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                                                                   EXHIBIT 10.45

                         EMPLOYEE STOCK OPTION AGREEMENT
                        UNDER THE GRANT GEOPHYSICAL, INC.
                   1997 EQUITY AND PERFORMANCE INCENTIVE PLAN

         THIS STOCK OPTION AGREEMENT (this "Agreement") is entered into
effective as of March 31, 2003 by and between Grant Geophysical, Inc., a
Delaware corporation (the "Company"), and James Devine ("Optionee"). Any
capitalized terms included herein and not otherwise defined shall have the
meanings provided in the Grant Geophysical, Inc. 1997 Equity and Performance
Incentive Plan (as amended from time to time, the "Plan").

         WHEREAS, in recognition of his service as a consultant to Solid State
Geophysical, Inc. ("Solid State"), a wholly owned subsidiary of the Company,
pursuant to that certain Consulting Agreement (the "Consulting Agreement"),
dated January 1, 2001, by and among Solid State, Crossbay Ventures Ltd. and
Optionee, the Company desires to grant Optionee an option to purchase 400,000
shares of common stock, $0.001 par value per share, of the Company (the "Common
Stock"), in accordance with the Plan.

         NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and of the mutual
covenants and agreements set forth herein, it is agreed by and between the
parties as follows:

                                       I.
                                 Grant of Option

         The Company hereby grants to Optionee, effective as of the date hereof
(the "Date of Grant"), the right, privilege and option to purchase 400,000
shares of Common Stock (the "Option") at an exercise price of $2.00 per share
(the "Exercise Price"). The Option shall be exercisable at the times specified
in Section II below. The Option is a non-qualified stock option and shall not be
treated as an incentive stock option under Section 422 of the Internal Revenue
Code of 1986, as amended.

                                       II.
                                Time of Exercise

         2.1      Subject to the further provisions of this Agreement, on or
after the Date of Grant, the Optionee shall be entitled to exercise all or any
portion of the Option at any time.

         2.2      The Option shall expire and may not be exercised later than 10
years after the Date of Grant.

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                                      III.
                          Method of Exercise of Option

         3.1      Optionee may exercise all or any portion of the Option, by
delivering to the Company a signed written notice of his intention to exercise
the Option, specifying therein the number of shares of Common Stock to be
purchased, coupled with payment of the Exercise Price multiplied by the number
of shares of Common Stock to be purchased (the "Purchase Price"). Upon receiving
such notice and after the Company has received full payment of the Purchase
Price, the Company shall cause to be issued to Optionee a stock certificate for
the number of shares of Common Stock being acquired. The Optionee shall not have
any rights as a stockholder until the stock certificate representing the Option
shares is issued to him.

         3.2      The Exercise Price shall be paid in cash or by check
acceptable to the Company.

                                       IV.
                                 Binding Effect

         This Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the
parties hereto and their respective heirs, executors, administrators and
successors.

                                       V.
                               Non-Transferability

         The Option granted hereby may not be transferred, assigned, pledged or
hypothecated in any manner, other than by will or by the laws of descent and
distribution and shall not be subject to execution, attachment or similar
process.

                                       VI.
                             Inconsistent Provisions

         The Option granted hereby is subject to the provisions of the Plan in
effect on the date hereof and as it may be amended from time to time hereafter.
In the event any provision of this Agreement conflicts with a provision of the
Plan, the provisions of the Plan shall control.

                                      VII.
                              Lack of Registration
                                       and
                         Public Market for Common Stock

         7.1      There is no guarantee that a public market for the Company's
Common Stock will ever develop. Shares received upon exercise of the Option may
only be sold following registration under applicable securities laws or pursuant
to an exemption from registration.

                                       2

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         7.2     The Company shall make reasonable efforts to comply with all
applicable federal and state securities laws; provided, however, that
notwithstanding any other provision in this Agreement, the Option shall not be
exercisable if, in the opinion of counsel to the Company, the exercise thereof
would result in violation of any such law.

         IN WITNESS WHEREOF the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be
executed on the day and year first above written.

                                               GRANT GEOPHYSICAL, INC.

