Fifth EAGE Marine Acquisition Workshop Report: Collaboration Driving Innovation in Marine Acquisition

Hosted under the theme of innovation, efficiency and sustainability in marine seismic acquisition, the workshop explored how our industry continues to evolve in response to changing business needs and expanding applications beyond traditional hydrocarbon exploration. Topics ranged from source technology and survey design to ocean-bottom seismic (OBN), Distributed Acoustic Sensing (DAS), high-resolution surveys and carbon capture and storage (CCS). 

The atmosphere throughout the event was highly positive and collaborative. Attendees openly shared experiences, challenges, and successes, resulting in lively discussions and a high level of engagement both during the technical sessions and throughout the social programme. The quality of presentations was consistently high, reflecting the rapid pace of innovation currently taking place across the marine acquisition sector, reinforcing the workshop's role as an important meeting place for the marine acquisition community. 

Several themes emerged consistently throughout the workshop:

First, marine acquisition continues to evolve beyond traditional seismic surveying. Presentations demonstrated how acquisition technologies are increasingly being applied not only to hydrocarbon exploration and reservoir monitoring, but also to carbon capture and storage (CCS), offshore wind development, site characterization, and other emerging energy applications. These new uses are creating additional opportunities for marine geophysics while also driving new technical requirements. 

Second, efficiency remains a key industry focus. Across sessions covering survey design, source technology, ocean-bottom acquisition, and high-resolution surveys, there was a clear emphasis on maximizing data value while reducing operational costs, environmental footprint, and project cycle times. Presenters highlighted how advances in acquisition design, automation, and data-driven workflows can contribute to these objectives. 

Finally, collaboration across the value chain emerged as a critical success factor. The participation of operators, contractors, technology developers, and researchers fostered constructive discussions that highlighted the importance of industry-wide cooperation in addressing future challenges.

The workshop highlighted several noteworthy developments shaping the future of marine acquisition:

• Ocean-bottom seismic (OBS/OBN) acquisition continues to mature, with growing attention being paid to survey efficiency, operational optimization, and scalable deployment strategies. Lessons learned from recent projects demonstrated that significant improvements can still be achieved through enhanced planning, logistics, and technology integration. 
• Distributed Acoustic Sensing (DAS) remains an area of strong industry interest. Discussions showed continued progress in both acquisition and monitoring applications, reinforcing DAS as an increasingly important component of the marine geophysical toolbox. 
• Source technology also featured prominently. Presentations demonstrated ongoing innovation aimed at improving source performance, operational efficiency, and environmental compatibility. The session discussions reflected an industry that continues to invest in both incremental improvements and more disruptive acquisition concepts. 
• High-resolution and shallow-subsurface imaging received considerable attention, driven by growing demand from offshore wind, CCS, and site-survey applications. The integration of multiple sensor types and acquisition techniques appears increasingly important for providing comprehensive subsurface characterisation while maintaining operational efficiency. 

An overarching lesson was that future acquisition systems are likely to become more integrated, automated, and application-specific, while still relying on high-quality geophysical fundamentals and strong operational execution.

Highlights of the Workshop

One of the major highlights of the workshop was the breadth of topics represented within a compact programme. Sessions covered processing, source technology, high-resolution acquisition, CCS, survey design, new technologies, OBN efficiency, and DAS, providing participants with a comprehensive overview of current industry developments. 

The strong attendance and active participation created an energetic environment throughout the event. Discussions frequently continued during coffee breaks, the networking reception, and the workshop dinner, demonstrating the value of the workshop as a meeting place for both established experts and the next generation of marine geophysicists. 

Another highlight was the willingness of presenters to share not only successes but also operational challenges and lessons learned. This openness contributed significantly to the quality of discussions and reinforced the workshop's role as a trusted forum for technical exchange. 

The workshop concluded with a short course on "4D Time-Lapse Seismic – Still on Plateau after 30 Years", reminding participants that while marine acquisition technologies continue to evolve rapidly, long-established methods continue to deliver significant value when combined with modern innovations. 

Looking Ahead

The Fifth EAGE Marine Acquisition Workshop demonstrated that marine geophysics remains a dynamic and innovative field. While traditional exploration and production activities continue to drive technological progress, new applications in energy transition, monitoring, and site characterisation are broadening the scope and impact of marine acquisition. The strong attendance, high-quality technical programme, and collaborative spirit throughout the workshop provided further evidence that the community is well positioned to meet these evolving challenges and opportunities.

Interested in the papers presented at this workshop? Find them here on EarthDoc (exclusively for EAGE members).