Research & Development Study

GETECH Group plc
19 December 2006

19 December 2006

GETECH Group plc

New Research and Development Study Commissioned by Shell Oil Company



GETECH Group plc ('GETECH' or 'the Company'), the oil services business
specialising in the provision of exploration data and petroleum systems
evaluations, announces the appointment of two leading geoscientists, Dr Ahmed
Salem and Dr Kumar Hemant (on full- and part-time bases respectively), to help
undertake a two-year 'Curie Isotherm' research and development ('R&D') contract
commissioned by Shell Oil Company ('Shell').

This contract will investigate methods of mapping the Curie isotherm from
terrestrial and satellite based geological and geophysical data. As part of this
study, GETECH has established an international panel of scientific experts to
discuss its progress and results. This contract is the second R&D contract the
Company has successfully secured from Shell with a combined value exceeding
£500,000.

GETECH has, over the last 10 years, been at the forefront of potential field
research by developing and applying new interpretation techniques. This two-year
R&D study is designed to develop methodology to map the depth of the Curie
isotherm using terrestrial and satellite potential field datasets constrained by
heat flow data, seismic tomography and other geological and geophysical data.
(See Notes to Editors)

Professor Derek Fairhead, Managing Director of GETECH and Professor of Applied
Geophysics within the University of Leeds commented:

 'Securing this R&D contract from Shell is particularly pleasing, as this type
of outsourcing is not commonly seen within our sector of the oil industry. It
also reflects a growing need for oil companies to outsource research to maximize
the wealth of new satellite data and academic knowledge. We are delighted to be
working with Shell, and look forward to a long and fruitful relationship with
them. '

For further information, please contact:



Buchanan Communications
www.buchanan.uk.com
Kelly-Ann Knight
01943 883990
[e-mail]

GETECH Group Plc
www.getech.com
Prof Derek Fairhead (Managing Director)
0113 343 5240
Colin Glass (Finance Director)
07831 258494



Teather & Greenwood Ltd
www.teathers.com
Mark Dickenson
Rob Naylor
020 7426 9000



Notes to Editors

The Curie Isotherm

The Curie isotherm (approx 5500 C) is a significant thermal surface within the
earth's crust or upper mantle. Having the ability to spatially map its depth
provides an important input to calculating oil maturation processes within
sedimentary basins. At the Curie temperature, rocks lose their ability to retain
magnetism. The variation in depth of the Curie isotherm surface will cause
variations in the physical properties of the earth's interior and be reflected
in the long wavelength response of the earth's magnetic field as measured by
satellites and the spatial variation of both the Elastic Thickness 'Te' and
isostatic gravitational response.

Company Background



GETECH is a profitable and cash generative oil services business specialising in
the compilation and analysis of gravity and magnetic data and in evaluating
petroleum systems within basins. GETECH licenses these data sets and
interpretation reports to major oil, gas and mining companies to enable these
companies to evaluate regional geology and thereby assist their exploration
strategies. GETECH has compiled one of the most extensive commercial libraries
of gravity and magnetic data in the world.



GETECH evolved in the mid-1980's from a Research Group headed by Professor Derek
Fairhead within the Department of Earth Sciences at the University of Leeds
(UK), where the Company is still located today. In 2000, GETECH was spun out
from the University as a separate company.



On September 23 2005, the Company listed on the AIM market of the London Stock
Exchange, raising just over £3 million via an institutional Placing.



GETECH has a subsidiary in Houston, Texas and an active presence in Singapore.





GETECH has 3 principal activities:

  • Global Gravity and Magnetic Data Licensing
  • Integrated Basin Interpretation Studies and Services
  • Evaluating the Petroleum Systems within basins



The first two activities contributed the majority of GETECH's revenue for the
year ended 31 July 2006. The third activity relates to the rapidly expanding
Petroleum Systems Evaluation Group, which was formed in 2004 and provides oil
companies with detailed insights into the key source, reservoir and seal issues
relating to hydrocarbon basins.




                      This information is provided by RNS
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