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`industry interest in a next generation seismic acquisition system which
`could deliver more accurate, higher resolution imaging data.
`
`Q introduces improvements in receiver sensitivity and positioning
`accuracy, steerable streamers, enhanced source control and point(cid:173)
`receiver acquisition, which is the real innovation distinguishing Q-Marine
`from other acquisition systems. Q is based on the principle of measuring
`every single recording sensor rather than taking the conventional route
`summing traces from groups of sensors. No one in the Industry seriously
`doubted that Qtechnology would offer better, more repeatable images.
`Shell geophysicists in the 1980s were the first to seriously moot the Idea,
`but concluded it was not feasible at that time. Only the step changes in
`hardware and processing capability of recent years have enabled the
`vision of one receiver channel per hydrophone to be realised.
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`Predictably the launch of Q technology in 2000 was met with a certain
`amount of scepticism, some of it competitor inspired, but also fuelled by
`doubts about the cost benefits which linger today and also by the
`perceived lack of examples of successful applications.
`
`Three years on, Q technology has begun to win some Important
`advocates as Its relevance to reservoir characterisation and monitoring is
`being realised, particularly in the 40 time lapse environment where
`survey repeatability Is key, and In 4C projects where data imaging
`improvements need to be commensurate with the extra cost and effort of
`an ocean bottom survey.
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`Most heartening for WesternGeco has probably been Its contract from
`Statoil for the first aptly named 4D Q-Reservoir survey over the Nome
`field in the North Sea. WestemGeco carried out a baseline survey using Q
`technology in 2001 and this summer repeated the survey over the Norne
`reservoir to enable a Q-on-Q comparison. Following the survey the job of
`the geoscientists and engineers has been to analyse any visible changes
`in the reservoir since the first survey. The information should reveal how
`the reservoir Is being drained and point to where new production wells
`should be drilled. First reports out of WestemGeco are that the operation
`went well.
`
`Ole Magnar Oroenen, Statoil's petroleum technology manager for the
`Nome field, explained at the time of the contact award last April that a
`survey was needed if oil recovery from Nome was to increase above SO%
`He said Q technology was chosen because of the repeatability provided
`streamer steering and minimum azimuth variation between base and
`monitor survey. In addition the survey team was able to get closer to the
`Nome production vessel than would have been possible with conventional
`equipment thanks to streamer steering. This reduced the area where no
`coverage was possible.
`
`WestemGeco has four Q technology vessels, of which the Geco Topaz and
`Westem Neptune have been earmarked for surveys this year on three
`Exxon Mobil assets in West Africa, the Gulf of Mexico and the North Sea.
`Most recently, in July, WestemGeco undertook a 200km2 30 survey usi
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`WESTERNGECO Exhibit 2111, pg. 2
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`WESTERNGECO Exhibit 2111, pg. 3
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`WESTERNGECO Exhibit 2111, pg. 4
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`WESTERNGECO Exhibit 2111, pg. 5
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`WESTERNGECO Exhibit 2111, pg. 6
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