"Geophysics plays a central role in this energy transition because it provides the tools and insights needed to understand, manage, and optimize subsurface resources. These resources are critical for both traditional and renewable energy systems."
Geophysics is essential for geothermal energy, carbon storage, hydrogen storage, and critical minerals. Joël Le Calvez and Erkan Ay explain how methods like multi-physics workflows and distributed acoustic sensing are improving reliability, scalability, and safety. They also highlight the skills and mindset geophysicists need to succeed in a rapidly changing energy landscape.
Read the October issue of The Leading Edge that features a special section about geophysics for new energies at https://library.seg.org/toc/leedff/44/10.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
> Geophysics provides the foundation for safe, efficient, and scalable use of subsurface resources in the energy transition.
> Multi-physics workflows and DAS technologies reduce uncertainty and improve monitoring of geothermal and storage projects.
> Future geophysicists must combine technical expertise with adaptability, collaboration, and field experience.
GUEST BIOS
Joël Le Calvez is Principal Geologist at SLB, where he develops software for processing, visualization, and interpretation of microseismic monitoring data. His work supports applications ranging from hydraulic fracture treatment to CO₂ sequestration and geothermal injection, using downhole, shallow wellbore, and surface arrays. Before joining SLB, Joël contributed to research at the Bureau of Economic Geology’s Applied Geodynamics Laboratory and at Etudes et Recherches Géotechniques. He holds a Ph.D. in salt tectonics, an M.Sc. in geosciences, and a B.Sc. in physics.
Erkan Ay is an accomplished geophysicist with more than 18 years of international experience across oil and gas, carbon capture and storage, and academic research. He is recognized for advancing techniques in microseismic monitoring, DAS, 4D VSP, and seismic-while-drilling. Erkan’s work integrates seismology and petrophysics to better characterize complex subsurface structures. Currently, Erkan serves as Chair of the SEG Research Committee and Vice Chair of the SEG IMAGE 2026 Technical Committee, guiding collaborative efforts to advance geophysics for sustainable energy solutions.
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"Geophysics plays a central role in this energy transition because it provides the tools and insights needed to understand, manage, and optimize subsurface resources. These resources are critical for both traditional and renewable energy systems."
Geophysics is essential for geothermal energy, carbon storage, hydrogen storage, and critical minerals. Joël Le Calvez and Erkan Ay explain how methods like multi-physics workflows and distributed acoustic sensing are improving reliability, scalability, and safety. They also highlight the skills and mindset geophysicists need to succeed in a rapidly changing energy landscape.
Read the October issue of The Leading Edge that features a special section about geophysics for new energies at https://library.seg.org/toc/leedff/44/10.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
> Geophysics provides the foundation for safe, efficient, and scalable use of subsurface resources in the energy transition.
> Multi-physics workflows and DAS technologies reduce uncertainty and improve monitoring of geothermal and storage projects.
> Future geophysicists must combine technical expertise with adaptability, collaboration, and field experience.
GUEST BIOS
Joël Le Calvez is Principal Geologist at SLB, where he develops software for processing, visualization, and interpretation of microseismic monitoring data. His work supports applications ranging from hydraulic fracture treatment to CO₂ sequestration and geothermal injection, using downhole, shallow wellbore, and surface arrays. Before joining SLB, Joël contributed to research at the Bureau of Economic Geology’s Applied Geodynamics Laboratory and at Etudes et Recherches Géotechniques. He holds a Ph.D. in salt tectonics, an M.Sc. in geosciences, and a B.Sc. in physics.
Erkan Ay is an accomplished geophysicist with more than 18 years of international experience across oil and gas, carbon capture and storage, and academic research. He is recognized for advancing techniques in microseismic monitoring, DAS, 4D VSP, and seismic-while-drilling. Erkan’s work integrates seismology and petrophysics to better characterize complex subsurface structures. Currently, Erkan serves as Chair of the SEG Research Committee and Vice Chair of the SEG IMAGE 2026 Technical Committee, guiding collaborative efforts to advance geophysics for sustainable energy solutions.
