“Oil company management has to understand that its business is essentially a technology business. It’s not a marketing business.”

In this episode of Seismic Soundoff, Andrew Geary speaks with Dr. Leon Thomsen about his memoir, “‘Surely You’re Joking, Mr. Thomsen!’: Adventures of a Petroleum Scientist,” and a career that helped redefine applied geophysics.

Leon reflects on the experiences that shaped his scientific mindset, from early exposure to field crews, to formative lessons in geology at Caltech, to decades of research in academia and industry. He explains how curiosity-driven exploration led him to recognize the importance of seismic anisotropy and shear-wave technology, work that ultimately carried trillion-dollar implications for hydrocarbon exploration.

The conversation also explores why transformative ideas often struggle inside large organizations, how a lack of technological literacy in management can lead to missed opportunities, and why applied science can be every bit as creative and demanding as pure research.

Looking ahead, Leon shares his perspective on the future of applied geophysics, including opportunities in fracking optimization, carbon sequestration monitoring, and subsurface hydrogen exploration, and offers encouragement to young scientists preparing to navigate the energy transition.

Key Takeaways

• Energy is a technology business: Long-term success depends on leadership that understands and trusts science, not just short-term metrics.
• Applied science is real science: Solving practical problems can be as intellectually challenging and rewarding as purely theoretical work.
• The next frontier is subsurface innovation: Geophysics will play a critical role in fracking efficiency, CO₂ monitoring, and hydrogen exploration during the energy transition.

Links

• Buy Leon’s memoir
• Buy his previous book, “Understanding Seismic Anisotropy in Exploration and Exploitation.”
• Read Leon’s award-winning article: “A logical error in Gassmann poroelasticity.”

Download this episode

Please visit this page to download this episode as an .MP3 file.

Show Credits

Andrew Geary at TreasureMint hosted, edited, and produced this episode. The SEG podcast team comprises Robin Dupre, Kathy Gamble, and Ally McGinnis. 

If you have episode ideas or feedback for the show or want to sponsor a future episode, email the show at [email protected].