Digital Geochemistry: AI Unearths Earth's Secrets

A Visionary Approach to Earth's Hidden Resources

In a world increasingly shaped by artificial intelligence, one innovator is applying this transformative force not just to algorithms and screens—but to the very ground beneath our feet. Denis Krysanov, a Finnish entrepreneur and visionary technologist, is redefining how we explore Earth’s natural resources. As the founder of Heologic Group, Krysanov is leading a quiet revolution in energy discovery through a breakthrough approach called Digital Geochemistry—a data-driven method that’s transforming how we detect and understand what lies beneath the surface.

The Genesis of an Innovation

Krysanov’s journey into the world of geoscience and AI-powered exploration began in Finland, where he initially worked in the technology sector—representing and integrating advanced solutions for the oil and gas industry. While this gave him a strong foundation, he quickly realized that promoting other companies’ technologies wasn’t enough. He wanted to create something of his own—something capable of redefining how we explore the Earth.

Over the years, he evaluated and tested dozens of cutting-edge innovations from around the world. What struck him most was how disconnected traditional exploration methods were from the real potential of automation and AI. He became convinced that the key to the future lay in decoding subtle geochemical signals—especially helium gas emissions from the subsurface—and combining them with deep geological, geophysical, and machine learning systems.

That conviction led to the founding of Heologic. Our mission is clear: to make the subsurface intelligent—delivering faster, more accurate, and more sustainable exploration through high-precision data and digital geochemistry. What once took years and millions of dollars can now be done better, faster, and with far less environmental impact.

Understanding Digital Geochemistry

Digital Geochemistry is a complete rethinking of how we explore natural resources. Traditional geochemical exploration relies on physical sampling, lab testing, and often suffers from signal degradation and delays. Our method uses real-time helium gas flux detection at the surface, AI-powered anomaly recognition, and advanced geoscientific modeling. Instead of waiting weeks for lab results, we process geochemical signals instantly. The result is a high-resolution view of what’s happening underground—whether it's hydrocarbons, lithium brines, geothermal heat, or natural hydrogen.

We call it a new language of the Earth—where gases like helium act as messengers that, when decoded correctly, reveal resource-rich zones without invasive drilling.

The Helium Guy

Many people now know Krysanov as “The Helium Guy.” This nickname came about after they began proving that helium anomalies—previously overlooked—could accurately indicate the presence of oil and gas. This helped major operators reduce dry well rates and save millions. But helium isn't just a proxy for hydrocarbons. It's also vital in its own right for medical imaging, space tech, and semiconductors. We’re helping companies find helium reserves as a standalone resource too.

Industry Recognition and Growth

Heologic has gained significant traction. In 2024, we were honored to be named one of Darcy Partners’ Top 10 Most Innovative Companies in Geoscience for Energy. That recognition was a proud milestone for us, especially given how respected Darcy is for identifying real breakthroughs—not just hype. But for me, even more important than accolades is the tangible validation we’ve seen in the field.

We’ve now worked with operators across multiple continents—helping them accelerate discoveries, cut down on exploration costs, and significantly reduce the environmental footprint of early-stage operations. Using our methodology, we have already surveyed over 42,000 square kilometers worldwide—and the demand for our services continues to grow.

Over the years, we have collected more than 50 million rows of helium subsoil flux data, making us the proud owners of the world’s largest helium database—covering both onshore and offshore environments. This unparalleled dataset serves as an ideal foundation for training and refining our AI platforms, enabling even greater precision and predictive power in future exploration efforts.

Expanding to the Marine Environment

The idea of extending helium-based surveying technology to the marine environment was born out of necessity. Traditional marine geochemical methods were simply not providing actionable data for helium, which is extremely volatile and escapes rapidly. During one offshore project, we attempted classic sampling approaches but quickly realized they couldn’t detect helium reliably. That failure pushed me to rethink everything. I asked myself—why not build an onboard lab that could extract and analyze helium directly from water samples in real time? That simple idea evolved into a full-fledged innovation: a high-precision, automated marine helium detection system.

This system allows us to “see” invisible anomalies from hydrocarbon traps below the seafloor. It turned out to be a game-changer.

Reducing Uncertainty in Offshore Exploration

Our system provides early, non-invasive insights into subsurface fluid migration—something operators usually only learn after drilling. By detecting helium anomalies directly above potential traps, we give companies the ability to prioritize prospects or even de-risk seismic interpretations. In blind tests our offshore helium surveys predicted drilling outcomes with up to 100% accuracy. That kind of precision dramatically cuts unnecessary exploration wells, accelerates decision-making, and can save tens of millions in offshore budgets.

Publications and Knowledge Sharing

Yes, in fact, I felt it was important to document our offshore breakthroughs in detail, which led to the publication of High-Precision Marine Helium Surveys last year. This book represents a major milestone—not just for our team, but for the broader geoscience and marine exploration communities. It compiles years of field experience and research, including projects we’ve executed in the Caspian Sea, the South China Sea, and other complex offshore environments.

A New Book on Digital Geochemistry

Absolutely. Digital Geochemistry: The New Language of the Earth is the culmination of more than a decade of hands-on research, field innovation, and deep scientific inquiry. In many ways, it’s both a manifesto and a roadmap — a reflection of where exploration science has come from, and more importantly, where it needs to go.

Professional Involvement and Thought Leadership

I’ve been involved in multiple professional societies over the years. Early on, I was part of a respected consortium where I evaluated hundreds of innovations for oil and gas development. Those evaluations had significant market impact, guiding this organization into successful international strategies.

Currently, I am a member of the Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE), a global organization that promotes technological advancement across the upstream oil and gas industry. I’ve been invited to serve as a Director in one of the regional sections, with a focus on AI and innovation.

Grants and Funding

Yes, we’ve worked hard over the years to promote and localize our technology. Most recently, our Kazakhstan-based team, with my full support and guidance, secured a major grant of more than 0.5M USD from the National Science Fund to commercialize our innovations. This grant will allow us to scale operations in a country that urgently needs new discoveries.

Marketing and Community Engagement

Our approach to marketing is rooted in thought leadership and community engagement rather than traditional advertising. We’re introducing a fundamentally new way of thinking about exploration—so the real work lies in education, trust-building, and inspiring confidence in our vision.

Future Business Plans

Our business is growing rapidly, and we’re scaling globally. At this stage, we’re seeing a significant surge in demand for our services across South America, the Middle East, Asia, and North America. Based on current momentum and project pipelines, we expect to increase our revenue by a factor of five within the next year.

The U.S. market is especially exciting. With renewed interest in domestic production, our solution offers a cost-effective way to explore conventional reservoirs. Compared to unconventional production, our break-even costs are significantly lower. We have some companies interested in investing 150M US dollars into exploration of natural resources in the USA where our helium-based Digital Geochemistry will play a significant role.

We’re also expanding our offshore services. Marine helium surveys are increasingly seen as essential tools for de-risking offshore plays. More and more, our method is viewed not as a nice-to-have, but as a must-have for modern offshore exploration.

At Heologic, we’re not just building a company. We’re building a digital tool for understanding the language of the Earth. And we’re inviting the entire industry to help us speak it.