Integrating Oseberg lease

ownership data empowers our users to verify land ownership in minutes and use TGS data to quantify resource deliverability, improve development planning accuracy, and quickly identify the most valuable opportunities. As always, these workflows are developed with customers to ensure seamless integration and hassle-free displacement of existing solutions.’

Evan Anderson, CEO/CO-Founder of Oseberg, added: ‘For our lease ownership data, we’ve chosen to focus on structuring the unstructured filings that underpin everything from the right to drill to the creation of proration units at the tract and formation level.

‘In a world where public data can obscure critical details like elevations, depths, perforations, producing formations, and drill stem tests, TGS’ unparalleled subsurface and well log library unlocks a level of understanding that few others can match. Together, we’re harmonising two bedrock layers of the upstream story, and we’re excited about what that enables for the market.’

Lease data provided by Oseberg in the TGS Well Data application overlaying the well data.

Getech and STRYDE launch end to end subsurface screening

Getech and STRYDE have launched a geoscience screening solution to evaluate, and model resource potential.

The service has an end-to-end subsurface screening and targeting capability that enables companies to conduct early screening and identification of high value leads and prospects, to optimise new seismic survey design, and to reduce unnecessary seismic acquisition costs by focusing only where it matters most, said Getech.

The new service empowers companies to identify the most prospective zones using Getech’s global gravity and magnetic datasets and reduce geological risk through early-stage basin and play-scale analysis, leveraging Getech’s ‘Globe’ knowledge database. It will avoid unnecessary seismic acquisition in low-potential areas by quickly screening them out, optimise survey planning by identifying where to acquire seismic and how to design it for maximum data quality, enable faster, more informed decision-making and reduce uncertainty and guide drilling and investment action through reliable and validated geoscience intelligence.

‘The market has long lacked a streamlined, data-driven service that connects early lead identification to the delivery of direct targets,’ said Max Brouwers, chief business development officer at Getech. ‘Our partnership with STRYDE combines Getech’s expertise in basin evaluation and geoscience intelligence with STRYDE’s specialism in

nodal seismic acquisition for high-resolution subsurface imaging.’

At a recent regional and multiphase client project in the Middle East, Getech began by analysing gravity and magnetic data to map subsurface density and susceptibility contrasts. These datasets are particularly well-suited for identifying localised geological features such as positive structures, sub-basins, and depocentres, said Getech.

This analysis provided insight into the depth and extent of the petroleum system and helped to pinpoint areas with the highest prospectivity. Results included enhanced gravity and magnetic maps, a structural interpretation, reinterpretation of legacy seismic data, detailed lead descriptions, and a comprehensive lead summary map. Based on these findings, a targeted 3D seismic acquisition campaign was recommended in high-value zones. STRYDE then designed and planned the seismic programme to ensure an efficient acquisition process focused precisely where new data will deliver the greatest impact for decision-making.

Cam Grant, chief commercial officer at STRYDE, said: ‘There is limited internal expertise in the regional exploration challenges and a lack of insight into where to focus exploration efforts for the most ROI. Many operators rely on large, sparse surveys when they could achieve better results with targeted, high-density 3D seismic, once leads and targets are more clearly defined through existing data and analysis.’

Sonardyne monitors UK’s first offshore CCS project

Sonardyne has been selected by the Northern Endurance Partnership to deliver baseline environmental monitoring services for the UK’s first offshore carbon capture and storage site under the North Sea. The company will deploy seabed landers at key locations above and around the subsurface Endurance site – the saline aquifer is located 145 km off the coast of Teesside where captured CO2 will be stored.

Monitoring will begin in the summer of 2026 to provide baseline data for two years before the transportation and storage of captured CO2 commences. Seabed landers will be equipped with Edge data processing application, power management and acoustic through-water communications. Each lander will also contain a suite of hardware including Origin 600 ADCP, Wavefront’s passive sonar array and multiple third-party sensors. ‘Together, this technology can detect small changes in water chemistry across a wide area, while the data can be harvested, without retrieving the lander, using wireless subsea acoustic communication techniques,’ said Sonardyne.

The Northern Endurance Partnership (NEP), is a joint venture between bp, Equinor, and TotalEnergies.

Subsurface screening has been deployed by the partners in the Middle East.

Sonardyne’s seabed lander.

TGS launches geophysical survey for Scottish offshore wind farm

TGS has launched a geophysical survey for the Green Volt floating wind farm off the east coast of Scotland.

The work is scheduled throughout June will include an ultra-high-resolution 3D (UHR3D) seismic survey to deliver detailed subsurface data for the floating windfarm’s site characterisation.

The Green Volt project, 80 km off the east coast of Scotland, is a joint venture between Flotation Energy and Vårgrønn. As Europe’s first commercial-scale floating windfarm at 560 MW, the project is a catalyst for developing a highly specialised UK floating wind supply chain.

Utilising integrated Multibeam Echo Sounder, Side Scan Sonar, Sub-bottom Profiler and Magnetometer sensors, the advanced survey will enhance geological understanding and provide critical insights for the project’s site planning and risk assessments.

UHR3D data will provide detailed understanding of the subsurface conditions, revealing potential risks and challenges that are not always accurately captured through traditional 2D data interpolation, said TGS. The enhanced data collection will help the Green Volt project team to identify geological hazards and structural complexities, contributing to improved site assessment and risk mitigation strategies.

SCAN prepares for 3D seismic geothermal survey in the Netherlands

The SCAN geothermal research program in the Netherlands is continuing to acquire and reprocess seismic data, as well as advance its research drilling phase.

Funded by the Dutch Ministry of Climate and Green Growth and carried out by EBN in collaboration with TNO, SCAN aims to accelerate the implementation of geothermal energy by collecting data from lesser-known areas of the Dutch subsurface. In addition to the 2D seismic surveys, reprocessing and research wells, SCAN is also preparing a large-scale 3D seismic survey in the Metropolitan Region Amsterdam, set to begin in the autumn of 2025.

SCAN recently finished its sixth research well in the Eindhoven area where operations started in April on the Stad van Gerwen-01 research well. It focused on the almost 2 km-thick Cenozoic infill of the Roer Valley Graben. SCAN had moved operations here after the research well Ede-01 where the main target of the Slochteren formation was found to be 60-m thick and permeable. They were part of four research wells that were drilled in sequence, starting in November 2024 with the Heesch-01 well. At 2525-m deep this well targeted and cored the Triassic Main Buntsandstein Subgroup and Triassic Nederweert Sandstone Formation. The 2123m-deep De Bilt01 research well collected data and cores from three targets, the main target being the Permian Rotliegend Slochteren formation.

The SCAN team started the drilling campaign late 2023 in Ouder-Amstel with the the 2227m-deep Amstelland-01 well that showed the presence of a good Rotliegend reservoir of more than 100-m thickness. The 844-m deep Oranjeoord-01 well in Heijningen focused on the shallower Cenozoic deposits. The Brussels Sand Member, the main target investigat-

ed here, showed good permeability and an average temperature of around 31°C. In the summer of 2025, drilling operations will continue in Amsterdam with the Strandeiland research well. It will target the Permian Rotliegend Slochteren Formation. SCAN has also completed 2D seismic surveys in the Deurne and Kempen region to prepare for possible research wells in these areas.

The team is also gearing up for a large-scale 3D seismic survey in the Metropolitan Region Amsterdam. This survey will be the first in a series of additional 2D and 3D surveys intended to reduce geological uncertainty in areas that are promising for geothermal potential, but where the current subsurface data is too sparse to accelerate and optimise the development of safe geothermal projects. The large-scale 3D seismic survey in the Amsterdam area will be the first 3D seismic survey in the SCAN program. The final outlines are currently being determined together with the seismic contractor, Smart Seismic Solutions (S3).

‘We are working meticulously to prepare the 3D seismic survey in the Metropolitan Region Amsterdam, which will be the first 3D seismic survey in an urban area in the Netherlands since 2001,’ said Johannes Rehling, senior geophysicist SCAN.

The SCAN team has also been studying existing core material from wells drilled in the central and western parts of the Netherlands between 1950 and 2012. The goal of this study is to gain a more complete understanding of the depositional environment, diagenesis and aquifer quality of the Permian Rotliegend Slochteren Formation. Core study reports for 34 wells as well as an overview report are now available. All data that SCAN collects are made available at nlog.nl.

Ramform Vanguard vessel.

Shearwater reports first quarter net profit of $9 million

Shearwater GeoServices has reported first quarter net profit of $9 million on revenues of $189.4 million, compared to a net loss of $37 million on revenues of $123.4 million in Q1 2024.

Operating profit was $24 million, compared to an operating loss of $18 million in Q4 2024.

