251: From Noise to Knowledge – Lessons in Geophysics and Innovation w/ Joe Dellinger

"The challenge is to learn and be aware of new techniques and applications and apply them." Eduardo Corti discusses his Honorary Lecture, "Unconventional Borehole Seismic Techniques." Unconventional borehole seismic services encompass techniques that go beyond conventional seismic methods. With over eight decades of classical seismic methods shaping our understanding, Eduardo introduces listeners to the newer techniques that have emerged in the past 15 years, which promise greater detail and higher resolution insights into reservoir properties. While these techniques may be less familiar to geophysicists in exploration and reservoir management, Eduardo emphasizes the importance of local experience and operational involvement to leverage their capabilities fully. He shares his favorites – microseismic and borehole acoustic reflection surveys – and discusses the future of these methods in Latin America, particularly in countries like Bolivia, Argentina, Chile, and Brazil. Listeners will understand both the advantages and limitations of unconventional seismic techniques. Eduardo will offer his 2024 Latin America Lecture in both Spanish and English. 📋 EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS > 1:22 - Understanding why seismic techniques are labeled unconventional > 3:30 - The five unconventional services Eduardo discusses > 7:35 - The familiarity of geophysicists with these techniques > 9:20 - Eduardo's favorite unconventional services and their future in Latin America > 11:45 - Advantages of unconventional techniques for detailed reservoir analysis > 14:00 - Limitations and challenges of applying unconventional methods > 16:50 - The evolution of unconventional techniques in the past decade > 19:25 - Common misunderstandings > 22:10 - The importance of learning about new techniques and their applications > 24:20 - Eduardo's journey in geophysics and his anticipation for the future ✍️ EPISODE LINKS > Register for Eduardo's lecture - https://seg.org/education/lectures/seg-honorary-lecture-3/ >> 21 March - Spanish (11:00 am CST) >> 16 May - English (11:00 am CST) > Discover upcoming lectures - https://seg.org/education/lectures/ > Interview transcript - https://drive.google.com/file/d/1EZDPJ3g7rNsXS_ffm4yXBpj_1jAo_J9E/view?usp=sharing 💬GUEST BIO Eduardo Corti received his Licenciatura en Geofísica (MS in Geophysics) from the National University of La Plata (Argentina) in 1977. He joined YPF S.A. in Buenos Aires (Argentina) in 1979. He became part of the research and development group, focused on new techniques related to surface seismic and borehole seismic. In 1988, he joined Schlumberger as a borehole seismic geophysicist until 2003, when he took another position as a regional geophysicist covering Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, and Chile. Since leaving Schlumberger, he has been a consultant in surface seismic, processing, and borehole seismic acquisition and processing, providing courses in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Mexico, Venezuela, Scotland, France, and Spain. He is a member of various professional organizations, including the Society on Exploration Geophysicists (SEG), the European Association of Geoscientists and Engineers (EAGE), and the Argentinian Association of Geologists and Geophysicists of Argentina (AAGGP). SHOW CREDITS Seismic Soundoff showcases conversations with geoscientists addressing the challenges of energy, water, and climate. SEG creates these episodes to celebrate and inspire the geophysicists of today and tomorrow. If you have episode ideas or feedback for the show or want to sponsor a future episode, email the show at podcast@seg.org. This episode was hosted, edited, and produced by Andrew Geary at TreasureMint. The SEG podcast team is composed of Jennifer Cobb, Kathy Gamble, and Ally McGinnis.

