First Break September 2018

VO L U M E 3 6 I I S S U E 9 I S E P T E M B E R 2 018

SPECIAL TOPIC

Reservoir Geoscience and Engineering INDUSTRY NEWS World’s biggest 3D survey commissioned in Abu Dhabi TECHNICAL ARTICLE Improved prospect evaluation in the Dutch North Sea

Cornerstone Enhanced Resolution

Vp/Vs horizon slice through Forties formation showing excellent facies discrimination between channel sands (green) and background mudstone (blue).

Far-angle stack amplitude extraction through Forties formation showing hydrocarbon accumulations.

CGG is currently reprocessing its 35,000+ km² Cornerstone survey in the Central North Sea using the latest cuttingedge imaging technology. The survey merges conventional long-offset, BroadSeis™, BroadSeis-BroadSource™ and Dual-Azimuth data to create a single contiguous volume. Data will be available in time for the 32nd UK Licensing Round, and impressive new high-resolution images of the Forties channels have already been achieved.

Tailored processing to address the geological complexities is being performed, with model building benefitting from Q-Tomo, Q-FWI, and Q-RTM. Final PSDM data sets will include least-squares Q-Kirchhoff and wave-equation migrations.

See more stunning new image examples on our website www.cgg.com/cornerstone-resolution or contact us to arrange a viewing.

John Mckenzie +44 1293 683094 john.mckenzie@cgg.com

cgg.com/cornerstone-resolution

FIRST BREAK® An EAGE Publication

CHAIRMAN EDITORIAL BOARD Peter Rowbotham (Peter.Rowbotham@apachecorp.com) EDITOR Damian Arnold (editorfb@eage.org) MEMBERS, EDITORIAL BOARD • Paul Binns, consultant (pebinns@btinternet.com) • Patrick Corbett, Heriot-Watt University (patrick_corbett@pet.hw.ac.uk) • Tom Davis, Colorado School of Mines (tdavis@mines.edu) • Anthony Day, PGS (anthony.day@pgs.com) • Peter Dromgoole, Statoil UK (pdrum@statoil.com) • Rutger Gras, Oranje-Nassau Energy (gras@onebv.com) • Hamidreza Hamdi, University of Calgary (hhamdi@ucalgary.ca) • Ed Kragh, Schlumberger Cambridge Research (edkragh@slb.com) • John Reynolds, Reynolds International (jmr@reynolds-international.co.uk) • James Rickett, Schlumberger (jrickett@slb.com) • Dave Stewart, Dave Stewart Geoconsulting Ltd (djstewart.dave@gmail.com) • Femke Vossepoel, Delft University of Technology (f.c.vossepoel@tudelft.nl) MEDIA PRODUCTION MANAGER Thomas Beentje (tbe@eage.org) ACCOUNT MANAGER ADVERTISING Charles Callaghan (ccn@eage.org) ACCOUNT MANAGER SUBSCRIPTIONS Jack McClean (jmn@eage.org) PRODUCTION Saskia Nota (layout@eage.org) Ivana Geurts (layout@eage.org) EAGE EUROPE OFFICE PO Box 59 3990 DB Houten The Netherlands • +31 88 995 5055 • eage@eage.org • www.eage.org EAGE RUSSIA & CIS OFFICE EAGE Russia & CIS Office EAGE Geomodel LLC Novocheremushkinskaya Str. 65 Build. 1 117418, Moscow, Russia • +7 495 640 2008 • moscow@eage.org • www.eage.ru EAGE MIDDLE EAST OFFICE EAGE Middle East FZ-LLC Dubai Knowledge Village Block 13 Office F-25 PO Box 501711 Dubai, United Arab Emirates • +971 4 369 3897 • middle_east@eage.org • www.eage.org EAGE ASIA PACIFIC OFFICE UOA Centre Office Suite 19-15-3A No. 19, Jalan Pinang 50450 Kuala Lumpur Malaysia • +60 3 272 201 40 • asiapacific@eage.org • www.eage.org

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Shallow water 3D in South Gabon

Editorial Contents 3

EAGE News

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Crosstalk

17

Industry News

Technical Article

33 Improved prospect evaluation and drilling results in the Dutch North Sea with diffraction imaging David Bréthaut, Bob Hartstra, Makky Jaya, Tijmen Jan Moser, Guus van Noort and Michael Pelissier

Special Topic: Reservoir Geoscience and Engineering

41 VSP measurements used as a tool for improving seismic sub-salt imaging in brownfield development

Thomas Bartels, Manuel Gelhaus, Mary Humphries 47 Stochastic inversion of seismic data by implementing image-quilting to build a lithofacies model for reservoir characterization of Delhi Field, Louisiana

Mitra Azizian and Thomas L. Davis 59 Shallow water 3D in South Gabon: a new generation of hydrocarbon prospects

Paolo Esestime, David Eastwell, Karyna Rodriguez and Neil Hodgson 65 Utilizing microseismicity to define stimulated surface area and effective permeability

Gisela Viegas, Ted Urbancic and John Thompson 75 A seismic reservoir characterization and porosity estimation workflow to support geological model update: pre-salt reservoir case study, Brazil Laryssa Oliveira, Francis Pimentel, Manuel Peiro, Pedro Amaral and João Christovan 87 Chalk lithology-fluid characterization using regional broadband elastic attributes: an integrated study from the North Sea Central Graben

Noémie Pernin, Cyrille Reiser, Tim Bird and Lucile Goswami 94 Calendar

EAGE LATIN AMERICA OFFICE Carrera 14 No 97-63 Piso 5 Bogotá, Colombia • +57 1 4232948 • americas@eage.org • www.eage.org EAGE MEMBERS CHANGE OF ADDRESS NOTIFICATION Send to: EAGE Membership Dept at EAGE Office (address above) FIRST BREAK ON THE WEB www.firstbreak.org ISSN 0263-5046 (print) / ISSN 1365-2397 (online)

cover: New reservoir geoscience and engineering techniques develop fast.

This month’s Special Topic starts on p 40.

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European Association of Geoscientists & Engineers

Board 2018-2019 Jean-Jacques Biteau President

Near Surface Geoscience Division George Apostolopoulos Chair Alireza Malehmir Vice-Chair Micki Allen Contact Officer EEGS-NA Riyadh Al-Saad O&G Liaison Xavier Garcia Committee Member Peter Bergmann Technical Programme Representative Albert Casas Membership Officer Ranajit Ghose Editor in Chief Near Surface Geophysics Musa Manzi Committee Member Andreas Kathage Liaison Officer First Break Koya Suto Liaison Asia Pacific Musa Manzi Committee Member Jiangha Xia Liaison China

Oil & Gas Geoscience Division

Peter Lloyd Vice-President-Elect

Michael Pöppelreiter Vi c e-President

Colin MacBeth Education Officer

Caroline Jane Lowrey Chair Michael Peter Suess Vice-Chair Øistein Bøe Resource Evaluation Committee liaison Phil Christie Chief Editor Petroleum Geoscience Rick Donselaar Technical Programme Representative (Geology) Xavier Garcia NSGD liaison Sebastian Geiger Resource Evaluation Committee liaison Olivier Gosselin Technical Programme Representative (Reservoir), Resource Evaluation Committee liaison Juliane Heiland Committee member David Halliday Technical Programme Representative (Geophysics), YP liaison Tijmen Jan Moser Editor-in-Chief Geophysical Prospecting Ann Muggeridge IOR Committee liaison Walter Rietveld Technical Programme Officer Michael Welch Technical Programme Representative (Geology), NSGD liaison Martin Widmaier Technical Programme Representative (Geophysics) Paul Worthington Resource Evaluation Committee liaison Michael Zhdanov NSGD liaison Conor Ryan Resource evaluation committee Francesco Perrone Young professionals liason

SUBSCRIPTIONS First Break is published monthly. It is free to EAGE members. The membership fee of EAGE is € 50.00 a year (including First Break, EarthDoc (EAGE’s geoscience database), Learning Geoscience (EAGE’s Education website) and online access to a scientific journal.

Caroline Le Turdu Membership and Cooperation Officer

Ingrid Magnus Publications Officer

Everhard Muijzert Secretary-Treasurer

Companies can subscribe to First Break via an institutional subscription.

Every subscription includes a monthly hard copy and online access to the full First Break archive for the requested number of online users.

Orders for current subscriptions and back issues should be sent to EAGE Publications BV, Journal Subscriptions, PO Box 59, 3990 DB, Houten, The Netherlands. Tel: +31 (0)88 9955055, E-mail: subscriptions@eage.org, www.firstbreak.org.

First Break is published by EAGE Publications BV, The Netherlands.

However, responsibility for the opinions given and the statements made rests with the authors.

COPYRIGHT & PHOTOCOPYING © 2018 EAGE 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.

Aart-Jan van Wijngaarden Technical Programme Officer

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George Apostolopoulos Chair Near Surface Geoscience Division

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Caroline Jane Lowrey Chair Oil & Gas Geoscience Division

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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).

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HIGHLIGHTS

EAGE MEMBERS

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Technical Programme: what it takes to get selected

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Local Chapter Focus

How Canadian students rose to the challenge

EU raw materials chief to address Near Surface meeting in Porto A special guest speaker from the European Commission is coming to the Near Surface Geoscience Conference and Exhibition in Porto, thanks to the efforts of the EAGE EU Affairs Department.

Marcin Sadowski, head of the raw materials sector at the EC’s Executive Agency for Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (EASME), will open the Sunday 9 September workshop on Worldwide Mineral Exploration Challenges and Cost-Effective Geophysical Methods, Sadowski is responsible for research and innovation projects focusing on raw materials as part the EC Horizon 2020 programme.

At the meeting Sadowski will also be sharing his insights at the official opening of the conference on Monday.

He will also host a dedicated EU Raw Materials session on Tuesday during the lunch hour when conference participants

can hear Sadowski deliver remarks and answer questions about the EU’s policies and opportunities in the raw materials sector.

If you have a question that you don’t get to ask Sadowski, please stop by and talk to staff at the EU Affairs Department booth who can pass on your query or comment. They can also help with general EU information and specifically how you can participate in research and innovation funding programmes. This includes connecting interested organizations, academia, and other institutions that might want to come together to form a consortium for a research and/or innovation project.

EAGE not only advises on funding opportunities but is also actively participating as partner in the EU Horizon 2020 funded Smart Exploration project. The consortium of 27 partners was formed in December 2017 from industry, academia/ research institutes, geological surveys and civil society to find new solutions for sustainable production of raw materials.

Stop by the EAGE EU Affairs/Smart Exploration booth to find out more, or if you can’t make it down to Porto, you can always contact eupublicaffairs@eage.org or view the Smart Exploration website at www.smartexploration.eu

The splendour of Porto.

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EAGE NEWS

Tyumen 2019 aims to provide another key Russian event Tyumen 2019 will be EAGE’s 6th scientific conference traditionally held in Tyumen, this time on 25-29 March 2019.

Western Siberia is the main supplier of Russian oil and gas with more than 70% of the reserves extracted in the

Western Siberia is the main supplier of Russian oil and gas.

The conference programme is going to make the case that integrated solutions for Russia’s oil and gas industry are the top priority in the country’s development strategy. The main purpose of the event is to draw together competences and skills of highly professional specialists to discuss relevant science and technologies.

The event can legitimately claim to be one of the key meetings in Russia.

region. As such there is a wealth of experience accumulated by specialists applying new technologies both in Siberian fields and throughout the world.

Valery Ogibenin, head of the Engineering and Technical Centre of Gazprom Geologorazvedka and advisory committee chairman, said: ‘I am confident that the conference will be held at a high professional level and the work of the sessions

will allow constructive discussion on a wide range of important topics and issues facing the oil and gas industry.’

