Fugro has been awarded a contract by BG International Limited Sucursal Honduras to conduct an integrated multibeam echosounder survey and seabed coring campaign over its offshore acreage in the Honduran Caribbean.

As part of BG’s exploration licence commitments, the campaign will map the seafloor to interpret, identify, sample and analyse potential hydrocarbon seeps. Fugro’s 65-metre survey vessel,MV Fugro Brasilis, started the two-month mapping and interpretation portion in July 2015.

The multibeam echosounder and seabed coring programme will cover an area of the Patuca Basin in excess of 10,000 km2 in the northern part of the block. Features of interest will be identified and evaluated during the MBES survey to generate a final set of locations to target for precision geochemical sampling. The coring phase will follow to collect approximately 200 seabed cores and 15 heat flow measurements.

“This latest geochemical campaign is a cost-effective way to explore frontier areas for hydrocarbon potential and will provide BG with robust data for future exploration and production work,” said Jamshid Gharib, Exploration Manager at Fugro GeoConsulting Inc. “Our world-renowned geoconsulting experts participate in all stages of geochemical campaigns. From multibeam echosounder surveys and seabed coring to rigorous onboard geochemical sampling for shore-based analysis and heat flow measurements, we work with clients to maximise success and the future utility of collected data.”