Norway Based TGS is Mapping Angola’s deep-water coast to spot hidden oil and gas

• First wide-area 2D seismic survey off Angola since 2015, run by the vessel Ramform Victory

• About 12,600 km of lines to be recorded; early “fast-track” results in Q3 2026, full results by Q2 2027

• Goal: give companies a clearer picture of hard-to-see rock layers so they can target future drilling with less risk

TGS, a global energy data company, has begun a large mapping project in ultra-deep water off Angola. The aim is simple: create a clearer picture of what lies beneath the seabed so oil and gas companies can decide where it’s worth investing next.

This project—called Ultra Profundo—is the first big, shared (or “multi-client”) 2D seismic survey in these waters since 2015. In practice, that means a ship tows cables with sensors and sound sources behind it, sending gentle sound pulses into the earth and listening for the echoes. From those echoes, specialists build images of the layers of rock below the ocean floor.

TGS plans to record about 12,600 kilometers of survey lines. The work will take around 100 days. The company says it will release quick-turn “fast-track” results in the third quarter of 2026 so explorers can start screening areas sooner, and then deliver fully processed results by the second quarter of 2027.

Parts of Angola’s offshore are covered by thick salt layers. Those layers make it hard to “see” deeper rocks using older data. The new, long-range measurements are designed to give a cleaner view of what sits beneath the salt—older “pre-salt” rocks and the space around them—where oil and gas can sometimes collect. In plain terms: better pictures mean fewer blind spots and better-informed drilling choices.

The survey focuses on deep-water areas in the Kwanza and Lower Congo basins, two regions that geologists consider promising but still underexplored in ultra-deep water. If the new images highlight areas with the right shapes and rock types, companies can then invest in smaller, detailed 3D surveys and, later, wells.

“This program delivers the high-quality coverage needed to unlock pre-salt and sub-salt potential,” said Kristian Johansen, CEO of TGS. His message: clearer data helps guide future spending and reduce the chance of costly misses.

The timing is important for Angola. Global oil companies have shown fresh interest in deep water across the South Atlantic, and Angola has been opening more offshore blocks. Existing platforms and subsea pipelines have helped the country keep production around the one-million-barrel-a-day mark. New projects—such as TotalEnergies’ Kaminho development and the New Gas Consortium’s first non-associated gas efforts—point to an active phase ahead. In that context, modern seismic data like Ultra Profundo can play a key role: it doesn’t guarantee discoveries, but it helps operators aim their budgets at the most promising spots.

the survey vessel Ramform Victory tows long “streamers” (cables with sensors) and sound sources behind it. The sound travels down, bounces off different rock layers, and returns to the sensors. Computers then turn those signals into cross-section images of the subsurface. The long-offset setup—meaning the sensors listen from farther away—can improve the view in tricky settings like Angola’s salt-covered zones.

once acquisition wraps up, TGS will deliver the fast-track results so companies can start regional screening. The full processing that follows—using more intensive workflows—should deliver sharper images for detailed planning. From there, any next steps (like new 3D surveys or exploration wells) will depend on what the data shows and on regulatory approvals.

Ultra Profundo is about giving Angola’s offshore a modern, wide-angle map. It’s not a promise of new fields. It is a tool to make smarter choices—where to look harder, where to pause, and where to place the next dollar of exploration.

By Cynthia Ebot Takang