Reftek Systems Inc.
The REF TEK team encompasses decades of experience in designing and supporting seismic monitoring systems for every part of the world and every environmental challenge. Each one of them brings engineering insight, in the field practicality and commitment to customer success. Our products must be rugged and well suited for installation in Antarctica, the Gobi Desert, and the Monsoon Zone. But our seismic recorders and sensors are also sensitive enough to record motion at great distances and flexible enough to adapt and capture major events close by. This balance is the focus of our engineering team and dedicated support crew who are here to help you design the best system, commission and support it.
Company details
Find locations served, office locations and our distributors
- Business Type:
- Manufacturer
- Industry Type:
- Monitoring and Testing
- Market Focus:
- Globally (various continents)
About us
The REF TEK journey began when it was founded by Paul Passmore in 1975 as Refraction Technology Inc. to produce quality, niche seismic monitoring products for the land, marine and oil exploration markets. In 2012, the REF TEK brand was acquired by Trimble Navigation. In 2020, it returned to its engineering / customer service roots when it was purchased by Reftek Systems Inc., a subsidiary of Xeos Technologies Inc.
REF TEK has been thoughtfully designing, manufacturing, and supporting high quality, robust equipment for seismic monitoring systems for over 40 years. An early leader in the market, REF TEK’s team have decades of experience in designing product and systems for your application.
History
REF TEK supplied a digital telemetry system to the University of California, San Diego for use in the ANZA area. The network was the first digital telemetry system in the USA and is successfully operating to this day.
IRIS (Incorporated Research Institutions for Seismology) was formed as a consortium of more than 110 American Universities. IRIS focuses on the Global Seismological Network (GSN) and the Program for Array Seismic Studies of the Continental Lithosphere (PASSCAL). PASSCAL issued a competitive bid for stations for the purpose of recording reflection & refraction and passive broadband data for elucidation of the crust down to the mantle. PASSCAL chose the REF TEK design approach.
REF TEK delivered the first portable digital acquisition stations to IRIS under the PASSCAL program. More than 1000 units have been supplied to IRIS since then.
REF TEK re-designed a Hewlett-Packard 24-bit digitizer to provide a high resolution digitizing and recording system to the International Deployment of Accelerometers (IDA) program of the University of California, San Diego. IDA is now part of the IRIS GSN program. Approximately 30% of all GSM stations use REF TEK instruments.
The 130S Broadband Seismic Recorder is introduced as the 3rd generation of REF TEK digitizers
Refraction Technology Inc. and the REF TEK brand are acquired by Trimble Inc.
REF TEK completes the structural monitoring contract for the Aswan Dam in Egypt. A comprehensive and flexible approach was required for incorporating the Old Dam and the new High Dam systems into one seamless approach.
Introduction of the MRF format, used in the 130-REN Rapid Event Notification system installed across China.
India Meteorological Department (IMD) contracts with REF TEK to provide the backbone of its Earthquake Early Warning System.
REF TEK Introduces the Kestrel Integrated High Resolution SeismoGeodetic system with GNSS Receiver and Internal Accelerometer, with RTX Enabled.
REF TEK adds the 9 channel 130-SMHR to its structural monitoring product line.
REF TEK introduces the Wrangler, a portable high-resolution seismic recorder to replace the 130S 3rd Generation Recorder.
The REF TEK brand is acquired by Reftek Systems Inc. and manufacturing is moved to Dartmouth, NS Canada.
Reftek Systems Inc. is excited to bring its experience in the field and in extreme environments to the R&D table. Look for new influences as new products are rolled out!
- 2-D and 3-D reflection
- Earthquake aftershock recording
- Earthquake Early Warning Systems (EEW)
- Hazard Mitigation
- Injected oil & gas well monitoring
- Mining exploration using IP, MT, EM, SCAMT techniques
- Passive broadband tomography
- Passive broadband imaging
- Passive short-period imaging
- Portable background Noise Surveys
- Portable earthquake monitoring
- Oil Field VSP Recording
- Structural Monitoring
- Telemetry earthquake monitoring
- Telemetry verification monitoring
- Wide angle reflection
- Wide angle refraction
