Issue 1

This edition of GEO ExPro magazine focuses on the Arctic, the Caribbean, Mexico and the Gulf of Mexico; and New Technologies for Cost Efficiency.

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Columns

5 Editorial

6 Regional Update

8 Licensing Update

10 A Minute to Read

30 GEO Physics: Seismic Interpretation with Machine Learning

34 GEO Profile: Susan Morrice – The Oil Within

48 GEO Tourism: Barbados Beckons

54 GEO Education: What is Geology

72 Exploration Update

74 Q&A: UNESCO Global GeoParks

76 Global Resource Management

Features

12 Cover Story: The Geological Treasure of the Sierra Madre

16 Technology Explained: Integrating Seismic Imaging and Inversion

20 Seismic Foldout: Opportunities Within the Southern MSGBC Basin

26 Exploration: Independents Rockin’ on Alaksa’s North Slope

38 Exploration: Beneath Belize

42 Seismic Foldout: The South-West Barents Sea

52 Exploration: New Opportunities in the Central North Sea

58 Exploration: North Barents Basin – Hydrocarbon Potential

64 Seismic Foldout: Refining Exploration Opportunities in Mexico

70 Technology Explained: UAS – Innovative Technical Solution

Articles

Barbados Beckons

Alluring Caribbean paradise, active accretionary wedge and uplifted reefs. Why are you still sitting there? This alluring Caribbean beach paradise is one of the few places on the planet where Read More

The Geological Treasure of the Sierra Madre

A geological detective story that could turn our understanding of the Gulf of Mexixo upside down and reveal the causes of one of the greatest climate changes in geological history. Read More

The Future of Marine Seismic Acquisition?

A new marine seismic acquisition method offers full azimuth, full offset coverage, excellent quality data and repeatability, all in a very efficient manner. Over the past 50 years developments in Read More

Unmanned Aerial Systems

Innovative Technical Solution in a Dynamically Changing Industry Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) have the potential to transform operational efficiency and technical solutions across the energy sector, and are providing an Read More

Integrating Seismic Imaging and Inversion

Combining depth imaging and inversion workflows into a single consistent process has the potential to provide more accurate models in a shorter time than achievable to date. The hydrocarbon industry Read More

Exploration Update – PNG

2 Tcfg Discovery A new discovery in the New Guinea North Highlands of Papua New Guinea (PNG) has the potential to extend the recently opened PNG LNG plant in Port Read More

Refining exploration opportunities in Mexico

Regional framework for GoM The Gulf of Mexico has undergone several renewed phases of exploration activity in the last 70 years. During the past decade, considerable focus has been on Read More

Licensing Update – Lebanon

Levantine Basin Blocks In January 2017 Lebanon relaunched the licensing round which has been on hold for three years pending a resolution to the political crisis which had left the Read More

The Oil Within

Susan Morrice, co-founder and chairperson of Belize Natural Energy “A passion for what you are doing makes the difference,” says Susan Morrice, co-founder and chairperson of Belize Natural Energy – Read More

US Back as Largest GoM Producer

The Mature Gulf of Mexico Continues to Thrive The Gulf of Mexico is currently one of the largest offshore producing areas globally. Despite it being a mature province, there are Read More

Independents Rockin’ on Alaska’s North Slope

With recent oil discoveries potentially exceeding 10 Bbo, independents and their partners are opening up plays that could reshape exploration in a large portion of the Arctic. Recent discoveries in Read More

New Opportunities in the Central North Sea

New insights from a regional and reservoir level interpretation in the mature Central North Sea With the upcoming 30th UK Offshore license round centered on mature areas of the UK Read More

Licensing Update – Iran

New Iran Petroleum Contracts Despite the recent imposition of fresh sanctions by the US, Iran launched new contracts to develop its hydrocarbon resources in February 2017, its first such tender Read More

Beneath Belize

New online data repository with all seismic acquired since the late 1960s A new online national data repository for Belize provides access to a digital catalog of all seismic data Read More

The Quest for Oil

Once again the message is that, despite a phenomenal increase in renewable energy, oil is here to stay. BP is finally giving in. In the recently published BP Energy Outlook Read More

Exploration Update – Guyana

New Discovery Near Liza One of the most exciting discoveries of 2015 was Liza, in Guyana’s offshore Stabroek Block, which opened up a new South Atlantic play and was the Read More

Hydrocarbon Potential in the North Barents Basin

Discovering a potential new oil and gas province in the north-western sector of the Russian Arctic. The complete regional geological assessment of the northern part of the Barents Sea is Read More

UNESCO Global Geoparks

UNESCO Geoparks now include 119 areas in 33 countries. We talk to Patrick McKeever about this important initiative. UNESCO Global Geoparks now encompass 119 designated areas, varying in size from Read More

Licensing Update: Congo

Thirteen blocks are available as part of the 2016 Congo License Round, for which the final submission date is March 29, 2017. Eight of the blocks are offshore, in water Read More

Exploration Update – UK

Basement Discovery for Hurricane Basement specialist Hurricane Energy announced in December that it had made a significant fractured basement discovery with well 205/26b-A on its Lincoln prospect, about 160 km Read More

The global energy sector from a subsurface perspective