Welcome to PETEX

Knowledge Sweet Spots are Focus of Technical Program

By oliver quinn, ophir energy

it is with great pleasure that I welcome you all to PETEX 2014, our largest conference and exhibition to date. 2014

continues to see change and innovation at PETEX, includ-ing a move east to our new home at the ExCeL conference venue. The pending redevelopment of Earls Court leaves a paucity of large exhibition space in central London, and with the recent growth of PETEX the larger ExCeL site allows for a comfortable space and even more room to ex-pand. The new venue represents a change in character and neighborhood but still retains the key facilities characteristic of a successful PETEX.

The 2014 conference is a significant milestone in PETEX history, representing 25 years since the first event in 1989. The event has come a long way from those early beginnings and is now a key E&P meeting on both the U.K. and inter-national calendar, attracting more than 3,500 attendees in 2012 with a world-class technical program and leading in-dustry exhibitors. This year again sees a wide range of events anchored around an incredibly strong series of presentations covering topics as diverse as African exploration and the lat-

est developments in 4-D seismic. 2014 also sees the return of the popular 3-D Visualization Theater showcasing break-ing software and technology developments.

The final day of the conference sees the introduction of a new event, the PETEX Forum, a question time-style in-teractive debate centered around the technical aspects and feasibility of developing U.K. shale gas. While the environ-mental, social and political issues are paramount in the fu-ture story of U.K. unconventionals PETEX provides a great forum to debate, within the subsurface community, the geo-logical and drilling opportunities and challenges.

As always, the conference provides a packed social agenda from the cocktail party on Tuesday night, to the pub crawl Wednesday and the Sundowner event on Thursday. These events are only possible through the generous support of our sponsors and exhibitors, so a big thank you goes to them.

Last, but by no means least, I would like to thank the many volunteers composing the organizing and technical committees as well as the Petroleum Exploration Society of Great Britain office staff for their dedication and hard work in ensuring PETEX 2014 is a fitting legacy for that first event 25 years ago! n

By ricki charles, shell

pETEX 2014 sees me reprise the role of chairman of the technical committee. I must start by expressing my sin-

cere thanks to the volunteer members of the committee, without who’s support the program would not be the most extensive to date. Indeed, in addition to the core techni-cal program on Tuesday and Wednesday, we have the PE-TEX Forum on Thursday morning, the PETEX seminars on Thursday afternoon with the 3-D Visualization Theater and oral poster program across three days. The Wednesday program will see five parallel technical streams, plus the Post-graduate Research Collaboration Showcase.

2014 marks a significant milestone for a number of rea-sons. For the industry as a whole, we have celebrated the 50th anniversary of the first U.K. Seaward License Round. Even back in those sensational days of the huge discoveries in the 1970s and 1980s, I am sure few people would have predicted the basin to still be producing today, let alone in 2030. Members of the Petroleum Exploration Society of Great Britain (PESGB) will also be well aware that we celebrate the 50th anniversary of the society this year, and

PETEX itself reaches its 25th birthday. It’s a real privilege to be able to contribute in this really important year.

As a team, the committee has aspired to deliver a techni-cal program that would appeal across the PESGB member-ship. We have designed the program to be current and topi-cal, encompassing a variety of themes ranging from frontier exploration to the latest developments in existing basins. Once again this year, the unifying theme is enabling tech-nology, and we hope the program will encourage knowl-edge-sharing and a cross-fertilization of ideas that will be beneficial to you and your organizations.

Over the course of recent PETEX events, there has been a deliberate move to internationalize the technical program, reflecting the reality that many of our U.K.-based friends and colleagues are increasingly focused on a globally di-verse portfolio of assets and interests. The program this year continues to develop this international flavor with thematic sets on emerging plays on both West and East African mar-gins, Newfoundland and Nova Scotia, and underexplored areas in the Arctic region.

See WELCOME continued on page 8

E&P DA I LY NEWS • nov. 18, 2 0 1 4 • P R E V I E W

PETEX 2014 Conference & Exhibition DAILYNEWS

CELEBRATING 25 YEARS, 1989 - 2014 OFFICIAL SHOW DAILY PUBLISHER OF PETEX 2014

LONDON PREVIEW

Show marks 25 years of technological developments and industry advances.

International theme spotlights developments in emerging plays.

The Official Show Daily of PETEX 2014Visit Hart Energy at booth H2 or at www.epmag.com

E&P Daily News is edited by the staff of Hart En-ergy, an information provider for the global energy industry. Opinions herein do not necessarily reflect

the opinion of the organizer or Hart Energy.

N O V E M B E R 2 0 1 4

E P M A G . C O M

A new dawn in independence ENERGYGlobalHeavy Oil

ROVs & AUVs

Basin Modeling

Land Rig Advances

REGIONAL

REPORT:

SOUTHEASTASIA

991-994 covers-NOV_991-994 covers-NOV 10/21/14 5:36 PM Page 991i n S i D E T H i S i S S u E

3 ScHEDulE Of EvENtS

4 PSDM briNgS PrOfOuND uNDErStaNDiNg

6 Structural MODEliNg tOOlS fOr Oil aND gaS rEcOvEry

9 flOOr PlaN aND liSt Of ExHibitOrS

10 rEDEfiNiNg SEiSMic iNvErSiON

11 NEw MuSEuM will OffEr yEar-rOuND viEwiNg

PETEX – More Than Just a Technical Event

A number of social events have been organized alongside the technical presentations and exhibition at PETEX 2014.

contriButed By peteX

pETEX is widely regarded as a first-class techni-cal conference and exhibition. Over the years, it

has become a must-attend event for geoscientists working in the hydrocarbon basins of Europe, the North Atlantic and Africa, who want to keep abreast of current exploration thinking and techniques. But it is more than that. It is also a valuable networking event where like-minded people gather to discuss the upstream industry at large and seek solutions for some of the complex technical issues that affect the day-to-day working life of the modern exploration-ist or production geoscientist. The PETEX organizing committee feels strongly that PETEX should be seen as a social, as well as a technical, event. Part of the purpose of PETEX is to stimulate the cross-fertilization of ideas. The committee considers that, as a result, the industry will become better informed and culturally stronger. There has been a long tradition at PETEX of seek-ing opportunities for delegates to network. This PE-TEX is no exception, and it is with that purpose in mind that a number of social events have been organized alongside the technical presentations and exhibition. On Tuesday evening at the end of the first day of the conference, the cocktail party is scheduled to take place. This is a reception with canapés held in the exhibition hall between 5 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. following the close of the technical session, while the exhibition remains open. It is open to all PE-TEX attendees and provides delegates with the op-portunity to tour the booths in convivial surround-ings and talk to exhibitors—something they might not otherwise do if the draw of the technical ses-sion during the day is too great to resist. Since many of the exhibitors are presenting technical papers, a visit to the exhibition often will give delegates the chance to discuss content seen during the day with the authors or to follow up on technology outlined in the many case studies. As an additional incen-tive to meet delegates, many exhibitors support the evening by providing refreshments at their booths.

