First Published: GEO ExPro, December 2018

 

Abstract

The next phase for Santos Basin appraisal and development will require new seismic data that captures the pre-salt accurately.

In recent years, the geophysical, commercial and HSE benefits of multiple source acquisition, and the multiazimuth uplift in pre-salt illumination and velocity model building have become renowned within the industry. Utilizing this combined multi-source and multi-azimuth approach offers a safe, cost-effective and technically robust solution to further optimize the exploration of the Santos Basin. Formation tests over the Sagitario pre-salt prospect (below) in 2014 confirmed that the region had excellent carbonate reservoirs bearing high quality oil at a depth of 6,144m.

Polarcus has received a full environmental permit from IBAMA for an XArray™ Triple Source, long-offset project in the Santos Basin, which is designed to provide exceptional operational efficiency without compromising the pre-salt imaging. The permit for the ACU survey covers the Aram prospect, the unitized BM-S-8 and North of Carcará blocks, and the newly awarded Uirapuru block, as shown on the map. Further information can be provided on request.

Combining forces in the Santos pre-salt: a multi-azimuth and multi-source approach brings benefits to understanding pre-salt Brazil.

Despite political uncertainty following October’s presidential election, the Brazilian regulatory body (ANP) remains committed to developing a re-energized oil and gas industry, proactively encouraging more foreign investment and synergies between international and local oil players.

The results are significant. In the past nine months, the ANP has hosted five successful bid rounds that generated up to $5.45 billion in signature bonuses for the Brazilian government. Most recently, the ANP hosted the fourth Pre-Salt Round in June, approved blocks for the fifth round and designed the licensing calendar all the way to 2021. The attractive terms that are now offered to the industry, the volumes in place and the visibility and transparency of the entire licensing process makes offshore Brazil a prime location for hydrocarbon exploration. Not surprisingly, the supermajors have doubled their efforts to acquire new blocks and enter into new agreements with Petrobras to gain access to already discovered resources, such as Equinor’s 25% stake in the Roncador field, the largest producing field in Brazil with 210 Mbpd output.

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