A wellsite geologist monitors drilling operations on the site of an oil or gas well and offers advice on how to proceed. This person collects and analyzes well material samples, provides advice to on-site personnel, and submits reports to geologists at the company’s headquarters. The wellsite geologist is also a member of the health and safety monitoring team, alerting people to potential hazards so they can adjust their activities. People who work in this field typically have a geology degree as well as extensive experience in the oil and gas industry.
When an oil and gas company begins drilling in a particular area, a wellsite geologist is dispatched to the location to assist. She’ll go over documents from the time of oil and gas exploration, including surface testing results. She analyzes rock and mud samples as the drill is sunk into the borehole. This data is used to create a profile of the formation into which the company is drilling. The geologist can help you decide how and where to drill, as well as when to stop.
The wellsite geologist is in an excellent position to spot potential safety issues. If he notices anything that concerns him, such as hazardous substances in the samples, he should discuss it with the foreperson and other drilling crew members. The geologist provides technical guidance on safely accessing the formation and controlling site conditions to keep crew members safe while also protecting expensive drilling equipment.
This crew member keeps meticulous records of the drilling process, including all samples analyzed and events that occur during the process. This information becomes part of the well’s documentation and can be useful when analyzing productivity, shutting down a well, or performing other tasks. In the event of an accident, the logs will be among the materials examined by a safety inspector in order to learn more about the accident’s circumstances. Logs may reveal irresponsible behavior and serve as the basis for a lawsuit, or they may demonstrate that the company took all reasonable precautions during drilling.
People who want to work as wellsite geologists need a geology degree and may want to concentrate on oil and gas exploration while in school. They should take advantage of internship and training opportunities while in college to gain experience. A prospective wellsite geologist can apply to an oil and gas company after graduation. Positions will typically begin with a junior rank to allow people to train under the supervision of someone with experience, with the goal of eventually being able to supervise on-site geology at their own wells.