CGG division Robertson Geolab has started a multi-client surface geochemistry (shallow core) survey to detect seafloor seepages of hydrocarbons in the South East Barents Sea.
The survey's aim is to detect active petroleum systems in the area, targeting both larger and smaller structures of interest. The extensive geochemical analysis program for both the gaseous and liquid hydrocarbons in the sediments will yield information as to the gas- or oil-affinity of the petroleum systems and the sourcing /maturity of the hydrocarbons, says CGG.
"This information will be of prime importance in connection with de-risking of areas by the oil companies, prior to more detailed investigations. It is therefore also of importance in limiting any future environmental issues, e.g. from over-drilling, and not least in assessing the background levels of natural seafloor seepage pollution that occurs in the region," CGG says.
The collected data will be processed to provide a full geochemical interpretation report, including anomaly mapping in ArcGIS format for assimilation into clients’ own seismic or geological databases. The final report for this survey will be available in December 2014.
Sophie Zurquiyah, Senior Executive Vice President of CGG’s Geology, Geophysics & Reservoir Division (GGR), said the survey will compliment CGG's existing exploration products, from its offshore hydrocarbon seeps database and regional Gravity & Magnetics coverage to BroadSeis surveys.
"It will result in unique exploration data, which directly targets and measures the hydrocarbons, within an exciting frontier area about which we have, as yet, very little information regarding active petroleum systems," she said.