The conference sessions will cover critical tasks facing the oil and gas industry including: geological aspects of oil and gas-bearing basins and regional geology; non-seismic prospecting methods in oil and gas fields; integration of remote sensing methods; exploration and development of unconventional hydrocarbons in tight reservoirs; petrophysical modelling; geomechanics and mechanical properties of rocks; seismic measurements, processing and modelling; seismic inversion; and other topics. For a full list of the16 session topics, please refer to the conference pages at our websites www.eage.ru and www.eage.org.

The abstracts submission deadline is 1 November 2018.

Please note that this is a Russian language event.

EAGE Education Calendar 3-7 SEP 17 SEP-3 OCT 24-25 SEP

EDUCATION DAYS MEXICO CITY: MULTIPLE SHORT COURSES PROGRAMME

MEXICO CITY, MEXICO

EAGE EDUCATION TOUR 13

CHINA, INDIA, INDONESIA, JAPAN, MALAYSIA, AUSTRALIA

EAGE EDUCATION TOUR 12

MOSCOW & SAINT PETERSBURG, RUSSIA

26 SEP

EAGE EDUCATION TOUR 11

28 SEP

EAGE EDUCATION TOUR 12

ALMATY, KAZAKHSTAN

14 OCT

EAGE EDUCATION TOUR 13

ANAHEIM, USA

22-26 OCT 29 OCT 1 NOV 5-9 NOV

HOUSTON, USA

EDUCATION DAYS STAVANGER: MULTIPLE SHORT COURSES PROGRAMME

STAVANGER, NORWAY

EAGE EDUCATION TOUR 13

LONDON, UK

EAGE EDUCATION TOUR 13

ABERDEEN, UK

EDUCATION DAYS HOUSTON: MULTIPLE SHORT COURSES PROGRAMME

HOUSTON, USA

EAGE EDUCATION TOUR 13

MASSY, FRANCE

15-16 NOV

EDUCATION DAYS AMSTERDAM: MULTIPLE SHORT COURSES PROGRAMME

AMSTERDAM, THE NETHERLANDS

19-23 NOV

15 NOV

EDUCATION DAYS MOSCOW: MULTIPLE SHORT COURSES PROGRAMME

MOSCOW, RUSSIA

30 NOV

EAGE EDUCATION TOUR 12

LISBON, PORTUGAL

3 DEC

EAGE EDUCATION TOUR 13

HAMBURG, GERMANY

5 DEC

EAGE EDUCATION TOUR 13

OSLO, NORWAY

7 DEC

EAGE EDUCATION TOUR 13

WARSAW, POLAND

FOR MORE INFORMATION AND REGISTRATION PLEASE VISIT WWW.LEARNINGGEOSCIENCE.ORG.

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Ears Are More Reliable Than Feet In some cultures the rabbit’s foot is believed to bring good fortune. However, it’s the ears that increase discovery success. PGS FWI (Full Waveform Inversion) uses rabbit ears i.e. back scattered seismic energy, to build high-resolution velocity models at greater depths. This enables better inversions for robust ranking and more reliable derisking of prospects.

Visit our website to read more about PGS FWI.

A Clearer Image | www.pgs.com/rabbit-ears

EAGE NEWS

Technical Programme:

What it takes to get selected Tips for a successful Abstract!

Caroline Lowrey (Spirit Energy Norway) is currently chair of the EAGE Oil and Gas Division and for some years has acted as a Technical Programme reviewer for the EAGE Annual Conference. Here she has gathered some tips for those submitting abstracts.

Abstract title: The title of the abstract should draw the readers in and raise their interest to get them ready to read further.

The title for your presentation should be informative but concise. If the number

Caroline Lowrey.

of words is less than 10 or more than 30 – think again. Having a strong title with substance will also help you to write the abstract.

Preparation - ‘What do I want to present’?: Possibly your work is not totally complete yet but you know where you are going and what you need to include in the abstract. Make a list of bullet points.

Abstract writing: Use your bullet points to guide you towards your introduction, description, and conclusion. Be clear and straightforward, keep the writing simple, stick to the facts, don’t veer off the point and don’t use 10 words when five will do.

Figures: These are very important.

They must be relevant, clear and referenced in the text. Print out the abstract and check whether the figures are legible at A4. Remember the basics – scales, figure titles, legend, etc.

Peer Review: Get at least three other people to read the abstract (not just your friends). If you are not confident of your English, find a native English speaker to check it – never be afraid to ask for help Final review: Leave at least one clear week between completing your abstract and the deadline for submission. Read your abstract again a minimum of three days after completion, and ask yourself: Am I happy?

Nothing like first-hand experience Filippo Broggini, senior research scientist at ETH Zürich and chair of EAGE’s Young Professionals community, made his first submission to an EAGE Annual in 2013. Here he describes the experience and passes on what he learned.

Describe your experience submitting to the Technical Programme (TP).

Before London 2013, I had attended other EAGE Annuals. However, I knew that in London it was going to be different since I was going to be part of the TP. I was excited to present for the first time in front of many well known researchers and also in front of fellow students.

What are the most important aspects of a successful paper?

I believe that an expanded abstract needs to possess two fundamental things to be selected by the TP Committee: good science and clarity. It is important, of course, to present 6

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new scientific advances or discoveries but this has to be done with the utmost clarity.

Otherwise, the reviewers will not be able to grasp the meaning of your scientific work if they have to extract it from a poorly written paper.

What are your tips to new authors submitting a paper?

My suggestions are to first prepare figures, tables, and initial outline for the expanded abstract and then to write the text. The four pages limit is strictly enforced and, for this reason, it is import to decide beforehand which figures and graphs need to appear in the paper. After writing the first draft, it is fundamental to ask colleagues, e.g.,

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supervisors, fellow students, co-workers, etc to review the paper. This feedback is extremely important to improve the clarity of the abstract and to make sure that the scientific message is effectively conveyed.

Last but not least, don’t forget to use a spell-checker to avoid submitting an expanded abstract full of typos and grammar errors!

Filippo Broggini.

EAGE NEWS

Putting it all together Newly appointed Technical Programme Officer and Board member Aart-Jan van Wijngaarden explains how the conference agenda is approached each year and the challenge of accommodating as many abstract sumbmissions as possible. ronmental imprint will impact the submissions in the coming years. Many companies are focusing on a more sustainable green portfolio, supported by new technologies.

Aart-Jan van Wijngaarden.

Why do you think the EAGE TP has become so popular?

Quality has been the key to the success of the TP. Geoscientists and engineers see the Annual as a the place to publish and share their ideas, and also to attend for monitoring technological developments in the geoscience field.

Which topics attract the most interest?

There is a strong focus on seismic imaging, but also on the integration of seismic monitoring and reservoir management.

And of course machine learning, artificial intelligence and big data are popping up in all sessions.

Do submissions, or does the TP Committee, determine the balance of the Programme?

The main driver for the TP selection is quality. Besides this, our guideline is roughly 25% geology, 25% engineering and 50% geophysics. But many papers are integrated and cover all G&G, something we really appreciate.

Would you like to see any significant change in the geoscience content covered at the moment?

We would like to see a good match between the diversity of our members and the selected papers. It will also be interesting to see how the focus on low carbon and low envi-

What is the policy regarding the inclusion of near surface geoscience topics?

The near surface content is growing within the EAGE, and we have to find a good balance between the specific near surface annual conference and the annual TP. This is high on the agenda for the EAGE Board.

We recognize that near surface is a growing area where the EAGE has a strong position. is there any way to encourage a better regional/geographic spread in the authorship of papers?

Again, the main driver is quality, which will be beneficial to all members. But we also want a healthy spread across the globe, reflecting our diverse membership composition. The majority of the EAGE members are actually outside Europe. At the same time we have to be sure to be aligned with our industry partners on the exhibition floor.

How does someone become a reviewer of the abstracts at the selection meeting every year in Houten?

We have a large group (several hundreds) of people across the globe who review the papers right after the submission deadline in January. They do an excellent and important job to ensure the quality of the papers. We aim at least three reviewers per paper, and 8-10 papers per reviewer. With approx 2000 submissions this means ~6000 reviews!

People interested in helping out with the review process can either contact the EAGE office in Houten or contact the TPO. Reviewers are crucial for the selection process. Their ratings and especially their comments are key for the people at the actual selection meeting in Houten. This is the intensive two day meeting of a group of approximately 35 people who select the papers based on the initial review and FIRST

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put together the sessions and chairs for the TP. The group consists of the TP Committee plus an additional 20 people.

Besides the reviewers I would also like to mention the session chairs. They play an important role in making the TP work at the Annual. For all oral and poster sessions together, we need around 300 volunteers.

Chairing a session is a great opportunity for additional interaction with the papers and presenters. Despite this, it has been challenging during the downturn in the last few years for some chairs to travel. Therefore I would like to encourage people who are going to London to indicate their interest in chairing a session.

Is there anything special planned for the TP at the London Annual in 2019?

Each year we try to have a number workshops and dedicated sessions to match the local geology/industry setting. For the London Annual we will have a number of dedicated sessions to focus on the sustainable energy supply and maintaining a good balance between geology and geophysics.

We also updated the topic list so that it will be easier to indicate in which session you would like to present your paper.

What are the most common reasons for abstracts making the cut or failing?

In general the quality of the abstracts has reached a very good level. Our guideline is to select those papers with new and innovative technologies, which will be of interest to the delegates. So I would recommend focusing on one or two topics, and not to make the abstract too general. Good learnings from integrated case studies are of course also highly appreciated.

Do you have any hot tips to help abstract writers succeed?

Think about which key message you want to get across, and support this with one or two good graphics. Use your peers and ask them how they interpret your text and if they understand your message.

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Marine Acquisition

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EAGE NEWS

Lift-off for Local Chapter in Houston Newly formed Local Chapter Houston has hosted its first technical meeting. On June 26 Dr Lev Vernik gave a presentation on

First lecture for Local Chapter Houston was a success

‘Selecting fit-to-purpose Rock Physics Models in Reservoir Characterizations’ aimed at both geoscientists and engineers working with conventional and unconventional reservoirs.

Dr Vernik covered a very large collection of rock physics models that included theoretical, empirical and hybrid models relating to rock and reservoir properties derived from the inversion of reflection seismic data augmented with well data.

The typical reservoir properties were extended to include effective stress, pore geometry and crack density. Using well data from all over the world with reservoirs of many rock types, the conditions were clearly shown where the models were useful and also where they failed..

The high quality displays and the discussion would have been of great value to anyone working in the field of reservoir characterization. Many but not all of the models shown can be found in Dr Vernik’s SEG publication Seismic Petrophysics in Quantitative Interpretation. The second edition of this book will contain more models, especially those aimed at unconventional resources.

Ikon Science Americas supported this event by making the conference centre of its Houston office available to the full capacity audience. For more information about this meeting and future updates follow the Local Chapter Houston LinkedIn page.

Co-operation is key topic at Local Chapter Summit Fourteen Local Chapters (LCs) took part in a very productive Local Chapter Summit at the EAGE Annual in Copenhagen with the emphasis of the discussion on co-operation.

Representatives from Aberdeen, Austria, China, Greece, Houston, Hungary, Ireland, Kiev, London, Madrid, Pau, Poland, Saint Petersburg and Turkey were present while others contributed remotely by sending annual reports to present their work and their plans for next year.

The Summit takes place every year and is not only the time for reporting activities but also an opportunity for LC representatives to share best practices, challenges, ideas and connections. The striking element emerging from all presentations in Copenhagen was co-operation Some chapters hold continuous collaborations with national specialized societies, and many are also active in supporting student chapters and young professionals in their area. New and old chapters are

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engaged in expanding their network and reaching out to new members. For professionals who are new to EAGE, in many cases LCs act as a first contact with the Association and they play the important role of introducing the benefits and services provided by EAGE. An outtake from this year’s Summit was the ongoing need for more flexible communications. To achieve this goal, the Committee for Membership and Cooperation has already transferred LC communications from the old static website to LinkedIn groups, a more flexible

2019 Local Chapter Summit in Copenhagen.

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and social platform.. The success of this operation has been confirmed by the results of those chapters that have already adopted this approach.

