ION Initiates Next Phase of ArcticSPAN Seismic Data Program

8 July 2009

ION Geophysical Corporation has initiated the next phase of its ArcticSPAN seismic data program. Recognizing the hydrocarbon potential of the Arctic region, which the United States Geological Survey (USGS) estimates could contain 13% of the world’s undiscovered oil and 30% of the world’s undiscovered gas (earlier post), several of the world’s largest energy companies have agreed to underwrite a new, basin-scale imaging project to study the deep crustal architecture offshore Greenland.

Such BasinSPANs are deeply imaged seismic data programs. SPANs allow geoscientists to trace the basin-scale history of entire petroleum systems to determine where source rocks are most prevalent, where sediment fairways are located, and where the most promising migration paths from source to reservoir exist. SPANs are customized to image deep within the geologic section, cover an entire petroleum province, and overlay with areas of heightened structural or stratigraphic interest.

Towed streamer arrays can be very large, and require sophisticated handling. ION here shows a 16x12 km array overlaid on Manhattan. Source: ION. Click to enlarge.

Acquisition of this new phase of the ArcticSPAN program will be undertaken by the Octio Group, a subsidiary of Norway’s GC Rieber Shipping, utilizing ION’s Intelligent Acquisition [IA] streamer technologies.

IA integrates traditionally independent towed streamer technology into a single system. The core of IA is Orca, intelligent command and control software with survey-wide control and visibility to actively assess and optimize acquisition in real-time. Orca harnesses data from in-water equipment, on-board systems, and the environment to position the spread to ideal parameters. Dynamic horizontal streamer control is provided by DigiFIN; dynamic vertical control is provided by AcousticBird.

Orca controlling the streamer spread via DigiFIN. Source: ION. Click to enlarge.

The central Orca platform enables advanced capabilities such as streamer steering, line prioritization, obstruction modeling, current prediction, and coverage assessments.

ION first began the ArcticSPAN program in 2006 in the Canadian Beaufort and US Chukchi Seas to give geoscientists a basin-level tool for interpreting new petroleum systems in the offshore Arctic region, which had been largely unexplored by oil and gas companies since the 1980s.

The program layout was designed with the active participation of regional experts, with the goal of better understanding the regional geology and less explored basins in the region. Seismic data acquisition involved very long streamers of 9,000 meters, record lengths of 18 seconds, and a specially designed seismic source to illuminate the basin.

Nearly 20,000 km of seismic data currently exist within the ArcticSPAN library. This season’s Greenland program is expected to add an additional 6,500 km of data that will be imaged by ION’s GX Technology subsidiary.

Based on our success with [ArcticSPAN], several of our BasinSPAN customers asked us to undertake a deep crustal study in a region offshore Greenland that is largely unexplored and potentially prospective. Given the harsh operating conditions in this area and the short weather window for acquisition, we needed to design a highly customized seismic program that allows operations to proceed in a highly efficient manner and with the utmost environmental sensitivity.

—Ken Williamson, Senior Vice President of ION’s Integrated Seismic Solutions group

Acquisition for this phase of ArcticSPAN is expected to be conducted during an extended seasonal window with operations beginning in July 2009 and ending by October 2009.