Automating large-scale onshore exploration in the Middle East

As the Middle East heightens its focus on onshore energy exploration, the demand for efficient, scalable, and high-resolution seismic data acquisition has never been greater

Conventional land seismic methods, while well-established, often face constraints around flexibility, operational efficiency, and data quality, especially in areas with complex geology and infrastructure limitations.

To meet these modern demands, STRYDE is pioneering a shift toward a modular, containerised approach to nodal seismic acquisition. The STRYDE Pro System is engineered to handle ultra-large-scale surveys, with capacity for handling up to one million nodes, while offering agility across varied environments. Built around the principle of operational efficiency at scale, it marks a significant departure from the limitations associated with bulkier nodal seismic systems.

A modular approach to seismic acquisition

STRYDE’s Pro System™ offers full ecosystem integration, from bulk node charging and download, to data QC and final data delivery. At its core lies a design that is centred around bulk handling of nodes, allowing trays of 90 nodes to be charged and downloaded simultaneously, reducing man-hours, streamlining camp operations, and cutting both capital and operational expenditure. Compact, high-capacity racks enable seamless scale-up without logistical bottlenecks.

Wireless inductive charging and optical data download eliminates the need for exposed connectors, enhancing the durability and performance of STRYDE nodes in harsh field conditions. The use of short-range, interference-free, optical data transmission ensures trays of STRYDE nodes can be connected to download racks very quickly for highly reliable data download regardless of the channel count.

STRYDE's proprietary in-field Node Test System - an in-field shaker table - enables gold-standard validation of receiver health and integrity.

A step change in field operations

STRYDE’s field philosophy is grounded in ergonomic, low-impact deployment. Lightweight nodes and deployment accessories allow teams to operate efficiently on foot, even in infrastructure-dense, environmentally sensitive, or remote terrain, while purpose-designed deployment backpacks facilitate hands-free navigation to pre-plotted positions and enable easy node transport.
The result: streamlined operations that require fewer personnel and vehicles - translating into cost savings, faster execution, and reduced health, safety, and environmental exposure. This operational agility makes it easier to navigate regulatory requirements and maintain social license to operate - a critical success factor in today’s exploration landscape.

Transforming seismic camps through automation

Seismic base camps have long been labour-intensive environments. STRYDE has reformed this with a semi-automated, production-line workflow delivered through three fully integrated, plug-and-play, containerised units - a Mobile Node Cleaning Unit (MNCU), Mobile Node Download Unit (MNDU) and Mobile Node Recording Unit (MNRU). All operations are executed tray-by-tray, mitigating the risks and inefficiencies of node-level interaction.

STRYDE in Oman

The operational advantages of STRYDE’s Pro System™ were put to the test during a landmark project with CCED in Oman, the world’s largest 3D nodal seismic survey, spanning over 29,000 sq km and using approximately 165,000 channels.

“This nodal technology provides multiple benefits by cutting acquisition costs, minimising HSE footprints (reduced crew from 600 to ~220, and vehicles from 160 to ~40), and enabling expanded land access in sabkha-dune environments, all while maintaining high-quality data acquisition,” said Eskil Jersing, exploration and appraisal Director, CCED.

Beyond delivering high-density seismic data, STRYDE’s system helped CCED significantly reduce CO₂ emissions, streamline logistics and enhance worker safety.

Aligned with strategic priorities of NOCs and IOCs

STRYDE’s scalable technology answers the strategic imperatives of both National Oil Companies (NOCs) and International Oil Companies (IOCs). For NOCs, the system supports long-term exploration programmes with minimal environmental disruption and offers workflows that can be easily localised and scaled through workforce upskilling. For IOCs operating in high-risk or frontier regions, STRYDE’s agility enables rapid mobilisation, reduced overhead and accelerated decision-making cycles. By delivering dense, affordable seismic data, STRYDE enhances subsurface understanding, critical for unlocking unconventional plays and de-risking joint ventures.

The future of seismic is automated

As the Middle East energy industry pivots toward digitalisation, decarbonisation, and decentralisation, STRYDE is pushing the boundaries of what’s currently possible in seismic and subsurface imaging. The company has created technologies that integrate miniaturisation and workflow automation, enabling faster insights with reduced environmental and operational impacts and costs.

In a sector where efficiency, data integrity, and ESG compliance are now business imperatives, STRYDE’s Pro System is more than a modular seismic solution; it is a blueprint for the future of exploration.