PGS upgrades satcoms to hit 250Mbps upload speeds at sea

The seismic research vessel Ramform Hyperion, operated by geophysical company PGS, has completed an upgrade of its onboard communication systems to support uplink speeds of more than 250 megabits per second (Mbps) using geostationary (GEO) VSAT.

The system was delivered by Marlink, with the additional bandwidth capabilities to be used for the transfer of seismic data from the vessel to its landside headquarters for processing in real time, including 3D, high-density 3D and 4D undersea imaging.

“Operating in a highly demanding and specialised sector, our demands are for partners who are willing to push the boundaries of what is possible today and tomorrow,” said Erik Ewig, SVP Technology and Digitalisation, PGS.

“The real-time data transfer achieved on Ramform Hyperion has transformative implications for our ability to quickly move large volumes of seismic data from vessels to the cloud and start imaging the seismic data in parallel with ongoing data acquisition.”

The system features a 2.4m VSAT antenna capable of supporting the transfer of 2.7 terabytes of data from ship to shore in 24 hours. Over time, the setup provided an average upload speed of more than 230 Mbps from the vessel.

“For operators like PGS, the pursuit of cutting-edge technology that can create the highest possible operational efficiency is paramount and a vision we share,” said Tore Morten Olsen, President Maritime, Marlink.

“This ground-breaking collaboration marks a significant milestone for the maritime industry, signifying a paradigm shift in upload-speeds for geophysical survey operations at sea.”