Geophysical Service Inc. (often abbreviated GSI) was founded by John Clarence Karcher

J. Clarence Karcher

John Clarence Karcher was an American geophysicist and businessman. He invented and eventually commercialized the reflection seismograph, applying for patents on this in 1919. In doing this he created the means by which most of the world's oil reserves have been discovered...

 and Eugene McDermott

Eugene McDermott

Eugene McDermott was a geophysicist and co-founder of first of Geophysical Service and later of Texas Instruments.Born in Brooklyn, New York, on February 12, 1899. He graduated from Stevens Institute of Technology in 1919 with a mechanical engineering degree.-Early career:Upon graduation,...

 in 1930 for the purpose of using refraction and reflection seismology

Reflection seismology

Reflection seismology is a method of exploration geophysics that uses the principles of seismology to estimate the properties of the Earth's subsurface from reflected seismic waves. The method requires a controlled seismic source of energy, such as dynamite/Tovex, a specialized air gun or a...

 to explore for petroleum

Petroleum

Petroleum or crude oil is a naturally occurring, flammable liquid consisting of a complex mixture of hydrocarbons of various molecular weights and other liquid organic compounds, that are found in geologic formations beneath the Earth's surface. Petroleum is recovered mostly through oil drilling...

 deposits. It became one of the most successful seismic exploration contractors in the industry for many years. On December 6, 1941, the company was purchased by McDermott

McDermott

McDermott is a surname, and may refer to:* Alice McDermott, writer* Alister McDermott, cricketer* Andy McDermott, author* Bill McDermott, executive* Brian McDermott, rugby coach* Brian McDermott, football manager of Reading...

, Cecil Howard Green

Cecil Howard Green

Cecil Howard Green was a British-born American geophysicist who trained at the University of British Columbia and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology....

, J. Erik Jonsson

J. Erik Jonsson

John Erik Jonsson was a co-founder and former president of Texas Instruments Incorporated. A skillful businessman, he became mayor of Dallas, a major factor in the creation of DFW airport and a philanthropist in later years....

, and H.B. Peacock. During World War II

World War II

World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...

, the company produced submarine detection devices. In 1951, the company was renamed Texas Instruments

Texas Instruments

Texas Instruments Inc. , widely known as TI, is an American company based in Dallas, Texas, United States, which develops and commercializes semiconductor and computer technology...

 (TI) with GSI as a division. GSI was later sold by TI, repurchased, and finally sold again to Halliburton

Halliburton

Halliburton is the world's second largest oilfield services corporation with operations in more than 70 countries. It has hundreds of subsidiaries, affiliates, branches, brands and divisions worldwide and employs over 50,000 people....

 in 1988. Halliburton also acquired GeoSource, a competing geophysical contractor (formerly Petty-Ray Geophysical), and attempted to merge the two companies. Unfortunately the rivalry between the two entities endured and the merged entity known as Halliburton Geophysical Services (HGS) proved to be far from profitable. After several years of losses in 1994 Halliburton sold HGS to Western Atlas

Western Atlas

Western Atlas was formed in 1987 through the merger of Western Geophysical and Dresser Atlas. The resulting company was a joint venture of Litton and Dresser Industries until it was spun off as a publicly traded company in 1994....

 (formerly Western Geophysical

Western Geophysical

Western Geophysical was a company founded in California in 1933 by Henry Salvatori for the purpose of using reflection seismology to explore for petroleum....

 until its merger with Dresser Atlas

Dresser Atlas

Dresser Atlas is a provider of oil field and factory automation services, formed in 1968 through the merger of PGAC and Lane Wells Company. In 1987, the company merged with Western Geophysical to form Western Atlas, and in 1998, Western Atlas was acquired by Baker Hughes, and, since then, was named...

 in 1987). Western Atlas was bought by Baker Hughes

Baker Hughes

Baker Hughes Baker Hughes provides the world's oil & gas industry with products and services for drilling, formation evaluation, completion, production and reservoir consulting. Baker Hughes operates in over 90 countries worldwide mainly based in countries with a mature petroleum industry as is...

 in 1998 and was then merged into WesternGeco

WesternGeco

WesternGeco is a geophysical services company. It is headquartered in the Schlumberger House on the property of London Gatwick Airport in Crawley, West Sussex, in Greater London.-Background:...

 in 2000 through a joint venture with Schlumberger

Schlumberger

Schlumberger Limited is the world's largest oilfield services company. Schlumberger employs over 110,000 people of more than 140 nationalities working in approximately 80 countries...

in which Schlumberger held the majority share (70%).

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. GSI currently has offices in Houston TX, Calgary AB, and Windsor, Nova Scotia. GSI also has associates and agents in several other countries including Italy, China, Turkey, England and Argentina.

The current GSI's capabilities are in four general categories:

• Speculative Data Land & Marine,
• Marine 2D and 3D Data Acquisition,
• Marine and Land Data Processing, and
• Seismic Recording and Source Equipment Leasing