Many independent oil companies also recognize this potential and the need for high-quality seismic data for upcoming licensing rounds to mitigate exploration risk. 

Derisking is made possible with this rejuvenated Santos Vision product which delivers broadband data with superior bandwidth in the presalt reservoir.

The Santos Basin has seen oil and gas production since the 1970s and remains active as new technology and play concepts reveal far more potential than was originally envisioned. The Brazil presalt play fairway is a focus for many companies. Proven reservoir potential is present within the microbiolite and coquinas formations/structures, which contain large hydrocarbon accumulations. Using the Santos Vision dataset, presalt carbonate formations can be mapped along the NE-SW fault block trend, which extend into open acreage. Well-defined faults and structures allow for detailed interpretation of traps and prospects, essential for planning an exploration campaign.

This play fairway continues to develop through unitization and bid rounds as recent changes to license terms unlock numerous commercial opportunities allowing existing discoveries within open acreage to become commercially viable. These license changes also rejuvenate post-salt exploration to the north, as Santos Vision covers the post-salt turbidite play, including Tambau and Urugua fields.

The reservoir targets are localized in presalt carbonate build-ups underneath the basal anhydrite of heterogeneously layered evaporate sequences and interbedded with volcanic rocks. This challenging geological setting requires innovative seismic solutions. PGS has provided these solutions, with an excellent process for velocity model building and our unique implementation of Full Waveform Inversion (PGS FWI) utilizing the full wavefield. This FWI pushed deeper than ever before, obtaining robust velocity updates in the presalt section and throughout the entire 34 000 sq. km area.