'Boring Billion' Redefining Earth's
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SCIENTISTVOLUME 29 No. 11 ◆ DECEMBER 2019 ◆ WWW.GEOLSOC.ORG.UK/GEOSCIENTIST GEOThe Fellowship Magazine of the Geological Society of London @geoscientistmag REDEFINING EARTH’S ‘BORING BILLION’ Simon Poulton on a billion year interval in Earth’s history that might not be so boring after all Foram Week takes over Twitter! PETROLEUM PIONEERS BEYOND ACADEMIA A GEOLOGIST’S CHRISTMAS Sarah Day interviews GSA Tools and tips for thinking The trials and tribulations of President Robbie Gries outside the academic box geological mapping in 1841 WWW.GEOLSOC.ORG.UK/GEOSCIENTIST | DECEMBER 2019 | 1 The Geological Society Publishing House For Special Publications, Maps, Memoirs and seasonal gift ideas visit the Geogift page AD SPACEwww.geolsoc.org.uk/geogifts It’s that time of year again! We’ve put together a range of our favourite items on our GeoGifts page that make for great seasonal gifts for you or someone else, with prices starting from £7. 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However, inclusion 10 NOT SO BORING AFTER ALL Dr Howard Falcon-Lang in this publication or as an insert does not Dr Hazel Gibson constitute a guarantee or endorsement Simon Poulton on how Earth’s www.geolsoc.org.uk/geogifts Prof. Tony Harris of the quality or value of such products or services, or of the claims made by Mr Edmund Nickless ‘boring billion’ years of stagnant, Dr Alan Roberts its manufacturer. Geoscientist and the Prof. Peter Styles Geological Society of London can give no assurance that an advertiser will fulfil its stinking oceans might actually have Dr Colin Summerhayes obligation under all circumstances. 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INTERVIEWFEATURES Dr Michael Daly (President © 2019 The Geological Society designate) 14 PETROLEUM PIONEERS Ms Lesley Dunlop of London GSA President Robbie Gries on her petroleum geology Dr Joel Gill Geoscientist is printed on FSC® mixed Mr Graham Goffey (Treasurer) credit - Mixed source products are a blend heroines, and the role of learned societies in effecting change Dr Kathryn Goodenough of FSC 100%, Recycled and/or Controlled Dr Sarah Gordon (Secretary, fibre. Certified by the Forest Stewardship Foreign & External Affairs) Council®. Prof James Griffiths Prof Chris King Mr Andrew Moore REGULARS Prof Bryne Ngwenya SCIENTISTVOLUME 29 No. 11 ◆ DECEMBER 2019 ◆ WWW.GEOLSOC.ORG.UK/GEOSCIENTIST GEOThe Fellowship Magazine of the Geological Society of London @geoscientistmag Mr Nicholas Reynolds (Vice 05 WELCOME Sarah Day bids a fond farewell to the Raising President) REDEFINING EARTH’S Horizons exhibition Prof Katherine Royse (Secretary, ‘BORING BILLION’ Simon Poulton on a billion year interval in Professional Matters) Earth’s history that might not be so boring after all Mrs Sarah Scott 06 SOCIETY NEWS What your Society is doing at home and abroad Ms Gemma Sherwood Miss Jessica Smith (Vice President) Dr Helen Smyth 09 SOAPBOX Face facts on fossil fuels, urges Hugh Richards Prof Robin Strachan It’s that time of year again! We’ve put together a range (Secretary, Publications) Mr John Talbot (Vice President) 20 BOOKS & ARTS Four new books reviewed by Foram Week takes Dr Alexander Whittaker (Secretary, over Twitter! Lars Backstrom, Brent Wilson, Joel Gill & Andrew Barnett Science) PETROLEUM PIONEERS BEYOND ACADEMIA A GEOLOGIST’S CHRISTMAS of our favourite items on our GeoGifts page that make Sarah Day interviews GSA Tools and tips for thinking The trials and tribulations of President Robbie Gries outside the academic box geological mapping in 1841 WWW.GEOLSOC.ORG.UK/GEOSCIENTIST | DECEMBER 2019 | 1 22 CAREERS Beyond academia – how technology can help Published on behalf of Cover image: Earth observation from the outer expand your networks the Geological Society space Shutterstock © Vladi333 for great seasonal gifts for you or someone else, of London by: 23 LETTERS Great minds think alike, and a reply from the Century One Publishing British Geological Survey with prices starting from £7. Alban Row, 27–31 Verulam Road, St Albans, AL3 4DG T 01727 893 894 26 PEOPLE A geologist’s Christmas in Wales, the first Foram E enquiries@centuryone Week, and news of the campaign to save Lyell’s notebooks publishing.uk View the full range at: www.geolsoc.org.uk/geogifts W www.centuryone publishing.uk 30 OBITUARY Wallace Smith Broecker (1931-2019) WWW.GEOLSOC.ORG.UK/GEOSCIENTIST | DECEMBER 2019 | 3 Alkaline Rocks and Carbonatites of the World, Corporate Supporters: Call for Abstracts: Deadline 6 December 2019 Part 4: Geopressur e 2020 Antarctica, Asia and Europe (excluding the Managing Uncertainty in Geopressure by former USSR), Australasia and Oceanic Islands Integrating Geoscience and Engineering 24-26 March 2020 Durham University, Durham UK Organising Committee: 24 March 2020: Field trip 25 and 26 March 2020: Conference Stuart Jones Led by Richard Swarbrick and Jack Lee Durham University, UK Durham University to North Yorkshire Nick Pierpoint NWP Geoconsulting Richard Swarbrick Swarbrick GeoPressure Consultancy Limited and Durham University Scientific Programme Coordinators: Toby Harrold Repsol Rick Lahann The organisers invite contributions within any aspect of geopressure but are particularly interested in Indiana University the various phases of pore fluid pressure prediction, modelling and overpressure evaluation to manage Stephen O’Connor uncertainty during the life cycle of a well. Suggested themes and sessions include: Global Geopressure Pore Pressure and stress, especially complex • Classic case studies, including Macondo and Advice • Binh Nguyen stress regimes LUSI mud volcano JX Nippon • Impact of machine learning on PPFG • Pore pressure as an exploration and prospectivity Tom Sinclair • Well engineering and PPFG tool. Shell • Injecting fluids underground (including CO2) • Geopressure in mature basins – lessons learnt Beth Stump • Pore pressure in active tectonic basins Chevron • Coupling of Pore Pressure and FG including depletion and closing the drilling window • Unconventional stress regimes • Seal capacity and relationship with PPFG • PPFG issues in mature basins (including abandonment/decommissioning) Further Information and abstract submissions: To submit an abstract please send it to [email protected] and copy to [email protected]. For more information please contact [email protected] or visit the event website: www.geolsoc.org.uk/PG-Geopressure-2020 Fellow’s price: £60 At the forefront of petroleum geoscience www.geolsoc.org.uk/petroleum View more and buy online www.geolsoc.org.uk/MPAR4 GA 2020 Geologists’ Association 1 October 2020 The Scottish Poetry Library and its environs, Edinburgh Activities Include: This event is to follow up the first Geological Society of London’s GEOPOETRY day Student Symposium