hte SRV Veritas Viking II vessel is acquiring 3D seismic throughout the summer in the offshore Taranaki Basin New Zealand.

Currently, the Veritas Viking II is acquiring a 1600 km2 3D survey for POGO Producing Inc that commenced on January 13th 2005 and covers permits PEP384-88, -89, and -90. The vessel has eight solid streamers deployed at 4.5 km length and two sources, with potential expansion to 16 streamers. Completion date for the POGO survey will be early March.

After this, the Veritas Viking II will acquire an approximate 600 km2 survey for Discovery Geo in permits PEP 384-71 and -79 which should be completed by the middle of April. The vessel will then commence two surveys totalling 490 km2 in permits PEP 384-60 and -83 for AWE/TransWorld, to be completed by mid May.

With the New Zealand campaign finished Veritas Viking II will sail from New Plymouth and move to Australia's North West Shelf with a port stop in Fremantle.

The vessel is a multi-streamer, multi-source vessel equipped with advanced integrated geophysical and navigation data acquisition and onboard processing systems, full quality assurance capabilities and optional gravity and magnetic systems.

At 93.35 m in length, 22 m in beam and with approximately 12,000 break horsepower engines, the Veritas Viking II is by far the largest vessel to ever acquire seismic in New Zealand.