GMGS hires Fugro for gas hydrate research in South China Sea

Fugro, a Dutch provider of geotechnical and survey services, has been awarded a contract by Guangzhou Marine Geological Survey (GMGS) for gas hydrate investigation on the Northern Continental Slope of the South China Sea.

Fugro said on Wednesday that the contract was valued at approximately $40 million and that the project was expected to begin in the second quarter of 2018.

This is the fifth gas hydrate field research program that Fugro will undertake for GMGS. The two companies have worked together in this field of research since 2007.

According to Fugro, gas hydrates – “frozen” gas-water solids resembling ice – may be an important source of future energy.

Operated from drilling vessel, Fugro Voyager, the site characterization program comprises logging while drilling, pressure coring, and geotechnical sampling.

The report and assessment of gas hydrate reservoir volumes delivered by Fugro will be used by GMGS to plan China’s second gas hydrate marine production test scheduled for 2019.

Jerry Paisley, Fugro’s director for marine site characterization in the Asia Pacific region, said: “We are pleased to be re-appointed to execute further exploration work in the South China Sea and to continue our long-standing relationship with GMGS. Fugro has been involved in many of the world’s major gas hydrate field programmes to date, providing technical advice, specialized tools, laboratory analyses, and vessels.”

In recent company news, Fugro won a long-term contract earlier this month for the provision of rig positioning services to Norwegian oil major Statoil.