Viridien sharpens exploration picture beyond Guyana’s Stabroek block

French geophysical company Viridien has launched the first phase of a major seismic reimaging programme offshore Guyana, targeting more than 10,000 sq km of existing 3D data in and around the country’s emerging shallow-water exploration acreage.

The project covers the Kaieteur, Georgetown, Kanuku, and Corentyne legacy surveys and is intended to sharpen subsurface imaging updip of the prolific ExxonMobil-operated Stabroek block.

Viridien said it would combine the reprocessed information with newly acquired 3D seismic to create a continuous regional dataset exceeding 14,000 sq km. Preliminary results are expected in the first quarter of 2027.

The company, formerly known as CGG, holds exclusive access and commercialisation rights to the legacy datasets. It said the programme had attracted strong industry backing but did not disclose the value of the work or identify participating customers.

The work comes against the backdrop of Guyana’s broader effort to expand exploration beyond Stabroek, where successive discoveries have transformed the country’s offshore oil sector.

In March, Guyana’s natural resources ministry announced a wider multi-client 3D acquisition and imaging initiative with Viridien and Chinese geophysical company BGP, covering roughly 25,000 sq km of shallow-water acreage.

The programme covers 11 blocks from the country’s 2022 licensing round. BGP will acquire new seismic data, while Viridien will provide imaging using techniques including time-lag full-waveform inversion.

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