HRD Talk

An interview with Dr. V. Raghavendra Rao, (Retd.) Superintendent Geologist ONGC, (Retd) Professor, Dept of Geology, University of Nigeria.

Can you briefly summarise your career as a geologist?

After working as an assistant professor in Mysore, I joined the Geological Survey of India. I got a scholarship to study in Australia at the University of Adelaide, where I specialised in the field of microscopic fossils, which has application in the field of oil exploration. I worked with ONGC at a senior level before I was involved with the University of Nigeria where I became a professor and established the petroleum geology department.

I was also a United Nations Fellow and spent some time in Holland, and Russia, and specialised in the area of aerial photo interpretation and petroleum exploration.

What are the job opportunities open to geologists?

In the field of petroleum exploration opportunities are available for geologists, geo physicists, chemists, petroleum reservoir physicists, petroleum production engineers and drilling engineers.

Presently the petroleum industry and the field of oil exploration is not a happening area for new entrants because ONGC has reached the point of stagnation where they are looking into cutting down their labour force and enforcing voluntary retirement schemes.

Other departments like the Geological Survey of India, Indian Bureau of Mines, the National Mineral Development Corporation, Coal India limited, the Neyveli Lignite Corporation, Atomic energy departments, Aluminum Corporation, and cement companies employ quite a few geologists.

One more area where there is good scope for employment in this field is geo- physical instrumentation. There is need for specialists who are basically physicists, geo-physicists and well acquainted with electronic and electric instrumentation. Most of our seismic data is computerised and there is a great need for computer specialists to assimilate data and monitor the information.

Private companies like Essar and Reliance have shown some interest in oil exploration in India in collaboration with foreign countries and when these projects come up, more job opportunities will be available.

What about job opportunities abroad?

The Oil and Natural Gas Corporation does have projects in Iraq, Tanzania, Malaysia and our scientists are placed there. However, in these projects the more experienced scientists are preferred and new entrants are generally not taken.

How can we optimise oil production in our country?

We have been actively exploring for oil only since 1956. In spite of more than 40 years of operations we are able to meet only one third of our requirements and so a major portion is imported.

With a little more effort we can increase our oil production and one important method, which can be used, is called the secondary recovery method. By natural pressure you can only extract around 30% of oil from a reservoir, but by applying artificial methods like pumping in some water or chemicals you can increase the production. So from an already existing reservoir we can maximise the rate of the oil extracted which has been known to even go up to 80%.

What about alternative sources of fuel and energy?

Natural gas is a very good form of fuel, which can be utilised and is environmentally friendly. Unless you can find a method to use the gas at the site itself you will have to store it. There is a difficulty of using it immediately on discovery whereas crude oil can be transported via, tankers, railway wagons and pipelines. Natural gas can also be transported through pipelines but the costs are very high and in India few projects are underway to effectively use this form of energy mainly for generation of electricity.

Other sources of energy like wind, is being harnessed in Tamil Nadu and wave energy is being exploited in Trivandrum. They alone however cannot meet our gigantic levels of energy consumption; they can only act as supplementary sources.

What are the reasons for so many accidents occurring during oil exploration?

This is a natural hazard associated with oil exploration as oil and natural gas are highly combustible and great precautions have to be taken while drilling. When the oil comes through the borehole there are a lot of metal instruments around it and even the smallest spark can create an explosive oil fire. Every oil field has its own team of fire fighters and the necessary equipments for containing the fire.

Oil fire experts are few in number around the world and will always be needed.

MALINI SURYANARAYANAN