First Break May 2024 - Global Exploration by EAGE

Global Exploration

EAGE NEWS Annual Conference preview

CROSSTALK Oil and global conflict

TECHNICAL ARTICLE Derisking North Sea CCS operations

•

CHAIR EDITORIAL BOARD

Gwenola Michaud (gmichaud@gm-consult.it)

EDITOR

Damian Arnold (arnolddamian@googlemail.com)

MEMBERS, EDITORIAL BOARD

• Lodve Berre, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (lodve.berre@ntnu.no)

Philippe Caprioli, SLB (caprioli0@slb.com)

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

• Anthony Day, PGS (anthony.day@pgs.com)

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

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

• Stephen Hallinan, CGG (Stephen.Hallinan@CGG.com)

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

Clément Kostov, Freelance Geophysicist (cvkostov@icloud.com)

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

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

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

EAGE EDITOR EMERITUS Andrew McBarnet (andrew@andrewmcbarnet.com)

MEDIA PRODUCTION Saskia Nota (firstbreakproduction@eage.org)

PRODUCTION ASSISTANT

Ivana Geurts (firstbreakproduction@eage.org)

ADVERTISING INQUIRIES corporaterelations@eage.org

EAGE EUROPE OFFICE

Kosterijland 48 3981 AJ Bunnik

The Netherlands +31 88 995 5055

• eage@eage.org

• www.eage.org

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

EAGE AMERICAS SAS Av. 19 #114-65 - Office 205 Bogotá, Colombia

• +57 310 8610709 +57 (601) 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)

Jerv, a recent Palaeocene discovery at the UK-Norwegian border. Is it so small?

31 A unified earthquake catalogue for the North Sea to derisk European CCS operations

Tom Kettlety, Evgeniia Martuganova, Daniela Kühn, Johannes Schweitzer, Cornelis Weemstra, Brian Baptie, Trine Dahl-Jensen, Annie Jerkins, Peter H. Voss, J. Michael Kendall and Elin Skurtveit

37 Increasing P-wave and S-wave velocity resolution with FWI — a North Sea shallow water case study

Alireza Roodaki, Loic Janot, Manuel Peiro, Hao Jiang, Wenlei Gao, Hervé Prigent, Ziqin Yu, Nabil Masmoudi, Andrew Ratcliffe, Per Eivind Dhelie, Vidar Danielsen, Knut Richard Straith and Arnstein Kvilhaug.

Special Topic: Global Exploration

45 Detailed mapping of sand injectites integrating seismic attribute analysis and machine learning techniques in the Norwegian North Sea Anna Rumyantseva, Jaswinder Mann-Kalil, Sara Mitchell, Dean Macaulay and Alaa Triki

53 Understanding tectonic development and the implications for prospectivity offshore Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana

Avril Burrell

59 Unveiling the petroleum potential of one of the world’s last frontier petroleum provinces: the Bengal Fan, offshore Bangladesh

Elisabeth Gillbard

67 Arriving early to the party: finding hotspots before they’re hot Neil Hodgson, Lauren Found and Karyna Rodriguez

71 Jerv, a recent Palaeocene discovery at the UK-Norwegian border. Is it so small?

Carl Fredrik Gyllenhammar, Ivar Meisingset, and Birger Dahl

78 Calendar

cover: Sunrise over a rocky beach in the Bay of Bengal. This month we focus on the potential of the Bengal Fan, offshore Bangladesh.

European Association of Geoscientists & Engineers

Board 2023-2024

Near Surface Geoscience Circle

Esther Bloem Chair

Andreas Aspmo Pfaffhuber Vice-Chair

Micki Allen Contact Officer EEGS/North America

Adam Booth Committee Member

Hongzhu Cai Liaison China

Deyan Draganov Technical Programme Officer

Wolfram Gödde Liaison First Break

Hamdan Ali Hamdan Liaison Middle East

Vladimir Ignatev Liaison CIS / North America

Musa Manzi Liaison Africa

Myrto Papadopoulou Young Professional Liaison

Catherine Truffert Industry Liaison

Mark Vardy Editor-in-Chief Near Surface Geophysics

Florina Tuluca Committee Member

Oil & Gas Geoscience Circle

Yohaney Gomez Galarza Chair

Johannes Wendebourg Vice-Chair

Lucy Slater Immediate Past Chair

Wiebke Athmer Member

Tijmen Jan Moser Editor-in-Chief Geophysical Prospecting

Adeline Parent WGE & DET SIC liaison

Matteo Ravasi YP Liaison

Jonathan Redfern Editor-in-Chief Petroleum Geoscience

Robert Tugume Member

Anke Wendt Member

Aart-Jan van Wijngaarden Technical Programme Officer

Sustainable Energy Circle

Carla Martín-Clavé Chair

Giovanni Sosio Vice-Chair

SUBSCRIPTIONS

First Break is published monthly. It is free to EAGE members. The membership fee of EAGE is € 80.00 a year including First Break, EarthDoc (EAGE’s geoscience database), Learning Geoscience (EAGE’s Education website) and online access to a scientific journal.

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 First Break B.V., Journal Subscriptions, Kosterijland 48, 3981 AJ Bunnik, The Netherlands. Tel: +31 (0)88 9955055, E-mail: subscriptions@eage.org, www.firstbreak.org.

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

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

PAPER

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

Laura Valentina Socco Vice-President

Edward Wiarda President

Aart-Jan van Wijngaarden Technical Programme Officer

Esther Bloem Chair Near Surface Geoscience Circle

Maren Kleemeyer Education Officer

Yohaney Gomez Galarza Chair Oil & Gas Geoscience Circle

Carla Martín-Clavé Chair Sustainable Energy Circle

Caroline Le Turdu Membership and Cooperation Officer

Peter Rowbotham Publications Officer

Pascal Breton Secretary-Treasurer

EAGE Annual 2024: Pioneering the future of energy and geoscience technology

In just a month, the EAGE Annual Conference & Exhibition will open its doors in Oslo. As we gear up for this June event, there’s a sense of anticipation for what is expected to be an enlightening experience for all attendees. With the exhibition space almost fully booked, it’s clear this event is not to be missed.

The journey begins at the EAGE Hub, right after the Opening Ceremony. This is your go-to spot for everything you need: daily plans, details on workshops, and help from our team. It’s also the perfect place to ask about EarthDoc, plan your day, or learn about membership benefits. In the evening, the Icebreaker Reception in the Exhibition Hall is where everyone meets to chat and check out new tech and innovations. Networking opportunities abound, allowing attendees to connect in an informal setting. The conference’s social programme also includes a unique Conference Evening at Bygdøy, offering insights into Norwegian history and maritime exploration.

The exhibition floor will buzz with innovation, showcasing companies from around the world. Special areas, such as the Digital Transformation and Energy Transition zones, will offer insights into forward-thinking technologies and sustainability solutions. These areas are not new, but they are more important than ever for propelling our industries towards a sustainable future. The Digital Transformation Area will show you how tech and data are changing our industry, including special talks on digital subsurface technologies and the journey businesses take as they become more digital. It will also host hackathons and offer many activities for students and professionals who want to develop their skills and make new connections.

The Energy Transition Area will discuss the importance of offshore wind and energy storage solutions, showcasing the role of startups and AI in moving towards a cleaner world.

Adding a new dimension to the conference, the International Prospect Centre (IPC) will serve as a platform for licensing agencies and national oil companies to present exploration and investment opportunities. This space will not only inform the

industry about current and upcoming exploration activities but also display new licensing rounds.

Innovation continues with the Start-Up Area, where emerging companies are eager to connect with potential customers and investors. It is a space for innovation, with start-ups showcasing disruptive ideas fuelled by positivity and enthusiasm.

Parallel to the start-up hub is the University Area, a gathering place for academia’s brightest minds. Here, institutes and universities from around the world will share their latest research and projects, offering attendees a glimpse into the cutting-edge developments shaping the future of energy and technology.

The Exhibition Theatre complements the Exhibition, running alongside the main EAGE technical agenda. It will feature a diverse programme of presentations from participants in the Digital Transformation, Energy Transition, and International Prospect Centre areas, along with pitches by start-ups.

In summary, this year’s EAGE Conference & Exhibition in Oslo is shaping up to be an exciting event for anyone interested in the future of energy and technology. With nearly full exhibition space and a focus on digital and energy transitions, it promises to be an insightful and connecting experience for all. The regular registration deadline is 15 May, secure your All Access pass by visiting www.eageannual.org.

Nuclear waste discussion at Annual 06

Data processing makes headway in Cairo 10

Five communities for energy transition era 13

Chance to catchup is just around the corner.

Boost your professional knowledge with the short courses at the EAGE Annual 2024

The EAGE Annual 2024 is just around the corner, and this year promises an exceptional line-up of short courses designed to enhance your expertise in the energy industry. Whether you’re a seasoned professional or an emerging talent, these courses offer unique insights and opportunities.

Dive into the principles of microseismic monitoring with Dr Leo Eisner (Seismik) during the Microseismic Mon-

itoring for the Energy Industry course on 9 June 2024. Explore applications ranging from conventional to unconventional production, through geothermal energy extraction to CO2 sequestration.

Led by Dr Dariusz Strąpoć (SLB), the Exploration of Subsurface Natural Geologic Hydrogen course compares different sources of hydrogen, examining their carbon footprint, energy output, and global occurrences. Join the course on 10 June and

discover global occurrences and seepages of natural hydrogen along with worldwide ongoing and planned exploration activity.

On 14 June 2024, Dr Denis Voskov (TU Delft) delivers a hands-on course on Reservoir Engineering of Geothermal Energy Production covering the fundamentals of geothermal energy production and reservoir simulation techniques, accompanied by practical exercises in Jupyter Notebooks using an open-source simulator. Participants should have prior knowledge of basic Python programming.

Finally, Prof Philip Ringrose (NTNU) will guide you through the science and technology behind CO2 storage in deep saline aquifers in the SEG DISC course Storage of Carbon Dioxide in Saline Aquifers on 14 June. He will review the main concepts involved in the engineered storage of CO2 in saline aquifer formations, dispelling some common misunderstandings along the way.

Secure your spot today and earn CPD points valuable for your professional development. Visit the www.eageannual.org for more information and registration details.

All sorts of environments to learn about.

GAME CHANGER

Conventional processing and imaging workﬂow DUG MP-FWI Imaging

The game has changed. DUG Multi-parameter FWI Imaging completely replaces the conventional processing and imaging workflow, delivering high-resolution reflectivity images for both structural and quantitative interpretation using field-data input. No more dealing with the ups and downs of a time-consuming, subjective, multi-step workflow. Just a direct pathway to superior results. Now that’s winning.

Nuclear waste management workshop to feature at Annual

We are excited to present a workshop programme to the EAGE Annual on ‘Moving forward with deep geological repositories for high-level nuclear waste – Contributions from geophysics’.

Dirk Orlowsky (DMT), former EAGE president and one of the convenors, welcomes the initiative. ‘This will be the first of its kind with contributions from important European players in this area’, he says.

In many countries, radioactive waste is temporarily being stored in various forms of dry containers, silos or vaults of which the safety and longevity are questioned. Thus, deep geological storage is widely agreed to be the best solution for the most radioactive waste produced. As each country has its own geological setting, it is obvious that each country must develop its own strategy for the final treatment of their nuclear waste. As a result, many countries have developed their own programmes to find suitable techniques for the exploration of final storage sites for nuclear waste in the Earth’s subsurface.

