TDI-Brooks was contracted by GeoPartners, on behalf of Staatsolie Maatschappij Suriname, to perform seep data acquisition, processing, interpretation and data management services (multibeam and coring) for the Suriname Seabed Piston Coring Project. TDI-Brooks provided multibeam acquisition services using the vessel to acquire approximately 45,000 square kilometres of seafloor multibeam data in the survey area as well as 60 SGE cores and 7 Heat Flow samples. This project consisted of two phases; geophysical and geochemical, both using TDI’s vessel RV GYRE and crew.

R/V Gyre

The first phase was the Geophysical leg which took place July thru October. During this phase TDI-Brooks performed multibeam (MBES), backscatter and plume detection of 45019.7 sq. kms. The second phase took place October thru November and consisted of Geochemical multibeam (MBES) backscatter, plume detection, subbottom profiler acquisition. A chirp subbottom profiler line (1-km) was acquired over each core site. Several possible hydrocarbon discoveries were made making for a very successful program for all involved, with some visually interesting cores being recovered. Ben Sayers, Partner ofGeoPartners commented “Another successful acquisition completed. Thank you to all crew and support staff involved” while Ron Daniel, Geoscience Advisor, Exploration at Staatsolie stated “Thank you for a safely and well executed project, done in collaboration with all the stakeholders.  We look forward to the  geochemical results.”

R/V GYRE is outfitted with a full seep hunting kit including a newly installed Kongsberg EM-304 (1×1) hull-mounted multibeam (MBES) kit and Edgetech HM3300 Chirp subbottom profiler with a 4×4 Masa TR-1075 transducer array. The vessel has geotechnical and geochemical coring, heat flow, CPT and other sampling capabilities.

Geochemical analyses and interpretation services will be performed at TDI-Brooks chemistry and geotechnical laboratories in College Station, Texas. They will perform geochemical screening analyses of geochemical cores for interstitial carbon gases (C1-C5 hydrocarbons & CO2), total scanning fluorescence (TSF) and C15+Gas Chromatography. Cores with seepage hits will further be analyzed for selected stable carbon gas isotopes and aliphatic/aromatic biological markers.

“Seep hunting surveys have been based on the observation that migrated petroleum from deep source rocks and reservoirs can be analytically detected or otherwise proxied as thermogenic seepage in near-surface soils and sediments, such that results can be used to help evaluate a prospective petroleum system. The value of survey results has been aided by the evolution of tools and techniques for site selection, sample collection, lab analysis, and interpretation, resulting in our growing ability to determine charge, age, maturity, depositional environment, and even oil quality from the detected seepage. As a part of seep hunting, surface geochemical surveys search for chemically identifiable oil and gas compounds as well as seep-induced physical/geological expressions and biological communities and related features.” Bernie Bernard, Vice President & Chief Technology Officer, TDI-Brooks International, Inc. In 1996, Dr. Bernard partnered with Dr. Brooks in forming TDI-Brooks International, Inc.

More on TDI-Brooks Geochemical Seep Hunting Capabilities visit HERE.

Contact Jim Brooks at drjmbrooks@aol.com / +1 979-693-3446 and/or Melissa Wood at melissawood@tdi-bi.com / +1 713-208-1734

ABOUT TDI-Brooks

TDI-Brooks is a research and service firm with 28 years of experience, focusing on geotechnical and offshore survey initiatives, as well as multi-disciplinary oceanographic and environmental projects. The company also engages in surface geochemical exploration and provides advanced environmental chemistry services for clients in the oil and gas sector, offshore wind industry, federal and state agencies, and military organizations. Headquartered in College Station, TX, with a remote domestic office located in Houston, TX, and strategically placed offices around the globe.

TDI-Brooks has stood at the forefront of oceanographic research, chartering and operating an impressive fleet of five state-of-the-art research vessels. The RV Brooks McCall and RV Miss Emma McCall are both Jones Act compliant and U.S. registered, servicing the U.S. East and West Coasts, Northern Gulf of Mexico, and Mexico. The RV Gyre, RV Proteus, and RV Nautilus are all Vanuatu registered, fully SOLAS compliant, and serve clients globally.