MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Argentina contracts 2D seismic survey in deep waters covering 435,000 sq km

Spectrum said data is being acquired with a 12,000 m streamer with continuous recording to enable extended recording lengths and high fold data

Norway's Spectrum has started a 35,000 km multi-client 2D seismic survey covering 435,000 km2 in the deep waters of Argentina in cooperation with YPF. The survey will provide industry with the first ever detailed seismic grid over this under-explored frontier area of Argentina, allowing for basin-wide studies of the area as well as prospect/lead level interpretation studies for upcoming license rounds.

 Spectrum explained data is being acquired with a 12,000 m streamer with continuous recording to enable extended recording lengths and high fold data to enable full interpretation from Moho to water bottom.

The data will be processed with PSTM, PSDM and Broadband products with first deliveries in early Q4 2017. The new data will be utilized to assist the Ministry in placement and design of parcels for the future license rounds offshore Argentina, the company noted.

Richie Miller, EVP Multi-Client Americas, said, “With the commencement of our first program in Argentina we again start to build a core area for Spectrum to grow and expand on. There has been no deep water exploration in Argentina and this survey will allow industry to get a look at a frontier area for the first time with modern long offset high fidelity data. This expansion of the Atlantic Margin seismic coverage, will soon allow Spectrum to offer a modern 2D library from French Guiana through Brazil to the edge of the Malvinas Basin offshore Argentina.”

The survey will be carried out in partnership with BGP Marine and is supported by industry funding. Spectrum has an extensive experience in Latin America. It has surveyed the Foz de Amazonas, Sergipe, Alagoas and Pelotas basins in Brazil; in association with Schlumberger it worked off Mexico in the Campeche-Yucatán basin and during 2014/15 it surveyed offshore Uruguay for several companies.