The motivation to develop Towed Streamer EM technology was to improve CSEM data acquisition rates while increasing the sample density of the acquired data. Improving not only acquisition rates but also EM imaging and resolution has simultaneously reduced the cost of acquiring 3D CSEM while increasing its value.
PGS first commercially deployed the Towed Streamer EM system during the days of over US$100 oil. With the drop in the oil price over the intervening years, this acquisition efficiency and high-resolution data have only become more valuable to the explorationist.
This article will discuss operational and technical advantages of Towed Streamer EM acquisition using real world data and examples. The aim is to provide an objective summary of how Towed Streamer EM can assist in exploration risk reduction and to demonstrate the value of its application at various stages of the E&P lifecycle.