Cashflow from operations was $64 million compared to minus $18 million in Q1 2024. Backlog was $400 million compared to $469 million in Q1 2024.

Results were boosted by record-high 94% utilisation for the active fleet of nine vessels and a three-year global capacity reservation agreement with TotalEnergies. The company was awarded a major ExxonMobil OBN survey in Guyana.

Irene Basili, CEO of Shearwater, said: ‘We delivered strong operational

and financial results for the first quarter of 2025 with record-high 94% fleet utilisation and good cash generation. This reflects higher activity coming into 2025 as expected and diligent execution of Shearwater’s operational model with continuous matching of active vessels to the underlying market conditions.

‘The marine seismic market is expected to follow the same trend line as the past three years. However, the visibility for the coming quarters remains low due to fewer contracts awarded for the mid-year period and we will align active vessels with demand. Oil and gas companies’ investment budgets continue to reflect geopolitical uncertainty and market volatility, while capital discipline remains in focus. In response to the prevailing market dynamics, we are proactively assessing costs and investment levels to optimise cash flow. Considering the market outlook for the mid-year and due to higher working capital requirements resulting from back-end loaded payment terms with several clients, we have proactively initiated dialogue with key stakeholders to ensure balance sheet resilience.

‘The oil and gas exploration and production industry will need to invest more in marine seismic data acquisition, processing and imaging to rebuild reserves, maintain production and ensure energy security. In light of this, despite current short-term volatility, the tender pipeline is encouraging and is expected to support continued sustainable margins.’

Viridien wins seismic data reimaging project in Algeria

Viridien has won a contract from a Sonatrach and PTTEP joint venture to reimage two legacy 3D seismic data sets totalling 2400 km2 in the Hassi Bir Rekaiz concession in the Berkine Basin, Eastern Algeria.

During the 13-month project Viridien scientists are completely reimaging and merging the two legacy seismic datasets, originally acquired in 2011 and 2013.

‘To meet the client’s challenging imaging objectives, Viridien is applying the latest technology to deliver more detailed seismic velocity modeling and improved reliability of seismic amplitude, phase and frequency attributes for quantitative interpretation and enhanced fault imaging,’ said Viridien in a statement.

The US Department of Interior is rescinding a rule put in place last year that added new restrictions on oil and gas development in the National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska. The 2024 rule created a presumption against oil and gas activity in approximately 13 million acres unless operators could prove minimal or no adverse effects on surface resources.

TotalEnergies and Mistral AI are collaborating on artificial intelligence innovation, especially in low-carbon energies. At a joint innovation lab, the companies will test and design advanced digital solutions. The aim is for TotalEnergies to design an assistant for its 1000 researchers and develop decision support solutions to enhance the performance of its industrial assets and lower its C02 emissions.

The Norwegian Offshore Directorate is launching an interactive map, Deep Sea Surveys, providing an overview of mapping and sampling carried out in on the Norwegian Continental Shelf. The data is published under the Norwegian Licence for Open Government Data.

Dave Hager has been appointed as a non-executive director at bp. Hager was executive chairman of Devon Energy between 2021 and 2023, president and CEO between 2015-2021. He spent ten years at Kerr McGee, including as chief operating officer and senior vice president exploration and production. He joined the industry in 1979 as a geophysicist. Hager is currently a non-executive director of MRC Global Inc.

Norwegian oil and gas company DNO has completed the acquisition of Sval Energi from HitecVision for a cash consideration of $450 million based on an enterprise value of $1.6 billion. The acquired portfolio comprises 16 producing fields in Norway, quadrupling DNO’s North Sea production to 80,000 boepd. The company’s North Sea proven and probable (2P) reserves increase to 189 MMboe, also a fourfold increase. Contingent resources (2C) total 316 MMboe.

Oceanic Sirius vessel.

Seismic data confirms more oil for Geo Exploration offshore Namibia

An independent geoscience evaluation offshore Namibia, has upgraded resources for Geo Exploration.

The company said that the study has ‘greatly enhanced’ understanding of the potential in the eastern portion of Licence PEL94 (Block 2011A) and identified two

new sandstone leads: Emerald (in the Albian) and Beryl (in the Cenomanian).

The evaluation concludes that Emerald and Beryl together contain 792 MMbbl of unrisked gross mean prospective resources, with 726 MMbbl attributable to Emerald and 66 MMbbl to Beryl.

