When it comes to infrastructure projects, what you can’t see can cost you millions. Whether you’re building a tunnel or installing foundations for critical structures, each decision is a calculated risk, especially if the shallow subsurface isn’t fully understood. Unmapped bedrock highs, weak sediment layers, or unexpected voids can derail timelines and inflate budgets fast.

That’s where Alexey Shulgin comes in.

As Chief Geophysicist at Submara Survey (formerly Geomap Norge), Alexey’s job is to “see” through soil and rock, translating geophysical measurements into clear subsurface insight. But collecting the data is only part of the equation. The real impact happens when that information is transformed into visuals that stakeholders can understand.

There’s an art to turning data into visuals that are understandable. For Alexey, that art becomes especially important because his audience isn’t just one type of professional. He works with project managers focused on timelines and risk mitigation, as well as civil engineers who need to evaluate bedrock quality and structural integrity in detail. Each group looks at the same subsurface but through a different lens. That creates a challenge.

Raw seismic data can be overwhelming for non-specialists. Dense velocity values, processing parameters, and technical annotations can quickly blur into noise. But oversimplifying the data creates another problem: engineers may lose the depth of detail they rely on to make structural decisions. Alexey’s solution isn’t to choose one audience over the other. It’s to design a final output that speaks to both through a deliberate three-visual narrative.

Once the “story” of the profile is established, Alexey ensures it is grounded in real-world measurements. Interpretation is powerful, but it must be anchored in evidence. That’s why Alexey reinforces his subsurface models with precise, ground-truth measurements. Along the profile, he marks the exact depth to bedrock at specific points, giving clients clear, pinpoint values alongside the interpolated surfaces.

These depth markers do more than add numbers to a map. They validate the interpretation. They show where the model aligns with measured data and where conclusions are supported by direct evidence. But Alexey doesn’t stop at subsurface data. He also merges environments—integrating seismic interpretations with LiDAR datasets that include background topography, as well as the elevation of trees and buildings. By layering surface and subsurface information together, he creates a unified visualization. 

This integration transforms conversations. Instead of abstract geological discussion, Alexey can tell a client something concrete: in one location, bedrock may sit 60 meters below ground, making excavation expensive and complex. In another area, it may be just 5 meters deep, which is far more feasible for piling or blasting. That clarity moves the project from uncertainty to decision. By connecting measured data, interpreted models, and real-world surface context, Alexey ensures that his visuals showcase what’s happening underground and how it’s actionable.

Even with accurate maps, Alexey constantly looks for easier ways for clients to digest complex results. One of his biggest breakthroughs came after attending a webinar hosted by Surfer Pro Drew Dudley, where Alexey began rethinking how seismic profiles could be visualized. 

“I started saying, ‘let’s try to display them in a fancy way in Surfer,” Alexey said.

Because his seismic data points were spaced at regular 5-meter intervals, he began treating each point as if it were a borehole inside Surfer. Instead of presenting a continuous wave of interpretation, he visualized the subsurface as a row of closely spaced boreholes along the profile. The result was a familiar and intuitive structure:

• Blue represented soft clay
• Yellow indicated harder deposits
• Brown marked solid bedrock

Suddenly, the profile looked less like an abstract geophysical diagram and more like something engineers and project managers already understood: a series of ground investigations lined up across a corridor. The impact was immediate.

“The clients were so astonished,” Alexey explained. “They pointed out how it looked so good.”

The visualization felt natural. It translated seismic results into a format that aligned with how professionals already think about the ground. That shift—from abstract waveforms to structured, borehole-style visuals—turned interpretation into clarity. And in high-stakes projects, that clarity can be the difference between hesitation and confident understanding.