New, Ultra-Sensitive MEMS Sensor for Microseismic Surveys

CGG announced today that Sercel's latest and most advanced digital single-sensor, QuietSeis^TM, based on next-generation MEMS (Micro Electro-Mechanical System) technology, is living up to its name after having demonstrated an outstanding low-noise performance during a recent series of field tests.

The sensor's outstanding low noise floor was demonstrated at the LSBB laboratory, a low-noise underground science and technology center, in the South of France. Tests were conducted in a silo at a depth of 500m below a mountain in a rural area with high acoustic shielding close to minimum Earth noise.

QuietSeis demonstrated an ultra-quiet performance of below 15ng/sqrt(Hz), resulting in a high dynamic range of 128dB. This extremely low noise level corresponds to the quietest ambient noise detectable anywhere on Earth and is more than three times lower than that of MEMS sensors currently available on the market.

Fully integrated with the recently launched Sercel 508^XT seismic acquisition system, which offers mega-crews the ability to record up to one million channels in real time, QuietSeis provides the most accurate data for any type of survey. In addition, the single-sensor's power consumption has been reduced to 85mW, offering optimum deployment and cost benefits for mega-crews conducting high-resolution, high-density surveys.

Pascal Rouiller, CEO, Sercel said: "These impressive results are proof that Sercel has met the challenge of designing a completely new, ultra-sensitive MEMS sensor. We are confident that the extremely low-noise performance of QuietSeis, with applications ranging from high-density single-sensor acquisitions to microseismic surveys, will enhance the resolution of subsurface images and provide more reliable reservoir properties, offering a competitive advantage to our customers exploring the world's most challenging oil and gas reservoirs."