NodalSeismic
NodalSeismic is a private U.S. geophysical firm that provides cable-free 2D, 3D, 4D, and micro-seismic data acquisition services to oil and gas, government, academic, and emerging energy-transition clients using autonomous SmartSolo IGU-16 nodes and IVI vibrators.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2012
- HeadquartersSignal Hill, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What NodalSeismic does
NodalSeismic is a private U.S. geophysical services firm headquartered in Signal Hill, California that provides cable-free seismic data acquisition to energy, government, and academic clients. The company was founded as Nodal Seismic, LLC in 2012 and operates with a small core team (1–10 employees) supplemented by a flexible field-crew structure that can be split across multiple simultaneous projects, supported by offices in Dighton (Kansas), Lubbock (Texas), and Hays (Kansas).
The firm's core offering is built around the SmartSolo IGU-16 5Hz autonomous seismic node — a cable-free, wire-free recording unit that integrates an internal geophone, A/D converter, solid-state memory, battery, and GPS in a roughly five-pound package. Source generation is delivered via the IVI Hemi 60 vibrator. Combined, the system delivers 99.7% channel recovery and 100% system uptime with a "once-in-once-out" deployment model that requires approximately one-third the crew of a comparable cable crew and node sensors that weigh roughly one-tenth the per-station weight of cable. NodalSeismic was the first firm to successfully acquire 3D seismic data in a dense urban environment (Long Beach, CA, 9,000+ residents per square mile) and is now listed as serving oil and gas (primary), nuclear seismic hazard (NRC-QA), government/academic, geothermal, micro-seismic and earthquake monitoring, mining, and carbon capture end markets.
Revenue is generated through project-based competitive bids for 2D, 3D, 4D, and micro-seismic surveys, with pricing determined per project on factors including survey size, terrain complexity, and crew requirements. The sales motion is direct enterprise field sales — clients engage through a "Request a Bid" form on the company website — and the firm has executed projects across 13 U.S. states. NodalSeismic carries no disclosed external funding, no parent company, and no public ticker.
NodalSeismic firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- NodalSeismic
- Legal name
- Nodal Seismic, LLC
- Website
- https://nodalseismic.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2012
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- NodalSeismic is a private U.S. geophysical firm that provides cable-free 2D, 3D, 4D, and micro-seismic data acquisition services to oil and gas, government, academic, and emerging energy-transition clients using autonomous SmartSolo IGU-16 nodes and IVI vibrators.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
NodalSeismic industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Seismic Data Acquisition Services
- NAICS
- Geophysical Surveying and Mapping Services (541360), Geophysical Surveying and Mapping Services (54136), Support Activities for Mining (2131)
- SIC
- Oil & Gas Field Exploration Services (1382), Oil & Gas Field Services, Nec (1389)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Seismic & Geoscience Services (Acquisition, Processing, Interpretation) (EUALABAK)
Keywords
Where NodalSeismic is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Signal Hill
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices4 records
Markets served
NodalSeismic business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Seismic Data Acquisition Services: Project-based data acquisition services providing 2D, 3D, 4D, and micro-seismic data acquisition. Services include pre-planning strategy, grid design, project management, permitting, surveying, recording & processing, and data management & backup. Revenue is earned through competitive bids on project contracts, with pricing based on survey size, terrain complexity, and operational requirements.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | Quote-based project pricing |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels6 records
NodalSeismic product offering
Product offeringCore offering
NodalSeismic provides 2D, 3D, 4D, and micro-seismic data acquisition services using a fully cable-free, wire-free autonomous node system (SmartSolo IGU-16). Projects are delivered end-to-end, covering pre-planning strategy, grid design, permitting, surveying, recording, processing, and data management, with output formatted to SEG-Y/SEG-D industry standards. The service is offered on a project-bid basis to oil and gas, government, academic, geothermal, mining, and carbon capture clients across the United States.
Product overview
NodalSeismic is a geophysical firm offering a unified cable-free seismic data acquisition system. The core product is the SmartSolo IGU-16 5Hz autonomous node, which operates without external cables or connectors and can be deployed in various terrains including urban environments, farmlands, and environmentally sensitive areas. Supporting the node technology, the company operates IVI Hemi 60 vibrators as part of their source equipment fleet. The service portfolio spans 2D, 3D, 4D, and micro-seismic data acquisition, complemented by project planning/management and field processing services. Data is formatted to industry-standard SEG-Y and SEG-D file formats. The company was the first seismic company to utilize completely cable-free and wire-free node technology and the first to conduct successful 3D seismic data acquisition in a dense urban environment.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- SmartSolo IGU-16 5Hz Autonomous Node Autonomous cable-free seismic recording node containing an internal geophone, A/D converter, solid-state memory, battery, and GPS in a roughly 6-inch-tall, 5-inch-diameter, ~5-pound shell; deployed without external cables or connectors for high-density 2D/3D/4D surveys.
- IVI Hemi 60 Vibrator 61,000-pound-output seismic vibrator providing broadband output and high signal-to-noise ratio for deep surveys, with 4-speed transmissions, variable-speed hydraulic motors, noise limiting, and articulated wagon-wheel steering for off-road operation.
- 2D/3D/4D Seismic Data Acquisition End-to-end cable-free seismic data acquisition for 2-dimensional, 3-dimensional, and 4-dimensional surveys, executed with SmartSolo IGU-16 nodes for oil and gas exploration and other subsurface imaging clients.
