The Grizzled Geologist Podcast

🎙 Author of 'American Heat Engine', Kent J. Williamson on the Hidden History of HydrocarbonsIn this episode, I sit down with Kent J. Williamson, author of American Heat Engine: Hydrocarbons and the Power of the United States. We talk through the sweeping, untold story of coal, oil, and natural gas. From Native American uses of seeps to the rise of manufactured gas, the shale revolution, an...

In this episode of The Grizzled Geologist Podcast, I sit down with Robert “Bo” McCue, founder of Raptor Consulting, to talk about the state of wellsite geology, geosteering, and mud logging in today’s oilfield. We get into the economics, the loss of skilled labor, and why the industry needs to start valuing geologists and field crews the way they deserve. Bo shares his path from a fresh geology gr...

In this episode of The Grizzled Geologist Podcast, I sit down with Scott Casso, owner of Casso Land & Imaging, to talk about how a small, family-run company is modernizing courthouse document imaging across Oklahoma and beyond. Scott shares how his team works county by county to digitize decades of land records, making them accessible to landmen, attorneys, oil and gas operators, and more. We...

🎙️ Reservoir engineer Wyatt Wick joins the show for a walkthrough of what it actually takes to find, evaluate, and monetize oil and gas assets. From subsurface fundamentals to boardroom economics. We cover it all:✔️ The role of reservoir engineers in valuation✔️ How Wyatt built a successful Bakken drilling venture from scratch✔️ The science behind core analysis, NMR, and petrophysics✔️ Type curves...

Chantel Maybach brings big energy to this episode. Sharing her wild ride from teaching high school and fronting a rock band to working for an oilfield service company - Columbine Corp. We talk about Alaskan roots, the value of communication in geoscience services, and how falling backward into this industry sometimes lands you exactly where you’re meant to be.#storytime #oilandgas #grizzledgeologi...

🎙️ I sit down with Shane Quimby of Borehole Seismic, LLC to break down the science and story behind microseismic, fiber optics, and vertical seismic profiling (VSP). With nearly 30 years in the seismic game, Shane shares how this tech has evolved. From its early days at Pinnacle to today's smarter, tighter applications in the Permian and beyond. We cover real-world use cases (including a share...

In this episode, I sit down with my longtime friend and geophysicist Mark Aisenberg to talk about everything from oilfield processing workflows to a potential breakthrough in near-surface seismic imaging. Mark has worked for some of the biggest names in the business—Chesapeake, AEP, White Star—and now spends his time drilling his own vertical prospects and thinking way outside the box. We go deep...

Dr. Sarah Compton brings the heat in this episode—laying out what it’s like to balance PhD work, motherhood, and a career in subsurface geology. From pulling all-nighters with a newborn to mapping complex structural plays in the Mid-Con and beyond, Sarah’s story is one of grit, brainpower, and relentless drive. We talk about what it takes to stand out as a geosteerer, how she taught herself StarSt...

Josh Case joins The Grizzled Geologist Podcast to talk about something deeper than drilling: mental health, sobriety, and the courage to start over. From flare gas Bitcoin mining and tokenized infrastructure to his personal journey through addiction, recovery, and rebuilding purpose, this episode spans energy, entrepreneurship, and emotional transformation. We talk about:Flare gas-powered crypto m...

In this electrifying episode of The Grizzled Geologist Podcast, Keith Cardon sits down with engineer and visionary, Galyn Black to talk about a radical new idea: transforming oilfield brine into valuable CO₂ bricks and industrial commodities. From saltwater disposal headaches to chemical innovations that could change the game, this episode dives deep into:The origin of the CO₂ brick ideaHow brine...

In this episode of The Grizzled Geologist, I sit down with longtime friend and mentor Jim Bucci—a geologist with over 40 years of experience across Oklahoma, international basins, and frontier exploration zones. We dive into Oswego lime fairways, the Cherokee shale resurgence, and how legacy fields still hold massive upside potential with the right data and strategy. Jim shares war stories from We...

Dr. Michael Feinstein joins The Grizzled Geologist Podcast to break down the realities of mineral exploration — from field mapping and drill targeting to international capital markets and supply chain chaos. This episode is a full masterclass on:🔎 What it means to be an exploration geologist🧠 The difference between mining and mineral exploration (and how it's nothing like oil & gas)💰 Ho...

