Sercel News

CGG announced today that Sercel, its Sensing & Monitoring division, has acquired Geocomp Corporation, specialized in high-value services and products for geotechnical risk management and infrastructure monitoring. This acquisition gives Sercel access to the US infrastructure market and will accelerate deployment of its S-lynks and S-scan infrastructure monitoring solutions.

France-based seismic data company CGG has informed that its subsidiary Sercel has acquired a 34% shareholding in AMBPR, a start-up company that designs and markets autonomous robots.The AMBPR robots are used for repairing (sanding and painting) of large metallic structures, used in the maritime and energy industries. "Sercel recognized the potential of AMBPR through Axandus, Sercel’s Industrial Accelerator program, which helps start-ups to scale up their industrial growth. The…

SeaBird Exploration, a global provider of marine 2D and 3D seismic data and associated products and services to the oil and gas industry, has estimated that its ongoing seismic surveys in West Africa and Americas will both be completed about two months later than originally planned.The the ongoing niche 3D survey in West Africa utilizing the “Nordic Explorer” and a 2D survey in the Americas employing the “Harrier Explorer” are rigged with the ”Digistreamer” technology and both surveys are affected by difficulties with availability and lead-time of select seismic streamer equipment parts relating to this technology.This includes a significant increase in the repair period for streamer sections compared to historic experience caused by the service offering…

SeaBird Exploration announced it is in an exclusive process to acquire the seismic vessel Geowave Voyager and certain seismic equipment from Exploration Vessel Resources II AS, a wholly owned subsidiary of CGG S.A., for a cash consideration of $17 million.SeaBird intends to carry out a private placement of new shares in the company raising gross proceeds of minimum NOK 80 million and maximum of NOK 120 million. The subscription price  in the Private Placement will be determined through an accelerated book-building process. The net proceeds from the Private Placement will be used to finance the Transaction and for general corporate purposes.The company is currently in an exclusive process with CGG to acquire the seismic vessel Geowave Voyager…

In an effort to spread out oil and gas production to other parts of the country and increase overall oil production, Brazil has finally intensified hydrocarbon exploration along its northeastern and northern coasts. These are some of the poorest regions in the country and infrastructure for oil and gas exploration is minimal, yet significant discoveries and seismic indicators of large reservoirs are tantalizing and have attracted major local and foreign investors. Potential for oil discoveries in the area is proven, yet players will be faced by many challenges offshore and on land in order to uncork reservoirs at the Northern Frontier.

Seismic equipment provider Sercel adds 'SeaPro Design' software to its marine navigation portfolio. SeaPro Design is a highly versatile tool for generating everything from simple geometry to complex designs for all types of marine surveys, whether 2D, 3D or multi-vessel seismic surveys. The software provides an enhanced graphic interface and all the advanced features needed to design surveys in a few simple clicks. Functionalities include geodetic definition, survey outline, streamer configuration, line direction and anchor point. With the addition of SeaPro Design to its navigation portfolio, which already includes SeaPro Nav, SeaPro Bin…

CGGVeritas has conducted first BroadSeis Surveys offshore Shenzen in the South China Sea. The deepwater surveys of two areas offshore Shenzhen in the east of the South China Sea were awarded to CGGVeritas by Chinese seismic services company, COSL (China Oilfield Services Limited), on behalf of its parent company, the Chinese national oil company, CNOOC. Data processing is already underway in the CGGVeritas Singapore center and is expected to be delivered by the end of 2012. The…

Polarcus Limited received its eighth 3D seismic vessel on 21 June 2012 when Polarcus Adira was delivered at Ulstein Verft in Norway. The vessel is the second of two 12-14 streamer Arctic 3D seismic vessels built at the yard, and is the eighth vessel in the Polarcus fleet of the Ulstein SX134 design. The marine geophysical company Polarcus Limited received its eighth 3D seismic vessel on 21 June 2012 when Polarcus Adira was delivered at Ulstein Verft in Norway. The vessel is the second of two 12-14 streamer Arctic 3D seismic vessels built at the yard…

CGGVeritas provides its seismic survey vessel utilization & fleet allocation updates for the third quarter 2012. CGGVeritas is a leading international pure-play geophysical company delivering a wide range of technologies, services and equipment through Sercel, to its broad base of customers mainly throughout the global oil and gas industry. •    The vessel availability rate1 was 93%. This compares to a 91% availability rate in the third quarter of 2011 and a 91% rate in the second quarter of 2012. •    The vessel production rate2 was 90%. This compares to a 93% production rate in the third quarter of 2011 and a 91% rate in the second quarter of 2012. During the third quarter of 2012, our 3D vessels were allocated 72% to contract and 28% to multi-client programs.

Technip entered into an agreement with Gilles MICHEL, his holding Askoad Conseil, Comex SA and Sercel Holding, for the acquisition of all of their interests in Cybernétix S.A., representing approximately 45.7% of Cybernétix’s share capital, at an aggregate purchase price of approximately 14.1 million euros. Signing of this agreement follows today's positive opinion of Cybernétix Works' Council in relation to Technip’s acquisition of the entire interests of  Cybernétix reference shareholders, as announced in the press release of November 4, 2011. The purchase price is 19 euros per share for each of the four blocks. In accordance with the General Regulations of the French Autorité des marchés financiers (AMF)…

Hyperdynamics Corporation (NYSE Amex: HDY) announced that it has signed a contract with Bergen Oilfield Services AS of Norway to conduct a 9,000 kilometer 2-D marine seismic survey on portions of its oil and gas concession offshore Republic of Guinea. The survey is expected to get under way by the end of October. "This survey will help us make a final determination of which portions of our 31,000-square mile concession area we want to maintain for future exploration," said Ray Leonard, Hyperdynamics' President and Chief Executive Officer. "Under a new September Memorandum of Understanding that reaffirms the validity of our Production Sharing Contract, we are required to relinquish 64% of the acreage by December 31, 2009.

CGGVeritas (ISIN: 0000120164 - NYSE: CGV) announced today it will make a voluntary exchange tender offer for 100% of the shares of Wavefield Inseis ASA ("Wavefield") (OSE: WAVE). Wavefield is a Norwegian pure-play seismic company which operates a fleet of 8 vessels and develops geophysical equipment based on fiber optic technology. In the third quarter 2008, Wavefield revenue was $110m, and operating income was $37m. The transaction strengthens CGGVeritas' fleet capability with immediate access to five recently equipped high capacity 3D vessels. The additional complement of three mid 3D and 2D Wavefield vessels increases overall fleet management flexibility.

CGGVeritas and Eidesvik Offshore ASA have entered into an agreement for the supply of two large seismic vessels to be newly built, with a total contract value of approximately $420m. The two vessels will be of an extremely advanced specification, incorporating many unique features, based on the most recent X-BOWdesign of Ulstein Design AS, and will be delivered in 2010 under 12-year time charter agreements. These two high-capacity vessels are components of CGGVeritas' strategy of progressive fleet renewal, involving the staged retirement of the former generation of lower capacity vessels in conjunction with the introduction of these new platforms.