After the recent announcement by the Government of the Republic of Gabon, the date for the opening of the 10th Licensing Round has been postponed.  The Round will cover the open, deepwater and very deepwater blocks over the Gabon Petroleum sedimentary basin.

The postponement is due to the unexpectedly high levels of interest and the need to reflect this in a more appropriate timeframe.

CGGVeritas is working directly with the Ministry and has acquired almost 13,000 km of seismic data for the Licence Round. The new surveys will help realize the potential of this exciting and under-explored area.

General Information

• CGGVeritas has been appointed to advise the Direction Generale des Hydrocarbures (DGH) on the promotion of the 10th Licensing Round.
• CGGVeritas has worked with the DGH to create a phased work program to develop innovative exploration concepts.
• The Ultra Deep Water of Gabon has significant untapped potential in a structurally complex setting, particularly in the pre-salt section which is poorly imaged by existing seismic data.
• In response to the particular exploration challenges each presents, two offshore regions have been defined – Zone Nord and Zone Sud.
• In Zone Nord, brokerage data is available for purchase plus a new targeted infill 2D grid of 2,700 km of data.
• In Zone Sud, an innovative and technically robust workflow has been performed. The work has been undertaken in three phases, as detailed below:

Phase 1: 2009 - Basin Modelling Using Existing Data

• CGGVeritas has interpreted the 2008 test line and the existing 2D regional grid available over the open blocks, plus the 3D survey in the old Astrid Marin block.
• ARKeX has worked as a sub-contractor to CGGVeritas to provide gravity and magnetic data modelling which has been integrated into a final report.
• Areas have been identified where there are thick pre-salt sedimentary depositional centres and adjacent structural highs which could contain potential traps.

Phase 2: 2009 - Acquisition of Gravity Gradiometry Data

• CGGVeritas, in partnership with ARKeX, is undertaking a Gravity Gradiometry survey to obtain high-resolution gravity data over 9,000km2 of the Zone Sud area.
• Gravity Gradiometry is an innovative gravity data acquisition technique that delivers extremely high-resolution geologic information this survey will help to constrain the extent of individual salt bodies and improve the geologic model derived from Phase 1.

Phase 3: 2009 - Acquisition of New Seismic Data

• Additional acquisition of 2D has been performed over Zone Sud's Ultra Deep area.
• The 2D acquisition consisted of nearly 13,000km of additional 2D data.
• The 2D data is ultra long-offset acquisition using a deep tow configuration and high energy source for maximum penetration.
• An additional extension has been added over held acreage.
• PSTM processing is completed.
• PSDM processing is underway.

All CGGVeritas multi-client 3D and 2D seismic data worldwide are available for license on a non-exclusive basis.