Business news for the week of 29 October 2008

Past news briefs

WesternGeco announces new contract with GAZPROM Libya B. V.
21 October 2008—WesternGeco was awarded a major land contract by GAZPROM Libya B. V.  The contract is for the acquisition and processing of 3400 km² of 3D seismic data over the Ghadames Basin.

GAZPROM selected the WesternGeco Q-Land high-channel-count, integrated point-receiver acquisition and processing system to acquire the data. Q-Land enables the WesternGeco single-sensor technology, resulting in effective noise attenuation and improved data quality. GAZPROM has also elected to use Maximum Displacement Sweep, a complementary methodology that enables a seismic vibrator to produce more energetic low frequencies than a traditional sweep design approach, to both increase seismic bandwidth and image deeper targets. GAZPROM will utilize the WesternGeco Desert Explorer family of land seismic vibrators.

ERDAS releases Map2PDF for IMAGINE
21 October 2008—ERDAS has released Map2PDF for IMAGINE, a new product combining TerraGo Technologies’ Map2PDF (now called Publisher) with the power of ERDAS IMAGINE.

With Map2PDF for IMAGINE, customers can transform and optimize any map or image into a geo-enabled PDF, also known as a GeoPDF. Professionals who have limited or no knowledge of complex GIS systems can now access and interact with intelligent maps and images. This includes high-quality image tools to create robust GeoPDF maps and images that can be used in Adobe Reader with the TerraGo Desktop application, formerly known as the GeoPDF Toolbar (a free, small-footprint plug-in).

This module extends TerraGo Technologies’ file format support, providing access to the 135 formats that ERDAS IMAGINE supports. Users can easily convert files, creating a PDF as an export function. The Map2PDF module can handle projects of any size, with the ability to batch-convert thousands of images or entire databases to GeoPDF images. In Adobe Reader, users can view, annotate, access, and coordinate information.

Additionally, users can also create cartographic, quality map compositions and export these to GeoPDF. Utilizing ERDAS IMAGINE’s Map Series tools, users can access standard templates or customize templates to create GeoPDFs of image map compositions in bulk form.

EMGS awarded contract in the Gulf of Mexico
21 October 2008—Electromagnetic Geoservices ASA was awarded a contract with the independent prospect generation company FOCUS Exploration to license multiclient EM data for exploration purposes in the Gulf of Mexico. The contract is worth more than US$4.6 million, with the potential for additional work and revenues for EMGS.

Paradigm signs global agreement with InnoCentive
21 October 2008—Paradigm has signed an agreement to expand internal technology development by posting critical high-priority challenges to InnoCentive for open innovation. The agreement connects Paradigm’s science and technology workers with InnoCentive’s global network of physicists, chemists, mathematicians, and other scientists.
 
Paradigm will utilize InnoCentive’s online network to connect with a global community of resources. Paradigm’s goal is to establish a vast web of innovative thinkers, working to solve a greater number of critical industry technology and business challenges in less time.