Begins New Seismic Survey Offshore Texas

Houston, Texas, March 13, 2000 - TGS-NOPEC Geophysical Company (OSLO:TGS) today announced the commencement of the Phase 48A 2D non-exclusive seismic program on the offshore Texas shelf area within the Western Gulf of Mexico.

Phase 48A is being acquired in partnership with Chinese Offshore Oil Geophysical Corporation (COOGC). COOGC’s vessel M/V Bin Hai 512 began to acquire test lines for the project in January 2000. Following evaluation of processed results, TGS-NOPEC and COOGC are now launching the first 16,000-kilometer phase of a planned two-phase program. The 8,000-meter streamer lengths and 13-second record lengths incorporated into Phase 48A far exceed the acquisition technology available on any previous projects in the area. TGS-NOPEC’s processing sequence for Phase 48A includes pre-stack time migration and amplitude versus offset (AVO) analysis.

"We believe that there is untapped potential in the deeper geological section in this area of the Gulf of Mexico", said John Adamick, President of TGS-NOPEC Offshore Division. "Our goal with Phase 48A is to provide explorationists with a better set of tools to image these deeper structures and evaluate their potential for hydrocarbons. The AVO products should help to illuminate Type II gas sands in the area. These benefits, when combined with the large amount of unleased acreage covered by the new data, should make the project highly attractive to our clients."

TGS-NOPEC is a leading global provider of non-exclusive seismic data and associated products to the oil and gas industry. Oil companies use this seismic data to explore for oil and gas deposits. TGS-NOPEC specializes in the planning, acquisition, processing, interpretation, and marketing of non-exclusive surveys worldwide. TGS-NOPEC places a strong focus on providing high quality seismic data and the highest level of service to the industry. Other business markets include proprietary seismic acquisition and processing services, as well as gravity and aeromagnetic surveys.

TGS-NOPEC is listed on the Oslo Stock Exchange (OSLO:TGS).