Shearwater Geoservices has secured a contract from Sabah Shell Petroleum Company for an ocean bottom node (OBN) seismic survey in Malaysia. 

The survey, involving four-dimensional (4D) seismic acquisition at a Shell-operated field off the west coast of Sabah, Malaysia, is scheduled for early 2026. 

This two-month project aims to provide high-resolution, time-lapse seismic data for enhanced reservoir understanding and management at the field. 

Shearwater will leverage the SW Tasman, a vessel specifically designed for both node deployment and seismic source operations, for the project. 

This approach facilitates effective single-vessel execution, whereas multiple vessels are usually required, the company said. 

Shearwater CEO Irene Waage Basili said: “The utilisation of Shearwater’s fit-for-purpose OBN platform SW Tasman since its launch in early 2024 is impressive and a strong validation of our innovative and committed approach to optimising offshore operations. 

“The integration of seismic source and dual ROV [remotely operated vehicle] OBN deployment sets it apart in the industry, consistently delivering efficiency and quality gains for our customers across multiple projects.” 

Upon completion of the project, the SW Tasman will have completed over two years of consecutive projects. 

Shearwater said the contract was booked as backlog in its second-quarter (Q2) report released on 29 August 2025. 

Based in Bergen, Norway, Shearwater is a global marine geoscience and technology company specialising in offshore data collection. 

The company employs approximately 1,100 people and uses advanced seismic vessels and proprietary software to provide subsurface insights for clients. 

In September, Shearwater secured a seven-vessel-months streamer contract from Oil India Limited for operations beginning in Q4 2025. 

Under the contract, Shearwater will deploy two vessels to conduct combined 3D and 2D seismic surveys across the Mahanadi and Krishna-Godavari basins.