In this episode, we bring on veteran company man Matt Leverett to talk shop about the real-world dynamic between drillers and geologists. With 20+ years of experience in the field, Matt breaks down the importance of clear communication, the role of a company man, and how geosteerers and drillers can work better together—especially in high-pressure environments like WEHLU and the Anadarko Basin. We...

Kevin Banks has been logging wells since before most of us were born—literally. In this episode, we sit down with one of the most experienced mud loggers in the Mid-Con to talk about the early days of pressure control, how the role has evolved, and what it really takes to last half a century in the field. From picking bits with a calculator the size of a brick to monitoring blowouts and mapping fa...

“Your Favorite Structural Geologist” joins the Grizzled Geologist Podcast! In this episode, I sit down with the brilliant and down-to-earth Dr. Molly Turko — structural geologist, educator, content creator, and all-around badass. We talk about everything from fault cubes and Andersonian theory to balancing family, field trips, and a full-time career. We cover:🪨 Molly’s journey from community coll...

What if the next oil boom was on the Moon? In this kickoff episode of The Grizzled Geologist Podcast , I sit down with engineer and author Matt Hatami to explore one of the wildest and most forward-looking ideas in our industry: drilling a deep well on the lunar surface. Matt brings 20+ years of experience—from Halliburton to private equity deals—and shares insights from his new book Shale Oil and...

Mike Wood joins The Grizzled Geologist Podcast to share stories from 40+ years in the oilfield — from deep gas mudlogging in the '70s to tech sales at ROGII.We talk about the early days of the patch, blowouts, planting gardens on 18-month wells, and the shift into operations and sales. Mike brings honesty, grit, and wisdom to the table. And drops a quiet masterclass on how to build trust and d...

In this episode of The Grizzled Geologist, I sit down with Josh McCollom of Pharaoh Energy Services to talk all things fracking — from the early days of deep vertical stim jobs to today’s ultra-efficient horizontal completions. Josh brings 20+ years of experience in pressure pumping and completions engineering, with a career that spans Weatherford, Chesapeake, American Energy Partners, and now Pha...

Gary Marshall joins The Grizzled Geologist Podcast to talk about the wild ride from steering laterals in high-pressure situations to bringing chemical tracer tech to the oilfield. We swap stories from our White Star and Revolution days, including the kind of drilling environments that chew people up. High pressure, faulted, structurally complex, and unpredictable. Gary breaks down what makes geost...

In this episode of The Grizzled Geologist Podcast, Keith Cardon catches up with veteran geologist Galen Miller to talk about one of the most legendary fields in Oklahoma oil history: the West Edmond Hunton Lime Unit (WEHLU).From dowsing rods and World War II jet fuel to sidetracks under suburban houses, Keith and Galen swap stories from their time working the WEHLU and other Hunton assets. They di...

In this episode, I talk with Ebony Jones, a corporate recruiter and brand manager at Columbine Corporation, whose career path took her from fitness coaching to frontline energy recruitment. What started as a cold DM turned into one of the most meaningful conversations I’ve had on the show. We cover:The raw truth of field life and why honesty in recruiting mattersHow Ebony’s people-first approach i...

Jeff Hughes wears a lot of hats—accountant, IT director, co-founder, full-stack data guy. In this episode, we sit down and revisit the early days of Revolution Resources, when four guys said “screw it, let’s start a company”—and actually pulled it off. Jeff dives into how he built out the full data backbone of the company from scratch, connecting SCADA, land, accounting, geology, and production in...

Dustin Smith of Canyon Oilfield Services joins Keith to explain how his team is saving operators thousands by conditioning natural gas from the field to power dual-fuel drilling rigs and frac fleets. From rig-up logistics to gas dehydration and BTU tuning, Dustin breaks down the real-world challenges and innovations behind replacing diesel with field gas. Based in Elk City, Canyon is proving that...

In this episode of The Grizzled Geologist, I sit down with Duncan Blue. A 40-year veteran of the oilfield who’s seen it all from inside the world’s largest service companies. While most of us in the Midcon are used to converted RVs and bare-bones field ops, Duncan spent decades offshore, from the Gulf of Mexico to international rigs. And working inside self-contained $2MM mudlogging units built to...

In this episode of The Grizzled Geologist Podcast, Keith Cardon sits down with veteran geosteerer Aaron Laubhan, founder of GeoEssence, to talk shop on what it really takes to land wells right—and keep them in the best rock. From boots-on-the-ground beginnings in the Fayetteville to high-end analytics and Python-powered post-well reviews, Aaron shares stories and insights from a thousand-plus real...