Finding petroleum in the South Atlantic

...if there's any left to find! 0

Tuesday, November 5, 2013, London, The Geological Society

Any reviews of recent global exploration activity show that the deepwater of the South Atlantic has been a ‘hot spot’, both over the 5 years from 2008, and remaining buoyant last year and this. Especially favoured have been the sub-salt of Brazil, the West African Transform Margin – especially in Ghana – and its ‘conjugate’ in Surinam and French Guiane, and latterly the sub-salt of the Angola, perhaps especially the Kwanza basin.

These follow up on the earlier history of prolific discoveries in the deepwater of Angola, Brazil’s Campos basin, and (to some extent) Nigeria.

Indeed, the region long seems to have had a magnetic attraction for explorers who have been drawn to it as 8 year old’s are drawn to the football, like a swarm of bees!

The general exuberance has led to arguably optimistic claims now being made for the deepwater of Morocco, Uruguay, Namibia whilst the Falkland Island’s offshore resources seem persuasive for academics but resist early development (or so it seems: one of our Finding Petroleum number has, we recall, previously offered to drink all the oil that’s developed around the Falkland Islands in the immediate future - recent drilling seems to reveal that so far he is safe!).

So where to now?

Are we looking at more deepwater Brazil; certainly the interest in 2013’s licence rounds seems to indicate so, despite the ANP and Petrobras heavily stacking the (poor) terms in their favour?

Will Cobalt International’s Kwanza sub-salt discovery bring more activity, more discoveries to the fore?

Perhaps the time has come for the deep waters, and older rocks, of Mauritania?

Or will the drive simply be into deeper and deeper water everywhere?

We welcome presentations that suggest answers to these questions! Please contact David Bamford via the Finding Petroleum website.

Agenda

13:00 Arrivals and Registration. Tea & Coffee

13:30

Alastair Fraser - EGI Chair in Petroleum Geoscience - Imperial College

Welcome


Professor Alastair J. Fraser has recently (June 2010) been appointed to the newly created post of EGI Chair in Petroleum Geoscience. He holds a BSc from Edinburgh University (1977) and a PhD from Glasgow University (1995), both in Geology. Al previously worked for BP as a Petroleum Geologist/Exploration Manager for over 30 years. His career in petroleum exploration, has taken him to most corners of the world including N. America, Europe, Africa, Middle East and the Far East. Following the BP Amoco merger, he led the team which made the significant Plutonio discovery in Block 18, deepwater Angola. He is the author of many papers on the petroleum geology of extensional basins most notably on the North Sea Jurassic and northern England Carboniferous.

Imperial College
Consistently rated amongst the world's best universities, Imperial College London is a science-based institution with a reputation for excellence in teaching and research.
13:35

Alastair Fraser - EGI Chair in Petroleum Geoscience - Imperial College

A long and winding road - exploration in the South Atlantic


Professor Alastair J. Fraser has recently (June 2010) been appointed to the newly created post of EGI Chair in Petroleum Geoscience. He holds a BSc from Edinburgh University (1977) and a PhD from Glasgow University (1995), both in Geology. Al previously worked for BP as a Petroleum Geologist/Exploration Manager for over 30 years. His career in petroleum exploration, has taken him to most corners of the world including N. America, Europe, Africa, Middle East and the Far East. Following the BP Amoco merger, he led the team which made the significant Plutonio discovery in Block 18, deepwater Angola. He is the author of many papers on the petroleum geology of extensional basins most notably on the North Sea Jurassic and northern England Carboniferous.

Imperial College
Consistently rated amongst the world's best universities, Imperial College London is a science-based institution with a reputation for excellence in teaching and research.
14:10

Paul Markwick - Technical Director - Getech

The evolution of sediment supply to the South Atlantic margins

Talk Description.
The supply of clastics into sedimentary basins has major implications for hydrocarbon prospectivity. Timing and character (grain size, composition, texture) are a function of hinterland evolution: the interplay of tectonics, climate and surface processes. Here we examine how geomorphological techniques are used to reconstruct palaeoriver systems, and how these results can then be used together with palaeogeography, palaeoDEMs and palaeoclimate to provide insights into probable sediment supply through time.
Such methods have particular resonance for current exploration in sub-salt and deep-water settings where data is sparse.

