Benefits of MEMS Based Seismic Accelerometers for Oil Exploration

MEMS based digital sensors are compared with conventional analog moving coil geophones used in the hydrocarbon seismic exploration. This paper attempts to address advantages of MEMS digital accelerometers used to measure the small ground motion induced by the reflection of seismic waves generated for subsurface imaging. From the technical specification point of view, broadband linear response and very good vector fidelity are the essential benefits. Weight, cost, tilt compensation and easy handling are the main operational advantages of such sensors compared to the conventional geophone.