This summer, a Transcend Engineering team joined an international expedition miles off Nantucket, where researchers have discovered a vast reservoir of fresh water beneath the seafloor. The $25 million Expedition 501 of the International Ocean Discovery Programme (IODP3)—led by the National Science Foundation (NSF) and the European Consortium for Ocean Research Drilling (ECORD)—used the research vessel L/B Robert to bore more than 1,200 feet into the ocean floor.
Several SCIMPI modules were installed in these boreholes to record pressure, temperature, and electrical resistivity, providing long-term data on water movement beneath the seafloor and changes in the seabed over time.
SCIMPI development originated in 2006 with ocean researcher Dr. Kate Moran, now CEO of Ocean Networks Canada, who envisioned a simpler, more affordable deep-sea monitoring system. Transcend Engineering founder Stephen Farrington helped develop the technology and continued refining it after the end of US ocean drilling funding in 2024.
“Since the first SCIMPI, we’ve significantly improved instrument sensitivity and extended operational life,” Farrington explained. “Modules can now operate for four to six years without refreshment. The system’s modular design and cost efficiency make deep borehole observation more accessible to more research teams.”
Each SCIMPI is built in Vermont and personally delivered by the Transcend team to the drilling site, where they ensure successful installation. With data from the continental shelf of New England now accumulating in two SCIMPI systems, Transcend Engineering is developing the next generation of SCIMP with additional sensors to support future ocean science missions worldwide.