London-based Borders & Southern’s latest seismic shoot in the frontier South Falkland Basin is underway.

The company says the PGS vessel Ramform Challenger has started the 3D programme, located approximately 140 km south of the Falkland Islands in the South Atlantic. Covering an area in excess of 1,000 sq km, the survey is situated in Quad 61, adjacent to the company’s 2007/2008 3D survey. It is anticipated that acquisition will take approximately six weeks to complete.

The 3D programme has been designed to evaluate a number of fault/dip closed structures similar to the Darwin discovery, tracking the high quality shallow marine sands that comprise the Darwin reservoir. Additional objectives are to further investigate the Early Cretaceous slope fan system and to identify new prospects in areas where current data coverage is low.

Borders & Southern is favouring a leased Floating Production, Storage and Offloading (FPSO) vessel as the development solution for its Darwin East and West gas/condensate discoveries (see DI, 4 February 2013, page 1). Darwin East, which contains the original discovery well 61/17-1, and Darwin West (not yet tested), have estimated combined mid-case reserves of 210 MMbbl of gas and condensate.

The UK independent is currently on the lookout for a rig and a major farm-in partner before undertaking further appraisal and a well test, and has opened a data room for interested players.

In addition to the new 3D survey, it is also reprocessing its entire 2008 3D seismic survey. The two surveys will be merged to assist with the interpretation of the key play fairways and the maturation of the prospect portfolio.