These upgraded numbers lift the licence-wide unrisked gross mean prospective resources on PEL 94 to approximately 4.31 billion barrels, representing a 23% increase over the 3.52 billion barrels announced on 27 March 2023.

Seismic mapping has delineated robust, dip and fault-bounded structural closures. The seismic data interpretation has also highlighted direct hydrocarbon indicators in the area — including gas chimneys and flat spots — providing strong evidence for

Discovered volumes

an active petroleum system, migration of hydrocarbons throughout the section and therefore increasing the chance that the leads are charged with oil.

The 5798 km² licence area sits within the Walvis Basin ‘sweet-spot’, an area benefiting from improved charge maturity modelling, while recent world-class discoveries in the Orange Basin to the south (Venus, Mopane, Capricornus) highlight the prolific nature of Namibia’s Atlantic margin.

Omar Ahmad, chief executive officer of GEO Exploration, said: ‘The resource upgrade underscores the tremendous potential we see in PEL 94. With excitement building across Namibia, and particularly in the Walvis Basin, we are actively progressing farm-out discussions.’

from high-impact exploration wells falls by 62%, says Westwood

The discovered volume from high impact exploration wells drilled in 2020-2024 fell by 62% compared to 2010-2014, according to research by Westwood.

Success rates from high impact exploration wells have improved, but since 2015 the exploration industry has roughly halved the number of high impact exploration wells being drilled, it added.

The contribution to replacement of global hydrocarbon production from conventional high impact exploration fell from 33% to only 11%.

Westwood said that high-impact exploration drilling has been remarkably stable in the last five years, averaging 77 wells per year and varying by less than 15% each year from 2020 to 2024 despite volatility in commodity prices with companies exercising capital discipline in the face of uncertainty in the long scale demand outlook. Seventy five high-impact exploration wells were completed in 2024, delivering 19 potentially commercial discoveries totalling 5.2 bn boe at a 25% commercial success rate. Key discoveries in 2024 were made in Kuwait, Russia, Cote d’Ivoire and Namibia.

The company landscape has been transformed since 2015 with half the number of companies drilling high-impact wells. National Oil Companies accounted for 51% of high impact well equity and 67% of the discovered resource in 2024. The

supermajors, however, had a difficult year, only delivering a 5% net commercial success rate with only one clear commercial success out of the 29 high impact wells that the five companies participated in.

High-impact exploration drilling has moved into ever deeper water, with 9% of wells drilled in >2500m water depth in 2020-24 compared to 6% in 2010-14. Results have been disappointing, however, with commercial success rates in ultra-deepwater >2500m falling from ~20% in 2010-14 to only 3% in 2020-24, with only a single success from 35 wells drilled in the period. ‘A rethink may be needed to address possible systemic flaws in the play concepts that were tested,’ said Westwood.

The industry delivered a 27% commercial success rate in 2020-2024, significantly higher than the 21% achieved in the 2010-2014 period despite exploration drilling declining by 49%.

This suggests that the increase in efficiency is due to only the best prospects being selected for drilling. The average discovery size, however, fell from 545mmboe to 320mmboe with fewer >1bnboe scale discoveries.

‘High-impact exploration drilling will remain stable in 2025 with ~75 wells expected to complete. ‘To turn around the decline in the volumes being discovered, success is needed in new basins and plays that will require creative thinking, use of new technologies and a continued appetite for risk,’ said Westwood.

Data puts the find at 7.8 billion barrels.

Denmark shortlists 10 companies for CCS projects

The Danish Energy Agency has selected 10 companies from a pool of 16 applicants to compete for $4.5 billion in funding for carbon capture and storage projects. The funding is expected to help reduce Denmark’s annual CO2 emissions by 2.3 million tonnes from 2030.

The companies are: Affaidplus; ARGO CCS; E.ON; Energist CaptureCo; Fjernvarme Fyn Fangst; Gaia ProjectCo; HOFOR DSS SPV; Kredsløb Holding; Ørsted Bioenergy & Thermal Power; and Aalborg Portland.

Funding will be paid out per tonne of CO2 captured and stored. To be included in Denmark’s climate targets, the CO2 must be captured within the country. The CO2 can be geologically stored either in Denmark or abroad.

In the next phase, the prequalified companies can submit detailed project descriptions and bids. The deadline for submission of initial offers is 26 August 2025. This will be followed by a negotiation phase between the Danish Energy Agency and the bidders. Deadline for final and binding offers is 17 December 2025. Contract awards are planned for April 2026.

