'After a strategic review Fugro basically decided to exit the capital intensive and volatile seismic segment of the oil & gas exploration market where it does not have a leading market position. It spotted that most seismic companies had indicated fleet expansion plans in the immediate future…
No-one seems to have fathomed out the depth of the potential market for seabed-based seismic surveys. Andrew McBarnet reviews the state of play.Sometimes the surf seems to be up, but those big waves that make the surf boarders’ day just don’t quite materialise…
Andrew McBarnet offers this kaleidoscope of impressions from a major gathering of the geoscience community.At the end of any big industry event like last month's annual conference and exhibition of the European Association of Geoscientists & Engineers (EAGE) in Copenhagen…
Kongsberg Oil & Gas Technologies is the relatively small group, with a current roster of around 300 people, spun off from parent group Kongsberg Maritime a year or two ago. Having merged its drilling and production units into a single division early this year…
Seismic surveys with increased bandwidth are the way forward. There will be some winners and losers, reports Andrew McBarnet.Talk about the boss ignoring the spoiler alert. In the last few weeks new Schlumberger CEO Paal Kibsgaard has been…
Bjørn Jalving (pictured) has been appointed EVP of Kongsberg Maritime’s subsea division in succession to Rolf Arne Klepaker, who is now working on strategic projects elsewhere in the KM group. Jalving has served as VP for Hugin AUV activity since 2007.
Andrew McBarnet puts the decision-making of marine seismic companies under the microscope.Carrying on where we left off (OE last month), the future of financially troubled SeaBird Exploration and its ocean bottom node (OBN) seismic acquisition business remains unclear…
Back from the SEG annual meeting in San Antonio, Andrew McBarnet detects stirrings in the market for ocean bed seismic services.Ten years ago when the Society of Exploration Geophysicists (SEG) held its annual meeting in San Antonio, the event…
Back from the SEG annual meeting in San Antonio, Andrew McBarnet detects stirrings in the market for ocean bed seismic services.Ten years ago when the Society of Exploration Geophysicists (SEG) held its annual meeting in San Antonio, the event…
Mindful of Offshore Europe in Aberdeen this month, Andrew McBarnet explains why seismic companies keep coming back to the mainly mature offshore hydrocarbon province of northwest Europe.It's not the most elegant of sayings but 'there's life…
Andrew McBarnet reviews some of the history of Norwegian marine seismic ventures to assess the aspirations of the latest entrant into the market.The launch of yet another Norwegian-inspired company dedicated to making its mark on the marine seismic business is so déjà vu…
Norwegian-based Brude Safety has expanded its gangway portfolio to cover a range from 2-14m. The two latest developments, the 11m and the 14m gangways, are knuckled versions, giving the shipowner the opportunity to use it for crew-change as well as for standard deck-quay solutions…
Andrew McBarnet tries to fathom the future of permanent seismic reservoir monitoring projects.A big pow-wow of industry specialists at the end of last month in Trondheim, Norway, was hoping to get to the bottom of the future prospects for…
Andrew McBarnet suggests that the major marine seismic players are favourites to win in a crowded market.You would never realise it from the current crop of financial results and muted forward-looking statements from CEOs of marine seismic vessel operators…
Operating in the marine seismic environment requires the ability to constantly adapt and chase down the opportunities. Andrew McBarnet describes how fortunes tend to favour the big rather than the brave.It’s business as usual’ has got to be something of a misnomer in commercial life…