A Life in Geology Is an Adventure
A Life in Geology Is an Adventure
Dave Cantrellโs original ambition in life was to be Indiana Jones. Rather than archeology, however, he chose geology, earning a bachelorโs degree from UT in 1979, followed by a masterโs degree in 1982. His choice still allowed him to work in and travel to interesting and exotic locations, plus he contributed to developing a better understanding of some of the worldโs most signi๏ฌcant hydrocarbon accumulations.
Cantrell discovered what he calls the โjoy of carbonatesโ while pursuing his masterโs degree under Ken Walker. โThe pursuit of these most interesting of rocks and sediments has in many ways guided my steps and shaped my career for the next 35 years,โ Cantrell said.
He started as a research and production geologist at Exxon, where he conducted reservoir characterization and geological modeling studies on reservoirs in the Middle East; the Permian, Powder River, Williston, and Gulf of Mexico Basins of the USA; and the Maracaibo and Barinas Basins of Venezuelaโamong others.
After 15 years with Exxon, he accepted a position with the Saudi Arabian Oil Company (Aramco), and lived in Saudi Arabia for the next 20 years. There, he studied several large carbonate ๏ฌelds (including the Ghawar ๏ฌeld, the largest oil ๏ฌeld in the world), and led geologic research and development for Aramco for eight years.
During this time, he also completed a PhD at the University of Manchester in England. Toward the end of his time with Aramco, he also served as a professor and associate director for a new college sponsored by Saudi Aramco, the College of Petroleum Engineering and Geosciences at King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals. There, Cantrell discovered that he enjoyed working with and mentoring young people in the art and science of geological reservoir characterization, modeling, and reservoir quality prediction.
After o๏ฌcially retiring in mid-2017, he returned to Tennessee and started a small consulting company. Cantrell also began a tenure as an adjunct professor at Stanford University, as well as engagements as part of the UT Alumni Board and as a citizen scientist with a number of nonpro๏ฌts.
Even in retirement, his adventure continues.
