FireFly Seismic System to Be Deployed by Apache in Argentina's Wine Country

HOUSTON, March 17 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- ION Geophysical Corporation (NYSE: IO) today announced that its cableless land seismic acquisition system, FireFly^®, will be used by Apache Corporation to acquire data on two separate projects in the Mendoza region of Argentina.  Deployment will be covered by the terms of the original launch partnership agreement signed among ION, BP, and Apache.

The Apache projects in Mendoza will utilize conventional geophones, marking the first time FireFly has been deployed using analog seismic sensors.  Geophones remain the predominant sensor type used in land acquisition today.  

Dave Monk, Director of Geophysics at Apache, commented, "We look forward to using FireFly again. The survey areas are environmentally sensitive, with agricultural developments, vineyards, and urban settings.  FireFly should be well suited to the operational challenges typically encountered in these environments."

Doug Allinson, Senior Vice President at ION, added, "We are excited that one of our initial launch partners for FireFly will again be using the system.  We strongly believe in customer-oriented product development and have incorporated the input of Apache and others to continue to enhance FireFly.  Based upon its successful track record of high channel count deployments in challenging environments throughout the Americas and Asia, FireFly continues to set the standard for technology innovation in the high-growth segment of cableless seismic acquisition.  ION is committed to providing its customers with a choice of technologies.  Our delivery of a geophone-capable FireFly system showcases that commitment."

Approximately 5,500 FireFly stations will be used during this project, which is expected to start in May 2010 and finish by August 2010.  Global Geophysical Services will act as the contractor for Apache, making them a second time user of FireFly acquisition technology.

FireFly combines wireless communication, data storage and power technologies in a high- productivity, HSE-friendly land seismic acquisition system.  FireFly is designed as a complete ecosystem using a portfolio of integrated technologies that revolutionize the way seismic surveys are planned, operations are conducted, and data is processed.

To learn more about FireFly, visit:  www.iongeo.com/firefly

About ION

ION Geophysical Corporation is a leading provider of geophysical technology, services, and solutions for the global oil & gas industry.  ION's offerings allow E&P operators to obtain higher resolution images of the subsurface to reduce the risk of exploration and reservoir development, and enable seismic contractors to acquire geophysical data more efficiently.  Additional information about ION is available www.iongeo.com.

The information included herein contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Actual results may vary fundamentally from those described in these forward-looking statements. All forward-looking statements reflect numerous assumptions and involve a number of risks and uncertainties. These risks and uncertainties include risk factors that are disclosed by ION from time to time in its filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

SOURCE ION Geophysical Corporation