Dr. Maheswar Ojha

Principal Scientist , Controlled Source Seismics and Gas Hydrates

Dr. Maheswar Ojha

maheswar_ojha@ngri.res.in

Academic Identity
           

Specialization

Seismic exploration, Gas hydrate

Research Area

Dr Maheswar Ojha obtained BSc (Physics Hons) from Calcutta University in 1999, MSc Tech (Applied Geophysics) from IIT (ISM) Dhanbad in 2003 and PhD (Geophysics) in 2008. 

His research interests are Rock physics modelling and inversion of well log and seismic data for gas hydrate and hydrocarbon exploration. Model-based and Full waveform inversion of multichannel and Ocean Bottom Seismic data. Finite difference modelling of seismic wave propagation and numerical error analysis. Machine learning in seismic data processing, modelling, interpretation, reservoir characterization and lithology classification. Imaging of the Andaman subduction zone using marine multichannel seismic, ocean bottom seismic, gravity and magnetic data. Use of dark optical fibre cable in imaging of subsurface structure and earthquake monitoring in the Andaman & Nicobar region. Dr Ojha is a recipient of CSIR Young Scientist, INSA Young Scientist and AP Academy of Sciences Young Scientist awards.  He has about 50 research papers in reputed journals. 

FIELD OF SPECIALIZATION:

  • Gas hydrate and hydrocarbon exploration using 2D/3D seismic, well-logs and rock physics modelling.
  • Well log data analysis and interpretation.
  • 2D, 3D and 4D Seismic data acquisition, processing, inversion and interpretation.
  • Rock physics theories to estimate the amount of hydrocarbon and gas hydrate present in the subsurface sediments.
  • Modelling and inversion of well log, marine multichannel and ocean bottom seismic (MCS & OBS) data for gas hydrate, hydrocarbon exploration and subsurface imaging.
  • Model-based and Full waveform inversion of Multichannel and Ocean Bottom Seismic data.
  • Finite difference modelling of seismic wave propagation and numerical error analysis.
  • Machine learning in seismic data processing, modelling, interpretation, reservoir characterization and well log interpretation and lithology classification.
  • Imaging of the Andaman subduction zone using marine multichannel seismic, ocean bottom seismic, gravity and magnetic data.
  • Use of optical fibre cable and distributed acoustic sensing (DAS) technology in imaging of subsurface structure, strain measurement and earthquake monitoring in the Andaman & Nicobar region.

We have 7500 km 2D Marine multichannel seismic data, Ocean bottom seismic data, 3D seismic data, well-log in the Krishna Godavari, and Mahanadi offshore basins for research purposes. Marine Gravity, magnetic, 700 km 2D multichannel seismic and 63  ocean bottom seismic (OBS) data along the Andaman-Sumatra subduction zone for subsurface imaging.

We have Distributed acoustic sensing (DAS) data acquired using underground telecommunication optical fibre cable in Andaman for research purposes.

Software for data processing and interpretation: Hampson Russel, Promax, Focus.

Coding: Fortran, Mathlab, Python

Inversion Schemes: Model-based, Very Fast Simulated Anealing, Genetic Algorithm etc.

Students who want to pursue PhD research on the above data using advanced and frontier technologies for hydrocarbon & gas hydrate explorations, subsurface imaging, strain measurement using DAS data etc., will be highly benefitted.  

Know what is gas hydrate (https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jseaes.2023.105828;  https://bmj.bsmrmu.edu.bd/details&cid=22) 

 Please Contact: maheswar_ojha[at]ngri[dot]res[dot]in, maheswar[dot]ngri[at]gmail[dot]com 

Ongoing Research Projects

Studies on Gas Hydrate exploration and Technology development: Sponsored by MoES, New Delhi. Grant-in-Aid.

Development and pilot implementation of dynamic strain and displacement measurements system based on fiber optic distributed line to decipher the structure and dynamics of Andaman subduction zone: Indo-Russia DST-RFBR Bilateral. 

Honors & Awards

  1. CSIR-Raman Research Fellowship 2015
  2. CSIR Young Scientist Award 2013
  3. INSA Young Scientist Award 2012
  4. AP Academy Young Scientist Award 2012
  5. DST BOYSCAST Fellowship 2011
  6. National Scholarship by Min. Education & Social Welfare 1995
  7. Second Prize in Science-Quiz conducted by SPG, 2004
  8. Qualified GATE (2003), percentile 95.25, All India rank 17

