Frontier Campeche seismic survey begins

Aug. 10, 2015
Schlumberger has begun a multiclient seismic survey of frontier acreage of the offshore Campeche basin of Mexico using technology designed for subsurface complexity.

Schlumberger has begun a multiclient seismic survey of frontier acreage of the offshore Campeche basin of Mexico using technology designed for subsurface complexity.

The project indicates continuing interest in Mexican prospects newly accessible to international operators under reformed energy law. The country’s first open bid round, held July 15, resulted in license awards for only 2 of 14 blocks on offer in shallow water, mostly off Tabasco (OGJ Online, July 16, 2015).

Observers have attributed the limited bidding in that historic round to problems with production-sharing contract design (OGJ Online, July 27, 2015).

Later rounds are to offer blocks in deep water and onshore, including shale basins.

For the new surveys, two fleets of WesternGeco vessels will use wide-azimuth, long-offset, and broadband technologies addressing problems created by features encountered in the 80,000-sq-km area of interest such as near-salt and subsalt structures, complex faulted structures, and deep-thrusted structures, Schlumberger said.

Data acquisition is to be complete in early 2016.