EMGS boosted by growing interest in frontier exploration

The Norwegian company is currently rigging the vessel, Atlantic, the former seismic vessel Sanco Atlantic, for CSEM operations offshore Norway. The company said the upcoming campaign follows newly signed contracts with a combined value of approximately US$6M. The project will be carried out in collaboration with Sea Shipping, owner of Atlantic.

EMGS was the first company to apply marine CSEM technology to the search for hydrocarbons. It successfully commercialised the technology, and turned it into an effective, environmentally benign means of exploration that can significantly increase the success of drilling campaigns. In early 2026, EMGS said it was seeking ‘financial alternatives’ after a slump in demand for its offshore seismic surveys amid rising debts. In March 2026, EMGS entered into a binding transaction with P-2 Riggs Capital, a private investment company and corporate finance advisory firm.

EMGS chief executive Bjørn Petter Lindhom said, “We are very pleased to be rigging a new vessel and moving into a new phase in the company’s history. “With new owners, a strong vessel partner, and renewed activity offshore Norway, we are building a more flexible platform for CSEM acquisition. The Norway campaign is an important start, but the broader trend we see is international.”

EMGS said it has recently seen significant increase in interest in its technology from international oil and gas companies. This is already showing up in more CSEM feasibility modelling, as operators evaluate where the technology can add value before committing to acquisition. 

It says a key driver is the renewed focus on frontier exploration, as oil companies again take positions in search of reserve replacement, hoping for the kind of large discoveries that can move the needle for a portfolio.

“Frontier exploration is coming back into focus because reserve replacement is again becoming a strategic issue for many companies,” said Mr Lindhom. “When operators take on large offshore positions – especially in deepwater and frontier basins – they need better tools to rank prospects before drilling. 

“CSEM can help operators rank prospects by adding resistivity information, highlighting where the subsurface response is consistent with a charged oil or gas prospect and where capital may be better directed elsewhere.”

Once the Norwegian campaign is completed, EMGS sees a number of international opportunities where CSEM can be used to support exploration and appraisal decisions in frontier and deepwater basins. 

With Atlantic as a flexible offshore platform, EMGS also sees opportunities to support broader marine geophysical operations, including sparse ocean bottom node (OBN) seismic, where CSEM can be co-mobilized or combined with other offshore survey operations.

“Our core remains CSEM, but the market is increasingly looking for smarter ways to combine marine geophysical acquisition methods and develop new survey concepts that deliver more decision value from each mobilization,” Mr Lindhom said. “Atlantic gives us a platform that can support that.”

Sea Shipping will manage marine operations on behalf of EMSG. The vessel is being rigged and mobilised at Green Yard Kleven. EMGS said the collaboration between the companies also fits into Sea Shipping’s broader ‘SubTech’ initiative, the aim of which is to develop flexible offshore vessels as platforms for subsea technology, marine data acquisition, and multi-sector offshore services.

Sea Shipping chief executive Jarle-Petter Jøsok said, “We are happy to start this collaboration with EMGS. Atlantic is a strong platform for different types of marine geophysical work, and this collaboration with EMGS is a good example of what we want to build through SubTech. We want to create a broader ecosystem around subsea technology, where capable vessels, experienced operators, and innovative marine technologies can be combined more efficiently.”