The transformative role of LLMs in geophysics education
Seismic Soundoff
29 minutes 58 seconds
2 months ago
The transformative role of LLMs in geophysics education
“The knowledge we learn may not change. The way we learn will change very fast.”
Dr. Ge Jin explains how large language models are transforming the way geophysics is taught and learned, particularly by enhancing access to clear explanations and accelerating research. He shares why assessment must evolve and how allowing LLMs in coding classes, while focusing on physics and logic, helps students solve harder problems. The conversation explores prompt engineering, secure AI use in industry, transparent writing practices, and the opportunity to build an SEG library-powered model for cutting-edge knowledge.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
> Prompt power: Knowing how to ask AI the right way is becoming as important as knowing where to find the answer - daily practice builds skill and confidence
> Continuous learning boost: LLMs speed up literature research and concept review, letting geophysicists grasp new fields in hours instead of weeks
> Strategy ahead: Training AI on the SEG library could provide reliable, advanced knowledge, alongside company‑specific models that protect data and address language bias.
GUEST BIO
Dr. Ge Jin is Associate Professor of Geophysics and co-PI of Reservoir Characterization Project at Colorado School of Mines. His research focuses on Distributed Fiber-Optic Sensing (DFOS) applications in the fields of oil & gas, geothermal, CO2 sequestration, smart city, and earthquake hazard. He is also interested in machine-learning applications and seismic imaging. He obtained his Ph.D. in Geophysics from Columbia University in the City of New York, and dual B.S. in Geophysics and Computer Science from Peking University in Beijing. He worked as a research geophysicist in the oil industry for five years before joining Colorado School of Mines as a faculty member in 2019.
LINKS
* Read Ge Jin's article, "President's Page: The transformative role of large language models in geophysics education," at https://doi.org/10.1190/tle44050326.1
* Attend IMAGE '25 - https://www.imageevent.org/
* Learn more about the new podcast series, Inside IMAGE, presented by Seismic Soundoff - https://www.imageevent.org/podcast
Seismic Soundoff
"Geophysics plays a central role in this energy transition because it provides the tools and insights needed to understand, manage, and optimize subsurface resources. These resources are critical for both traditional and renewable energy systems."
Geophysics is essential for geothermal energy, carbon storage, hydrogen storage, and critical minerals. Joël Le Calvez and Erkan Ay explain how methods like multi-physics workflows and distributed acoustic sensing are improving reliability, scalability, and safety. They also highlight the skills and mindset geophysicists need to succeed in a rapidly changing energy landscape.
Read the October issue of The Leading Edge that features a special section about geophysics for new energies at https://library.seg.org/toc/leedff/44/10.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
> Geophysics provides the foundation for safe, efficient, and scalable use of subsurface resources in the energy transition.
> Multi-physics workflows and DAS technologies reduce uncertainty and improve monitoring of geothermal and storage projects.
> Future geophysicists must combine technical expertise with adaptability, collaboration, and field experience.
GUEST BIOS
Joël Le Calvez is Principal Geologist at SLB, where he develops software for processing, visualization, and interpretation of microseismic monitoring data. His work supports applications ranging from hydraulic fracture treatment to CO₂ sequestration and geothermal injection, using downhole, shallow wellbore, and surface arrays. Before joining SLB, Joël contributed to research at the Bureau of Economic Geology’s Applied Geodynamics Laboratory and at Etudes et Recherches Géotechniques. He holds a Ph.D. in salt tectonics, an M.Sc. in geosciences, and a B.Sc. in physics.
Erkan Ay is an accomplished geophysicist with more than 18 years of international experience across oil and gas, carbon capture and storage, and academic research. He is recognized for advancing techniques in microseismic monitoring, DAS, 4D VSP, and seismic-while-drilling. Erkan’s work integrates seismology and petrophysics to better characterize complex subsurface structures. Currently, Erkan serves as Chair of the SEG Research Committee and Vice Chair of the SEG IMAGE 2026 Technical Committee, guiding collaborative efforts to advance geophysics for sustainable energy solutions.
