Seabed logging
Electromagnetic imaging
One new technology employed by Shell in deep water exploration uses very low-frequency electromagnetic waves to detect the existence of oil and gas. Receivers are placed on the seabed while a unit towed above them sends out electromagnetic waves. The receivers record how the waves move through the rocks beneath the seabed. Hydrocarbons are more resistant to electromagnetic waves than water so the readings can help to confirm oil and gas resources.
The technique is already paying off: it has enabled Shell and its partners to make several deep water discoveries. Shell is now helping to take a version of this technology to a new level. We are working with its Norwegian developers to make sharper three-dimensional images, using a wider range of frequencies and new computer programs, to improve our ability to detect hydrocarbons in complex geological formations.
