From Subsurface to a Venture Capital and Business Incubator

Jim Hollis

…I am an exploration geophysicist by training as well as by passion. I have spent the last 30 years involved in the development and commercialization of exploration technologies that help us better understand the subsurface – mostly in the search for hydrocarbons. I was fortunate to be involved in the…

How a curious geophysicist set the stage for a low-impact mining breakthrough

Doug Schouten

…The Athabasca Basin in the Canadian Shield is a stark and rugged wilderness that harbours the world's leading source of high-grade uranium. It is challenging terrain, remotely located, and generally inhospitable to those who visit. For one geophysicist deployed in the area, however, the striking landscape served as inspiration for…

Mike Hall

An Interview with Mike Hall

…Tell us about your educational background, work experience, and what you are engaged in these days. After school, I started in telecommunications and electronics with a B.Sc. in electrical and electronic engineering in London. On graduating, and being bored by the engineering job I was offered, I was lured by…

Board of Directors’ Message

…The past year has been a difficult one for many of our members, both individual and corporate. Many people have lost work, changed employers or, in some cases, been forced to leave the geophysical industry altogether. Some of you may have been more personally affected by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic,…

Science Break: Mushrooms

…This past summer, as humans were reeling and in retreat from the Covid-19 health threat, it seemed to me that the rest of nature was in full, robust health. It wasn’t just news stories about wildlife moving into now quieter urban areas, I was actually seeing it with my own…

Introduction to October Focus: Future of the Oilsands

Brian Schulte

…Special Coordinators: Brian Schulte Technical Editora: Steve Jensen, Jubram Akram, and Draga Talinga Format Editor: Elizabeth Atkinson First off, my apologies for this RECORDER. I did not want to write as much as I have written. It has been difficult getting the papers for the RECORDER with everything happening. The…

The COSIA Land Innovation Opportunity: Seeking Innovators to Develop our ‘Approaching Zero Footprint

Christine A. Daly, Jack O’Neill and Megan Boutin

…Innovative. Creative. Committed. These words have defined Canada’s oil sands industry for decades and are what drives people and companies to find new ways to make the industry more competitive and to reduce the environmental footprint. Despite the high degrees of change and uncertainty facing the world because of Covid-19,…

Pricing and Future of Natural Gas

Brian Wm. Schulte and Jim Felton

…(This is the third part in a series of articles written looking at price changes for oil, the unconventional plays, and now it looks at the price of natural gas and the demand for it. The first two parts are: “Oil below $20 USD per barrel – what caused this?”…

Orange Shirt Day – Kihci-ita-kis-iw “Kihci-ita-kis-iw” is Cree for “All living things matter”

Brian Wm. Schulte

…Many may not know what Orange shirt day is and also what is happening in regards to two programs (REDEVELOP challenge and NIYAK) being offered through five Universities across Canada in regard to their work with Indigenous people. We wanted to share this because to develop the oilsands we need…

Family business, tradition, work ethics and entrepreneurialism

Eva Drivet

…Once in a while, you come across a compelling “oil patch story” that inspires, and reflects on the resilience and leadership of members of our Geo-community. As little girls, Lisa Eastman and her sister Susan thought all kids grew up playing on seismic equipment parked in the yard. Their mother…

Almost 7000 Miles Apart: Stories of Hope amidst Uncertainties

Althea De Los Santos

…A Vision of Hope Vision holds a different meaning to everyone. For some, it is a new word with an old concept or an old word with a new concept. For me, it is the latter one. Before Standard Oil became the world’s first multinational corporation by the end of…

Chief Editor’s Message: Autumn and the basics in cooking and seismic

…“Remember Your Basics, They Are Your Greatest Weapon.” Iroh, “Avatar - The Last Air Bender” This column is a return to writing about what is going on in the industry. The main goal is to emphasize the importance of understanding the fundamentals. Learning the fundamentals and becoming comfortable with it…

Science Break: Desalination

…Some quick facts regarding Canada’s share of the world’s fresh water, courtesy of (Environment Canada, 2018). Canada has 20% of the world’s fresh water, but only 7% of the world’s renewable fresh water. The difference can be attributed to “fossil” water that is trapped in ice, aquifers, and lakes, and…

Tracing the Industry

…Celebrating Excellence The CSEG 2019 Award winners were announced at the Symposium. It’s an absolute privilege to know these people and professionals. Our society couldn’t operate without dedication and leadership like these winners share with our membership. Marissa Whittaker, Meritorious Service Award Recipient. Marissa has most recently served as the…

Board Message

…I am very glad to have this opportunity to reflect on and share my experiences and successes of the last two years as the chair of the Doodletrain Committee, and as the Assistant Director of Educational Services in the first three months of 2020 and then as the Director starting…

Chief Editor’s Message: The Sun Will Shine Tomorrow

…The opinions expressed here are those of the author and not of the CSEG or the CSEG Executive. Forewarning some may not agree with its content and its subject. This column is a commentary on recent events involving racism. Calling out racism is a crucial step to healing “Our lives…

Board Message

…I am writing this in the middle of May, sixty-three days since the WHO declared COVID-19 a global pandemic. Like every other organization on the continent, the CSEG has made significant changes in how we operate. From the Member Services side, we have, sadly, had to cancel all social and…

CAGC Column

…CAGC represents the business interests of the seismic industry within Canada – cagc.ca You’ve all probably heard that, “In this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes” or some similar quote, often attributed to Benjamin Franklin; Daniel Defoe; Christopher Bullock; or even Mark Twain.  You…

Science Break: Opioids

…Several months ago when I was picking this topic, opioids were arguably considered the biggest current health crisis, but of course now that has been eclipsed by COVID-19.  Brian Schulte (RECORDER editor) and I considered switching the topic to COVID-19, but decided against it, since the news is swamped with…

Fall Preparations

Stephen Kotkas

…If you were anything like me you had good intensions for a spring clean-up. You saw your neighbors tidying their property so you did a little… just enough to keep it respectable. We all know that a well-kept yard, a tidy and organized house is great but other things always…