Among the advantages is that new members can connect more easily and receive more frequent updates about the work of their local chapters. Chapters can also interact with other groups and grow synergies and collaborations. LCs not yet present on LinkedIn are now in the process of creating their groups with the support of the EAGE office. All available groups are listed at lc-eage.org Besides strengthening their communications, LCs have plans for 2018-2019 to organize new meetings, renew the successful events conducted in the past year and increase the use of DLP webinars. EAGE members are also invited to consider establishing new LCs in areas where there isn’t one so far. Those created in 2018-2019 may qualify for the Best Local Chapter Newcomer 2019 Prize!

EAGE NEWS

Local Chapter London celebrates first annniversary To mark the first anniversary of Local Chapter London, Evgeny Landa (Petrotrace) came over especially from Norway to give a much appreciated talk at the April evening lecture on diffraction imaging, Over the hour, Landa explained how current industry standards for seismic imaging, although vastly improved in recent years, are not sufficient for detecting and delineating medium to small elements such as faults, fractures and pinchouts. The solution to this problem was diffraction imaging, i.e., using the diffraction energy generated when a wave propagated into the subsurface meets a sharp edge.

Firstly, he outlined some of the challenges of imaging these small discontinuities. Geologists may look for these heterogeneities, however, a geophysicist may often bias the data to produce a smoother, more continuous image. FWI, although an excellent tool in some respects, also has a preference towards smoother reflectors.

This is not good for seeing small singularities.

Diffraction imaging is done by migrating the non-specular responses from reflections outside the Fresnel zone, whereas

conventional data only uses specular reflections within the Fresnel zone around the reflection point.

To emphasis his point, Landa gave a comparison of a reflection and a diffraction volume. The time slices provided a convincing argument for the use of migrating diffracted energy. The diffraction volume exhibited lots of small anomalous features, whereas the reflection volume in comparison had much less information and less resolution.

Another use of diffraction volumes is checking the reliability of seismic attributes.

For example, coherency volumes can be affected by shallow features, such as reefs, creating a shadow below them that can be confused with fractures or channels. If you were to compare this with the diffraction image from the same data, you will be able to examine whether the small-scale features are real. If they do not exist in the diffraction volume, it is likely the heterogeneities are a footprint of the shallow reefs. This has an obvious application to aid the planning of drilling wells and indeed this method of combining attributes with diffractions was used to help identify why a well in Northern

Norway lost the bit. The analysis showed that a diffraction anomaly lines up with where the drill bit was lost downhole in a strongly karstified carbonate.

Landa’s final example discussed how different features can be identified by differentiating between point and edge diffractors. Faults, for example, produce edge diffractions and can be expressed via a linear character on a rose diagram; whereas the representation of Karsts on a rose diagram shows data in all direction as they produce diffraction from a point and scatter the energy in lots of different azimuths.

The value of diffraction imaging is twofold. It can be used as a method of checking the fidelity of your seismic data because diffractions are a direct indicator of small scale heterogeneities. But most importantly, diffraction imaging provides greater resolution as the diffractive component of a wavefield is a key ingredient in establishing a true image.

The evening closed with everyone invited to a celebratory drinks reception including a personalized Local Chapter cake and bubbles to toast a brilliant first year.

Local Chapter Aberdeen and PESGB share talk on gas storage EAGE Local Chapter in Aberdeen teamed up with the Petroleum Exploration Society of Great Britain (PESGB), an Associated Society of EAGE, for its March evening lecture. The invited speakers Willem-Jan Plug and Tim-Tijn Scherpenhuijsen (Taqa) gave a fascinating presentation on the simplicity and complexity of the gas storage business.

The event was one of two shared talks held annually following a best practice example of cross-community cooperation in the network of EAGE. More than 50 people attended the meeting at the Jury’s

Inn hotel, and learned how the Bergermeer field, onshore the Netherlands, was converted into a gas storage facility after producing gas from 1972 to 2007. The audience were told of the complexity of operating the facility, located close to urban areas, and the geomechanical modelling and micro-seismic monitoring required to ensure safe and environmentally friendly operations.

The presentation was well received and the social event afterwards prompted further discussion and networking over a drink or two.

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The Local Chapter has a busy schedule of activities planned for the remainder of the year including evening talks at the University of Aberdeen and further joint evening meetings with PESGB. It is very excited about the return of the EAGE Education days to Aberdeen in August and the Education Tours, featuring Ian Jones, in November. It also looks forward to working with the newly formed Student Chapter at the University of Aberdeen.

Connect with Local Chapter Aberdeen via LinkedIn!

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EAGE NEWS

Congress ponders Poland’s energy future The future of Poland’s oil and gas industry in the future European energy mix were the subject of discussion at the 12 th Polish Congress of Oil and Gas Industry Professionals in Krakow on 16-18 May, supported by the EAGE.

EAGE Executive Director Marcel van Loon and EAGE President Jean-Jacques Biteau at the 12th Polish Congress

Around 300 participants attended the meeting on ‘The future of upstream and downstream in Poland in the context of the changes occurring on the European oil and gas market’. It was organized

by SAOGIET, an Associated Society of EAGE since 2004, along with PGNiG, PKN ORLEN and LOTOS, Poland’s largest oil and gas companies, as well as energy agencies and AGH University of Science and Technology.

Experts from EAGE, SPE and the World Petroleum Council contributed to the productive exchange and thematic discussions. At the Opening Session, Marcel van Loon, EAGE executive director, spoke of the ongoing co-operation with SAOGIET and Poland. Further presentations outlined the global outlook for the oil and gas market focusing on the economics, unconventional resources and the emerging need to educate energy

consumers with regard to E&P operations and the environment.

The Congress included several sessions dedicated to upstream, downstream, youth and innovation. The upstream session began with a well received keynote speech

by EAGE president Jean-Jacques Biteau on ‘The Extractive Petroleum Industry: the Revolution of Shale Hydrocarbons as part of unconventional hydrocarbons’.

A total of 94 papers were presented, mainly covering exploration of natural gas in Polish shale formations and the prospects for natural gas in coal deposits.

Important aspects of the domestic energy economy were also discussed, including midstream and downstream operations and supply diversification, issues related to investing in resources domestically and internationally, as well as the energy security of Poland and neighboring countries.

EAGE had a booth in the exhibition area for meeting local contacts and presenting the Association’s activities and incentives for new members. The event was a great opportunity for developing cooperation with SAOGIET and Poland where EAGE also has an active Local Chapter.

EAGE Student Calendar LAURIE DAKE APPLICATION

ONLINE

1 NOV

STUDENT LECTURE “APPLIED OILFIELD GEOMECHANICS”BY JOERG HERWANGER

FREIBERG, GERMANY

9 NOV

X CONGRESO DE EXPLORACIÓN Y DESARROLLO DE HIDROCARBUROS - IAPG - GEOQUIZ

MENDOZA, ARGENTINE

20 NOV

STUDENT LECTURE TOUR EU

BRISTOL UK

28 NOV

STUDENT LECTURE TOUR

KEELE UK

STUDENT LECTURE TOUR EU

LEICESTER, UK

20 OCT

4 DEC 5 DEC

STUDENT LECTURE TOUR EU

DERBY, UK

6 DEC

STUDENT LECTURE TOUR EU

MANCHESTER, UK

FOR MORE INFORMATION AND REGISTRATION PLEASE CHECK THE STUDENT SECTION AT WWW.EAGE.ORG

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EAGE NEWS

How Canadian students rose to the challenge Memorial University of Newfoundland, Canada, the winning team of the Laurie Dake Challenge 2018, shares its experience of the competition.

Opening ceremony. L-R: Jean-Jacques Biteau, Prince Joachim Holger Waldemar Christiaan, Francis Mujica, Jenny Kim, Larry Sandoval, Dr Lesley James and Daniel Sivira.

We first learned about the Laurie Dake Challenge through the local EAGE student chapter in August 2017. We were instantly captivated because it was a rare opportunity to work with a real data set and apply our knowledge. We are truly a multi-disciplinary team, and the integration of our academic backgrounds in geology, geophysics, petrophysics, and reservoir engineering strengthened our team.

The first round was an exploration round. We were excited to face the challenge of defining the oil prospectivity in a basin given limited regional information, seismic, and well data. We set milestones to meet the deadline and integrated our ideas to produce a comprehensive

The Challenge Laurie Dake Challenge is an integrated field evaluation and development challenge. Every year, multi-disciplinary teams from EAGE student chapters worldwide participate. Total provided the data for this year’s challenge and all the teams worked with the same data set over the course of six months. 41 teams participated.

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report. It detailed the petroleum system elements, geological chances of success, and resource assessments.

The second round was to pitch our prospect analysis in a three-minute video, pushing our communication skills to deliver the key messages. Dr James advised us to reach out to local oil and gas operators in St John’s, Canada to find elements they emphasize in their own prospect evaluations. We learned our decisions must be risk-minimizing to win others’ confidence in our work.

We also found the video project resembled real life. We were told: ‘You often only have 3-5 minutes with your manager, and you only have one shot.’ To plot ‘how’ to communicate visually, we had help from our friends in less technical fields. The video challenge was fun and taught us that communication is equally important as robust technical work.

We were thrilled when we emerged as one of the eight finalists to present our final development plan. We received additional data three weeks before the final presentation submission. As in the first round, we set action items to update our volumes, development plans, and economics. We created appealing pres-

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entation slides in parallel, highlighting our approach to minimize risks through integration, innovation and technology.

We thoroughly enjoyed the process despite the tight timeline. We expected other finalists’ technical levels to be high, and it inspired us to do our best.

‘And the winner is …’ We were shocked when we were announced the winner at the EAGE 80th Annual Conference & Exhibition opening ceremony in Copenhagen.

Winning the Laurie Dake Challenge has been the highlight of our academic careers.

We expanded knowledge in our own discipline and learned to better integrate with other disciplines. Most importantly, we gained priceless experience in teamwork, communication, and project management.

We strongly encourage students to become active members of the EAGE and to take part in the Challenge in the coming years.

It is an experience they will never forget.

We would like to thank the EAGE and Total for organizing the competition.

Special thanks to Total for providing an unforgettable winners’ prize – VIP visits to its offices in Copenhagen and Pau, France. We must also thank the judges, Memorial University of Newfoundland, industry members, family, and friends for their tremendous support.

Winning team honoured during the opening ceremony.

EAGE NEWS

Professor Neil Goulty, MA (Oxon), PhD (Cantab) 1949 - 2018 Neil Goulty was a much-admired and highly esteemed member of EAGE, where his focus was on publications, starting as Editor of First Break in 1985 and later serving as Publications Officer. In 2015, in recognition of his work within EAGE as a scientist, author and editor, Neil was awarded Honorary Membership, and in 2016, he and co-authors received the Norman Falcon Award for best paper in Petroleum Geoscience.

He began his geophysical career with a degree in Physics from Oxford. This background led him to Cambridge to build, with Geoff King, his supervisor, an enhanced sensitivity laser strainmeter which was applied initially to measure Earth tides.

Later, as a post-doctorate student at Caltech, Neil measured movement across major faults in the San Andreas fault system. Neil subsequently returned to the UK and, with Chris Walker and Trevor Jowitt, joined Anton Ziolkowski at the National Coal Board to pioneer high-resolution seismic exploration for coal. Anton and Neil’s office in London enjoyed a view overlooking the gardens of Buckingham Palace.