8 Feb 202413min

"How do we move towards a greater societal understanding of what's required to achieve the goals of decarbonization? Building a sustainable society requires everybody, all the citizens, to do a whole bunch of different things, many of which are minor." Murray W. Hitzman, the Director of iCRAG, highlights the energy transition and how to communicate it with the public. iCRAG is the Science Foundation Ireland Research Centre in Applied Geosciences hosted by University College Dublin. In this episode, we explore Ireland's energy and sustainability challenges. With Ireland's advantageous position for harnessing wind and solar power, as well as the untapped potential of geothermal energy, Murray provides a portrait of a country that's not only capable of making significant strides in sustainability but is also a microcosm for global change. Murray shares his journey as an economic geologist and how it has shaped his vision for iCRAG's three grand challenges: Earth system change, Earth resources, and Earth science in society. Listeners will discover the connections between energy transition, critical raw materials, and societal engagement necessary to build a sustainable future. Murray explains why clear communication between scientists and citizens is the key to sustainability. We also explore the critical roles of metals like zinc, copper, and cobalt in green technology. This conversation is a powerful reminder that sustainability is a multifaceted issue that requires collaboration, innovation, and a willingness to embrace new challenges. As Murray puts it, discovery is at the heart of his journey – continuing to uncover how we can better interact with our planet. 📋 EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS * 2:54 - iCRAG focuses on the energy transition and communicating with the public * 7:34 - Why Ireland is a particularly good place to study how science and society interact * 9:14 - The common misconception people have about a sustainable future * 10:11 - Geoscientists are key players in the green energy transition * 12:23 - The significance of the warmest year in recorded history * 13:33 - The reach and work of iCRAG * 18:26 - Does something now motivate you differently than it did in your twenties? ✍️ EPISODE LINKS * iCRAG - https://www.icrag-centre.org/ * Visit https://seg.org/podcasts/episode-211-connecting-the-energy-transition-to-societal-engagement for the complete interview transcript and all the links referenced in the show. 💬GUEST BIO Murray W. Hitzman is the Director of iCRAG and a Science Foundation Ireland Research Professor. Murray has a B.A. in geology and anthropology from Dartmouth College (1976), an M.S. in geology from the University of Washington (1978), and a Ph.D. in geology from Stanford University (1983). He worked in the petroleum and minerals industries from 1976 to 1993, primarily doing mineral exploration worldwide, and was largely responsible for Chevron Corporationʼs Lisheen Zn- Pb-Ag deposit discovery in Ireland (1990). Dr. Hitzman served in Washington, D.C., as a policy analyst in the U.S. Senate for Senator Joseph Lieberman (1993-94) and the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (1994-96). In 1996, he was named the Fogarty Professor in Economic Geology at the Colorado School of Mines (CSM) and was head of the Department of Geology and Geological Engineering from 2002-07. SHOW CREDITS Seismic Soundoff showcases conversations with geoscientists addressing the challenges of energy, water, and climate. SEG creates these episodes to celebrate and inspire the geophysicists of today and tomorrow. If you have episode ideas or feedback for the show or want to sponsor a future episode, email the show at podcast@seg.org. This episode was hosted, edited, and produced by Andrew Geary at TreasureMint. The SEG podcast team is composed of Jennifer Cobb, Kathy Gamble, and Ally McGinnis.

1 Feb 202421min

"It's ​not ​like ​machine ​learning ​will ​solve ​all ​the ​problems. ​It's ​not ​a ​magical ​tool." David Lubo-Robles highlights his award-winning paper that utilized novel machine learning methods to enhance interpretability in seismic volume data from the Gulf of Mexico. Discover the power of two open-source tools - SHAP (Shapley Additive Explanations) and LIME (Local Interpretable Model-agnostic Explanations) - in enhancing the interpretability of machine models. David takes us through his team's research that garnered an Honorable Mention for Best Paper in Interpretation. He also shares his journey into geophysics, driven by a fascination with the Earth and energy discovery. Listeners will gain insight into the critical role of input quality in machine learning outcomes, the importance of balancing datasets, and the necessity of geoscientific validation. The episode also addresses common misconceptions about machine learning in geophysics, emphasizing the need for critical thinking and geological knowledge to apply these advanced techniques. 📋 EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS * 2:04 - How David discovered geophysics * 4:32 - How SHAP and LIME improve machine learning for geophysics * 6:00 - What to do when algorithms misclassify areas of interest * 10:47 - A misconception common for machine learning in geophysics * 13:37 - Sensory interpretation can be very subjective, even in the same area * 15:00 - Managing uncertainty in the subsurface ✍️ EPISODE LINKS Visit https://seg.org/podcasts/episode-210-unveiling-seismic-secrets-inside-machine-learnings-black-box/ for the complete interview transcript and all the links referenced in the show. 💬GUEST BIO Dr. David Lubo-Robles is a Postdoctoral Research Associate at the University of Oklahoma. David is a geophysicist interested in developing and applying innovative tools using machine learning, quantitative seismic interpretation, and seismic attribute analysis for oil and gas, geothermal reservoir characterization, hydrogen storage, and carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS). His paper, "Quantifying the sensitivity of seismic facies classification to seismic attribute selection: An explainable machine-learning study," was awarded Honorable Mention, Best Paper in Interpretation in 2022. David received his MS and Ph.D. in Geophysics at the University of Oklahoma. SHOW CREDITS Seismic Soundoff showcases conversations with geoscientists addressing the challenges of energy, water, and climate. SEG creates these episodes to celebrate and inspire the geophysicists of today and tomorrow. If you have episode ideas or feedback for the show or want to sponsor a future episode, email the show at podcast@seg.org. This episode was hosted, edited, and produced by Andrew Geary at TreasureMint. The SEG podcast team is composed of Jennifer Cobb, Kathy Gamble, and Ally McGinnis.

