Seismic Soundoff

Chris Hanton, Director of Digital Transformation Solutions at Ikon Science, discusses the latest insights using machine learning and artificial intelligence. In this conversation with host Andrew Geary, Chris highlights one frequently overlooked variable that can undermine the best technology. He also shares how technologists can ensure data is trustworthy and valuable, when cutting-edge analytics can produce better than the best geophysical minds, and presents the use case for investing in machine learning and AI outside of increased efficiency. Chris also spotlights machine learning's role in addressing climate change and ends with some new developments that will surprise people. This is a deep dive into the role of quality data (https://www.oilandgaseng.com/articles/the-common-denominator-that-analytics-hinge-on/) in cutting-edge work and the best ways to harness the benefits of machine learning and artificial intelligence. BIOGRAPHY Chris Hanton oversees the scoping, management, and delivery of soluti

One of SEG's great traditions is the special recognition of individuals and organizations for their contributions to geophysics and the Society. In this special episode, we celebrate Öz Yilmaz and Xianhuai Zhu for their Maurice Ewing Medal and Virgil Kauffman Gold Medal honors, respectively. Bill Abriel opens the episode highlighting the significance of both the Kauffman Gold Medal and the Maurice Ewing Medal. As SEG's past president and current chair of the Honors and Awards Committee, he also shares what the SEG Honors and Awards mean. Andrew Geary then speaks with Xianhuai Zhu about how he discovered geophysics and shares four advice items for his colleagues and geoscientists. Öz Yilmaz then joins the show to reflect on his long and significant career, what this honor means, and the principles and perspectives that have helped him continue to be a successful geophysicist. This is a unique opportunity to hear from the best of the best in geophysics. Read the full show notes at https://seg.org/podcast/Po

Souvik Mukherjee discusses his article in July's The Leading Edge about high-resolution imaging of subsurface infrastructure using AI. The use of drones for geophysical data acquisition and artificial intelligence (AI) for geophysical data processing, imaging, and interpretation are active focus areas in current industry and academic applications. Unlocking their cumulative potential in single-focus applications can have a transformative impact, possibly leading to dramatic cost reductions in key use cases and new application areas for enhanced actionable business intelligence. In this conversation, Souvik presents field study results from Texas and California that show the potential for imaging pipelines and other subsurface infrastructure using AI-based methods on high-resolution aboveground magnetic data. He also highlights the similarities and differences between conventional least-squares inversion and machine learning-based inversion and how he achieved a 100-fold increase in efficiency. Whether exp

Mark Willis discusses his upcoming Distinguished Instructor Short Course, "Distributed acoustic sensing for seismic measurements – what geophysicists and engineers need to know." Geoscientists and engineers are very comfortable using seismic data sets acquired with geophones, hydrophones, and accelerometers because they have a long, well-defined set of standards for acquiring, processing, and interpreting them. However, distributed acoustic sensing (DAS) seismic measurements are rapidly augmenting and, in some cases replacing the data from these conventional tools. In this conversation with host Andrew Geary, Mark helps geoscientists and engineers build intuition and understanding of DAS seismic technology's value, limitations, and applications. Mark also discusses the most common objection to DAS, when DAS is better than conventional seismic acquisition, and tips for someone planning their first DAS seismic survey. Mark will be teaching this course for the first time at IMAGE, and this is a great preview

Olga Nedorub and Diana Sineva preview IMAGE 2022 and the upcoming panel, "Changing The Dynamics Of Energy Use." Olga starts with a brief overview of the technical program at IMAGE and how Diana reached out to her to host this panel. Next, Diana explains how energy efficiency is the glue to the current energy transition, the difference between energy conservation and energy efficiency, and why attendees should attend the panel. Diana also highlights why 40% of the current energy is wasted, why this estimate is low, and how to improve this number without sacrificing comfort or the bottom line. In Q3/Q4 2022, SEG will also host a short course on this topic. Details will be announced soon. Olga Nedorub is G&G Team Lead - Legacy Assets (Permian, Gulf Coast, Gulf of Mexico) at Apache Corporation and SEG 2020 Technical Program Chair. Diana Sineva is a small business and energy efficiency consultant with over 20 years of experience in the International O&G Exploration industry, focusing on emerging technologies, p

