Schlumberger announces launch of Q-Marine(a) seismic technology

Schlumberger Oilfield Services announced the launch of Q-Marine(a), the new-generation marine seismic technology, at the Society of Exploration Geophysicists Calgary 2000 International Exposition. Successfully field tested in the Gulf of Mexico, Q-Marine technology establishes a new level of precision for seismic reservoir characterisation and evaluation and brings the seismic industry closer to its goal of delivering reservoir images at a resolution similar to that of downhole measurements.
Q-Marine follows on the heels of Q-Land(a), the first component of the revolutionary seismic acquisition and processing system introduced by Schlumberger in March 2000. The revolutionary Q-Marine towed streamer seismic data acquisition system combines the proven benefits of Schlumberger streamer steering technology with single-sensor recording.

Exploiting recent advances in both electronics and data communication networks, the system allows recording by more than 4,000 individual hydrophones on each of as many as 20 streamers, giving a maximum of 80,000 channels. Sophisticated signal processing software enables real-time digital group forming of the single-sensor data and correction of perturbations in the seismic data. The real-time intelligent dynamic group forming incorporates high-fidelity data-adaptive noise attenuation.
According to Terje Nikolaysen, vice president for Schlumberger Reservoir Evaluation Seismic: "One area that will benefit particularly from the introduction of Q-Marine technology is the acquisition of 4D seismic surveys. Q-Marine acquisition introduces new levels of control, which now enable the cost-effective towed streamer method to accurately fulfil the principal requirements of 4D ready data."
"With Q-Marine acquisition, we can now deliver 4D ready data, which have both forward and backward compatibility. The pace of 4D exploration has gathered speed in recent years but only now, by introducing a series of advanced control developments, will the industry be able to utilise towed marine seismic to efficiently manage the oil reservoir through its full life cycle by virtue of the advanced introduction of the Q-Marine system. We foresee Q-Marine technology and 4D seismic rapidly becoming the standard reservoir management tool for accurate and cost-efficient reservoir evaluation and monitoring."

Schlumberger Oilfield Services, a business segment of Schlumberger, is the leading supplier of services and technology to the international petroleum industry and operates offices, service locations, and research and development facilities around the world. Schlumberger is a global leader in technical services spanning the oil and gas, utility, semiconductor, smart cards, network and Internet solutions industries. Schlumberger revenue was $ 8.4 bn in 1999.