Seismic Soundoff

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

Sue Carr and Patrick Meroney discuss the life of the well from the February 2022 special section in The Leading Edge. Sue and Patrick discuss the importance of a shared definition of a well, spotlight the most important well component for geophysicists, highlight the five life cycles of a well, and break down why well logs are the key piece for successful drilling. This conversation will help geophysicists better connect their work across the entire production chain and support their work in being more useful and practical to others. Sue Carr is Solutions Manager, Subsurface Consulting at Katalyst Data Management. Patrick Meroney is Vice President, US Operations and Professional Services at Katalyst Data Management. 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

Amine Ourabah discusses carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS) from the January 2022 special section on seismic acquisition in The Leading Edge. Amine explains why CCUS is at the center of the net-zero-emission conversation, the need for cheaper and easier-to-use technology, and the unique innovations explored in his field trial. This conversation lays out the seismic and technological needs and innovations to move carbon capture and renewable energies forward. Visit https://seg.org/podcast to read the full show notes and find the full archive for Seismic Soundoff. RELATED LINKS * Keith Millis, Guillaume Richard, and Chengbo Li, (2022), "Introduction to this special section: Seismic acquisition," The Leading Edge 41: 8–8. (https://doi.org/10.1190/tle41010008.1) * Amine Ourabah and Allan Chatenay, (2022), "Unlocking ultra-high-density seismic for CCUS applications by combining nimble nodes and agile source technologies," The Leading Edge 41: 27–33. (https://doi.org/10.1190/tle41010027.1) * Read the

Laura Bandura discusses her 2022 Distinguished Lecture, "Quantifying the Business Impact of Seismic Technology to Deepwater Exploration." In a low oil price environment, it is more important than ever to prioritize technology projects to ensure the greatest return on investment. There is much pressure to accelerate the time-to-impact of corporate research and technology programs. In many cases, the geoscientists who are developing these breakthrough technologies are expected to demonstrate the value of these initiatives, which requires both a high degree of subject matter expertise and business fluency. In this practical conversation, Laura and host Andrew Geary showcase how to communicate technological value and your expertise to decision-makers. Laura shares how to tie your work to financial metrics, the power of simplicity and brevity, and how geoscientists can better understand decision-makers. This episode provides a useful practicum to maximize the scientist's knowledge and expertise to make a differe

Danilo Jotta Ariza Ferreira discusses modern geostatistic methodologies from the December 2021 special section on Latin America in The Leading Edge. Danilo shares how to avoid two common pitfalls in geostatistical modeling, why models are always wrong (but you should still use them), and highlights a few innovations in seismic-based geophysical solutions. This conversation will help geophysicists working in Latin America, those using modern modeling techniques, and those looking to connect modern research to their work, no matter the location. Visit https://seg.org/podcast to read the full show notes and find the full archive for Seismic Soundoff. RELATED LINKS * Antonio J. Velásquez, Wagner Moreira Lupinacci, and Carlos Eduardo Molinares, (2021), "Introduction to this special section: Latin America," The Leading Edge 40: 874–874. (https://doi.org/10.1190/tle40120874.1) * Danilo Jotta Ariza Ferreira, Gabriella Martins Baptista de Oliveira, Thais Mallet Castro, Raquel Macedo Dias, and Wagner Moreira Lupinac

Klaus Holliger discusses his 2022 Honorary Lecture, "Using Near-Surface Geophysics to Estimate Soil and Rock Physical Properties." The shallow subsurface contains our drinking water and produces our food, and it is also where we ultimately discharge much of our waste. Recent history has taught us that overuse, let alone abuse, of our environment, may lead to the long-term detriment to our livelihood. The protection and sustainable use of this fragile surficial environment has therefore become a societal and political issue of critical importance. Near-surface geophysics has an essential role to play in this endeavor. Klaus and host Andrew Geary explore near-surface geophysics using Klaus's Honorary Lecture as a starting point. They discuss the advantages of geostatistical techniques and two approaches to relating easy-to-measure geophysical data to more elusive rock and soil physical properties. This episode showcases the value of near-surface geophysics to the public and highlights cutting-edge techniques

