Experimental Comparison between Single and Multi-Channel Telemetry Systems in Harsh and Mountainous Areas

A review of the last decades of land seismic acquisition shows that, in the 80s, cable telemetry acquisition systems gradually replaced conventional systems. Over a period more than ten years, singlechannel telemetry systems dominated the market and became the standard of the industry for land operations. Two important improvements, better quality (no crosstalk and no ElectroMagnetic Interference noise pick-up) and higher productivity, have been shown with the introduction of telemetry techniques, in comparison with conventional systems. With the extension of large 3-D surveys, multi-channel telemetry systems have been introduced showing that the cost-per-channel factor outweighs the advantage in seismic data quality of the single-channel. Besides improved data quality, are there operational advantages for the single-channel versus multi-channel systems which could counterbalance the price per channel increase? An example taken from a portable crew operating in a jungle and mountainous area illustrates the fact that single-channel operational superiority compensates for the increase in capital expenditures.