In 1980, Neil joined the Department of Geology (now Earth Sciences) at the University of Durham. He brought seismic exploration skills, both practical and theoretical, to the teaching and research portfolio, became leader of the Geophysics Group and was instrumental in continued development of undergraduate and postgraduate courses. Neil led the MSc in Applied Geophysics, and many students will remember their light-bulb moment when Neil’s clarity and passion revealed

the inner secrets of the FFT or wireline logging. In his own words, the best way to learn something is to teach it, and Neil taught a wide range of subjects at the highest level. In 2014 he was awarded the University of Durham’s Science Lecturer of the Year – at the nomination of the students themselves.

Neil’s research spread into many realms from moonquakes to Earth strain, from near surface geophysics applied on Roman and Celtic sites to coal mining imaging and subsidence, from sediment compaction to magmatic intrusion and even to dissolution of gypsum, all supported by an extensive and broad spectrum of academic papers, book contributions and invitations to speak at conferences. An internet search reveals 113 research papers (19 of which were published in First Break) and 49 co-authors. Neil more recently took on the polygonal fault enigma and the understanding of pressure within sedimentary rock formations, both of great interest not only to the academic community, but also to the hydrocarbon industry. To each topic of research he brought rigorous physics, often breaking through the fog of jargon that had grown up around a subject with one insightful question.

His PhD students recall his enthusiastic Land Rover driving around the Yorkshire and Northumbrian Coal Fields in the course of performing reverse VSP, seismic crosshole and seismic reflection surveys. Who else could rewire a 10-string hydrophone array in the field when a key connector had gone missing? Many of us enjoyed Neil’s enthusiastic and ever cheerful company

during field trips, the right anecdote for the right occasion always lifted spirits in the heaviest of rain, and with colleagues and students invariably being ‘shown the way’ by being out hammered during seismic data acquisition.

Neil retired from Durham in 2016, transferring to an emeritus but still research-active role. Perhaps the hardest task was downsizing his office which had become the unofficial exploration geophysics library for the university. His 15 cm-high epoxy resin crosshole model, data through which appeared in a number of papers in the 1990s, also retired from its role as paperweight for First Break document submissions.

He was a dedicated teacher and researcher of the highest calibre, who demonstrated the highest academic standards with precision and rigour, to both students and colleagues alike. As the unseen hand as Editor behind many research papers, his contribution to EAGE is immense. Above all, it will be Neil’s unswerving friendship, integrity, counsel, kind and generous spirit that we will always cherish and remember, together with his colourful turn of phrase delivered at just the right moment. Neil will be greatly missed by all who knew him, and remembered especially for good advice and for the positive contribution to others early in their careers. Neil, Thanks.

Neil died suddenly in June of a heart attack. He leaves his wife, Veronica, and their four sons James, Duncan, Robert and Charles. For Neil, his family came first.

We send our sympathies to Veronica, James, Duncan, Robbie and Charlie.

The EAGE Student Fund supports activities that help bridge the gap between the university and professional environments for students of geosciences and engineering. Thanks to our Student Fund contributors we can continue supporting students around the globe and through this securing the future of our industry. For more information to become a Student Fund contributor, please visit eagestudentfund.org or contact us at students@eage.org.

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CROSSTALK

BY AN D R E W M c BAR N E T

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The point about licensing The profession of geoscientists has forever suffered from a lack of The rationale is that employing an engineer or geoscientist with recognition in the community at large. It probably all starts with these designations provides an expectation of a service meeting the name itself. In this correspondent’s experience, corroborated by approved professional standards. countless others, rare is the occasion when someone actually knows Arguably licensing has, or could have, the further benefit of the range of disciplines encompassed. Geology, most people get, conferring added status on the geoscientist especially in terms of but the geoscience of geophysical imaging of the subsurface and professional recognition in the community, like doctors, lawyers, its value for numerous near surface applications and for the oil and architects, and indeed engineers. It could help to elevate geosciengas business is not, and has never been, on their radar. tists into being a more distinct career choice that could be promoted All the more astonishing, then, that buses on some of the main to high school age students, something not seriously addressed at routes in the Canadian city of Vancouver currently have the words present.

‘BC Engineers and Geoscientists’ plastered along the side of the Of course, there is a catch to all this. The system doesn’t really vehicle in capital letters, followed by a smaller ‘Keeping you safe work. If it did, Canada’s law courts would potentially be full of every day’. This, you may think, is the way to go, i.e., take it to arraignments of the multitude of people who would consider themthe people. selves geoscientists, but are not formally registered and are thereUnfortunately this laudable campaign has a more prosaic fore in theory in breach of the law. The provincial bodies are in fact purpose. It is mainly a rebranding exercise to announce that the self-regulating. For example, the Association of Professional EngiAssociation of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of British neers and Geoscientists of Alberta (APEGA) is pretty clear about Columbia has become BC Engineers and Geoits status: ‘As part of its obligation to protect scientists. The side of a bus seems an unusual the public, APEGA regulates the professions by ‘The side of a bus choice for publicizing such a transition. The ensuring that anyone we license meets certain seems an unusual obvious problem is that only a tiny percentage technical, ethical, and professional standards. It of those reading the banner will have any idea choice for publicizing has the legal right and requirement to restrict as to what BC Engineers and Geoscientists the practices of engineering and geoscience, such a transition.’ might refer, let alone that it is a new name for along with the related titles and designations, an existing organization. Hopefully, although it to licensed individuals and companies. Only is a stretch, a few will appreciate the full message - that engineers Professional Members and companies (Permit Holders) licensed and geoscientists belonging to this professional organization can

by APEGA have the right to independently practide engineering or be relied on to take care of your safety when undertaking geoscigeoscience in Alberta. This is called reserved practice.’ ence-related projects.

The water becomes muddied when you consider that probably Belonging to the professional organization in this case means only 50% of the members of the Canadian Society of Exploration being licensed. Federal law (the Engineering and Geoscience Geophysicists are actually licensed. The work of the unlicensed Professions Act) dictates that in BC as in all provinces and half will undoubtedly be geoscience-related but may not meet the territorial governments of Canada with the exception of Yukon and formal requirements of a degree in geoscience and experience in Prince Edward Island, geoscientists have to be licensed to practise. the profession. It is of course true that permit holding companies As such Canada has the most prescriptive regime in the world can sign off on projects as per the law, even though the work may covering geoscience professionals. have been undertaken by unlicensed staff.

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In Europe, the European Federation of Geologists (EFG) has The BC provincial government must have had some issues established the European Geologist title EurGeol as a professional with the current status because it commissioned an independent title to recognize the ability to deliver a high quality of services review of professional reliance in natural resource decision-makwithin the practice of geology. The certification held by a proing. Public confidence in the professions, and protection of the fessional geologist means that the holder has achieved suitable environment and safety were the official concerns. These play well academic training and a level of professional experience, skill and with the influential green-minded section of the BC electorate. The competence. It also means that the geologist undertakes continuing report’s main recommendation published this year was the estabeducation and training. EFG describes the EurGeol initiative as lishment of an Office of Professional Regulation and Oversight. a first step in recognizing an increasing number of geoscientists Both geoscience and engineering and mining professional bodies working at international level and the need for quality assurance have expressed concern about this extra layer of regulation and by the clients, the public, governments and insurance companies. the competence and capability of the government to effectively So far 900 members have successfully applied for the EurGeol oversee project standards. It was also pointed out only 20% of BC title out of a total membership of 45,000 in 26 national associations geoscientists were involved in the natural resources industries, so across Europe. It raises the question as to how much notice is who regulates the remainder? placed on the qualifications of geoscientists beyond the requisitie A number of countries around the world have organizations university degree, experience and record of achievement that can to bolster the professional status of geoscientists but none quite be assessed by any user of geoscience-related services. Business as mandatory as Canada. The Geological Society of London is cards of EAGE members rarely mention any extra professional the recognized UK professional body for geoscientists. It awards status. That said, the listing of membership of a professional the professional title of Chartered Geologist (post nominal society such as EAGE in a resumé supports a person’s status as a CGeol). The title is appropriate for those fellows practising as geoscientist. professional geoscientists and for whom geoscience knowledge The counterpoint to all the above comes and competency is an essential element of from the US state of Texas, where the regulafulfilling of their role.

‘The counterpoint tion of geoscientists through licensing is under The South African Council for Natural Scicomes from the US serious threat. In August this year, the Sunset entific Professions (SACNASP) is a statutory state of Texas.’

Advisory Commission, which is mandated to body established through an act of Parliament carry out periodic reviews of state agencies, primarily mandated with the registration, regrecommended that the Texas Board of Professional Geoscientists, ulation and development of natural scientists. The Council is also an oversight and licensing agency, should be abolished. In its first responsible for compiling a code of conduct which governs the review of the Board, Sunset staff found that ‘professional geoscienpractice of Natural Science professionals. The Australian Institute of tists provide valuable assessments and research related to groundGeoscientists (AIG) Registered Professional Geoscientist (RPGeo) water, subsurface concerns, and other areas. However, a historical programme claims to be ‘Australia’s most rigorous recognition lack of meaningful enforcement action, no measurable impact on programme for continuous professional development by Australian public protection, and more direct oversight of geoscientists’ work geoscientists’. The AIG recognizes fellows and members who have provided by other state agencies’ render ongoing state regulation of committed to the maintenance and continuous development of their geoscientists unnecessary to protect the public’. technical and professional skills and capabilities. This commitment Some of the specifics are not what the Texas geoscience comis said to be widely recognized by employers. RPGeo is a voluntary munity probably wants to broadcast. For example, the Commission grade of the AIG membership. noted that the Board was established ‘primarily to legitimize The AIG geoscience portfolio of relevant activities illustrates the profession’ not to protect the public; almost no geologists the broad spectrum of expertise involved and hence the challenge deal directly with the public making licensing as a protection to adequately define the profession. On a positive note, it also unnecessary; 50% of Texas geologists are exempted from needing offers an excellent advertisement for the huge opportunities for a licence; 78% of current licensed geologists are grandfathered and students in the geoscience field. AIG mentions mineral exploration, did not take the now mandatory qualifying exam; and the licensee mining, population has been in steady decline. petroleum, coal, hydrogeology, industrial minerals, geotechniThis strike against the geoscience profession may be an cal and engineering, environmental geoscience, regional geology, isolated case reflecting the anti-regulation fervour rampant in the geophysics. for geoscientists specialising in geophysics, geoUnited States of the Trump era. The abolition recommendation is chemistry, information geoscience, mineral resource estimation, being vehemently contested by the geoscience network in Texas. mineral asset valuation, plus other specialist geoscience in such However, the arguments serve notice that the benefits of licensing diverse fields of geoscience as mineralogy, petrology, volcanology, professional geoscientists is not an open-and-shut case. palaeontology, atmospheric geophysics, and meteorite research.

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

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INDUSTRY NEWS

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CGG reports second-quarter net profit of $49 million

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TGS and PGS acquire another 3D survey in East Canada

BGP wins world’s largest 3D onshore and offshore survey BGP will carry out the world’s largest continuous 3D onshore and offshore seismic survey in Abu Dhabi.

BGP and Abu Dhabi sign the agreement.

The Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) has awarded the Chinese seismic company contracts worth $1.6 billion for the surveys that will cover an area up to 53,000 km2.

Adding to the 2D and 3D seismic data already acquired across Abu Dhabi, the new seismic survey will cover an area of up to 30,000 km2 offshore and 23,000 km2 onshore.

BPG has pledged to deploy ‘industry-leading technologies’ to provide survey data density up to five times that of existing industry standards, the

acquisition will capture high-resolution three-dimensional images of the complex subsurface structure, up to 25,000 feet (7600 m) below the surface.

