Adam Vonk
Position: former PhD student, University of Waikato, currently geologist at Chevron Field: Sedimentary Geology
In mid 2007 Adam Vonk was in the final stages of his PhD, studying at the University of Waikato. His area of interest is sedimentary geology. Geologists in this field study how rocks are formed, their origins and where they are found.
Example of the geosphere
This rock cutting shows the rocks that have formed on the surface of the Earth. However, the geosphere extends as far down as the centre of the Earth and includes sediments that have been transported into the atmosphere or the waters of the hydrosphere.
Adam’s specific interest is to use the rocks we can see above ground to determine what is under the ground and ocean. His research playground is the Taranaki region where, as well as investigating the different types of rocks in the area, he is working out what is under the ground – using his knowledge to identify potential sites that might contain oil and natural gas.
During his studies, he has made a series of paleogeographical maps that show how the Taranaki region has changed over time. Looking back over time and looking at the oldest rocks can help oil companies decide likely areas to try looking for oil. With the world’s need for oil, discovering new reservoirs for us to use is an important area.
A career in the oil industry
Adam Vonk talks about why he studied geology and why he is interested in a career in the oil industry.
When Adam Vonk first came to university, he was not sure what he wanted to study, so he decided to take a paper in earth sciences and developed an interest in geology. Adam realised that as oil becomes scarcer, someone who is specialised in finding new oil reserves will be in high demand.
But it’s not all about oil. Another important aspect to his research is studying the rocks to see what they can tell us about sea level and climate change. Rocks show weathering (wearing down by the water and weather), and sedimentary rocks are made gradually over time by new layers being layed down. Adam can read these rocks and tell us things about times past.
On completion of his studies at the University of Waikato, Adam moved to Australia and took up a position at Chevron.
This article is based on information current in 2008 and updated in 2018.
