"Now, as data-driven decisions play a crucial role in industry success, the dynamic interplay between analytics and energy exploration has reached unprecedented heights," says Swastika Nevaskar, a geophysicist with over 13 years of progressive leadership experience in the oil and gas sector. With her finger firmly on the pulse of the ever-changing energy landscape, Nevaskar's insights shed light on the industry's transformative potential of data analytics.
The Relationship Between Data and Energy Exploration
With the upward trajectory of global energy demand, experts project a shift in exploration methods and decision-making strategies. According to industry forecasts, energy consumption may increase by 25% by 2040. This forecast underscores the ongoing importance of hydrocarbon resources and emphasizes the need for innovative solutions to optimize extraction, reduce operational costs, and minimize environmental impact.
Nevaskar's journey through the corridors of data analytics has been a testament to this reality. Working in the field for significant years, she has developed a strong commitment and a deep knowledge of the industry's intricacies, advancing seismic data processing and imaging to reshape how the oil and gas industry perceives and extracts subsurface information. Through her leadership, Nevaskar has demonstrated that data analytics is not just a tool but a transformative force that has the potential to redefine the boundaries of exploration.
Elevating Decision-Making Through Analytics
At the core of Nevaskar's professional portfolio lies a profound understanding of the power of data analytics to elevate decision-making. Harnessing seismic data processing platforms such as Omega2, Reveal, GeoTomo, and EMvision, she has spearheaded endeavors that transcend traditional boundaries and unlock previously hidden insights. These platforms and her proficiency in high-performance computing have paved the way for more accurate predictions, efficient resource allocation, and innovative exploration strategies.
One of the geophysicist's remarkable contributions has been her ability to extract new value from vintage data, leveraging the latest technologies to drive business impact and save costs amounting to several hundred million dollars in hydrocarbon exploration.
As she puts it, "There's always something new happening. This means a new set of data to understand and put into practice. My role is to breathe new life into this new data and open doors to opportunities once deemed unreachable."
Expertise That Achieved Actual Results
The data points do not merely measure success on a graph but by the tangible impact of those points in the real world. However, Nevaskar's journey reflects both. She leveraged her Ph.D., M.S., and Data Science and Business Analytics certification to design technical end-to-end solutions with global teams, resulting in successful and impactful projects.
While working as the Imaging Lead Processor for a major Oil and Gas company in the USA for the pre-salt imaging of an exploration project, she united multiple well data for constructing a regional anisotropy model. The outcome was a seismic image that minimized well mistie, enabling reliable estimation of Gross Rock Volume, a critical factor in the bid round decision worth a staggering $80 million.
At the same time, in her role as Land Unconventional Project Lead for Unconventional land project, Nevaskar led a team of 20 with an emphasis on project management, from procurement to quality control of significant vendor work. Her mentorship extended beyond the group as she championed using REVEAL's latest land data processing modules, elevating internal data processing to new heights.
She also mitigated risk for drilling commitments worth around $10 million by optimizing images of key test lines and initiating re-processing efforts. This strategic vision reduced cycle times and maximized returns, exemplifying her multifaceted approach to project management.
Using her experience serving as the Land 2D Project Lead spanning from 2009 to 2018, Nevaskar was a pivotal contributor to advancing subsurface imaging and understanding in some of the world's most challenging and complex fold and thrust belt structures of Kurdistan, Papua New Guinea, Eastern, and Western fold belts. Nevaskar was also allowed to share her insights at a workshop in Melbourne, Australia, which became the standard of quality control processing.
Under this project, she shaped solutions between Geophysical Operations and Geophysical Specialist groups that reduced cycle times by 10-50% by achieving high-quality data from the field. This accomplishment didn't merely save time but also resources - saving around $100,000 and beyond.
Nevaskar mentions, "My tenure of more than a decade successfully delivered many projects. Handling these was not easy. It required me and my team a high level of dedication, patience, and hard work. But it all paid off, and there's no stopping what we can still do as we go on."
Nevaskar and the Way Forward
This journey proves the transformative power of data analytics in the oil and gas industry. In an age where every byte of information carries potential, Nevaskar's leadership experience illuminates the way forward, playing a valuable role in advancing the oil & gas industry and equipping more key stakeholders.
"The data renaissance we're witnessing is not just about numbers," she concludes. "It's about understanding the earth and translating them into strategic decisions that drive progress, efficiency, and sustainability in the energy industry that benefits people. We are here to make it happen."
With Swastika Nevaskar at the forefront of the continuous journey, the industry can overcome complex challenges and seismic shifts and redefine the boundaries of what's possible in the oil and gas industry.
