Re: best seismic interpreters
A few days after I posted my reply on this topic it occured to me that perhaps the answer depended on what kinds of questions the seismic interpreter is being asked.
For the brief time I worked in the field structure was the essential question - was there a bump there or not? But then velocity inversions came in and the questions began to change to is there or is there not gas in these rocks, and later while I was looking for a job either as a geologist or as a geophysicist one of my interviews was with a fellow who was trying to follow channels using 2D (1982).
If structure or some physical attribute of the section (velocity changes, phase changes, etc) is the question then I would go with the geophysicst with a strong background in data acquisition and processing. And especially if the question is does this change in signal attribute represent something real in the rocks or is it an artifact of the processing.
But if the question is one of stratigraphy or stratitgrahic variation over an area and/or depth range then I think the geologist might have the upper hand, particularly if they have had a lot of outcrop experience in sedimentary rocks deposited in the type of environment being postulated.
Those are just my thoughts. But having been out of the field so long I am curious about what kinds of questions the seismic interpreters are being asked now and if my thoughts make any sence to those of you still in the business.
Darryl