Shearwater Geoservices wins 3D seismic survey contract to appraise carbon storage potential in Australia’s Bonaparte Basin

Shearwater Geoservices just picked up a contract to run a 3D seismic survey in Australia’s Bonaparte Basin. It’s the company’s second carbon capture and storage assignment in the area. Operations are set to kick off in Q3 2026, with the goal of figuring out whether the basin can realistically serve as a long-term carbon storage site.

Shearwater awarded Bonaparte Basin seismic contract

The contract covers a full 3D seismic survey in the Bonaparte Basin, up in Northern Australia. Shearwater’s vessel SW Bly will handle the work starting in Q3 2026, and the whole survey is expected to wrap up in about 50 days.

The job is specifically about appraising the basin’s potential for carbon storage. Data collected won’t just sit in a database — it’ll feed directly into decisions about where to drill future injection wells and how to monitor the site over time.

Shearwater isn’t repositioning itself as a climate tech company — it’s applying what it already does well to a growing segment of the energy market.

Why the survey is being conducted

The main goal is pretty straightforward: collect high-quality geophysical data to identify and define future injection well locations. Before anyone can store CO2 underground, operators need a detailed picture of what’s down there. Seismic surveys provide exactly that — a subsurface map revealing geological structures capable of holding carbon dioxide safely over the long term.

The survey is also designed to function as a baseline for future 4D seismic monitoring. Think of it as a “before” snapshot. If CO2 injection eventually begins, operators can run follow-up surveys and compare results to track how the CO2 plume moves underground. The Bonaparte Basin has already been flagged as a viable area for carbon storage development, and a rigorous 3D survey is the step that confirms geological suitability with the precision regulators and investors actually require.

Implications for CCS development in the region

Seismic data isn’t just a technical box to check — it’s a prerequisite for moving a CCS project forward. Regulators need evidence that a site can safely contain CO₂ before granting approval, and investors need that same confidence before committing capital. Accurate subsurface mapping addresses both at once.

The 4D baseline capability built into this survey adds real weight to that value. Once injection starts, operators need a way to verify that stored CO₂ is behaving as expected—tracking plume behavior over time is essential for safety, compliance, and public confidence in CCS as a technology. Completing this survey moves the Bonaparte Basin from early-stage assessment toward something closer to operational readiness, which is a meaningful step for Australia’s broader carbon storage ambitions.

Shearwater’s prior work and company position in CCS

This isn’t Shearwater’s first time in these waters. The company ran a similar CCS-related seismic campaign in the Bonaparte Basin back in 2024, making this their second assignment in the region. Returning to the same basin with accumulated local knowledge can improve both efficiency and data quality—that continuity isn’t incidental.

CEO Irene Waage Basili framed the contract as part of a deliberate global strategy. “Shearwater has established a strong position in supporting carbon storage projects globally, and we look forward to returning to Australia for a second related survey,” she said. She also described CCS surveys as a natural extension of the company’s core business, one that draws on Shearwater’s existing technology and geophysical expertise.

That framing is worth paying attention to. Shearwater isn’t repositioning itself as a climate tech company — it’s applying what it already does well to a growing segment of the energy market. CCS projects require the same seismic acquisition and processing capabilities built around oil and gas exploration, and the technology transfers cleanly. The company appears to be using the Bonaparte Basin as a regional anchor, building a track record that could support further CCS contracts across Australia and the broader Asia-Pacific region.

Helping to identify future injection well locations

Here’s what this contract tells us in plain terms. Shearwater Geoservices has won a 3D seismic survey contract in Australia’s Bonaparte Basin, with the SW Bly vessel set to begin work in Q3 2026. The survey will run for around 50 days.

Data collected will help identify future injection well locations and establish a baseline for long-term CO₂ monitoring—both functions critical to moving a CCS project from appraisal toward actual development.

This is Shearwater’s second CCS survey in the Bonaparte Basin, following the 2024 campaign. CEO Irene Waage Basili has positioned these projects as a natural fit for the company’s existing geophysical capabilities, not a departure from its core business. For the Bonaparte Basin specifically, the survey is a concrete step toward confirming the region’s carbon storage potential and toward meeting the technical and regulatory requirements that any serious CCS project will eventually have to clear.

Kelly Lippke

Kelly is an experienced writer with 15 years of experience exploring the big stories that shape our world, from tech breakthroughs and space exploration to climate, energy, and the fascinating quirks of science. She has a talent for turning complex ideas into sharp, memorable insights that stay with readers long after they’ve finished reading.