Can geophysical contractors conduct massive non-exclusive surveys without repeating past mistakes ? Of all of the business models tried on by geophysical contractors over the years, the non-exclusive or multiclient model may be the most controversial. It can work very well, and, in the case of the late 1990s, it can work very badly. But one thing is certain - when oil companies are exploring, multiclient surveys are a very good idea indeed. The concept is simple - rather than shooting a survey for a single client, which then owns the data, a contractor shoots a survey with several customers in mind, some of which may even pre-fund the survey, ensuring the contractor at least some return on investment. The contractor owns the dataset, meaning it can be re-licensed over and over. This makes particularly good sense in areas like the Gulf of Mexico, where leases expire and get re-leased to new operators.
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