Tour Guide Tips

Teachers touring ATCE exhibition

As a professional working in the oil and gas industry, you help to find and produce more of the energy that makes the world run. You can provide a personal look at the challenging and complex process used to find new energy resources. Tour guides frequently tell us how much they enjoy the experience, and how rewarding it is to share their knowledge!

Tip 1.  Introduce yourself

While you’re moving from the workshop room to the exhibition, share a little about your education, the company you work for, and a general description of your job, focusing on the outcome you are trying to achieve in your work. Talk about what you like about your work, and why you chose the profession. We want tourists to know about the great career opportunities in our industry!

Tip 2.  Keep your comments simple and factual.

Explain the basic process of exploration, drilling and production. Give the big picture, and avoid technical terms. Keep your comments factual – your credibility comes from your expertise and professional knowledge. You are not expected to answer energy policy questions or detailed questions about your company. 

Tip 3.  Use the equipment and services being exhibited to help illustrate your talk.

Energy4me typically provides a list of suggested exhibits, but feel free to vary from the suggestions to make the most of your own professional expertise.

Tip 4.  Help educate about the profession and the industry.

• This is a very high-tech industry. The image most people have of the oil industry is outdated. Emphasize the role of advanced technology in finding oil and gas in harder to reach places, and recovering more from every reservoir.
• This industry works hard to offer safe work environments. The recent explosion of the oil platform in the Gulf of Mexico may bring additional questions on safety. Emphasize the efforts made to create a safe work environment.
• This industry works hard to protect the environment. Tell about how technology is helping to reduce the footprint when we drill, and reduce the environmental impact of our operations. You may also want to address the precautions taken to prevent oil spill in emergency situations.
• This industry offers rewarding careers for young people. With the increasing demand for energy and the prospect for retirements in the next decade, there is an urgent need for geoscientists and engineers who can make a difference in the world by finding more energy, including developing alternate energy sources.
• Oil and gas contribute to our everyday lives. Oil and gas will remain indispensable in meeting growing global energy demand, in combination with other energy types. Everyone can help by looking for ways to use less energy.

 Tip 5.  Periodically ask if they have any questions.

Allow plenty of time for questions. Let their areas of interest be your guide.