SeaBird says that the previously reported Ocean Bottom Node (OBN) survey for BP Exploration & Production Inc. has been successfully completed by the SBX vessels Hugin Explorer and Kondor Explorer in the Gulf of Mexico. The proprietary survey represented the second stage (T1) of a time lapse program on the BP-operated Atlantis field.

The survey required 500 nodes to be deployed and the removable sensors then positioned in the seabed accurately using ROV support from the Hugin Explorer across a steep escarpment at depths ranging from 1300 to 2200 meters water depth. Operations started end July. The Kondor Explorer was used as the source vessel for the program. As the shooting program progressed, the Hugin Explorer was able to recover completed nodes and QC the data onboard simultaneously with the ongoing shooting program. The shooting program was completed on 19th September and all nodes were successfully recovered onboard Hugin Explorer by September 21. Onboard QC of all data was then carried out. A total of 494 nodes were good for data acquisition purposes, six were found bad.

The Hugin Explorer and the Kondor Explorer are now in mobilization phase from the U.S. Gulf of Mexico for transit to Nigeria to carry out the previously announced Agbami field survey for Star Deepwater Petroleum Limited, an affiliate of Chevron Nigeria Limited. Operations are expected to commence mid November after arrival and inward clearance of both vessels. An additional 250 Case Abyss deepwater nodes will be loaded onboard enroute to Nigeria.

CEO Tim Isden commented, "We are extremely pleased that the operation of our OBN division has proved to be what we had expected, especially after the late completion on our first survey in Angola. We have learnt a great deal from both these operations, and we now feel confident that the physical problems are behind us and that the quality of data acquired in both Angola and Gulf of Mexico will prove to be a key factor in the further development of OBN 4 component reservoir imaging contracts. We are also pleased to report that data owned by SeaBird from a proprietary test carried out in Gulf of Mexico prior to commencement of the BP Exploration & Production Inc. survey has now been licensed and sold to oil companies on a non-exclusive basis. Furthermore there is high interest in this SeaBird technology evidenced by the volume of enquiries supported by the subsequent Invitations To Tender requests now being received."

Tags: SeaBird Exploration Limited