CGG has announced that phase three of its dual-azimuth multi-client 3D survey in the Northern North Sea will commence in early May and continue throughout the North Sea season.
Phase three will expand on phases one and two of the program conducted in 2020 and 2021. Initial data from the phase three acquisition are expected to be available in early 2023, and final processed data in early 2024. The multi-year survey adds a second azimuth over CGG’s existing Northern Viking Graben (NVG) multi-client 3D survey and extends coverage into the UKCS. The survey is supported by industry pre-funding.
Sophie Zurquiyah, CEO, CGG, said: “With this 2022 phase three of our multi-year project, CGG continues to follow its strategic path of expanding and enhancing its data library in mature regions. This expansion draws on CGG’s extensive understanding of the Northern Viking Graben and builds on our 47,000 sq km of existing coverage in the Northern North Sea. Client feedback on the high quality of the products delivered from phase one confirms that, with CGG’s superior imaging, the larger enhanced NVG survey will further de-risk existing fields, discoveries, near-field potential and future carbon storage sites.”
The 2022 phase three acquisition will add approximately 9,000km² of new data in an East-West direction. Similar to the phase one and phase two acquisitions, multi-component technology will be used for the acquisition, and this new data will be processed together with the existing North-South data, using CGG’s latest velocity modeling and imaging technology, to produce a dual-azimuth volume.
The additional azimuth has enabled CGG’s advanced proprietary imaging to address and improve the images of the multi-directional fault patterns prevalent in the region. The resulting improved resolution will help resolve complex and marginal reservoir stratigraphy.