SENIOR GEOPHYSICAL ASSOCIATE
Austin, Texas
Email: ega@pdq.net
Education
Graduate of the Institute of Environmental Technology, (more), Houston, Texas (1996)
University of Houston, Houston, Texas – Visiting Geoscientist, 1989 to 1990
Istanbul Technical University, Istanbul, Turkey – Ph.D. in Geophysics, 1987
Istanbul University, Istanbul, Turkey – B.S and M.S. in Geological Engineering, 1975
Experience
Principal, Environmental Geophysics Associates; Spring, TX – 1994 to present
Principal geophysicist-geologist and project manager for environmental geophysical surveys at more than 300 sites in the U.S. and abroad. Responsibilities include designing and performing field surveys and interpretation and reporting of the results. Has applied the majority of geophysical techniques in a variety of terrains and is intimately familiar with each applicable, up-to-date technique available to the industry.
Geophysicist, Tierra Environmental Resources; Houston, TX – 1991 to 1994
Recent Projects
- Dr. Saribudak has conducted several geophysical surveys in Louisiana and Texas to delineate brine plume emanating from oil and gas activities.
- He has also been providing geophysical services to CPS Energy in San Antonio since 2000. He has had a continuing contract with CPS to characterize geology and detect karstic features along their new transmission lines. To date, he has served CPS to successfully install 700 transmission-poles into the areas underlain by the Edwards Aquifer.
- He assisted the Lower Colorado River Authority of Austin locate karstic features along their transmission lines of 27 poles in Austin.
- He provided geophysical services for Power Engineering of Houston to characterize (with voids, caves, faults, and fractures) a mile-long profile across areas underlain by the Edwards Aquifer for their buried transmission lines in Austin.
- He recently assisted the City of Austin detect karstic features along the 5,000-foot-long profile for their waste water tunnel construction along areas underlain by the Edwards Aquifer.
- He has characterized many caves, such as Flint Ridge, No Rent, Weldon, McNeill Bat in Austin and Tick’n Delight, B-52, Dr. Death Sinkhole, and others in San Antonio. He located leakages at tailing ponds in Canada.
Pro Bono Projects
Dr. Saribudak and his crew spent three days in the field to characterize the Halby Fault in the Edwards Aquifer for CPS Energy. This work was published in the San Antonio Geological Society’s Bulletin in February 2010, and was chosen to be included in their upcoming book, Contributions to the Geology of South Texas.
He and his crew spent six days in the field to characterize the Mt. Bonnell fault of the Balcones Fault Zone in Austin. The work crossed West Park Avenue, Bee Cave Road, and Height Drive at Highway 360. Results revealed many karstic features (sinkhole, void, cave, fracture, etc.) along the fault. This work was presented in 2010 at the SAGEEP Convention in Keystone, Colorado.
Dr. Saribudak serves in an ongoing project with the City of Austin to: 1) characterize the faults crossing Barton Springs (at Main, Eliza, and Old Mills); 2) determine the groundwater flow pattern between the Springs; and 3) locate voids and caves in and around the springs. The fieldwork was recently completed, and preliminary results indicate revealing new information on the origin of the Springs and their karstic origin.
Other Environmental Project Experience
Locating brine plumes in Texas and Louisiana from emanating oil and gas activities; locating pipes, drums, and underground storage tanks; locating of unexploded ordnance (UXO); groundwater-related projects; landfill delineation; foundation problems related to karstic limestone or clay; Right of Way (ROW) projects; geotechnical projects.
Professional Affiliations
Member of the Houston Geological Society (HGS)
Member of the Houston Geophysical Society (HGS)
Member of Austin Geological Society (AGS) – currently serves as Vice President
Publications and Presentations
Dr. Saribudak has published many articles in geological, geophysical and environmental journals and magazines since the 1990s. He has also made given numerous brown-bag presentations on the application of environmental geophysics for engineering and environmental companies and the oil and gas industry since late 1990s. He also contributed to the popular publication on Growth Faulting and Subsidence in the Houston, Texas Area.
He has also spoken at several national meetings on the application of geophysics to environmental problems:
Saribudak, M. 2016, “Near-Surface Geophysical Mapping of an Upper Cretaceous Submarine Volcanic Vent in Austin, Texas,” in The Leading Edge, November, pp. 986-994 (more)
Saribudak, M., Hauwert, N., Hawkins, Alf., 2013, Geophysical signatures of Barton Springs (Parthenia, Zenobia and Eliza) of the Edwards Aquifer, Austin, Texas: Carbonite and Evaporite, Springer Publication.
