Aramco will develop DrillCAM, a real-time seismic while drilling system, in a partnership with technology company Wireless Seismic Inc. (WSI), a press release announced on Aug. 24.

The system, aiming to decrease drilling cycle times and cost while improving operational safety, will deliver a stream of intelligence in real time during the drilling process. The DrillCAM will monitor equipment health and subsurface model accuracy, as well as provide imaging ahead of the drill bit.

“The repurposing of WSI’s wireless linear mesh technology will allow us to quickly productize and commercialize the DrillCAM suite of applications and provide better, faster, safer and more cost-effective information during the drilling process,” WSI CEO Jim Hollis commented in the release.

The companies have already conducted positive field trials thanks to WSI's core seismic acquisition technology, which is able to transmit large amounts of data in complex physical environments, the press release stated.

Companies will be able to deploy the DrillCAM through a commercial offering from the joint development.