Sara K. McBride discusses her paper, "Evidence-based guidelines for protective actions and earthquake early warning systems," in the January/February issue of GEOPHYSICS. In this engaging and helpful conversation, Sara highlights the various protective actions people can take during an earthquake. She also shares who is most likely to be injured during an earthquake and how seismologists, earth scientists, and engineers can best protect and warn the populations they serve. This serves as an excellent reminder on how to stay safe during earthquakes, the latest research in warning people of danger, and a helpful path forward to continue to save lives during earthquakes. Dr. Sara K. McBride is a Research Social Scientist at the United States Geological Survey. RELATED LINKS * Sara K. McBride, Hollie Smith, Meredith Morgoch, Danielle Sumy, Mariah Jenkins, Lori Peek, Ann Bostrom, Dare Baldwin, Elizabeth Reddy, Robert de Groot, Julia Becker, David Johnston, and Michele Wood, (2022), "Evidence-based guidelines fo

Arnab Dhara discusses his paper, "Physics-guided deep autoencoder to overcome the need for a starting model in full-waveform inversion," in the June issue of The Leading Edge. In recent years, physics-driven machine learning applications have been proposed wherein physics is integrated into the data-driven model to improve the ability of the machine learning methods to generalize and potentially overcome gaps in the physical theories. Solving geophysical problems by using hybrid physics-based and data-driven solutions has the potential to address simplifications in the physical models as well as overcome shortcomings with training data sets. Ultimately, they may refine and improve our understanding of the physics underpinning data sets. In this conversation, Arnab proposes employing deep learning as a regularization in full-waveform inversion. He explains why physics-based solutions with machine learning are challenging to develop, how he made it possible to train the network without known answers, and why

Yanlong Niu discusses his paper, "In-situ physical properties of reclaimed lands in Singapore," from the May issue of The Leading Edge. Reclaimed land construction is crucial for the sustainable development of the land-scarce city-state of Singapore. To characterize the physical properties of two different types of reclaimed lands, Yanlong and his co-authors conducted both active and passive seismic surveys. Yanlong explores the value of multichannel analysis of surface waves to investigate these lands and shares what they discovered with these pioneering tests. These in-situ measurements are crucial for civil engineering constructions and the redevelopment of reclaimed lands in the future. So he also offers tips on how other geophysicists can build upon this study in their communities. RELATED LINKS * Yanlong Niu, Yunyue Elita Li, Siau Chen Chian, Enhedelihai Nilot, and Gang Fang, (2022), "In-situ physical properties of reclaimed lands in Singapore," The Leading Edge 41: 296–303. (https://doi.org/10.1190/

Scott Singleton discusses why you should attend the 2022 Unconventional Resources Technology Conference in Houston, TX. Unconventional Resources Technology Conference (URTeC) is a premier event focused on the latest science and technology applied to the exploration and development of unconventional resources, emphasizing integrating multiple disciplines. Scott breaks down why every geophysicist should attend. Additionally, he highlights the value and knowledge engineers bring to land-based oil and gas exploration and why the multidisciplinary nature of this conference is the future of the industry. To learn more and register for the conference, visit https://urtec.org/2022/. SPONSOR Geospace Technologies sponsor this episode. For decades, Geospace has delivered robust data acquisition systems of all scales. Geospace's PRM solutions were the first to provide a 4D understanding of marine reservoirs. Today, Geospace leads with Optoseis fiber optic sensing technology for reservoir monitoring. Recently, the

Ariel Lellouch discusses his upcoming Middle East and Africa Honorary Lecture, "Applications of fiber-optic sensing to borehole seismology." Distributed Acoustic Sensing (DAS) is an emerging technology that leverages optical fibers to record the seismic wavefield with an unprecedented spatial resolution. In this conversation with host Andrew Geary, Ariel makes a case for geophysicists to utilize DAS data in their work and why it's essential to look at data without any pre-made ideas. He also outlines the significant benefits of vertical DAS arrays and how to know when to use vertical or horizontal DAS. This is an excellent primer on DAS and a convincing case for why every geophysicist would benefit from engaging with this technology. RELATED LINKS * Register for Ariel's course for free (15 September 2022; 16 November 2022) (https://www.knowledgette.com/p/applications-of-fiber-optic-sensing-to-borehole-seismology) * Discover SEG on Demand (https://seg.org/Education/SEG-on-Demand) * See the entire archive of

