A clear and bold heading

Sri Lanka’s Frontier Basin: The Emerging Role of FTG in Offshore Exploration. 

14th March 2024.  

As the global energy landscape evolves, exploration activity is seeing a renewed focus on underexplored basins—particularly in regions offering untapped potential and favorable investment climates. One such area drawing increased attention is Sri Lanka’s offshore frontier basin.

In early 2024, Sri Lanka relaunched its efforts to attract upstream investment, opening new acreage offshore the east and north coasts as part of its Petroleum Resources Development Strategy. The country's Petroleum Development Authority has been actively promoting available blocks to international companies, positioning the region as a strategic location between hydrocarbon-producing provinces in India and Southeast Asia.

A Frontier Basin with High Potential

Sri Lanka’s offshore blocks remain largely untested, but historic geophysical data and limited well control suggest the presence of source rocks, structural traps, and sedimentary sequences conducive to hydrocarbon accumulation. The government has committed to modernizing its fiscal terms, fast-tracking approvals, and offering transparent licensing—all designed to reduce barriers for early movers.

However, like all frontier plays, the challenge lies in reducing geological uncertainty at scale and speed. This is where Full Tensor Gradiometry (FTG) plays a key role.

How Bell Geospace and FTG Add Value
Bell Geospace specializes in airborne Full Tensor Gradiometry surveys—an ideal match for frontier basins like Sri Lanka’s offshore. In 2024, the company continued supporting early-stage exploration in similar environments globally.

What FTG Offers Sri Lanka’s Explorers:

Rapid, Non-Invasive Data Acquisition
Over 14,000 Line KMs of data is ready to work with now in Sri Lanka and future FTG surveys are airborne, allowing for broad, cost-efficient coverage without the need for extensive marine operations or permitting challenges—ideal for frontier blocks with limited access infrastructure.

Structural Insight with High Resolution
FTG data provides unmatched resolution of subsurface structure, revealing faulting, basin architecture, and trap geometry that often goes undetected with legacy gravity or regional seismic alone.

Integration-Ready for Modern Interpretation Workflows
FTG datasets are compatible with seismic, magnetic, and geological models. In previous frontier projects, Bell Geospace clients have integrated FTG results to prioritize seismic programs, reduce drilling risk, and accelerate farm-in evaluations.

Why Now?
Several macro and regional factors make 2024 a timely moment for upstream interest in Sri Lanka:

Strategic Location: Positioned along key maritime routes with regional analogs showing success (e.g., Cauvery Basin, Krishna-Godavari Basin).

Government Support: Commitment to building investor confidence with clearer legal frameworks and a push for E&P partnerships.

Energy Security Concerns: Sri Lanka is seeking to reduce dependence on imported fuels and position itself as a potential exporter in the future.

Final Thoughts
For oil and gas companies looking to balance exploration portfolios with frontier opportunities, Sri Lanka presents a compelling case. With FTG, companies can quickly obtain the structural understanding needed to move from high-level screening to targeted investment—without the heavy cost and lead time of early seismic.

Bell Geospace stands ready to support these ambitions with proven FTG acquisition, processing, and interpretation services. Our experience in similar basins offers a unique advantage to explorers evaluating Sri Lanka’s next chapter.

→ Contact us to discuss FTG coverage for Sri Lanka’s offshore acreage.