Using seismic streaming vessels and ocean bottom nodes to acquire data in Abu Dhabi waters, and vibrator trucks to survey the onshore desert areas, the survey is scheduled to be completed by 2024.

The survey is a key part of ADNOC’s 2030 growth strategy to identify and unlock new opportunities and maximize value from its hydrocarbon resources.

ADNOC recently announced Abu Dhabi’s first ever block licensing strategy with the launch of six geographical oil and gas blocks open for bidding, and the seismic project will include areas within these blocks with the data made available at a fee to the successful bidders.

Using the resources of ADNOC’s Thamama Subsurface Collaboration Centre, the seismic data, from the 3D survey will be used to characterize and model potential hydrocarbon reservoirs in the emirate.

Dr Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, UAE Minister of State and ADNOC Group CEO said: ‘The announcement of the world’s largest continuous 3D seismic survey, and, with it, the deployment of cutting-edge exploration technologies is FIRST

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an important step in realizing the full potential of Abu Dhabi’s conventional and unconventional oil and gas resources as we deliver on our 2030 smart growth strategy.

‘The scale of the project shows ADNOC’s commitment to upstream investment and to bolstering our oil and gas reserves and production for the longterm. The award, following a highly competitive bid process, also represents another key milestone in ADNOC’s thriving partnership with CNPC, and the UAE’s strategic energy partnership with China.’

The UAE is one of the world’s largest oil and gas producers, with about 96% of its reserves within the emirate of Abu Dhabi. Located in one of the world’s largest hydrocarbon super-basins, there remains undiscovered and undeveloped potential in the numerous stacked reservoirs.

BGP Inc is a wholly owned subsidiary subsidiary of China National Petroleum Company (CNPC), which is represented in the UAE by Al Masaood Oil Industry Supplies & Services Co. CNPC is one of ADNOC’s largest international partners, with 40-year stakes in Abu Dhabi’s major onshore and offshore concessions. It is also a 40% joint venture partner in Al Yasat Petroleum.

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Oil companies enjoy good second-quarter results Oil majors have reported much-improved second-quarter results.

Total has reported second-quarter net income of $3.6 billion, up 44% year on year. The group generated $6.8 billion of cash flow in Q2, up 20% compared to the first quarter. Production increased by 8.7% from a year ago to 2.7 Mboe/d.

Equinor has reported second quarter earnings of $4.3 billion (up from $3 million in the same period in 2017) and $1.7 billion after tax in the second quarter of 2018 (up from $1.3 billion in 2017).

IFRS net operating income was $3.8 billion, compared to $3.2 billion in Q2 2017, and the IFRS net income was $1.2 billion, down from $1.4 billion in Q2 2017.

Higher prices for both liquids and gas, coupled with high production, contributed to the increase.

Equinor delivered equity production of 2028 mboe per day in the second quarter, an increase from 1996 mboe per day in the same period in 2017. The increase was primarily owing to higher production in the US.

As of Q2 2018, Equinor had completed 10 exploration wells with four commercial discoveries.

Cash flows before taxes paid and changes in working capital amounted to $13.2 billion for the first half of 2018 compared to $10.5 billion same period 2017. Organic capital expenditure was $4.6 billion for the first six months of 2018.

BP has reported second-quarter profit of $2.8 billion, four times that reported for the same period in 2017.

Operating cash flow, excluding Gulf of Mexico oil spill payments, was $7 billion in the second quarter. Debt has been reduced by $0.7 billion to $39 billion.

Shell has reported second-quarter earnings of $4.7 billion. Cash flow from operations was $9.5 million ConocoPhillips has reported second-quarter 2018 earnings of $1.6 billion, compared with a second-quarter 2017 loss of $3.4 billion. Excluding special items, second-quarter 2018 adjusted earnings were $1.3 billion compared with

second-quarter 2017 adjusted earnings of $0.2 billion. Second-quarter production grew by 5%.

The company paid down $2.1 billion of balance sheet debt and achieved its debt target of $-15 billion 18 months ahead of plan. It ended the quarter with $3.5 billion of cash.

ExxonMobil has reported Q2 earnings of $4 Billion compared with $3.4 billion a year earlier. Cash flow from operations and asset sales was $8.1 billion. Capital and exploration expenditures were $6.6 billion, up 69% from the prior year.

Oil-equivalent production was 3.6 million barrels per day, down 7% from the second quarter of 2017.

Eni reported an adjusted operating profit $2.9 billion (a 152% increase) and adjusted net profit of $875 million, up 66%.

Adjusted net cash from operations was $3.24 billion. Net capital expenditure was $2.2 billion. Net debt fell below €10 billion ($11.4 million), the lowest level in 11 years.

SeaBird buys vessel from CGG SeaBird Exploration has agreed to buy the seismic vessel Geowave Voyager and certain seismic equipment from Exploration Vessel Resources II AS, a wholly owned subsidiary of CGG for $17 million.

Transfer of ownership is expected to be completed in October 2018.

‘The transaction will provide SeaBird with a suitable quality vessel further strengthening its position and service offering in the 2D, source and niche 3D markets.’

The purchase will be partly funded by a private placement of 632,000,000 offer shares at a subscription price of NOK 0.19 ($0.23), raising NOK 120 million ($14.3 million).

‘The Private Placement attracted strong interest from both existing shareholders and new investors, and was multi-

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ple times oversubscribed,’ said a company statement.

Meanwhile, SeaBird has signed a partnership agreement with MCG to conduct a 6000 km multi-client 2D deep imaging campaign on the Norwegian Continental Shelf, including cross-border lines to UKCS. The acquiring vessel will tow a single 12,000-m streamer with a powerful source, to image the oceanic and continental crust, for new conceptual geological understanding and improved interpretation of large-scale tectonics.

This leads to an enhanced understanding of the regional geology and may reveal new play models. The vessel Harrier Explorer will be used for the two-month project.

The survey is cash neutral through pre-funding and cost recovery. The com-

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pany will be entitled to 50% of all future revenue stemming from sales of the acquired data. Seabird now has three vessels booked for most of Q3.

Seabird has bought the vessel for $17 million.

INDUSTRY NEWS

CGG reports second quarter net profit of $49 million

Sophie Zurquiyah, CGG CEO.

CGG has reported second-quarter net profit of $49.1 million on revenues of $314 million, compared with a net profit of $646.6 million on revenues of $245.6 million in Q1 2018 and a net loss of $170 million on revenues of $350 million in the second quarter of 2017.

Segment revenue of $338 million was down 3% year-on-year. GGR revenue was $203.3 million (down 8% year-year-year) with multi-client revenue of $110.5 million (down 17% year-on-year); prefunding was $23.7 million (68% down year-onyear as a result of regulatory delays) and aftersales $86.8 million (up 46% year-onyear). Multi-client recorded large sales in North Sea and US onshore; activity in Brazil, Mozambique and Permian basin.

Subsurface imaging and reservoir (SIR) revenue was $92.8 million (up 5% year-on-year). GGR operating income was $64.1 million. The net book value of the multi-client library was $870 million.

SIR activity was driven by client reservoir/production imaging and services, including nodes processing Equipment revenue of $83 million was up 56% year-on-year. External sales were $71 million, up 48% year-on-year.

Lane sales were 51% and marine sales were 49%. Operating income was $1 million. The segment recorded good sales in North Africa and Asia.

ModelVision Magnetic & Gravity Interpretation System

Contractual data acquisition revenue was $67 million, down 18% year-on-year in what continues to be a tough environment. Marine data acquisition was $40 million, down 35% year-on-year. Land and multi-physics data acquisition were $27 million, down 30% year-on-year.

Contractual data acquisition made an operating loss of -$7 million. The fleet was active in West Africa during the second quarter.

Segment operating cash flow was $95 million, compared to $52 million for the second quarter of 2017. Global capex was $87 million, up 13% yearon-year.

In the first half of 2018, CGG’s revenue was $560 million, and net income was $696 million. Segment revenue was $633 million, up 6% year-on-year. Segment operating income was $17 million, up from a loss of -$71 million last year.

Net debt was $716 million at the end of June 2018 and liquidity was $447 million.

Sophie Zurquiyah, CGG CEO, said: ‘The second-quarter results were in line with our expectations with a stable EBITDAs margin year-over-year. SIR performed well and multi-client after-sales were particularly high with a significant contribution from the North Sea. Prefunding was low, primarily as a result of regulatory delays. Equipment saw strong volume increase and returned to break-even. Contractual Data Acquisition activities were still under pressure with continued low prices.

‘Priority is to focus on cash generation, and specifically this quarter cash consumption was limited due to rigorous management of working capital.

‘In the context of a gradual market improvement, while clients maintain a cautious approach to spending, we remain on track to meet our targets for 2018.’

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Minerals Petroleum Near Surface Government Contracting Consulting Education

Tensor Research support@tensor-research.com.au www.tensor-research.com.au Tel:

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INDUSTRY NEWS

ION reports disappointing second quarter results with net loss of $-26 million ION Geophysical has reported a second-quarter net loss $-25.9 million on revenues of $24.7 million, down from a net loss of $-18 million on revenues of $34 million in Q1 2018 and $-10.4 million on revenues of $46 million in the second quarter of 2017.

Excluding special items in the second quarter 2018, the company reported an adjusted net loss of $-23.4 million.

Net cash flows from operations were -$0.8 million, compared to $1.7 million in the second quarter 2017. At June 30, 2018, the company had $44.3 million of cash on hand, and nothing drawn from its $23.3 million revolving credit facility.

Brian Hanson, ION’s president and chief executive officer, said, ‘We are disappointed with the quarterly results, where a number of deals in our pipeline did not close. For example, we experienced a decrease in multi-client revenues partially due to a delayed licensing round that resulted in certain customers pushing their commitments to our programme to the second half of 2018. For this reason, and based on heightened activity and momentum, we still believe that 2018 will be a significant improvement on 2017 on a full-year basis. All key leading indicators and metrics of our business are

up including our multi-client sales pipeline, licensing round activity, imaging services tenders, Marlin deployments, the number of active ocean bottom crews and oil and gas reserve replenishment is becoming a greater priority than capital efficiency for our oil and gas customers.’

Within the E&P Technology & Services segment, multi-client revenues were $9.9 million, a decrease of 67%, with both new venture and data library revenues experienced significant declines compared to the second quarter 2017.

Imaging Services revenues were $5.3 million, a 28% increase, because of an increase in proprietary ocean bottom nodal imaging projects.

Within the Operations Optimization segment, Optimization Software & Services revenues were $4.8 million, an 8% increase from the second quarter 2017, owing to an increase in subscription-based software revenues and hardware sales of its Gator ocean bottom command and control software. Devices revenues were $4.8 million, a 38% decrease from the second quarter 2017. Devices continues to be impacted by reduced towedstreamer seismic contractor activity, resulting in further declines in new system sales as well as repair and replacement revenues.

The Ocean Bottom Integrated Technologies segment contributed no revenues during the second quarter.

Consolidated operating expenses were $18.5 million, down 4% from $19.2 million in the second quarter 2017.

For the first half of 2018, the company reported revenues of $58.3 million, a net loss of $-44.3 million, compared to revenues of $78.6 million, a net loss of $-33.8 million in the first half of 2017.

Within the E&P Technology & Services segment, multi-client revenues were $29.5 million, a decrease of 38%, with new venture revenues decreasing 19% and data library revenues decreasing 62% from the first six months of 2017. Imaging Services revenues were $10.2 million, a 3% increase.

Within the Operations Optimization segment, Optimization Software & Services revenues were $9.6 million, a 10% increase compared to the first six months of 2017. Devices revenues were $8.9 million, a 30% decrease from the first six months of 2017.

Consolidated operating expenses, as adjusted, were $36.8 million, down 6% from $39.2 million in the first six months of 2017. Operating margin was (54)%, compared to (22)% in the first six months of 2017.