Geoscientists recognise that European and national organisations play a particularly prominent role in researching the geological conditions for deep geological repositories for different levels of radioactive waste, regarded as the most effective long-term solutions.

Finland, for example, has already begun the construction of an underground research facility in 2004 after an extensive exploration programme. The facility is now part of the final disposal site for spent nuclear fuel. To ensure long-term safety, continuous geophysical site investigations of different scales are required. Multi-disciplinary monitoring programmes and surveys aim to continually characterise the state and changes of rock mechanical, hydrogeological and hydrogeochemical conditions in and around the facility. Geophysical techniques are used to provide

further information regarding the stability and suitability during the construction and operation, for site monitoring, rock suitability classification studies, excavation damage zone investigations, and engineered barrier system in situ test site monitoring.

In Switzerland, the site selection process has been carried out in three stages. Starting with a ‘blank map’, potential areas and rock strata throughout the country were considered. Less suitable areas were gradually excluded, eventually leading to the identification of the most suitable sites by exclusion. The search, applying a multitude of geophysical exploration programmes, has focused on Opalinus Clay as the host rock, which occurs at a suitable depth, particularly at a site in northern Switzerland. This preselected area seems to be the most suitable for the construction of a combined repository for all types of waste.

Sweden began the search for a suitable site for a spent fuel repository in the early 1990s. The site selection process was preceded and ran parallel with geophysical and geological research and development works. These included the so-called ‘three barriers’ concept, as well as the investigation and modelling of possible site conditions and the characterisation of the bedrock conditions. Based on the results, a suitable site for the spent fuel repository was selected in 2009.

In France, the search and development of a deep geological repository started in the 1980s with preliminary investigations including seismic and borehole surveys on several sites with different geological settings. After considering the results of these investigations and political compromises, a site in the eastern part of the Paris Basin was selected for further studies. The geology of the site is composed of a sedimentary pile down to 2000 m depth. The potential host rock is a clay-rich layer sequence known as the Callovo-Oxfordian formation.

In Germany, the process of a disposal site selection was resumed a few years ago and is ruled by the StandAG Repository Site Selection Act, a law enforced in 2017 stating that it should be a ‘participative, science-based, transparent, self-questioning and learning process’. A particular challenge and unique characteristic of the chosen procedure is the necessity to inter-compare sites with three different host rock types (rock salt, claystone and crystalline rock). Starting with a ‘blank map’ (comparable to the process in Switzerland), a first step includes the whole German federal territory and will then be progressively narrowed down. The process is basically implemented in the three steps — identification of sub-areas, surface exploration and underground exploration. During all these steps geophysical investigations will play pivotal roles.

In the Czech Republic, a deep geological repository will be constructed in a suitable crystalline rock mass. Nine potential sites were originally selected for consideration, all of which were subjected to detailed assessment via comprehensive geophysical and geological surveys.

While looking forward to the insights that will be shared during the workshop, we can already see that different countries

Aerial view of Chooz, France, one of the largest operational nuclear power plants in Europe.

are at various stages of searching for a solution in which crystalline rock, rock salt and clay rock are the favoured host rocks for the final storage of radioactive waste. National and international research programmes have been going on for decades. Tests to determine the integrities, water solidity and mechanical properties of different rock formations have been analysed. ‘In this context, geosciences and especially geophysics play a pivotal role to present measuring methods that enable mapping and characterisation of the geological structures with minor influence on the integrity of a possible storage site’, explains co-convenor Andreas Schuck (GGL). In addition to the respective suitability of any of the methods, the limits and uncertainties of the individual measurement methods

need to be investigated in relation to each national storage strategy.

Co-convenor Stefan Buske (TUBAF) adds: ‘One of the goals of our workshop is to exchange experiences with common and different strategies for the exploration of possible nuclear waste storage sites’. Representatives of important European players will present the strategies implemented in their countries and case histories, as well as procedures and possible collaborations in the framework of deep geological repositories for high-level nuclear waste.

We look forward to a rich discussion and to connecting with the wider EAGE community that can bring a contribution to this field. If you are interested, make sure to join the workshop on 9 June or write to communities@eage.org to learn how you can get involved.

Student possibilities at EAGE Annual 2024

The upcoming EAGE Annual 2024 will provide a range of educational, networking, and professional development opportunities for students and young professionals.

At the Laurie Dake Challenge final on Sunday 9 June six finalist university teams will present their findings to a distinguished panel of experts promising a showcase of talent and ingenuity.

For competitive students there’s also the opportunity to participate in the Global Geo Quiz on 11 June. Here they can test their geoscientific knowledge against peers from around the world. The Education Hunt, Exhibition Tour, and Students Dedicated Field Trip further enhance the learning experience, offering hands-on exploration and insights into the industry.

sessions such as the Networking Café and the Student Chapters The meeting will provide platforms for interaction and collaboration. Students can connect with industry representatives, explore job opportunities, and gain valuable insights into emerging trends and technologies.

For those looking to enhance their skills and career prospects, we recommend the interactive session on ‘Skills for the Energy Transition’ offering invaluable insights into the evolving landscape of energy transition and related career paths. Additionally, the CV Check sessions provide expert guidance on crafting impactful resumes that stand out in today’s competitive job market.

As preparations for the event continue, attending student participants are encouraged to register early to secure their spots. With a lineup of engaging activities, esteemed speakers, and networking oppor-

tunities, EAGE Annual 2024 promises to be a not-to-be-missed experience.

For registration and more details, visit the official EAGE Annual 2024 website. You can also write to students@eage.org for additional information.

Knowing the answer at the Geo Quiz in Vienna 2023.

Check out what mentoring could do for you

One of the biggest benefits of attending the EAGE Annual Conference & Exhibition is that you will get acquainted with other professionals from all over the world and all disciplines of geoscience and engineering. So why not take advantage of the opportunity to connect with other delegates at our Speed Mentoring, a career development opportunity in which you can seek guidance on the achievement of specific goals and skills, learn about different fields, and ask for advice on the most appropriate sessions to attend according to your professional interests.

Rafael Valadez Vergara, University of Miskolc, Hungary, explains how the programme helped him. ‘We exchanged experiences about our respec-

tive research projects and professional trajectories. It was highly enriching to share perspectives with someone going through similar challenges as me at this stage. Without a doubt, Speed Mentoring proved to be an excellent space to engage in open dialogue, establish valuable contacts, and gain confidence for networking — all dynamically and enjoyably. I’m grateful for this opportunity for mutual learning and professional development in a relaxed environment. A very positive experience that I highly recommend.’

You can sign up at eageannual.org, and meet with an assigned mentor/mentee at the EAGE Community Hub on Tuesday 11 June at 11:00 CEST.

Skills for energy transition

At the Annual’s ‘Interactive Session: Skills for the Energy Transition’, stu-

dents and young professionals interested in pursuing a career in energy transition-related fields may participate in a networking activity with representatives from companies, EAGE technical communities, and the Education Committee, to explore the requisite skills for successfully navigating a career in the evolving energy landscape and how they could fit into potential roles. Want to be

In parallel, the Committee of the EAGE Mentoring Programme 2024 will host a special Meet-Up that Marta Cyz, committee member, highlights as ‘an added value, providing a rare opportunity to expand your network, engage with mentors/mentees in person, and dispel any doubts about the programme’s significant benefits.’ Don’t miss it!

Iara Magali Rocha, geophysics student at Universidad Nacional de La Plata (Argentina), took advantage of this year’s Mentoring Programme and found it helped ‘to develop my personal brand, make decisions regarding my academic situation, learn about new tools, and more’. Similarly, Camila Castro, a recent BS in geology from the Universidad Nacional de San Agustín (Peru), says she received guidance on how to face the academia-industry transition: ‘My mentor allowed me to recognise that I need many other values to be competitive, such as the improvement of my networking skills.’

From a mentor’s point of view, Khouloud Jlaiel, researcher at the University of Miskolc, commented that ‘the opportunity to engage with each other has facilitated a rich exchange of knowledge and expertise. What’s more, the collaborative environment has paved the way to embark on various projects with my mentee.’

part of the conversation? Join us at the Energy Transition Theatre on Tuesday, 11 June at 16:00 CEST.

You can also help us to identify the skills necessary for the Energy Transition on the following survey.

Learn more

Connect with your peers to exchange career development advice, widen your perspectives, and attend the EAGE Annual in good company.

Plenty of interest at last year’s session in Vienna.

Kuala Lumpur conference to focus on digital transformation and analytics

EAGE’s latest Conference on Energy Excellence: Digital Twins and Predictive Analytics on 15-16 October 2024 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia promises an exploration of the evolving integration of digital twins, data science, and predictive analytics within the energy sector with a strong emphasis on sustainability and achieving carbon neutrality.

This conference is committed to enhancing operational efficiency, promoting interdisciplinary collaboration, and leveraging the power of data-driven strategies to not only advance technological innovations but also to drive the energy sector towards zero carbon goals.

The two-day technical programme will showcase new ideas, case studies, and research findings on the following themes: Digital twins for predictive maintenance resulting in cost efficiency and operation safety; Optimising field exploration, development, and management, resulting in higher extraction rates and increased profitability; Digital twins and predictive analytics for improving drilling operations; Digital twins for simu -

lating hazards and improving safety; Big data and digital architecture for enabling efficient and effective digital twins and predictive analytic; and Sustainability and environmental impact assessment and mitigation through digital twins and predictive analytics.

Industry professionals, technology innovators, and sustainability advocates are encouraged to participate and contribute to the discussions. Prospective contributors are encouraged to submit an abstract by 25 July 2024.

Learn more about the event and abstract submission information

Geophysical Prospecting (GP) publishes primary research on the science of geophysics as it applies to the exploration, evaluation and extraction of earth resources. Drawing heavily on contributions from researchers in the oil and mineral exploration industries, the journal has a very practical slant. A new edition (Volume 72, Issue 4) will be published in May. This is a Special Issue on ‘Seabed Prospecting Technology’.

Petroleum Geoscience (PG) publishes a balanced mix of articles covering exploration, exploitation, appraisal, development and enhancement of sub-surface hydrocarbon resources and carbon repositories. A new edition (Volume 30, Issue 2) will be published in May.

Vivid view of Kuala Lumpur.

Successful conclusion to first data processing workshop held in Cairo

EAGE’s inaugural data processing workshop was held earlier this year in Cairo, Egypt, on 26-28 February. This is the report.

The Technical Committee consciously chose Egypt as the hosting country for the inaugural workshop of this new series because of the opportunities the country offers in terms of business and the strategic location of its processing facilities providing services across all geophysical domains.

Over the three days, more than 70 local and international delegates enjoyed positive interaction during a programme of eight technical sessions with extensive presentations, poster papers, a number of open discussion sessions and a panel discussion involving the session chairs at the end of each day and all centred in the fine location of the Fairmont Hotel overlooking the iconic River Nile. Motivation for the event was sparked by the idea that there had been many workshops on specific elements of data processing but nothing bringing the whole science together.

Dr Abdel Hameed El Gewaily, vicechair, exploration & agreements, EGAS gave a stimulating introduction to the event, highlighting the level of exploration activity in Egypt and the substantial investment the government is making in the hydrocarbon industry. This was followed by a technical keynote given by distinguished academic, Prof Kees Wapenaar of Delft University of Technology summarising the work conducted

by the Delft team on data conditioning prior to FWI. Specifically, Prof Wapenaar described the work ongoing with the Marchenko multiple elimination method.

