I still remember sitting on the floor of my apartment in Austin flipping through the course book. I had just finished my sophomore year at U.T. with a “D” in the second semester of Organic Chemistry. That meant Dental School was out of the question. What would I do now?

I came across “Geology” and thought to myself “Why not?” After all, my mother was a geologic draftsman, working out of our house. As I remember, most of her client/ geologists that came by the house seemed to be doing pretty well. Neal Clayton, Chuck Forney, Jim Knupke – They all drove nice cars, anyway.

After my first geology class with Dr. Folk, I was hooked! I began to see the world around me in a different light. The hours and days I had spent with my parents treasure hunting on Padre Island (even before the National Seashore) took on new meaning. There were depositional processes going on around me all my young life, and I had not realized it! Now I could enjoy my fishing and hunting and diving trips even more by observing the geologic processes in action!

I graduated from U.T. in 1977 and went to work at Sohio Petroleum Co. in Houston. After three years there, I became an independent, and have been since. I’ve generated drilling prospects when I could, consulted when I had to, sat on hundreds of wells, enjoyed the good times, and endured the bad. Looking back, I realize that I love what I do because it is another treasure hunt, just not on Padre Island.

I am writing this from a logging truck in Goliad County. It’s 4 AM, I haven’t slept all night, and the log looks disappointing, but after 30 years, I’m having the time of my life!

Tommy Dubois
Geologist