The latest versions of the Slurm scheduler, a popular workload management platform used in HPC, have been released. Slurm 24.05.3 fixes a potential database problem when deleting a QoS, which only existed in version 24.05, while both new versions resolve issues with jobs getting stuck when using cloud nodes, and a regression in 23.11.9 and 24.05.2 that caused the sattach command to crash. Users are advised to update as soon as possible.

Viridien has begun the Laconia 3D OBN multi-client seismic programme in the US Gulf of Mexico, covering 330 OCS blocks in the Garden Banks and Keathley Canyon protraction areas. Acquisition is set to begin in July 2024, with delivery of initial products scheduled for Q2 2025. The survey will use the Sercel TPS, an environmentally-friendly low-frequency marine seismic source, and will also record extra-long-offset full-azimuth OBN data to maximise subsalt imaging and reservoir delineation.

Viridien has congratulated four of its employees, Isabel Espin, Nicolas Salaun, Hao Jiang and Mathieu Reinier, for receiving an Honourable Mention from the Society of Exploration Geophysicists (SEG) for their paper, 'From FWI to ultra-high-resolution imaging'. The paper was published in The Leading Edge in January 2023 and presented two case studies in which full waveform inversion (FWI) imaging outperformed conventional methods in terms of image resolution. The first case looked at imaging a reservoir over complex fault blocks and the second concerned the Nordkapp Basin, where the imaging target was the Carnian Sand packages next to large salt bodies.

Minerals Development Oman (MDO) has enlisted the services of Viridien to lead a technology-driven mineral exploration programme covering 16,000km² of concessions in the country. Viridien will apply machine learning and satellite imagery to create Bare Earth Plus models that will help MDO to rank the mineralisation potential of the seven concessions. The Samail and Masirah Ophiolites will be of specific focus. Viridien's EVP of geoscience, Peter Whiting, said the company looked forward to building a long-term partnership with MDO.

Viridien has released phase two of its GeoVerse carbon storage screening study of the Gulf of Mexico after the successful delivery of phase one last year. The final product complements the company's multi-client seismic data to provide comprehensive subsurface data coverage over the US Gulf of Mexico shallow waters and coastal areas. The release comes ahead of upcoming Texas General Land Office and School Land Board Request for Proposals processes for several carbon sequestration leases, with the study available for licensing now.

Dell Technologies has held its second InnovateFest in Singapore, partnering with social service agencies Lions Befrienders and Movement for the Intellectually Disabled of Singapore (MINDS) to focus on combatting social isolation among seniors and those with intellectual disabilities. The event saw ten teams from ten institutions of higher learning compete in a hackathon, with the winners receiving SGD$10,000 each. Team Snoopy from Ngee Ann Polytechnic came first with their mobile application SocialCompass, while Singapore Institute of Technology (University of Glasgow Singapore) team 343 were victorious with JioTogether. The event aimed to boost students' AI and Gen AI skills using tools from partners including Red Hat, NVIDIA, and Microsoft.

Sophie Zurquiyah, CEO of Viridien (formerly CGG), appeared on the SEG's Seismic Soundoff podcast to discuss the company's rebranding and her vision for its future. She highlighted the company's move into new areas such as carbon storage, minerals and mining, high-performance computing, and infrastructure monitoring while stressing the importance of technology differentiation and quality of service in maintaining a competitive edge. Zurquiyah also discussed the impact of the energy transition on Viridien's strategies and the need for sustainability to be incorporated into every company's strategy. She also shared insights on key trends in the oil and gas sector, including energy security and affordability.

Dassault Systèmes, a French software company, has announced a partnership with Mistral AI, a Canadian AI startup, to offer AI-powered industry-grade solutions. The partnership aims to accelerate the generative economy by combining virtual twin experiences and sovereign cloud infrastructure from Dassault with Mistral's Large Language Models. The companies aim to benefit customers with industry-grade solutions that protect intellectual property while leveraging the performance of Mistral's LLMs. Dassault has over 40 years of experience in manufacturing, life sciences, and cities and territories.

Dell Technologies has launched Dell AI for Telecom, a programme to simplify and speed up AI deployments for communications service providers (CSPs). The programme is designed to enhance network performance and improve customer service, and will bring together Dell's expertise, infrastructure and services with software and silicon from partners including NVIDIA, with the aim of developing on-premises AI solutions for CSPs. As part of the programme, Dell is collaborating with CSPs including Lintasarta and SK Telecom to speed up AI adoption and innovation in the industry.

French company Viridien, marketed under the Sercel brand, has sold 30,000 Sercel WiNG land seismic nodes to German engineering services firm DMT. The deal will see DMT use the nodes, which feature an ultra-sensitive broadband digital microelectromechanical systems sensor, in a campaign of large-scale seismic surveys planned in urban areas that target energy resources, including geothermal. The real-time transmission management technology also allows the crew to monitor the acquisition spread.

Dell Technologies has announced a continuation of its partnership with Broadcom to offer co-engineered solutions that combine Dell's infrastructure portfolio with VMware cloud infrastructure software. The offerings covered by the agreement include Dell VxRail, Dell vSAN Ready Nodes hyperconverged infrastructure, Dell PowerEdge servers and Dell PowerFlex software-defined infrastructure, with the joint portfolio aimed at helping customers modernise their data centres and optimise their IT environments. More than 20,000 customers use Dell VxRail, which offers automated lifecycle management and has nearly 300,000 nodes deployed globally, according to the company.

Cloud computing provider OUTSCALE, a Dassault Systèmes brand, has acquired Satelliz to boost its Kubernetes services and cement its position as a leader in the sector. The deal will offer customers greater flexibility and efficiency when managing applications, with Satelliz's expertise in cybergovernance and secure Kubernetes solutions helping OUTSCALE to meet increasing demand. By 2026, Gartner predicts that 75% of container instances will be deployed in public cloud environments, up from 50% in 2023, making the need for Kubernetes orchestration critical to modernising IT infrastructure.