At 08:00 on April 6, 2020, the first shot was successfully acquired on a 3D seismic exploration of the Qiulin block in the Sichuan Basin. SmartSolo seismic sensor nodes and accompanying technologies are being used on this hybrid acquisition.

The Qiulin block 3D project has 52820 source points and 114445 receiver points, and SmartSolo will be used on a total of 750 square kilometers. The main geological objectives are to examine the tectonic form, find trap dimensions and shallow target locations, and to look at fault distribution patterns in the region.

There are many operational considerations for this exploration that will traverse a region largely comprising hills and valleys of dense vegetation. The survey runs across the entire county, including the Peijiang urban area with infrastructure including roads and industrial parks. Production will face winter, spring and summer conditions, but most notably a very arduous rainy season which typically arrives early in Sichuan.

SmartSolo sensor nodes always had the advantage of layout flexibility, and have demonstrated on many previous projects their ability to work in and around obstacles, while maintaining data integrity and production efficiency.

On this new seismic acquisition in Sichuan, it is expected the greatest challenge will be the heavy rain, as it presents a particularly testing environment for both equipment and field operations. Through innovative design and quality manufacturing, the SmartSolo nodes are firmly protected against water ingress and other unwanted dust and dirt, and can be used in exceptionally wet environments.

With a blend of 3-component and single-component acquisition on a large scale, and likely to encounter such a mix of operational hurdles, the project presents another good opportunity to showcase the capabilities and productivity using SmartSolo.