Interview

INTERVIEW COORDINATED BY SATINDER CHOPRA ‘Do good work, work hard, be reliable, and build a reputation as ……’ An executive geophysicist with more than two decades of experience, Jason Schweigert has led the design and modeling of complex seismic acquisition programs around the world. As President of BJV Design Inc., he provides strategic leadership, oversees operations, and manages client relationships for a specialized geophysical consultancy. He is widely recognized for technical expertise in 2D, 3D, 4D, VSP, and microseismic survey design, having contributed to more than 5,500 seismic programs across a wide range of operating environments. Clients value him as a [...]

INTERVIEW COORDINATED BY SATINDER CHOPRA “‘Having a deep understanding of our craft is important …’ Matt Ng is a professional geophysicist and a member of a dynamic group of young Calgary geophysicists entering the prime of their careers. He brings extensive experience in integrating technical disciplines within energy resource development and has proven his effectiveness as both a seismic interpreter and an explorationist. Matt’s work spans Shell Canada, Painted Pony Energy, and currently Entropy Inc. in Calgary, where he has honed his expertise—from seismic interpretation to full development modeling, optimizing completion designs, well operations and execution, and analyzing subsurface productivity [...]

INTERVIEW COORDINATED BY SATINDER CHOPRA   “There is still a lot to learn, once you enter the industry” Raul Cova is an emerging geophysicist whose career trajectory reflects both academic excellence and professional dedication. After beginning his career with PDVSA, the national oil company of Venezuela, Raul moved to Calgary to pursue graduate studies at the University of Calgary (U of C), where he earned his Ph.D. degree. Following a post-doctoral research stint at U of C, he joined Qeye in 2019, where he has since been actively involved in the deterministic and probabilistic inversion of seismic data for both [...]

INTERVIEW COORDINATED BY SATINDER CHOPRA “From Microseismic Beginnings to Industry Leadership: Stay Curious and Keep Learning” Neda Boroumand is a seasoned geophysicist with over 15 years of expertise in the acquisition, processing, and interpretation of passive seismic data. She has worked extensively in hydraulic fracture mapping and reservoir monitoring across both the oil and gas and mining industries, contributing to geotechnical applications. Neda’s Ph.D. research at the University of Calgary focused on geomechanical modeling, numerical simulations, and data integration for hydraulic fracturing processes in unconventional reservoirs. Neda has authored and co-authored several publications in peer-reviewed journals. Currently, Neda runs her [...]

INTERVIEW COORDINATED BY SATINDER CHOPRA “Do not let your zeal subside, a diligent hand will prosper”   Better known for his research work in signal processing, Mark Ng, an electrical engineer turned geophysicist, has had a long and interesting career spanning more than four decades. He began his R&D career at Sefel Geophysical, later joining Geo-X Systems Ltd. as a research geophysicist. He briefly taught in China before returning to Geo-X, continuing through its transitions to Divestco Inc. and Z-Terra North, where he remains a senior geophysical researcher. His work centers on seismic signal processing and migration techniques, with six [...]

“Do good work, …. Be helpful, …. And most importantly have fun.” INTERVIEW COORDINATED BY SATINDER CHOPRA Scott Reynolds is a seasoned and successful exploration and development geophysicist with a well-rounded blend of technical depth and business practicality. He began his career with PanCanadian Petroleum Ltd. in 1991 and has since built a diverse portfolio of experience across numerous Calgary-based companies, including Renaissance Energy, Suncor Energy, Startech Energy, ARC Resources, Ketch Resources, Kereco Energy, Fairborne Energy, Bonavista Energy, and Jupiter Resources. In 2022, Scott transitioned into consulting. A strong advocate for quantitative interpretation, Scott applies it wherever it can be [...]

INTERVIEW COORDINATED BY SATINDER CHOPRA “Don’t underestimate the value of knowing something at only a single location if you know it well.”   Scott Leaney is a well-known name in our industry who has had a long and illustrious career with Schlumberger. He specializes in borehole geophysics and bringing out more value from surface seismic data by integrating it with borehole data (sonic, 3C VSP, 3D VSP, microseismic, DAS, etc.). Scott trained at University of British Columbia (UBC) under the tutelage of stalwart professor Tad Ulrych, and got the opportunity to work with gurus like Doug Miller, Mike Schoenberg, Chris [...]

Interview COORDINATED BY Satinder Chopra “Life often requires us to learn and do things that … are necessary…”     Dennis Ellison is part of a dynamic group of young Calgary geophysicists in the prime years of their careers. He began his journey in depth imaging of geologically complex land data and has since transitioned into reservoir characterization and quantitative interpretation, with a focus on unconventional reservoir fluid and rock property prediction. More recently, Dennis has been working on constraining uncertainty for the best geologic interpretation of the opportunities and challenges in geothermal energy. Throughout his career, Dennis has consistently [...]