The Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (Adnoc) has awarded contracts worth $1.6bn for the world’s largest continuous 3D onshore and offshore seismic survey to a subsidiary of state-owned China National Petroleum Company (CNPC).

BGP, which is represented in the UAE by Al-Masaood Oil Industry Supplies & Services Company, will undertake seismic work across a combined area of up to 53,000 square kilometres - 30,000 square kilometres offshore and 23,000 square kilometres onshore – in Abu Dhabi, to find new hydrocarbon resources for Adnoc.

Adnoc in a statement said the new seismic survey will also include areas within the six upstream blocks Abu Dhabi offered in its first-ever licensing round in April.

The new data generated from the upcoming seismic work will be made available to successful bidders of the licensing round blocks for a fee, Adnoc said.

BGP, said to be the world’s largest geophysical service provider, is expected to complete the survey work by 2024.

The firm, which has been the main seismic service provider to all major oil companies in the world, will use seismic streaming vessels and ocean bottom nodes to acquire data in Abu Dhabi waters.

BGP will deploy advanced technologies to provide survey data density up to five times that of existing industry standards, Adnoc claims.

The acquisition will capture high resolution 3D images of the subsurface structure, up to 25,000 feet below the surface.

Adnoc awarded the contract to BGP on the eve of a state visit to the UAE by China’s President Xi Jinping that begins on 19 July.

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