Binghamton University Professor Uses Geophysics to Find Abandoned Gas Wells and Potential Habitability on Other Planets

Near-surface geophysics allows us to explore the Earth's subsurface using advanced sensing technology. Binghamton University Assistant Professor of Earth Sciences Sina Saneiyan is utilizing this technology to explore a wide range of applications, from detecting biosignatures on other planets to locating abandoned oil and natural gas wells. Saneiyan's research is focused on the earth and beyond, with a goal of understanding the planet and its resources.

Key Takeaways:

• Sina Saneiyan is a near-surface geophysicist with research interests that include abandoned gas wells and habitable planets.
• Saneiyan's research has been funded by NASA to explore the use of sensors to determine whether an alien planet is potentially habitable.
• The technology was inspired by a sulphur-rich spring in Oklahoma, which has thriving microbial communities despite harsh environmental conditions.
• Saneiyan's lab has uncovered geophysical techniques that can detect biosignatures and seasonal changes on the spring's site.
• Saneiyan is leading a project to use magnetometers, including internal compasses in smartphones, to detect abandoned oil and natural gas wells.
• He has a patent pending for the use of cell phone magnetometers in finding abandoned wells and is working with a colleague on an artificial intelligence system to distinguish the signature of well casings.
• Saneiyan is also exploring the use of electrical signals from the Earth's subsurface to predict landslides and has a proposal before the National Science Foundation to use this technology.

Statistics:

• There are over 3 million abandoned oil and natural gas wells in the United States.
• The technology used in Saneiyan's research can detect biosignatures and seasonal changes in environments similar to those found on other planets.
• Saneiyan has a proposal before the National Science Foundation (NSF) to use electrical signals from the Earth's subsurface to monitor vulnerable slopes.
• He has a patent pending (US Patent App. 18/444,665, 2024) for the use of cell phone magnetometers in finding abandoned wells.
• His research on abandoned gas wells has been published in the Journal of Applied Geophysics.

Sources:

• Binghamton University's News Story: "Earth and Beyond: Geophysics can help us find abandoned gas wells -- and even habitable planets"
• US Patent Application for the use of cell phone magnetometers in finding abandoned wells (US Patent App. 18/444,665, 2024)
• Journal of Applied Geophysics - publication by Saneiyan's research on abandoned gas wells
• National Science Foundation - proposal by Saneiyan for the use of electrical signals from the Earth's subsurface to monitor vulnerable slopes