The workshop covered a comprehensive range of topics, starting from the fundamental principles of data acquisition in both land and marine environments to an exploration of the latest advancements and their implications for processing methodologies. Furthermore, it dived into innovative methodologies in seismic processing, along with effective strategies for data pre-processing and quality improvement.

The main programme kicked off with the provocative theme of ‘Pushing the boundaries of data processing’. The focus was the relationship between acquired data and model-building strategy. Efficient use of data and automation were strong themes throughout the presentations with one of the key takeaways being the understanding of technology improvements in acquisition and how they are linked to processing.

A return to this theme later in the programme had many heads scratching among the less academic of us, with a keynote and papers dealing with the mathematical building blocks of data manipulation in multiple domains.

Seismic data processing has evolved to accommodate various well-established

methods of acquiring geophysical field data. As novel and/or radically different acquisition patterns or engineering solutions are developed and introduced, the processing algorithms and workflows need to be modified to accommodate the changed forms or geometries of the data. In this context the discussion was enhanced by papers covering simultaneous sources, acoustic sensing, OBN nuances and a revisit to the old chestnut of marine vibrators which have been around in some shape or form for 50 years.

Turning attention to local imaging challenges there were examples from the Mediterranean and further afield demonstrating how acquisition and imaging technologies have harnessed the richness of azimuths, offsets and frequencies in tackling the local challenges such as the Messinian salt horizon. We were also reminded of the value that can be delivered from reprocessing vintage data with new technologies and also the importance of solving near surface complexity as a precursor to harnessing the serious imaging workhorses.

Aside from all the ‘glamorous innovations’, incremental advancement was a strong theme. Innovation, diligence and excellence combined with improvements in conventional workflows are providing enhanced results that also contribute to

More than 70 local and international delegates attended the inaugural EAGE Data Processing Workshop in the capital of Egypt.

‘Pushing the boundaries of data processing’. In this current climate it was also appropriate for the programme to turn its attention to AI/ML with clear evidence of improved project turnaround and data quality control. However, we were reminded that we humans are not redundant yet!

The final wrap-up open session pinpointed several positive outcomes. These spanned the opportunity provided by novel seismic acquisition technologies able to

eventually exploit the elastic domain utilising the astonishing computing power now available, to the advantages that new approaches will bring to seismic pre-processing steps. Bringing us all back to the point, we were reminded that Mother Earth is elastic.

The audience also noted the opportunity provided by the insights emerging from the proliferation of UHR seismic used in the prospecting for offshore wind farms which attracts geoscience data processing

players outside the traditional field of the seismic applications. Last but not least, a deep concern was expressed about the disaffection of students worldwide with regard to geoscience studies at university level.

There was resounding agreement among participants that the inaugural data processing workshop was a success, and that planning should begin on the second workshop with some interesting views on the next host location. Watch this space!

How our events will guide you through Caribbean and Latin American exploration developments

The First EAGE Conference and Exhibition on Energy Opportunities in the Caribbean is scheduled for 6-8 November 2024 at Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago. Set against the backdrop of azure waters and pristine beaches, the conference promises to be a melting pot of ideas and insights into the energy potential of the Caribbean region and how its vast untapped resources can be unlocked by sustainable development.

Following closely on the heels of the Caribbean conference will be the eagerly anticipated Second EAGE Guyana-Suriname Basin Conference, slated for September 2025. Building upon the success of its predecessor in 2022, the conference aims to delve deeper into the exploration potential of the Guyana-Suriname Basin, one of the most promising hydrocarbon provinces in the world. With recent discoveries propelling the region into the spotlight, industry stakeholders are eager to explore the untapped reserves lying beneath the basin’s pristine waters. The conference will feature technical sessions, workshops, and networking opportunities, providing attendees with valuable insights into the geology, reservoir characterisation, and

exploration strategies tailored to the unique challenges of the area.

Rounding off our exploration odyssey is the Second EAGE Conference on Offshore Energy Resources in the South Atlantic, scheduled for October 2025. Stretching from the coast of Brazil to the shores of West Africa, the South Atlantic region boasts immense offshore potential, with significant discoveries attracting global attention. This conference serves as a forum for industry experts to exchange knowledge, share best practices, and explore collaborative opportunities in harnessing the region’s offshore resources. From deepwater drilling technologies to renewable energy solutions, the conference will spotlight the diverse array of energy resources that lie beneath the South Atlantic’s vast expanse. By fostering dialogue and collaboration, the conference aims to accelerate the responsible development of offshore energy projects while safeguarding the region’s marine ecosystems.

Follow the EAGE website for latest event news in the Latin America region.

Explore with us the abundant offshore resources of the South Atlantic, promising energy prospects in the Caribbean, and the exciting exploration opportunities in the Guyana-Suriname region.

Cast your vote in our annual elections

The annual Ballot to select the Board members is up and running, and we want you to be a part of it.

The Board plays a crucial role in shaping the direction of our Association and developing policies that serve your interests. Your participation in the Ballot is essential as it is when you have a say in how our Association operates on your behalf.

Voting will be conducted online during May 2024, allowing you to cast your vote from anywhere. The results will be announced at the Annual General Members Meeting on Wednesday 12 June in Oslo.

To help you make informed decisions, detailed biographies and motivational statements from all candidates are available on the EAGE website. Take the time to review their credentials and visions for our Association.

Check your inbox for a personalised invitation with instructions on how to vote. Your input is invaluable in shaping the future of our community.

This year’s candidates for office Sanjeev Rajput –Vice-President Dr Sanjeev Rajput (general manager & global head-reservoir geoscience, PETRONAS Upstream) has for over two decades been an industry leader, a pioneer of the first digital oil field concept and a champion of carbon capture and storage.

Passionate about technological innovation and its role in shaping the future of energy, Dr Rajput is eager to leverage his extensive experience on the Board of EAGE. His vision is centred on harnessing innovative solutions to address the pressing challenges of the energy sector, promoting sustainability, and driving systemic change.

Dr Rajput says: ‘It is both a distinct privilege and a profound responsibility to be nominated as Vice-President of EAGE. My diverse experience in environmental protection and resource exploration has deeply influenced my appreciation for our community’s capabilities. I am eager to leverage this potential to address the urgent global issues of our era. Together, we can ensure that EAGE remains a leader

in innovation and a bastion of sustainable progress, dedicated to the monumental task of transitioning to a net-zero energy future.’

Martin Widmaier –Technical Programme Officer

Martin Widmaier is chief geophysicist for PGS Sales & Services with over 25 years of experience in addressing subsurface challenges with geophysical technology. Widmaier is an active member of EAGE and SEG and has been part of EAGE’s Technical Programme Committee for several years. He is also serving on the Local Advisory Committee for the EAGE Annual Conference 2024 in Oslo. In recent years, Widmaier has chaired/co-chaired programme committees for EAGE and SEG technology workshops both in Europe and Asia.

Widmaier says: ‘I will be committed to: 1) ensuring EAGE provides conferences with high-quality technical agendas that embrace the Association’s mission to promote the global development and application of geosciences and related engineering subjects; 2) facilitating technical agendas that foster cross-disciplinary learning and cooperation; 3) promoting innovation, technology advance and knowledge transfer that secures both affordable access to hydrocarbons, mitigation of carbon emissions, as well as the transition to energy solutions based on renewables; 4) providing ample opportunities for our young professionals to share their work and to grow their network on their career path and route towards a sustainable future; and 5) maintaining and enhancing collaboration and exchange between international geoscientific societies.’

Diego RovettaMembership and Cooperation Officer

Diego Rovetta is a team lead and senior research scientist developing multi-geophysics, data integration and joint inversion technologies

for Aramco since 2011. He is currently the high performance computing for reservoir technologies champion at the Aramco global research centre in Delft. He previously worked as a researcher for Politecnico di Milano, collaborating with different companies, including Eni, Saipem, SLB, Aresys, SolGeo, and as a geophysicist at the WesternGeco Centre of Excellence for electromagnetics.

Rovetta is author of several technical publications and patents on geoscience and engineering applications, and has received awards from different geophysical, engineering and O&G related organisations.

Rovetta is an active member of the EAGE, contributing to interest communities such as Geohazards. He founded the EAGE Local Chapter Netherlands in 2019. In five years (four under his presidency) the local chapter reached more than 200 members with more than 50 events organised. The chapter was awarded ‘Best Local Chapter Newcomer’ prize in 2021 and the ‘Best Local Chapter’ in 2023.

Rovetta says: ‘From this experience, I learnt how to use my skills to foster communications and cooperation among the local community, staying active also during challenging times, exploring new topics, encouraging team-building and engaging new members with the Association. I believe it is a natural step forward for me now to get more involved with EAGE at the Board level and I am eager to bring my experience and energy for the benefit of the members of the Association.’

Florina Tuluca –Vice-Chair, Near Surface Geoscience Circle

Dr Florina Tuluca is lecturer at the Faculty of Geology and Geophysics of the University of Bucharest. She is involved in studies and didactic and scientific research programmes that use geophysical methods for issues of infrastructure vulnerability, efficient management of municipal solid waste deposits, strategies for the protection of the geological environment

and ensuring sustainable development supported by non-destructive geophysical investigation and monitoring techniques.

Dr Tuluca plays an active role in the EAGE Near Surface Geoscience Circle and in our associated societies, e.g., president of the Romanian Society of Applied Geophysics (SGAR) and vice-president (previously president) of the Balkan Geophysical Society (BGS) She actively contributes to the development and implementation of activities that aim to promote the use of geophysical techniques in various fields to identify sustainable solutions regarding natural resources, the environment, resilience to earthquakes and other natural hazards that destabilise the geological environment.

Maren Kleemeyer –Continuing Education Officer

Maren Kleemeyer (learning adviser geophysics, Shell Global Solutions) has been an EAGE member for more than 30 years. Her engagement in the Association has evolved over time from conference presenter to contributions as technical reviewer, chairperson, mentor, and active member of the Education Committee for several years. Serving as the Education Officer for the past two years, Kleemeyer has contributed with her professional skills and experiences and her passion for learning. She has helped us to diversify our educational programme in terms of topics, instructors, and formats. As the industry moves through the energy transition, Kleemeyer has broadened the spectrum of our education portfolio, with new course offerings including new energies, energy storage, CO2 sequestration and storage, to name a few. She has also leveraged the expertise and insights from the EAGE Decarbonization and Energy Transition Technical Community ensuring that the combined knowledge is well reflected in our course offerings. In parallel, she has worked with other members in the Education Committee on initiatives to provide maximum flexibility to our learners and enhance the knowledge and skills of instructors when developing courses for the EAGE, such as the newly released How-to videos series on ‘How to teach a good course’.

EAGE introduces five new Technical Communities focused on energy transition

EAGE is taking another big step forward in reflecting the emerging energy transition landscape and how it impacts our professional membership. To meet the rapid evolution in relevant technologies, the EAGE Technical Community on Decarbonization and Energy Transition (DET) is dividing into five new communities covering all the main areas of current geoscience and engineering interest — Carbon Capture & Storage (CCS), Geothermal Energy, Wind Energy, Hydrogen and Energy Storage, and Critical Minerals.

