Thursday 8 September 2016

Schlumberger WesternGeco and ION Geophysical Corporation today announced a new 3D multiclient reimaging broadband program offshore Mexico, which uses Mexico’s National Hydrocarbons Commission (CNH) data library. The Campeche 3D reimaging program comprises three survey areas covering approximately 82,000 km² in the Bay of Campeche offshore southern Mexico.

Leveraging both companies’ extensive imaging experience in Mexico, the program will be processed using a combination of custom technologies and techniques from both organizations that will maximize data quality and offer geological insights for upcoming licensing rounds.

The complexity and variability of the geological areas being surveyed require a set of consistent, advanced workflows to maximize bandwidth, while producing data with strong low frequency content for subsalt areas and high-resolution data for non-salt areas of the basin. The use of broadband preprocessing coupled with high-resolution steep dip reverse time migration (RTM) and Kirchhoff imaging algorithms will produce data ideal for prospect identification and exploration.

ION President and Chief Executive Officer, Brian Hanson, commented, "We are pleased to be collaborating with WesternGeco on such a large project offshore Mexico, where we anticipate continued strong client interest. The Campeche 3D reimaging program area is in one of the most challenging, yet prospective regions offshore Mexico where we have significant processing experience and expertise."

Maurice Nessim, President, WesternGeco, said, "We are confident this collaboration will bring value to our customers through the highest quality imaging, which will improve their understanding of the complex subsurface geology in this area. We expect to see a significant improvement in subsalt and above-salt imaging to better inform our customers through their licensing rounds and development decisions."

The program is fully supported by industry funding. Fast-track data are available now for Round 1.4 deepwater bid preparation decisions.