| Description | Oral history interview: Gerald Mudd interviewed by Nic Bilham about his life and geological career, carried out as part of a History of Geology Group (HOGG) project originating around the time of the bicentenary of the Society.
Recording location: The Geological Society, Burlington House
Duration: 01:59:38
Family background, gaining an interest in geology from the Pennine landscape, and schooling in Durham (00:26-09:57); Geology at King's College, Durham (now Newcastle University), c1958-1961, including lecturers and field work (09:57-19:14); mapping with the Colonial Geological Survey in Tanganyika, 1961-1964, including its transition to independence as Tanzania (19:14-39:36); trying to get into the oil industry, then succeeding and working on exploration and production in Abu Dhabi, c1965-1976, including its development from small settlement to large oil city, nationalisation of the Abu Dhabi Petroleum Company and subsequent move to employment with Exxon, 1974-1976 (39:36-59:02); work with Exxon in the UK on North Sea oil, 1976-1992, including family life, differences between Middle East and UK oil work, and plate tectonics (59:02-01:10:47); how the profession has changed, and the role of the Petroleum Exploration Society of Great Britain (PESGB) and the Petroleum Group of the Geological Society (01:10:49-01:17:37); more on work with Exxon, particularly as vice-president (covering Europe, Africa, the Middle East and Russia) based in Houston, Texas, 1992-1996, including working in management roles, presenting to the board of directors, persuading the company to begin operations in Nigeria, and becoming a consultant for Exxon, 1996-2001 (01:17:38-01:40:10); how the Geological Society has changed, including discussion on why Chartered Geologist has not caught on in the petroleum business (01:40:27-01:46:49); retirement interests, particularly in Weardale near where the interviewee grew up, including the Weardale Railway preservation project (01:46:49-01:52:46); discussion between interviewer and interviewee on the oral history project that this interview is a part of, as well as women in geological roles (01:52:54-01:59:33). |