*Mark of Schlumberger. © 2014 Schlumberger. 14-SE-0145

Focus is what separates guesswork from certainty.To truly understand the subsurface and minimize risk, you need images that are clear and accurate. WesternGeco technology delivers unsurpassed imaging in any environment.

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3E&P DAILY NEWS | NOV. 18, 2014 | P R E V I E W *Mark of Schlumberger. © 2014 Schlumberger. 14-SE-0145

Focus is what separates guesswork from certainty.To truly understand the subsurface and minimize risk, you need images that are clear and accurate. WesternGeco technology delivers unsurpassed imaging in any environment.

IsoMetrix* marine isometric seismic technology provides clarity in all dimensions—the world’s first true 3D.

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Schedule of eventS

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AUDITORIUM

13.30 East Africa rift exploration: What worked, what didn’t and future challenges.I. Cloke (Tullow Oil Plc)

14.00 The South Lokichar Basin, Turkana, Northern Kenya toward first oil.A. Norman (Tullow Oil Plc)

14.30 Sequence stratigraphy of offshore Tanzania.P. Samson (BG Group)

AUDITORIUM

15.30 Integration of rock physics and seismic interpretation – the opening of an overlooked West African stratigraphic hydrocarbon play. K. MacAllister and T. Daley (Bowleven Plc), M. Bacon (Ikon Science), S. Tamfu and P. Nguema (SNH)

16.00 Harper Basin: hydrocarbon po-tential in undrilled basin revealed by 3-D seismic. P. Conn, R. Masotti, J. Halliday, R. Mansfield, S. Kadir, F. Winter and I. Deighton (TGS)

16.30 The Namibian Atlantic Margin south of the Walvis Ridge: piecing together the jigsaw of a potentially prospective new frontier. G. Pritchard (Serica Energy Plc)

HALL 1

13.30 Deriving value with waves: current and future trends in the seismic method. J. Etgen (BP Explo-ration Operating Co. Ltd.)

14.00 Case studies for a new multime-asurement towed streamer – examples from around the world. C. Cunnell and P. Watterson (Schlumberger)

14.30 Complete wavefield imaging: a North Sea case study. G. Rønholt, Ø. Korsmo, S. Brown, S. Brandsberg-Dahl, A. Valenciano, N. Chemingui, D. Whit-more (PGS) and J. Lie (Lundin Norway)

HALL 1

15.30 Maximizing asset value at Forties through continued investment in seismic.G. Byerley, P. Rose, L. Singer, J. Pyle and J. Towart (Apache North Sea)

16.00 Broadband acquisition and processing for 4-D – a North Sea case study. E. Hicks, H. Hoeber, G. Poole, A. Varghese (CGG), B. King and K. Simonsen (Statoil)

16.30 Broadband processing in the Norwegian Barents Sea – under-standing the challenges and solutions.A. Hardwick, H. Masoomzadehand J. Gromotka (TGS)

HALL 2

13.30 The U.K. Market: A&D and activ-ity levels: past, present and future.C. Bulley (Hannon Westwood Ltd.)

14.00 Why continue to carry out regional prospectivity evaluations of North Sea plays?C. Penman (Senergy Ltd.) and D. Mudge (Ternan Ltd.)

14.30 Shallow (post-Paleogene) gas in the central North Sea – potential re-source, indicator of underexplored petro-leum systems, or “just” a drilling hazard. R. Milton-Worssell (DECC), D. Cameron, M. Sankey and K. Kassyk (BGS)

HALL 2

15.30 Subsalt prestack inversion pro-vides new insight into southern North Sea intra-Carboniferous play.K. Rodriguez, S. Spoors, R. Yates, H. Nicholls and N. Hodgson (Spectrum ASA)

16.00 The Breagh Field – gas from the Lower Carboniferous Yoredale Formation.R. Symonds (RWE Dea)

16.30 Zircon geochronology – improv-ing the understanding of the provenance of the Upper Carboniferous/Lower Per-mian sandstones in the southern North Sea. T. Morgan, T. Pearce, J. Martin, I. Sevastjanova and A. Finlay (Chemostrat Ltd.) and F. Cram (Hansa Hydrocarbons)

AUDITORIUM — KEYNOTE ADDRESSES

10.00 Executive Director’s Welcome Address – Guy Elliott, Executive Director, PESGB10.10 Chairman’s Opening Address – Oliver Quinn, PETEX Chair, Ophir Energy Plc

10.20 Sir Ian Wood, Leader of the UKCS Maximizing Recovery Review10.45 Richard Herbert, Chief Operating Officer, BP Exploration

11.10 Alastair Milne, Vice President Exploration Sub-Saharan Africa, Shell11.35 Jon Erik Reinhardsen, Chief Executive Officer, PGS

12.00 Oonagh Werngren, Operations Director, Oil and Gas UK

SPECIAL SESSION — DATA MANAgEMENT IN THE NEXT DECADE.

New to the schedule this year is a special session on data management, to be held on the afternoon of Tuesday, Nov. 18 in the dining hall. Data management is being seen as increasingly important as a discipline in its own right, and the session includes speakers from companies that specialize in supporting operators as well as nonprofit and government agencies. Please come and support the PESGB Data Manage-ment SIG, which has organized this special session on behalf of the PESGB and PETEX Committee.

The Keynote presentation “Developing a Professional Data Management Organization,” will be given by Malcolm Flem-ing of CDA, the body that enables access to exploration data, both on- and offshore for the U.K. Malcolm will be presenting on the current initiatives to professionalize data management and will set the theme for the afternoon. Trudy Curtis, CEO of PPDM, will be speaking about business and data rules in a session titled “Don’t Break Them – Make Them! Rules that Create Order from Data Chaos” and will be focusing on the development of standard rules to support the industry.

The data management elephant in the room will be discussed by Ed Evans of NDB, and following a short break, Paul Duller of Tribal will be presenting a case study on data manage-ment disasters. Jill Lewis of Troika will continue the global theme, describing the creation of a national data repository in Ghana, and Simon Cushing, director at Venture Information Management, will round off the session with a discussion on E&P data management and professional competencies.

The full program is as follows:14.00 Keynote presentation: Developing a professional data management organization – M. Fleming, CDA14.25 Don’t break them – make them! Rules that create order from data chaos – T. Curtis, PPDM14.50 The data management elephant (in your room) – E. Evans, NDB Ltd.15.45 Data management disasters: San Bruno, the largest natural gas disaster in U.S. History – P. Duller, Tribal Group Plc16.10 Creating a national data repository in Ghana – J. Lewis, Troika International Ltd.16.35 E&P data management and professional competen-cies in a changing industry – S. Cushing, Venture Information Management Ltd.

