SEISMIC PROGRAM SCHEDULED OFF PERU

Offshore Peru is scheduled to have its first major seismic survey in 20 years.

A joint venture of Ribiana Inc., Katy, Tex., and Simon Petroleum Technology, North Wales, is undertaking a $10 million, 1 year seismic survey of Peru's outer continental shelf. The venture has signed a contract with state owned Petroleos del Peru and started operating the MV Digicon Explorer seismic vessel. The 360 day contract calls for 10,000 line km of survey.

An initial 5,000 line km of seismic, magnetic, and gravimetric survey is planned between Bayovar and Huacho off Peru's northern coast. The Digicon Explorer later will extend the survey north to the Ecuadorian border and south to an area off Pisco, said Joseph Keeling, Ribiana president and venture manager.

Keeling expects to have all data recorded and processed by Digicon in 12-18 months. Petroperu will receive all data free, beginning with preliminary results within a month and periodically thereafter. It will use the data to promote exploration contracts offshore.

Thus far, 23 international petroleum companies have expressed interest in acquiring rights to the nonexclusive data.

Peru's last major seismic survey of its continental shelf was conducted by Delta Exploration in 1973-74 with equipment that was modern for its day. Keeling said, however, that equipment does not compare with the computerized instruments in use today. The Digicon Explorer uses 196 recording channels and has a 4,500 m instrumented cable, compared with 24 channels and 16 m cables used 20 years ago.

The Delta survey was licensed to about 40 companies. Keeling expects the current survey to boost interest from more companies.

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