US Seismic Systems wins order for sensor system

US Seismic Systems (USSI), an Acorn Energy company, has received a $1m order to supply an ultra-high sensitivity fibre optic-based sensor system to an unnamed customer.

The sensor system can undertake one-hundred level down-hole seismic imaging and monitoring for oil and gas exploration activity.

US Seismic Systems CEO Jim Andersen said with the new order the company has a six-for-seven ratio of customer demonstrations to orders.

"The seventh trial was conducted several weeks ago and the potential customer is still evaluating the data," said Andersen.

"This order demonstrates the increasing pace of adoption of USSI’s advanced fibre optic seismic sensor technology within the oil and gas industry."

US Seismic Systems said the system provides a down-hole seismic imaging of both conventional and unconventional oil and gas fields with bottom hole temperatures up to 200°C.

The company, along with SR2020, conducted the sixth field trial of its demonstration equipment three months ago at the University of Texas Devine test well.

SR2020 president and CEO Bill Bartling said the addition of the USSI fibre optic array will enhance the company’s analogue seismic technology.

"Deployed with our proprietary tubing-conveyance system, this provides a marked technical and price advantage over our competitors systems that rely on down-hole electronics or expensive wireline tractors to survey highly deviated or horizontal wells," said Bartling.

"The array offers potential additional advantages in event detection sensitivity crucial for accurate microseismic monitoring and high resolution VSP imaging."