Sercel enters exclusive negotiations with LISS - Low Impact Seismic Sources

PARIS — CGG announced that Sercel and Low Impact Seismic Sources (LISS) have entered into exclusive negotiations for Sercel’s acquisition of LISS. In collaboration with Shell, LISS has developed the TPS (Tuned Pulse Source), an innovative marine seismic source with much enhanced low-frequency output.

The LISS TPS solution meets the industry need for low frequencies that allow deeper penetrations and more accurate quantitative interpretation and Full Waveform Inversion (FWI) results, especially in combination with long-offset data, all while further reducing environmental impact.

Sercel will continue to develop and commercialize the TPS worldwide.  Shell will continue to provide its support with in-sea testing to be conducted this summer and will execute a first commercial survey using the LISS TPS source later this year.

“I’m very pleased that Sercel, the equipment supplier to the seismic industry, is acquiring LISS.  Sercel will provide the benefits of TPS and its successor technologies, representing a new era of seismic source technology, to all contractors and oil companies in the industry,” said Steve Chelminski, co-founder of LISS and inventor of the first marine seismic impulsive source in the 1960’s.

The low-frequency source brings the data required for real imaging and FWI improvement, as well as environmental benefits that will continue to advance the industry’s ability to be excellent custodians of the environment, he said.

“Shell is delighted to see that the solution that it has developed in collaboration with LISS will become market-ready for commercial acquisitions,” said Gerard van Drempt, Shell Global Category Manager Geophysics. “We trust that the collaboration between Shell, LISS and Sercel will allow this innovative source to become the industry’s preferred solution for low impact enhanced low-frequency seismic acquisition.”

“With its experienced people, intellectual property and game-changing marine source, LISS brings significant added value to Sercel’s marine seismic products and perfectly complements our current portfolio of market-leading high quality and sustainable exploration, reservoir development and monitoring solutions,” said Emmanuelle Dubu, Sercel CEO.