Saribudak, M., B. Hunt, and B. Smith, 2012, Resistivity imaging and natural potential applications to the Antioch Fault Zone in the Onion Creek / Barton Springs segment of the Edwards Aquifer, Buda, Texas: Gulf Coast Association of Geological Societies Transactions, v. 62, p. 411–421.
Saribudak, M., Hawkins, A., and Stoker, Kim, 2012, Do Air-Filled Caves Cause High Resistivity Anomalies? A Six-Case Study from the Edwards Aquifer Recharge Zone in San Antonio, Texas: Houston Geological Society Bulletin, May issue, p. 41-49.
Saribudak, M., 2011a, Geophysical Correlation of Haby Crossing Fault (Medina County) and Mt. Bonnell Fault (Travis County) and Their Implications on T-E Interconnection: Interconnection of the Trinity (Glen Rose) and Edwards Aquifers along the Balcones Fault Zone and Related Topics, Karst Conservation Initiative February 17, 2011 Meeting Proceedings Austin, Texas.
Saribudak, M., 2011b, Geophysical mapping of the Hockley growth fault in northwest Houston, USA, and recent surface observations: The Leading Edge (Society of Exploration Geophysics), February issue, p. 936-943.
Saribudak, M., 2011c, Urban geophysics: Geophysical signature of Mt. Bonnell Fault and its karstic features in Austin, Texas: Houston Geological Society Bulletin, October issue, p. 49-54.
Saribudak, M., 2011d, 2-D Resistivity Imaging Investigation of Long Point, Katy-Hockley, Tomball and Pearland Faults, Houston, Texas: Houston Geological Society Bulletin, November issue, p. 39-48.
Saribudak, M., 2011d, Geophysical signature of Haby Crossing Fault and its implication on Edwards recharge zone, Medina County, Texas: Houston Geophysical Society Bulletin, v. 54, p. 9–14.
Saribudak, M., 2010, Micro-resistivity and GPR surveys for locating thermal lines in limestone bedrock cuts: FastTimes, March issue, p. 46-48.
Chen, D. H, Si, Z., and Saribudak, M., 2009, Roadway Heaving Caused by High Organic Matter: Journal of Performance of Construction Facilities, ASCE., March/April issue, p. 100-108.
Saribudak, M., 2009, Don’t Mess with a Geophysicist’s House: A Case Study of Ground Penetrating Radar for Concrete Moisture Mapping and Void Detection in the Saturated Soil beneath the Concrete Foundation: FastTimes, December issue, p. 27-34.
Saribudak, M., Dunn, Allen, 2007, Top Five Reasons to Use Geophysics in Environmental Projects: FastTimes, June issue, p. 23-24.
Saribudak, M., 2007, Magnetic Surveys Keep Cost Down: FastTimes, September issue, p. 29.
Saribudak, M. and Nieuwenhuise, B.V., 2006, Integrated geophysical studies over an active growth fault in Houston: The Leading Edge (SEG), March issue, p. 332-334.
Saribudak, M., 1996, The cost benefit of near-surface geophysics: A case study: The Leading Edge, September issue, p. 1029-1031.
Saribudak, M. and D. H. Tarling, 1993, Archaeomagnetic Studies of the Urartian Civilization, Eastern Turkey, Antiquity 67/256 (September issue) p. 620-627.
Saribudak, M., 1991, Paleomagnetic constraints on the tectonic evolution of the Sakarya Continent, northwestern Anatolia—Reply: Tectonophysics, December issue, p. 317-319.
Saribudak, M., Sanver, M., Sengor, AMC., and Gorur, N., 1990, Palaeomagnetic evidence for substantial rotation of the Almacik flake within the North Anatolian Fault zone, NW Turkey: Geophysical Journal International, v. 102, p. 563-568.
Saribudak, M., 1989a, A paleomagnetic approach to the origin of Black Sea: Geophysical Journal International, v. 99, p. 247-251.
Saribudak, M., 1989b, New results and a palaeomagnetic overview of the Pontides in northern Turkey: Geophysical Journal International, v. 99, p. 521-531.
Saribudak, M., Sanver, M., and Ponat, E., 1989, Location of the western Pontides, NW Turkey, during Triassic time: preliminary palaeomagnetic results: Geophysical Journal International, v. 96, p. 43-50.
Feel free to contact us to discuss your project needs or to arrange a speaking engagement by one of our Associates for a professional training session, a technical conference, society meeting, or for a graduation ceremony or other function where the knowledge and experience of our Associates may be of interest to your group.
