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

Although most of the early problems that plagued commercial marine CSEM data have been addressed, the market for marine CSEM data is shrinking. Reasons include a lack of integration with the rest of the exploration workflow, high cost of data acquisition, and lack of diversity in the marketplace. Small companies are discouraged from competing because of the threat of patent lawsuits, and large companies appear to be looking for a larger commercial opportunity than marine EM currently provides. Data show that the marine CSEM method works, and that very few commercially viable hydrocarbon targets lack a detectable resistivity signature. The existence of the large number of dry wells that support this assertion demonstrates that the method is not being used to best advantage.