ABSTRACT: Nuturing the Geology-Reservoir Engineering Team: Vital for Efficient Oil and Gas Recovery

K. P. Sessions, D. H. Lehman

Of an estimated 482 billion bbl (76.6 Gm³) of in-place oil discovered in the United States, 158 billion (25.1 Gm³) can be recovered with existing technology and economic conditions. The cost-effective recovery through infill drilling and enhanced oil recovery methods to recover any portion of the remaining 323 billion bbl (51.4 Gm3) will require a thorough understanding of reservoirs and the close cooperation of production geologists and reservoir engineers.

This paper presents the concept of increased interaction between geologists and reservoir engineers through multifunctional teams and cross-training between the disciplines. A discussion of several factors supporting this concept is covered, including educational background, technical manpower trends, employee development, and job satisfaction. There are several ways from an organizational standpoint to achieve this cross-training, with or without a formal change in job assignment. This paper outlines three approaches, including case histories where each of the approaches has been implemented and the resulting benefits.

AAPG Search and Discovery Article #91003©1990 AAPG Annual Convention, San Francisco, California, June 3-6, 1990