Dr Fabio Mancini joins the DUG ranks

DUG has appointed Dr Fabio Mancini as regional chief geophysicist.

Over his 20-plus year career he has worked at Hess Corporation and TotalEnergies, and was the chief geophysicist at Woodside Energy and Blue Ocean Seismic Services.

He has had roles in research and development as well as seismic processing, imaging and acquisition operations for land and marine projects, said DUG.

Dr Mancini said: ‘I have long been an advocate of full waveform inversion. I am very excited to work with DUG to drive a new era of advanced geophysical solutions.’

DUG’s managing director, Matt Lamont, said: ‘Fabio’s exceptional technical expertise and leadership, along with his extensive industry network, will be invaluable as we continue to expand and promote our capabilities across APAC and the Americas. Fabio has always had a focus on the development and implementation of new technologies. He is the perfect addition to our technical team as we

continue to deliver our MP-FWI imaging solutions.’

SSE has welcomed the decision by The Crown Estate to proceed with its Capacity Increase Programme to maximise existing offshore wind lease areas in the UK. The decision allows for potential capacity increases at seven fixed-bottom offshore windfarms. These include two SSE joint-venture offshore wind projects being developed off the east coast of England – unlocking up to 2GW at Dogger Bank D (SSE 50%, Equinor 50%) and an extra 900MW at North Falls (SSE 50%, RWE 50%).

Norway has launched a competition for three floating offshore wind projects at Utsira Nord. Each project area may have an installed capacity of up to 500 MW of floating offshore wind. One applicant will be awarded state aid, and the winner will be the bidder with the lowest support requirement. Application deadline is 15 September.

MODEC and Carbon Clean Solutions have sign an MOU to develop FPSO-based offshore post-combustion carbon capture technologies. The agreement seeks to accelerate the deployment of Carbon Clean’s On-Board Carbon Capture Solution (OCCS) for Floating Production Storage and Offloading (FPSO) facilities based on MODEC’s FPSO design.

Harbour Energy has confirmed a reservoir that is suitable for injection and storage of carbon dioxide. Well 0/6-1 was drilled in the North Sea around 30 km southeast of the Yme platform. The objective of well 9/6-1 was to investigate whether Middle Jurassic and Middle and Upper Triassic reservoir rocks in the Havstjerne project are suitable for CO2 storage. Well 9/6-1 encountered 115 m of homogeneous shale in the Tau Formation; the Egersund Formation encountered 58 m of sealing shale and dense siltstone; the Sandnes Formation encountered 97 m of sandstone of good reservoir quality; the Bryne Formation encountered 52 m of sandstone of moderate reservoir quality’; the Skagerrak Formation reservoir encountered 200 m of sand and siltstone of very poor reservoir quality.

Illustration: The Danish Energy Agency.

SeaBird Exploration and Energy Drilling complete merger

SeaBird Exploration has changed its name to SED Energy Holdings after the merger of SeaBird Exploration Plc and Energy Drilling Ltd.

‘The name Energy Holdings marks our transition to a diversified energy investment company,’ said CEO, Kurt M. Waldeland. ‘As part of this evolution, we are pleased that Finn Atle Hamre will continue as CEO of the SeaBird business unit. Finn Atle has played a key role in SeaBird’s transformation in recent years, and his continued leadership will ensure continuity as SeaBird operates under the new group structure.’

Energy Holdings’ primary focus is on distributing all excess liquidity to shareholders, while also pursuing disciplined, value-accretive growth. Its current portfolio includes wholly owned subsidiaries Energy Drilling, an owner and operator of tender-assisted drilling rigs, and SeaBird Exploration, a global provider of marine seismic acquisition data to the oil and gas industry.

Halliburton and Petronas sign subsurface modelling and reservoir management deal

Petronas Carigali is deploying Halliburton Landmark’s DecisionSpace 365 Geosciences Suite and Unified Ensemble Modeling solutions with the objective to unify exploration and development workflows and accelerate time to first oil.

Halliburton Landmark’s scalable earth modelling and ensemble workflows will enable Petronas Carigali exploration and asset teams to collaborate in real time using a unified live earth model, with the aim of achieving more accurate reserve estimations through ensemble modelling.

