Royal Dutch Shell PLC and Hewlett-Packard Development Co. LP plan to develop a wireless sensing system to acquire extremely high-resolution seismic data on land.
The new system promises to vastly improve the quality of land seismic data by delivering a much higher channel count and a broader sensor frequency range than are currently available, the companies said.
One key to the system is a digital fluidic microelectromechanical systems accelerometer that is up to 1,000 times more sensitive than high-volume products currently available, HP said. The accelerometer, which measures vibration, shock, or change in velocity, is considered a breakthrough in nanosensing research.
Sensors based on this technology can achieve noise density performance in the sub-100 nano-g per square root Hz range, HP said.
Shell and HP will use their complementary knowledge and experience to produce a groundbreaking solution to sense, collect, and store geophysical data. The system is designed to integrate seamlessly with Shell's high-performance computing and seismic imaging environment and to be deployed safely and more cost-effectively than current systems, they said.
Gerald Schotman, Shell executive vice-president, innovation/research and development, said, "We think this will represent a leap forward in seismic data quality that will provide Shell with a competitive advantage in exploring difficult oil and gas reservoirs, such as subsalt plays in the Middle East or unconventional gas in North America. As a result of this exciting collaboration, we expect to fully realize the potential of Shell's processing and imaging technology on land."
Kenya
Platform Resources Inc., a subsidiary of Alberta Oilsands Inc., agreed to assign a 100% interest in Kenya blocks 12A and 13T to Africa Oil Corp., Vancouver, BC, in return for Africa Oil stock and warrants, subject to regulatory approvals.
The contract areas are next to Africa Oil's Block 10BB, where the 2009 Loperot-1 discovery is judged to have a best estimate of 15 million bbl of oil in place (OGJ Online, Sept. 15, 2009). The block has at least five other prospects and 17 leads.
Existing gravity data on blocks 12A and 13T suggest that the proven Lokichar basin and other prospective subbasins and known strong leads in Block 10BB may extend onto blocks 12A and 13T. Africa Oil plans to shoot seismic on the new blocks within months.
The PSCs on blocks 12A and 13T are for 3 years from September 2008. Initial minimum exploration expenditures are $3.65 million on 13T and $3.6 million on 12A. The initial exploration work program includes 500 line-km of 2D seismic or 100 sq km of 3D seismic on each block or a combination thereof.
Sao Tome & Principe
Sao Tome & Principe's National Petroleum Agency confirmed the award to ERHC Energy Inc., Houston, of 100% working interests in blocks 4 and 11 of the Sao Tome & Principe Exclusive Economic Zone in the Gulf of Guinea.
The confirmation follows ERHC's exercise of rights arising from prior agreements between ERHC and STP. The agency indicated that it expects to invite ERHC to negotiate production sharing contracts on the blocks.
The EEZ covers 160,000 sq km south and east of the Nigeria-Sao Tome & Principe Joint Development Zone. Block 4 is east of Principe, and Block 11 is east of Sao Tome.
ERHC also has rights to acquire up to a 15% paid working interest in two more blocks of its choice in the EEZ.
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