There is no doubt that women are starting to excel in the workforce and they are excelling everywhere. Baker Creative interviewed a woman who is involved in the process of drilling wells for natural gas.
Lydia Sinemus is a Senior Geologist in the natural gas industry. She has a Bachelor of Science in geology and a Master’s degree in environmental science. When we conducted the interview she told us there are not many women in this industry, but the opportunity for them in this line of work is growing.
Lydia has been drilling in Virginia for four and a half years and has been in the industry for almost 20.
Baker Creative (BC): “What exactly does a senior geologist do?”
Lydia Sinemus (LS): “My job is to find areas to drill. My team and I do this by studying other wells and mapping locations to find the gas-bearing formations. Since the target formation is one mile underground it takes a lot of research to make sure we have the right spot.”
BC: “What are your top challenges and how do you deal with them?”
LS: “I would have to say gathering information and the time constraints. Making sure every detail is correct is very important so that we can find the right spots to drill. The time constraints are mostly because we drill in the spring and summer so we have the fall and winter to get ready. During these months we do all of our research to get ready for drilling season.”
BC: “How do you believe you help grow the business?”
LS: “When the wells are successfully drilled. If they’re not successful, I haven’t done my job. I am also a part of the PR committee which works to educate communities about natural gas and all of its benefits.”
BC: “What do you think people take for granted about your job?”
LS: “I think some people believe we just grab a rig and start to dig. They do not realize how much work and how long it takes to do background research on the drilling. It takes 6 to 8 months to do the research and get prepared.”
BC: “What are the two things that need improved in the business?”
LS: “I believe every company can always be improving on communication and that goes for our company as well. Internal communication is very important. There are many steps to starting a drilling job and if something is not communicated correctly it can really mess with the process. Also, external communication, even though everyone is doing a great job with getting the word out about natural gas it can always improve. Natural gas is such a great story, we really need to spread the word!”
BC: “If budget were not an issue, what is something you would want to perform the job better?”
LS: “We do use high-quality technology. There is seismic and micro-seismic technology out there that captures pictures of rock underground through waves when the ground is struck. These waves are made by using a thumper truck to hit the ground. Companies use this technology, but it is a little hard for us because of the abundance of coal mines in the area. Since there is space underground because of the coal mines, the waves are not as accurate so we do not use this technology.”
BC: “How does your contribution make a difference?”
LS: “My team and I help find successful areas to drill. If our jobs did not exist, it may be a little hard to find the correct land spots to drill on. Each year our results are better and better so I believe that makes a difference.”
Lydia is a great example of women who are working hard to be in a man’s field. These jobs are growing all over the country and the demand is high. We would like to thank Lydia Sinemus for taking us through the life of a Senior Geologist.
