Christopher Dorion
Senior Geoscientist
My passion sits in the intersection of geoscience and computer science
As our world and with it the energy industry transitions into a digital era, we end up accumulating massive amounts of data about the subsurface, and some datasets span over a century of near continuous data collection. We are also making more quantitative measures and models based on that data, which really evokes some unique problems when combining the worlds of geoscience and data science. Add to it that these datasets will span into the petabytes in total size, hardware performance, file access, and data processing optimization becomes essential. I am currently engaged in addressing these problems through implementing standards in data centralization and synchronization across multiple geoscience softwares, as well as applying machine learning concepts to our uniquely complex datasets.
3D Reservoir model construction
Geostatistics can almost be thought of as a proto-data science in the field of geology. We take large amounts of data, standardize them, and use them to make inferences about the behavior of the subsurface, including assessing uncertainty in a semi-automated fashion.
I am an experienced industry geoscientist specializing in data driven, integrated 3D reservoir model construction. My models use all available geological, geophysical, and petrophysical data to constrain parameters as much as possible, while using geostatistical tools to characterize reservoir uncertainty. These models are designed from the ground up with automation in mind; as new data are collected, the model will incorporate them at the click of a button.
As a trusted geosciences workflow advisor across many major companies around the world, I have a proven technical track record in multidisciplinary projects.
What I’ve done and what I’m doing
I have been involved with many projects throughout North America. Click on a sedimentary basin below to learn more.
Note that due to multiple signed NDAs, I can only go into some light details for select projects. If you would like to know more, please contact me
What I can do
Actively working in the energy industry for over 17 years, I have fostered an extensive skillset surrounding subsurface reservoir characterization.
Domain Skills
Technology Skills
Who I’ve done them for
For over 17 years I have had the fortune to work with many diverse groups of professionals across the planet. From data migrations, to geomodel building, to software and geoscience training, each group has taught me something, and the conclusion of each project a personal achievement in its own right.
Work History:
Geocomputing Group (2024-Present)
Integration Consultant
Denver Colorado, United States
Consults with clients around the globe in geoscience software infrastructure, geoscience workflows, and data management/migration solutions for software including but not limited to Petrel, Studio, Kingdom, Petra, HampsonRussell, DecisionSpace, and OpenWorks. Also establishing the technical direction of our OSDU® Data Platform implementation, and integrating Machine Learning/Automation into the RiVA Platform.
SLB (2015-2024)
Senior Geoscientist
Denver Colorado, United States
Supported and advised the North American geoscience communities in Petrel and Studio software suites, with a focus on data integration and geocellular modeling projects. Acted as technical lead in SLB geomodeling projects across North America. Organized and implemented multi-asset scale data migrations and deployments, including data restructuring, hardware/software configuration, and training of technical staff. Also taught fully customized courses in Petrel, Studio, and Applied Geostatistics throughout the world using in-house data .
SLB (2010-2015)
Geoscientist
Denver Colorado, United States
Supported the Colorado, California, and Alaska geoscience communities in Petrel and Studio workflows. Traveled extensively to deliver in-house on-site support for introductory to advanced methods in Geology and Geophysics, and in-turn learned from some of the best geoscientists in the industry. Taught introductory and intermediate courses in Petrel and Studio.
SLB (2007-2010)
Support Geologist
Houston Texas, United States
My introduction to the Energy Industry. Worked helpdesk support in Petrel and GeoFrame software suites on Geology workflows. Assisted clients the Houston geoscience community in on-site support, and taught introductory Petrel training courses in geology and geophysics.
Western Colorado University (2005-2007)
Tutor/TA/Field tech
Gunnison Colorado, United States
Assisted students in the laboratory, graded homework assignments, acted as van operator and safety officer in the field for a variety of classes including Applied Geophysics, Sedimentology and Stratigraphy, Physical Geology, and Igneous/Metamorphic Petrology.
Also assisted students with a variety of mathematics and physics related homework problems in the tutoring center. Focused on algebra, probability and statistics, calculus (single and multivariable), mathematical modeling, and general physics.
