Saudi Aramco has launched a geological survey in the Red Sea as part of an exploration project for natural gas, Norway’s Magseis, the company conducting the survey, told Bloomberg.
The seismic survey will produce three-dimensional images of “a small area” of the Red Sea floor and potential fuel deposits beneath it, said Ivar Gimse, chief executive officer of the Norwegian company.
Accoridng to the executive, Magseis’ research vessel, the MV Artemis Athene, is currently in the Red Sea conducting the survey that’s set to run through the end of February.
Speaking of the Red Sea, Gimse added: “Geologically it’s a challenging area. An uneven sea bed, with a combination of deep water, islands and steep slopes make exploration there more difficult than in waters off Norway.”
Three-dimensional seismic imaging provides the best pictures of an undersea area, he said, adding that such imaging is usually done after an initial seismic survey and exploratory drilling are conducted.
Saudi Aramco found gas deposits in the Red Sea in 2012 and now plans to more than double investment in unconventional sources of the fuel, which are harder to find and extract than more typical deposits, CEO Khalid Al-Falih said in January.
The company halted offshore drilling at the end of November 2014, when a two-year contract with Transocean for a drilling ship expired, according to Transocean’s quarterly fleet status reports.
