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The global energy sector from a subsurface perspective

Vol. 22

Issue 4

In the previous issue, we published an article based on intel from Westwood Global Energy about the downward trend in seismic acquisition. What is the implication of this? Are we waiting for another upcycle, or is the end of exploration creeping closer? In the cover story of this issue, we elaborate on this theme further by asking ourselves how producing the next 50% of the world’s oil reserves will look.

We talked to people from different places across the world and with different backgrounds, with the common theme emerging that technology will be a great enabler of producing more from already existing assets. Brent Brough from Norwegian technology company Inflow Control is already applying this technology in the wells he works on. Nelson Suarez identifies the Subsurface Gambit, in which production from challenging reservoirs using new technology will play a key role, and economist Carole Nahkle is not concerned about technology being able to keep up with rising demand. Read the cover story to find out more!

What else is in store? In short, too much to describe in a paragraph or two. Let this be an encouragement to flick through and enjoy the latest insights, commentary and opinions from the subsurface energy sector!

 

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Columns

FIRSTS

8 – Subsurface noise

10 – Energy matters – by Rodney Garrard

11 – Regional update – by Ian Cross

12 – Striking oil – A subsea tie-back to a subsea tie-back?

INSIGHTS

99 – A Geologist Ruins Everything – Energy is politics, is community, is pride – by Juan Cottier

100 – Reservoir models – Blurring the line between geology and reservoir engineering

100 – HotSpot – It’s all in the planning – by NVentures

102 – Basin modelling – What is a good source rock? – by David Rajmon

103 – Faults and fractures – The evolution of fault interpretation – by Molly Turko

104 – Nothing beats the field – Flame structures  – by Ali Jaffri

106 – Vertical Geology – Submarine avalanches in a serendipitous find – by Marcos Asensio

Features

COVER STORY

14 – Producing the next 50 % of the world’s oil reserves

EXPLORATION OPPORTUNITIES

20 – Onset of maturity: A tool for getting your oil finding game on – Searcher

36 – Gulf of America: Salt-driven structures, data-driven discoveries – TGS

50 – Self-similar structures and DHI indicators in the Greater Caribbean – Geoex MCG

66 – Elastic MP-FWI imaging: Changing geophysics – DUG

86 – Liberating well data with modern data science and AI – Earth Science Analytics

OIL & GAS

26 – Exploring young petroleum systems comes with risks

28 – Back on the shelf

29 – Better illuminating the Rotliegend beneath a heavily deformed overburden

30 – Why target the surface synclines in the flat foreland of a fold-and-thrust belt? – Graham Banks

31 – Why peer reviews often don’t work

31 – Global trends in petroleum fiscal terms: A race to the top? – Carlos Bellorin and Ruaraidh Montgomery

FEATURES

34 – Bottom-up meets Top-Down

42 – The Athabasca oil sands

44 – How to stand your ground as a YP working in the oil and gas industry?

46 – Revisiting the southern boundary of Sangomar

48 – Are half of the Tano Basin’s reservoirs in the Keta Basin? – Ben Sayers and Matt Tyrrell

PORTRAITS

56 – From Moscow to Mohkínstsis, Svetlana Bidikhova

GEOTHERMAL ENERGY

62 – Are deep closed-loop geothermal systems doomed?

63 – Coring a geothermal reservoir in oil and gas heartlands

64 – Has the Aarhus geothermal project become a little less geothermal than initially planned?

65 – The hidden lithium treasure of South Australia – Geoff Freer

SUBSURFACE STORAGE

72 – Is the Kasawari CCS project delayed?

74 – An under-communicated factor for CCS – Ronny Setså

DEEP SEA MINERALS

78 – Loke’s Pacific licenses up for auction – Ronny Setså

79 – Technology is always missing in the debate about seabed mineral extraction

80 – Crushing report on TMC’s deep-sea mining plans – Ronny Setså

NEW GAS

82 – Cuba – the next hydrogen hotspot?

83 – Successful near-field helium exploration – Mariël Reitsma

84 – A surge in exploration for natural hydrogen – Mariël Reitsma

DIGITALISATION

92 – AI and the future of subsurface discovery: Are we asking the right questions? – Dan Austin

93 – Seabed mapping – let AI do the work

94 – Shale 3.0 – Joe Versfelt

 

Articles

Syria – opening up again

In May 2025, the US Treas­ury eased most sanctions on Syria, followed by the easing of restrictions by the UK and EU. While sig­nificant hurdles still remain, oil and gas Read More

Successful near-field helium exploration

Blue Star Helium and joint venture partner Helium One, have successfully conclud­ed a six-well development campaign at the Galactica project in Las Animas County, Colorado. The company reported positive re­sults Read More

The evolution of fault interpretation

Before the ad­vent of 3D seis­mic data in the 1980s and 2D seismic in the 1970s, sub­surface geologists typical­ly depicted or interpreted faults as vertical or nearly vertical. Consequently, these Read More

What is a good source rock?

I recently worked in a well-es­tablished basin with proven hy­drocarbon accumulations. To my surprise, all reports and published papers routinely talked about local source rocks with barely 1 % Total Read More