Deep detector: BP and Shell back world's first fibre-optic seismic oil well monitoring system

Engineer, The, October, 2004 by Richard Fisher

FOUR MAJOR OIL companies are backing the world's first fibre-optic seismic monitoring system for off-shore oil reservoirs.

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Qinetiq will lead the project to develop and deploy a permanent underwater oil reservoir monitoring system funded by BP, Chevron-Texaco, ConocoPhilips and Shell.

The fibre-optic design is claimed by Qinetiq to be more reliable with lower maintenance costs compared with conventional cable-based seismic acquisition systems. The key advantage of fibre-optic systems over conventional sensors is the lack of electronics to malfunction beneath the water, especially in a permanently-installed sea bed system.

Permanent seismic systems allow oil companies to observe reservoir changes more accurately...