ION and PGS Successfully Test DigiFIN Steerable Streamer System

Dave Moffat, Senior VP of Marine Imaging Systems at ION, commented, "ION has developed DigiFIN to help contractors improve the productivity of their marine seismic operations and deliver higher resolution subsurface images to their oil & gas company customers. It is a 'drop-in' system designed to be compatible with most existing in-water streamers. We are delighted that PGS -- widely recognized as a seismic acquisition leader in the industry -- experienced first-hand the additional value that DigiFIN can bring to marine seismic operations."

DigiFIN is scheduled for availability in the fourth quarter of 2007. It maintains a tighter, more uniform streamer separation along the entire length of the streamer cable, which allows for finer sampling of seismic data and improved subsurface images. DigiFIN also enables faster line changes and minimizes the requirements for in-fill, which together improve the productivity of towed streamer operations.

Rune Eng, Group President -- Marine Acquisition at PGS, commented, "PGS is committed to being the technology leader in marine seismic acquisition. We are actively involved in maturing this technology through the ION-PGS Launch Partner Agreement, which enables first adoption of the technology by PGS. We are pleased with the results of the tests on the Atlantic Explorer and Pacific Explorer and expect DigiFIN to further improve our ability to deliver the tight streamer spacing that is often required on the most technically advanced marine programs, including 4D and HD3D surveys."

ION plans to continue integrating Orca(TM) command & control software from Concept Systems, its subsidiary. DigiFIN and the other marine steamer products, including DigiBIRD(TM) for streamer depth control, DigiRANGE II(TM) for acoustic positioning, and the DigiSTREAMER(TM) solid cable system, will all be integrated with ORCA software. Together, this integrated, marine solution allows streamer vessel operators to capture high-quality seismic data efficiently, with reduced HSE risk, and a shorter time.

ION is a provider of geophysical technology, services, and solutions for the global oil & gas industry. ION’s offerings allow E&P operators to obtain high resolution images of the subsurface to reduce the risk of exploration and reservoir development, enabling seismic contractors in collecting geophysical data more efficiently.

Petroleum Geo-Services is a geophysical company that provides seismic and reservoir services, including acquisition, processing, interpretation, and field evaluation. The company also possesses an extensive multi-client data library. PGS operates on a worldwide basis with headquarters at Lysaker, Norway.