25 Jan 202419min

"The driving objective of AASPI is to try and reveal and see more patterns in the seismic data than we can see just looking at the seismic amplitude data." Heather Bedle, Principal Investigator at Attribute Assisted Seismic Processing and Interpretation (AASPI) at the University of Oklahoma, joins Seismic Soundoff. In this episode, you will discover how AASPI reveals hidden patterns in seismic data, pushes the boundaries of geologic interpretation, and reshapes our understanding of the Earth using cutting-edge research and technology. Heather shares insights into how machine learning has been utilized in geophysics for decades, emphasizes the importance of critical thinking when interpreting algorithmic outputs, and discusses the potential biases inherent in machine learning models. Listeners will be intrigued by AASPI's innovative research, including Heather's favorite attribute, aberrancy, which is pushing the boundaries of seismic detail. She also highlights AASPI's drive towards transparency and how it works with its sponsors to move the industry forward. 📋 EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS * 1:43 - The core objectives of AASPI * 6:05 - Simplifying the complex world of machine learning in geosciences * 9:20 - AASPI's unique approach to machine learning applications * 13:55 - Key papers that embody AASPI's work * 17:45 - The intrigue of aberrancy in seismic data analysis * 20:10 - The challenge of understanding algorithmic focus and biases * 24:25 - The balance between academia and industry in advancing machine learning * 27:20 - The importance of transparency and documentation * 29:05 - Upcoming challenges and projects for AASPI * 31:15 - A challenge for listeners: consider the biases in machine learning * 33:25 - Heather's journey from industry to academia ✍️ EPISODE LINKS Visit https://seg.org/podcasts/209-thinking-like-an-algorithm-utilizing-machine-learning-in-seismic-data/ for the complete interview transcript and all the links referenced in the show. 💬GUEST BIO Dr. Bedle is the Principal Investigator for Attribute Assisted Seismic Processing and Interpretation (AASPI) and is an Assistant Professor at the University of Oklahoma in the School of Geosciences. Her research and teaching focus on applying and developing advanced seismic interpretation. Some research stems from her time as a petroleum geophysicist using rock physics models coupled with seismic reflection data interpretation, and some from her experience as a whole-earth seismologist. All of the projects are based on her interest in understanding what lurks out of sight beneath our feet. Seismic reflection data is currently the main investigative data being utilized. Current projects in her research group combine seismic interpretation with developments in machine learning, seismic attributes, and rock physics. These methods work as compliments to extract additional information from the seismic waveforms. Dr. Bedle also researches how scientists learn to interpret seismic data, as well as how to improve the learning process at both the academic and professional levels. New projects are being developed to improve education in active learning spaces and test the capability of virtual reality to improve seismic interpretation education and research. SHOW CREDITS Seismic Soundoff showcases conversations with geoscientists addressing the challenges of energy, water, and climate. SEG creates these episodes to celebrate and inspire the geophysicists of today and tomorrow. If you have episode ideas or feedback for the show or want to sponsor a future episode, email the show at podcast@seg.org. This episode was hosted, edited, and produced by Andrew Geary at TreasureMint. The SEG podcast team is composed of Jennifer Cobb, Kathy Gamble, and Ally McGinnis.