WesternGeco fails in bid to reopen four patent claims against ION The US Federal Circuit Court has denied WesternGeco’s petition for a rehearing of the Patent Trial and Appeal Board’s decision to cancel the company’s patent claims against ION Geophysical.

ION engaged in parallel proceedings against WesternGeco arising from a procedure known as ‘Inter Partes Review’, a proceeding at the US Patent and Trademark Office that allows any party to challenge the validity of a patent.

The Patent and Trademark Office ruled in 2015 that four of the six patent claims that WesternGeco made against ION in the 20

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District Court never should have been granted. WesternGeco appealed this ruling to the Court of Appeals, and, in May, the Court of Appeals affirmed the invalidation of these four WesternGeco streamer system patents.

‘While the District Court didn’t assign particular values to any of the six claims, we believe that the bulk of any damages assessed against us are attributable to cancelled patent claims,’ said Brian Hanson, ION’s president and chief executive officer. ‘After the Supreme Court heard arguments in our case in April, the Federal Circuit affirmed a finding by the Patent

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and Trademark Appeals Board that four of the six patent claims that supported the damages to WesternGeco were based on patents that never should have issued.

‘We will seek a new trial as to damages and will forcefully argue in any new trial that the two remaining claims cannot support lost profits. In the event that we do not prevail in the Court of Appeals on our direct competitor claim, we intend to forcefully challenge the award of lost profits on the basis that the bulk of WesternGeco’s damages are attributable to patents that never should have been issued.’

INDUSTRY NEWS

Fairfield Geotechnologies wins three OBN contracts Fairfield Geotechnologies has won three ocean bottom node contracts in the Gulf of Mexico, and in the Middle East.

Firstly, the company has been awarded a contract by BHP to acquire up to 1004 miles2 (2600 km2) of ocean

bottom node seismic data in the Alaminos Canyon and East Breaks areas of the Western Gulf of Mexico. The survey, located in water depths ranging from 2500 (762 m) to 7250 ft (2292 m), will employ two seismic source vessels and Fairfield Geotechnologies’ newest ocean bottom node technology, ZXPLR. The survey design will also provide the long-offset, full azimuth data for high-resolution velocity model building to enhance existing reflection seismic data.

Meanwhile, Fairfield Geotechnologies has completed the Stampede deepwater ocean bottom node survey, located in the Green Canyon area of the Gulf of Mexico. The field, operated by the Hess Corporation, is in approx. 3500 ft.

(1066 m) of water.

The 238 km2 survey was the second successful deployment of Fairfield Geotechnologies’ ZXPLR ocean bottom node technology. The system features a compact design, automated back deck systems, and powered and piloted subsea node deployment and retrieval for safe and efficient operations.

Finally, Fairfield Technologies will begin an extensive Z700 acquisition project in the Gulf, beginning in December 2018. The nearly eight-month project in the Middle East is a significant 4D opportunity for Fairfield Geotechnologies.

‘The Gulf represents tremendous opportunity for OBN acquisition,’ said Davison. ‘This project has it all: a complex and ecologically sensitive sea floor, crowded infrastructure and demanding geophysical objectives.’

TGS reports a big increase in profit TGS reported second-quarter net profit of $46 million on revenues $158 million, compared to net profit of $13.2 million on revenues of $134.7 million in Q1 2018 and of $17 million on revenues of $107.6 million in the second quarter of 2017.

Operating profit for the quarter was $54 million (34% of net revenues), the highest quarterly operating profit in four years, compared with $24.9 million in Q1 2018 and $18.1 million in the second quarter of 2018.

Free cash flow after multi-client investments was $55 million, up from $12 million in Q2 2017, resulting in an increased cash balance of $338 million.

Cash flow from operations was $128 million, up from $53 million in the second quarter of 2017. TGS also has access to an undrawn $75 million of revolving credit facility.

Net late sales were $136 million, up from $115 million in Q1 2018 and $79 million in Q2 2017. Net pre-funding revenues were $21 million, funding 37% of TGS’ operational multi-client investments for the quarter. This compared to 22

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$17.6 million in Q1 2018 and $27 million in Q2 2017.

Operational multi-client investments were $56 million in addition to $4 million from risk sharing arrangements, compared with $30.7 million in addition to $3.5 million from risk sharing arrangements in Q1 2018 and $59 million in addition to $2 million from risk sharing arrangements in the second quarter of 2017.

Financial guidance for 2018 is reiterated at: new multi-client investments of approximately $260 million; additional multi-client investments expected from sales of existing surveys with risk sharing arrangements; pre-funding of new multi-client investments expected to be approximately 45-50%.

The net book value of the multi-client library was $735 million compared to $812 million at 30 June 2017. Backlog amounted to $86 million at the end of Q2 2018, up 16% from Q1 but 32% lower than at the end of Q2 2017.

‘TGS delivered an excellent financial result in Q2 2018 driven by strong late sales which were up 73% year-on-year.

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The global multi-client seismic market has been on an improving trend for more than a year now. TGS’s strong quarter was partly a result of high regional licensing round activity combined with a pick-up in activity related to acreage turnover and farm-ins particularly among independents and smaller E&P companies. TGS believes that, with oil price continuing well above the level budgeted by most E&P companies, additional funds may be available for exploration spending by our customers at the end of the year,’ said TGS CEO Kristian Johansen.

TGS said in a statement that it expects the upturn to continue for some time to come.

‘The amount of new commercially viable hydrocarbon resources discovered around the world is currently too low for replacing the declining production from existing fields as well as meeting the growing demand. Combined with the efficiency gains realized across the oil and gas industry during the downturn, this should lead to substantial increases in E&P companies’exploration budgets.’

INDUSTRY NEWS

PGS reports a second-quarter net loss of $-10 million on revenues of $240 million PGS has reported a net loss of $-10.4 million on revenues of $239.7 million compared to a net loss of $-40 million on revenues of $201.3 million in Q1 2018 and a net loss of $-32.2 million on revenues of $240.5 million in the second quarter of 2017.

Operating profit was $30.5 million, compared to an operating loss of $-7.3 million in Q1 and an operating loss of $-17.4 million in Q2 2017.

Segment revenues of $199.4 million, compared to $197.8 in Q1 2018 and $240.5 million in Q2 2017.

Segment operating profit of $13.6 million, compared to a loss of -$22.7 million in the first quarter of 2018 and a loss of -$8.7 million in Q2 2017.

Segment multi-client pre-funding revenues of $94 million with a corresponding pre-funding level of 116%, were up from $58.6 million with a prefunding level of 108% in Q1 2018 and $50.2 million with a prefunding level of 115% in Q2 2017.

Segment multi-client late sales revenues of $68.7 million, compared to $83.5 in the first quarter of 2018 and $77.4 million in Q2 2017.

Cash flow from operations of $121.7 million, was up from $73.4 million in Q1 2018 and $49.4 million in Q2 2017.

For the first six months of 2018 PGS reported a net loss of $29.2 on revenues

of $441 million, compared to a net loss of $-138.7 million on revenues of $395 million in the first half of 2017. Operating profit of $30.5 million for the first six months of 2018 compared to an operating loss of $-17.4 million in the first six months of 2017.

Rune Olav Pedersen, president and chief executive officer said: ‘Most of our active 3D vessel capacity was allocated to multi-client in the quarter and pre-funding revenues dominated the sales mix. Multi-client late sales did not benefit materially from any licensing rounds, but the quarter still demonstrates a continuance of the strong trend from the two previous quarters.

Year-to-date late sales are up more than 30% compared to 2017.

‘We have generated a larger pipeline of new multi-client projects and expect to increase our multi-client cash investment to approximately $300 million this year, with an active 3D vessel capacity allocation to multi-client of approximately 65% and an unchanged pre-funding requirement.

‘Our contract activities in Q2 related mainly to completion of surveys we commenced in Q1, offshore West Africa. The marine contract market is improving, but still challenging, and it is encouraging that our estimate of the total value of bids and leads for contract work is at its highest level for more than three years.

‘The visibility of Q4 fleet utilization is strengthening. However, our reported order book remains low at quarter end, as we are in the final phase of formalizing projects.

With the ongoing bid activities and our multi-client plans, we expect that we will achieve acceptable utilization of the vessels we plan to operate in Q4.

‘Our cost reductions are progressing as planned and for the first time in two and a half years we are reporting positive EBIT. We are on track to be cash flow positive after debt servicing this year.’

PGS expects full-year 2018 gross cash costs of approximately $600 million. Multi-client cash investments are expected to be approximately $300 million in 2018.

Approximately 65% of 2018 active 3D vessel time is expected to be allocated to multi-client acquisition.

The order book totalled $187 million at 30 June, 2018 (including $138 million relating to multi-client), compared to $211 million at 31 March, 2018 and $248 million at 30 June, 2017. The company operated eight 3D vessels in Q2 2018.

PGS said that it expects to improve performance going forward: ‘PGS expects the higher oil price, improved cash flow among clients and an exceptionally low oil and gas discovery rate to benefit the marine seismic market fundamentals going forward.’

Fairfield Geotechnologies and Ikon Science launch joint venture geoprediction service Fairfield Geotechnologies and Ikon Science have signed a joint-venture agreement to offer geoprediction services to the oil and gas industry in North America.

The joint venture leverages Ikon Science’s geoprediction technology, which includes innovative workflows for unconventional and conventional reservoirs and its RokDoc Ji-Fi inversion software, with Fairfield Geotechnologies’ seismic acquisition, processing and multi-client data library.

‘The core capabilities and synergies of both companies are well matched,’ said Chuck Davison, CEO of Fairfield Geotechnologies. ‘The JV with Ikon represents our commitment to providing our clients with best-in class data, services and solutions for reservoir management, risk reduction and increased productivity.’

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projects in the US Gulf of Mexico and the Delaware Basin in Texas and New Mexico. The first project, scheduled to be delivered in November, 2018, is 67 OCS blocks of reverse time migration in the Gulf of Mexico. The second is a 552 mile2 (1430 km2) pre-stack depth migration in the Delaware Basin that includes the merging of existing data with new acquisition, slated for final completion in March, 2019.

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BRAZIL

Brazil: Santos Campos 2D Multi-Client 2D Seismic for the Exploration Journey to Giant Oil

Legend

Spectrum Multi-Client 2D seismic Santos Campos Phase 1, 2, 3: 38,620 km Block concessions Bid round 16 Bid round 17 Bid round 18 Basin boundary 200 m / EEZ

Spectrum holds more than 38,000 km of long offset 2D seismic data in the Santos-Campos basin over some of the most exciting open exploration acreage in the world. These surveys, acquired between 2012 to 2018, have now been de-ghosted and are available in both Pre-Stack Time and Depth Migration (Kirchoff & RTM).

This seismic covers a vast area where the prolific pre-salt play is confirmed to extend out from giant discoveries into the16th Round Sector area. The 2D data, acquired in a 10 km x 10 km grid, allows crustal structure to be defined, thereby enhancing thermal maturity modelling and imaging of base salt and syn-rift source rock sequences. The prolific Barra Velha sequence is now mappable from Tupi, Jupiter and Libra into open acreage.

Multiple giant structures with billion barrel low-risk oil potential are mapped within Brazil’s 16th Round Sector. This regional seismic data allows prioritization of the main play fairways, structural trends and oil prone areas, as well as deep crustal fault distribution mapping for CO2 risk mitigation. Yet-to-find analysis of the area covered by this dataset exceeds the 60 billion barrel potential resource already discovered in the pre-salt play.

spectrumgeo.com mc-uk@spectrumgeo.com +44 1483 730201

INDUSTRY NEWS

Britain hands out geophysical contracts worth $6 million The UK Oil and Gas Authority (OGA) has awarded geophysical contracts worth £5 million.