12.25 LUNCH

15.00 REFRESHMENT BREAK

17.00 CLOSE OF CONFERENCE SESSION

Tuesday, Nov. 18

4 P R E V I E W | NOV. 18, 2014 | E&P DAILY NEWS

Central North Sea: PSDM Brings Profound UnderstandingA company’s dataset addresses imaging challenges to create new opportunities.

contriButed By cgg

although the central North Sea is a mature basin, it is still rich in opportunities for the development and

discovery of new fields, as the area is notoriously chal-lenging for seismic imaging, especially in the deep, HP/HT part of the Central Graben. However, the company’s extensive Cornerstone dataset benefits from a portfolio of new technology to address these imaging challenges, creating new opportunities. The entire volume has been enhanced to capitalize on recent developments in broad-band technology, velocity modeling and demultiple tech-niques. Recent phases of acquisition have used BroadSeis variable-depth streamers and the BroadSource broadband source, delivering ghost-free data with more than six oc-taves of bandwidth.

With four octaves of signal below 40 Hz, BroadSeis pro-vides the best resolution for imaging below the base Cre-taceous unconformity. Combining BroadSeis with Broad-Source also delivers high frequencies up to the sampling Nyquist frequency for incredible resolution of shallow channels and geohazards.

Advanced ghost wavefield elimination has been applied to the legacy Cornerstone data to extend the band-width as near as possible to the new BroadSeis data, so that they can be merged to create a contiguous broadband prestack depth-migrated (PSDM) dataset. The bandwidth achievable depends on the signal-to-noise ratio in the recorded data, so the ultralow fre-quencies of BroadSeis true broadband data cannot be obtained. Neverthe-less, considerable improve-ments have been delivered, providing a 35,000-sq-km (13,513-sq-mile) broad-band PSDM dataset. New demultiple techniques, such as model-based wa-

ter-layer demultiple and internal multiple modeling, have been applied to this dataset and deliver vast reductions in the multiple contamination that has historically afflicted central North Sea datasets.

Large-scale Quaternary channeling in the near surface strongly influences the imaging of deeper data. Recent advances in full-waveform inversion and dip-constrained tomography have enabled highly detailed velocity models to be built incorporating these channels, resulting in more accurate imaging of deeper events.

There are also complex structures with strong velocity contrasts found here, often located at great depths, where limitations of available data might restrict velocity and anisotropy modeling. Multilayer tomography (TomoML) brings stability and accuracy to velocity modeling in such areas, producing more geologically plausible models and providing improved imaging results. Applying these tech-niques to the entire Cornerstone dataset with extensive well control has produced a regional anisotropic PSDM dataset with better local detail and definition than previ-ous proprietary datasets tailored to specific local targets.

The new east-west-oriented Cornerstone Phase 8 BroadSeis-BroadSource survey overshoots the existing conventional long-offset, north-south-oriented data. This new survey has been combined with the reprocessed ear-lier data to provide a dual-azimuth volume over the HP/HT area of the Central Graben, with all the inherent ben-efits of dual-azimuth data: increased sampling, options to apply true 3-D processing algorithms for better noise and multiple attenuation, improved illumination beneath the base Cretaceous, and optimal imaging of subtle features such as four-way closures due to more accurate veloc-ity and anisotropy models. The dataset shows significant improvements in imaging below the base Cretaceous un-conformity and might indicate the future path of North Sea acquisition.

In addition to the best-quality seismic data, CGG also provides advanced, value-added pore pressure prediction (PPP) and Facies Finder products over Cornerstone to aid the understanding of existing and potential new reservoirs.

PPP provides volumetric estimates of pore pressure across the deep part of the Central Graben to identify potential drilling hazards and improve well positioning. CGG combines expertise in high-resolution seismic ve-locities, petrophysical modeling and well data integration to deliver a range of seismic pore pressure services. This is available over about 15,215 sq km (5,874.5 sq miles) of potential HP/HT data in the Central Graben.

Facies Finder maximizes the value of seismic data ear-ly in the E&P cycle to highlight and de-risk potential prospects. It provides easy-to-interpret prestack attribute volumes for lithology and fluid identification using a rela-tive elastic inversion requiring no well calibration, so it is suitable for exploration and screening for amplitude-vs.-offset anomalies.

The reprocessed merged Cornerstone dataset delivers an unprecedented volume of high-quality anisotropic broad-band PSDM data over a huge area of the Central Graben of the central North Sea, including the HP/HT area. This regional dataset is available now, delivering the local detail required to assess new license awards, complemented by Facies Finder over the whole dataset and PPP data over the HP/HT areas. n

Comparison of new regional Cornerstone PSDM data with previous locally tailored data is shown. (Image courtesy of CGG)

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5E&P DAILY NEWS | NOV. 18, 2014 | P R E V I E W

Advanced Seismic Solutions for Reducing Exploration CostsSeismic workflow technology can accelerate project turnaround while optimizing decision-making around geological and project constraints.

contriButed By polarcus

time is money, and in a fast-moving world the pressure to make quick and accurate decisions on key explora-

tion milestones is greater than ever. Polarcus’ RightFLOW can seamlessly integrate and accelerate every step of the seismic data acquisition and processing workflow. This includes everything from the initial survey design to the delivery of final data products, with the technology able to tailor the workflow for any given geologic and geo-physical environment. The result will enable users to make more informed decisions about potential well commit-ments earlier in the exploration cycle.

This latest Polarcus offering is the result of a data pro-cessing collaboration between Polarcus and DownUnder GeoSolutions (DUG) that has taken a fresh look at the entire seismic workflow. The partnership combines the survey design and acquisition expertise at Polarcus with the processing and imaging expertise at DUG. As a result of that collaboration Polarcus is deploying DUG’s Insight software system onboard its fleet of high-end 3-D seismic vessels. The software system is powered by SGI-engineered hardware, which will enable the company to offer compa-nies a processing flow designed in conjunction with each companies’ own experts to address both the specific geo-logical objectives and the critical timelines for the project.

At the core of any offering will be onboard quality-con-trol (QC) flows to ensure that seismic data are recorded well within the tolerance specifications set by the user. Key modules have been specified by Polarcus’ own field geophysicists and designed by DUG software engineers to ensure that a full suite of quality-control products are produced in real time on a line-by-line basis and offline during the course of acquisition to monitor surveywide seismic data quality and temporal and spatial continuity.

A significant component of the onboard processing flow

is the inclusion of DUG Broad, a deghosting technology that removes the variable amplitude and phase distortion caused by the interference of source and receiver side ghosts. Variations in receiver depth, source depth, obliquity, sea state and signal-to-noise ratio are all taken into ac-count. This results in a broadening of the spectrum as fre-quencies suppressed by destructive interference have their amplitude (and phase) restored. This means that Polarcus can deliver high-quality broadband data as either prestack gathers and/or as part of the processing flow producing prestack-migrated volumes.