18 Jan 202424min

Biondo Biondi, the Director of the Stanford Earth imaging Project (SEP), joins Seismic Soundoff to discuss SEP's 50-year history and future outlook. Biondo reflects on SEP's founding during the 1970s oil crisis and today as it tackles modern energy challenges. Biondo discusses how improving seismic imaging can support the future of carbon capture and geothermal energy and help build resilient cities. Biondo uses an article in The Leading Edge from 1987 on the then-called Stanford Exploration Project to offer insights into what we still know and don't know about geophysical data. He also shares why he believes so many SEP alums have been guests on this podcast! The Stanford Earth imaging Project is an industry-funded academic consortium within the Geophysics Department at Stanford University. SEP research has contributed greatly to improving the theory and practice of constructing 3-D and 4-D images of the earth from seismic echo soundings. The consortium was started in the 1970s by Jon Claerbout and is currently co-directed with Biondo Biondi. SEP pioneered innovations in migration imaging, velocity estimation, dip moveout and slant stack. SEP has recently been involved in 3-D seismic applications such as velocity estimation, wavefield-continuation prestack migration, multidimensional image estimation, and 4-D (time-lapse) reservoir monitoring. 📋 Episode Chapters (01:48) The Stanford Earth imaging Project celebrates its 50th anniversary (10:48) Areas the Stanford Earth imaging Project will impact over the next decade (12:49) The impact of Jon Claerbout's credo on the history and future of the SEP (13:46) Using fiber optic cables to monitor CCS projects and other uses (17:03) Biondo's challenge to the listeners 💬Guest Bio Biondo Biondi is the Chair of the Geophysics Department at Stanford University and Director of the Stanford Earth imaging Project. He and his students devise new algorithms to improve active and passive seismic data imaging. Because the datasets are enormous, and wavefield propagation needs to be accurately modeled to achieve high-resolution imaging, they need to harness the power of the latest computational hardware to test their methods on field data. Therefore, mapping imaging algorithms into high-performance architecture is essential to their research. The amount and quality of information they can extract from seismic data are directly linked to the temporal and spatial sampling of the sources and the receivers. In the past several years, they have been working on methods to process data recorded by using fiber cables as seismic sensors. Fiber-optic seismic recording promises to enable cost-effective continuous seismic monitoring at a large scale. A particularly exciting possibility is leveraging preexisting telecommunication infrastructure to continuously record seismic data with dense arrays in urban environments. In 2016, they pioneered that idea by recording data under the Stanford campus. Since then, they have recorded data in San Jose and on a 48-km array under Stanford and neighboring cities. ✍️ Episode References Visit https://seg.org/podcasts/episode-208-pioneering-seismic-imaging-for-energy-and-sustainability/ for the complete interview transcript and all the links referenced in the show. CREDITS Seismic Soundoff explores the scientific value and usefulness of geophysics. If you want to be the first to know about the next episode, please follow or subscribe to the podcast wherever you listen to podcasts. Two of our favorites are Apple Podcasts and Spotify. If you have episode ideas, feedback for the show, or want to sponsor a future episode, find the "Contact Seismic Soundoff" box at https://seg.org/podcast. Zach Bridges created original music for this show. This episode was hosted, edited, and produced by Andrew Geary at TreasureMint. The SEG podcast team comprises Jennifer Cobb, Kathy Gamble, and Ally McGinnis.

21 Dec 202320min

In this intriguing conversation, David Bartel, the Chair of the SEG Foundation, provides an exclusive insight into how the nonprofit organization is advancing geophysics research, supporting SEG members, and positively impacting society. David highlights the key programs funded by the Foundation, such as scholarships, field camps, Geoscientists without Borders, and more. He also shares some inspiring stories of students whose lives have been transformed by the Foundation's programs, emphasizing the significance of donations. He also clarifies the relationship between the SEG and its Foundation, dispels myths, and explains the significant impact of providing unrestricted annual fund gifts. By the end of the talk, listeners will better understand the SEG Foundation's crucial role in the geosciences community. 📋 Episode Chapters (01:32) The programs the SEG Foundation supports (09:51) The power of unrestricted donations (11:21) Understanding the Trustee Associate Program (12:26) How David's focus on learning has shaped his journey 💬Guest Bio David Bartel received his degrees in geophysics from the University of Utah (B.S., M.S.) and a Ph.D. in engineering geoscience from the University of California at Berkeley. He had a 32-year career with Chevron in mining, petroleum, technical geophysics, and exploration research, retiring in 2020. David has been a member of SEG since 1979 and has volunteered as a GEOPHYSICS Associate Editor and on three Annual Meeting Technical Committees. Since 2015, David has been a director of the SEG Foundation, becoming Chair in 2023. ✍️ Episode References Visit https://seg.org/podcasts/episode-207-advancing-geosciences-how-seg-foundation-makes-a-difference/ for the complete interview transcript and all the links referenced in the show.

