NORWAY TO LAUNCH SEISMIC VESSEL

Oslo's PGS Exploration AS expects very soon to launch Ramform Explorer, a seismic survey vessel built to a new design. The vessel, much wider than conventional survey ships, appears to be chopped off straight across the stern. John Greenway, corporate marketing coordinator for PGS, said the new hull shape was designed to boost the number of parallel streamers the ship can tow. Ramform Explorer is designed to tow eight to 112 streamers, each up to 6,000 m long with as many as nine air gun
May 1, 1995
2 min read

Oslo's PGS Exploration AS expects very soon to launch Ramform Explorer, a seismic survey vessel built to a new design.

The vessel, much wider than conventional survey ships, appears to be chopped off straight across the stern.

John Greenway, corporate marketing coordinator for PGS, said the new hull shape was designed to boost the number of parallel streamers the ship can tow. Ramform Explorer is designed to tow eight to 112 streamers, each up to 6,000 m long with as many as nine air gun sources.

The ship is 82.2 m long and 39.6 m across at its widest point, the stern. Draft is 5.7 m and gross tonnage 8,000 metric tons.

Although the vessel is about the same width as a tanker, it is much more maneuverable because it is powered by three rotatable thrusters, Greenway said.

Ramform Explorer will undergo configuration trials this month, after which it will sail to the U.K. to begin its first survey.

Shell U.K. Exploration & Production, operator, , for the Shell U.K. Ltd.-Esso Exploration & Production U.K. Ltd. combine, has hired the vessel to acquire 260 sq km of seismic data centered around Brent field's Bravo platform. Brent B is being refurbished in Shell-Esso's redevelopment of Brent field and is expected back on production in August (OGJ, Apr. 12, 1993, p. 285.

Greenway explained that a detailed look at the reservoir will aid production at lower pressure to squeeze out remaining oil and extend the field's life as a gas producer.

Shell-Esso has specified that PGS use eight streamers 50 m apart to give a spacing of 12.5 m between seismic data lines.

Copyright 1995 Oil & Gas Journal. All Rights Reserved.

Sign up for Oil & Gas Journal Newsletters