Smooth sailing: Can it be? After years of doldrums, the marine seismic market has, almost overnight, turned the corner

摘要

Watching the seismic industry from 1998 to 2004, one could only marvel at how far the mighty had fallen. After the shipbuilding, data library-amassing frenzy of the late '90s, the segment entered a slump that some had foreseen but none could really avoid. Even more surprising, perhaps, was how long it took for that cycle to reverse itself. After all, the entire oil and gas industry entered a slump in late '98. But the turnaround came fairly quickly, and since then, with a minor hiccup in 2002 following the Sept, 11 attacks, oil prices have only gone up, reaching and maintaining USD50+/barrel prices and astonishing all who remember budget forecasts based on USD11 oil. Through it all, marine seismic companies have waited for their turn.