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The Midland Basin Seismic Network: Deployment Overview and Transition to Public Data Access

Description: 

The Midland Basin Seismic Network (MBSN) was initiated in 2018 when Hasting Micro‑Seismic Consulting, Inc. (HMSC) was contracted by Pioneer Natural Resources (PNR) to construct, operate and maintain a deep‑borehole microseismic monitoring array. The original network consisted of 11 deep borehole stations equipped with ASIR AG4.5 geophones installed at depths ranging from 3,480 – 4,500 ft below ground surface. The network was subsequently expanded to include four surface strong‑motion stations, three short‑period borehole stations installed at ~300 ft, six broadband stations deployed between 10 and 300 ft, and one additional short‑period surface station collocated near MBB06 to evaluate surface–borehole signal differences. The completed network now consists of 24 stations.

Between mid‑2018 and 1 January 2026, more than 18,000 earthquakes were located within the MBSN by ISTI, the subcontractor responsible for data processing for HMSC. This extensive catalog demonstrates the high sensitivity of the array to both induced and natural seismicity in the Midland Basin. Following ExxonMobil’s acquisition of PNR and the MBSN, the company directed that previously proprietary waveform data be made publicly accessible beginning 1 January 2026. HMSC now provides real-time short‑period and strong‑motion data to the EarthScope Data Management Center (DMC) under network code HZ, while TexNet contributes real-time broadband data under network code 4O. Station naming conventions include MBB## (deep borehole), MBBB# (broadband), MBNS# (300‑ft short‑period), MBA## (accelerometer), and MBS## (surface short‑period). Metadata for all stations is available through the DMC, and archived miniSEED data from 2018–2025 will be released upon request. These datasets are now incorporated into TexNet’s real-time event detection and notification system, enhancing regional seismic monitoring capabilities.

Session: From Drilling to Ground Shaking: Mechanisms, Monitoring and Mitigation of Induced Earthquakes [Poster]

Type: Poster

Date: 4/17/2026

Presentation Time: 08:00 AM (local time)

Presenting Author: Michael A. Hasting

Student Presenter: No

Invited Presentation: 

Poster Number: 97

Authors