Laconia 3D Sparse OBN Survey - Gulf of Mexico
Maximizing subsalt uplift and pinpointing reservoir geometries with innovative imaging technologies
Located in the Garden Banks and Keathley Canyon protraction areas, the Laconia sparse OBN program covers 329 OCS blocks, over approximately 7600 km2. The data is being acquired with the Sercel TPS (Tuned Pulsed Source), an innovative low-frequency broadband marine seismic source. The technological breakthrough of the Tuned Pulsed Source, coupled with Viridien’s advanced imaging expertise, proprietary elastic full-waveform inversion (E-FWI) technology, and industry-leading high-performance computing (HPC), will maximize the uplift for subsalt imaging and reservoir delineation provided by the increased low-frequency content and improved signal-to-noise ratio.
The complex salt geometry in the Garden Banks and Keathly Canyon area creates significant sub-salt exploration and imaging challenges. The combination of TPS, long offset OBN data, and Viridien technology produces a leap forward in sub-salt imaging that will unlock hidden resource potential in the GoM. Adding OBN to the 30 km XL long offset streamer data helps reach low-frequency signals of up to 1 Hz, providing the much-needed diving wave illumination for the E-FWI to produce unseen images to reveal the subsalt detail. Today, TPS is also one of the industry's most environmentally friendly source options due to its reduced high-frequency emissions. Delivery of the Laconia sparse OBN initial products is scheduled for Q2 2025.
Cutting-edge OBN to revolutionize subsurface imaging
During IMAGE 2024, SVP of Earth Data Americas Joe Zhou spoke with Ali Sloan from AAPG about the new Laconia 3D sparse OBN survey in the Gulf of Mexico, which will combine innovative imaging technologies to pinpoint complex sub-salt geometries and redefine imaging for deepwater exploration.
Laconia Project - Integrated and Innovative Technologies
From the highest quality subsurface imaging to innovative low-frequency broadband marine seismic sources and high performance cloud solutions, learn more about the technology breakthroughs used in the exciting Laconia project.
Elastic FWI
Overcome limitations imposed by acoustic assumptions with Viridien's proprietary elastic FWI algorithm that combines an elastic modeling engine with the time-lag cost function.
TPS (Tuned Pulse Source)
Achieve geophysical clarity by improving low frequency content with Sercel's TPS (Tuned Pulse Source) new marine seismic source.
High-Performance Computing and Cloud Solutions
Accelerate your AI, science and engineering with custom High-Performance Computing (HPC) and Cloud solutions.