The Next Milestone of Exploration

An Executive Interview with ARKeX

Neil Dyer, VP of Geophysics at ARKeX, explains how advancements in field data technology are improving exploration efforts in the oil and gas industry.

“Our challenge is to foster a rebalancing of the exploration effort”
-Neil Dyer, ARKeX

O&G. How have advancements in subsurface data acquisition given oil and gas exploration companies better, more accurate subsurface geology data in recent years?
ND. From ARKeX point of view, as suppliers of potential field data and integrated interpretation, we see the principal advancement in our field to be the improvement in provision of high-resolution coverage of multiple geophysical datasets in addition to seismic data. Interpretation methodology is working towards the goal of combined interpretation to produce an Earth Model compatible with gravitational, electrical, magnetic and seismic observations. These endeavors require acquisition technology to deliver datasets with compatible resolution between the data types. Recent surveys acquired with this activity in mind have shown that integrated interpretation of potential field, seismic and surface observations can add valuable constraint, particularly where source coupling, access problems or illumination deficiency hinders a conclusive seismic interpretation.

O&G. What are the challenges that the oil and gas industry has to overcome in acquiring reliable data?
ND. As drilling capabilities extend to more extreme environments and smaller targets so must exploration technology improve in accuracy to serve the efficient deployment of these resources. ARKeX strives to produce data to support a robust, scientifically driven Earth Model earlier in the exploration cycle. We are required to do this rapidly and accurately over a wide range of terrain and climatic conditions. Our challenge in this, as across much of our industry, is to foster a rebalancing of the exploration effort towards a wider range of exploration methods and the intelligent integration of those methods to produce a knowledge product greater than the sum of its parts.

O&G. What developments are on the horizon in terms of new technologies and how will this impact on your work?
ND. ARKeX and others are developing a new generation of high-resolution gravity gradiometer that will enable moving platform gravity gradiometry to be performed in a much wider range of operating modes than are currently feasible. The increased resolution may be applied either to increase survey planning flexibility by enabling measurement at greater distance, or to increase the ultimate resolution of the survey and decrease acquisition time through increased resilience to sub-optimal acquisition conditions. Similar developments are in progress in magnetometry and in electromagnetic methods. Together with technical development in integrated interpretation methodology these new instruments will lead potential field methods to new degrees of resolution. This enables meaningful contribution to exploration from traditional territory in basin evaluation to prospect level analysis.

O&G. Tell us about how your products and services are aiding the industry?
ND. ARKeX is providing potential field surveys at high-resolution to the oil and gas exploration industry. We provide interpreted products through our BlueQube and Earth Modeling services that enable the full benefit of the dataset to be realized. These services integrate the interpretation of seismic, borehole, surface geology and remotely sensed data with potential field observations acquired by ARKeX or others. Depending upon the type of geophysical information available and the survey objective, the focus may range from structural interpretation through to development of rock property models. All share the common objective of the use of potential field data to reduce the time and expense required to progress the exploration effort to the next milestone.