The Geosciences Suite’s scalable earth modelling maintains geological fidelity across all scales — from basinwide views to individual fields — to ensure consistent data and models flow from exploration to development, said Halliburton. This integrated workflow supports faster project maturation through the Front-End Loading process, it added. Using the Unified Ensemble Modelling solution, asset teams can

automate the generation of multiple probabilistic geological scenarios while integrating real-time reservoir flow data. This approach is designed to enhance forecast precision, accelerate scenario analysis, and improve confidence in decision-making.

‘A harmonised, AI-assisted workflow anchored on a single live-earth model across the exploration and development phases is central to our strategy in achieving our ambitious project delivery targets,’ said Hazli Sham Kassim, CEO of Petronas Carigali.

TGS and Viridien launch Laconia Phase III OBN survey in the Gulf of America

TGS and Viridien have launched the Laconia Phase III Ocean Bottom Node (OBN) survey in the Gulf of America. The latest phase of the program spans approx. 150 OCS blocks and follows the Laconia Phases I and II launched by Viridien in July 2024. The program will be acquired by TGS and provide Ultra Long Offset OBN data using TGS’ ZXPLR nodes and the Sercel Tuned Pulse Source (TPS). TPS is a low-frequency broadband marine seismic source that enhances geophysical imaging clarity by improving low-frequency, deep penetrating sound energy. The Laconia Phase III dataset, imaged by Viridien, will improve subsurface clarity, aiming to unlock further potential in the central Keathley Canyon area. The acreage is anticipated to be highly sought after in future lease sales for those companies targeting the Paleogene play, which is increasingly attractive following recent success in industry implementation of 20k technologies, said TGS and Viridien in a joint statement. The survey will also leverage Viridien’s advanced proprietary Elastic Full-Waveform Inversion (E-FWI) and Reverse Time Migration (RTM) imaging technologies.

Laconia Phase III OBN acquisition started in May and will continue through Q3 2025 with delivery of initial products scheduled for Q1 2026.

Kristian Johansen, CEO of TGS said of the contract that reflects TGS’ continuing focus on OBN: ‘Laconia Phase III represents another significant step forward in our ability to deliver advanced data products in one of the world’s most important offshore regions. Through cooperation with Viridien and the combination of our leading edge OBN acquisition and imaging technologies, we are confident this project will provide tremendous value to our customers.’

Sophie Zurquiyah, CEO of Viridien said: ‘By teaming up with TGS on Laconia Phase III, we are leveraging our respective strengths to deliver a high-impact dataset in one of the world’s most prospective offshore regions. The early-out results from Laconia Phase I have already attracted considerable industry attention, highlighting the effectiveness of our advanced imaging capabilities.’

DNV launches CCUS certification service

DNV has launched a service specification for the verification and certification of carbon capture, utilisation, and storage (CCUS) facilities. DNV-SE-0696 provides a structured methodology to derisk CCUS projects across design, construction, and operation, said DNV.

With CCS projected to grow from 41 MtCO2/yr today to 1300 MtCO2/yr in 2050, mitigating 6% of global CO2 emissions according to DNV’s Energy Transition Outlook: CCS to 2050 report, SE-0696 will define risk-based verification levels (High/Medium/Low) for CCUS subsystems, from CO2 capture to temporary storage.

DNV-SE-0696 will align with existing DNV documents (e.g. DNV-SE-0479 for process facilities) while addressing CCUS-specific challenges such as material selection and CO2 liquefaction. It will support both onshore and offshore applications, including hybrid projects (e.g., blue hydrogen with CCUS).

Lucy Craig, senior vice-president, growth, innovation and digitalization, energy systems at DNV said: ‘SE-0696 gives developers a clear roadmap to verify facility integrity, reducing uncertainties that could delay final investment decisions.’

The specification covers all major CCUS subsystems, including CO2 capture and dehydration systems; compression and liquefaction units; emergency shutdown and relief systems; safety assessments and barriers; material selection and injection facilities.

DNV-SE-0696 complements DNV’s broader CCUS standards (e.g., DNV-SE-0473 for geological storage) and integrates with DNV’s risk-based verification philosophy (DNV-SE-0474).

Jamie Burrows, global segment lead CCUS, energy systems at DNV, said: ‘By applying our decades of process facility expertise and deep knowledge of CCUS, we’re helping clients mitigate risks whether retrofitting capture equipment at a cement plant or designing a new offshore injection facility.’