A contract to fund the first year of a four-year UKCS Petroleum Systems Project was awarded to a consortium of Lloyd’s Register (LR) and IGI Ltd, who will compile a comprehensive database of legacy geochemical data acquired across the UKCS over the past five decades.

This database will include the provision of sample information and analysis from the legacy well sampling databases currently curated by the British Geological Survey (BGS) on behalf of the OGA. On completion, the geochemical and supporting geological databases resulting from both these contracts will be

made available to industry and academic communities.

An additional contract was awarded to Ikon Science to evaluate the rock physics and seismic amplitude responses of the underexplored Jurassic and Triassic plays of the Central North Sea and East Shetland basin areas. These findings will be publicly available ahead of the 32nd Mature Licensing Round and, if successful, used by the OGA to promote unlicensed opportunities in the UKCS prospect inventory where the concept can be applied.

To support industry further, the OGA is also working with Agile Scientific to provide free geo-computing training courses aimed at providing subsurface practitioners working on UK licences

the opportunity to gain key data science skills. These courses will take place in both Aberdeen and London during Q3 2018.

The OGA is also working with Agile Scientific to host two ‘machine-learning boot camps and subsurface hackathons’ in Aberdeen and London during November, with the London event being run in collaboration with PETEX 2018 at the London Olympia conference centre.

Jo Bagguley, principal regional geologist for the OGA, said: ‘Products resulting from the contracts will make significant additional contributions to the seismic, well and map-related data packs already released by the OGA.’

US launches Gulf of Mexico lease sale The US Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) has offered 78 million acres offshore Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida for oil and gas exploration and development. The regionwide lease sale on 15 August included all available unleased areas in federal waters of the Gulf of Mexico.

Lease Sale 251 was the third offshore sale under the National Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) Oil and Gas Leasing Programme for 2017-2022.

Lease Sale 251 included 14,622 unleased blocks, located from three (4.8 km) to 231

(371 km) miles offshore, in the Gulf’s Western, Central and Eastern planning areas in water depths ranging from nine (2.7 m) to more than 11,115 feet (3400 m).

The Gulf of Mexico OCS, covering about 160 million acres, contains about 48 billion barrels of undiscovered technically recoverable oil and 141 trillion ft3 (4 billion m3) of undiscovered technically recoverable gas.

For the sale, the Trump administration left royalty rates at 12.5% for leases in less than 200 m of water, and 18.75% for all other leases.

The US government has faced calls to lower the royalty rate on deepwater licenses to reverse declining interest in the US Gulf of Mexico. Analysts have claimed that greater competition from onshore leases and from the Mexican side of the Gulf of Mexico is the reason why only 1% of the 77 million acres (31.2 million hectares) on offer received bids in the March auction.

The US Interior Department’s Royalty Policy Committee also recommended lowering the rates last February.

Spectrum shoots 3D survey offshore Brazil Spectrum has started a 10,000 km2 3D multi-client seismic project over the Southern Santos Basin in Brazil. This survey covers an area south of the major oil and gas discoveries in the Santos Basin and the recent highly sought after blocks offered in Rounds 2, 3, 4 and 15.

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Fast-track data will be available for the round expected in the second half of 2019. The 3D project builds on Spectrum’s extensive 2D database in the region and marks the opening of the highly prospective deep-water area in the Santos basin.

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Rune Eng, CEO of Spectrum said: ‘Spectrum has acquired 200,000 km of long-offset high-quality 2D data covering almost the complete coastline of Brazil.

We are now moving to the next growth stage in Brazil, using our 2D data to locate prospective areas for 3D acquisition.’

INDUSTRY NEWS

Ireland passes bill to stop investing public funds in fossil fuels Ireland has committed to stop investing public funds in fossil fuel companies after the country’s parliament passed a bill forcing the 8.9 billion euro ($10.4 billion) Ireland Strategic Investment Fund (ISIF) to withdraw money invested in oil, gas and coal.

Members of Ireland’s Dail passed the Fossil Fuel Divestment Bill, which requires the fund to divest direct investments in fossil fuel undertakings within five years and not to make future investments in the industry.

In an amendment, the bill describes ‘fossil fuel undertakings’ as those ‘whose business is engaged, for the time being, in the exploration for or extraction or refinement of a fossil fuel where such activity accounts for 20% or more of the turnover of that undertaking.’

The bill also said indirect investments should not be made, unless there is unlikely to be more than 15% of an asset invested in a fossil fuel undertaking.

The ISIF is managed by Ireland’s National Treasury Management Agency.

As of June last year, the fund’s investments in the global fossil fuel industry were estimated at €318 million ($363 million) across 150 companies.

The Dail, Dublin, passed the Fossil Fuel Divestment Bill.

MGX shoots 3D survey at Utah mine MGX is launching a 65.4 square mile2 (170 km2) 3D seismic survey over the Blueberry Unit at the company’s Utah Petrolithium project in the Paradox basin of Utah, US. The survey will include 9062 source points and comprise 6354 vibrator points, 841 buggy drill points and 1867 Heli points.

The Blueberry Unit (oil, gas and lithium) and Lisbon Valley claims (lithium) consists of approximately 115,000 acres

of oil and gas leases and 118,000 acres of largely overlying and contiguous mineral claims. The project is being simultaneously explored for oil, gas, lithium and other brine minerals to determine locations for deployment of the company’s lithium and mineral extraction technology. Brine content within the Lisbon Valley oilfield has been historically reported to be as high as 730 ppm lithium (Superior Oil 88-21P).

The Lisbon Valley oilfield has approximately 140 wells and is contiguous with the Blueberry Unit. According to the Utah Department of Natural Resources, Oil, Gas and Mining Division, lifetime production within the Lisbon Valley oilfield has been 51.4 million barrels of oil. The Paradox Basin has been noted by the USGS as having one of the largest undeveloped oil and gas fields in the US.

TGS and PGS acquire another 3D survey in East Canada TGS and PGS have started a new 3D multi-client project offshore East Canada

Ramform Sterling will acquire the data.

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to cover 3400 km2 in an active Newfoundland area of the Flemish Pass Basin.

Data on the Lewis Hills 3D GeoStreamer survey will be acquired using the Ramform Sterling. The PGS vessel will also acquire approximately 2700 km2 of additional data on the 2017 Harbour Deep and Cape Broyle 3D survey outlines. Acquisition is expected to be completed in late Q3 or early Q4 2018.

After this eighth consecutive season of data acquisition offshore East Canada, the jointly-owned library will have more than 175,000 km of 2D GeoStreamer data and approximately 43,000 km2 of 3D GeoStreamer data.

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‘East Canada continues to see a high level of customer interest. E&P companies are attracted by the high prospectivity of the area which is supported by a transparent and regular licensing round schedule,’ said Kristian Johansen, CEO, TGS. Pre-processing of the initial GeoStreamer signal will be performed by PGS onboard the Ramform Sterling, after which TGS will perform data processing using its Clari-Fi broadband technology.

Fast-track data will be available in Q1 2019 with final data in Q2 2019. The survey area will be merged with the southern border of the Long Range 3D project acquired in 2017.

TGS extends Canada land survey TGS has announced a 150 km2 expansion of its 2018 onshore seismic survey Dawson Phase II in Canada as a result of additional client commitments.

The expansion is to the east of the previously announced programme and extends from the province of British Columbia into Alberta. Dawson Phase II will now cover approx. 428 km2 in the prolific Montney shale formation.

Permitting on the survey has already commenced and data acquisition is expected to begin in Q3 2018.

Fast-track data will be available in Q1 2019, with final data available Q3 2019. This dataset will be processed

by TGS utilizing its land imaging technology which includes delivery of shear wave data in order to enhance reservoir characterization.

‘Modern seismic data is critical to help E&P companies delineate zones for horizontal drilling and multi-stage hydraulic fracturing in the Montney, which is experiencing increased drilling and pipeline infrastructure activity,’ commented Kristian Johansen, CEO for TGS. Meanwhile, TGS has started the Erlend Wild West multi-client 3D seismic project in the UK West of Shetlands region.

This survey will cover a minimum of 1000 km2 and ties into TGS’ existing EW12 3D data. TGS will use its ClariFi broadband technology to deliver high-fidelity imaging of the subsurface.

‘Erlend Wild West 3D will expand TGS’ data coverage, including open acreage and existing discoveries, in the West of Shetlands region, where high-potential prospects have been identified. This project will provide modern, high-quality seismic data in an area that is highly relevant for exploration in the newly awarded acreage for the UK 30th Offshore Licensing Round’, said Kristian Johansen, CEO for TGS.

Mexico’s autumn oil auctions are postponed until early 2019 Mexico has postponed its September and October oil auctions until February 2019 to allow time for the left-wing president elect Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador to take office.

During the election campaign Lopez Obrador said he would request a pause in auctions to allow his team to check for corruption in oil and gas contracts already issued to private and foreign companies.

Lopez Obrador takes office in December after his landslide election victory on 1 July.

The head of Mexico’s oil regulator, the National Hydrocarbons Commission (CNH), which runs the auctions and supervises the contracts, said the decision was aimed at attracting more bidders, while also acknowledging the political transition.

A total of 45 onshore areas, including both conventional and shale blocks,

Mexico’s president elect Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador has halted the oil and gas auctions.

were originally scheduled for auction on 27 September, while tenders to pick partners for state-owned oil company Pemex in seven separate areas had been set to be awarded on 31 October.

The projects would have been the last scheduled oil tenders under outgoing President Enrique Pena Nieto.

Cuadrilla completes UK’s second horizontal shale gas well Cuadrilla has successfully completed drilling the UK’s second horizontal shale gas well at its exploration site at Preston New Road in Lancashire.

This second horizontal well, drilled through the Upper Bowland shale at an approximate depth of 2100 m, extends laterally for some 750 m through the shale gas reservoir. The first horizontal well was completed by Cuadrilla in April through the Lower Bowland shale rock at approx. 2300 m below surface and extends laterally for some 800 m. A vertical pilot well was drilled last year to a depth of more than 2700 m through the Upper and Lower Bowland shales and the data gathered from this pilot well informed the decisions in locating these first two horizontal wells.

Francis Egan, CEO of Cuadrilla, said: ‘Subject to hydraulic fracturing

consent being granted by the government we plan to fracture the shale rock around these wells over the coming months and test the flow rates of natural gas from the shale. Our objective is to demonstrate that natural gas will flow from the shale in commercially viable quantities. In the process we look forward to demonstrating that the UK’s huge shale gas resources can be safely produced and make a major contribution to improving the UK’s energy security, while reducing our gas import needs.’

Cuadrilla will now start to dismantle the drilling rig. The site team will then start to prepare for the hydraulic fracturing phase.

After hydraulic fracturing, Cuadrilla will run an initial flow test of both wells for approx. six months.

INDUSTRY NEWS

Campaign group to launch legal action against UK government on fracking The campaign group Talk Fracking is expected to launch legal action against the British government over its latest legislation on fracking.

The campaigning group led by Dame Vivienne Westwood and her son Joe Corré and backed by Yoko Ono and Sir Paul McCartney, is challenging the legality of the UK’s revised National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) on the grounds of the government’s failure to conduct a Strategic Environmental Assessment before issuing the revised NPPF. After the NPPF was published in July, energy minister Greg Clark immediately issued the first permit to Cuadrilla to start

fracking at a well in Lancashire. Fracking was expected to start in late August or early September 2018 at the Preston New Road site in Lancashire.

‘There are now over 1300 scientific, peer-reviewed papers evidencing harm from fracking. All were ignored,’ said Corré.

Talk Fracking also criticised the ‘outdated and flawed’ Written Ministerial Statement (WMS) of the then secretary of state for Energy and Climate Change Amber Rudd that planning authorities should: ‘Recognize the benefits of onshore oil and gas development, including unconventional hydrocarbons, for the security

of energy supplies and supporting the transition to a low-carbon economy; and put in place policies to facilitate their exploration and extraction.’