Giovanni Sosio, Vice-chair of the Sustainable Energy Circle, explains the reasons for this transition. ‘When the DET Community was launched in 2019, it vowed to serve as a network for all members interested in sharing and receiving knowledge and experiences related to the application of the geosciences and engineering to the energy transition industries. Five years later, this transition has become real for many of us, as crucial to our career as the more traditional sectors where we have operated in more than 70 years of the Association’s life. The debate has grown outside of the technical questions, involving career choices, skill transfers, and the role of geoscientists and engineers for a more sustainable use of the Earth’s resources, and has been featured as a component in all of the EAGE’s publications and events.

The EAGE DET Community has upgraded itself into five new specialised groups: CCS, Hydrogen and Energy Storage, Geothermal Energy, Wind Energy and Critical Minerals.

For this reason, a new Sustainable Energy Circle was created by the EAGE to respond to the members’ needs. With its broad scope – and the support of the DET committee in shaping it – it has naturally taken over the role of representing the Association’s energy transition strategy. This allows us to spread the increasing technical interest in several, more focused communities, serving the desire to share knowledge in specific aspects, technologies and industries which are becoming more and more relevant in their own right.’

The new communities will serve as dynamic hubs where experts, professionals, and enthusiasts converge to share insights, exchange ideas, and drive innovation.

They also provide an opportunity for all professionals involved in energy transition technologies or businesses to contribute and make a difference. Step up and volunteer to be part of the new committees by expressing your interest to communities@eage.org.

The new technical communities will be formally introduced at the 85th EAGE Annual during the Dedicated Session ‘Decarbonisation and Energy Transition’ (Thursday, 13 June at 14:30 CEST).

Learn more and join the new communities

Students in Argentina on a mission

In Argentina, the EAGE Student Chapter of the Universidad Nacional de La Plata (UNLP) reports that it continues its mission to ease the transition of students into the professional workforce.

During the past year, our group of 15 geophysics and one geology student managed to foster soft skills and leadership skills through the organisation of four thematic talks. The meeting beneﬁted our members and the general community of our faculty, FCAGLP creating a bridge between professionals and young professionals with students and promoting EAGE in the process.

In other highlights ﬁve of our members were involved in the Association’s mentoring programme interacting with professionals from around the world and benefiting from their counsel. Also last year for the ﬁrst time a member of our chapter was selected to participate in an IPTC Student Programme, represent-

ing UNLP and EAGE. In February she managed to win third place in the SLB Challenge together with her team in February 2024. We see this as a way forward for other members in international programmes.

We are now looking forward to a number of projects that promise to further strengthen our mission. These include talks in collaboration with other EAGE chapters and associated organisations, company visits, the creation of a podcast and the organisation of specialised courses. These initiatives are designed not only to deepen understanding of geoscience but also to provide valuable professional development and networking opportunities.

We invite all students with a passion for geoscience and professionals in the ﬁeld to join us on this journey. Together, we can build a future where the transition is inspiring and full of opportunities.

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

EAGE UNLP Student Chapter in collaboration with SEG UNLP Student Chapter organised a talk about the first work experiences of a young professional and four students who were doing internships in the energy industry.

Gustavo J. Carstens presented his talk entitled ‘What did I do, what do I do, and what can I do as a geophysicist?’ in collaboration with EAGE UNLP Student Chapter and SEG UNLP Student Chapter.

Juan Alberto Tavella presented his talk on ‘The traces of anisotropy in seismic response’. The talk was given in collaboration with EAGE UNLP Student Chapter and SEG UNLP Student Chapter.

The student chapters of the SEG and EAGE organisations of the UNLP collaborated in the development of a series of talks on topics such as seismology on Mars (NASA project), seismic acquisition and processing, and the experience of Argentines doing PhDs in other countries.

Personal and career challenge of the desert Personal Record Interview

In his mid-thirties, Sean Siegfried is already CEO of Saudi Geophysical having previously worked mainly for a US wireless seismic company. His career journey started on seismic surveys in Argentina equipped with a business degree and fluent Portuguese and English becoming a party manager in Brazil aged 24. Ultra-marathon running in the desert has been a recent personal challenge.

Family background

I was born in Brazil during Western Geophysical glory days. Mother worked as a temp in the Rio office and father was working rotation as a crew supervisor. My parents relocated to Portugal where I spent my childhood. I vividly remember my father leaving with a suit and tie to work but coming back with an orange coverall after visits to Western vessels. That was fascinating to me.

Career choice

After a business degree in the UK, I applied unsuccessfully to various energy companies. Then my father connected me with Global Geophysical Services (GGS). The company was opening an office in Brazil and needed someone who spoke Portuguese and English. My first job was assistant party manager (PM) in Argentina until Brazil operations opened up where I started work as a PM shooting 2D regional seismic.

Party manager in Brazil

In seismic you need to learn on the job. I was surrounded by ex-Western Argentinean PMs who had no time for a young gringo. I worked hard and was selected to run Shell’s first wireless project in South America with full authority to set up my own crew. After that I was promoted to country manager of Brazil, running four crews and overseeing over 1000 people at the age of 24.

Learning on the job

Starting work with a company like GGS was an incredible foundation for my

career, especially at the very end of the Sercel cable era and the shift towards wireless. It was why I moved to Texas to help build Geophysical Technology (GTI) in its development of autonomous nodal seismic recording technology. It also opened the door to worldwide travel and meeting as many geophysical and oil companies as possible.

Break for MBA

I made a hard decision to leave GTI and focus on running two seismic crews in the US for Breckenridge while doing my MBA at Rice University. It was perfect timing as no one was buying equipment due to Covid and the low price of oil.

Saudi move

Abdulwahab Alahmari, owner and chairman of Saudi Geophysical (SG), reached out to me while I was at Rice. We knew each other as he would host me at MEO GEO every year and was a critical partner of our company in the region. Saudi Arabia was not really my scene, but after 10 months of negotiations, I cracked and accepted the challenge. He promised me a CEO role once I met the first year’s targets. We set aggressive objectives to triple the company’s revenue in less than three years; we did it in two. SG diversified its services, bought new technologies, created international partnerships and is now looking to grow into adjacent markets such as mining, infrastructure and beyond.

Working in the Middle East

It was a serious cultural shock at the beginning where I wanted to complete tasks quickly but was faced with so many bottlenecks. Internally we had to make various changes, especially in the work environment conditions. Externally, I had to understand the size of a client like Saudi Aramco. My expectation of executing quickly was dead on arrival and I had to adapt. However, it was a good change and made me realise things cannot always be the way you want.

Endurance sport

I guess I have always been up for a challenge. A few years ago after working on seismic crews and being on planes for so long I started to gain weight and felt incredibly unhealthy. I started to run in 2016. After completing my first marathon the following year alongside my Dad, I decided to push my body and try an Ironman triathlon, not just one but several, and ultra marathons. In 2023 I ran 220 km through the Jordanian desert. I am not sure what is next but I have this need to keep feeding this curiosity about taking body and mind to the absolute limit.

What lies ahead

I am a seismic addict, but soon to be a husband and father, so who knows what’s in store. For now I am committed to continuing a strong US and Saudi relationships as we deploy new technologies and conquer adjacent markets.

Sean Siegfried

CROSSTALK

BY ANDREW M c BARNET

BUSINESS • PEOPLE • TECHNOLOGY

Blame

it on oil

It’s hard to look away from the cruelty of war manifested today by ongoing hostilities in Ukraine and Gaza, and even more difficult to imagine how a peaceful resolution can come about (mercifully not in the remit of Crosstalk).

However, from the safety of afar, we can try to fathom what led to these and many other territorial conflicts in recent history. The explanation is never as simple as it looks. But one thing you can be sure of is that oil will somehow be implicated, sometimes along with other energy or mineral resources.

In essence provoking major international conflicts merely to seize oil resources is an overrated strategy.

‘Any turmoil in the Middle East cannot fail to have oil implications.’

The most cogent examples would be Iraq’s invasion of Kuwait in 1990 and the US-led international response and the 2003 US intervention under President George Bush ostensibly to oust the regime of President Sadam Hussein of Iraq. Both seem incontrovertibly about access to oil. In a widely quoted passage from his memoirs, Alan Greenspan, former chair of the Federal Reserve, wrote that ‘…the Iraq war (2003) is largely about oil’. In a more colourful confirmation, Chuck Hagel, US Secretary of Defense (2013-15) reportedly told a gathering of law students in 2007: ‘They talk about America’s national interest. What the hell do you think they’re talking about? We’re not there for figs.’

In her well received study The Oil Wars Myth: Petroleum and Causes of Interntional Conflict, Emily Meierding, assistant professor, Department of National Security Affairs at the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, California provides a nuanced corrective to these long-standing and largely unquestioned assumptions about ‘classic oil wars’. She argues that for almost a century (1912–2010), countries launched no major conflicts in order to grab petroleum resources. Many of the historical conflicts that are commonly identified as oil wars, including wars. Surprisingly she includes World War II as well as the, the Iran–Iraq War, Iraq’s invasion of Kuwait, and the Chaco War between Bolivia and Paraguay, as wars actually fought for other reasons. In addition she argues that the benefits of seizing foreign oil are far less than most people imagine.

In what may be something of a stretch, Meierding divides ‘classic oil wars’ into four types of militarised conflicts in oil-endowed territories: In the case of ‘red herrings’, states fight in areas with oil, but for other reasons, such as hegemonic aspirations, domestic politics, national pride, and contested territories’ other strategic and economic assets. She cites the Chaco war in 1932-35 between Bolivia and Paraguay and Iran–Iraq wars as examples, to which Afghanistan could be added with minerals as the hidden resource asset. In their occupations of Afghanistan both Russia and the US had over-riding strategic objectives, but the country happens to have immense mineral wealth still to be effectively exploited. In ‘oil spats’ and ‘oil campaigns’, states are motivated by oil ambitions. ‘Oil spats’ such as the Falklands conflict between Argentina and UK are said to be minor confrontations whilst ‘oil campaigns’ occur in the midst of ongoing international wars started for other reasons. In the oil ‘gambit’, exemplified by Iraq’s march on Kuwait, the aggressor targets foreign oil in order to achieve a broader, political aim.

If classic oil wars never actually occur, Meierding asks why is the belief in these conflicts so widespread? She believes that classic oil wars exist at the intersection of two dominant narratives about the causes of violent conflict: the ‘Mad Max Myth,’ which claims that people fight because of resource scarcity and existential need, and the ‘El Dorado Myth,’ which claims that people fight because of greed. Each of these narratives has persisted for centuries, she writes, and because of them we believe in them and in classic oil wars.

You can find a less complicated, but not entirely contrarian view from the likes of Michael T. Klare, five-college professor emeritus of peace and world security studies at US liberal-arts Hampshire College and a senior visiting fellow at the Arms Control Association.

Writing well before the latest hostilities erupted in Gaza, Klare has claimed that at first glance upheavals in regions such as Iraq, Syria, Nigeria, South Sudan, Ukraine, the East and South China Seas appear to be independent events, driven by their own unique and idiosyncratic circumstances. ‘But look more closely and they share several key characteristics, he says, ‘notably, a witch’s brew of ethnic, religious, and national antagonisms that have been stirred to the boiling point by a fixation on energy’.

In Iraq and Syria, it is a clash among Sunnis, Shiites, Kurds, Turkmen, and others; in Nigeria, among Muslims, Christians, and assorted tribal groupings; in South Sudan, between the Dinka and Nuer; in Ukraine, between Ukrainian loyalists and Russian-speakers aligned with Moscow; in the East and South China Sea, among the Chinese, Japanese, Vietnamese, Filipinos, and others. Klare states: ‘It would be easy to attribute all this to age-old hatreds, as suggested by many analysts; but while such hostilities do help drive these conflicts, they are fuelled by a most modern impulse as well: the desire to control valuable oil and natural gas assets. Make no mistake about it, these are 21-century energy wars.’