The hardware systems deployed on the Polarcus vessels will include up to 172 trillion floating-point operations per second of processing capacity designed to interface in real time with the seismic data recording system. The

real-time software environment is interactive and intuitive, meaning no scripts are required for onboard QC or processing. The offline processing toolkit has been specifically designed to allow production of full-fold mi-grated 3-D volumes, incorporating a suite of multichannel noise attenu-ation techniques including shallow-water demultiple, 3-D surface related multiple elimination, highly inter-active velocity picking and quality control, Voronoi area regularization, and prestack time migration.

The offering can itself be struc-tured in different ways to suit indi-vidual user requirements including comprehensive onboard acquisition quality control followed by full on-shore processing; ultrafast advanced onboard 3-D processing followed by

a more complex onshore processing sequence; or a com-bined offshore and onshore flow that passes an onboard processed intermediate dataset to a DUG onshore process-ing center for more sophisticated multichannel noise at-tenuation, velocity analysis, regularization, and time and/or depth imaging.

Polarcus believes that the “right” processing flow has to be considered as part of the overall 3-D survey design, acquisition and data delivery effort. The essence of the concept is that the right processing flow can be designed for any given geologic and geophysical environment to provide very high-level processed products in as short a turnaround time as possible.

Visit Polarcus at booth C14 for more information. n

As the result of a data processing collaboration, DUG’s Insight software system will be de-ployed onboard Polarcus’ fleet of high-end 3-D seismic vessels. (Image courtesy of Polarcus)

YOU CAN DO THAT

The Emerson logo is a trademark and a service mark of Emerson Electric Co. © 2014 Emerson Electric Co.

Generate confidence in your organisation with our leading reservoir modelling solution – Better Decisions, Better Returns. With RMS™, users are provided with a full seismic to simulation workflow. This enables a more complete representation of the data in less time, with users able to quickly integrate and share knowledge across the prospect lifecycle. By placing uncertainty management at the heart of the decision-making, Roxar delivers the confidence and understanding that enables operators to enhance their recovery and unlock the value of their assets. For more information go to www.roxarsoftware.com

Being late to first oil is costly. I need a better reservoir modelling solution that unlocks the value of my assets.

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6 P R E V I E W | NOV. 18, 2014 | E&P DAILY NEWS

contriButed By tgs

tGS continues to invest substantial sums in its multicli-ent geoscience data in the Barents Sea, both in terms of

new data acquisition and also reprocessing of existing data. TGS has acquired more than 177,000 km (109,983 miles) of its Norway Barents Sea Renaissance (NBR) 2-D data and also in excess of 28,000 sq km (10,811 sq miles) of its Hoop Fault (HF) Complex and Finnmark Platform 3-D surveys. Since the discovery of relatively shallow oil in the Wisting well (7324/8-1) by OMV and partners last year, the demand for high-resolution data has grown.

Recent reprocessingBroadband processing of conventionally acquired seismic data has become commonplace over the last few years, and TGS has taken the opportunity to use its Clari-Fi tech-nology to improve the resolution of its data. In addition, a short offset, high-resolution volume, with sampling at 2 ms and a bin size of 6.25 m (20.5 ft) also was produced.

New data acquisitionAs well as continuing to expand the NBR and HF vol-umes, TGS, in association with Westland GeoProjects, ac-quired 575 sq km (222 sq miles) of P-Cable data in and around the HF area. The dataset was a mixture of six small 3-D surveys ranging in size from 18 sq km to 185 sq km (7 sq miles to 71 sq miles), plus three 2-D swaths that wandered between areas of potential interest.

P-Cable dataP-Cable is ultrahigh resolution, low-fold seismic data that are acquired by using innovative field equipment. The main difference from conventional acquisition comes from the use of a cross cable from which the short mini-streamers are hung. The result-ing data had a 2-sec record length with 0.5-ms sampling. The shot interval was 12.5 m (41 ft), and the data were recorded on 16 mi-ni-streamers each with eight groups at 3.125-m (10-ft) spacing. The mini-streamer separation of 9.5 m (31 ft) was maintained by the paravanes keeping the cross cable under tension.

ProcessingThe main aim of the processing was to produce high-resolution data (not just high-frequency data) by correctly recov-ering the frequencies around the ghost notches. With the source and receiver depths being of the order of 2 m to 3 m (7 ft to 10 ft), the ghost notches pro-duced were about 250 Hz and 375 Hz toward the upper end of the expected us-able spectrum. The bigger concern was to recover the data at the 0-Hz notch since the shallow source and receiver depths created ghosts that caused a rapid roll-off of frequencies at the low end.

The data received from the field crew were in SEG-Y format where the trace coordinates and offsets had been calculated and put in the headers. The coordinates were calculated by using the GPS positions of the buoys and the shape of the cross cable (assumed to be a catenary). The processing of the P-Cable data went through a fairly con-ventional Clari-Fi route consisting of resample to 1 ms, debubble from a data-derived source wavelet, swell noise attenuation, deghosting, 4-D anti-leakage regularization, FXY deconvolution on offset planes, 3-D sort, zero phas-ing, normal moveout using a velocity field from the un-derlying conventional seismic data, stack, 3-D post-stack Kirchhoff migration using a velocity field from the under-

lying data, inverse Q compensation (amplitude only) and post-migration cosmetics.

Data ExamplesFigure 2 (above) shows the original processing on the HF Complex 3-D survey, the 2 ms high-resolution Clari-Fi reprocessing and the ultrahigh resolution P-Cable Clari-Fi processing. Clari-Fi significantly improves the bandwidth at the low end of the spectrum on the P-Cable data where the ghosts from the shallow source and receivers are particularly prominent. The Barents Sea contains unique geophysical challenges. Through the use of acquisition and processing techniques, TGS continues to deliver high-quality datasets that reveal the secrets of this unique region.

For further information please visit TGS at booth E15 or at tgs.com. n

conventional hoop data High-Resolution Hoop Data P-Cable Hoop Data

Source 2 x 3000 – 5000 in3 array 2 x 3000 – 5000 in3 array 1 x 300 in3 array

Shot interval 37.5m 37.5m 12.5m

Shot depth 7m 7m 2m

no. of streamers 12 12 16

Streamer length 6000m, 480 x 12.5m 2000m, 160 x 12.5m 25m, 8 x 3.125m

Streamer separation 100m 100m 9.5m

Streamer depth 9m 9m 3m

Processing grid 12.5 x 18.75m 6.25 x 6.25m 6.25 x 4.75m

tmax / Sample rate 7s / 4ms 2s / 2ms 1.2s / 1ms

cMP fold 80 27 4 x 16

High-resolution Seismic Data in the Barents SeaHigh-quality datasets can reveal the secrets of this unique region.