Amber Rudd’s statement has been proven to be ‘completely wrong on the energy security issue,’ said Corré. ‘Fracking companies are in no way guaranteeing energy security from their activities.’

‘Amber Rudd’s statement has also been proven totally wrong in terms of its claims about fracking’s role in a low-carbon economy, a requirement in terms of our obligations to the Climate Change Act 2008.

‘Fracking is, in fact, worse than coal in terms of emissions.’

PGS starts third survey offshore Indonesia A third Indonesian MC3D survey in the Sebuku area will reveal the potential for deeper plays in the South Makassar Basin, and enable prospect delineation and development.

The South Makassar multi-client survey, which started in mid-July, is bringing new insight to help assess target reservoirs and play types such as exist in nearby fields. The deep penetration of GeoStreamer data will also highlight the potential for deeper plays in the South Makassar Basin. In particular, the distribution of the early syn-rift (a potential source rock),

and the basement definition are expected to be much improved.

Acquisition of this project, the third in a series of new surveys supporting exploration offshore Indonesia, will commence in mid-July 2018. It uses PGS Apollo.

For improved acquisition efficiency, a triple source configuration will be deployed. Shot overlap will be mitigated using a proactive approach of randomized shot firing times in the acquisition, followed by an iterative inversion in the deblending.

The data will be available for viewing in Q2 2019.

PGS Apollo is acquiring data in the South Makassar Basin.

UK launches 31st licensing round The UK Oil and Gas Authority (OGA) has launched the 31st Offshore Licensing Round, offering blocks in frontier areas of the UK Continental Shelf (UKCS).

A total of 1766 blocks (370,000 km2) of open acreage is now available across the West of Scotland, the East Shetland Platform, the Mid-North Sea High, South West Britain and parts of the English Channel, covered by more than 80,000 km of high-quality, publicly available seismic data generated through the 2015 and 2016 government seismic 28

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programmes. The new seismic data, together with supporting datasets and reports, were released in advance of the round.

This suite of exploration data packs and reports includes, regional geological maps for the Northern North Sea, East Shetland platform and SW Approaches; final and interim products from the Frontier Basins Research programme; joined digital well logs; and a report on the hydrocarbon potential of the Liassic.

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The OGA is also offering companies the opportunity to propose additional blocks in more mature areas, for possible inclusion when applicants intend to commit to a substantial firm work programme.

Companies have until 7 November 2018 to apply for blocks on offer. Decisions are expected to be made in the first half of 2019.

The 32nd Offshore Licensing Round will open next summer 2019, and will focus on mature areas of the UKCS.

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Crean 3D 5,500 km2 Š 2018 TGS-NOPEC Geophysical Company ASA. All rights reserved.

INDUSTRY NEWS

Polarcus starts 600 km2 3D survey over the Beehive prospect offshore Australia Polarcus has started shooting the Beehive 3D Seismic Survey offshore northern Australia for Santos, Total and Melbana Energy.

The vessel Polarcus Naila is acquiring approx. 600 km2 of seismic data over the Beehive Prospect in the Joseph Bonaparte Gulf, 225 km southwest of Darwin.

The Beehive prospect is potentially the largest undrilled hydrocarbon prospect in Australia. It is a Carboniferous age 180 km2 isolated carbonate build-up with 400 m of mapped vertical relief, analogous to the giant Tengiz field in the Caspian Basin.

The carbonate reservoir is interpreted to be the same age as the 2011 Ungani-1 oil discovery in the Canning basin, which tested at 1600 bopd demonstrating a high-quality reservoir. Beehive is a much larger build-up than Ungani and has excellent access to the Lower Carboniferous source rock in adjacent depocentres.

Beehive is currently defined by a tight grid of 2D seismic data. The acquisition of

the new 3D seismic survey over Beehive will provide potential for further derisking of the prospect and facilitate consideration of a preferred location for the Beehive-1

exploration well. Water depths in the acquisition area range from approximately 30 to 50 m.

The Beehive 3D seismic survey is being operated by Australian energy company Santos and is fully funded by French major Total and Santos. The acquisition of a new 3D seismic survey will facilitate consideration of a preferred location for the Beehive-1 exploration well.

Beehive is located close to several existing facilities including the Ichthys project and Blacktip field and pipeline.

Total and Santos have an option to acquire a direct 80% participating interest in the permit in return for fully funding the costs of all activities until completion of the first well in the WA-488-P permit.

In the event of a commercial discovery, Melbana will repay carried funding from its share of cash flow from the Beehive field. Melbana will have no repayment obligations in the event there is no commercial discovery.

TGS expands 3D onshore surveys in the Anadarko Basin TGS is expanding its 2018 Gloss Mountain 3D and Canton 3D onshore surveys in the Anadarko Basin and Oklahoma and Texas, US. The surveys are targeting the high-potential Mississippian Chester, Osage and Meramec intervals in the core of the prolific SCOOP/STACK play of the Anadarko Basin.

The expansion of the Gloss Mountain 3D survey is to the south of the previously announced programme, closing the gap with the nearby Canton 3D data. The extension is approx. 600 km2, which will bring the total Gloss Mountain 3D survey to approx. 1500 km2.

The expansion of the Canton 3D survey is to the east of the original survey,

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connecting with the existing Hackberry complex. The extension is approx.

233 km2, which will bring the total Canton 3D survey to approx. 1400 km2.

Data acquisition on Canton 3D began in Q2 2018 and Gloss Mountain 3D is scheduled to commence in Q4 2018. These datasets will be processed by TGS utilizing

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its land imaging technology. Final data on both surveys will be available in Q2 2019.

‘TGS is optimally positioned to provide our clients with approximately 5690 km2 of modern, high-density and high-fold data in the prolific Anadarko Basin,’ said Kristian Johansen, TGS CEO.

INDUSTRY NEWS

TGS buys 3D survey offshore north-west Australia TGS has bought the Capreolus 3D seismic survey from Polarcus. The Capreolus, full broadband 3D seismic survey is 22,130 km2 and covers two hydrocarbon provinces with proven, but underexplored, oil and gas plays both in the Beagle and Bedout sub-basins offshore north-west Australia.

Capreolus 3D includes modern 3D coverage over the Phoenix South and Roc oil and gas discoveries. Capreolus 3D also spans the Dorado-1 exploration well and Phoenix South-3 appraisal well, currently being drilled. Dorado-1 has encountered light oil in the Caley Member and gas-condensate in the Baxter Member and light oil has been confirmed at the deeper Crespin and Milne Members.

BRIEFS Nigeria’s upper house of parliament will investigate anomalies in the renewal of oil leases by the ministry of petroleum.

‘The ongoing lease renewal process is capable of denying government revenue in excess of $10 billion as a result of illegal discounts and rebates in the process of lease renewal,’ the motion stated.

On 10 July, Nigerian lawmakers voted to investigate the state oil company, the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, over a shortfall in revenue remittances to government coffers.

TGS has also announced the reprocessing of the Australian Polly 3D seismic survey and neighbouring open file data.

Acquired in 2013, the Polly 3D survey covers 7970 km2 and ties into the adjacent Capreolus 3D survey. The Polly 3D survey is being reprocessed using the latest broadband PSDM techniques.

Reprocessed products will be available from November 2018.

‘The combination of the Capreolus 3D with the neighbouring reprocessed Polly 3D dataset provides E&P companies with modern contiguous 3D data linking the current Dorado-1 oil discovery to the Acreage Release blocks W18-4 and W18-5 currently on offer,’ said Kristian Johansen, CEO, TGS.

Petrobras has announced the beginning of the binding phase related to the partial sale of its exploration, development and production rights in four concessions, BM-SEAL-4, BM-SEAL4A, BM-SEAL-10 and BM-SEAL-11, in the Deepwater Sergipe-Alagoas Basin.

Magseis has entered into a service agreement for its proprietary MASS nodes and MASS modular handling system including seismic data QC and navigation support for a project in northern Europe. The contract will last for approx. three months.

Magseis CEO Per Christian Grytnes said: ‘With this award, Magseis will expand into three parallel full-scale operations; a cable node system operation, a ROV node system operation and a MASS modular node and handling system supporting a nodes-on-rope deployment.’

Nordic Iron Ore reports reflection seismic anomalies in deposits in Sweden Nordic Ore has made public two reflection seismic surveys conducted by Nordic Ore on the Blötberget deposits in Sweden.

The surveys have outlined several sets of strong seismic reflection that represent a possible down-dip continuation of the iron-oxide deposits that are known to extend to approximately 700-800 m depth and show excellent correlation in shape and strength with those of the recognized Blötberget deposits.

Since 2014, Nordic Iron Ore has participated in two R&D projects led by Uppsala University-Sweden to employ innovative, cost-effective, environmentally friendly advanced geophysical exploration technologies and solutions for deep (+500 m) targeting mineralization.

Paul Marsden, CEO, Nordic Iron Ore, said: ‘This helps Nordic Iron Ore’s strategy of restarting mines with good long-term prospects for increasing resources and profitability that can supply high-quality products to steel mills in Europe and other parts of the world.’

The first initiative, the StartGeoDelineation project sponsored by ERAMIN1, supported two seismic surveys, one in 2015 and another one in 2016.

The 2015 survey involved the use of a seismic landstreamer and successfully led to the imaging of deposits down to 700-800 m depth. The 2016 programme involved a high-fold (shots and receivers) seismic survey using 5 m source and receiver spacing, and more than 350 channels.

The work was started under the StartGeoDelineation project but continued into the Smart Exploration project (www.smartexploration.eu), where different processing techniques led to better reflection imaging of the iron-oxide deposits and its potential down-dip extension. These results provide NIO with improved vision of the potential resources that can be used to expand the planned life of Blötberget mine and help NIO plan more targeted exploration in the future.

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CGG has appointed Yuri Baidoukov as Group CFO. He joins from OiLSERV Group, a Middle East and North Africa oilfield services company, where he was also CFO. He was formerly CFO of Maersk Oil US, and Group CFO of Integra Group, a CIS oilfield services company. Baidoukov spent ten years at Schlumberger in leading finance positions at corporate and regional levels.

Mozambique has awarded contracts in its Northern Zambezi basin after three years of negotiations and delays. Eni, ExxonMobil, Sasol (South Africa) and Mozambique’s national oil and gas company ENH signed the contracts in Block 5.

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Technical Contents Technical Article I mproved prospect evaluation and drilling results in the Dutch North Sea with diffraction imaging David Bréthaut, Bob Hartstra, Makky Jaya, Tijmen Jan Moser, Guus van Noort and Michael Pelissier

Special Topic: Reservoir Geoscience and Engineering SP measurements used as a tool for improving seismic sub-salt imaging in brownfield development V Thomas Bartels, Manuel Gelhaus, Mary Humphries tochastic inversion of seismic data by implementing image-quilting to build a lithofacies model for S reservoir characterization of Delhi Field, Louisiana Mitra Azizian and Thomas L. Davis hallow water 3D in South Gabon: a new generation of hydrocarbon prospects S Paolo Esestime, David Eastwell, Karyna Rodriguez and Neil Hodgson tilizing microseismicity to define stimulated surface area and effective permeability U Gisela Viegas, Ted Urbancic and John Thompson seismic reservoir characterization and porosity estimation workflow to support geological model update: A pre-salt reservoir case study, Brazil Laryssa Oliveira, Francis Pimentel, Manuel Peiro, Pedro Amaral and João Christovan halk lithology-fluid characterization using regional broadband elastic attributes: an integrated study from C the North Sea Central Graben Noémie Pernin, Cyrille Reiser, Tim Bird and Lucile Goswami Calendar

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