BCGS Roundup Breakfast 2023

BCGS Roundup Breakfast – January 24, 2023

Speaker: Michael (Max) Maxwell, Ph.D, P.Geo., RMC. Senior Geophysicist

Title: Highlights of 40 Years of Shallow Geophysics: A world tour with stops from Arctic to Antarctic, -50C to +50C and -1000m to +5000m

Date: Tuesday, January 24, 2023

Time: 7:30am – 9:30am PST

Location:

Coast Coal Harbour Vancouver Hotel
Coal Harbour B Room
1180 West Hasting St.
Vancouver, BC, V6E 4R5

Registration: Industry $45 / Student $20

Please register and pay via Paypal at the link below.
Registration closes on Fri, Jan 20 @ 4pm. Space is limited so register early!

Please note. We have currently sold out! (As of Jan 19 @ 12:30pm). We are looking into increasing the number of spots.

Abstract:

Highlights of 40 Years of Shallow Geophysics: A world tour with stops from Arctic to Antarctic, -50C to +50C and -1000m to +5000m
Michael (Max) Maxwell, Ph.D, P.Geo., RMC

I will provide an overview of interesting geophysical experiences, surveys, techniques, and instrumentation that comprise the involvement of myself and a long list of collaborators, in shallow engineering and environmental geophysics investigations over the past 40+ years. The expansion of our capabilities in applied shallow geophysics has been rapid building on contributions from industry and academic developments. Improved instrumentation and interpretation have moved us rapidly from 1D to 3D imaging and continue to advance the speed and resolution of our shallow surveys.

After a decade of research and consulting in applied glaciology and shallow exploration methods, I was fortunate to join the engineering and environmental world of Golder Associates to expand on methodology that was pioneered by oil and gas and mining geophysicists through the sixties and seventies and that continue to be developed. We have completed marine and terrestrial geophysical surveys on all seven continents from the height of Andes and Asian mountains to the depths of Saskatchewan potash mines. We have had the opportunity to develop new survey techniques from simple cable and pipe location work to underground and surface 3D ERT techniques in conjunction with research partners around the world.

I will review a sampling of some of the more interesting aspects of instrumentation, interpretation and applications that we have encountered.

About the Speaker:

Dr. Maxwell has more than 45 years of experience in geophysical surveys around North America and internationally. He has conducted geophysical investigations on diverse mining, geotechnical, and environmental projects ranging from small to large scale, including pipeline and road routing, hydrocarbon, contaminant and other hazard detection, marine port and linear infrastructure surveys, underground mining exploration, and mining and infrastructure development. He has extensive experience in various environments including arid and cold regions, mountain, arctic and Antarctica surveys, marine and terrestrial work, underground and surface mining. Dr. Maxwell also continues geophysical research work in a range of geophysical techniques and particularly 2D and 3D ERI through his affiliation with the University of British Columbia as an Honorary Research Associate. The 3D ERI application work includes 3D imaging of water flow in tailings and power dams.

Representative projects that he has worked on include terrestrial and marine site and routing work for mining and oil and gas companies, road, landfill, geotechnical and infrastructure surveys for numerous industrial and government clients, domestic and international oil and gas, mining development work, environmental surveys for large and small industrial, federal, and municipal clients, ice runways in Antarctica, and mountain hazard evaluation of glaciers, snow avalanches and ice-dammed lakes for locating infrastructure. His clients have included Newmont, BHP, Teck, Cameco, Rio Tinto, Barrick, Diavik, Dominion, De Beers, Shell, Exxon-Mobil, BG-Spectra, Hunt Oil, Pluspetrol, Pembina, KLNG, Trans Mountain, Kinder Morgan, Moffatt and Nichol, and others. He was the Division Manager overseeing Golder’s Geophysical Services Group in Vancouver and is a registered Professional Geoscientist in British Columbia, Northwest Territories and Saskatchewan. He provides technical review and oversight for Golder Geophysical work from offices around the world.