North American onshore seismic data expert Seitel is partnering with Schlumberger Ltd. in a multiclient alliance to reimage and acquire geophysical data in key areas across onshore Mexico.

Close to 25,000 kilometers (15,500 miles) of 2D seismic data is being reimaged to cover lease blocks in Mexico’s current bidding in Round 2, as well as future onshore lease round blocks from Mexico’s National Hydrocarbons Commission data library. In addition, multiclient data acquisition projects already are in development.

“The areas for reimaging were strategically selected to deliver regional analysis of the prospective plays across onshore Mexico with both organizations using high-end processing workflows,” said Maurice Nessim, who is president of Schlumberger’s WesternGeco division.

Schlumberger is the world’s largest oilfield services operator, and it increasingly is expanding its services into North America, where Halliburton Co. provides the most onshore hydraulic fracturing services.

“This alliance capitalizes on each organization’s strong commitment to Mexico exploration over some of the largest onshore Mexico fields, including the onshore Cuenca del Sureste Basin, which shares many hydrocarbon system elements with the prolific Pilar Reforma-Akal in the shallow water Campeche area.”

The newly reprocessed seismic data and any new acquisition projects are expected to provide subsurface images of proven oil and gas reservoirs in the Sabina-Burgos,Tampico-Misantla,Veracruz and Sureste areas, as well as the under-explored Chihuahua province and other strategic areas. The reimaging program covers both conventional and unconventional onshore lease blocks in the areas.

“In 2015, Seitel was one of the first companies to expand its data library coverage into Mexico, and we have seen great enthusiasm from our customers for the onshore data already available for license,” said Seitel CEO Robert D. Monson. Leveraging both companies’ extensive experience in onshore imaging and multiclient projects, the program is said to offer clients the first “modern” regional seismic images in the areas.

Seitel has accumulated since 1982 an extensive library of proprietary onshore and offshore seismic data covering North America that it licenses to a wide range of exploration and production companies. In addition to its 2D seismic data in Mexico, Seitel owns more than 45,000 square miles of 3D onshore data, 10,000-plus square miles of 3D offshore data and about 1.1 million linear miles of 2D seismic data concentrated in the major active North American oil and gas producing regions.