March 20, 2012 -- Astrium Services' GEO-Information teams have signed an agreement with TGS, who provides seismic data to oil and gas exploration and production companies worldwide, to utilise Astrium’s Global Seeps to help improve the probability of locating new offshore discoveries.
During a recent joint project, enhanced targeting of potential hydrocarbon prospects was achieved when oil seepage slicks information from Astrium GEO-Information Services’ Global Seeps database was integrated with frontier seismic data. TGS will use Astrium’s offshore oil seepage information products to plan and position seismic surveys. This will enable oil & gas firms to source combined seismic and Global Seeps data, streamline future exploration efforts, and improve the chances of successfully identifying slicks resulting from natural seepage of hydrocarbon reserves.
Global Seeps is a non-exclusive database of offshore potential oil seepage slicks constructed by systematically screening satellite data over relevant offshore basins. Each slick is characterised and ranked according to the probability of it being sourced from natural seepage or man-made pollution. When integrating the slick locations with seismic data from TGS, positive correlations between some slick locations and subsurface hydrocarbon migration can indicate a higher probability of natural seepage. The data collected can then aid in the enhanced targeting of seismic acquisitions, increasing the probability of exploration success, helping to reduce exploration costs, and minimising environmental impact.
Commenting on the initiative, Astrium GEO-Information Services’ UK Managing Director, Andrew Stroomer said, “Searching for oil and gas reserves offshore is an incredibly expensive business, so any initiative that can increase the chances of success will always be welcome. Initial project results show that combining our Global Seeps data with TGS marine seismic data can positively impact the probability of locating suitable test locations, and we’re projecting that the study of integrated seeps and seismic data will quickly become best practice for offshore exploration businesses.”
Astrium GEO-Information Services customer Nalcor Energy Oil & Gas recently used Global Seeps and seismic data to help focus future exploration efforts in the important Newfoundland and Labrador offshore area. According to Jim Keating, Nalcor Energy’s Vice President, Oil and Gas: “We are focused on facilitating oil and gas exploration in Newfoundland and Labrador and the results of Astrium’s Global Seeps study are proving valuable in detecting natural seepage and helping us to discover new exploration areas. The data collected aids in the enhanced targeting of seismic acquisitions, improving chances of finding hydrocarbons and evidence of active petroleum systems.”
Image Details:
Figure 1: Surface slick likely related to subsurface hydrocarbon migration. It determines that satellite slicks can be a useful frontier exploration tool to optimally position new seismic lines to improve chances of finding hydrocarbons and evident of an active petroleum system.
About Astrium Services Oil Gas and Minerals activities
Through its GEO-Information services, Astrium is a world leader in the provision of offshore oil seepage, data that has proven critical to the successful exploration, discovery and exploitation of oil for over 15 years. The acquisition, interpretation and management of geospatial data is key to the exploration and sustainable exploitation of the World’s resources. It provides cost-effective offshore and onshore solutions to oil, gas and mineral companies around the globe, directly to the office or in the field, such as oil seeps data and near-real-time slick mapping, geological analysis and environmental base line mapping, monitoring of oil-production related surface movements and consultancy services to name but a few.
Through its GEO-Information services, Astrium is recognised as one of the leaders in the geo-spatial information market, not least thanks to the now fully integrated skills and resources of the former Spot Image and Infoterra. The company provides decision-makers with complete solutions enabling them to increase security, boost agricultural performance, maximise oil & gas or mining operations, improve their management of natural resources, and protect the environment. It has exclusive access to data from the SPOT, TerraSAR-X and TanDEM-X satellites -and soon Pléiades, coupled with a complete range of space-based data sources and airborne acquisition capability allowing it to offer an unrivalled scope of Earth observation products and services. This extensive portfolio covers the entire geo-information supply chain, from the generation of images to the provision of high added-value information to end-users.
By leveraging the synergies and expertise available across the whole of Astrium Services, its GEO-Information teams develop innovative, yet competitive, bespoke solutions based on the combination and integration of Earth observation, navigation and high-end telecommunications.
