In February, EMGS extended its water-depth record by towing an EM source at a depth of 3,449 m. The survey is part of the long-term work EMGS is performing for PEMEX in the Gulf of Mexico.
Markus Skarø, EMGS Vice President of Acquisition, says, “The new record is 57 m deeper than our previous record. We are constantly expanding the CSEM application window, and, with innovations such as our surface-towed source, the minimum water depth is now only limited by safe vessel operating depths.”
EMGS has conducted over 500 surveys to reduce exploration risk and improve drilling success rates across the world’s mature and frontier basins – in water depths ranging from 32 to 3,449 metres.
The Controlled Source Electromagnetic (CSEM) method is an offshore geophysical technique, employing electromagnetic remote-sensing technology to indicate the presence and extent of hydrocarbon accumulations below the seabed.
The CSEM survey uses a dipole source that is towed just above the seafloor to transmit a time-varying electromagnetic field into the earth. This field is modified by the presence of subsurface resistive layers and these changes are detected and logged by an array of receivers placed on the seabed. Because hydrocarbon-bearing formations are highly resistive compared with surrounding formations, a CSEM survey can indicate the presence of oil and gas in offshore situations.
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Source:EMGS, March 4, 2011;