The paper is structured as follows: - Firstly, a brief review of the literature on technical translation, specialized dictionaries and lexicography; - Secondly, a description of the methodology used in the translation process; - Thirdly, two excerpts from the source text intended to illustrate by contrast the discrepancy between available, accessible, accurate instruments for a scientific description of geological phenomena and those for a highly technical section dealing with oil wells; - Last, but not least, a few possible recommendations for future petroleum geology specialized...