TGS Revolutionizes Offshore Exploration with 2D-Cubed Technology in India’s Andaman Region 

TGS has launched a groundbreaking multi-client 2D-cubed seismic project in India’s offshore Andaman region, a strategic initiative that leverages advanced technology to convert existing 2D seismic data into a regional-scale 3D volume, enabling interpreters to use 3D visualization tools for enhanced geological analysis across 640,000 km².

This project, spurred by recent gas discoveries and ongoing drilling in the area, aims to equip operators with superior subsurface insights to de-risk exploration and accelerate decision-making in this frontier basin, thereby supporting India’s need to meet its growing hydrocarbon demand, which is rising at approximately 3% annually.

TGS Revolutionizes Offshore Exploration with 2D-Cubed Technology in India’s Andaman Region 

In an ambitious move that could reshape India’s energy future, TGS, a global leader in energy data and intelligence, has announced a groundbreaking multi-client 2D-cubed seismic project in the offshore Andaman region. This frontier basin, spanning a vast 640,000 square kilometers, represents one of the most promising—and geologically complex—exploration areas in South Asia . 

The Andaman Project: A Technical Marvel 

The newly launched project will leverage TGS’s proprietary structurally conformable interpolation technology—commercially known as 2D-cubed—which transforms traditional 2D seismic data into a regional-scale 3D volume . This technological approach represents a significant advancement in how geoscientists can extract value from existing seismic information. 

The technical workflow behind this innovation involves several sophisticated stages : 

• Survey Matching: Different vintages of 2D data are unified through demigration processes that match amplitude and phase characteristics 

• Attribute Estimation: Dip and coherency attributes are calculated from the unified dataset 

• Guided Interpolation: These attributes inform an advanced interpolation algorithm that fills gaps between existing 2D lines 

• 3D Migration: The interpolated volume undergoes 3D migration to minimize artifacts that typically plague 2D seismic interpretation 

This process effectively bridges the information gap between sparse 2D seismic lines, creating a continuous 3D volume that interpreters can analyze using modern 3D interpretation software . The result is a more coherent geological picture that enhances structural definition and provides greater confidence in interpretation . 

Strategic Importance and Geological Context 

The Andaman-Nicobar basin has recently emerged as a focal point for hydrocarbon exploration following significant gas discoveries offshore Andaman Island, complemented by ongoing deepwater drilling campaigns and additional gas finds in the Indonesian section of the Andaman basin . These successes have generated substantial industry interest in the region’s potential. 

The TGS project specifically targets siliciclastic sediment basins in both shallow and deepwater environments, covering four blocks from India’s OALP-X bid round . Siliciclastic rocks, composed of fragments of silicate minerals, often serve as important reservoirs for hydrocarbons, making this geological setting particularly attractive for exploration. 

David Hajovsky, Executive Vice President of Multi-Client at TGS, emphasized the strategic significance: “By expanding our product portfolio in this region, we aim to equip operators with the insight needed to accelerate decision-making in one of the world’s most promising frontier basins” . 

The Business Case for 2D-Cubed Technology 

Cost-Effective Regional Screening 

In an industry where traditional 3D seismic acquisition can cost tens of millions of dollars for large offshore surveys, 2D-cubed technology offers a compelling value proposition. By maximizing the utility of existing 2D data—often collected over decades of previous exploration—TGS can deliver interpretable 3D volumes at a fraction of the cost and time required for new 3D acquisition . 

This approach is particularly valuable in frontier basins like the Andaman, where exploration risk is high and comprehensive 3D seismic coverage may not be economically justified in early exploration phases. The technology serves as an optimal regional screening tool, allowing companies to identify structures and assess potential before committing to more expensive data acquisition programs . 

Enhanced Exploration Efficiency 

The interpreter experience with 2D-cubed data represents a quantum leap over traditional 2D interpretation. Where conventional 2D seismic interpretation is plagued by gridding artifacts and navigation inconsistencies between different vintages, the continuous 3D volume enables more efficient and accurate structural mapping . 

This efficiency translates directly into business value—interpreters can either cover more regional ground in the same amount of time or conduct the same interpretation work in significantly less time . In an industry where timing can determine competitive advantage, this acceleration of the exploration workflow provides tangible benefits to operators. 

TGS: The Company Behind the Technology 

Global Leadership in Energy Data 

TGS stands as a leading integrated energy data and services provider with nearly 2,000 employees worldwide and headquarters in Oslo, Norway, and Houston, Texas . The company’s stock trades on the Oslo Stock Exchange (TGS) as part of the OBX Index and on the OTCQX Market (TGSNF, TGSGY) . 

The company maintains a truly global presence with key offices in the UK, Egypt, Brazil, Kuala Lumpur, and Perth, supporting its extensive operations across mature, emerging, and frontier basins worldwide . This geographic diversity provides stability against regional market fluctuations and positions TGS to capture opportunities across the global energy landscape. 