Figure 2: Original processing of conventional 3-D data (left), high-resolution reprocessing of conventional 3-D data (center), and ultrahigh resolution P-Cable (right) are shown. (Images courtesy of TGS)

Structural Modeling Tools for Oil and gas Recovery New tools are part of an integrated seismic-to-simulation workflow that supports informed decision-making.

contriButed By eMerson process ManageMent

a year on from the successful launch of Roxar RMS 2013, Emerson Process Management will be show-

casing its new structural modeling tools for exploring fault and horizon uncertainty at this year’s PETEX.

The new tools are part of an integrated seismic-to-simulation workflow that helps operators make informed decisions across the prospect life cycle and maximize oil and gas recovery from their assets.

Whereas traditionally, reservoir modelers have relied on best-case estimates of faults and horizons with an inherent uncertainty in their interpretations, the tightly integrated structural modeling workflow within Roxar RMS will enable users to quantify uncertainty more effectively and increase decision-making confidence.

As part of the new developments, Roxar RMS’s fault uncertainty features have been tightly integrated with structural modeling and 3-D gridding tools to enable us-ers to build fault uncertainty models in full and investigate a wide variety of scenarios related to the uncertainty in the input data.

Horizon uncertainty modeling also will be significantly enhanced, allowing users to incorporate realistic uncer-tainties into the horizon model by specifying uncertain-ties in the form of standard deviations for all input data used. These include isochore thicknesses, seismic inter-

pretations in time with correspond-ing interval velocities, depth maps, and well data in the form of both well picks and zone log information. The result will be realistic structural scenarios and improved volumetric sensitivity studies.

A new version of Roxar RMS will be available soon with improved us-ability, performance and efficiency features that form part of an inte-grated modeling workflow. This in-cludes RMS Data Explorer, a new data browser for locating and organ-izing data objects; the introduction of multithreading (the ability for computing to take place in parallel) to accelerate model building; and a new adjust-to-wells feature that cal-culates residuals between the grid and well picks and, if required, ad-justs the grid to match the well picks.

For further information or a dem-onstration of Roxar RMS 2013, please visit Emerson Process Man-agement at booth F7. n

Model-Driven Interpretation enables users to not only create the geological model while conducting seismic interpretation but also to capture uncertainty while interpreting. (Image courtesy of Emerson Process Management)

With our new RightFLOW™ geophysical offering, powered by DUG Insight™, we can deliver superior imaging faster than ever, cutting exploration time and reducing drilling costs.

Come visit us at booth C14 and we will tell you all about it.

Are you ready for true fast track?

We are.

Imaging tomorrow’s energy™

8 P R E V I E W | NOV. 18, 2014 | E&P DAILY NEWS

CALL FOR ABSTRACTS NOW OPEN!The DEVEX conference showcases subsurface and well technologies, case studies and best practices for oil and gas industry professionals.

For further details on abstract submission and information on other aspects of the event including sponsorship and exhibition opportunities please visit:

Beyond the North Sea

• Case studies and lessons from around the world

• Unconventional resources

• Gas storage

Old Dog New Tricks

• How have old fields been reinvigorated?

• The latest industry and academic research and

development

• Maximising well productivity

• EOR

• HPHT challenges and solutions

• Near field exploration and appraisal

• Shortening the timeline

Formation Evaluation Challenges

• Challenges of depleted drilling

• Pore pressure and frac gradient prediction

• Cement integrity

New Kids on the Block

• New fields

• New companies

• New ideas

• New technology helping to unlock developments

Abstracts are invited in the following themes:

SUBMISSION DEADLINE22 JANUARY 2015

www.devex-conference.org

20 & 21 MAY 2015 ABERDEEN EXHIBITION & CONFERENCE CENTRE

SPONSORSHIP

PACKAGES AVAILABLE!

20 & 21 MAY 2015 ABERDEEN EXHIBITION & CONFERENCE CENTRE

UNDERPINNING THE FUTURE – DISCOVERY, DEVELOPMENT, RECOVERY

201520 & 21 MAY

Imag

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PETEX Show Dialy Adverts.indd 2 07/11/2014 09:47:22

WELCOME continued from page 1

In acknowledgment to the continued delivery and some renewed interest in the U.K. Continental Shelf (UKCS), we have a rich program of talks that address some new play concepts, field developments and new insights into mature plays. A particular highlight will be hearing how companies are overcoming the challenges of developing the large offshore heavy oil fields.

The PETEX Forum will explore the technical feasi-bility of shale gas extraction in the U.K. through an in-teractive panel debate session featuring representatives from both optimistic and pessimistic viewpoints. The debate will be fully interactive, and delegates are en-couraged to submit questions to the panel. The forum will be preceded by a special thematic set to provide grounding to delegates in advance of the panel debate. I extend my thanks to Hamish Wilson (SLR Consulting) for once again organizing the PETEX Forum.

We are heading into choppy waters in our industry, with oil prices recently sinking to around $80/bbl and costs remaining stubbornly high. The cost challenge is one that all sectors of the industry face, and technol-ogy is one area we consistently look toward to help us de-risk prospects and reduce development costs. We shouldn’t underestimate the cutting-edge technology that has been developed by innovators in our industry, working in oil company research centers and in the ser-vice sector, where the drive to improve software, equip-ment, tools, and expertise is unrelenting. This is why PETEX continues to focus on showcasing the latest technologies to help explorers capture uncertainty and find hydrocarbons in the most cost-effective manner.

Mike Branston (Schlumberger) and Tim Sears (BP) have assembled an excellent program highlighting the very latest in seismic technology, with real-world ex-amples from across the life cycle including acquisition, processing, modeling, inversion and time-lapse seismic.

The 3-D Visualization Theater makes a return to the exhibition floor this year, made possible by the addi-tional space available through our move to ExCeL. The theater also has a dedicated program of 3-D immersive presentations from various vendors who will use tech-nical case study examples to demonstrate their toolkit capabilities. Thanks are extended to Schlumberger and Barco, who have donated their own staff and equipment to bring this attraction to us.

We had many excellent submissions following our call for papers earlier this year, and many were an ex-cellent fit to the themes and topics requested. We had so many in fact, that we could not accommodate all of them in the core oral program. This means we have an exceptionally strong poster content this year that has a dedicated presentation program running in parallel with the core program.

And finally, for the first time this year PETEX will be making awards for Best Presentation from the core technical program (three categories of International Exploration, Enabling Technology and UKCS) and Best Poster. The awards will be presented by Professor Iain Stewart at the end of the PETEX Forum at 12:15 on Thursday, Nov. 20–we hope you will attend!