14 Dec 202314min

Arthur Cheng, who became the first Chinese president of the Society of Exploration Geophysicists, talks about his journey from being a student to becoming the president of the Society. He shares some of the highlights from his five decades of being a member and what his role as a barrier-breaker means to him. Arthur reflects on his early days as a grad student and how he overcame his fear of giving talks. He also talks about the wide range of exploration geophysics beyond oil and gas. Additionally, he shares how SEG is adapting its programs to cater to younger members, offers advice to students, highlights the importance of volunteering, and shares his vision for the future of SEG. 📋 Episode Chapters (01:22) Congratulations on 50 years of being an SEG member (02:49) SEG focuses on exploration of water resources, sustainable energy supply (09:57) The SEG volunteer role most instrumental in helping Arthur reach the presidency (10:52) What it means to be the first Chinese president of SEG (11:33) If you had to describe your journey in one word, what would it be and why? (12:17) Current challenges for SEG 💬Guest Bio Arthur C. H. Cheng received a bachelor's degree with distinction in engineering physics from Cornell University and an ScD in geophysics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in 1978. He is an adjunct professor in the Earth Systems Science Programme at The Chinese University of Hong Kong. He is a co-founder of the Sustainability Geophysics Project with Yunyue Elita Li. Before taking his current position, he was a National University of Singapore (NUS) professor. He co-founded the Earth Resources Laboratory at MIT, where he was a principal research scientist and project leader for the Borehole Acoustics and Logging Consortium from 1983 to 1996. He worked in various managerial and consulting capacities for Western Atlas, Baker Hughes Inteq, SensorWise, RockSolidImages, and Halliburton Technology before returning to academia at NUS in 2014. He has published more than 150 papers and holds 29 patents. He has co-authored two books on borehole acoustics. Arthur has served SEG in many capacities: on the SEG Council, the Board of Directors, as chair of the Research Committee, and as organizer of multiple workshops. He was also a SEG Advanced Modeling Corporation (SEAM) co-founder. He is the senior assistant editor for GEOPHYSICS, a mentor and sponsor of SEG's EVOLVE program, and vice chair of the SEG Foundation Board of Directors. He received the Life Membership Award from SEG in 2013, the Distinguished Technical Achievement Award from the Society of Petrophysicists and Well Log Analysts in 2015, the Formation Evaluation Award from the Society of Petroleum Engineers in 2016, and Honorary Membership from SEG in 2021. ✍️ Episode References Visit https://seg.org/podcasts/episode-206-arthur-cheng-on-his-seg-journey-from-student-to-president/ for the complete interview transcript and all the links referenced in the show.

7 Dec 202316min

Kurang Mehta discusses the November special section on carbon management in The Leading Edge. In this episode, get an inside look at the emerging field of carbon management. You will learn about the history and methods of carbon capture and storage. Kurang also provides thoughtful perspectives on how geoscientists can uniquely contribute to carbon management while recognizing biases that may need to be overcome. This conversation covers key topics like saline aquifers, rock fluid interactions, reservoir characterization considerations, monitoring challenges, and the importance of collaboration between academia and industry. For anyone interested in the subsurface, this episode provides an engaging overview of how carbon management fits into the future of oil and gas. 🗣️In this episode: * Learn about the history and methods of carbon capture and storage. * Gain perspective on how industry experience can inform new approaches while addressing the biases geoscientists take into carbon management. * Discover how students drive research and the importance of working together in academia and industry. SPONSOR Katalyst Data Management® sponsors this episode. Katalyst Data Management® provides the only integrated, end-to-end subsurface data management solution for the oil and gas industry. Over 240 employees operate in North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and South America, and they are dedicated to enabling digital transformation and optimizing the value of geotechnical information for exploration, production, and M&A activity. Learn more at https://www.katalystdm.com/. 📋 Episode Chapters (01:43) Carbon management in The Leading Edge (04:39) The four main potential sequestration projects (09:30) Rock fluid compatibility is a standard assessment when considering carbon injection (10:47) What role do underground sources of drinking water play in CCUS projects? (12:14) Would formations previously considered poor candidates for oil and gas projects be considered for CO2 projects? (16:34) Do you think scientific progress or governmental support will progress CCUS projects? (18:28) If you had to describe your journey in one word, what would it be and why? 💬Guest Bio Kurang Mehta received a B. S. in electronics and communication engineering from Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda, Vadodara, Gujarat, India, an M.Sc. (2003) in electrical engineering from North Carolina State University, Raleigh, and a Ph.D. (2007) from Colorado School of Mines. At North Carolina State, he developed a numerical scheme for 2D-time reversal of waves in complex random media. At the Center for Wave Phenomena at Colorado School of Mines, he studied properties of refocused pulse obtained using time reversal for a perturbed medium. As a doctoral student, he was involved in a project on the virtual source method in collaboration with Shell International E & P. His research interests include seismic interferometry (correlation and deconvolution), time reversal, and the controlled-source electromagnetic method. Dr. Mehta is currently a Senior Development Geophysicist at Kosmos Energy. ✍️ Episode References Visit https://seg.org/podcasts/episode-205-managing-carbon-a-new-frontier/ for the complete interview transcript and all the links referenced in the show.

16 Nov 202320min