Survey outfit CGGVeritas has added up $250 million in “exclusive”, mutli-client, multi-year contracts from the Gulf of Mexico to the Arctic, it was Wednesday.

Oil company interest has meant much early financing enabling the growth of CGGVeritas and a host of other survey outfits now growing their fleets, many with strong Norwegian roots.

CGGVeritas contracts extend to the Persian Gulf, where the company has been hired to “acquire a large 3D offshore seismic survey” late this year with te CGGVeritas Orion vessel.

The work will last 18 months with an option for an extra year.

In the North American Arctic region, “multiple contracts” calls for two winters of seismic shoots.