In August 2024 around 7,000 people, notably geologists from 121 countries, gathered in South Korea for the 37th International Geological Congress to deliberate policies, science and technology related to strategic minerals, nuclear power, planetary geology and carbon neutrality. Geoscience skills acquisition has faltered worldwide, but the growing popularity of these meetings – Spain will host the fifth International Professional Geology Conference in November 2025 – is improving the public perception and drawing prospective geoscientists to the field. Education tie-ups, on-the-job training and state incentives also help firms unearth and develop talent.
Global focus
Shortage of geoscientists puts energy firms under pressure
The Global North's geoscience workforce is ageing as tertiary-level geology education is waning, with firms between a rock and a hard place
People: Social & Governance impacts
Energy (all industries)
AT A GLANCE
Energy firms rely on the world’s dwindling geoscience workforce – over 400,000, the UN estimates – to identify and sustainably use the Earth’s resources at minimal cost, decarbonise, and curb supply chain, environmental and labour risks.
Education, on-the-job training and state incentives can build this workforce.
Technology will gradually ease geoscience skills shortages.
Education tie-ups
Energy majors, like BP and Chevron, often fund scholarships and field trips for students pursuing tertiary-level geoscience education. ConocoPhillips, Shell and Repsol, among others, provide funding, access to sites, instructors, and insight into geoscientists’ work to GeoFORCE programme students of the Jackson School of Geosciences at The University of Texas. Chevron geologists share knowledge on technology and local geology via guest lectures, seminars and publications in university journals.
On-the job training
Many firms upskill employees’ geoscience capabilities. Since 2013 more than 156 new employees have built geology and geophysics expertise via a mix of educative courses, fieldwork and mentorship under Saudi Aramco’s 18-month Geoscience Train programme, Shell’s three-year geoscience graduate programme – a blend of on-the-job development, structured training and fieldwork – enables employees to be part of a current technical project’s team, rotate between roles and work with senior technical experts.
State incentives
The American Geosciences Institute projects the US will face a deficit of 130,000 geoscientists by 2029. State incentives can narrow such shortfalls. Institutional grants are provided under the US government’s Funding for Accelerated, Inclusive Research programme to expand the US geoscience talent pool. The Federal Skilled Worker programme prioritises awarding permanent residency in Canada to geoscientists, oceanographers and geological engineers with adequate foreign work experience.
Tectonic technological shifts
Technology can ease geoscience skills shortages. Repetitive tasks, like geoscience image cropping, data entry and spatial continuity, are increasingly being automated. TotalEnergies’ Pangea supercomputers are used for geoscience computations and simulation as part of carbon capture and geological storage projects and wind-farm design. ExxonMobil has supported Stanford University researchers in developing a machine-learning framework for carbon storage modelling that enables real-time modelling.
FURTHER READING
- Geoscience in action: advancing sustainable development (UNESCO)
- Geoscience solutions for sustainable offshore wind development (Earth Science Systems and Society)
- Real-time high-resolution CO2 geological storage prediction (Energy & Environmental Science)