Dolphin in South Africa for Cairn 3D shoot
Dolphin Geophysical is preparing to deploy Polar Duchess off the South Africa coast to begin shooting 2000-sq km 3D for Cairn India.
Duchess should arrive at Cairn's 19,922-sq km Block 1 by end-February. "It will take three months to shoot 3D," says an industry source.
"Cairn will hire separate contractors for processing and interpretation.” CGGVeritas, Fugro, Polarcus, PGS and SMNG were among the companies that competed with Dolphin Geophysical for the $15m contract in November 2012.
"Most of the competition was between Fugro, CGGVeritas, Polarcus and Dolphin,” we hear. Cairn (60% and operator) farmed into Block 1 last August and shares it with PetroSA or the Petroleum Oil and Gas Corporation of South Africa (40%).
Block 1 lies in the proven Orange basin along the north-western South African maritime border with Namibia. It has an established gas discovery and several identified oil and gas prospects.