By Bjorn Ursin-Holm
The Fugro Group of Companies form the largest multi-disciplinary company in the field of marine surveys, geophysical and reservoir monitoring surveys, geotechnical investigations, airborne surveys and other geoscience services.

Fugro-Geoteam, in the last few years have made it to the Top Flight of International Marine Geophysical contractors and has rapidly become one of the preferred partners for international oil companies in the undertaking of large 3D and 2D marine seismic surveys and reservoir monitoring surveys (4D).
The 4 companies Fugro-Geoteam, Fugro-FSI (Fugro Seismic Imaging), Fugro-Robertson and Fugro-Jason form the strong heart of Fugro's Geosciense Division.
Further expansion of the Fugro Group capabilities and capacity is under way during 2005 and which will cement Fugro as the leader in the Geophysical and Reservoir Services area and also in the other Fugro core business areas.
The Fugro Group of Companies now having globally about 8,000 employees and about 265 representation offices in 65 different countries. As such, representing one of the best Global Networks in the entire Geophysical and Reservoir service business. The group turnover is expected about $1.5 billion this year.
We notice during 1st half of 2005 a very strong increase in the offshore oil and gas related business and expect this growth will continue.
The Fugro Group is represented in all Middle East countries with complete own local offices and in many cases with joint ventures with local companies.
Fugro-Geoteam has grown substantially in the Marine Seismic business and now operates a fleet of 7 seismic high-tech 3D and 2D vessels in the international markets. With this fleet of high tech vessels the company can suite all marine seismic survey requirements of today.
The company now operates in the main marine seismic 3D, 4D and 2D markets and preparing its professional entry into the 4C market.
Fugro-Geoteam with its large diversified worldwide experience, successfully operates in very complex marine environments. This has also proven very advantageous in the Middle East operations (Saudi Arabia offshore, Iran offshore, Qatar offshore etc).
The Middle East Region has benefited from the marine seismic undertaking of Fugro-Geoteam over many years. The company has been performing large 3D, 4D and 2D seismic surveys for international oil companies and the national companies in the Gulf, Oman Sea, Mediterranean and Gulf of Suez.
Fugro-Geoteam carried out some 10000 sq km 3D / 4D Marine Seismic and some 95,000 km of 2D Marine Seismic work in the Middle East during the period 1999-2005.
We carried out a large 2D Marine Seismic Survey (some 10,000 km) for Saudi Aramco in complex shallow Arabian Gulf waters during 2004. The project was successfully carried out and added to the local Fugro-Geoteam experience in the Middle East.
It is our understanding that Saudi Aramco was well satisfied with the quality of our project. Saudi Aramco geological and reservoir expertise are now carrying out extensive interpretation of the 2D seismic data and this may lead to future 3D exploration in the same areas.
The Saudi Aramco project was carried out by Fugro-Geoteam through the local Saudi Joint Venture Fugro-Suhaimi.
Very complex 3D surveys have been carried out for Iranian state companies NIOC and IOOC in the Arabian Gulf during 2001-2004.
A total of six existing oil and gas fields have been covered with new 3D seismic. These projects involved undershooting more than 40 offshore platforms and structures in a very complex operation.
The undershooting operations were planned in great detail and successfully executed in the field according to plans. Fugro-Geoteam provided two of its best high-tech 3D seismic vessels for this operation plus additional support vessels. No valuable time was wasted-all fuelling and crew change operations were conducted offshore.
The projects with NIOC involved covering major parts of the Hormoz Strait areas with modern 3D seismic.
The project represented a very complex operation in fairly shallow waters and with extensive ships traffic going in and out of the Hormoz Strait and ships traffic with large oil tankers going through the survey area to and from Iranian harbours. Up to six additional service vessels were used in efforts to handle this operation professionally.
Fugro-Geoteam has also been carrying out large-scale 2D seismic projects in the South Caspian Sea.
Fugro-Geoteam has carried out extensive 3D projects in the Iran, Yemen, Qatar and Egypt. The most recent Middle East projects carried out include a large 3D survey for Talisman Energy offshore Qatar, a large 3D survey in complex Gulf of Suez waters for Devon Energy and an equally complex 3D survey for BP in the Mediterranean Sea.
Fugro has undertaken fully integrated projects that involve the survey planning, the 3D Marine Seismic Data Acquisition, the 3D Seismic Processing, the Reservoir Modelling / Evaluation and Reservoir Characterisation. The company is currently working with individual oil companies in efforts to increase the oil and gas recovery (IOR related studies).
Many of the contracts with the local national state oil companies have involved extensive training of their local personnel. Fugro has given this training in management, oil and gas finance, geophysical and reservoir subjects in Norway, UK or locally in the region.
More than 40 years of Fugro Geoscience experience is utilised to deliver training and technology transfer in a variety of formats.
Fugro-Geoteam will remain with a very high business focus on the Middle East region and will continue to offer high quality 3D, 4D, 2D and future 4C marine project services to the oil and gas companies in this region.
Through Fugro's strong integration of all geo/ reservoir related disciplines, we can offer total solutions from the early exploration phases and throughout to the tail end production phases of any producing oil and gas field.
Fugro is uniquely placed to assist the international oil companies and state oil companies in their E & P activities.
 The strategy being the use of leading edge technology to achieve the required goals.

*Bjorn Ursin-Holm is VP Middle East & Asia Pacific, Fugro-Geoteam AS