ChatGPT for Oil and Gas - Part 1: Text

It’s been more than a year since the release of ChatGPT, and I’m still shocked every time a colleague or friend tells me they aren’t using it.

I?hear:

• “But what can it really do?”
• “I don’t see the value”
• “I haven’t really needed it”
• “It’s not helpful in my field.”

So, in this 4-part series, I want to present a few compelling examples showcasing how ChatGPT can profoundly transform your professional abilities and increase your productivity.

Let's dive right into a few use cases.

In Part 1 today, we'll start by discussing the magic of ChatGPT in relation to text. This isn't particularly specific to the Oil & Gas Field, but we have to start with the basics and build up from there.

?? Generative Text

Generative text is a groundbreaking AI technology that leverages machine learning models to produce coherent, contextually relevant text based on input parameters. The key point is that it's meant to mimic human writing styles, making it an invaluable tool for a wide range of applications.

You can craft emails, write reports, articles, blog posts, letters, etc.

Just provide a few pointers with the specifics of the request, ask for the tone you want, the length, and voilà! Never agonize again over getting the wording right.

Prompt:

“write an email to John from IT. I'm still waiting foor my IT ticket to be resolved , it's been 2 weeks, can't make progress, why you ahve been so slow, I'm upset. be polite and write in a professional tone”

Notice there are some typos and grammar errors in my prompt. Well, that’s one of the great things about ChatGPT – it’s smart enough to see through those mistakes and still figure out what your intended writing was.

Output:

“Dear John,

I hope this email finds you well. I am writing to follow up on the IT support ticket I submitted two weeks ago (Ticket #XXXXX). Unfortunately, I have yet to receive a resolution or an update on the progress of this issue.”

See the full reply here, which, incidentally, is from an actual ChatGPT instance that you can name and share publicly with others. You can pick up from where you left off and continue the conversation by asking follow-up questions.

Prompt:

“now rewrite it in friendly tone, talking to John who is my mate”

Output:

“Subject: Quick Nudge About My IT Ticket - Still Waiting!

Hey John,

Hope you're doing well! Just dropping a line about that IT ticket I raised a couple of weeks back (Ticket #XXXXX). Haven’t heard anything on it yet, and I'm starting to feel a bit stuck in the mud with my work because of it.”

See the full reply at the same chat link: chat.

This is already a game-changer, especially for non-native English speakers like myself, don't you agree?

I find it incredibly useful for finding the right selection of words in challenging conversations, such as a conflict with a workmate, dealing with someone from another team who is holding you back, negotiating a pay raise with your manager, responding to a negative performance review you disagree with, discussing a promotion, and so on. ChatGPT can be a great advisor in these situations.

Let's look at another example of generative text:

Prompt:

"write a statement about how oil and gas skills will keep being in high demand during the energy transition. Around 600 characters”

Output:

“The ongoing energy transition, while steering towards sustainable sources, does not diminish the demand for oil and gas expertise. In fact, skills developed in the oil and gas sector are increasingly valuable as we navigate this shift. These professionals possess critical insights into energy systems, infrastructure, and project management, which are pivotal in ensuring a smooth and efficient transition to greener energy sources. Their deep understanding of the complexities of energy production and distribution positions them as key players in shaping a balanced, secure, and sustainable energy future.”

So, do you need an introductory paragraph for your report, blog, or magazine article? No problem. ChatGPT is an excellent starting point that saves you heaps of time.

You can always iterate, asking for more or less detail, a different tone, a specific emphasis, etc.

Prompt: “Rewrite it. max 200 characters”

Output: “During the energy transition, oil and gas skills remain crucial, offering vital insights and expertise for a balanced and efficient shift to sustainable energy sources.”

Prompt: “now in spanish”

Output: “Durante la transición energética, las habilidades en petróleo y gas siguen siendo cruciales, ofreciendo conocimientos y experiencia esenciales para un cambio equilibrado y eficiente hacia fuentes de energía sostenibles.”

Prompt: “now in french”

Output: “Durant la transition énergétique, les compétences dans le pétrole et le gaz restent cruciales, apportant des connaissances et une expertise essentielles pour un passage équilibré et efficace vers des sources d'énergie durables.”

?? Text Summarization

Apart from text generation, summarizing large blocks of text is another great capability that can save you a lot of hours. In this example, I’m copying a long post by Doug Sheridan , one of my favorite follows:

Prompt:

“give me 5 short bullet points with key takeaways. max 400 char <block of text taken from this LinkedIn post: here>

Output:

“

1. UK Chancellor Jeremy Hunt plans to levy imported carbon-intensive goods from 2026, targeting countries with lax climate regulations, mirroring EU measures.
2. The EU's CBAM program, started in September, combats carbon leakage by imposing costs on industries in countries without significant carbon emissions regulations.
3. The food industry faces challenges adapting to upcoming EU rules (effective end of 2024) requiring proof that goods aren't produced on recently deforested land, claiming the rules lack clarity and may not prevent deforestation.
4. The EU's new regulations demand food companies to trace and report the exact locations of their commodity production, with EU authorities conducting checks based on the deforestation risk of the producing country.
5. These measures may lead to increased prices and slower economic growth in the EU and UK, as companies grapple with compliance costs and potential fines, potentially creating a two-tier market system."

In a matter of seconds, a lengthy article is distilled down to its key points for easy consumption.

So, there you go. After these few simple examples, you can see that we have the capability for error-free writing, text-generation, correcting, proofreading, translating, summarizing.

It's amazing, isn't it?

Now, if you have been experimenting with ChatGPT for a while, all of the above might seem fairly basic.

However, I needed to start with the foundation to demonstrate the language model's Level 1 capabilities. You’d be surprised to see how many have not been leveraging even these simplest of uses.

Bear with me… the really powerful stuff comes when we go to the next level, so stay tuned.

I’ll stop here in this issue to avoid making it too lengthy. In the next one, we’ll delve into coding for non-coders and explore a bunch of other golden nuggets.