Ephesia Consult and Geomex Software

Solutions launch geomechanical

stress modelling tool on the SLB Ocean Store

Ephesia Consult and Geomex Software

Solutions have launched the Apollo plugin Numerical Stress Modelling Suite on the SLB Ocean Store.

Developed to meet the increasing demands of high-resolution geomechanical simulations, Apollo Fault and Fracture Gridding Advanced meshes capabilities for complex geological structures, ensuring accurate stress distribution and orientation analysis. Boundary Conditions Modelling Flexible definition of stress,

strain, and displacement boundaries enable precise and realistic subsurface simulations, said the partners. High-resolution 4D Stress Simulation Time-dependent modelling will capture dynamic changes and evolve subsurface risks across the project lifecycle, they added.

Stress simulation and visualisation is fully integrated with Petrel, enabling seamless geomechanical workflows — including coupled stress, flow, and temperature modelling. Scalability and

Efficiency Optimised for large datasets and high-resolution models, delivered high-performance simulations across diverse geological environments.

‘With Apollo, geoscientists and engineers gain a powerful tool for enhancing geomechanical insights across a range of applications, including carbon capture and storage, geothermal development, subsurface storage well trajectory planning and reservoir integrity assessments,’ said the partners.

Shearwater wins 4D towed-streamer contract in the Norwegian Sea

Shearwater Geoservices has won a contract from Equinor to perform a 4D towed-streamer seismic survey over the Tyrihans field in Norway in the Norwegian Sea. It is the first project awarded under the 2021 Equinor frame agreement, following a recent extension for an additional two years.

As part of the one-month survey starting in early August, Shearwater will deploy the vessel Amazon Conqueror , using Isometrix technology. The

survey follows previous 4D campaigns for Equinor, most recently at the Mariner and Heidrun fields in 2024.

Applying the same proven technology to capture repeat high-quality seismic data over the Tyrihans area will improve understanding of changes to the reservoir over time in the producing field and support future production strategies to optimise output, said Shearwater.

TGS completes OBN survey in Gulf of America

TGS has completed the Amendment Phase 4 ultra-long offset ocean bottom node (OBN) survey in the Gulf of America.

The project covers 49 outer continental shelf (OCS) blocks across the Mississippi Canyon and Ewing Bank protraction areas, delivering seismic data

Oil and gas round-up

Aker BP has discovered oil in the E prospect near the Skarv field. The discovery in the Garn Formation is estimated to 3-7 million barrels of recoverable o.e. A minor discovery was also made in the Early Cretaceous estimated to 1-2 million barrels of recoverable o.e. The objective of well 6507/5-13 S was to prove petroleum in reservoir rocks in the Fangst and Båt groups. The well encountered a 14-oil column in the Garn Formation in 43 m of sandstone with moderate reservoir quality. Well 6507/5-13 S encountered hydrocarbons from the Early Cretaceous (Apt/Alba) in multiple sandstone layers. Wildcat well 6507/5-13 S was drilled to a measured depth of 4022 m and a vertical depth of 3998 m below sea level. The well was terminated in the Melke Formation.

OKEA has discovered oil along the eastern flank of the Brage field in the North Sea. The discovery was made in the southern part of the Prince prospect in wildcat well 31/4-A-23 G. The discovery is estimated to hold between 0.05 -0.44 million Sm3 of recoverable oil equivalent (o.e.), which corresponds to 0.3-2.8 million barrels.

The objective of A-23 F was to prove petroleum in Upper Jurassic reservoir rocks in the Sognefjord Formation. The objective of A-23 G was to delineate a potential discovery in A-23 F and to delineate the northern part of 31/4-A-13 E (Kim).

Well 31/4-A-23 F was drilled horizontally and encountered a sandstone layer in the Sognefjord Formation with a total measured thickness of 220 m along the wellbore and 12 m of vertical

to support exploration and development in one of the world’s most complex deepwater basins. ‘It also provides valuable insight for companies preparing for anticipated lease rounds as early as the second half of 2025,’ said TGS.

For the first time in the Gulf of America, TGS deployed its proprietary Gemini enhanced-frequency seismic source in an ultra-long offset acquisition setting. Gemini delivers a low-frequency, omnidirectional signal that, combined with advanced processing techniques, significantly improves illumination beneath complex salt bodies. The system offers an environmentally considerate approach to source design while advancing deep imaging capability.

thickness with good reservoir properties. The well was drilled to a measured depth of 6285 m and a vertical depth of 2153 m below sea level in the Sognefjord Formation, and was dry.

