David Monk
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| Latest company | Apache |
|---|---|
| President year | 2012 |
| Membership | Life Member |
| PhD | Physics |
| PhD university | Nottingham University, UK |
David J. Monk is the director of geophysics at Apache and was the 2012-2013 SEG President. For his many achievements in exploration geophysics he was honored with SEG Life Membership in 2009.
Contents
SEG Presidential Biography
Dave Monk gained a PhD in physics from Nottingham University in England in 1980, and for the last 30 years his career in geophysics has involved working in most aspects of seismic acquisition and processing for seismic contractors, consulting and working for an oil company. His career started with SSL in Nigeria before joining GSI in the UK as an area geophysicist. He then worked in the USA and Norway before returning to the USA as part of the then HGS research and development group. In 1993 he joined a seismic consulting company, and subsequently formed Energy Innovations Technical Services where he acted as president from 1994 to 1999. In 2000 he joined Apache where he now acts as director of Geophysics. He is well known for his technical contributions to industry, and has received Best Paper awards from SEG (1992, and honorable mention in 2005), Canadian SEG (2002) and the Hagedoorn Award from EAGE (1993).
Dave has been a member of SEG for 27 years. He served as Technical Chairman for SEG's 75th Anniversary meeting in 2005, was elected as Vice President of SEG in 2006 and received Life Membership from SEG in 2009. He served as Chairman of SEG Global Inc. at its formation in 2008, and has also worked on the Meetings Review, Constitution and Bylaws, EAGE Collaboration, and Global Development Advisory committees.
SEG President-elect Announcement and Biography
David J. Monk, director of Geophysics at Apache, has been elected President-elect of the Society of Exploration Geophysics for the 2011-2012 term of office. Monk received a doctorate in physics from Nottingham University in England and has spent his professional career in working in most aspects of seismic acquisition and processing for contracting and oil companies. He is well known in the geophysical community for his technical contributions and has won "best paper" awards from three different geophysical societies including SEG ("best paper" in 1992 and honorable mention in 2005).
Monk, an SEG member for 27 years, was Technical Program Chairman for SEG's 75th Anniversary Meeting in 2005, was Vice President on the 2006-07 Executive Committee, and served as Chairman of SEG Global, Inc. at its formation in 2008. He received SEG Life Membership in 2009. Monk will serve as President-elect on the incoming Executive Committee and will ascend to the Presidency at the conclusion of SEG's 2012 Annual International Meeting.
Others elected to the 2011-12 Executive Committee are William L. Abriel, first vice president; Richard D. Miller, second vice president; Wafik B. Beydoun, vice president; Nancy J. House, secretary-treasurer; and Tamas Nemeth, editor. Monk and the other newly elected officers will assume their roles at the conclusion of the 2011 Annual International Meeting, to be held in San Antonio in September. Bob Hardage, the current President-elect, will assume the SEG Presidency at that time.
Position Statement
My qualifications stem from insights gained working across the energy business. SEG needs to represent those employed by contractors and energy companies, or are self employed, as well as those who work outside the energy business.
The composition of the SEG has changed dramatically in the last decade, becoming a Society of truly global composition. The global energy environment is changing rapidly, and many of our members are students or just starting their careers. These changes challenge some of our conventional ideas, and SEG needs to move forward in a way that better serves the growing diversity of membership, without sacrificing those parts of the society that already function well.
Strengthening our continuing education, distinguished lecture and annual meeting, through improved use of the internet is part of the answer, but cooperating with sister societies to bring the SEG to all members is critical to SEG's future.
Much of SEG's work is performed by motivated, energetic teams. I have worked with SEG staff in the past, and I have seen that success depends on the commitment and enthusiasm of staff and volunteers. It would be an honor to work as president and ensure that the SEG continues to grow.
SEG Life Membership 2009
Dave Monk is being honored with Life Membership for his leadership and many voluntary contributions to the Society including: First Vice President (2005–2006); Chairman, Annual Meeting Technical Program Committee (2005); Meeting Review and Planning Committee (2006–2009); Strategic Governance Review Subcommittee (2007–2009); Chairman, Global Development Advisory Committee (2006); Distinguished Lecture Committee (2006); Constitution and Bylaws Committee (2007); Chairman of the Ad Hoc Committee on International Offices (2006); Founding Chairman of the Board of Directors of SEG Global, Inc. (2007); EAGE–SEG Collaboration Committee (2008–2009); and Trustee Associate of the SEG Foundation. He has reviewed papers for Geophysics and been a frequent session chairman at SEG annual meetings over the past 20 years.
Biography Citation for SEG Life Membership
Contributed by Mike Bahorich
It’s no exaggeration to say that Dave Monk is one of the most talented geophysicists in the world. His list of accomplishments is a mile long. It is no surprise that he has been chosen for numerous leadership positions including Chairman of the Technical Program Committee for SEG’s most significant 75th anniversary meeting.
Dave Monk adds value to everything he touches. At Apache, sales of Dave’s intellectual property pay for a nice slice of our technical budget. But Dave’s main financial value to Apache lies in his creative thought—which enables us to produce better seismic images at a lower cost. The amazing thing about Dave is that he regularly comes up with incredible ideas—then turns around, later, and comes up with something even better. As director of geophysics, Dave advances Apache’s seismic images every year, even as he continues to ramp up our efficiency and lower our costs. It’s uncanny. Dave is a never-ending source of ideas that are not only creative, but also practical. They’re used, not just at Apache, but throughout the industry.
An abbreviated description of some of Dave’s most impressive technical achievements follows:
• After betting Apache’s manager of exploration $50 that he could improve our images of the Jurassic in the Western Desert (and at lower cost), he up and did it.
• He developed the famous “Monk whitening” technique, which I like to describe by repeating a conversation overheard between two geophysicists: “I need better frequency content on this data set,” said one. “That’s easy,” said the other. “Why don’t you just ‘Monk’ it?”
• He patented early methods to better process ocean-bottom cable data.
• He was an early adopter of slip-sweep and single-vibrator technology to improve images (again at lower cost).
• He has other patents, involving wave-equation multiple attenuation, slant stack, noise attenuation, and interpolation. His recent patent describing Fresnel-zone binning promises to save the seismic industry not just a little money, but hundreds of millions of dollars per year. Dave has contributed more than 100 papers to SEG and affiliated society meetings and has been recognized with many honors, including:
• SEG Best Paper Presented at 1992 Annual Meeting
• EAGE Hagedoorn Award (1993)
• Canadian SEG’s Best Paper Award (2002)
• SEG Honorable Mention, Best Paper Presented at 2004 Annual Meeting
Recently, some SEG leaders made a list of members who are always there, serving on committees and volunteering in a variety of ways. Dave was one of very few “super volunteers;” i.e., clearly committed to SEG. A review of the extensive list of volunteer activities in the text introducing this citation should convince anyone that few people have given more to SEG.
With all that talent and all that activity, it seems too much to ask that Dave Monk be a fine human being as well. But, he is thoughtful, considerate, and wonderful to work with. Somehow, Dave finds time to contribute to K–12 science programs, helping kids learn about geophysics. Along with Lorraine, his lovely and charming wife of 28 years, he has raised two fine sons, Chris and Rob, ages 23 and 21. Yeah, and Dave’s well-rounded, too. He enjoys snow skiing, water skiing, squash, and running. And he loves cars—although he says he’d like more spare time to enjoy them! I can think of no finer candidate for SEG Life Membership.
External links
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