China makes major breakthrough in marine seismic exploration equipment

China's self-developed undersea seismic exploration sensor Haimai, or "Sea Pulse," went into operation in the Bohai Sea on Thursday, marking a major breakthrough in the country's technological development of high-end offshore oil and natural gas exploration.

The "Sea Pulse," a node-mode undersea seismic data exploration and acquisition equipment that adopts several leading-edge technologies, including an ultra-low noise acquisition circuit, has enhanced detection of weak signals with super sensitivity, according to China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC).The device is capable of detecting seismic waves 10,000 meters under the seabed, capturing seismic signals undersea equivalent to 1/150 of the sound of a mosquito, as well as describing high-definition oil and gas reservoir data, said the CNOOC. 

Thousands of these devices are regularly placed at designated positions on the seabed to receive seismic wave signals and store and record the signals in the form of data. Upon task completion, they will be retrieved. The data will then be downloaded and analyzed to process seismic profiles to "take the pulse" of the seabed precisely. China has been making strenuous efforts to develop oil and gas projects to ensure energy supply in recent years.