Shearwater acquires Schlumberger marine seismic acquisition business
BERGEN and HOUSTON -- Shearwater GeoServices Holding AS and Schlumberger have jointly announced that they have entered into a definitive agreement for Shearwater to acquire the marine seismic acquisition assets and operations of WesternGeco, the geophysical services product line of Schlumberger. The transaction is subject to regulatory approvals and other customary closing conditions. The parties expect to close the transaction in the fourth quarter of 2018.
Shearwater GeoServices will operate the combined businesses as a global, customer-focused and technology-driven provider of marine geophysical services. Shearwater will own and operate a fleet of 14 fully equipped seismic vessels offering a full range of acquisition services including 3D, 4D and ocean bottom seismic (OBS). Shearwater shall continue to develop and offer high quality processing and imaging services and Reveal software. The company will also have a portfolio of proprietary streamer technology and processing software enabling effective execution of geophysical surveys and delivery of high-quality data.
“We will combine two strong complementary businesses and create an industry-leading full-service geophysical company with a solid financial and strategic platform,” says Irene Waage Basili, CEO, Shearwater. “Our strategy has been to build a stronger company during the downturn, and we are very pleased to see the commitment made by our owners, which enables this transaction.”
After completion of the transaction, Shearwater will have close to 600 employees and operate in all major offshore basins around the world.
Under the terms of the agreement, Shearwater will acquire 10 high-end seismic acquisition vessels, including seven 3D vessels and three multipurpose vessels (MPVs) configured to serve the growing OBS market, 12 complete streamer sets with spares, as well as two source vessels. The proposed transaction also includes WesternGeco proprietary marine seismic technology, as well as development and manufacturing facilities in Norway and Malaysia.