($30 billion) and 16% of natural gas fields/wells ($12 billion and $3.5 billion for associated gas concentrate). As of July 2022, Ukraine had also lost control over a significant array of rare earth and precious metal deposits.

SecDev concludes that Russia has several motives to invade Ukraine, some of which are clearly economic. Denying Ukraine mining and oil revenue are certainly Russian priorities since this effectively degrades their military capacity. But also Russia clearly understands the geopolitical and economic advantages of controlling some of the world’s richest mineral, coal, and oil and gas deposits. Even if Russia were to do nothing and sit on Ukraine’s mineral resources and infrastructure, it benefits by controlling supplies and rising prices.

‘These are twenty-first-century energy wars.’

One curious anomaly, not part of SecDev’s brief, is that throughout the war so far a fiveyear pipeline transit agreement between Moscow and Kyiv, means Russia exports gas to Europe via Ukraine and pays Ukraine for the use of its pipeline network. The arrangement is unlikely to be renewed when it expires at the end of this year.

Put these theories to the test in the context of Ukraine’s war with Russia and the strife in Gaza and you can arrive with some surprising observations.

SecDev, a Canadian global digital risk and resilience company, started mapping critical minerals and rare earths (as well as agriculture and oil and gas) in Ukraine just before Russia invaded in February 2022. The analysts were not convinced that perceived Russian grievances over NATO expansion, disputes over pipelines, or revisionist interpretations of Russia’s territorial reach were sufficient motivation for the impending attack. Before much of the open source access to the data was shut down, SecDev had assembled a Ukrainian and Russian language dataset on critical minerals and rare earths in Ukraine, subsequently demarcating areas occupied by Russia in 2021 and at various stages of 2022.

Notwithstanding a declining coal sector, Ukraine is a mining super power ranking in the top 10 globally in terms of stores of iron, manganese, titanium, graphite, and uranium as well as having some of the largest coal and oil and gas reserves in the world (63% of the coal in the Donets basin, eastern Ukraine under Russian control). The Russian invasion significantly disrupted mining operations which had reached historic levels in 2021. For example, coal production collapsed by over 50% in 2022 compared to the previous year, iron ore exports declined by 44% .

The total estimated value of the coal reserves occupied by Russia in current prices is approximately $12 trillion. SecDev estimates that Russian-occupied areas contain as much as 27% of the country’s iron ore deposits (15% of total explored reserves), 50% of manganese ore deposits (99% of total explored reserves) and 10% of titanium ore deposits as of July 2022. Ukraine also appears to have lost as much as 11% of its oil fields/wells

Meanwhile any turmoil in the Middle East cannot fail to have oil implications since it is the lifeblood of the region, and that indeed turns out to be the case as far as Israel’s campaign in Gaza is concerned. Mainly offshore gas rather than oil is the issue. Most obviously the international oil industry and Israel’s neighbours must be nervous about any escalation that might disrupt the growing interest in exploiting the wealth of prospects in the Eastern Mediterranean basin particularly to serve the European market.

So far everything seems to be in course. For example, Eni (operator) and Total Energies announced in February a full evaluation of the development potential of the Cronos gas discovery, offshore Cyprus, and Chevron okayed a $24 million investment to complete a final phase development of the Tamar field offshore Israel. There is also no sign yet of any breakdown in operations offshore Lebanon where a third round of licensing is due to conclude in July. A US brokered deal between Israel and Lebanon in 2022 enabled TotalEnergies to drill a well in Block 9 last year that proved dry.

The more contentious and toxic issue is the future of the suspected oil and gas reserves offshore Gaza and to whom the benefits would accrue should they ever become subject of development. Much has been made of a seemingly respectable 2020 report from the UN Conference on Trade and Development provocatively entitled The Economic Costs of the Israeli Occupation for the Palestinian People: The Impoverishment of Gaza under Blockade. Purportedly the report ‘…seeks to stimulate debate on the research topic’. One recommendation to put the territory on track to sustainable development includes ‘utilising the valuable oil and natural gas resources off the shore of Gaza’.

Reluctantly one must conclude that where there’s war, there’s almost certainly oil somewhere in the mix.

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

INDUSTRY NEWS

UK publishes carbon capture injection guidance

The UK North Sea Transition Authority (NSTA) has published two sets of key guidance which will help the developing carbon storage industry prepare for first injection.

The Guidance for Measurement of Carborn Dioxide for Carbon Storage Permit Applications provides licensees with information on NSTA expectations regarding the proper measurement of CO2 being injected in a storage site and suggestions on how that can be achieved.

‘It is important that injection flow rates are accurately determined, as this information is used in modelling the behaviour of the CO2 in the reservoir,’ said the NSTA. ‘In addition to the overall volume being injected, the exact composition of the gas is also measured. This ensures that the correct payment is made under the Carbon Trading Scheme.’

NSTA has also published Requirements for the Definition of a carbon storage site, storage complex and hydraulic unit to provide clarity on determining the extent of subsurface storage site and focus for licensees on the area they must manage to prevent/detect leakage.

The guidance advises licensees of the requirement to provide precise definitions of the spaces in which carbon dioxide will be stored and the surrounding areas that it must be contained within.

‘This precise definition is required so that any deviations from the expected CO2 movement and containment are clearly identifiable so that preventative or remedial action can be taken,’ said the NSTA in a statement. ‘The NSTA does not instruct independent businesses on how they should operate, but planned monitoring for such events is a requirement for each carbon storage application.’

The two sets of guidance will help the licensees of the Track 1 clusters at Hynet and Northern Endurance, and Track 2 at Acorn and Viking, which are the most far advanced projects in the UK, as well as new licensees.

In the past year the NSTA has awarded 21 licences after running the UK’s first-ever carbon storage licensing round; established a dedicated NSTA carbon storage development team to work with operators in the growing sector; and made significant progress on the Track 1 and 2 projects on permit applications with decisions on 4 Track 1 applications expected to be taken in 2024; a consultation to determine what carbon storage data should be shared and to what timescales is also underway and will assist the development of future sites.

The UK government last year set out its vision for the carbon storage industry pledging up to £20 billion investment and suggesting that it has the potential to store the carbon equivalent of taking 6 million cars off the road, and support 50,000 jobs, by 2050.

EMGS reactivates its Atlantic Guardian vessel

EMGS took the vessel Atlantic Guardian out of warm stack on 19 February 2024 and began mobilisation for a fully prefunded multi-client survey in the North Sea.

The company’s vessel utilisation for the first quarter was 27% compared with 0% for the first quarter 2023. EMGS

had one vessel in operation and recorded three vessel months in the quarter.

The company had earlier recorded fourth quarter revenues of $1.1 million, down from $15.2 million in Q4 of 2022 and $1.6 million in the third quarter of 2023. EBITA was a loss of $1.7 million, down from a profit of $8.2 million in Q4 2022.

Shearwater wins Norwegian Sea 4D surveys

PGS releases offshore Egypt data

Seagreen shoots wind survey offshore Scotland

Atlantic Guardian vessel.

Global wind auctions to offer 33 GW this year

TGS’ latest Market Overview Report on the global offshore wind industry for the rest of 2024 has presented a mixed picture after last year’s report anticipated a record-breaking auction year for the sector.

The offtake auction schedule continues to reflect a healthy outlook after more activity last year, said TGS. Notably, 32.9 GW of capacity is set to be included in offtake auctions globally in 2024, with Europe accounting for 24.5 GW of this figure.

In 2023 the global offshore wind sector fully commissioned 7 GW, and this has been followed by 592 MW in Q1 2024. This includes Vattenfall’s 344 MW Vesterhav Nord/Syd, the first commercial-scale project in the USA (Ørsted’s 132 MW South Fork), the 112 MW Ishikari Bay New Port project in Japan and China’s 4 MW Longyuan Nanri Island floater.

Additionally, the report predicted that in 2024 there will be a surge in corporate power purchase agreements (PPAs). Nearly 1

GW of offshore wind capacity has already been transacted through long-term contracts, and corporate demand for PPAs is expected to remain robust.

In the first quarter Germany launched tenders for 8 GW of capacity, albeit facing grid delays that pose challenges to the 2030 pipeline. In the UK, discussions continue around the application of reference prices in Allocation Round Six (AR6) and in Norway the Ventyr consortium of Parkwind and Ingka Investments won the Sørlige Nordsjø II lease area.

Meanwhile, the United States’ first commercial-scale project in federal waters, and East Coast states secured record amounts of new and rebid capacity, with New York and New Jersey taking steps to address setbacks from offtake withdrawals last year. In Asia Pacific, India initiated its first offshore wind tender in Tamil Nadu after years of delays, while Taiwan reviewed its environmental impact assessment process.

However, the report also notes that this is the first Q1 since 2017 that no investment decisions have been made, although imminent announcements are expected.

Richard Aukland, director of research at TGS - 4C Offshore, said, ‘We observe a resilient industry with a significant long-term pipeline, with some markets, for example the US, reclaiming lost ground. However, the UK’s pipeline risks further delays unless adjustments are made to this year’s auction parameters. Global political ambition remains strong and steady, now exceeding 758 GW, with approximately half of this capacity targeted in Europe.’

Despite a slight downward adjustment in TGS’s 2030 forecast, which now stands at 261 GW under construction or operational, there is a notable increase in the longer-term prediction to 2040, reaching 563 GW. While this adjustment reflects some delays and shifts in project timelines, it underscores the industry’s strong ambition and commitment to growth.

Shearwater wins 4D surveys in the Norwegian Sea

Shearwater GeoServices has won two 4D monitoring projects for Equinor in the Mariner field in the UK North Sea and the Heidrun field in the Norwegian Sea.

Shearwater will deploy its Isometrix technology for both surveys, applying 4D seismic monitoring to detect reservoir dynamics over time, for optimising reservoir management and enhancing production efficiency.

This will be the fourth Isometrix deployment for Mariner, complementing previous monitor surveys in 2020 and 2022, and the third for Heidrun, after surveys in 2018 and 2021.

The surveys are expected to take two months and will be carried out by the vessel SW Amundsen and an undershoot vessel.

‘These projects underscore our shared ambition for pioneering and repeating production monitoring solutions, and we look forward to once more supporting Equinor in navigating towards the efficient optimisation of resources. Our dedication to providing top-tier seismic technology and expertise will provide Equinor with the insights needed to continue delivering long-term, sustainable value creation from the Mariner and Heidrun fields,’ said Irene Waage Basili, CEO of Shearwater.

SW Amundsen vessel.

Some 261 GW will be built or will be built by 2030.

PGS releases offshore Egypt data

PGS’s early-out data is now available for the EGY23 Merneith and Luxor multi-client program offshore Egypt. This provides the first 3D seismic data over the deepwater area between the Nile delta and the Herodotus Basin.

In partnership with the Egyptian Natural Gas Holding Company (EGAS), PGS has worked on the 6175 km2 EGY23 Merneith and Luxor survey to provide the first 3D seismic data available over an underexplored and unlicensed deepwater area that was previously only covered by 2D seismic data.

A Messinian evaporite layer of variable thickness extends across most of the area. The survey is tied to the Kiwi-1 well, one of the few wells in this deepwater area, and primary targets are likely to be presalt Oligo-Miocene structures with clastic reservoirs.

