TGS has announced Pelotas Sul Phase 2, a multi-client 3D seismic survey covering about 11,200 sq km offshore southern Brazil. The company is running it in joint venture with SLB. A Ramform Titan-class vessel is scheduled to begin data acquisition in October 2026, and the work is due to finish in Q2/Q3 2027.
The new survey builds on Pelotas Sul Phase 1, which was acquired earlier this year. For TGS, Phase 2 widens its 3D seismic coverage of the Pelotas Basin, which it describes as a frontier basin that continues to draw industry interest. Multi-client means the data is acquired on spec and then offered to several companies, rather than shot for a single customer.
What the survey covers
TGS says the basin is supported by geological analogs along the conjugate margin and de-risked by discoveries in Namibia. It also describes a broad range of underexplored play concepts, including turbidite systems and deep-water channels.
The acreage mix matters to buyers. Phase 2 includes a balanced mix of held and open acreage. Companies evaluating blocks they already hold get coverage relevant to that work. The open ground gives data for future licensing rounds and potential farm-in activity.
What TGS says
Kristian Johansen, CEO of TGS, said Phase 2 builds on the foundation set by Phase 1 and expands coverage in a basin attracting growing client interest. He said the project will add subsurface insight across both held and open acreage, supporting customers as they weigh existing positions and future exploration opportunities in the southern Pelotas Basin.
Our read: this is a data-library bet, not a drilling announcement. TGS is adding a second phase on top of a first one shot months earlier, and it is placing the new survey across both licensed and unlicensed ground so it can sell to operators already in the basin and to those waiting for the next round.
