PGS awarded major North Sea contract
  by: OilOnline
  Monday, June 04, 2001

Talisman Energy (UK) Ltd. awarded Petroleum Geo-Services ASA a significant contract to conduct a 3-D single source, 16-streamer survey covering approximately 2,580 square kilometers in the UK North Sea's Flotta Catchment Area. The area includes the Claymore, Scapa, Tartan, Highlander, Petronella, Piper B, Saltire and Chanter fields as well as the Flotta Terminal. Much of the area already has been covered by previous seismic surveys. This contract is the largest single source contract streamer survey ever acquired, and is being shot with PGS' vessel Ramform Victory. The survey, which began in late April, is scheduled for completion in August 2001. The Ramform Victory is deploying 16 streamers of 14,764 feet in length, for a total of 45 miles of streamer in the water.

The 16-streamer tow is a first for the oil and gas industry, surpassing the previous record of 12 streamers, according to PGS. The company said 16-streamer spreads offer significantly higher data quality compared to conventional 3-D surveys. Single source shooting substantially increases sampling redundancy at each subsurface reflection point that translates into significant improvements in data quality, particularly in geological areas normally characterized by poor data quality.