Clients for whom I have delivered products and services include:
How I learned to do them
Education
Bachelors in Geology
Petroleum emphasis
minors in mathematics and physics
Western Colorado University
2003-2007
Build-it: Geosciences
fixed-step training program
SLB-NExT
2007-2011
Certifications and other training
Fundamentals of Petroleum Geostatistics
Dr. Clayton Deutsch; University of Alberta Centre for Computational Geostatistics
Reservoir Geomechanics
Dr. Mark Zoback; Stanford School of Earth, Energy & Environmental Sciences (Through Stanford Online; formerly the Lagunita platform)
Python for Everybody Specialization
Dr. Charles Severance; University of Michigan School of Information
(hosted through Coursera)
Core Designer Certificate
Dataiku Academy
ML Practitioner Certificate
Dataiku Academy
Advanced Designer Certificate
Dataiku Academy
Introduction to Data Science Specialization
Dr. Pooja Bagane; IBM
Geographic Information Systems Specialization
Dr. Nicholas Santos; University of California, Davis Center for Watershed Sciences (hosted through Coursera)
Project Management Principles and Practices Specialization
Margaret Meloni; University of California, Irving (hosted through Coursera)
Instructor level certifications for 13 classes
NExT training
Current development:
- Dataiku Machine Learning Operations Practitioner
- IBM Data Science Professional Certificate
Groups I am involved with
Professional
American Association of Petroleum Geologists
Member (2010-present)
American Institute of Professional Geologists
Member (2010-present)
Rocky Mountain Association of Geologists
Member (2010-present)
Civic
Colorado 14ers Initiative
Peak Steward (2018-present)
American Homebrewer’s Association
Member (2012-present)
Community Shares of Colorado
Charity Homebrewer (2017-Present)
Colorado Collaborative Foster Care
Foster dad (2019-present)
Presentations, Papers, and Patents
Kristensen, Morten; Dubost, Fransois Xavier; Dorion, Christopher; Mullins, Oliver C. Method for De-risking Reservoir Architecture through simulation of fluid charge. U.S. Patent 63/515379, filed July 25, 2023. Provisional patent.
Ruiz, E., Thilbodeaux, B., Dorion, C.S., Mukisa, H., Faskhoodi, M., Hakim, B., Garcia, G., Xu, W., Betancourt, S., Canas, J., Messonnier, T., Mullins, O., Integrated Rock and Fluid Workflow to Optimize Geomodeling and History Matching, SPE Annual Technical Conference and Exhibition, Dubai, UAW, September 2021., doi 10.2118/206299-MS
Logal, S.K., LaBarre, E., Dorion, C.S., Clarke, P.R., Jamaluddin, M.A., Hartley, A., 2020, Predicting Fluvial Reservoir Facies by Upscaling Seismic Inversion with 3D Geocellular Modeling: Pinedale Field Case Study; Unconventional Resources Technology Conference, doi 10.15530/urtec-2020-2123
Schukla, P.,Xu, L., Dorion, C.S., Paddock, D., Utech, R., Swager, L., Nikoleava, A., 2019, Digital Solutions to Optimize Stacked Play Development in Delaware Basin- A Step Change in Multi-disciplinary Value Creation to a customer, Schlumberger 2019 Reservoir Symposium.
Ma, Y.Z., Gomez, E., Phillips, D., Dorion, C., Moore, W.R. Simpson’s Paradox in Evaluating and Developing Unconventional Resources. In Proceedings of the IAMG Annual Conference, State College, PA, USA,10–16 August 2019
Li, S., Zhang, Ye., Ma, Y.Z., Dorion, C.S., Daly, C., Zhang, T., 2018, A comparative study of reservoir modeling techniques and their impact on predicted performance of fluvial-dominated deltaic reservoirs: Discussion, AAPG Bulletin, v.102, no. 8, p. 1659-1663, doi 10.1306/0108181613516519
Dorion, C.S. 2016, Multipoint Facies Simulation Explained or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Training Image, Schlumberger Integrated Solutions Tech Talk.