As a Geophysicist I’m responsible for processing seismic data, which are used by our clients for better understanding and interpretation of the subsurface. The aim of my work is creating high-resolution 3-D images of geological structures and models of seismic rock properties. Our datasets can be huge reaching depths of 15 km and thousands of square km in size!
The majority of my work focuses on signal processing & analysis, however a significant part includes communication with the client (technical presentations), data management (each project has hundreds or even thousands of Tb of data) and innovation (improving existing solutions to create a better product). Currently, my main responsibility is to develop detailed shear-wave velocity and anisotropy models. These will be used for imaging my data which come from receivers located on the seabed and are acquired in a time-lapse way, with the aim of creating a cube of a 4D signal.
My typical day consists of testing, meetings and non-technical tasks mixed in various proportions throughout the project. I usually start my day verifying results of tests that were calculating overnight. I’m might then spend time on trying to solve some data challenges, trying out various technologies or working on improving/tailoring existing solutions on my project.
Later in the day the whole team usually gets together to share progress, discuss some ideas and help each other with problem solving. Three days per week I’m working from the office, so we’re having lunch in the canteen with my friends (usually can’t resist having a nice cake too!); and often we’re also hanging out in the games room.
The best part of my job is that it never gets boring! In the past 3 years I worked on 4 projects and multiple processing stages throughout each of them. The variety of techniques, different characters of the datasets and how they were acquired means there’s always something new to learn and scope for innovation.
Project deadlines are haunting me a little bit. The challenge is, that there is an incredible number of techniques one could apply to the data to enhance them, but the time for the projects set by clients is limited. Often, they request certain tests and it’s not always easy to meet their expectations having in mind the timeframe. Moreover, this industry is developing quite rapidly, which means there are always new, exciting technologies to try out. This is a great opportunity for self-development, however a challenging one, because one can’t get too comfortable with the state of your knowledge & skills.
As a geoscientist, I value the time I can spend using cutting edge software to shape geoscientific exploration and development. Updating legacy I love my job because I’m passionate about geophysics and I can’t imagine a better job for learning seismic processing. Personally, I enjoy being constantly challenged, because that’s what makes the work intriguing.
Being a geophysicist in CGG is a chance for fast growth of not only technical but also soft skills (client communication & management). Another important factor to me is the multidisciplinary work. During projects we cooperate with geologists, petrophysicists, machine learning engineers etc., which gives us a broader perspective onto technical problems we deal with. Lastly, I’m pleased with the international character of the company; the office environment is quite diverse so it’s possible to easily meet people from around the world.
Be curious. As in any science, the will to learn is the key factor for the success. Most of the people I work with don’t have any geophysical background (math & physics graduates), nevertheless they were able to overcome this initial difficulty quite easily, because they found seismic processing absorbing. After joining CGG one’s getting access to high quality training, detailed documentation and of course support of experienced specialists, so the only thing needed is to be eager to learn.
I want to be remembered for being a reliable and a helpful friend & team member. On more personal level, I hope to be thought of as a joyful person.
My plan B wasn’t too far from my current job – I would still look below the surface, however as a seismologist. I was always amazed by physics and natural phenomena, so I wouldn’t see myself abandoning geophysics after my degree. This work would be more research-focused, however with a very practical impact, as earthquakes are influencing a large part of the world population.