Well 31/4-A-23 G was drilled horizontally at a vertical depth of 2120-2171 m along the eastern flank of the Brage field. The well encountered a 3-4-m thick sandstone layer in the Sognefjord Formation, and the well was drilled to a total measured depth of 1138 m along this sandstone layer. The well proved a 20-m thick oil column in sandstones with moderate to good reservoir properties.

Perenco, operator of the Teak, Samaan and Poui (TSP) fields offshore Trinidad, has drilled the Onyx well and sidetrack in the eastern part of the Onyx field. The two legs encountered significant columns of natural gas in two separate geological compartments. The Onyx field is an undeveloped gas discovery within the TSP licence, in a water depth of 180 ft, between the Poui and Teak fields, off Trinidad’s south-east coast. TSP is a joint venture between Perenco, Heritage Petroleum Company Limited and The National Gas Company of Trinidad and Tobago Limited. Subsurface information is under review and development options will be evaluated to move the discovery towards final investment decision.

Sinopec has announced a shale gas exploration breakthrough at its Project Deep Earth – Sichuan and Chongqing Natural Gas Base. Its Tiebei 1HF well has been tested at a daily output of 314,500 m3 of industrial gas flow. The vertical depth of the well is more than 5300 m with a 1312m-long horizontal section, setting a new record for vertical depth of shale gas wells in China.

SHAPE HOW GEOSCIENCE CONNECTS

WITH THE WORLD

A new EAGE Special Interest Community is connecting geoscientists around the challenges of communication and public engagement, and developing skills that make a real impact on the conversation.

IAIN STEWART

EAGE Geoscience

Communication and Public

Engagement Community,

RSS/University of Plymouth

Modern geoscience needs better ‘Earth stories’ and geoscientists – the narrators of the planet’s ancient past – need to become better storytellers to translate dry, abstract technical information into compelling narratives that resonate with non-geoscience audiences and help them navigate future energy trajectories.

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RESERVOIR ENGINEERING & GEOSCIENCE

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In the past few years it has become increasingly clear that the world needs new sources of oil and gas to ease the transition to renewable sources of energy. Energy companies are exploring deeper waters and doing their utmost to enhance recovery from existing fields. As a result, geoscientists are continuing to apply ingenious reservoir engineering and geoscience solutions that are also required to prepare reservoirs for carbon capture, utilisation and storage schemes. This month we look at time-lapse gravity, deformation monitoring, new bandwith extension techniques and new methodology to determine gas saturation in low impedance sandstone.

Rasoul Sorkhabi chronicles the deepest and longest wells ever drilled for scientific research, oil and gas exploration, geothermal fields, and mining.

Gabriela Correa Godoy et al analyse the temporal evolution of atmospheric parameters, surface temperature, water vapour, aerosol optical depth and surface deformation patterns preceding seven major earthquakes that occurred between 2017 and 2023.

Mojtaba Moradi et al explore the potential application of FloFuse device application in geothermal energy systems, with an emphasis on modelling results and their implications for real-world deployment.

Wahyu Triyoso et al present a methodology to determine gas saturation in the low impedance sandstone using dispersion and attenuation attributes.

Endre Vange Bergfjord et al review the principles of time-lapse gravity and deformation monitoring and present the results of a recent pilot application of the Reach Remote platform.

Marianne Rauch et al showcase the effectiveness of a novel bandwidth extension technique applied to a newly reprocessed 3D dataset from onshore USA.

First Break Special Topics are covered by a mix of original articles dealing with case studies and the latest technology. Contributions to a Special Topic in First Break can be sent directly to the editorial office (firstbreak@eage.org). Submissions will be considered for publication by the editor.

It is also possible to submit a Technical Article to First Break. Technical Articles are subject to a peer review process and should be submitted via EAGE’s ScholarOne website: http://mc.manuscriptcentral.com/fb

You can find the First Break author guidelines online at www.firstbreak.org/guidelines.

Special Topic overview

January Land Seismic

February Digitalization / Machine Learning

March Reservoir Monitoring

April Underground Storage and Passive Seismic

May Global Exploration

June Navigating Change: Geosciences Shaping a Sustainable Transition

July Reservoir Engineering & Geoscience

August Environment, Minerals and Infrastructure

September Modelling / Interpretation

October Energy Transition

November Marine Acquisition

December Data Management and Processing

More Special Topics may be added during the course of the year.

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