3D seismic surveying operations on the Drombeg oil exploration prospect have commenced
7 July 2014
This is one of the largest ever 3D seismic surveys to have been acquired offshore Ireland and is utilising the M/V Polarcus Amani
SOSINA Exploration Ltd is pleased to announce that 3D seismic surveying operations have commenced on its Drombeg oil exploration prospect in the southern Porcupine Basin, offshore south-west Ireland.
The Drombeg prospect, which is situated in Frontier Exploration Licence (FEL) 2/14, is a significant Lower Cretaceous stratigraphic amplitude/AVO supported exploration target. The prospect is located in c. 2,500 metre water depth and is c. 220 kilometres off the west coast of Ireland. FEL 2/14 is operated by Providence Resources (80%) on behalf of SOSINA (20%).
Providence and SOSINA have agreed to licence c. 1,100 km2 of 3D seismic data over Drombeg, which is being acquired by Polarcus MC Limited as part of a minimum c. 4,300 km2 non-exclusive multi-client survey. This is one of the largest ever 3D seismic surveys to have been acquired offshore Ireland and is utilising the M/V Polarcus Amani, which is an ultra-modern, super high ice-class, next generation seismic vessel that is one of the most advanced in the world.
| Contact: |
Mr. John Ødegaard, Chairman of the Board Mobile: +45 27 26 00 03 |
CLICK on the map and read the Drombeg licence data. | About Drombeg
The Drombeg prospect lies in c. 2,500 metre water depth and is c. 3,000 metres below the seabed. The prospect is located in the southern Porcupine Basin, c. 220 km off West Cork, being c. 60 km from the ExxonMobil-operated Dunquin exploration prospect which was drilled in mid-2013. In 2012, Providence and SOSINA completed a major seismic inversion programme over the Lower Cretaceous Drombeg prospect, together with an assessment of its associated prospective resource potential. Initial rock physics modeling and seismic inversion work was carried out by Ikon Science over key 2D Drombeg seismic lines, which exhibited a marked seismic anomaly. This initial work modeled the Drombeg anomaly to be consistent with the presence of thick hydrocarbon bearing sandstone intervals.
At that time, the Company also confirmed that a large Jurassic fault block closure, with a pronounced crestal fluid escape feature, had been also identified beneath the Drombeg Lower Cretaceous prospect. Results from the inversion study, together with a volumetric analysis of the Lower Cretaceous interval, has indicated a recoverable P50 prospective resource potential of 872 MMBO, based on an oil in place volume of 2.970 BBO.
Two separate stratigraphic, but vertically stacked objectives have also been identified in the overlying Lower Cenozoic and underlying Upper Jurassic. The Lower Cenozoic feature is interpreted to comprise a deep-water basin floor fan covering c. 295 sq km and which exhibits a marked amplitude versus offset (AVO) anomaly. The deeper Upper Jurassic feature is mapped as a large tilted fault block structure with c. 140 sq km of closure. A notable fluid escape feature has been interpreted at the crest of the Upper Jurassic tilted fault block and which appears to be acting as a hydrocarbon migration path into both the overlying Drombeg Lower Cretaceous and Lower Cenozoic target intervals. This fluid escape feature is significant in that it suggests an oil remigration model at Drombeg, which is similar to that which has been proposed for the BP-operated Foinaven and Schiehallion Fields in the UK West of Shetlands. |
Click on the photo and view a 4,28 minutes video about Polarcus Amani. | About Polarcus
Polarcus is a pure play marine geophysical company with a pioneering environmental agenda, specializing in high-end towed streamer data acquisition from Pole to Pole. Polarcus is launching a fleet of modern 3D seismic vessels using the innovative ULSTEIN X-BOW® design and incorporating advanced maritime technologies for improved operational efficiency with a reduced environmental footprint. Polarcus offers contract seismic surveys and multi-client projects worldwide and has its principal office in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. For more information, visit http://www.polarcus.com/. |
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