TGS has been a leading seismic provider in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico (GOM) since the early days of offshore exploration. In the 1980s and 1990s TGS acquired multiple phases of 2D seismic, creating a seamless grid of data across the entire region. When the industry transitioned to 3D seismic, TGS was well positioned to apply its geological understanding of the GOM to target core areas to grow its library. The same happened as exploration focus moved to subsalt imaging. TGS responded by upgrading to WAZ and then M-WAZ acquisition in the same core areas. Now TGS is once again at the forefront of new technology, delivering ultra-long offset OBN data to help exploration companies find new sub-salt resources close to existing infrastructure.
InnovationThe complex salt in the US GOM that covers a vast proven hydrocarbon resource has driven the seismic industry to develop new tools to improve imaging and keep up with drilling and production technology.
TGS has pioneered a new approach to seismic through applying the latest acquisition, processing and compute technologies. The combination of ocean bottom node data, used to record ultra-long offsets and full waveform inversion, is expected to deliver a significant uplift to the velocity model which in turn will be used to amend the existing underlying data. This approach will allow exploration companies to continue to find and delineate new resources in the GOM for many years to come.
The United States GOM has been a target of large-scale oil and gas exploration for over a century. It currently accounts for 17 percent of the total U.S. oil production and 5 percent of the total gas production. The area has historically been the testing ground for new drilling technologies promoting rigs capable of operating 250 miles offshore in ocean depths greater than 10,000 feet.
Imagining and data processing technology typically develops at a much faster pace than acquisition technology, driven by advances in compute power. With its extensive library and intimate knowledge of the regional geology, TGS has led the industry in multi-client reprocessing of seismic data in the GOM. TGS is currently applying a combination of technologies including Dynamic Matching FWI to improve the velocity and salt model, and increase the frequency content in data. This reprocessing has strong support from many exploration and production companies and is targeting the Mesozoic level, including the highly prolific Norphlet play, as well as shallower horizons.
Our solution gives geoscientists the subsurface depth and breadth of knowledge to understand drilling risks, reduce uncertainty, and improve well performance. Fast and easy access to TGS' vast library of well data is available through the R360, our unique subsurface intelligence portal.
Our solution gives geoscientists the subsurface depth and breadth of knowledge to understand drilling risks, reduce uncertainty, and improve well performance. Fast and easy access to TGS' vast library of well data is available through the R360, our unique subsurface intelligence portal
The U.S. Department of the Interior’s Land and Mineral Management and Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) has announced an oil and gas lease sale for the GOM on November 17, 2021.
Click here for more information.