Paul has over 25 years experience in academia and industry. He began his career at BP back in the 1980s where his work included upwelling predictions using conceptual climate models, palaeogeographic mapping, cyclostratigraphy and oil from coals. In 1989 he started his PhD with Professor Fred Ziegler, as part of the Paleogeographic Atlas Project at the University of Chicago. His work on palaeoclimate proxies brought together palaeogeography, palaeoclimatology, database design and management and statistics. This was followed by a post-doc with Professors Paul Valdes and Bruce Sellwood at the University of Reading applying palaeoclimate models to the southwest African coast as an exploration tool for placer diamonds. In 1998 he joined Robertson Research (now CGG-Robertson) where he developed the palaeogeographic and predictive source rock models, which subsequently became central to the “Merlin” project. He joined Getech at the end of 2004 to set up the Petroleum Systems Evaluation Group and became group manager in 2006. He joined Getech’s board in 2008 as Geological Director and became Technical Director in 2010.

Paul continues to actively pursue academic research and has convened two conferences on Palaeogeography (Cambridge 2008) and Predictive Lithofacies Modelling (Snowbird 2006), as well as publishing numerous papers on topics as diverse as glacioeustacy, Antarctic tectonics and palaeogeography, database design, the K/T extinction, biodiversity and climate, palaeoclimate proxies and drainage analysis.

Paul has is a Visiting Research Fellow at the Universities of Bristol and Leeds.

Getech
For over 25 years, we've been using our data and geoscience expertise to help the oil and mining industries locate the earth's natural resources. Whatever your requirements, our multidisciplinary team of geoscientists can help you make enlightened business decisions.

At Getech, we offer a range of services dedicated to helping you understand the geological risks and opportunities associated with locating natural resources - whether you're working on a global or regional scale.

Our eco-system offers a holistic view of how our core services interact, with Globe at the centre.
14:45 Coffee & Tea

15:15

Dr Keith Myers - Founding Partner - Richmond Energy Partners

REP's Wildcat Data Base and exploration along the West Africa Transform Margin & beyond!


After completing a Ph. D. at Imperial College, Keith joined BP in 1987 as a geologist. Following a variety of technical roles, he became a Senior Commercial Advisor in 1996 when he led several major negotiations for new business access as well as Business Strategies for BP’s business in West Africa and BP’s Strategic Alliance with Statoil. Since 2000 Keith has been an advisor to numerous energy companies on strategy and partnership issues Keith founded Richmond Energy Partners in 2006 to provide independent advice to investors in smaller oil and gas companies. Richmond Energy advise some of the largest funds and institutions investing in the sector. Keith takes a keen interest in oil sector governance and served on the organising committee of the Good Governance of the National Petroleum Sector Project at the think tank Chatham House.

Richmond Energy Partners
Richmond Energy Partners was founded in 2006 and provides independent advice to investors in smaller oil and gas companies. It provides advice to some of the largest funds and institutions investing in oil and gas. Dr Myers has a Phd from Imperial College, London and joined BP as a geologist in 1987, eventually becoming senior commercial advisor at BP in 1996, leading negotiations for new business access for BP in Angola and in its strategic alliance with Statoil.
15:50

Gregor Duval - Senior technical manager EAME - CGG

New insights brought by broadband seismic data on the Brazil – Angola conjugate margins

Talk Description.
My talk will focus on the Brazil – Angola Atlantic conjugate margins where we have acquired some large broadband 3D seismic datasets that have revealed new information about the geology.
Gregor has over 13 years of experience in the oil and gas exploration geoscience services industry. He started his career with Veritas DGC as Geoscientist, taking on various technical roles to support the Geological Services team of the then Data Library business activities focusing mainly on the interpretation of G&G data to characterise oil and gas prospectivity in various basins around the world.