Joe Dellinger discusses his 2022 Distinguished Instructor Short Course, "Forensic data processing." Are you a geophysicist that processes seismic data, or someone who uses the processed results of that data? If so, you probably think of seismic data as something that arrives on a tape or "from the cloud." However, your data also has other, hidden stories to tell - stories that likely were shredded and lost when you chopped the data into traces and fed it into your algorithms for processing. We typically call anything our algorithms are not designed to deal with "noise." Can we make use of such "noise," or at least better understand it? If we understood it, could we do something useful with it (or at least have a better idea of how to suppress it)? The goal of Joe's course - and this conversation - is to get you thinking more critically about your data. How was it recorded? What is in it? What happened to it on the way from the field to numbers in a file? Joe brings his experience, expertise, wisdom, and h

Miguel Bosch discusses his Honorary Lecture, "The new paradigms in seismic inversion." Miguel explains how elastic Full Waveform Inversion and the Markov Chain Monte Carlo approach improve seismic inversion, discusses if data analysis and machine learning are essential to practice inversion, and highlights new tools that will improve the accuracy of inversion. This conversation provides great value and insight into the essential work of inversion. RELATED LINKS * Watch Miguel's course: The New Paradigms in Seismic Inversion (https://www.knowledgette.com/p/the-new-paradigms-in-seismic-inversion) * Discover SEG on Demand (https://seg.org/Education/SEG-on-Demand) * The SEG podcast archive (https://seg.org/podcast) BIOGRAPHY Miguel Bosch’s expertise is in the field of geophysical inversion with a focus on advanced seismic inversion methods and data integration in complex reservoir models. He has worked on inference problems at different earth scales. In the topic of oil and gas reservoir description, he develo

Thomas Finkbeiner discusses geomechanics from the November 2021 special section in The Leading Edge. In this episode, Thomas highlights the link between geophysics and geomechanics in developing renewable and unconventional resources, explores case studies presented in the special section, shares the current state of research on induced seismicity during CO2 injection, and illustrates how geomechanics impacts the entire life cycle of a reservoir. No matter your subject matter expertise, this conversation impacts all topics regarding the oil and gas industry. Thomas Finkbeiner is a Research Professor at King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (Saudi Arabia) - affiliated with the Ali I. Al-Naimi Petroleum Engineering Research Center in the division of physical sciences and engineering. He holds a Ph.D. in geophysics and seismology from Stanford University. Visit https://seg.org/podcast to read the full show notes and all the past episodes of Seismic Soundoff. RELATED LINKS * Thomas Finkbeiner and

SEG President Anna Shaughnessy discusses the major challenges and decisions facing the SEG and the geosciences in the years ahead. In this episode, Anna discusses the recently formed Strategic Options Task Force addressing possible collaboration with other societies. She also highlights the new JEDI Committee (Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Committee), offers words of wisdom to young geoscientists, and showcases the Geophysical Sustainability Atlas and the upcoming Geoscience Sustainability Atlas. Anna also shares what it means to represent SEG in this role and offers what she thinks is the most important question facing SEG. This conversation offers an important look into the meaningful events impacting the SEG and the greater industry. RELATED LINKS * Contact the Strategic Options Task Force at sotaskforce@seg.org * Read Anna Shaughnessy's article in The Leading Edge (https://library.seg.org/doi/10.1190/tle40110790.1) * Listen to the episode on the Geophysical Sustainability Atlas (https://seg

Mark Zoback discusses his Honorary Lecture, "Geomechanical Issues Affecting Long-Term Storage of CO2." In this episode, Mark highlights how oil and gas companies are best positioned to address the needs for large-scale carbon storage. He discusses the role of depleted oil and gas reservoirs for CO2 storage, as well as the geomechanical issues that have to be considered. Mark also shares what is most essential to unlocking long-term CO2 storage and how government officials and companies can work together. This is a timely conversation that addresses real-world needs with the geophysical knowledge to solve problems. Visit https://seg.org/podcast to find the link to listen to Mark's lecture. BIOGRAPHY Mark D. Zoback is the Benjamin M. Page Professor of Geophysics at Stanford University, Director of the Stanford Natural Gas Initiative, and Co-Director of the Stanford Center for Induced and Triggered Seismicity, and the Stanford Center for Carbon Storage. Zoback conducts research on in situ stress, fault mechan