SEG President-Elect Ken Tubman discusses the outcome of the Strategic Options Task Force. In this conversation with host Andrew Geary, Ken provides an inside look at the decision-making of the SEG Strategic Options Task Force. He shares his reasons for voting to keep SEG independent, highlights the feedback from the focus groups, and previews the SEG Transformation Task Force. He also offers insight into why he looks to the gaming industry for inspiration and the best way introverts can benefit from networking. RELATED LINKS * Press release - SEG Transformation Task Force to be formed (https://seg.org/News-Resources/News/page/seg-transformation-task-force-to-be-formed) * About the Strategic Options Task Force (https://seg.org/News-Resources/Strategic-Options-Task-Force) * See the full archive of the SEG podcast (https://seg.org/podcast) BIOGRAPHY Ken Tubman has been a member of SEG since 1979 and is the 2021-2022 President-Elect. He has volunteered with SEG in multiple ways such as volunteering on committe

Mojtaba Rajabi discusses his upcoming Pacific South Honorary Lecture, "Present-Day Crustal Stress Across Spatial Scales." The present-day crustal in-situ stress field is of extreme importance for understanding both natural processes (e.g., understanding neotectonics, earthquake, and seismic hazard assessment) and anthropogenic activities (e.g., exploration and production of geothermal energy, groundwater, hydrocarbon, mineral resources, CO2, and hydrogen geo-storage). Analysis of the present-day stresses in numerous basins from across the world reveals that significant and complex variations in the present-day stress orientation are commonly observed at different scales. Mojtaba's lecture aims to investigate the pattern of crustal stress at different spatial scales to better evaluate the causes and consequences of contemporary stress in the earth’s crust. In this conversation with host Andrew Geary, Mojtaba shares why it's necessary to understand the present-day crustal in-situ stress field, the impact of i

Peter Rowbotham discusses his paper, "Investment in North Sea seismic leading to new opportunities," from the April issue of The Leading Edge. Peter makes the case for why it's wise to invest in seismic data. He also shares why the beginning of a project is the most important and the context where seismic projects deliver the most value. Additionally, he answers the questions: * How does he approach deciding whether to acquire a new 3D seismic survey or seek to reprocess legacy 3D surveys for a particular area? * Why does he believe the beginning of a project is the most important? * During the processing phase, why does he advocate for obtaining interim volumes at every opportunity? Peter Rowbotham is a Senior Geophysical Advisor, Geoscience Lead (Forties) at Apache. He also serves as Publications Officer/Board Member at the European Association of Geoscientists and Engineers (EAGE). Visit https://seg.org/podcast to read the full show notes and find the full archive for Seismic Soundoff. RELATED LINKS *

Warren Neff and Luke Gallery discuss exposing high school students to geophysics and how to incorporate the field into Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) programs. Warren Neff is a STEM teacher at Bartlesville High School in Bartlesville, OK. Luke Gallery is a senior at Bartlesville High School. Luke and Warren published a paper titled, "Past geophysics science fair projects inspire new ideas in a high school STEM setting" in the March 2022 The Leading Edge. Warren discusses how to incorporate geophysics into STEM programs, how to recruit mentors for students, and why shooting rockets in hallways is the best way to teach quadratics. Luke shares how he went from never hearing of geophysics to publishing papers and considering it for his major. Additionally, Warren highlights why keeping it real is the best way to teach students any subject. Visit https://seg.org/podcast to read the full show notes and find the full archive for Seismic Soundoff. RELATED LINKS * Luke Gallery, Betty Henderson,

Yunyue Elita Li discusses her upcoming South & East Asia Honorary Lecture, "Listening to Singapore: Harvesting urban noise for space, water, and hazard mitigation." Today, more than half of the world's population lives in urban areas with a projected growth of over two-thirds in 2050. The city-state of Singapore faces the challenges of supporting a sustainable urban system with a growing population in a limited land, sea, and air space. The only direction to develop is toward the subsurface. In this conversation with host Andrew Geary, Elita shares how she designed novel signal processing techniques that turn urban hum into rich information about the urban system, both above and below the surface. She also highlights newly-developed fiber sensing technology using existing dark fiber infrastructure that has the potential to enable a million-sensor system underneath each major city around the globe. Elita also outlines what public officials, citizens, and engineers should understand about geophysics to suppo

