Industry players looking into eco-friendly seismic data collection

Equinor, Lundin, Shearwater GeoServices and Vår Energi have established a joint industry project seeking to develop a more environmentally friendly method for seismic data colletion.

The goal of Project BASS is to develop a new low-impact acoustic source and seeks to produce a higher technological accuracy and improved seismic data quality for locating, quantifying and monitoring hydrocarbon resources.

According to the four partners, this is expected to lead to improved recovery and value creation.

“The BASS project fits our R&D strategy and falls into the top-priority technology gaps and challenges we have identified,” said Vår Energi’s R&D manager Gjertrud Halset.

“The project also matches our plans for becoming the leading ESG company on the Norwegian Continental shelf. Replacing the traditional technology would revolutionize the seismic survey process and strengthen our sustainability performance.”

The project partners have previously announced their commitments to the energy transition and reaching net-zero by setting up emission reduction targets.

Namely, last year, Lundin launched its Decarbonization Strategy, targeting carbon neutrality by 2030. The Swedish oil and gas company this summer sold the first-ever certified carbon neutrally produced oil from the Johan Sverdrup field offshore Norway.

Equinor also revealed its ambition to become a net-zero company by 2050 last year and has just recently announced a strategy to accelerate its energy transition, detailing how it will produce less oil and gas as a result of reducing demand and increase investments in renewables and low carbon solutions.

Norwegian Vår Energi joined the crew in November, announcing it is setting new climate goals, aiming to be climate neutral by 2030.

The company’s aim is to be climate neutral in Scope 1 and 2 activities by 2030 – which means net-zero greenhouse gas emissions from all the 35 producing oil and gas fields where it is operator or partner. In addition, emissions from all emergency response and supply vessels and oil tankers will be reduced to net-zero by 2025 (Scope 3).