The company was taken over by CGG in 2007 and Gregor has dedicated his career since to the Geoscience support team of the Multi-Client and New Ventures division. He leads this team since 2011 as Senior Technical Manager for the Europe, Africa and Middle-East region. His experience covers exploration in the North Sea basins, Atlantic Margin basins, West Africa, the Mediterranean Sea, the Caspian Sea and the Banda Arc basins in Indonesia. He has an MSc in Geology from the National School of Geology of Nancy in France and an MSc in Geophysics from the School and Observatory for Earth Sciences of Strasbourg.

CGG
CGG is a fully integrated Geoscience company providing leading geological, geophysical and reservoir capabilities to its broad base of customers primarily from the global oil and gas industry.
16:25

Craig Koch - Senior Geoscientist - PGS

South West Africa: Frontiers and Prospects

Talk Description.
It's a review of the frontier basins of Southern Angola and Namibia, using regional 2D GeoStreamer seismic to understand the underlying basin structures and the potential petroleum systems.

Craig has an MSci in geology from UCL, and an MPhil in Palaeoceanography and Micropalaeontology from Bangor University. He has 6 years of industry experience, all gained from the service sector, including 1 year as a geoscientist in the Reservoir group at PGS and 5 years as a geologist and Neftex. He has worked as a general geologist in the Black Sea and Caspian regions, as well as the Mediterranean and West Africa.

PGS
PGS is a leading, international, marine geophysical company. Our business is technology driven and we provide a range of products and services including MultiClient data, as well as tailored acquisition, and imaging.

Our large, modern data library comprises ~850 000 sq. km 3D and ~670 000 km of 2D seismic data that targets areas of high prospectivity, where oil companies have potential to access acreage. Around 44% of the 3D data in our library and 60% of the 2D data have been acquired with multisensor GeoStreamer® technology. That proportion is growing.

PGS is the industry's most experienced provider of multisensor broadband data.

Worldwide, PGS operates three larger sales and imaging hubs in Europe and North America, and has local offices in 13 countries. The PGS headquarters is in Oslo, Norway and the PGS share is listed on the Oslo stock exchange (OSE: PGS).

PGS activities are organized into three business areas.
.Sales & Imaging promotes and sells seismic services including tailored acquisition contracts, MultiClient library data, and imaging services .New Ventures designs and markets new MultiClient campaigns and manages strategic projects .Operations & Technology plans, manages and executes all our acquisition projects, and develops new technology solutions
17:00 Raffle prize draw, followed by Close

17:10 Please join us in The Goat Tavern pub for networking
Talk Description.
Please join us for informal networking at the Goat Tavern.

The Goat Tavern
3 Stafford Street,
Mayfair,
London,
W1S 4RP

Directions

Sponsors of this event

Getech
For over 25 years, we've been using our data and geoscience expertise to help the oil and mining industries locate the earth's natural resources. Whatever your requirements, our multidisciplinary team of geoscientists can help you make enlightened business decisions.

At Getech, we offer a range of services dedicated to helping you understand the geological risks and opportunities associated with locating natural resources - whether you're working on a global or regional scale.

Our eco-system offers a holistic view of how our core services interact, with Globe at the centre.

RPS Energy
RPS Energy provides a range of technical, commercial and project management support services to the international energy industry, covering geoscience, engineering and HS&E, with offices around the world.

CGG
CGG is a fully integrated Geoscience company providing leading geological, geophysical and reservoir capabilities to its broad base of customers primarily from the global oil and gas industry.

EPI
EPI is an independent, highly experienced and skilled seismic QC/QA consultancy to the Energy Industry with a variety of specialist skills for land, marine and TZ Quality Control. As an international consultancy we work globally providing clients with outstanding 'seismic QC solutions'. Our experience includes: * Arctic exploration * 4D Reservoir monitoring * Carbon capture & storage * Frontier exploration * OBC/ OBC technologies * Wireless & node technology * Unconventional resources.

We offer a fully bespoke service and cover all aspects of project design, parameter and source optimisation, crew mentoring, start-ups, technical assurance, HSSE QC support and seismic data processing.

