Eastern Echo SX124

Schlumberger is trying hard to acquired Eastern Echo a Norwegian based seismic company with USD 670 million hard cash (click here for the news). Basically, this company has no operating vessel yet! They are in the business but with no tools (vessel). And why Schlumberger want it so badly?

I browsed thru Eastern Echo website and found out that they are building a 4 new radical seismic vessel called the Eastern Echo SX124. The new vessel equipped with diesel electric engine and is claimed to be cleaner and more efficient. The bow head design is totaly out of this world. The radical design allow soft entries in waves with reduced noise and vibration level and lower pitch and heave accelerationand said to improve hydrodynamic and make it goes faster and smoother. Unlike other seismic vessels, the Eastern Echo vessel will have dynamic positioning . This is in fact more and more often a requirement for operations in the safety zone of offshore installations. In addition, with doublehull design, diesel oil will not pollute the sea if there should be an accident.This will enable access to environmentally sensitive areas. Nobody bother of the bow design before. The major player are more concern of the stern (back deck) design. The WesternGeco (part of Schlumberger group) build Geco Eagle with wide wing back deck and acquired Western Trident with 4 storey high back deck. Meanwhile PGS with the hedious triangle shape vessel that maximise the back deck area. Why want a bigger back deck? The bigger it is the more cable can be deployed and the wider coverage it can get and this is a major selling point to secure contract from the oil companies.

So the Eastern Echo is more of an Venturi EVS21 electric super car, and that is technology Schlumberger wanted badly in order to retain their industry lead for years to come.

P/S I have been onboard Geco Eagle, Western Monarch, Western Trident, Geco Beta, Geco Diamond