Information-Seeking and Communication Behavior of Petroleum Geologists

Abstract

The petroleum industry has recently undergone considerable change due to the continuing conversion to a digital environment. These changes affect the way that petroleum geologists seek and communicate information in all areas of their work including the creation of prospects, well site work, development of petroleum fields, and keeping current with industry activity. The changes have affected all levels of communication, both within the company and between companies. Other changes in information-seeking and communication behavior are related to a greater emphasis on new technologies and unconventional resources and to various threats to geologic information. This paper provides an overview of the current information-seeking and communication behavior of geologists working for medium-to-large petroleum companies in the contiguous United States of America.

Key Words:

• Petroleum industry
• petroleum geologists
• information
• communication
• digital
• crude oil
• natural gas
• threats