EPI
EPI is an independent, highly experienced and skilled seismic QC/QA consultancy to the Energy Industry with a variety of specialist skills for land, marine and TZ Quality Control. As an international consultancy we work globally providing clients with outstanding 'seismic QC solutions'. Our experience includes: * Arctic exploration * 4D Reservoir monitoring * Carbon capture & storage * Frontier exploration * OBC/ OBC technologies * Wireless & node technology * Unconventional resources.

We offer a fully bespoke service and cover all aspects of project design, parameter and source optimisation, crew mentoring, start-ups, technical assurance, HSSE QC support and seismic data processing.

PGS
PGS is a leading, international, marine geophysical company. Our business is technology driven and we provide a range of products and services including MultiClient data, as well as tailored acquisition, and imaging.

Our large, modern data library comprises ~850 000 sq. km 3D and ~670 000 km of 2D seismic data that targets areas of high prospectivity, where oil companies have potential to access acreage. Around 44% of the 3D data in our library and 60% of the 2D data have been acquired with multisensor GeoStreamer® technology. That proportion is growing.

PGS is the industry's most experienced provider of multisensor broadband data.

Worldwide, PGS operates three larger sales and imaging hubs in Europe and North America, and has local offices in 13 countries. The PGS headquarters is in Oslo, Norway and the PGS share is listed on the Oslo stock exchange (OSE: PGS).

PGS activities are organized into three business areas.
.Sales & Imaging promotes and sells seismic services including tailored acquisition contracts, MultiClient library data, and imaging services .New Ventures designs and markets new MultiClient campaigns and manages strategic projects .Operations & Technology plans, manages and executes all our acquisition projects, and develops new technology solutions

PGS
PGS is a leading, international, marine geophysical company. Our business is technology driven and we provide a range of products and services including MultiClient data, as well as tailored acquisition, and imaging.

Our large, modern data library comprises ~850 000 sq. km 3D and ~670 000 km of 2D seismic data that targets areas of high prospectivity, where oil companies have potential to access acreage. Around 44% of the 3D data in our library and 60% of the 2D data have been acquired with multisensor GeoStreamer® technology. That proportion is growing.

PGS is the industry's most experienced provider of multisensor broadband data.

Worldwide, PGS operates three larger sales and imaging hubs in Europe and North America, and has local offices in 13 countries. The PGS headquarters is in Oslo, Norway and the PGS share is listed on the Oslo stock exchange (OSE: PGS).

PGS activities are organized into three business areas.
.Sales & Imaging promotes and sells seismic services including tailored acquisition contracts, MultiClient library data, and imaging services .New Ventures designs and markets new MultiClient campaigns and manages strategic projects .Operations & Technology plans, manages and executes all our acquisition projects, and develops new technology solutions

Getech
For over 25 years, we've been using our data and geoscience expertise to help the oil and mining industries locate the earth's natural resources. Whatever your requirements, our multidisciplinary team of geoscientists can help you make enlightened business decisions.

At Getech, we offer a range of services dedicated to helping you understand the geological risks and opportunities associated with locating natural resources - whether you're working on a global or regional scale.

Our eco-system offers a holistic view of how our core services interact, with Globe at the centre.

Registered Delegates

Stuart Amor
Analyst

United Kingdom
Raymond Wolfson
CEO
GETECH Group plc
United Kingdom
Sergey Palenov
Sales
PGS
United Kingdom
Tony Grindrod
Trustee
AAPG Europe
United States
gary scaife
Geologist
Greensand Exploration Ltd
United Kingdom
Craig Koch
Project Geoscientist
PGS Reservoir
United Kingdom
Steve Smith
Director
Akeman Exploration
United Kingdom
Richard Spoors
Director
Greensand Exploration Ltd.
United Kingdom
Kevin Sylvester
Director
Pinnacle Energy Limited
United Kingdom
eskil jersing
Exploration Director
Apache Corporation
United Kingdom
James Cockings
Consultant Petroleum Geologist
Gulfsands Petroleum
United Kingdom
John Hother
MD
Proneta
United Kingdom
Megan Manley
Sales Coordinator
ARKeX
United Kingdom
Alice Butt
Geoscientist
Halliburton
United Kingdom
Nigel Quinton
Consultant
QX Energy Limited
United Kingdom
Jessica Cregg
Junior Account Executive
Aspectus PR
United Kingdom
Caron Howard
Business Development Manager
Hannon Westwood
United Kingdom
Josh King
Analyst
RAB Capital
United Kingdom
Laura Iley

