oa CSEM - Where Do We Stand and Where Can We Go?

CSEM was established as an industry 12 years ago by several service companies that offered 2D CSEM commercially. The presentation will focus on how CSEM has developed as a commercial tool since the first commercial introduction 12 years ago and look into the future. The technology has gone through a significant development. The most important step was from 2D to 3D wide azimuth data enabled by improvements in equipment, operations, inversion and streamlined processing of large data volumes. Both horizontal and vertical resistivity cubes are now inverted, enabling mapping of anisotropy and CSEM is no longer limited to deep-water applications. Wide-azimuth 3D surveys will most likely be the main way to acquire CSEM data also in the future. In future processing and inversion, magnetic field data will be used more to improve imaging, especially in shallow water. In general MT data will also be used more which implies stationary seafloor receivers with both electric and magnetic sensors (Ex, Ey, Hx and Hy). CSEM will see deeper (stronger sources), get better resolution and improved data will be processed jointly with seismic, resulting in improved imaging. Moreover, the data will be used as an important part in the oil companies workflow.