Gardline Hydro Wins Major UNCLOS Survey

Gardline Hydro has been awarded a contract to survey the Namibian Continental Margin and Walvis Ridge. Mar, Ambiente e Geologia Serviços (MAG), a Brazilian geophysical consultancy with expertise in application of the provisions of Article 76 of UNCLOS, in partnership with Empresa Gerencial de Projetos Navais (EMGEPRON), a Brazilian state owned company, linked to the Brazilian Navy, is commissioning the survey on behalf of the Government of Namibia.
The survey scheduled to commence during April 2004 will assist the Government of Namibia in assessing the prospect to submit a claim for extending the limit of its exclusive economic zone beyond the 200 nautical mile limit. The objective is to determine the morphology and geology of the seabed, in particular the 2500m isobath and foot of slope using multi-beam bathymetry, sub-bottom profiling, gravity, magnetic and single channel seismic techniques. Additionally, Gardline will carry out a multi-channel seismic survey using 3km cable, 1310 cu - in seismic source and sonobuoys to determine nature and thickness of sedimentary rocks beyond the foot of the slope.
In total, 19,000 kms data acquisition is planned. The work is set for completion in July this year and includes innovative survey techniques to maximise productivity such as:

• High speed single channel seismic acquisition
  
• Simultaneous acquisition of MBES and multi-channel seismic
  
• Use of sonobuoys to achieve wide angle seismic observations necessary to determine accurate velocities for time-depth conversion