The Gulf of Mexico (GoM) remains an extremely active region as oil & gas companies continue to look deeper for new drillable prospects. Third-party research suggests that there is a huge resource opportunity still to be tapped in the deep and ultra-deep GoM. Although the GoM has been extensively covered with 2D and 3D data, most of this vintage speculative (spec) data is inadequate to image the emerging deep plays or the more subtle targets shallower in the basin.
Many geoscientists believe that new tools, approaches, and imaging methods will be needed to identify the next wave of GoM prospects. One approach many oil & gas companies are taking is to develop a holistic understanding of the petroleum system at the basin level. This means imaging deep (to 60k feet or more in order to see source rocks and migration pathways) and with higher resolution at all depths to identify more subtle structural and stratigraphic features.
GulfSPAN was developed by ION's GX Technology (GXT) group to give geoscientists a basin-level tool for the Gulf of Mexico petroleum system. GulfSPAN is an ultradeep seismic data library that provides critical insight into the geologic evolution, deep basin architecture, basin fill and structural history of the northern Gulf of Mexico region. The GulfSPAN data library totals more than 12,000 miles of customized pre-stack depth-imaged data, recorded to allow consistent imaging to depths of 18,000 meters or 59,400 feet.
The program layout was planned with the active participation of oil & gas companies and regional experts, with the goal of better understanding the regional geology and, more specifically, the deeper, less explored areas of the basin. Particular attention was paid to positioning each line to allow ties to key wells, to traverse key depositions and structural provinces, and to image deep structure/stratigraphy. ION managed the entire project to ensure the highest-quality survey design, acquisition, and processing technologies were applied.
Key program components include:
- Consistent pre-stack depth imaging to 18,000 meters (59,400 ft)
- Ties to major depositional features
- Facilitates key well and field ties
- Correlation of major seismic events from near shore to deep basin
- Imaging of deep features of interest, while minimizing salt interference
- Strike lines designed to establish a consistent framework
- Effective multiple attenuation with innovative techniques
- Leading-edge depth imaging technologies and workflows
- 9,000 meter offsets
GulfSPAN was the first SPAN program to be originated by ION. Over the past few years, the GulfSPAN program has expanded to include several subset projects, including:
- GulfSPAN Streamer/OBC – More than 13,400 miles of state-of-the-art prestack depth-imaged data, recorded to allow consistent imaging to depths of 18,000 meters (59,400ft)
- GulfSPAN Land – A reprocessing project of existing 2D onshore data totaling 3,400 miles that forms a natural extension to both the GulfSPAN Streamer/OBC surveys.
