Business news for the week of 2 November 2009 News section front
Past news briefs
Seismic crew survey reports MMS awards digital well log data management contract to TGS
20 October 2009—The US Department of Interior's Minerals Management Service (MMS) has entered into a new contract with TGS-NOPEC Geophysical Company (TGS) for well-log data management services over the next five years in the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS). Under the agreement, TGS also will provide the MMS with historic data from the Gulf of Mexico. This agreement marks TGS' second contract to manage well-log data for the MMS. The MMS first selected TGS as their service provider for new-drill data management services in 2004. In this role, TGS acts as the collection point for all operator acquired well log data in the OCS regions. After receiving the data, TGS processes it to the MMS' standard and then serves as the official release agent to the public once the operator's proprietary period has elapsed. TerraSpark Geosciences announces software to enable customized, high-performance extensions of Insight Earth
27 October 2009—TerraSpark Geosciences announced the launch of its software development kit (SDK) for Insight Earth, a tool for developing customized extensions and plug-ins to the Insight Earth 3D visualization and interpretation suite. Insight Earth users can utilize the new SDK’s C++ plug-in architecture to extend Insight Earth’s capabilities by integrating existing proprietary algorithms and creating customized, high-performance volume attributes or custom volumetric algorithms and calculations. The development kit enhances the integrated workflows made possible by Insight Earth’s interoperability with OpenSpirit software and OpenSpirit-enabled applications and will permit developers to harness the massively parallel processing power of graphics processing units to accelerate nongraphics computation for large volume data sets. It also allows developers to add support for proprietary volume file formats. Future versions of this SDK will support custom processes that operate on Faults, Horizons and other data types supported by Insight Earth’s interpretation capabilities. Austin GeoModeling extends integration of RECON solution using OpenSpirit
26 October 2009—Austin GeoModeling will leverage the OpenSpirit interoperability framework to enable users of its RECON 3D geological interpretation solution to transfer data to and from third-party software. End users will now be able to integrate Recon into their existing seismic to simulation workflows, transferring data between Recon and existing geology, geophysics, and engineering software platforms. AGM's RECON is a real-time upstream geological interpretation workflow tool designed for structural and stratigraphic correlation in a 3D interpretation environment. Its cascade technology enables fast deterministic scenario and sensitivity analysis workflows, facilitating improved definition and accuracy of structural and stratigraphic geological frameworks. ffA and OpenSpirit partner
26 October 2009—ffA and OpenSpirit Corporation agreed to provide multivendor connectivity to users of ffA’s 3D seismic analysis products using the OpenSpirit software development kit. ffA’s SVI Pro and SEA 3D Pro seismic analysis applications will be able to reach out to any OpenSpirit-enabled data store to access data and share interaction events with other geotechnical software. ffA software extracts 3D representations of subsurface geology directly from 3D seismic data sets. SMT releases of KINGDOM 8.5
26 October 2009—SMT announced the release of KINGDOM 8.5, which introduces KINGDOM GeoModeling, the first modular extension of SMT’s KINGDOM advanced product line announced earlier this year. KINGDOM GeoModeling allows organizations to conduct integrated interpretation and 3D geocellular modeling in a single product, enabling interpreters and modelers to share the same workspace during prospect evaluation. KINGDOM GeoModeling incorporates patented 3D gridding technology from JewelSuite, a provider of Windows-based reservoir modeling software. Unlike older gridding technologies, the second generation JewelSuite 3D gridding capability allows complex structural environments to be modeled without compromising the integrity and accuracy of the original structural interpretation. With the incorporation of JewelSuite gridding technology into KINGDOM GeoModeling, SMT now offers both interpretation and 3D geocellular modeling in a single, fully integrated product. KINGDOM 8.5 also has numerous enhancements. Most significantly, KINGDOM Data Management 8.5 is replacing the current OpenKINGDOM Domain product. This update maintains the historical features of OpenKINGDOM while providing new functionality. New features include the ability to transfer data between KINGDOM projects, which allow users to easily select data and create project subsets, or combine data from multiple projects. Customers can now run QC scripts against KINGDOM projects to check for erroneous results and correct them directly in the interface. Other capabilities include the ability to save and restore maps, create and apply display templates for all vertical sections, and improvements in the auto tracker. Customers who have purchased OpenKINGDOM Domain will receive KINGDOM Data Management as part of their standard maintenance. KINGDOM 8.5 is expected to be available in late Q4, 2009. KINGDOM GeoModeling allows organizations to conduct integrated interpretation and 3D geocellular modeling in a single product, enabling interpreters and modelers to share the same workspace during prospect evaluation. Spectraseis announces joint industry project (JIP) for low frequency seismic research
24 October 2009—Spectraseis announced the formation of a multiyear joint industry project (JIP) for the research and development of low-frequency seismic technologies for hydrocarbon reservoir detection and characterization. This cooperative program is called the low-frequency seismic partnership (LFSP). Confirmed participants in the LFSP, which will run through 2012, are Cairn, Chevron, ExxonMobil, GDF Suez, and Pemex. An Asian national oil company will join the LFSP over the coming months. The scope of the LFSP program will cover key application elements of low-frequency seismic technology, such as data acquisition and processing, as well as fundamental theoretical studies, in partnership with researchers at Spectraseis, the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH) in Zurich, and the University of Bern. CGGVeritas deploys SeisMovie for heavy oil production
26 October 2009—CGGVeritas announced the successful completion of the acquisition phase of a first continuous land 3D SeisMovie project conducted for Shell Canada in the Peace River region, Alberta, Canada. The project is a joint technology trial with Shell Canada; data acquisition spanned 90 days of continuous operations and was completed with zero HSE incidents. SeisMovie, a patented reservoir monitoring technology, is particularly applicable to steam-assisted heavy oil production. On this project, multiple permanently buried SeisMovie sources were continuously and simultaneously activated over a period of three months to collect up to 1 TB of raw data daily. After real-time in-field automatic processing, a daily stack was produced. These data are currently being analysed, in a collaborative effort between Shell and CGGVeritas, to extract a time-lapse reservoir signal. GeoTomo signs agreement with Royal Dutch Shell
26 October 2009—GeoTomo LLC announced that it has entered a development and licensing contract with Royal Dutch Shell. This multiyear agreement will provide all Shell companies and affiliates access to GeoTomo’s TomoPlus software system for near-surface modeling. ew Spectrum multiclient project offshore Madagascar
3 November 2009—Spectrum has signed an agreement with OMNIS, the state agency responsible for upstream activities in Madagascar, to reprocess 6000 line km of seismic data. The surveys include data offshore the west, south, and east coasts, over the Morondava and Majunga basins, the Cap Sainte-Marie and Ile Sainte-Marie (St. Mary's Island), respectively. Spectrum will produce new data sets for open licensing blocks offshore the south and east coasts, and the west coast where a long line ties both awarded and open blocks. The reprocessed data sets will be made available through Spectrum's multiclient library when the reprocessing is completed in 2010. | 
