Completion of 3D Seismic Acquisition

14/02/2008
Borders & Southern Petroleum plc is pleased to announce the successful completion of its 3D seismic acquisition programme within its Production Licences south of the Falkland Islands.

Petroleum Geo Services (PGS), using their vessel Ocean Explorer, acquired a total of 1492 square kilometres of full fold seismic data. This is the largest 3D survey to be acquired in the Falkland Islands to date and represents one of the most southerly 3D surveys in the world. The data was acquired without HSE incident, ahead of schedule and within budget.

In addition to acquiring the seismic data, the Company had an onboard marine mammal observer to record wildlife activity. This data, together with the oceanographic measurements undertaken, will be incorporated into the Company’s Environmental Impact Assessment.

The processing contract for the 3D seismic has been awarded to PGS and testing of the data has already commenced. The full processing is anticipated to take approximately 5 months, however a fast track product will be delivered earlier.

Commenting on the survey Howard Obee, CEO of Borders & Southern, said: “We are delighted to have finished the 3D acquisition ahead of schedule. Thanks are due to PGS along with our onboard QCs. This is a large survey for a company of our size, but it now gives us the best possible opportunity to fully assess the commerciality of our acreage”.

He added: “It’s too early to comment on the analysis of the 3D, but the quality of the raw data appears very good and we’re excited about receiving the processed data so that the detailed interpretation can get underway”.

Thanks to Mike Godman, Borders & Southern's acquisition QC onboard the Ocean Explorer, for taking the following images of the vessel.

The Ocean Explorer in Stanley prior to the start of the survey

Ocean Explorer leaving Stanley for the survey area (Thanks to Lewis Clifton for this Photo)

Back deck – deploying gun string off overhead "barrow boom"