GEOTRACE HAS COMPLETED one of the worlds largest onboard data processing projects for BP, as operator in its EPSA 4 NOC/LIC/BP exploration contract in BPs Sirte Basin concession off the coast of Libya.
p>GEOTRACE HAS COMPLETED one of the worlds largest onboard data processing projects for BP, as operator in its EPSA 4 NOC/LIC/BP exploration contract in BPs Sirte Basin concession off the coast of Libya.
BP's first 3D marine survey in Libya's Gulf of Sirte was one of the world's largest, covering 17,500 sq km. The contract split the area into four tracts of approximately equal area and stipulated onboard processing, including 2D SRME and full pre-stack time migration with velocity model picking, within six weeks of last shot for each tract. The aim was to produce a high-quality image for prospect identification and to enable the complete well planning process to begin in 2009 leading to early exploration drilling.
The objective was to show that exploration cycle times and image quality for vast surveys need not be overly limited by onboard processing constraints, provided that proper planning and investment are undertaken and that the appropriate levels of geophysical expertise and computer resources are available to meet project objectives. It has been possible to deliver high-quality, pre-stack time processing onboard while keeping pace with acquisition for very large surveys, and each of the four tranches have been delivered within the six-week target set by BP. In addition to the conventional pre-stack time processed data, a high resolution shallow hazard cube has been processed onboard and delivered from the vessel, as well as a multiple-azimuth test run over a subset of the full survey area. Using its proprietary ANSER™ and Diamond™ software systems and a state-of-the-art high capacity PC cluster based on a Dell M600 blade cluster with 2048 CPU's, Geotrace has provided a full range of quality control and processing services including prestack imaging and advanced demultiple techniques.