                                               By:      /s/ RICHARD F. MILES
                                                   -----------------------------
                                                            Richard Miles
                                                              President

                                                        /s/ JAMES DEVINE
                                               ---------------------------------
                                                            James Devine
                                                              Optionee

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                                                                   EXHIBIT 10.46

                               NOVATION AGREEMENT

         THIS NOVATION AGREEMENT (the "Agreement") is made effective as of 21st
day of March, 2003, by and among Grant Geophysical, Inc., a corporation
organized and existing under the laws of the State of Delaware (the "Parent
Company"); Grant Geophysical (Int'l), Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of the
Company, organized and existing under the laws of the State of Texas (the
"Subsidiary Company"); and Richard F. Miles (the "Employee").

                                   WITNESSETH

         WHEREAS, the Parent Company on behalf of itself and any of its
subsidiaries which entered into that certain Employment Agreement by and between
the Parent Company and certain un-named subsidiaries and the Employee, first
effective as of August 1, 2001 (the "Employment Agreement");

         WHEREAS, the Parent Company is a holding company that operates through
its subsidiary entities, including, but not limited to, the Subsidiary Company;

         WHEREAS, the Employee is employed by and primarily performs services
for the Subsidiary Company, and from time to time, performs services for the
benefit of the Parent Company and its other subsidiaries;

         WHEREAS, the parties hereto are now desirous of clarifying the
relationship as regards to the Employment Agreement, clearly identifying the
contractual parties thereto and it is the intent of the Subsidiary Company to
continue to employ the Employee on the same terms and conditions as set forth in
the Employment Agreement;

         WHEREAS, the Parent Company, the Subsidiary Company and the Employee
now desire to confirm and clarify in the Employment Agreement that Employee is
employed by the Subsidiary Company and the Subsidiary Company now desires to
accept and assume the assignment of the financial obligations and any and all
other obligations of the Parent Company arising under the Employment Agreement;

         NOW, THEREFORE, for and in consideration of the premises, and other
good and valuable consideration, including the assignment of the financial
obligations and any and all other obligations of the Parent Company pursuant to
the Employment Agreement, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby
acknowledged, the parties hereto agree as follows:

         1.       NOVATION. The Parent Company and the Subsidiary Company hereby
agree to substitute the Subsidiary Company as a party to the Employment
Agreement, in place of and substitution for, the Parent Company.

         2.       ACCEPTANCE. The Subsidiary Company hereby agrees to the
substitution, assumes and agrees to pay, perform and discharge in due course any
and all financial and other

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obligations and other liabilities of the Parent Company arising under the
Employment Agreement, subject to the provisions of the Employment Agreement.

         3.       EMPLOYEE. The Employee hereby consents to the substitution of
the Subsidiary Company for the Parent Company under the Employment Agreement
pursuant to the terms, conditions and capacities set forth in the Employment
Agreement. Further, the Employee hereby confirms and affirmatively agrees to
remain bound by the Employment Agreement in accordance with the terms and
conditions thereunder and that Employee's rights and obligations, including, but
not limited to, the benefits described therein and the applicable effective
dates set forth in the Employment Agreement shall remain in full force and
effect.

         4.       SUCCESSORS AND ASSIGNS. This Agreement shall be binding upon,
inure to the benefit of and be enforceable by and against the respective
successors and assigns of the Parent Company and the Subsidiary Company.

         5.       RELEASE. The Subsidiary Company and the Employee hereby
release, acquit and forever discharge the Parent Company of and from all
obligations and other liabilities of any kind or character, whether known or
unknown, liquidated or unliquidated, fixed or contingent, formerly existing, now
existing or that might arise hereafter, under the Employment Agreement.

         6.       GOVERNING LAW. This Agreement is being made and executed in
and is intended to be performed in the State of Texas and shall be governed,
construed, interpreted and enforced in accordance with the substantive laws of
the State of Texas, to the exclusion of any laws, substantive or otherwise which
would direct the law of any other jurisdiction to be applicable hereto.

         IN WITNESS WHEREOF, each of the parties hereto has executed this
Agreement as of the dates set forth below in multiple counterparts, each of
which shall be deemed an original, to be effective as of the date first set
forth above.

GRANT GEOPHYSICAL, INC.                        GRANT GEOPHYSICAL (INT'L), INC.

By: /s/ JIM BLACK                              By: /s/ SCOTT MCCURDY
    ---------------------------------              -----------------------------
    Jim Black                                      Scott McCurdy
Its: Chief Financial Officer                   Its: Controller

Date: March 21, 2003                           Date: March 21, 2003

EMPLOYEE

/s/ RICHARD F. MILES
-------------------------------------
Richard F. Miles

Date: March 21, 2003
      -------------------------------

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