- Micro-Seismic Data Acquisition Specialized micro-seismic data acquisition for earthquake monitoring and continuous passive recording, including high-density array deployments for reflection surveys.
- Project Planning and Management Services Project planning and design services covering pre-planning strategy, grid design, permitting, surveying, and data management and backup for seismic acquisition projects.
- Field Processing Services Data management and field processing services providing quality assurance and formatting to industry standards, including SEG-Y and SEG-D file outputs.
Quantifiable outcome
- 99.7% channel recovery and 100% system uptime
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use NodalSeismic
Customer profileNamed customers2 records
Segments7 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
NodalSeismic technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
NodalSeismic partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators5 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights5 records
NodalSeismic competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Fairfield Geotechnologies: Houston-based US land seismic data acquisition contractor offering 2D/3D/4D acquisition and reservoir imaging to oil & gas clients. Direct peer — same onshore US seismic acquisition service model targeting similar oil & gas, energy, and government customers, albeit at substantially larger scale.
- SAExploration Holdings: Houston-based pure-play land seismic acquisition services company providing 2D/3D/4D survey design, permitting, and acquisition across the Americas. Direct peer — same onshore seismic acquisition services motion with comparable multi-state geographic spread and oil & gas customer base.
Regional players
- Tesla Exploration International: Calgary-based seismic acquisition and processing firm serving Canadian and select international markets. Regional peer — same project-based onshore seismic acquisition services business model, but with primary geographic focus on Canada rather than the contiguous US.
- DMT Geosciences: Germany-headquartered geoscience and seismic acquisition services provider serving European mining, geothermal, and oil & gas clients. Regional peer — similar onshore seismic acquisition service offering across exploration and subsurface-characterization use cases, but primarily deployed in Europe rather than North America.
Broad incumbents
- Geospace Technologies: Houston-based manufacturer of seismic acquisition equipment including nodal recording systems (e.g., GSX node) used by land seismic crews worldwide. Broad incumbent — operates in the same cable-free node space, but as an upstream equipment manufacturer rather than an acquisition services contractor.
- CGG: France-headquartered global geoscience company providing multi-client seismic data, acquisition services, and imaging/reservoir characterization across offshore and onshore worldwide. Broad incumbent — overlaps with NodalSeismic on land seismic acquisition services but operates a much larger and more diversified portfolio.
- WesternGeco (Schlumberger): Geophysical services division of SLB (formerly Schlumberger), running one of the world's largest seismic acquisition fleets including the 'Wanda' ocean-bottom-node system and onshore crews. Broad incumbent — directly competes for global seismic acquisition tenders, including onshore US, but at vastly greater scale and capitalization.
- TGS: Norway-headquartered multi-client geoscience data company with a growing onshore seismic acquisition footprint (including nodal crews in the US following its 2024 acquisition of Magseis Fairfield). Broad incumbent — comparable end customers and acquisition services motion, though differentiated by its multi-client library business model.
Emerging players
- INOVA Geophysical: Manufacturer of cableless nodal seismic recording systems (e.g., Quantum, Hawk) and vibrator source equipment used in modern land seismic crews. Comparable because INOVA's nodes compete head-to-head with SmartSolo IGU-16 hardware that NodalSeismic deploys, making it a near-substitute for the underlying technology stack.
- STRYDE: UK-based start-up selling lower-cost, smaller-form-factor seismic nodes plus acquisition services targeting oil & gas, mining, CCS, and geothermal end markets. Emerging player — overlaps on cable-free node technology and the same diversification end-markets (geothermal, CCUS, mining) where NodalSeismic operates.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
NodalSeismic social profiles
Digital presenceNodalSeismic financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
NodalSeismic leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
NodalSeismic funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
NodalSeismic M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about NodalSeismic
What does NodalSeismic do?
NodalSeismic provides 2D, 3D, 4D, and micro-seismic data acquisition services using a fully cable-free, wire-free autonomous node system (SmartSolo IGU-16). Projects are delivered end-to-end, covering pre-planning strategy, grid design, permitting, surveying, recording, processing, and data management, with output formatted to SEG-Y/SEG-D industry standards. The service is offered on a project-bid basis to oil and gas, government, academic, geothermal, mining, and carbon capture clients across the United States.
Is NodalSeismic a public or private company?
NodalSeismic is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was NodalSeismic founded?
NodalSeismic was founded in 2012. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is NodalSeismic based?
NodalSeismic is headquartered in Signal Hill, United States, in the North America region.
How does NodalSeismic make money?
One revenue line is on record: seismic Data Acquisition Services.
Who are NodalSeismic's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Fairfield Geotechnologies and SAExploration Holdings. Regional players are Tesla Exploration International and DMT Geosciences. Broad incumbents are Geospace Technologies, CGG, WesternGeco (Schlumberger) and TGS. Emerging players are INOVA Geophysical and STRYDE.
Does NodalSeismic have an API?
No public API is recorded for NodalSeismic.
What industry is NodalSeismic in?
NodalSeismic's product category is Seismic Data Acquisition Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EUALABAK, Seismic & Geoscience Services (Acquisition, Processing, Interpretation). Its NAICS code is 541360 and its SIC code is 1382.