Meanwhile, PGS has won a large 3D contract offshore South Atlantic margin from a multi-client company. A Ramform Titan-class vessel is scheduled to mobilise in June, with a forecast acquisition duration of up to 300 days.

‘Seismic activity offshore South Atlantic margin is increasing as a result of recent exploration success. The award extends visibility for one of our Ramform Titan-class vessels well into 2025,’ said PGS Rune Olav Pedersen, president and CEO.

Finally, PGS has won a 4D contract in Northern Europe. The vessel Ramform Tethys is scheduled to mobilise for the survey in late April and the project has a total duration of approximately 30 days. ‘The contract award marks the start of the Northern Europe summer season for the Ramform Tethys, said Pedersen.

Zanzibar launches first licensing round

Zanzibar has launched its 1st Licensing Round, which invites bids for eight blocks totalling 31,883 km2

The blocks, situated offshore to the east of the Unguja and Pemba Islands within water depths between 500 m and 3000 m, represent a large frontier area and form part of a five-year exploration road map, said the government’s energy ministry. The blocks offered under the 1st Licensing Round include Block 1-A, Block 1-B, Block 1-C, Block 1-D, Block 1-E, Block 1-F, Block 1-G, and Block 1-H.

Bid submissions are due on September 16, 2024. Awards will be announced on 17 November, 2024.

The Ministry of Blue Economy and Fisheries has defined the bid round areas

through prospectivity assessment with ‘encouraging results’ with exclusive data supplier, SLB. A total of 10,145 linear km of 2D seismic data is available pertaining to the blocks.

President of Zanzibar Dr Hussein Ali Mwinyi said: ‘Strategically located, and benefiting from political, social and economic stability, Zanzibar aims to build a resilient economy for the benefit of its people through the sustainable development of its offshore petroleum resources. That strong political will to drive investment is coupled with renewed fiscal terms to enhance the investor environment in the oil and gas sector, including the constitutional protection of private investments.’

Ramform Tethys vessel.

Sulmara performs geophysical CCS survey in Texas

Subsea geodata specialist Sulmara has helped Bayou Bend CCS generate data from a towed-streamer uncrewed surface vessel (USV) during a high-resolution geophysical survey at the Bayou Bend carbon capture and storage project in Texas.

Bayou Bend CCS commissioned Sulmara to conduct an archaeological and geohazard assessment of the proposed Bayou Bend CCS pipeline route from the landfall to the future offshore platform locations.

Sulmara utilised an electric WAM-V 16 USV for the offshore data acquisition to help significantly lower the overall carbon footprint of the project by reducing the number of diesel-burning vessels offshore, as well as shortening the time required to conduct the survey.

Sulmara project manager Darius Rivera said: ‘The quality of the data gathered is some of the best we’ve seen from a USV. The quality of information, as well as the operability of the equipment and relation-

ship that has been developed, has been key to the project’s success.’

The project utilised the SpaceXbacked Starlink satellite system to ensure strong communications between the shore and the USV.

Rivera added: ‘With the survey area around 15 km from shore, we integrated the WAM-V with Starlink to achieve higher speed communications with the mobile remote command centre. This is the first time we have been able to go beyond the 3 km mark with this size USV, ensuring improved quality of data and reducing the time needed to collect the information when compared to a conventional survey vessel.’

RockWave wins contract for subsurface data reprocessing in Poland

RockWave has won a seismic reprocessing contract from Equinor and Polenergia at their offshore wind development area, the ‘Bałtyk 1 Wind Farm’ in the Polish Baltic Sea.

The company will reprocess sparker ultra-high resolution seismic (UHRS)

data to create an optimised subsurface image.

The new data will help to upgrade the engineering ground model and WTG (Wind Turbine Generator) foundation designs for the Bałtyk 1 Wind Farm. RockWave aims to help its clients minimise

the risk of unforeseen ground conditions by enhancing the accuracy and reliability of data in the offshore wind development project.

The Bałtyk 1 Wind Farm is located approximately 80 km north of the Polish coast in the Baltic Sea.

TDI-Brooks completes site investigations for US offshore wind farms

TDI-Brooks has completed an extensive site investigation in two offshore wind blocks in US state and federal waters.

It surveyed in excess of 20,000 line-km of analogue and either single or multi-channel seismic data in lease blocks and cable routes along the coasts of New York and New Jersey. The programme included offshore geophysical surveys, UHRS detailed surveys, archaeological identification surveys, light geotechnical coring, and benthic sampling.

TDI-Brooks utilised the R/V Brooks McCall, R/V Miss Emma McCall, and M/V Marcelle Bordelon survey vessels. The geotechnical survey involved more than 150 pneumatic vibracores (pVCs) and more than 150 Neptune 5K cone penetration tests (CPTs) gathered from both lease areas and along the offshore cable route (OCR). Along with multiple export cable route surveys, it conducted a reconnaissance survey covering the entirety of the lease area with 150-m spaced survey lines, followed by a more detailed archaeological survey with 30-m

spaced lines. It also utilised survey sensors including dual head multibeam sonar, side-scan sonar, sub-bottom profiler, UHRS seismic, single-channel seismic, and Transverse Gradiometer (TVG).

The goals were to assess the conditions of the seabed and sub-seabed, which may include potential risks (geohazards or man-made hazards) that could impact the installation of wind turbines and subsea cables in the future. The investigations conducted involved measuring variations in water depth and slope changes, examining the morphology (composition of the seabed and lithology in the formations below in relation to local geology), identifying any natural or man-made obstructions on or below the seabed, such as rock outcrops, channels, depressions, gaseous fluid features, debris (natural or manmade), wrecks, industrial structures, cables and assessing any shallow geohazards that could affect the sites and future deep geotechnical soil studies within the top 100 m beneath the seabed.

Sulmara used an electric WAM-V 16 uncrewed surface vessel (USV) for the survey. Credit: Sulmara.

TGS, PGS and SLB shoot 3D survey offshore Malaysia

TGS, PGS and SLB have launched a multi-client 3D seismic project in the Penyu Basin, offshore Peninsular Malaysia.

In partnership with Malaysia Petroleum Management (MPM), Petronas aims to provide insights on the exploration opportunities in a broader play

fairway and to assess the carbon storage potential across Penyu Basin area. The acquisition of seismic data will enable clients to effectively conduct evaluation on the exploration and carbon storage potential for the upcoming Malaysia Bid Round.

The Ramform Sovereign vessel was mobilised to the acquisition area in early March 2024 and the area coverage is approximately 7800 km2. Acquisition completion is anticipated in July 2024, and processing completion is projected for June 2025.

Kristian Johansen, TGS CEO, said: ‘The Penyu Basin is one of Southeast Asia’s most exciting yet underexplored frontier exploration hotspots, with the potential of uncovering new exploration plays and CCS opportunities. We are pleased to spearhead exploration in this region through a Geostreamer multi-client 3D acquisition. We continue to increase our footprint across Malaysia as it develops into a key part of our multi-client seismic data library.’

Rune Olav Pedersen, PGS president and CEO said: ‘The survey marks a change in how clients use newly acquired multi-client seismic data. In addition to the traditional oil and gas exploration activities, the data will be used to facilitate assessment of carbon capture and storage (CCS) potential. By acquiring multi-client seismic data with our Ramform vessels and GeoStreamer technology we will provide high quality regional scale seismic data that will improve regional understanding of the subsurface.’

Sercel sells 528 system to Turkish client

Sercel has announced the first major sale of its next-generation 528 cable-based land acquisition system to the Turkish Petroleum International Corporation (TPIC) for deployment in Turkey..

The client will deploy the system, representing a total of 8000 channels, on a 3D seismic survey in Turkey across challenging, semi-arid terrain. Delivery of the system commenced at the end of March, with the survey expected to start in Q3 2024.

The sale follows the recent launch of Sercel’s 528 and VE564 land seismic

solutions, which it claims reduce downtime and boost productivity even in the harshest of terrains.

Jérôme Denigot, Sercel CEO, said: ‘The 528 is the most advanced cablebased system available today, boasting the lightest weight and the lowest power consumption. With its scalable architecture, the system offers maximum flexibility to adapt to different-sized projects, whether mega-crew surveys or smaller projects, with the same efficiency.’

Ramform Sovereign vessel.

Picture: Harald M. Valderhaug.

ENERGY TRANSITION BRIEFS

Chevron is investing in ION Clean Energy that provides post-combustion pointsource capture technology through its third-generation ICE-31 liquid amine system. The capital raised will fund ION’s deployment of its ICE-31 liquid amine carbon capture technology for hard-to-abate emissions. Chevron wants to use ION’s ICE-31 technology to service customers with high volume and low concentration CO2 emissions.

The US Interior Department has approved more than 10 GW of offshore wind after approving the New England Wind offshore wind project.

Petronas has signed an agreement with JERA to evaluate the feasibility of the entire carbon capture and storage (CCS) value chain including separation and capture of CO2 emitted by JERA in Japan, cross-border transportation, and CO2 storage in Malaysia.

Ventyr, a consortium of Parkwind and Ingka Investments has successfully bid for for the Sørlige Nordsjø II phase 1 development in the Southern Norwegian North Sea. The first turbines of the 1.5GW wind farm are expected to be operational by 2030.

TotalEnergies is acquiring 100% of Talos Low Carbon Solutions (TLCS), an American company focused on carbon capture and storage. TotalEnergies will own a 25% share in the Bayou Bend project, alongside Chevron (50%, operator) and Equinor (25%). The Bayou Bend project is a major CO2 storage project along the Texas Gulf Coast. The Bayou Bend project is a carbon transportation and storage solution for industrial emitters. Comprising licenses dedicated to CO2 storage, offshore and onshore, covering about 600 km2, it could enable the storage of several hundred million tons of CO2.

The Angel CCS Joint Venture will collaborate with Yara Pilbara Fertilisers to study the feasibility of using carbon capture and storage to decarbonise Yara Pilbara’s existing operations near Karratha in Western Australia.

PGS to report increase in first quarter revenues

PGS expects to report IFRS revenues for Q1 2024 of $217 million, compared to $143.1 million in Q1 2023. The company expects produced revenues for Q1 2024 of $223 million, compared to $172.2 million in Q1 2023.

Contract revenues are expected to be $116 million in Q1 2024, compared to $94.1 million in Q1 2023. Multi-client late sales revenues are expected to be $56 million in Q1 2024, compared to $25.6 million in Q1 2023.

Estimated produced multi-client pre-funding revenues in Q1 2024 are expected to be $46 million, compared to $45.5 million in Q1 2023. Multi-client pre-funding revenues based on IFRS are expected to be $41 million in Q1 2024, compared to $16.4 million in Q1 2023.

PGS president and CEO Rune Olav Pedersen, said: ‘I am very pleased to see a good start for multi-client late sales in 2024, with progress in Q1 and a strong basket of active transactions leading into Q2. Our multi-client acquisition activity

was mainly in South America and the Mediterranean in the quarter, and we had a pre-funding level of approx. 100% of the capitalised cash investment.

‘We used 44% of available vessel capacity for contract work,’ he added. ‘Contract activity was slow over the winter season. However, revenue generation for our active vessels in Q1 was strong. Entering the summer season, bidding activity and visibility are increasing. Our offshore wind site characterisation contributed with $13 million of the Q1 contract revenues. The opportunity basket for more offshore wind site characterisation work is encouraging.’

