CPG Communication & Client Relations 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: When presenting reservoir uncertainty ranges to a non-technical client, which approach is most effective?
- Use only deterministic P50 estimates to avoid confusion
- Present P10, P50, and P90 ranges with plain-language explanations of what each means for investment risk (Correct answer)
- Provide raw Monte Carlo simulation outputs without interpretation
- Avoid discussing uncertainty to maintain client confidence
Correct answer: Present P10, P50, and P90 ranges with plain-language explanations of what each means for investment risk
Presenting probabilistic ranges (P10/P50/P90) with plain-language context helps non-technical clients understand risk exposure without being overwhelmed by raw data.
Question 2: A client disputes your volumetric estimate, citing a competitor geologist's significantly higher figure. What is the most professional response?
- Revise your estimate upward to match the client's preference
- Defend your methodology, invite peer review, and explain the assumptions driving the difference (Correct answer)
- Dismiss the competitor's estimate without review
- Withdraw from the project to avoid conflict
Correct answer: Defend your methodology, invite peer review, and explain the assumptions driving the difference
Defending your methodology transparently while inviting peer review demonstrates professional integrity and helps identify legitimate differences in assumptions.
Question 3: Which document type is most appropriate for communicating preliminary exploration findings to a joint-venture partner before final data processing is complete?
- Final reserve report
- Press release
- Technical memorandum with clearly stated data limitations (Correct answer)
- Oral briefing with no written record
Correct answer: Technical memorandum with clearly stated data limitations
A technical memorandum with stated limitations conveys timely information while clearly flagging that results are preliminary and subject to revision.
Question 4: When a client asks for a 'quick verbal estimate' of recoverable reserves before your study is complete, you should:
- Provide a number to keep the client satisfied
- Decline to estimate and explain that premature figures can mislead investment decisions (Correct answer)
- Double your preliminary estimate to build in a safety margin
- Refer the client to public analogues without qualification
Correct answer: Decline to estimate and explain that premature figures can mislead investment decisions
Providing premature reserve estimates risks misleading investment decisions and can expose the geologist to liability; deferring until the study is complete is the ethical choice.
Question 5: In a multi-disciplinary team report, what is the CPG's primary communication responsibility regarding geologic risk?
- Leave risk assessment to the reservoir engineer
- Clearly document geologic chance of success factors and the assumptions behind them (Correct answer)
- Omit risk language to keep the report concise
- Express risk only in qualitative terms to avoid misinterpretation
Correct answer: Clearly document geologic chance of success factors and the assumptions behind them
The CPG must clearly document geologic chance-of-success factors and underlying assumptions so that engineers, economists, and management can integrate them accurately.
Question 6: A client requests that you omit a known fault zone from the structural map included in a farm-out data package. You should:
- Omit it if the client owns the data
- Include the fault and note it, explaining that omitting known geohazards violates professional ethics (Correct answer)
- Include it only if the fault is large enough to affect economics
- Ask the client to sign a waiver before proceeding
Correct answer: Include the fault and note it, explaining that omitting known geohazards violates professional ethics
Omitting known geohazards from a data package presented to third parties is fraudulent misrepresentation and a clear violation of the AAPG Code of Ethics.
Question 7: Which communication practice best maintains trust during a long-term field development project where results are evolving?
- Send reports only when results are fully certain
- Provide scheduled progress updates that document changes in interpretation and the reasons for them (Correct answer)
- Withhold interim data to prevent premature conclusions
- Communicate only negative results to manage expectations
Correct answer: Provide scheduled progress updates that document changes in interpretation and the reasons for them
Regular progress updates that transparently explain interpretation changes build trust and allow clients to adjust decisions iteratively rather than being surprised at project end.
CPG Communication & Client Relations 2
When presenting reservoir uncertainty ranges to a non-technical client, which approach is most effective?