Geotrace completes onboard data processing offshore Libya

Geotrace has completed of one of the world’s largest onboard data processing projects for BP’s Sirt Basin concession off the coast of Libya.

The survey aims
BP’s first 3D marine survey in Libya’s Gulf of Sirt was one of the world’s largest, covering 17 500 km². The contract split the area into four tracts of approximately equal area and stipulated onboard processing, including 2D SRME and full prestack time migration with velocity model picking, within six weeks of last shot for each tract. The aim was to produce a high quality image for prospect identification and to enable the complete well planning process to begin in 2009 leading to early exploration drilling.

Onboard processing
The objective was to show that exploration cycle times and image quality for vast surveys need not be overly limited by onboard processing constraints, provided that proper planning and investment are undertaken and that the appropriate levels of geophysical expertise and computer resources are available to meet project objectives. It has been possible to deliver high quality, prestack time processing onboard while keeping pace with acquisition for very large surveys, and each of the four tranches have been delivered within the six week target set by BP.

In addition to the conventional prestack time processed data, a high resolution shallow hazard cube has been processed onboard and delivered from the vessel, as well as a multiple azimuth test run over a subset of the full survey area.

Software and services
Using its proprietary ANSER and Diamond software systems and a high capacity PC cluster based on a Dell M600 blade cluster with 2048 CPUs, Geotrace has provided a full range of quality control and processing services including prestack imaging and advanced demultiple techniques.

Read the article online at: https://www.oilfieldtechnology.com/exploration/13012010/geotrace_completes_onboard_data_processing_offshore_libya/