TGS expects Q1 revenues of $152 million

TGS expects IFRS revenues for Q1 2024 of $152 million, compared to $173 million in Q1 2023.

POC revenues are expected to be $227 million, compared to $229 million in Q1 2023.

POC multi-client revenues are estimated at $150 million versus $143 million in Q1 2023, with early sales of $78 million, down from $98 million in Q1 2023, and late sales of $72 million, up from $46 million in Q1 2023. Multi-client investments are expected to be $67 million, compared to $133 million in Q1 2023.

Proprietary revenues are expected to be $77 million versus $86 million in Q1 2023.

Kristian Johansen, CEO of TGS, said: ‘We are pleased to see that late sales of completed multi-client data in Q1 2024

showed good progress compared to the both preceding quarter and the same quarter of last year. Further, we saw strong sales of surveys in the work-in-progress phase, supporting the early sales rate of 116% in the quarter.

‘We continue to show good operating performance in our OBN business, although the activity level, as expected, remained seasonally low in Q1 2024,’ he added. ‘The strong start to the year, combined with a continued tight global oil market and increasing exploration ambitions among our customers makes me optimistic for the remainder of the year. With the PGS merger, which is expected to close in the latter part of Q2 2024, TGS will be perfectly positioned to support our customers exploration ambitions and capitalise on what we think will be a multi-year upcycle.’

PGS Rune Olav Pedersen, president and CEO.

Shearwater raises $700 million for refinancing

Shearwater Geoservices has refinanced its long-term secured debt after raising $700 million.

The company issued a five-year $300 million senior secured first lien bond and executed a new $300 million five-year bank term loan with net proceeds used to repay previous secured debt facilities. Shearwater has also established a $50 million revolving credit facility (RCF) and a $50 million guarantee facility.

‘Shearwater has established a strong foundation for growth and value creation as a global leader within the marine seismic industry. We are positioned to generate significant free cash flow in coming years to the benefit of our shareholders. This is supported by substantial operational leverage as we control

the worldwide swing capacity combined with limited capex requirements and low leverage,’ said Andreas Hveding Aubert, CFO of Shearwater.

The term loan was provided by DNB Bank, Sparebank, Export Finance Norway and Sparebanken Møre. The term loan has a scheduled annual amortisation of $50 million and was priced at SOFR +4.10%.

The senior secured bond issue was substantially oversubscribed and priced at a fixed rate of 9.5%. The bonds will be listed on the Oslo Stock Exchange in the second half of 2024. DNB Markets acted as global coordinator and joint bookrunner for the bond issue with Pareto Securities, SpareBank 1 Markets and Carnegie.

CGG appoints sensing and monitoring leader

CGG has appointed Jérôme Denigot as executive vice-president, sensing and monitoring. Denigot will lead CGG’s global Sensing and Monitoring business line (SMO), marketed under the Sercel brand name.

Denigot joined CGG in 2003, holding various positions of increasing responsibility in SMO. In 2017 he was appointed executive vice-president, human resources for CGG. He graduated with a master’s

degree in corporate finance from Université Paris Dauphine-PSL and holds an executive MBA in business administration and management from Audencia Business School.

Meanwhile, CGG has started a worldwide natural hydrogen screening project. Chris Page, VP, Geoscience, CGG, said: ‘This natural hydrogen screening project builds on our track record of developing valuable global resource screening studies for geothermal energy, critical mineral

exploration and carbon and energy storage, combining our geoscience, data science and technology expertise.’

Finally, S&P Global Ratings has upgraded CGG’s credit rating to B- from CCC+ after noting the company’s ‘markedly stronger 2024-2025 financial performance’. ‘We believe that S&P’s rating upgrade aligns with our recently communicated financial roadmap’, said CGG CFO, Jérôme Serve

US launches second Gulf of Mexcio wind energy auction

The US Department of the Interior has announced a second offshore wind energy auction in the Gulf of Mexico. The proposed lease sale includes four areas offshore Louisiana and Texas, totalling 410,060 acres, which have the potential to power 1.2 million homes.

Since the start of the Biden-Harris administration, the Department has

approved the nation’s first six commercial scale offshore wind projects, held four offshore wind lease auctions – including a record-breaking sale offshore New York and the first-ever sales offshore the Pacific and Gulf Coasts, initiated environmental review of 12 offshore wind projects, and advanced the process to access and establish additional Wind Energy Areas in Oregon, Gulf of Maine and the Central Atlantic.

BOEM is seeking feedback on various aspects of the proposed lease areas, including size, orientation, and location of the four lease areas and which areas, if any, should be prioritised for inclusion or exclusion from this lease sale. BOEM is also seeking comment on potential lease revisions to include the production of

hydrogen or other energy products using wind turbine generators on the lease.

It is proposing to conduct simultaneous auctions for each of the four lease areas using multiple-factor bidding. BOEM will use new auction software for enhanced efficiency, with minor adjustments to auction rules used in previous offshore wind lease auctions.

Meanwhile, the US Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) has published details of its proposed Gulf of Mexico Oil and Gas Lease Sales 262, 263, and 264. On Dec. 14, 2023, the Interior Department announced the 2024–2029 National Outer Continental Shelf Oil and Gas Leasing Program (National OCS Program) The first proposed sale under that program, Lease Sale 262, is scheduled for 2025.

TGS appoints WesternGeco veteran as imaging leader

TGS has appointed Wadii El Karkourias EVP of imaging and technology. Wadii will lead a combined, global imaging and technology business unit that will include Imaging (marine and land imaging, proprietary software sales, R&D) and data analytics (AI, software development, and data management).

Wadii has more 25 years experience in the energy and technology industries with SLB and Amazon Web Services. He has served in a range of leadership roles in the US, Africa, Asia, Europe and the Middle East, including leading SLB’s Geosolutions business as global vice-president WesternGeco Geosolutions, overseeing the sales and commercial aspects for SLB’s seismic product line as global vice-president WesternGeco sales and commercial, and managing executive relationships with global energy companies at AWS as a global sales director AWS Energy and Utilities.

Kristian Johansen, CEO of TGS, said, ‘We are eager to apply his expertise in digital along with his global seismic experience to lead our new, combined imaging and technology organisation and ensure TGS provides high-quality imaging and innovative, technology-based data solutions and intelligence to our clients.’

Seagreen completes geotechnical survey for windfarm offshore Scotland

Seagreen has completed the first geotechnical seabed survey for the proposed second phase to Scotland’s largest offshore wind farm.

The surveys, which were carried out off the Angus coast, examined conditions, ahead of up to 36 new turbines being added to the 114 already fully operational.

In the world’s deepest fixed-bottom offshore wind farm, with the deepest foundation installed at 58.6 m below sea level, the phase 2 project is known as Seagreen 1A.

Andrew Train, project director for Seagreen 1A, said: ‘The geotechnical works will enhance and broaden our understanding of the seabed conditions across the full project site.’

The vessel that carried out site investigation works, the 90m-long Connector, completed phase one works in 10 days during February.

This involved specialist cone penetrometer testing (CPT) at almost 100 locations.

Using dynamic positioning (DP) technology the vessel repeatedly held positions while thin rod sensors penetrated into the seabed at depths of up to 15 m to allow the team to learn more about the seabed composition and understand if the proposed turbine foundation locations are suitable for the technology proposed.

Proposals for the Seagreen 1A turbine foundations include using innovative and similar three-legged suction caisson

technology which allowed the original Seagreen project team to push boundaries and set new records.

The suction caisson technology allows the turbine foundation to fix securely to the seabed, penetrating to a depth of up to 11 m under the seabed.

Phase two of the geotechnical works is expected to commence later this year and should take around two weeks to complete. The second phase will involve Vibrocore (VC) works along the proposed export cable route from the offshore site to the landfall at Cockenzie.

Seagreen is a joint venture between SSE Renewables and TotalEnergies and forms part of SSE’s £20.5 billion NZAP Plus investment plan.

Six countries sign agreement to protect North Sea energy telecommunications infrastructure

Six North Sea countries have signed a cooperation agreement to protect energy and telecommunications infrastructure in the North Sea.

After damage to energy pipelines and subsea fibre-optic cables, Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany, Norway, the UK and Denmark have signed a joint declaration to work together to protect infrastructure in the North Sea.

Critical infrastructure in the North Sea includes subsea fibre-optic cables, gas and oil pipelines, electricity transmission cables and offshore wind installations. The subsea infrastructure in the North Sea is interconnected across national borders necessitating a joint initiative for safety and protection, said Norway’s minister of digitalisation and public administration Karianne Tung.

‘The submarine fibre cables are crucial for internet traffic between Norway and other countries, and I am pleased that we, together with five other countries, are now further protecting this. It is important for our interests, energy production and our maritime activities that we safeguard this digital infrastructure,’ she added.

The partners will exchange information and ‘implement measures’.

Connector vessel.

Shell hits emissions reduction landmark

By the end of 2023 Shell achieved more than 60% of its target to halve emissions from it operations by 2030, compared with 2016.

According to the company’s first energy transition update since the launch of its 2021 Powering Progress strategy towards achieving net zero in 2050, Shell achieved 0.05% methane emissions intensity – significantly below its target of 0.2% – in 2023.

In 2023 it also achieved its target of reducing the net carbon intensity of the energy products it sells, with a 6.3% reduction compared with 2016.

Wael Sawan, Shell chief executive officer, said: ‘Our focus on performance, discipline and simplification is driving clear choices about where we can have the greatest impact through the energy

transition and create the most value for our investors and customers. By providing the different kinds of energy the world needs, we believe we are the investment case and the partner of choice through the energy transition.’

To help drive the decarbonisation of the transport sector, it has set a new ambition to reduce customer emissions from the use of our oil products by 15-20% by 2030 compared with 2021 (Scope 3, Category 11).

It is planning to focus its power business, including renewable power, in Australia, Europe, India and the US, and has withdrawn from the supply of energy directly to homes in Europe. That will include selling more power to commercial customers, and less to retail customers.

‘We expect lower total growth of power sales to 2030, which has led to an

update to our net carbon intensity target. We are now targeting a 15-20% reduction by 2030 in the net carbon intensity of the energy products we sell, compared with 2016, against our previous target of 20%.’

Shell is investing $10-15 billion between 2023 and the end of 2025 in low-carbon energy solutions. In 2023 it invested $5.6 billion on low-carbon solutions, more than 23% of total capital spending.

These investments include electric vehicle charging, biofuels, renewable power, hydrogen and carbon capture and storage.

Customer emissions from the use of its oil products (Scope 3, Category 11) were 517 million tonnes carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e) in 2023 and 569 million tonnes CO2e in 2021.

DUG signs seismic data deal with Wintershall Dea

DUG Technology has signed a deal with Wintershall Dea in which the European oil and gas company will utilise DUG’s seismic data processing and imaging expertise.

Each of Wintershall’s business units across the world will collaborate with DUG to create a virtual global processing centre..

‘The partnership has the added benefit of simplifying tendering and execution of Wintershall Dea’s seismic processing projects, also promoting efficiency,’ said DUG in a statement.

‘DUG’s geoscience experts will provide remote support ranging from advice and consultancy services to entire bespoke (re)processing projects using DUG

Insight, DUG’s powerhouse processing and imaging toolkit, which includes DUG’s multi-parameter FWI imaging technology.’

DUG Insight is an interactive software platform for advanced seismic data processing and imaging, interpretation, visualization and QI.