Publications

  1. R Ghosh, M Ojha, P Kumar, 2023, Review of rock physics theories for quantifying gas hydrate and associated uncertainties. Journal of Asian Earth Sciences, 105828.
  2. M. Vanga, D. Barman, M. Ojha, 2022, An optimized finite difference method to minimize numerical dispersion of acoustic wave propagation using a genetic algorithm. Geophysics, 87(3), pp T265-T279.
  3. A. K. Joshi, M. Ojha, 2022, Estimation of porosity and gas hydrate saturation by inverting 2D seismic data using Very Fast Simulated Annealing in the Krishna Godavari offshore basin, India. Geophysical Prospecting, 70 (2), pp 388-399.
  4. R. Ghosh, M. Ojha, 2020, Prediction of Elastic Properties Within CO2 Plume at Sleipner Field Using AVS Inversion Modified for Thin‐Layer Reflections Guided by Uncertainty Estimation, J. Geophys. Res. solid earth, 125, pp e2020JB01978 (1-32).
  5. M. Ojha, R. Ghosh, 2021, Assessment of gas hydrate using prestack seismic inversion in the Mahanadi Basin, offshore eastern India. J Interpretation, 9 (2), pp B1-T493.
  6. A. Singh, M Ojha, K. Sain, 2020, Predicting lithology using neural networks from downhole data of a gas hydrate reservoir in the Krishna–Godavari basin, eastern Indian offshore. Geophysical Journal International, 220 (3), 1813-1837.
  7. M. Ojha, M. K. Sen, K. Sain, 2016, Use of split spread configuration of marine multichannel seismic data in full-waveform inversion, Krishna-Godavari basin, India. Journal of seismic exploration, 25 (4), pp 359-373.
  8. S. Jana, M. Ojha, K. Sain, 2015, Gas hydrate saturation from a heterogeneous model constructed from well log in Krishna–Godavari Basin, Eastern Indian Offshore. Geophysical Journal International, 203(1), pp 246-256.
  9. M. Ojha, K. Sain, T. A. Minshull, 2010, Assessment of gas hydrate saturations in the Makran accretionary prism using the offset dependence of seismic amplitudes. Geophysics, 75, pp C1-C6.
  10. R. Ghosh, K. Sain, M. Ojha, 2010, Effective medium modeling of gas hydrate-filled fractures using sonic log in the Krishna-Godavari basin, offshore eastern India. J. Geophys. Res. solid earth, 115(B6), pp B06101 (1-15).

Books

Research Scholars

Amrita Singh, Post-Doc

Soumya Jana, PhD awarded

Mampi Karmakar, PhD awarded

Laxmi Pandey, PhD awarded

Mounika Vanga

Massood Alam

Reetu Ragini

Educational Qualification

PhD (Geophysics), MSc Tech (Applied Geophysics), BSc Physics

Proffessional Experience

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE:

25/08/2020  till date, Principal Scientist, CSIR-National Geophysical Research Institute, Hyderabad, India.

25/08/2015-24/08/2020, Senior Scientist, CSIR-National Geophysical Research Institute, Hyderabad, India.

25/08/2011-24/08/2015, Scientist, CSIR-National Geophysical Research Institute, Hyderabad, India.

25/08/2008-24/08/2011, Junior Scientist, CSIR-National Geophysical Research Institute, Hyderabad, India.

27/06/2003-24/08/2008, Research Scholar, CSIR-National Geophysical Research Institute, Hyderabad, India.

VISITING POSITIONS:

04/04/2015 – 13/07/2015 Raman Research Fellow at University of Texas at Austin, USA

02/02/2011 – 19/06/2011 Visiting Researcher at University of Texas at Austin, USA.

TEACHING EXPERIENCE:

Teaching in AcSIR-NGRI. Advanced seismic methods for hydrocarbon/gas hydrate explorations, Digital filtering, Geophysical well logging and Inversion.

Scientific Expeditions:

Served as chief scientist of about 30 days expedition 2018-2019 for marine seismic, gravity and magnetic data acquisition along Andaman subduction zone.

Served as chief scientist for designing, real-time planning and monitoring of 102 days marine seismic data acquisition expedition 2010, first time in India for gas-hydrate exploration.

Participated as a physical property specialist in IODP Bering Sea expedition 323 from 6th July to 4th Sept 2009 from Victoria to Yokohama.

Participated in the Indian cruise (NGRI) using “Sagardhwani” from 27 to 29 April 2008 to deploy and test the Ocean Bottom Seismometer (OBS) in the Kochi coast of India.

Participated in the Indian cruise (NGRI) using “Sagar Kanya” from 4 to 14 April 2007 to test the marine Heat Flow Probe instrument in the western and eastern continental margin of India.

Participated in the Russian cruise using “Boris Petrov” from 17 to 26 November 2006 in search of gas-hydrates/free-gas related evidences in the deep waters of the western continental margin of India.

Proffessional Affiliations