Aspectus PR
United Kingdom
Hywel John

Haven Energy
United Kingdom
Kes Heffer
Director
Reservoir Dynamics Ltd
United Kingdom
David Craik
Consultant
Atlaslocal
United Kingdom
David Jenkins
Director
Hurricane Energy plc
United Kingdom
Robert Snashall
Consultant
RGSConsult
United Kingdom
Alessandro Pozzi
VP
Barclays
United Kingdom
Aonghus O'Carroll
Managing Director
Hyperpycnal Limited
United Kingdom
Keith Myers
Partner
Richmond Energy
David Haughie
Structured Oil and Gas Origination
BNP Paribas
United Kingdom
Kevin Chandler
Senior Product Manager - International Logs and Seismic
IHS
United Kingdom
Paul Board
Business Development Manager
Robertson (A CGG company)
United Kingdom
Rachel Braun
Geopolitical Risk Analyst/Business Development
Bridgeporth Ltd
United Kingdom
Evgenia Kukina
Sr Product Manager
IHS
United Kingdom
Rob Crossley
Chief Geologist
Robertson CGG
United Kingdom
Jonathan Watson
Geophysicist
Bridgeporth ltd
United Kingdom
Mark Simpson
Business Development Director
Immerse Learning / Languagelab
United Kingdom
Claire Banks
Petroleum Geologist
Robertson CGG
United Kingdom
Will Jeffery
Senior Offshore Interpreter
CGG
United Kingdom
Alastair Fraser
Professor
Imperial College
United Kingdom
Robert Waterhouse
Director
Rosha Resources Ltd
United Kingdom
Adrian Cookney

CGG
United Kingdom
Dapo Fakorede
Consultant
Independent
United Kingdom
Tom Colbert
Director
Royal Bank of Scotland
United Kingdom
Grégor Duval
Technical Manager Geosciences
CGG - Multi-Client & New Ventures
United Kingdom
Paul Main
Business Manager - Research
Infield Systems
United Kingdom
JOHN GEORGIOU
EXPLORATION CONSULTANT GEOPHYSICIST
RPS ENERGY
United Kingdom
Jaswinder Mann
Geoscientist
CGGVeritas
United Kingdom
Andrew Hopkins
Seismic Interpretation Consultant
Inline Associates Ltd
United Kingdom
Dawn Murton
Events Manager
RPS Energy
United Kingdom
Diwin Amarasinghe
Geophysical Specialist
Consultant
United Kingdom
Katerina Gunningham
Partner
Iskra Consulting Ltd
United Kingdom
Martin Smith
Business Development Manager - Operations
RPS Energy
United Kingdom
Ron Silva

Consultant
United Kingdom
nick Johnson
associate
JUC Ltd
United Kingdom
Chris Hayes
Well Operations Director
RPS Energy
United Kingdom
Micky Allen
consultant
consultant
United Kingdom
Ewan Rossiter
Geologist
JX Nippon
United Kingdom
Annalisa Hayes
Business Development Research
RPS Energy
United Kingdom
Peter Farrington
Geophysicist
Consultant Geophysicist
United Kingdom
Nicholas Harper
Geoscientist
Landmark Exploration Insights
United Kingdom
Janice Weston
Principal Advisor
RPS Energy Ltd.
United Kingdom
Dan Kunkle
Director
Count Geophysics
United Kingdom
Jacques Fischer
Junior RM
Lloyds Bank
United Kingdom
Richard Wrigley
Chief Geologist
RW Exploration Ltd
United Kingdom
Anisa Goshi

