Keynote Speakers

The workshop features keynote presentations from leaders in marine acquisition and exploration geophysics.

Dr. Erling Vågnes

Keynote: Impact of acquisition technologies on exploration performance on NCS … and challenges going forward

Dr. Erling Vågnes (b. 1959) holds a MSc and Dr.Scient. degree in Applied Geophysics from theUniversity of Oslo.

From 1992 to 2005 he worked in various roles as a Geophysicist for Norsk Hydro, including on theteam that made the Ormen Lange Discovery, four years seconded as Chief Geophysicist to SonangolE&P in Angola, and three years at Norsk Hydro’s research center in Bergen working on 4D seismic.

From 2005 to 2017 Dr. Vågnes held various management positions in Norsk Hydro and StatoilHydro/Statoil/Equinor, including VP for Strategy and Portfolio, SVP Exploration Technology and SVP International Exploration Northern Hemisphere.

Following a sabbatical attempting to paddle round the Baltic Shield in 2018, Dr. Vågnes took up hiscurrent position as Chief Geophysicist Exploration in Equinor from 2019.

Mona Andersen

Mona Andersen, Specialist Reservoir Geophysicist and leading the Geophysical Reservoir Monitoring Competence Group in Equinor.

Started in Research with lithology and fluid prediction work, moved over to  Exploration to get seismic interpretation experience - but did not find any oil and hence moved over to production and have been in PETEC since. Worked with 4D seismic in three decades and was involved in the piloting and full field installation at Snorre Field.

Adriana Citlali Ramirez

Adriana Citlali Ramírez is a Mexican citizen who has a PhD in physics from the University of Houston’s Mission-Oriented Seismic Research Program. During her graduate studies, Adriana did internships with Shell, Statoil (now Equinor), ConocoPhillips, and BP. After graduation, she worked in R&D at WesternGeco in the US, and later at PGS in the UK. In 2012, Adriana joined Equinor’s Research and Technology Exploration unit in Norway, where she led the R&D work related to broadband technology. She later moved to Geophysical Operations and focused on survey design and new technological developments. During her last two years at Equinor, she worked as a Geophysics Specialist in the Chief Geophysicist’s Team in Exploration. In August 2019, Adriana started a new chapter of her career at TGS in the position of Chief Geophysicist. She has an advisory role for the discipline of geophysics, where she focuses on strategy, business, and technology with emphasis on Europe and Russia.

Adriana has authored four patents and over 50 technical publications. She is a member of the EAGE Research Committee, SEG Research Committee, SEG Women’s Network Committee, and Founding Chair of the SEG Europe Regional Advisory Committee (since 2016). From May 2018 to December 2019, she served on the Board of Directors of SEAM (SEG Advance Modeling Corporation) –she is now the Vice Chair of the board and Chair elect for 2021. In early 2020, she was awarded the first ever Monterrey Institute of Technology (Tecnológico de Monterrey) EXATEC Career Award and was chosen as the SEG Honorary Lecturer for Europe in 2021.