People

Admin
Full Name
Maheswar Ojha
Designation
Principal Scientist
R&D Group
Marine Seismics (Gas Hydrate)
Email
maheswar_ojha@ngri.res.in
Specialization
Seismic exploration, Gas hydrate

  Academic Identity

Research Statement

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. 

Ongoing Research Projects (Upto 5)

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 and awards (max 5)

  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 (Best 10)

  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).

Research Scholars

Amrita Singh, Post-Doc

Soumya Jana, PhD awarded

Mampi Karmakar, PhD awarded

Laxmi Pandey, PhD awarded

Mounika Vanga

Massood Alam

Reetu Ragini

Sanjay Mandal

Educational Qualification

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

Professional 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.