SpecialReport: Gulf of Mexico Update Essentially, we now have the ability to apply a land seismic configuration on the bottom of the seafloor with minimal impact, and to acquire true full-azimuth surveys with long offsets to image Miocene- through Jurassic-aged reservoirs. For lack of a better phrase, let us call what is being offered by OBN technology to effectively image both post- and presalt reservoirs with optimal spatial (lateral) resolution, "geometrical freedom." FIGURE 6 Increased Temporal (Vertical) Resolution NAZ (Left) versus FAN (Right) Increased Resolution It is important to also discuss some of the benefits outside of survey configuration (spatial resolution) for OBN seismic data. Each individual node contains four seismic sensors: one hydrophone and three geophones (one vertical component and two horizontal components). Observations from early test data (Figure 6) confirm the increased temporal (vertical) resolution of nodal acquisition. Traditional (streamer) seismic frequencies in the 20-50 hertz frequency band can resolve geologic formations/reservoirs on the order of 40 to 100 meters. Doubling this with nodal data (40-100 Hz) permits resolution of thinner geologic zones (20- 50 meters) and potential detection in the subdekameter range (less than 10 meters). FEBRUARY 2015 105