I do hope you will enjoy everything the show has to offer–and don’t forget that by participating, you are also helping the PESGB to nurture our geoscientists of the future, as a large proportion of the proceeds of the event fund the MSc student bursaries. n

Onshore UK’s Potential gaining InterestOnshore U.K. activity has the potential to grow significantly, but there are many short-term challenges.

contriButed By hannon westwood

with the closure of the 14th U.K. onshore licensing round on Oct. 28 this seems an appropriate time

to assess the interest in U.K. oil and gas. At Hannon Westwood, the company takes an active in-

terest in exploration both offshore and onshore the U.K. Until recently, onshore U.K. has been overshadowed by E&P in the offshore, particularly the North Sea. This is likely to change, however, as operations in the North Sea become more difficult. Increasing numbers of prospec-tors are searching for oil in southern England as well as in Yorkshire and the East Midlands.

Although recently in decline, the company’s prediction is that there will be a long-term increase in oil prices, and with continued political instability in the Middle East, alternative areas are becoming more attractive. Although most of England is not suitable for exploration, oil has been pumped from beneath Kimmeridge Bay since the 1960s and from the Wytch Farm oil field since 1979. It is believed that there is exploration potential in adjacent areas including the Isle of Wight. Hannon Westwood has been able to provide advice to operators on aspects of the exploration potential on the Isle of Wight as well as

commentary on data exploration to date and strategies to progress exploration efforts.

In addition, the company has produced a report on the potential of the onshore U.K., which alongside Highland Geology’s new report on the seismic interpretation and mapping of the prospectivity of the Isle of Wight and the Novas Consulting report on unconventional poten-tial onshore U.K., provides a comprehensive review of all aspects of the prospectivity and potential for access for the onshore U.K.

Chris Bulley, executive director of Hannon Westwood, who will be speaking about the U.K. market on day one at PETEX 2014, considers that, following the announce-ment of the 14th round, onshore activity has the poten-tial to grow significantly. However, there are many short-term issues to overcome with a real need for positive education on the benefits and environmental impact of onshore E&P.

Bulley’s talk, “The U.K. Market A&D and Activity Levels—Past, Present and Future,” will be dealing with past, present and future activity levels offshore the U.K., where recent declines in exploration drilling activity have been causing concern. Hannon Westwood considers that there is certainly still potential on the U.K. Continental

Shelf (UKCS), although there are considerable challenges in unlocking resources in this area. Exploration activ-ity is currently at an all-time low with only 14 explora-tion wells spudded last year, and many of the prospects are very small. The average prospect size in the Hannon Westwood UKCS inventory is just 10 MMboe, and the age of the current infrastructure makes the development of exploration successes problematic in many cases.

Charles Westwood, executive chairman of Hannon Westwood, considers that to make further North Sea ex-ploration viable, there is an urgent need to increase ex-ploration activity. This, in turn, needs to be supported by substantial and targeted tax incentives. It appears that the U.K. government has grasped the urgency of this, and Hannon Westwood hopes that the new regulatory body they have set up will be effective in simplifying and fast-tracking applications for seismic and drilling activity. n

9E&P DAILY NEWS | NOV. 18, 2014 | P R E V I E W

Company Name Booth numberAdvanced logic technology e64 Gen energy uK f5AAPG datapages e7AAPG europe e1Acceleware A12Allan Webb A30AlS Petrophysics A10Amplified Geochemical Imaging G5APt (uK) c32Aramco overseas company uK A29ARK CLS G9ARKeX G10Astrium G6Bell Geospace c4BG Group Grad career fairBlueback Reservoir F15Bridgeporth e37C&C Reservoirs H3cGG Grad career faircGG B1chemostrat A9dataco B42deloitte c25Department of Earth Sciences, Royal Holloway UF - JdGB earth Sciences A4Directorate General of Oil And Gas Indonesia IP - Mdolphin Geophysical e20down 2 earth f3downunder GeoSolutions G13dPtS B15durham university B25eAGe c8Earthworks Reservoir B10eliis c3eMGS G2energistics h1envoi B40ePI Group A24ERCL/SAER A52

Company Name Booth numberETAP IP - Hetches collection d3exploration electronics A27exprodat consulting A40FairfieldNodal A50faro technologies uK G1Faroese Earth and Energy Directorate IP - PffA d4fluid Inclusion technologies A47followave G8frogtech Pty f1fugro c12Gardline Marine Sciences A46GEO ExPro (GeoPublishing) C5GeoGuide consultants d5Geokinetics d7Geological Society of london c6Geologix c13Geoscience c30Geotrace technologies c20Getech d41Global Exploration Services C33Halliburton Energy Services C1hart energy h2Heriot-Watt University, Institute of Petroleum Eng. UF - FHRH Geology F16hW Atlas c7hydenlyne A2IHS Global G12Ikon Science f10Imperial College London UF - GINP IP - CInterica G4Intrepid Geophysics A6Ion Geophysical corporation B30Ireland, Department of Natural Resources IP - JIsle of Man Government IP - EIsle of Man Government h11Journal of Petroleum Geology A13

Company Name Booth numberJSC “SEVMORNEFTEGEOFIZIKA” C27Kestrel IdM B41la tene Maps e31LMKR Holdings [Dubai Branch] H4LR Senergy E36lynx Information Systems B24Maritime zone Solutions A11Media 7 Publishing A15Merlin Energy Resources G7Ministry of Environment, Energy & Climate Change IP - FMulticlient Geophysical d40Natural Environment Research Council A16nautilus c10ndB (new digital Business) A1neftex G20neuralog A42Newfoundland & Labrador (Canada) IP - Gnexen Petroleum uK f6Nova Scotia Dept. of Energy IP - Anovas oil & Gas consulting c34oil & Gas uK e34Oilfield Technology A14ONHYM IP - Kophir energy Grad career fairPanterra Geoconsultants e6Paradigm Geophysical c11Perigon Solutions A7PeSGB G30PeSGB Young Prefessionals Grad career fairPetroleum Geo Services c21Petroskills e33PetroStrat c35Petrosys europe B16Polarcus c14PPdM Association A8Richmond Energy Partners A5Roxar Software Solutions F7RPS C10ScanSeis consulting company c31

Company Name Booth numberSchlumberger E14Seabed Geolsolutions A26Seismic Image Processing d2Sharp reflections C2Shell uK Grad career fairSLR Consulting E4Spec Partners c36Spectra-Map E32Spectrum f20Target Oilfield Services B2task fronterra Geoscience A22teec e12teradata uK A3terrasciences A41terrex Group A20teSlA exploration International G3tGS e15the Geotech Group d1tno A51Tribal B26troika International c9University of Aberdeen ExploHUB A21University of Derby UF - BUniversity of Edinburgh UF - Duniversity of leeds c31University of Leeds UF - KUniversity of Leicester UF - MUniversity of Manchester UF - AUniversity of Southampton UF - LUniversity of St Andrews UF - Cupstream oil & Gas newspaper A32Vision Project Services E2Weatherford f2Western Australia IP - BWGP exploration e10Working Smart d6X-Ray Mineral Services E35Zebra Data Sciences C29

Exhibition floor plan and list of exhibitors

10 P R E V I E W | NOV. 18, 2014 | E&P DAILY NEWS

The PESGB and PETEX Ltd would like to thank the following companies for their support of PETEX 2014.

