SPRI >JG 1996 21 From its base in Sumatra, Crew 314 expl ores the land of w E s T E R N volcanoes - Lndonesia. Western is actively participating in the surge of seismic exploration, conducting 4-D, 3-D, and 2-D PROFILE operations across the world's largest archipelago. President's Page 2 Management Briefs 4 News Briefs 8 Health/Safety /Environment 15 Crew 314 Surveys the Indonesian 21 34 Blue waters touching the Trucial Archipelago -Western Employs Coast of the United Arab Full Range of Seismic Services to Explore Sumatra Emirates conceal many treasures - pearls, rare species of fi sh, and Sandy "Wasteland" Yields Billions 34 oil. As seismic crews move oper­ for Abu Dhabi -World's Largest Land and Transition-Zone Seismic ations from marine to land, they Surveys Continue are encountering the unique sand that makes up the island of Abu Party Pickings 47 Dhabi and the sheik's environ­ Names in the News so mentally sensiti ve bird sanctuary. Front Cover: View from above of a man working in an Indonesian paddy field. ( P/1010 co11rres1· of Tu1n- Srune lm ag~s!Clu i re Ali.1. ) President's Page: (Pharo co11rre.1..- r!( Phmo11ica!Josh1w Sheldon. ) Diane Danielski, Editor Lisa J. Noyes, Assistant Ediror Bill Poplin. Designer BethAnn Prete. Artist Livia Perez. Kathy Mardick. Typographers Volume XLIII. No. I, Spring 1996. #"~ Published by and for the employees of ~ Western Geophysical, P.O. Box 2469, .... Houston, TX 77252. Editorial office: IOOOI This issue of Profile magazine is printed Richmond Ave., Houston, TX 77042. on pre-consumer recycled paper. Printed in the U.S.A. © 1996 by Western Atlas International, Inc. , C on rotulot1ons to all of you on a job well done in 1995. Your hard work, commitment to excellence, and dedication to Western continue to inspire me Messag and make me proud to be port of the Western fami ly While such fine accom­ plishments encourage us to move forward to meet whatever tasks the year 1996 will hold, we must now take what we have learned from the previous year's experiences and use these successful efforts to define our miss ion for the coming year - GROWTH . As we have learned in the past, growth involves change and risk. Thanks to the resourcefulness and talents of Western employees, we, as a company, are able to take the steps necessary for growth. In order lo better address our clients' needs in th is changing seismic industry, Westerners have the ability to toke risks and to meet whatever challenges that arise. In retrospect, Henry Salvatori solicited help fro m two buddies, built a recording truck in six weeks, and founded a geophysical company in the mid­ dle of the Great Depression Booth Strange in 1955 devised a way to process 24 seismic channels simultaneously, wh ile the res t of the industry processed each channel independently. In the 1960s, Western [spearheaded in part by Carl Savit) was among the first to recognize the necessity of con­ verting seismic signals from analog to digita l. Western was able to take that step at o time when other firms were unwilling (perhaps due to a lack of vision) or unable (perhaps due to insufficient resources) to ta ke such a leap. On the whole, the transform ing forces and resulting major advances hove involved toking risks, stepping out in to unproved te rritory, doing what we believed was necessary for our clients' and Western's success During the pas! year, we have doubled our compu ti ng capacity and expanded our data processing capabilities info seven new cen ter locations . We implemented advanced land and transition-zone acquisition technologies in new geographic areas, expanding operations in four countries and com­ mencing startup operations in eight countries . On the Health/Safety/Environment fron t, one sta tistic stands ou t above all others- zero fatalities for Western Geophysical in 1995 1 This remarkable achievement was attained with over 52 million company-wide exposure hou rs Newly released and soon-to-be released improvements in marine streamer technology, coupled with ongoing vessel upgrades, will sign ificantly increase capability and asset utilization of ou r existing seismic fleet The industry's largest sing le speculative data project, the MEGA Survey, is expected to be complete in early 1996 (two and a half years ahead of schedu le) This ocean-bottom cable survey has set new standards for 3-D quality and seism ic data resolution. We continue to lead the seismic industry in our commitment to develop new, innovative seismic and processing technology through new software applications and long-term research and development efforts Our advances in applied technology continue to result in quantifiable benefits for clients in terms of product quality and efficient se rvice. Nol all companies hove the strength to change and take risks Our prede­ cessors and our cu rrent team have built a company that is confident enough to have a vis ion and is strong enough to accomplish it. This is Western's tradi­ tion and ourfuture. President, Western Geophysical 95. Your hard work, continue to in sp ire me Message While such fine accom- 1tever tasks the year ned from the previous define our miss ion for in the past, growth 1 employees, we, as a Nth. In order to better Jstry, Westerners have :s that arise. ) buddies, bu ilt a :al company in the mid­ evised a way to rest of the industry Western (spearheaded the necessity of con­ was able to toke that s due to a lock of to take such a leap. ijor advances have y , doing what we success . ing capacity and new center locations. icquisition technologies Jr countries and com- ic stands out above all 95 1T his re markable ny-wide exposure ?nts in marine streamer il l significantly increase eel. The industry's 'ey, is expected to be )f schedule). This 3-D quality and seismic 1m itment to develop ough new software efforts Our advances benefits for cl ients in :J take risks. Our prede- 1t is confident enough to l is is Western's trodi- ~ rn Geophys ical Ventures department in London. financial analyst with 18 years MARTIN WILTS He became general manager of accounting and auditing ex­ LOGISTICS GE~ of land operations in the perience. She was promoted MANAGER Europe/Africa/Middle East to accounting manager in region in 1992 and was 1993. Martin Wiltshire is gE named vice president of tech­ manager of logisti cs , nology in 1994. MORGAN NAMED tern Geophysical In Gilbert hos on extensive capacity, he is respo1 background in foreign opera­ DIRECTOR OF the purchasing and fc tions, having served as vice ENGINEERING - sh ipping department~ president of worldwide geo­ APPLIED TECHNOLOGY A graduate of the physico I operations for Halli­ of London, Wiltshire l burton Geophysical Services 28-yeor career with \ and vice pres dent of global as a marine techn icio marine seismic activities for participating in initial Chuck Toles Don Smith Michael W. Norris Geophysical Service, Inc. offshore Ireland, he l: TOLES IS FAR EAST/ the Far East, se rved in several instrument supervisor coordinator in West, AUSTRALIA/CHINA VP positions within Houston NORRIS APPOINTED accounting, and was named AREA MANAGER­ 1969. Chuck Toles hos been named assistant controller in 1995 APPLIED GEOPHYSICS Besides hand ling 1 vice president of Western recon na issance and , Geophysical operati ons in the Michael W Norris hos been hon of several oil con WALKER PROMOTED For East, Austral ia, and Chino - appointed area manager of sels, Wiltshire partic i~ He is based in Western' s TO ASSISTANT the newly created Applied contracts to explore t Houston headquarters. CONTROLLER Geophysics Department. In this west She lf off Australic Toles began his career with position, Norris will be respon­ transferred to the U.S Deborah Walker hos been pro­ Western in 1981 as o geo­ sible for land and marine tech­ assigned to equipmer moted to assistant controller for phys ical trainee. He quickly no logy groups in addition to Western Geophysica l. She is Paul Morgan moved ·hrough the ranks of the mechanica l engineering located in Western's Houston assistant party manager, party sections. headquarters. Poul Morgan hos been named manager, and supervisor to Hoving graduated from Gerry Gilbert A graduate of The University Director of Engineering - become manager of South Louisiana Tech Un iversi ty in of Texas at Austin, Walker Applied Technology. Since he Texas crews in 1989. Toles 1972 with a bachelor of sci­ joined Western in 1991 as a joined Digital Data Systems transferred to Singapore as ence degree in electrical en gi­ (later named Litton Resources manager in 1991 and was DON SMITH NAMED neering, Norris began work for Systems, the predecessor of appointed general manager WESTERN CONTROLLER Western Geophysical as a Western Geophysical's manu­ of Chino operations in 1995. junior observer. Prog ressing Don Smith has been appointed facturing group) as a design through the ranks, he become controller of Western Geo­ engineer in 1972, Morgan has o digital equipment engineer in physical and continues to be served in various capacities, GILBERT APPOINTED 1973. Next se rving as field se r­ based in Western's Houston including chief engineer and EXECUTIVEVP FOR vice engineer and research headquarters. A graduate in manager of engineering devel­ E&P SERVICES engineer, Norris was named business adminisrration from The opment for Western's Research supervisor of land technology Gerry Gilbert has been ap­ University of Texas, Smith joined and Development group. Prio r in 1982 and manager of the Martin Wiltshire pointed executive vice presidenr Western' s West Coast/A laska to the Input/Output transaction, land applied technology group of E&P Services.