Due to the growth of the Ocean Bottom Seismic market and corresponding dedicated seismic source operations, the need for a more streamlined way to monitor on board source operations has become apparent. Legacy geophysical solutions have proven to demand excess resources and competencies which are not necessarily onboard nor needed for todays source operations. A regular theme from source operators and end users of data is that source anomalies are being missed in real-time, resulting in increased costs and inefficient operations for all parties.

With this in mind and in collaboration with source operators, Profocus Systems developed Argus SourceQC, a “light weight” real time Source QC system that is efficient from a cost, set up and operational perspective. It was specifically developed for observers and gun mechanics, enabling them to quickly and efficiently detect air leaks, electrical leakage, drop outs, autofires, misfires, loose hardware, etc.

Argus SourceQC

For more information please visit Profocus Systems

inApril launches a mini OBN rental kit with up to 550 seismic nodes and a complete data management system. The kit is easy to use and designed for smaller projects like special site surveys, seismic undershoots, reservoir monitoring, river crossings, geotechnical surveys, and scientific projects. The nodes are versatile and can be used for transition zones, shallow water, and deep-water projects (up to 3000 meters).

The entire kit is certified for air-freight and can be mobilized on short notice. Operation requires a minimum of training as it includes our Remote QC and Service module allowing data QC and operational assistance to be done remotely by inApril’s specialist or the operator’s own onshore personnel.

For further info on the Mini Rental Kit please have a look at the brochure.

inApril has entered into a cooperation agreement with Geospace Technologies to supply inApril’s pioneering deployment and retrieval system (DRS) for use with Geospace’s OBX-750 seismic nodes. Geospace has more than 25 000 OBX-750 in the market and is one of the world’s leading suppliers of seismic nodes. The inApril/Geospace collaboration will supply customers with the choice of a node-on-a-rope (NOAR) seabed seismic acquisition solution expected to double the speed and efficiency of operations compared with existing systems. The solution will shortly be available.

Both companies are confident that the cost and efficiency benefits of the new NOAR combination will help significantly in accelerating the growing oil industry preference for node-based seabed seismic.

inApril continues to develop its own proprietary Venator integrated acquisition system. The first deployment of the company’s A3000.1 nodes is scheduled for May under a lease agreement with an American organization.

For further details on the solution please contact us at post@inapril.com

As a result of strong interest in our OBN solutions, inApril is now offering OBN technology as a separate business line in addition to being a provider of complete OBN systems. Elements of the Venator solution, as well as the development of bespoke products and solutions, are now available to seismic operators.  We believe this strategy will strengthen us as an independent provider of OBN technologies and solutions. Discussions with several OBN service providers are already taking place.

InApril CEO Vidar Hovland says ‘We have further developed the Venator system to be node agnostic so we can appeal to a broad spectrum of requirements from full systems to individual components. This also applies to our node electronics, data management software, and engineering, all of which can be customized for particular applications. Our hope is that this approach will help to grow the market by increasing the options available to companies looking for economically viable seabed seismic projects.’ 

inApril has signed a contract for the lease of nodes to a client in the North America region. The nodes to be delivered will be the US version of the A3000 and the contract will commence in the second quarter 2020 with a duration of approximately 3 months.

inApril is pleased to announce the appoint of two new independent board members. Paal Johnsen and Jørn Christiansen have joined the company’s board of directors effective May 29, 2019.

Commenting on the appointments, inAprils CEO, Vidar Hovland, stated: “We are pleased to welcome Paal and Jørn to our board.  They will bring invaluable additional financial and Multi-client geophysical expertise to inApril, as we transform and grow our business to become one of the leading players in Ocean Bottom Seismic.

Paal Johnsen is currently the Investment Director at Akastor ASA and holds an MBA degree from Norwegian School of Economics (“NHH”). He joined Akastor as Group Executive Vice President in May 2015, and has extensive experience at management and board level in various companies in industry and finance, including Carnegie ASA and Alden AS. He is currently also chairman of the board in AKOFS Offshore and Step Oiltools, and board member in Mybank ASA, Fjords Processing and Avium Subsea.

Jørn Christiansen holds a degree as Dipl. Geophysicist from TU Clausthal, Germany. He has 39 years industry experience in applied geophysics from oil company, O&G service industry and mineral prospecting business. He is also board member in various companies. Since 2017 he has served as independent consultant with special focus on Multi Client business development and geophysical technology development.

Based on requests from customers inApril now introduces the A3000LL (long life) node. The A3000LL has extended battery life (125, 150, 175 or 200 days). All specifications except for battery life, weight and size will be the same as for the A3000. An A3000LL with 200 days battery life will have a weight of 35/15kg (air/water). Please contact us for more details.

 

A3000 Nodes

inApril has signed a technology cooperation agreement with 4CNode Geophysical, a Norwegian company developing a node-based system mainly for reservoir characterization and monitoring. 4CNode will use inApril`s technology in their nodes and for data management and several quality control solutions.

4CNode Geophysical, founded by Eivind Berg, legendary pioneer of the first commercial ocean bottom node survey in 2003, is designing a seabed node application using separately planted 4-component sensors.

We are excited to be announcing a major product upgrade being readied for implementation in H1 2019 which will give our Venator node-based seabed seismic solution a strong competitive advantage over current node-on-a-rope (NOAR) systems.

Highlight of the changes, based on the company’s continuing R&D programme, will be Venator’s ability to safely deploy and retrieve nodes at speeds of more than 9 knots. Along with numerous other improvements, this will further solidify Venator’s technology as by far the most cost-effective seabed acquisition system on the market today.

Based on experience from our successful sea-trials with our customers and oil companies in the Caspian and North Seas we have now developed the launch and retrieval system to work even better at high vessel speeds. Operating at 9 knots or more is possible, a major enhancement from Venator’s already proven 6 knots. We have also worked to make the system more compact and robust.

Below we list the details of the many significant advances in the system’s node, automation and data management capabilities available in H1 2019, all of which are designed to make Venator the technology choice for seabed seismic acquisition going forward.

Venator: The upgrades

Node and battery
− The A3000 node can now be delivered with a low cost OCXO clock with no reduction in battery life between charging. inApril’s solution for improved clock accuracy improves the sampling accuracy by a factor of up to ten times.
− An improved built-in battery management module gives the operator superior control of batteries and charging.
− The new release can transmit a node status to a surface vessel via the built-in transponder.

Automation
− A new control system manages the rope speed for constant seabed tension during deployment and retrieval.
− Ability for simultaneous retrieval of two receiver lines for increased retrieval efficiency
− A new and more efficient node washer
− Simplified and faster node storage. Data download, battery charging and clock management are parallel processes in inApril’s storage solution.

Data Management
− Fully scalable. More nodes just require more of the same hardware (same software)
− Enhanced QC

Contact us for more details.

inApril is happy to announce that our proprietary Venator technology has passed further field trials.

As part of a prequalification process a number of inApril’s A3000 nodes, along with other Ocean Bottom Seismic technology, was tested during a field trial.

The nodes were deployed by ROV and recorded continuous data during approximately 45 days in the field. The subsequent analysis of the data confirmed that all A3000 nodes performed according to specifications and expectations.

For further information, please contact ronny.bohn@inapril.com