DUG doubles power of its Houston data centre

DUG Technology has upgraded its Houston data centre to increase the company’s high-performance computing (HPC) capabilities.

The company has invested in 1500 AMD EPYC Genoa servers, each with 192 cores and 1.5 terabytes of DDR5 memory. Quebec-based Hypertec provided the immersion-borne hardware, enabling a seamless integration with DUG’s proprietary HPC framework.

This follows DUG’s recent deployment of 600 new Intel Xeon CPU Max Series machines, each equipped with 128 cores and one terabyte of RAM. In addition, all of the company’s existing servers had a RAM upgrade to 384 gigabytes.

In total the hardware upgrades more than double the effective horsepower of DUG’s Houston data centre, including its supercomputer, Bubba

DUG’s managing director Dr Matthew Lamont said: ‘The Intel machines are

Oil and gas round-up

Equinor has delineated the ‘Heisenberg’ oil and gas discovery in wells 35/10-11 S and A in the North Sea, and has also proven oil in the Hummer prospect. The discovery is estimated between 3.8 and 8.9 million Sm3 of oil equivalent. Well 35/10-11 S encountered a sandstone reservoir totalling about 10 m with good reservoir quality in the Hordaland Group. The reservoir was aquiferous with traces of hydrocarbons. In the secondary exploration target in the Balder Formation, the well encountered a 3-m oil column in sandstone totalling 23 m with poor-to-moderate reservoir quality. Well 35/10-11 A encountered a sandstone reservoir totalling about 12 m with moderate to good reservoir quality. This reservoir has a 12-m oil and gas column in the Hordaland Group. Well 35/10-11 S was drilled to a depth of 1853 m below sea level, and was terminated in the Rogaland Group in the Palaeocene. Well 35/10-11 A was drilled to a depth of 1690 m below sea level, and was terminated in the Hordaland Group in the Eocene. Water depth at the site is 364 m. Extensive data acquisition and sampling were carried out. Petrobras has discovered oil in the ultra-deep waters of the Potiguar Basin from the Anhangá exploratory well of the POT-M762_R15 Concession. The 1-BRSA-1390RNS (Anhangá) well is near the border between the states of Ceará and Rio Grande do Norte, about 190 km from Fortaleza and 250 km from Natal, at a water depth of 2196 m on the Brazilian Equatorial Margin. This is the second discovery in the Potiguar Basin in 2024, preceded by proof of the presence of hydrocarbons in the Pitu Oeste Well, located

in the BM-POT-17 Concession, around 24 km from Anhangá.

OKEA has made a final investment decision for the Brasse development in the northern North Sea. The field is estimated to contain 24 million barrels of oil equivalent gross in recoverable reserves and will be developed as a tie-back to the Brage field. The Brasse development (PL740) is 13 km south of the Brage field. OKEA is operator for both licenses. The plan for development and operation (PDO) will be submitted during April and Brasse will be renamed Bestla upon approval of the PDO. The field is expected to come on stream during the first half of 2027 and is anticipated to operate until 2031 with potential for extension. Plateau production is estimated at around 10 kboepd. The Brage Unit partnership consists of OKEA (operator 35.2%), Lime Petroleum (33.8434%), DNO (14.2567%), Petrolia Noco (12.2575%), and M Vest Energy (4.4424%).

Mitsui and Co has made a final investment decision on the ‘Block B Project’ encompassing an upstream gas field and a pipeline linking it to a gas-fired thermal power plant complex in Vietnam. Partners include the Vietnam Oil and Gas Group, PetroVietnam Exploration Production Corporation, PetroVietnam Gas Joint Stock Corporation, and PTT Exploration and Production Public Company Limited (PTTEP). Production capacity is estimated at 490 million cubic feet per day, with production scheduled to begin by the end of 2026.

Tag Oil has completed drilling of a horizontal well at the Badr Oil Field

already turbocharging our new MP-FWI imaging technology, which is having a transformative impact on the way we process seismic data. Delivering unsurpassed imaging with rapid turnaround for our clients, it is a complete replacement for the conventional processing and imaging workflow. The new Hypertec-supplied AMD machines are needed to accelerate delivery of both current and imminent projects, and to support the unprecedented demand we continue to see moving forward.’

(BED-1) in the Abu Roash F limestone formation (ARF) The well has penetrated an over-pressured reservoir with regions of exceptional porosity and permeability. During drilling operations, there have been clear signs of free oil flowing into the wellbore and to surface, accompanied by consistently elevated gas readings across the ARF formation. The company is now optimising the multistage hydraulic fracture completion design, poised to maximise the stimulated reservoir volume of the wellbore. The exceptional quality of the encountered reservoir section presents an exciting prospect, offering the potential for robust oil production performance following the hydraulic fracture stimulation of the ARF horizontal well, said Tag Oil.

ExxonMobil has discovered oil at Bluefin in the Stabroek block offshore Guyana, the company’s first discovery of 2024. The Bluefin well encountered 60 m of hydrocarbon-bearing sandstone and was drilled in 1294 m of water. The Bluefin well is located 8.5 km southeast of the Sailfin-1 well, in the southeastern portion of the Stabroek block.

Galp (80%), NAMCOR and Custos (10% each) have drilled the Mopane-2X well to its designed depth, in block PEL83. Drilling encountered a significant column with light oil in high-quality reservoirs. The AVO-3 exploration target, the AVO-1 appraisal target and a deeper target were fully cored and logged. The AVO-1 appraisal target found the same pressure regime as in the Mopane-1X discovery well located around 8 km to the east, confirming its lateral extension.

MORE TO EXPLORE

Special Topic

GLOBAL EXPLORATION

Submit an article

Explorers have a good idea of where global exploration hotspots are but excellent multi-disciplinary geoscience strategies are needed to identify sweet spots. They are focusing on areas where new sources of oil and gas that the world needs are expected to come from. And in the emerging energy transition explorers are identifying sweet spots for carbon capture and storage reservoirs, offshore wind farms, hydrogen and geothermal energy projects. The spotlight continues to fall on established hotspots in the Atlantic Margin such as offshore Guyana and Namibia but there are also new, and perhaps surprising, areas that are also emerging as hotspots that will be vital in years to come for the world to generate the energy it needs.

Anna Rumyantseva et al illustrate a methodology for achieving detailed mapping of sand injectites in the Greater Fram area by using seismic attribute analysis and integrating machine learning (ML) techniques specifically designed for detecting injectites and faults.

Avril Burrell presents the influence of transform tectonics during the development of the Côte d’Ivoire and Tano Basins and discusses the underexplored potential in the deepwater area.

Elisabeth Gillbard presents high-resolution seismic imaging illustrating the extensive petroleum potential of the Bengal Fan, from shelf and slope to the deep water domain.

Neil Hodgson et al demonstrate how a source-focused strategy can help explorers to stay ahead of the competition offshore Namibia.

Carl Fredrik Gyllenhammar et al explain why an area of the UK-Norway border of the North Sea has more prospectivity than was previously thought.

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

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

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

Special Topic overview

January Land Seismic

February Digitalization / Machine Learning

March Reservoir Monitoring

April Underground Storage and Passive Seismic

May Global Exploration

June Technology and Talent for a Secure and Sustainable Energy Future

July Modelling / Interpretation

August Near Surface Geo & Mining

September Reservoir Engineering & Geoscience

October Energy Transition

November Marine Acquisition

December Data Management and Processing

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

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

May 2024

1-2 May Seismic2024 www.spe-aberdeen.org/events/seismic-2024

7 May Libyan Carbonates: Unlocking Reservoir Potential and Defying Challenges www.eage.org

13-15 May Fourth EAGE/AAPG Hydrocarbon Seals Workshop www.eage.org

13-15 May 6th Asia Pacific Meeting on Near Surface Geoscience and Engineering www.eage.org

13-16 May InterPore 2024 events.interpore.org/event/46/

15-16 May DGMK/ÖGEW Spring Conference 2024 www.dgmk.de

22-23 May EAGE/SUT Workshop on Integrated Site Characterization for Offshore Renewable Energy www.eage.org

22-24 May AGM Annual Congress 2024 www.geotermia.org.mx

22-24 May XIV Polish Congress of Oil and Gas Professionals- SITPNiG 2024 www.transformacjaenergetyczna2024.pl

27-29 May 8 th Conjugate Margins Conference www.marginsconference2024.com

27-31 May 12 th Congress and Technical Exhibition of the Balkan Geophysical Society (BGS) www.ageserbia.org

10-13 Jun 85 th EAGE Annual Conference and Exhibition www.eageannual.org

25-26 Jun GeoDays 2024 geodays-2024.b2match.io

July 2024

30-31 Jul EAGE Workshop on Advanced Petroleum Systems AssessmentsIn Pursuit of Differentiated Barrels www.eage.org

12-13 Aug 3 rd EAGE Conference on Carbon Capture & Storage Potential www.eage.org

14-15 Aug 4th EAGE Workshop on Fiber Optic Sensing for Energy Applications www.eage.org

14-15 Aug 1st EAGE/SUT Workshop on Integrated Site Characterization for Offshore Wind in Asia Pacific www.eage.org

18-23 Aug Goldschmidt 2024 conf.goldschmidt.info/goldschmidt/2024/meetingapp.cgi

2-4 Sep Fourth EAGE Marine Acquisition Workshop www.eage.org

2-5 Sep ECMOR 2024 - European Conference on the Mathematics of Geological Reservoirs www.ecmor.org

3-5 Sep SGI - SIMP Congress www.geoscienze.org/bari2024

8-12 Sep Near Surface Geoscience Conference and Exhibition 2024 www.eagensg.org

30 th European Meeting of Environmental & Engineering Geophysics

5 th Conference on Geophysics for Mineral Exploration & Mining 4th Conference on Airborne, Drone & Robotic Geophysics

12-13 Sep First EAGE Workshop on The Role of AI in FWI www.eage.org

16-18 Sep Eighth EAGE High Performance Computing Workshop www.eage.org

17-19 Sep Fourth EAGE Conference on Pre-Salt Reservoir www.eage.org Rio de Janeiro Brazil

October 2024

1-4 Oct 18 th SAGA Biennial Conference & Exhibition www.sagaconference.co.za

3-4 Oct Third EAGE Workshop on EOR www.eage.org Buenos Aires Argentina

Windhoek Namibia

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

November 2024

4-7 Nov Fifth EAGE Global Energy Transition Conference and Exhibition www.eageget.org

EAGE Carbon Capture and Storage Conference Part of GET 2024 (Fifth EAGE Global Energy Transition Conference and Exhibition)

EAGE Geothermal Energy Conference Part of GET 2024 (Fifth EAGE Global Energy Transition Conference and Exhibition)

EAGE Hydrogen and Energy Storage Conference Part of GET 2024 (Fifth EAGE Global Energy Transition Conference and Exhibition)

EAGE Offshore Wind Energy Conference Part of GET 2024 (Fifth EAGE Global Energy Transition Conference and Exhibition)

6-8 Nov First EAGE Conference on Energy Opportunities in the Caribbean www.eage.org

12-13 Nov 2 nd EAGE Workshop on Integrated Subsurface Characterization and Modeling www.eage.org

20-21 Nov Asia Petroleum Geoscience Conference and Exhibition (APGCE) icep.com.my/apgce

25-27 Nov First EAGE/SBGf Conference on The Roadmap to Low Carbon Emissions in Brazil www.eage.org

3-5 Dec First EAGE Symposium on Geosciences for New Energies in America www.eage.org

México City México