DavidsonMorris
United Kingdom
Andrew McCulloch
Associate
Lloyds Bank
United Kingdom
Linda Sutherland
Consultant
Sandown Energy Consultants Limited
United Kingdom
David Boote

DBConsulting Ltd
United Kingdom
Sam Geddes

Lloyds Bank
United Kingdom
Clarke Shepherd
Senior Project Services Engineer
Senergy Development Solutions
United Kingdom
Arran Waterman
Oil and Gas Analyst
Deloitte Petroleum Services
United Kingdom
Andrew Egogo
Senior Consultant Geoscientist
London South Bank University
United Kingdom
Aaron Lockwood
Software Sales Manager - EAME
Shearwater Geoservices
United Kingdom
Stephen Norman
Business Development Manager
DNV
United Kingdom
Duncan Macgregor
Consultant Geologist
MacGeology
United Kingdom
Tom Martin
Director
Shikra Consulting
United Kingdom
Howard Davies
Business Dev Manager
DownUnder GeoSolutions
United Kingdom
Antonello Renno

Management Consultant
United Kingdom
peter mikkelsen
principal associate
simco
United Kingdom
Emma Woodward
Regional Manager, West Africa
DrillingInfo
United Kingdom
David Murray
Senior Analyst
Mars Omega LLP
United Kingdom
Nicki Bourne
Principal
SLR
United Kingdom
Anna Hirtenstein
Journalist
eBiz Guides / World Investment News
United Kingdom
Michael Blakemore
Director
Michael J. Blakemore Ltd
United Kingdom
Glyn Roberts
Director
Spec Partners Ltd
United Kingdom
Ali Zolalemin
Director
Emeres Ltd
United Kingdom
Suzannah Kwok
Associate Director
Michael Page Oil & Gas
United Kingdom
Michael Beling
Analyst (Geology)
Statoil
United Kingdom
Martin Blindheim
Managing Director
Energy Growth Partners Limited
United Kingdom
Charles Speh
Managing Director
Milestone Exploration Limited
United Kingdom
Joseph Pape
Exploration Advisor
Stratochem Services
United Kingdom
Martin Riddle
Technical Manager
Envoi
United Kingdom
Ramesh Shukla
Shareholder of exploration companies
None
United Kingdom
James Dodson
Account Manager
TGS
United Kingdom
Terry O'Donnell
Business Development Manager
EPI Group
United Kingdom
Stuart Fordyce
Geologist
Novas Consulting
United Kingdom
Geoff Lawrence
Director
The REally Easy Imaging Company Limited (TREICoL)
United Kingdom
James Bowkett
Geoscientist
ERCL
United Kingdom
Keith Nunn
Managing Director
Nunngeo Consulting Ltd
United Kingdom
Steve Bottomley
Director
Upstream Consultants Limited
United Kingdom
Adam Marmaras
Event Organiser
Finding Petroleum
United Kingdom
thomas colling
Director
OGDE
United Kingdom
John van Wyk
Director
Value Chain Partners
United Kingdom
Anna Hancock
Sales & Marketing Administrator
Geoguide Consultants Limited
United Kingdom
mike dean
Director
OGDE
United Kingdom
Kim Fairweather
Consultant
Vision Project Services
United Kingdom
Lin Kenealy
Sales and Marketing Director
GeoGuide Consultants Limited
United Kingdom
Julian Fowles

Oil Search Ltd
Australia
Peter Williams

White Rose Energy
United Kingdom
James Gulland
Director
GeoPartners Ltd
United Kingdom
David Macaulay
Account Manager
Paradigm
United Kingdom
Andrew McCarthy
Chief Geophysicist
White Rose Energy Ventures
United Kingdom
Jim House
Director
GeoSeis Ltd
United Kingdom
Robert Parker
Consultant
Parker
United Kingdom
Richard Ember
Director of Exploration, New Ventures
White Rose Energy Ventures LLP
United Kingdom
Paul Marwick

Getech
Paul Compton
Director
PCCL
United Kingdom
Hugh Ebbutt
Associated Director
WSS Energy Consulting
United Kingdom