CATALYST

FAROESE EARTH AND ENERGY DIRECTORATE

JX Nippon Exploration andProduction (U.K.) Limited

LYNXInformat ion Systems

sponsor_ad.indd 1 11/11/2014 15:30

Redefining Seismic InversionInversion system captures the physics of the seismic inverse problem, leading to better impedance estimates.By dr. Michel keMper, ikon science

seismic inversion aims at extracting rock properties (such as porosity, saturation and Vshale) from seismic data. Seis-

mic, however, responds to changes in impedance at the in-terface of two formations, so the seismic inversion challenge breaks into two steps (even though it is sometimes “hidden” in one application): obtaining from seismic the impedance of each interval (known as seismic inversion); and deriving rock properties from these impedances (known as reservoir characterization).

Step 2 relies on per facies rock physics modeling, i.e., the facies being an elastic-seismic facies such as shale, water-sand or gas-sand.

Even though in Step 2 it is common practice to derive rock properties per facies, seismic inversion algorithms overwhelmingly invert for impedances only, i.e., not per fa-cies, even though seismic modeling conclusively shows that facies transitions form a primary control on the impedance changes that in turn control the seismic response. The ex-ception is certain laborious geostatistical algorithms that do invert to facies and impedances per facies. However, these have certain shortcomings: They require a relatively dense amount of well control; typically use variography, which

is not suited to the simulation of facies; and can take weeks, if not months, to set up and run.

Ji-Fi, a joint impedance and fa-cies inversion system, performs the inversion for both facies and imped-ances per facies. The system, there-fore, fully captures the physics of the seismic inverse problem. Compared to today’s technology, this leads to:• Better impedance estimates;• A more consistent facies model of great help to geomodelers (as com-pared to facies models obtained us-ing Bayesian classification, see Fig-ure 1); and• Improved reservoir properties, as steps one and two are now both facies-based.

Ji-Fi is a Bayesian inversion sys-tem, supporting the control of lateral facies continuity and inhibiting facies transitions that are not geologically or hy-drologically plausible (e.g., water-sand on top of gas-sand). It works equally well with sparse or dense well control and

can be operated within reasonable time constraints. The Ji-Fi method is the culmination of four years of re-

search in partnership with the Australian organization, the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organi-sation and funding from Tullow Oil.

The system has operated on a number of hydrocarbon as-sets, and the results are impressive (Figure 1). In some cases, where no well control was available within the area of the seismic survey, per facies trend information derived from nearby wells or even per facies analogue trends were used to initiate the process and had surprisingly good results.

Ji-Fi will be commercially available on December 1, 2014. For a demonstration or to pick up the recent article by Dr. Michel Kemper and Dr. James Gunning that was published in First Break in September 2014, visit Ikon Sci-ence at booth F10. n

Report Offers Route Map for Applying Geoscience Technologies SLR Consulting has published a review of specialist geoscience technologies to provide exploration teams with greater understanding of the geophysical tech-niques that can be used to characterize the subsurface, according to a company press release. The integration of these nonconventional technologies with traditional reflection seismic methods can reduce exploration risk.

The objective of the study, titled “A Review of Spe-cialist Geoscience Technologies for the Global Oil & Gas Industry,” is to provide an evidence-based route map of how to apply geoscience technologies—so is a valuable technology selection guide for explorers.

With contributions from seven leading experts includ-ing, ocean-bottom expert Dr. Ian Jack and crustal seis-mology studies expert Professor Jannis Makris, the report reviews the suitability and applicability of specialist geo-sciences technologies in a range of geological settings, the release said. The technologies reviewed in the report are:

• Crustal studies (refraction seismic);• Gravity and magnetics;• Full-tensor gradiometry;• Marine electromagnatism (CSEM and MT);• Ocean-bottom nodes; and• Microseismic and induced seismicity.SLR’s technical director, oil and gas, Hamish Wilson,

who along with Dr. Matt Luhesi and Dr. Keith Nunn edited the report, said, “There is no ‘holy grail’ detec-tion technique that will prove the presence or absence of hydrocarbons before drilling. However, we believe that these technologies, if used in the right geological condi-tions and in combination with other techniques, could greatly add value to an exploration review.

“An improved ability to remove ambiguity in subsur-face systems is a real game-changer with applications from exploration through to development and produc-tion, off- and onshore.”

The report is available for sale through SLR. For a copy, contact Hamish Wilson at hwilson@slrconsulting.com or visit SLR at booth E4. n

Figure 1: Net sand determined from facies models from an oil and gas field offshore West-ern Australia is shown. On the left, the facies model is obtained by Bayesian classification on simultaneous inversion-derived impedances. On the right, the facies model is Ji-Fi derived. In addition to the Ji-Fi results matching the five wells, Ikon observed that the Ji-Fi derived channel is nicely continuous and that Ji-Fi predicts water-bearing sands off structure (where it would be expected). (Image courtesy of Ikon Science)

11E&P DAILY NEWS | NOV. 18, 2014 | P R E V I E W

EM at the Center of the Exploration Workflow It’s been a busy few months for Norwegian geophysical services company EMGS as it comes to PETEX this year on the back of a number of recent contracts and positive results from its 3-D controlled source electro-magnetic (CSEM) surveys.

With 3-D CSEM surveys mapping resistive bodies in the subsurface, the integrated interpretation of EM anomalies into the exploration workflow is providing operators with a clear correlation between the response of the EM measurements and the fluid content of the reservoir as well as acting as a key complement to seismic.

CSEM surveys and subsurface resistivity are being used to improve play and prospect evaluation and well positioning, to optimize portfolios, to define appraisal programs and characterize gas hydrates (either as drilling hazards or for commercial exploitation) and for struc-tural imaging in salt and basalt environments.

Furthermore, the growing popularity of CSEM has been reflected in a number of recent contracts awarded to EMGS including 3-D EM data acquisition surveys offshore Malaysia and offshore Brazil and the provision of 3-D EM data from EMGS’s multiclient data library for operators involved in exploration in the Barents Sea.

In terms of completed surveys, EMGS has been play-ing a key role in the harsh and sensitive environment of the Barents Sea, influencing lease sale decisions and re-ducing the occurrence of expensive dry holes and non-commercial discoveries.

In an area of complex geology and where seismic data alone can struggle, multiclient EM data has improved the success rate of subscribing operators and has led to a new play type in the Hoop area as evidenced by the Wisting discovery. Furthermore, in the case of the Skrugard and Havis discoveries (now the Johan Castberg Field), two adjacent dry wells could have been avoided with the re-sults correctly predicted by the EM data.

