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Gee I hope this comes through with text... Una Smith says, >So do I, for the same reasons. For nearly a generation, paleontology >was an important tool used by stratigraphic geologists. Now, that tool >has been largely replaced by others, and stratigraphy also appears to >be in decline (at least on the better-known continents). This trend >seems particularly clear in the publication record of paleopalynology. >The history of paleontology at Yale reflects this: the concentration >of paleontology faculty has shifted over time from biology to geology >and now appears to be heading back to biology again. ARGH (strangling sounds). NO! there is no replacement for the biostratigraphic tool. Those of us who have managed to hang on in the oil industry have been struggling to re-insert our science into the exploration and production business since the low ebb of interest in the early '90s and we are begining (in this shop anyway to have some impact). New computer generated displays are partially responsible for this begining renisance also contact with the geological/geophysical staff. After hiding behind our microscopes for a generation we are emerging to show that the biostratigraphic tool, when applied properly, is just as fast, as accurate (if not more so) and considerably cheaper than competing technology. On the Gulf Coast the major controling factor is not demand but the number of people looking down the microscope. The number is not easily increased as only industry experience can really prepare someone to do the job. Major oil companies have trimmed staff to the point that in most cases scope work must be done by consultants. No new people are being broken in there. Consultants, for the most part are content to have as much work as they can handle. Nobody is paying them to train anybody. So we have a logjam. There are certan services (biosteering for example) that I am not even attempting to sell to my customers because I know the manpower for such labor intensive work does not exist. There is a problem here in industry but it is much more complex tha it appears on the surface. Mike ======================================================================= | Michael J. Styzen Phone: (504) 588-4308 | | Shell Offshore Inc. Room: OSS-3202 | | P.O. Box 61933 Email: mstyzen@shellus.com | | New Orleans LA 70161 | =======================================================================
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