Editing Geophysical Service

{{short description|American oil and gas exploration company}}
{{tone|date=February 2024}}
{{Infobox company
|name = Geophysical Service Inc.
|foundation = 1930
|location = [[Dallas]], Texas, U.S.
|homepage = {{official URL}}
}}
[[File:Geophysical Service Incorporated (logo).jpg|right]]
'''Geophysical Service Inc.''' (often abbreviated '''GSI''') was a Texas-based company founded by [[J. Clarence Karcher|John Clarence Karcher]] and [[Eugene McDermott]] in 1930,<ref>{{Cite web |title=About Us |url=https://www.geophysicalservice.com/index.php?mode=webpage&id=615#:~:text=The%20original%20GSI%20was%20founded%20in%201930%20to%20offer%20the%20first%20ever%20reflection%20seismograph%20exploration%20services%20to%20the%20oil%20industry |access-date= 28 February 2024 |website=Geophysical Service}}</ref> for the purpose of using refraction and [[reflection seismology]] to [[Hydrocarbon exploration|explore]] for [[petroleum]] deposits.

==History==
On December 6, 1941, the company was purchased by [[Eugene McDermott]], [[Cecil Howard Green]], [[J. Erik Jonsson]], and H.B. Peacock. During [[World War II]], the company produced submarine detection devices. In 1951, the company was renamed [[Texas Instruments]] (TI) with GSI as a division.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Frequently Asked Questions |url=https://investor.ti.com/resources/frequently-asked-questions |access-date=22 February 2024 |website=Texas Instruments}}</ref> GSI was later sold by TI, repurchased, and finally sold again to [[Halliburton]] in 1988. Halliburton also acquired GeoSource, a competing geophysical contractor (formerly Petty-Ray Geophysical), and attempted to merge the two companies. However, the rivalry between the two entities endured and the merged entity known as Halliburton Geophysical Services (HGS) was not profitable. After several years of losses, in 1994, Halliburton sold HGS to [[Western Atlas]] (formerly [[Western Geophysical]] until its merger with [[Dresser Atlas]] in 1987). Western Atlas was bought by [[Baker Hughes]] in 1998 and then merged into [[WesternGeco]] in 2000 through a joint venture with [[Schlumberger]] in which Schlumberger held the majority share (70%).

On July 3, 1981, [[MS Arctic Explorer]], chartered to GSI to conduct seismic surveys off the Labrador coast for British Petroleum, sank off St. Anthony, Newfoundland, in the Strait of Belle Isle, resulting in the loss of 13 lives.<ref>{{Cite web |title=The Arctic Explorer &#039;just rolled over,&#039; killing 13 men,... - UPI Archives |url=https://www.upi.com/Archives/1982/04/30/The-Arctic-Explorer-just-rolled-over-killing-13-men/6668388987200/ |access-date=2024-02-22 |website=UPI |language=en}}</ref>

==Present day operations==
In 1992, Davey Einarsson, a longtime executive of the original GSI, purchased the proprietary rights to GSI’s speculative data in the Canadian offshore, launching the new GSI in Calgary. Paul Einarsson is the COO and Chairman of Geophysical Service Incorporated. He joined the company in 1997.

GSI is the largest owner of marine seismic data in Canada, with its head office located in Calgary, Alberta.

In 2013, GSI was involved in several cases of litigation for damages over disclosure of its confidential seismic data. The court challenges included litigation with the Canada-Newfoundland Offshore Petroleum Board, the Canada-Nova Scotia Offshore Petroleum Board, and companies that had obtained GSI data from a third party or government.

==See also==
* [[List of oilfield service companies]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://www.geophysicalservice.com/ Geophysical Service Inc.]

[[Category:Oilfield services companies]]
[[Category:Seismological observatories, organisations and projects]]
[[Category:Petroleum in Texas]]
[[Category:American companies established in 1930]]
[[Category:Energy companies established in 1930]]
[[Category:Non-renewable resource companies established in 1930]]
[[Category:1930 establishments in Texas]]
[[Category:Halliburton]]
[[Category:Texas Instruments]]