Proven Track Record with 2D-Cubed 

TGS has established impressive credentials with its 2D-cubed technology, having processed over 2,300,000 km² of 2D-cubed data across various basins globally . Notably, more than 75% of this processing has occurred since 2020, indicating rapidly accelerating adoption of the technology . 

The company’s portfolio includes significant 2D-cubed projects in : 

• The Barents Sea: 200,000 sq km 

• North Sea: 600,000 sq km 

• Atlantic Margin: 300,000 sq km 

• Australia’s Northwest Shelf: Over 1,000,000 sq km 

• Indonesia: Multiple projects totaling hundreds of thousands of square kilometers 

This extensive experience across diverse geological settings has undoubtedly refined TGS’s methodology and built confidence in the 2D-cubed approach among exploration companies worldwide. 

Market Context and Industry Trends 

Growing Global Seismic Services Market 

The TGS Andaman project unfolds against a backdrop of steady growth in the global seismic services market, valued at USD 9.58 billion in 2025 and projected to reach USD 15.13 billion by 2032, representing a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 6.74% . 

This growth is fueled by several converging trends : 

• Increasing energy demand, particularly from emerging economies 

• Technological advancements in seismic imaging and data processing 

• Shift toward offshore and deepwater exploration as onshore resources deplete 

• Growing focus on seismic risk assessment and monitoring in infrastructure development 

The offshore segment dominates the seismic services market, accounting for 62% of share in 2024, driven by increasingly sophisticated marine acquisition technologies and the growing importance of deepwater hydrocarbon resources . 

India’s Strategic Energy Position 

India’s rapid economic growth underpins the strategic timing of TGS‘s Andaman initiative. With hydrocarbon demand growing at approximately 3% annually, the country faces increasing pressure to expand domestic production and reduce import dependency . 

The Indian government has actively promoted exploration through bid rounds like OALP-X, creating opportunities for data providers like TGS to support companies evaluating these areas. The Andaman project directly addresses this need by providing high-quality subsurface information to assess exploration potential and inform bidding decisions . 

Technological Differentiation in a Competitive Landscape 

Beyond Conventional Seismic Methods 

The 2D-cubed technology represents a significant departure from conventional seismic approaches. While 2D seismic provides only cross-sectional views of subsurface geology and often suffers from navigation and vintage matching challenges, and 3D seismic delivers comprehensive spatial imaging but at substantially higher cost and acquisition time, 2D-cubed occupies a strategic middle ground . 

This positioning makes it particularly valuable in frontier regions like the Andaman, where existing 2D data exists but comprehensive 3D coverage does not. The technology effectively extends the useful life and value of legacy seismic datasets while bridging the information gap toward future dedicated 3D acquisition. 

Comparison of Seismic Technologies 

Future Implications and Industry Impact 

Accelerating Exploration Decisions 

The Andaman 2D-cubed project exemplifies how advanced seismic technologies are transforming exploration workflows. By providing interpreters with a 3D visualization environment for regional data, TGS enables more confident assessment of prospectivity and more efficient planning of future drilling campaigns . 

This acceleration of the exploration timeline delivers particular value in competitive licensing rounds, where companies must rapidly evaluate multiple blocks and make informed bidding decisions with limited time and data. 

Setting a Precedent for Frontier Exploration 

The scale and ambition of the Andaman project—covering 640,000 km² of challenging marine territory—establishes a new benchmark for frontier basin evaluation. If successful, this approach may become a standard methodology for early-phase exploration in other underexplored basins worldwide. 

TGS’s extensive experience with 2D-cubed technology across diverse global settings positions the company as a thought leader in this emerging paradigm of cost-effective, technology-driven exploration. 

Challenges and Considerations 

While 2D-cubed technology offers compelling advantages, it’s important to recognize its limitations. TGS openly acknowledges that the approach serves as a regional screening tool rather than a replacement for dedicated 3D seismic . The gross structural picture provided by 2D-cubed data requires validation, and smaller-scale features may remain unresolved without higher-resolution 3D data . 

The technology also depends on the quality and distribution of input 2D data. Areas with very sparse 2D coverage or significant data quality issues may present challenges for the interpolation algorithm, potentially limiting interpretation confidence in specific locations. 

Conclusion: A New Era for Indian Offshore Exploration 

TGS’s launch of the Andaman 2D-cubed project represents a significant milestone in India’s offshore exploration journey. By applying cutting-edge seismic interpolation technology to one of the country’s most promising frontier basins, TGS provides energy companies with unprecedented insights into the region’s hydrocarbon potential. 

As India seeks to meet its growing energy needs through domestic production, technologies like 2D-cubed will play an increasingly vital role in de-risking exploration and accelerating development decisions. The Andaman project not only expands TGS’s already substantial data library for India but also demonstrates the evolving nature of geophysical exploration in an era of technological innovation and economic constraints. 

For energy companies evaluating opportunities in the Andaman-Nicobar basin, this dataset offers a valuable head start in understanding the complex subsurface geology and prioritizing future exploration investments. As the global energy industry continues to balance cost discipline with the need for new resource discoveries, intelligent approaches like 2D-cubed technology may well define the future of frontier exploration.