Kevin Bohacs discusses his upcoming course, "Introduction to Field Safety Leadership." In Kevin's course, participants will learn how to prepare for, conduct, and document safe and effective field activities involving students (field camps) and/or local inhabitants (Geoscientist without Borders) by following SEG guidelines and generally accepted health, safety, security, and environmental (HSSE) practices. In this conversation with host Andrew Geary, Kevin shares why safety is not a priority, why hardships are a nuisance, and the most dangerous aspect of all fieldwork. Kevin also addresses specific geophysical field concerns and his one rule to rule all rules. RELATED LINKS * Register for Kevin's course (19-20 April 2022) (https://seg.org/shop/products/detail/411096497) * Discover SEG on Demand (https://seg.org/Education/SEG-on-Demand) * See the full archive of the SEG podcast (https://seg.org/podcast) BIOGRAPHY Kevin M. Bohacs is a sedimentologist and stratigrapher recently retired from ExxonMobil in H

Chester Weiss discusses the latest research from The Leading Edge to successfully use geophysical tools at well sites. Chester shares the impact of well infrastructure on geophysical assessment, how to use EM successfully, the challenges of using near-surface, and the applicability of this research in other cluttered environments. Along with our conversation in episode 141 on the life cycle of a well (https://seg.org/podcast/Post/13689), this episode will help provide the full geophysical picture of working at a well. Chester Weiss is a Distinguished Member of the Technical Staff at Sandia National Laboratories. Visit https://seg.org/podcast to read the full show notes and find the full archive for Seismic Soundoff. RELATED LINKS * Chester J. Weiss, Michael J. Wilt, and Tom Daley, (2022), "Introduction to this special section: Life of the well," The Leading Edge 41: 82–82. (https://library.seg.org/doi/10.1190/tle41020082.1) * Read the special section: Life of the well (https://library.seg.org/toc/leedff/4

Aria Abubakar, the SEG-AAPG IMAGE 2022 Technical Program Chair, discusses what to expect for the Technical Program at IMAGE 2022. Aria highlights the changes for 2022, breaks down the themes and tracks for the program, answers common questions, and shares why you should submit your abstract before the deadline (17 March 2022). He also discusses the benefits of attending the fully in-person meeting in Houston, Texas. Visit https://seg.org/podcast/Post/14733 to read the full show notes and find the complete archive for Seismic Soundoff. ABOUT IMAGE 2022 International Meeting for Applied Geoscience & Energy 2022 is the integrated annual conference and exhibition of the Society of Exploration Geophysicists and the American Association of Petroleum Geologists and in conjunction with the Society for Sedimentary Geology. IMAGE '22 takes place from 28 August to 2 September 2022 in Houston, Texas. RELATED LINKS * Submit your abstract for IMAGE 2022 by 17 March 2022 (https://imageevent.org/2022/Program/Technical-Pr

Pico de Orizaba is the highest volcano in Mexico and preserves a glacier at the top. The volcano is an old structure and has experienced several cone collapses and subsequent rebuilds in its eruptive history of fewer than 600,000 years. Thinking about the potential threat to villages located along the major river drainages, Drs. Katrin Sieron and Blake Weissling submitted a Geoscientists without Borders (GWB) proposal (https://seg.org/About-SEG/Geoscientists-Without-Borders/Projects/detail/veracruz-and-puebla-states-mexico-2) to monitor precipitation at altitudes over 4000 meters above sea level and to better characterize the lahar forming zone at the proglacial ramp. They also wanted to work on lahar (mud or debris flows) detection and monitoring and create a lahar-warning system for local habitants. More than 15 students were involved during the project execution, several of whom worked on virtually supported thesis proposals (geomorphology, hydrology, glacier modeling, lahar modeling, vulnerability studi

Don Lawton of Carbon Management Canada and Mark Tinker of Quantum Technology Sciences discuss the latest technological advances for carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS). In this cutting-edge conversation on the state of technology for CCUS, Don and Mark highlight the need to accelerate the development and implementation of CCUS technologies, illustrate what better carbon storage monitoring technologies would mean for the climate, and outline how to overcome the challenges to scale CCUS. Mark also discusses real-field applications of the latest technology and the unique opportunities Carbon Management Canada offers to develop new tools to address a net-zero emission future. Visit https://seg.org/podcast to read the full show notes and find the complete archive for Seismic Soundoff. BIOGRAPHIES Dr. Don Lawton is a Professor of Geophysics in the Department of Geoscience at the University of Calgary. In 2013, he was appointed Director of CMC’s Containment and Monitoring Institute to lead research i