In celebration of International Day of Women and Girls in Science and International Women’s Day, AAPG and MicroSeismic are showcasing interviews from successful women leaders in geoscience.
Michelle Dosey is a senior geologist for Occidental Petroleum. She began her career as a data engineer and unit supervisor at Schlumberger, before spending five years in various geologist roles at Anadarko Petroleum. She joined Occidental as a geologist in 2019 and has since received several promotions.
Dosey received her bachelor’s in science from the University of Washington and her master’s in science from University of Houston. Here is what she had to say about her time working in geoscience.
What is your favorite thing about your job?
“I greatly appreciate the community of geoscientists with whom I work at Oxy. We maintain an excellent work-life balance, and it is rewarding to be surrounded by colleagues who are passionate about development and exploration in the Gulf of Mexico.”
What has you most excited about working in the field of geoscience right now?
“Currently, I am working in development and exploration activities in the Gulf of Mexico, focusing on subsalt fields at depths ranging from approximately 22,000 to 29,000 feet TVDSS. A compelling aspect of my job involves utilizing advanced technologies, such as Ocean Bottom Node seismic surveys, to enhance our ability to map and assess our reservoirs. By analyzing these datasets, I can develop more precise geological models, which facilitate understanding resource ranges, optimizing well placement, and planning for secondary recovery techniques.”
What has been the most memorable project you have worked on and why?
“I collaborated with our in-house stratigrapher to update the depositional model of a widespread Lower Miocene reservoir by reinterpreting whole cores and high-resolution image logs. This was a very fun project where we integrated insights from consortia, published literature, and industry leaders over the past five years.”
What advice would you give to a young girl aspiring to become a geoscientist?
“Pursue your interests with confidence and be prepared to challenge yourself beyond your comfort zone. Geoscience is seeing a growing number of women entering the profession and offers a highly rewarding career path.”