Tensora Selected for Chevron Technology Ventures’ Catalyst Program to Advance Subsurface Monitoring Innovation

August 14th, 2025

New York, NY and Houston, Texas — Tensora (“Tensora” or the “Company”), a subsurface technology startup pioneering next-generation geophysical sensing for carbon storage and energy applications, has been selected by Chevron Technology Ventures (“CTV”) for its Catalyst Program™—an initiative that aims to accelerate innovation from early-stage startups poised to transform the energy landscape.

Rob Moak, CEO and Co-Founder of Tensora, commented on the company’s selection:

“We’re thrilled to be chosen by Chevron Technology Ventures for the Catalyst Program. This milestone acknowledges our approach to high-fidelity deformation sensing and supports our efforts to refine and scale our technology. We look forward to continuing to work with Chevron and other industry partners to provide better transparency and integrity of subsurface data.”

Launched in 2017, the CTV Catalyst Program is designed to identify and support breakthrough technologies with the potential to enhance operations, accelerate digital transformation, and contribute to a lower-carbon future. Tensora joins a cohort of energy innovators supported with non-dilutive funding, strategic mentorship, and potential field validation pathways.

Tensora’s flagship device, the Tensor Sensor^TM, is a fiber-optic tensor strainmeter capable of measuring ground deformation in 3D at ultra-high resolution. The technology may offer a step-change improvement in monitoring the subsurface by enabling near real-time insights into changes in pressure deep underground from measurements at shallow depths. This capability could greatly improve the ability to monitor injected fluids like CO2.

“When you inject a fluid underground, that causes the rock to inflate. That inflation will deform the rock, as well as the ground surface. The ability to accurately measure that deformation in 3D would provide value across a wide-range of potential use cases.” Moak explains.

The Tensor Sensor seeks not only to capture deformation but also to detect transient, high-frequency ground motion typically measured by conventional geophones and seismometers. Having a single sensor that performs the roles of three is particularly exciting, as it offers the potential to lower monitoring costs while simultaneously enhancing subsurface assurance.

This technology may provide particular value for Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS), Saltwater Disposal (SWD), Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR), as well as geotechnical applications.

Founded in 2022 by Rob Moak, Scott DeWolf, PhD, and Larry Murdoch PhD, Tensora is building on Department of Energy funded research conducted at Clemson University to advance methods for CCS and Enhanced Geothermal Systems (EGS). They are backed by Activate.org and were recently selected as a Top Innovator in 2024 by Darcy Partners. By participating in the Catalyst Program, Tensora aims to further develop the technology, and expand commercial pilots.

About Tensora

Tensora builds advanced fiber-optic geophysical sensing systems to make the subsurface observable in unprecedented detail. Its flagship technology, the Tensor Sensor, supports applications in carbon storage, enhanced oil recovery, geothermal energy, as well as environmental and geotechnical monitoring. Tensora’s mission is to make subsurface assets safer, more transparent, and verifiably climate-positive.

Learn more at www.tensora.io

About Chevron Technology Ventures

Formed in 1999, Chevron Technology Ventures pursues and invests in technologies with the potential to deliver affordable, reliable, and ever-cleaner energy. The Catalyst Program, launched in 2017, supports early-stage companies through funding, pilot opportunities, and commercial guidance. Visit www.chevron.com/technology/technology-ventures

Media Contact:

Rob Moak, CEO

Tensora, Inc.

hello@tensora.io