Skills for Future Petroleum Geologists
The American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG) is an international organization of 30,000 members located in 125 countries. We provide members and geoscience students with a wide range of journals, services and programs. Many of the programs cover training and education. One of the services provided is the Visiting Geoscientist Program (VGP). This offers faculties and students in geoscience departments with the opportunity to have practicing petroleum geoscientists visit schools and present papers on a wide range of general or specialist topics.
As part of this program, one of our members, Dr. Chris Heath, has surveyed 88 North American and European oil companies to find out exactly what skills young petroleum geoscientists need today. The survey covered 41 sub-disciplines of geology and geophysics, as well as about a hundred other skills related to computer science, mathematics, non-technical topics, soft skills and other related fields.
By tabulating the data and adding a text, VGP has produced the attached summary which outlines the skills that those wishing to become petroleum geoscientists need to acquire. The information is offered for your consideration and may augment, not replace, advice provided by faculty. Since geoscience departments play a crucial role in preparing geology and geophysics students for careers in our industry, we thought that you might be interested in the information Dr. Heath has collected.
Dr. Heath has carried out similar studies covering the mining industry, mining and oil service companies, and to a lesser extent geoscience-based public sector and environmental organizations. Should you be interested in these data please refer to the following papers:
- Heath, C.P.M., 2000a, The technical and non-technical skills needed by Canadian-based mining companies: Journal of Geoscience Education, v. 48, n. 1, January, p. 5-18 (also covers the mining service industry).
- Heath, C.P.M., 2002a, Technical, non-technical and other skills needed by Canadian mining, petroleum and public organizations: Journal of the Geological Association of Canada, v. 29, n. 1, March, p. 21-34 (also covers the environmental sector).
Please feel free to contact Dr. Heath for further information on the surveys.
Download or view the Skills Survey[PDF format only]