Welcome to Petroleum Geology Forums

What a great forum...Hi everybody,

I am looking for advice.

I graduated from a university on the east coast (USA) in May of 2011 with a MS in Geology, concentration Geophysics.

I started in May 2011 at a consulting firm performing near surface geophysics surveys, however I would like to transition into the oil and gas industry doing seismic data processing. My thesis involved data processing of underwater acoustic signals using Matlab. Unfortunately I don't have any oil and gas experience, what would be the best way for me to gain experience?

Should I sign up for some Seismic Data Processing short courses.......

My goal is to get a job as an Onboard Processing Geophysicist. During my thesis I completed a couple research cruises and really enjoyed them.

Thanks for any advice,

Kyle

[color=#408040]Hello Kyle.
Its good to know you are keenly interested in becoming a Seismic Processing Expert.
Somehow you seem to have started well by starting your working career with a Company that does Surface Seismic Acquisition.
As for me, for a young Graduate like you hoping to make a career in Seismic Processing, it is better for you firstly to have a solid foundation in Seismic acquisition before moving on to Processing.
In short, my advice is this.
Try and get employed with an Oil & Gas Seismic data Acquisition Company (the likes of Western Geco, PGS, Grant Norpac, TGS, BGP and the rest), and with the knowledge and experience you must have acquired there, move on to Processing. The interesting thing here is that most of these Seismic Acquisition Contractors have Seismic Processing Subsidiaries so it will be easier for you to transfer your Services to such sister Company.
The truth of the matter is that a Processor with a good Acquisition background will always deliver a better processed data than one without Field experience. Data do come to the Processing Centre with recording errors (some caused by Crew Personnel and some due to natural unavoidable Field conditions) and it 'll take a Processor with good Field experience to be able to analyse and resolve such as practicably possible.
Wish you good luck.
Dipo