Business news for the week of 3 December 2008

Past news briefs

TGS initiates interpretation project in Brazil
24 November 2008—The Geological Products and Services division of TGS-NOPEC Geophysical Company announced that it has commenced a new multiclient interpretive study of offshore Brazil utilizing the company's Facies Map Browser application. The FMB allows explorationists to visualize the distribution of and relationship between the various elements of a petroleum system within a depositional basin.

This study, which is funded by several oil companies, will utilize borehole information and seismic data to map the development of depositional systems offshore Brazil in the form of sequence-constrained environmental facies distribution maps. The first phase of the project, the Santos Basin FMB, is scheduled for completion by end Q1 2009. Additional phases in the Campos and Espirito Santo basins will be completed in 2009 and 2010.

The FMB has become established as a well and interpreted facies database and visualization tool in northwest Europe, where some 50 exploration companies subscribe to and utilize a series of nine regional FMB areas in their exploration and new ventures activities. Additional FMB studies have been conducted in North America and are planned for other international areas.

Zokero announces the SeisWare 7.0 release
1 December 2008—Zokero announced that it has released SeisWare 7.0. This version of the PC-based seismic interpretation software has 3D Seismic Visualizer and Data List Manager and includes software enhancements to time slices, log editor, culture editor, data import and export, wavelet analysis, and more.

SeisWare 7.0 is available to existing customers at no cost and is an all-inclusive package to new users at a price that includes support, maintenance, and all product upgrades.

CGGVeritas announces award for advanced 3D seismic acquisition in Venezuela
2 December 2008—CGGVeritas has been awarded a land 3D seismic survey by PDVSA for the largest program recorded in Venezuela. The project, valued at US$100 million, will commence in early 2009 and is expected to last approximately six months.

Schlumberger introduces new downhole fluid measurements
3 December 2008—Schlumberger announced the release of the InSitu Family reservoir fluid measurements. These measurements are acquired with the InSitu Fluid Analyzer system, which delivers the next generation of measurements for real-time downhole fluid analysis.

Today the InSitu Family portfolio comprises seven measurement services:

  • InSitu Composition hydrocarbon fluid composition measurement
  • InSitu GOR reservoir fluid gas/oil ratio measurement
  • InSitu CO2 reservoir fluid CO2 measurement
  • InSitu Density reservoir fluid density measurement
  • InSitu Color reservoir fluid color measurement
  • InSitu Fluorescence reservoir fluid fluorescence measurement
  • InSitu pH reservoir fluid pH measurement

Quantitative fluid measurements that were previously unachievable from wireline technology are now possible downhole and in real time. By investigating fluids at the reservoir, a deeper insight to fluid composition and distribution is gained for improved reservoir understanding.

Schlumberger opens technology center in Calgary
3 December 2008—Schlumberger inaugurated a new oil-field technology center in Calgary, Alberta. The center will work directly with oil-field technical teams and regional research facilities.

The Heavy Oil Regional Technology Center will provide a working environment where clients can work with Schlumberger geoscientists and petroleum engineers to solve challenges associated with heavy oil recovery. These research projects include, but are not limited to, innovative geological and geophysical services, advanced well placement strategies, new formation evaluation and characterization techniques, and novel integrated completions and monitoring programs.

The facility features a 3D visualization center, a high-performance computing cluster, a multiuse conference center, and an interactive collaboration space designed to accommodate locally based scientists and engineers as well as short- and long-term visiting experts and clients.