In its quest to exploit ever-more difficult-to-access reserves, the petroleum industry is finding high-end sensors increasingly appealing. Traditionally costly high-quality seabed seismic data acquisition "is emerging as a valuable solution," says Input/Output Inc., maker of the VectorSeis ocean bottom cable (OBC) seismic imaging system. Equipped with digital sensors for multicomponent data acquisition on the seabed, VectorSeis is designed to enable productivity improvements and high-resolution, full-wave imaging. (www.sensorsmag.com/1106/SCss1)
Along similar lines, Weatherford International Ltd. says it has made the world's first successful offshore installation of a permanent in-well optical seismic system—for British Petroleum. The system provides continuous seismic and pressure/temperature monitoring and interfaces to the existing permanent OBC system, enabling simultaneous collection of both seabed and downhole data. This, says Weatherford, represents a milestone: It allows for new applications and also represents a means for calibrating remote production with in-well observations. (www.sensorsmag.com/1106/SCss2)