Case Study: Quality Data, Faster Decisions, Stronger Bids

The Location

Location

Pará-Maranhão Basin, offshore Brazil

Survey

PAMA 3D Phase I and Phase II

Survey Year

2024-2026

Data acquisition (in this study)

Narrow-Azimuth (NAZ) Towed Streamer

Data Deliverables

TTI PSDM Gathers/Stacks/Velocities

Survey Size

~19,400 sq. km (Phase I); ~11,500 sq. km (Phase II)

Total Permitted Area

~55,000 sq. km

The Equatorial Margin has attracted global attention following significant hydrocarbon discoveries in Guyana and Suriname, where more than 11 billion barrels of recoverable resources have been identified since 2015. As exploration interest expands westward along the transform margin, regional seismic datasets are essential to understand basin architecture and evaluate emerging play concepts across Brazil’s Equatorial Margin

PAMA 3D is a large-scale multi-client seismic program in the Pará-Maranhão Basin. Combined phases I and II cover over 30,000 sq. km, within a permitted area of approximately 55,000 sq. km, placing it among the largest multi-client programs in the industry. The program builds on the existing regional footprint and supports more than 25 blocks in upcoming licensing rounds.

The project was designed to support exploration in these challenging environments by combining an efficient one-sided wide-azimuth streamer layout with modern acquisition and imaging technologies. The integrated workflow enabled improved subsurface illumination and velocity model building while maintaining operational efficiency across a large deepwater survey area.

The Challenge

Imaging a Complex Frontier Basin

The Equatorial Margin contains complex depositional systems including deepwater fans and stratigraphic pinch-outs, combined with localized volcanic sequences and structurally complex fold-and-thrust zones. These features can distort seismic wave propagation and complicate velocity model building, requiring advanced acquisition and imaging workflows to deliver reliable subsurface images. Operationally, strong ocean currents can cause significant variations in vessel speeds, directly affecting shot overlap and the effectiveness of the deblending process.

Limited Regional Subsurface Context

Frontier basins often lack well control and seismic coverage, making regional seismic surveys essential for understanding basin structure and petroleum systems. Despite growing interest in the Equatorial Margin, the Pará-Maranhão Basin remains underexplored with insufficient seismic data to reveal large-scale plays. Operators require basin-scale seismic data to evaluate sediment pathways, structural trends and stratigraphic relationships across blocks. Without this, it is challenging to assess prospectivity, compare plays, or prioritize exploration targets confidently.

Managing a Program at Scale

PAMA 3D ranks among the world’s largest multi-client seismic programs, covering a permitted area of over 55,000 sq. km. Programs of this scale typically involve multiple service providers throughout the project lifecycle: permitting, acquisition, processing and commercialization.Industry research shows that geoscientists spend over 60% of their productive time managing seismic data⁽¹⁾ between systems, while fragmented operating models can leave more than $5 per barrel of oil equivalent (BOE) in unrealized value⁽²⁾.

Delivery Ahead of License Rounds

The PAMA 3D program includes blocks under study for 2026-2027 licensing rounds. Exploration teams require sufficient time to interpret regional data, identify play concepts, mature prospects, perform risk assessments and evaluate their bidding strategy before submitting bids. Any delay in acquisition, processing, or data delivery reduces the time available for technical analysis and can directly impact operators’ ability to assess risk and prepare competitive bids.

The Solution

Acquisition Design

T-Class Ramform Vessels
GeoStreamer multisensor technology

Pre-Processing Solution(s)

Modern broadband processing, including:

Machine learning denoise
FISTA inversion-based deblending
4D regularization and interpolation

VMB and Imaging

Dynamic Matching FWI
TTI LS-KPSDM and RTM

Commercial Model

Multi-Client, with industry support

Data Management

Imaging AnyWare® platform
Vessel-to-shore LEO satellite data transfer and continuous QC

The unique integrated business model provided by TGS enabled the seamless end-to-end management of the PAMA 3D project from survey planning through final commercialization. The company deployed Ramforms Atlas and Titan, both Titan-class seismic vessels, equipped with GeoStreamer® multi-sensor technology. Cloud-based data management and a digital data library infrastructure, with periodic data transfers via LEO satellites, reduced friction between the offshore and onshore processing teams.

The in-house imaging teams regularly communicated with the operations geophysicists on the vessels to maintain control over quality and schedule. Satellite transmission of data, Machine Learning (ML) workflows and Dynamic Matching Full Waveform Inversion (DM FWI) were leveraged to accelerate processing and imaging, maintaining data integrity. Continuous feedback between operational execution, technology teams and commercial planning was central to the integrated model.

The Results

Greater Subsurface Clarity. Reduced Geological Risk

The Ramform Atlas, equipped with GeoStreamer multisensor technology, enables broadband seismic data with improved low- and high-frequency signal recovery. Continuous vessel-to-shore data QC and machine learning-driven workflows accelerate processing while maintaining data quality. Dynamic Matching Full Waveform Inversion (DM FWI) yields high-resolution velocity models that incorporate diving waves and reflections. The resulting dataset provides operators with a more accurate understanding of the Mid-Cretaceous depocenter, formation of depositional fairways, location and complexity of fold and thrust belts, along with the potential of functioning petroleum systems in the area.

2D Final KPSDM

3D Fast-Track KPSDM

Earlier Insight for Licensing

While projects of this scale often involve multiple service providers across permitting, acquisition, processing and commercialization, TGS integrates acquisition, imaging and data delivery into an end-to-end workflow across the project lifecycle. This approach eliminates the operational inefficiencies associated with large seismic programs by minimizing data transfers, limiting repeated quality-control cycles and improving collaboration. The result is faster delivery of exploration-ready datasets through TGS’ Data Library and digital platform, allowing exploration teams to begin interpretation earlier and extend the time available for prospect evaluation ahead of upcoming licensing rounds.

Regional Exploration Context

The PAMA program provides basin-scale seismic coverage that supports regional geological analysis across the Equatorial Margin. Phase I delivers 19,343 sq. km of new 3D data, while Phase II expands coverage by approximately 11,500 sq. km. By combining TGS’ Multi-Client Data Library and data management infrastructure, the survey becomes part of a broader regional dataset that supports basin-wide interpretation. The scale of coverage allowed operators to evaluate structural trends, sediment pathways and petroleum system elements across multiple blocks rather than in isolation, strengthening exploration planning in Brazil’s Equatorial Margin.

Conclusion

The PAMA 3D program illustrates how integrated seismic execution can accelerate exploration in frontier basins. By combining basin-scale coverage, advanced imaging technologies and digital delivery platforms, TGS provides operators with earlier access to high-quality subsurface data, enabling faster prospect evaluation and more informed participation in upcoming licensing rounds across Brazil’s Equatorial Margin.

Commercial impact

Extensive Seismic Coverage

More than 30,000 sq. km of broadband 3D seismic across Phase I and Phase II.

Faster Decision-Making

Earlier access to exploration-ready seismic data ahead of licensing rounds.

Frontier Exploration Insights

Improved subsurface understanding across a frontier basin.

Reduced Risk

Reduced execution and schedule risk through an integrated project workflow.

Unique Business Model

Commercial alignment across the full project lifecycle.

Quality Data, Faster Decisions, Stronger Bids

The PAMA 3D program demonstrates how integrated acquisition, imaging and data delivery provide earlier access to broadband seismic data, enabling faster prospect evaluation in Brazil’s Equatorial Margin.