Please join us on September 30th for our first Technical Luncheon of the season! To be held at S&P Global's LC3 Lobby Conference Room 3rd floor of Building L3. Thank you to our speaker and S&P Global for hosting the event. Lunch to be served at 11:30 and the talk to begin at Noon. Sponsorship opportunities available. 

Logistics:

Lincoln Center L3, Suite 800- 5430 Lyndon B Johnson Fwy, Dallas, TX 75240. Event to be held at S&P Global's Office in the Lobby Conference Room. A member of the DGS will be by the Security desk in the main lobby to take you up to the 3rd floor.  

If you have any dietary restrictions please email Ryan Marshall ryan.marshall@spglobal.com and we will try to accommodate. 

Title:100-Year Evolution of an Icon: How the Geophone Became a Power Tool for Geophysics

Rene' Mott

Abstract:
Since their introduction in the early 1920s, geophones have transformed from simple mechanical devices into sophisticated, data-intensive seismic sensors, reflecting a century of innovation in materials, sensing physics, and acquisition technology. Early moving-coil geophones, constructed largely from heavy metals, operated over a narrow bandwidth of roughly 10–110 Hz, providing the foundational sensitivity required for early seismic exploration. Advances in metallurgy, lightweight alloys, and high-performance plastics subsequently reduced instrument mass, improved durability, and enabled deployment in increasingly challenging field environments.

Parallel developments in data acquisition expanded seismic recording from analog systems to digital cable-based networks, then to radio telemetry, and ultimately to cellular and hybrid wireless platforms, dramatically improving data fidelity, reliability, and operational flexibility. As a result, survey data volumes have grown exponentially: early recordings measured in megabytes, while modern high-channel-count, densely sampled surveys routinely produce 1.5–2 petabytes of data.

This evolution illustrates the broader trajectory of seismic technology—from mechanical detectors to integrated, high-bandwidth sensors capable of deep, dense, and high-resolution subsurface imaging. To highlight this history, antique geophones will be on loan from the GSH Museum, offering in-person attendees a tangible connection to the origins of seismic exploration.

Speaker Bio:

Rene' Mott

Senior Geophysical Advisor

Rene' Mott graduated from Texas A&M with a B.S. in geophysics in 1982 and the University of Texas at Dallas with a master's degree in sedimentology in 1996.

She is a Senior Geophysical Advisor consulting on onshore assets with an integrated team of engineers and geologists. Rene's specialties include stratigraphic and structural interpretations, with close attention how to effectively utilize the waveform's characteristics and rock qualities to find or enhance production. Over her career, she has been involved in many stages of numerous development projects, conventional and unconventional wells, feasibility studies for CCUS, and oil and gas discoveries.

Her publications cover a wide range of subjects, including seismic characteristics, reservoir characterization, risk reduction, workflow interpretation, and visualization.

She is a lifetime member of the GSH acting as the Treasurer for 2021–2023, the Office Chair for 2022–2025, President-Elect 2024-25, President 2025-26, the current Curator for the GSH museum, participates in outreach, and a writer for the GSH Journal .

Rene's other interests include real estate, traveling, outdoor activities, fabric art with friends, and her church.

Sponsors: