Joint Stock Company "Sevmorneftegeofizika" (SMNG) is the largest marine geophysical company in Russia with a 27 years track record. It renders a wide range of marine geophysical services, including 2D/3D marine seismic acquisition, navigation positioning, seismic data processing and integrated interpretation of seismic data.
A Brief History
Sevmorneftegeofizika (SMNG) was established in 1979 to provide geological/geophysical exploration for oil and gas across Arctic Seas of the former Soviet Union. Over 1979-2003 SMNG was a state-owned enterprise. In the end of 2003, the Federal State Unitary Enterprise "Sevmorneftegeofizika" was transformed into the Joint Stock Company "Sevmorneftegeofizika" (JSC SMNG), with a 100% share in federal property. JSC SMNG's head office and the management are in Murmansk (NW Russia).
JSC SMNG owns a subsidiary SMNG South, located in Gelendzhik (the Russian sector of the Black Sea). Here in 1998 a computer centre was set up for processing onshore and offshore 2D seismic data.
Until 1992, SMNG had focused its activities on the Russian Offshore Arctic. Seismic coverage of this area exceeds 470,000 line km of 2D seismic lines (accounts for 90% of all the data currently available) and 4,000 sq.km of 3D seismic. A total of 240 oil and gas prospects have been revealed on the Western Arctic Shelf (Barents and Kara Seas). Of these, 40 structures have been prepared for deep exploration drilling. SMNG-owned seismic data have contributed to the discovery of 17 large and giant oil, gas and gas/condensate fields. Needless to say, marine geophysical operations, especially seismic acquired by SMNG, have played a critical role in evaluating hydrocarbon potential of the Arctic.
SMNG went through a harsh transition period in the early 90s, when the country was moving from administrative to market economy. State allocations and orders for geophysical operations came to an abrupt halt. SMNG was forced to enter the world geophysical market. In 1990 the first two vessels shot their field season in the North Sea under the contracts with foreign clients.
In order to comply with the world industry standards and meet competition, in the mid-90s SMNG reequipped and rigged 7 seismic vessels with up-to-date Western navigation-geophysical systems. SMNG staff mastered techniques and approaches for conducting marine seismic operations, matching world oil market requirements. This was achieved without resorting to state-sponsored help, either by our own efforts or in cooperation with leading geophysical companies, first of all, Schlumberger GECO-PRAKLA, the leader of world geophysics.
In 1997 SMNG collaborated with Geco-Prakla to shoot the first ever offshore 3D survey in Russia, conducted in the Pechora Sea (the Prirazlomnoye oil field) using M/V Akademik Shatskiy.
Over the past 15 years the company has succeeded in earning a reputation as a reliable highly professional marine geophysical contractor in the world market.
Today
SMNG owns a specialized fleet, comprising four deepwater seismic vessels, two with a 3D seismic capability, and two shallow-water vessels, fleet base and necessary production and economic infrastructure.
Today SMNG operates on all European water areas of a Russian shelf and on the world oil market directly for its clients. Back in 1990, only two vessels operated their field season under agreement with western clients in the North Sea, and now six vessels, equipped with modern navigation and geophysical systems, are performing seismic operations worldwide.
SMNG has a Radionavigation Department, which has been providing positioning services of the company vessels and its customers with navigation-geodetic equipment, to be used in offshore geophysical operations both in the Russian Seas and worldwide.
SMNG currently operates three processing centers located in Murmansk, Moscow and Gelendzhik, utilizing a comprehensive range of seismic data processing software capable of processing 2D and 3D data sets from offshore, transition zone and onshore areas. The company has installed the UNIX Computer Cluster IBM eServer Cluster 1350 in its Moscow Processing Centre.
Many years' work has formed a highly competent interpretation department, involved in a wide range of projects, such as integrated regional studies of sedimentary basins in order to assess their hydrocarbon potential, proposal of prospects for deep exploratory drilling, petrophysics, reservoir characterization and geological modeling. Our clients include oil companies, government ministries and national oil companies.
We have about 540 specialists on staff.
Dedicated personnel are the key to any business. SMNG has assembled a team of highly experienced staff and has established a reputation as a united and stable company. It is the professionalism and experience of SMNG staff that ensure high quality services based upon the latest technologies in seismic data acquisition, processing and interpretation. SMNG is a name that is respected and trusted in the oil industry and it is our aim to maintain and enhance our position.