Building a smarter model for sustainable land seismic operations

Interview with WILLIAM “BILL” MOONEY, POLARIS, in collaboration with STRYDE 

When Bill Mooney first started in the seismic business in the early 1980s, the idea of running a lightweight, wireless, high-density 3D survey would have sounded like science fiction. “Back then, we were scratching our heads trying to figure out how to do a square-mile 3D with cable systems,” the co-founder and CEO of Polaris Seismic International explains. “Each receiver weighed 25 pounds, and we needed six or seven trucks and dozens of people to move them.” 

Four decades later, Mooney is still pushing boundaries in seismic acquisition, only now he’s doing it with tools that weigh less than a baseball.  

According to Mooney, Polaris was founded in 1996 and is now Canada’s oldest seismic company. The team has completed more than 1,200 projects worldwide, including 700 3D surveys, and played a role in multiple frontier basin discoveries, including Namibia’s Kavango basin, Zimbabwe’s Cabora Bassa basin and onshore exploration in Libya.  

From the Arctic to Africa, Mooney and his team have built their reputation on technical excellence, operational efficiency and a deep respect for the communities where they work. 

“Client success is the key to our survival,” Mooney says. “If our clients succeed in their exploration, they’ll come back with the same team. Just as importantly, we make sure the communities we work in benefit, too. “If local people are behind you, the project goes smoothly, and you’re welcomed back.” 

Fig. 1. STRYDE node, compared with cabled geophones.

THE SHIFT TO LIGHTWEIGHT NODAL SEISMIC 

That community-first philosophy has guided Polaris through decades of technological change, from analogue cables to autonomous nodes. But it was STRYDE, the world’s smallest, lightest and most affordable seismic node, Fig. 1, that marked a true turning point for the company when they began working together in 2021.  

“We’d seen a lot of wireless systems come and go,” Mooney recalls. “Many had multiple components to maintain our complicated communication networks. We were introduced to STRYDE by an oil and gas operator client, and at first, we thought, here we go again... But when we learned major oil and gas operators were the developers of it, we knew it deserved a serious look. And once we deployed it in the field, we were sold.” 

STRYDE develops ultra-lightweight, low-cost nodal seismic data acquisition systems used by scientists, energy professionals and researchers to image the subsurface in high definition. Its technology enables the collection of high-density seismic data with fewer people in the field, shorter timelines, and lower overall costs than traditional approaches. 

The nodal systems are designed for efficient deployment in remote and technically challenging environments, while helping reduce health, safety, security and environmental (HSSE) risks. 

STRYDE also provides end-to-end exploration support, including site screening, accelerated seismic data processing and interpretation services in partnership with Getech. Together, these capabilities help exploration teams move from data acquisition to insight more efficiently and with greater confidence.

Fig. 2. STRYDE deployment in Namibia.

For Mooney, the biggest transformation has been simplicity. STRYDE’s single-unit design eliminates the headaches of traditional systems: no cables, no bulky batteries and no hours lost to troubleshooting. “It’s about as close as you can get to making every design option possible,” he says. “It gives our geophysicists the freedom to focus on data quality rather than hardware.” 

IMPROVING FIELD EFFICIENCY AND EXECUTION 

That simplicity translates directly to predictability and performance. “In seismic, everything is repetition—thousands of movements, each timed to the second. 

“When you remove delays, you reduce cost and risk. With STRYDE, we are predictable. We can design our day down to the minutes and know exactly how we are going to perform.” 

Operational advantages aside, the technology has also helped Polaris pursue a long-held goal: to make seismic exploration as low-impact and locally beneficial as possible. In regions like East and West Africa, the company’s projects have delivered seismic data alongside significant community uplift, Fig. 2. 

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT IN FRONTIER OPERATIONS 

Polaris operates with at least 85% local content on its projects, often sourcing everything it needs, from food and supplies to personnel, directly from nearby villages. 

In regions that many outsiders might describe as underdeveloped, the company takes a proactive approach to building capacity rather than simply procuring goods and labor.  

Fig. 3. Polaris supporting local communities in Zimbabwe.

“We’ve improved kitchens, taught food safety, made sure refrigeration works. It raises the whole standard for the community.” 

Polaris ensures that every local worker leaves with a laminated certificate documenting their training and experience—a small but powerful credential for future employment. “We may only be there for a few months,” Mooney says, “but we make sure the community gains something lasting. It’s easy to have a huge impact if you take the time.” 

The company also invests in small-scale community projects, from road construction and school libraries to fish farms that can continue supporting villages long after the seismic crews move on, Fig. 3. 

Mooney believes the industry needs to do more to communicate the broader benefits of responsible oil and gas exploration. “People in the West often don’t see the reality,” he says. “We’ve met women who spend eight or ten hours a day collecting wood to cook. When I asked a village chief what it would mean if everyone had a propane tank, he couldn’t even imagine it. Energy changes lives. Ending energy poverty is something we should all be fighting for.” 

STRYDE’s technology supports both Polaris’ operational goals and its environmental ethos. “We were among the first to take a low-impact seismic crew into Africa. We love projects where, a year later, you can’t even tell we were there. STRYDE makes that possible.” 

SCALING THE MODEL FOR FUTURE SURVEYS 

Fig. 4. STRYDE deployment in Namibia.

The partnership between Polaris and STRYDE has been characterized by collaboration and responsiveness, something Mooney values as much as the technology itself. “Everything we’ve done with STRYDE has been very positive,” he says. “When we faced integration challenges early on, their team was on the ground immediately, working around the clock. That kind of support builds real trust.” 

Today, STRYDE’s nodal system is a core part of Polaris’ operations across Africa, Pakistan and beyond, helping the company take on complex projects with smaller teams, less equipment and greater flexibility, Fig. 4.  

“It gives us every option,” Mooney says simply. “We can deliver high-quality data, minimize our footprint and support the communities we’re part of. That’s what success looks like for Polaris.” 

As the company expands into new markets, including mineral exploration and shallow subsurface imaging through its affiliate, Earth Scan Technologies, Mooney sees STRYDE as an integral part of future operations. “We just want to keep doing great work, in great places and with great people. STRYDE fits perfectly into that picture.”