Eric Keyser
Eric Keyser's story begins when he was just one year old. At the time, his father was pursuing graduate studies at Oxford in England. As part of his work, he traveled to Cambridge to conduct experiments with heavy water, which was used to slow down neutrons so they could be captured by hydrogen atoms—a critical step in the development of the hydrogen bomb. Later, his father shared an important insight: while the future of particle physics seemed limited, the field of geophysics offered immense potential.
Keyser went on to build a remarkable career in geophysics spanning over 50 years, contributing his expertise to global projects with companies such as Amoco, Encana, and Modern Resources in Calgary. He earned his degree in Engineering Applied Mathematics from Queen’s University at Kingston in 1971 and then began his journey as a Geophysicist. Although he became a qualified Professional Engineer in 1977, Keyser decided to move away from traditional engineering—where the use of seven-place logarithmic tables was still the norm—and discovered his true passion: determining optimal drilling locations around the world
In 1974, Keyser was transferred to Tulsa, Oklahoma, where he was part of the team that successfully predicted gas and condensate reserves for the Shell/Amoco Cognac Gulf Coast field. This achievement was made possible by interpreting seismic contact events at the reservoir level.
Returning to Calgary, Keyser identified a porosity pod on newly acquired 2D seismic data, leading to the discovery of the 11-22 Blackstone well in 1978. This well set the cumulative gas production record for Alberta at 336 billion cubic feet (BCF) and tested off the scale at over 200 million cubic feet per day (MMcf/d). The results were so extraordinary that the driller initially thought the instruments were malfunctioning.
During a transfer to London, England, Keyser contributed to identifying some of the first gas-water contacts in the Paleocene using 2D seismic lines in the Central Graben of the North Sea. This work played a pivotal role in the discovery of the Everest Field, located downdip from the porous but water-bearing 22/9-1 well.
At Encana in Calgary, Keyser used RpRs cross-plot analysis to identify gas, oil, and water contacts in the Mackenzie Delta. His work facilitated the drilling and coring of both gas/oil and oil/water contacts in the Umiak N-16 discovery well. The cored sandstone reservoir boasted exceptional permeability, exceeding seven darcies.
In the final decade of his career, he focused on recommending horizontal drill locations oriented perpendicular to azimuthal stress. This innovative approach reduced drilling costs, optimized frac operations, and doubled initial production rates.
Now retired, Keyser spends his time skiing, hiking, and biking, enjoying the outdoors while reflecting on a remarkable career in geophysics.