On the other side of the Atlantic, EMGS also has played an important role in the Mexican Gulf of Mexico where an extensive 3-D EM program has lowered ex-ploration costs and increased discovery rates for Mexican operator PEMEX.

In one case involving PEMEX, CSEM is comple-menting seismic as part of a 3-D CSEM inversion sur-vey. Here, imaging results have demonstrated that the incorporation of resistivity data into the seismic velocity model building workflow has significantly enhanced the resolution of seismic sub-salt imaging. In such cases, a 5% to 10% improvement in the imaging of the structure post-migration can have a huge impact on future drilling and appraisal decisions and accompanying costs. n

Complementing the technical conference, the PETEX 2014 exhibition space will feature industry operators, service companies, consultancies, international oil min-istries, universities and professional organizations. The opportunity remains to host a booth in the exhibition, alongside other leading companies, with most return-ing to exhibit year after year. Benefits include:• Connecting with more than 3,000 subsurface and upstream professionals;• Showcasing your latest projects and technologies with potential clients and partners; and• Significantly raising your profile across the industry.

Find out why 87% of PETEX exhibitors return year after year. Visit the organization’s YouTube channel to-day and hear about one exhibitor’s “Ten Million Dollar Day” at PETEX 2012.

Graduate Career FairThe Petroleum Exploration Society of Great Britain Graduate Career Fair will provide companies with a designated area for recruitment right on the PETEX exhibition floor. This 252-sq-m (2,713 sq ft) purpose-built space contains mini-booths for each company, a networking area for graduates to meet with the com-panies and six interview rooms on site. Companies also will have the opportunity to speak directly with stu-dents at the student lunch on Thursday.

International PavilionThe PETEX International Pavilion provides a place for governments and their agencies to showcase the areas they have available for exploration, and this year the area is larger than ever, with more regulators keen to encour-age explorers from the U.K. and Europe. New par-ticipants join many regulars, with representation from Greenland in the north to Mozambique in the south. Europe, Africa, Asia and the Americas are all represent-ed with a large variety of exploration areas on offer or open to discussion, both offshore and onshore. There are those with well-established fields but also newer players to the oil and gas scene so it should provide something of interest for everyone. Countries represented this year are Faroe Islands, Greece, Greenland, Indonesia, Ireland, Isle of Man, Morocco, Mozambique, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia and Tunisia. The Interna-tional Pavilion is in the corner of the main exhibition hall and includes plenty of seating for discussions as well as a private meeting room and is well worth a visit.

University ForumThis dedicated area will provide the U.K.’s leading geo-science universities with an arena to forge and develop links with the industry, promote their courses to poten-tial post-graduates and promote their research.

3-D Visualization TheaterPETEX 2014 provides an opportunity to showcase the latest visualization case studies supporting E&P solu-tions in a purpose-built 3-D Visualization Theater on the main floor of the exhibition. The theater is open to all delegates and will showcase offerings from uni-versities, service companies, oil companies and exhibi-tors, all of which have the opportunity to present cur-rent hardware and software technology, outlining how 3-D visualization in the oil industry is likely to develop going forward. Delegates will have the opportunity to view everything from deepwater sediment to continen-tal earth scale modeling, from Eocene cliff sections in the Faroe Islands subsurface to Central America, and achieve an understanding of how the evolution of digi-tal cinema technology has changed the way in which we visualize the subsurface. PETEX would like to thank Schlumberger and Barco for their sponsorship of this exciting opportunity for delegates to immerse them-selves in a 3-D world. n

New Museum Will Offer Year-round Viewing of More than 2,000 FossilsFossil collection will be featured in the PETEX exhibition hall at booth D3.

contriButed By the etches collection

there’s a not-to-be-missed opportunity at the upcom-ing PETEX 2014. It’s the chance to meet and share

the stories of Steve Etches, the hugely engaging and knowledgeable collector of Kimmeridgian fossils (more than 2,000 incredible examples—many of which are a scientific first). He will be talking about his amazing col-lection, bringing to life these unique examples, their sig-nificance and their place in the Kimmeridgian story. It’s an opportunity that no petroleum geologist should miss.

Details about a new museum that has been purpose de-signed to house this amazing collection also will be discussed.

The Etches Collection, as the new museum will be called, will offer year-round viewing of this important collection and will serve as a resource from which Etches can continue his incredible work. Based in the village of Kimmeridge and close to the important Kimmeridgian oil shales, it will be a must for those planning educational field trips or who would like to hold an event, seminar or meeting in a most inspiring and unusual venue. The museum will open in early 2016.

Etches will be talking about his collection and the mu-seum on Tuesday, Nov. 18, in the theater space at PE-TEX. The Etches Collection also will be featured in the PETEX exhibition hall at booth D3, close to the theater.

Presentation in the theaterThe presentation is scheduled to take place at 13:30 and 15:30 on Tuesday, Nov. 18, and will be given by Etches, in company with Professor Simon Conway Morris FRS from the Department of Earth Sciences at Cambridge University and Dr. David Martill from the School of Earth and Environmental Sciences at the University of Portsmouth.

Lively talks will explore the extraordinary collection and discuss its value to science and the oil industry. There also will be a glimpse of the exciting plans to create a new, independent museum to house the Etches Collec-tion, making it publicly available for the first time.

Questions and discussion will be encouraged during the informal talk session.

Meet the teamDelegates will have the opportunity to meet Etches and members of the Kimmeridge Trust. The team will be on hand throughout the conference to talk and answer questions about the Etches Collection and the new mu-seum at booth D3.

See a cast of a superb, fully articulated ichthyosaur, pos-sibly the finest ever from the Kimmeridgian Clay For-mation. This is a cast of a specimen from the collection.

Explore the website and online database of the collec-

tion, which have been developed with funds from the Petroleum Exploration Society of Great Britain. Using the database, delegates can see many more of the speci-mens in the collection through the detailed images and information.

See design images of the new museum building, in-cluding the facilities that will be available for use by companies and organized groups. Enjoy a virtual walk through the building through the design animation. n

Scene from the 2012 PETEX Conference and Exhibition in Earl’s Court, London. (Image courtesy of PETEX)

New Features Make Exhibition Best Yet

A beautifully preserved and curated new species of undescribed Ichthyosaur shows a large orbit eye and very fine delicate teeth indicating it fed on squid. (Image courtesy of The Etches Collection)

See the energy at TGS.com

© 2014 TGS-NOPEC Geophysical Company ASA. All rights reserved.

Data is our looking glass. Through it, we see energy wherever it lies. In brilliant detail with intricate structure. TGS provides the global energy industry with the right data in the right place at the right time through multi-client geophysical and multi-client geological data, imaging services and reservoir solutions. We create value by making geoscience driven investment decisions to anticipate and satisfy energy industry needs.

We see energy. Everywhere.