May 2009 Explorer

Vol. 30, No. 5 May 2009

Commitment to the Very Core

Kirchhoff PSDM section. Controlled Beam PSDM section.

CHALLENGE > To image the oil-bearing fracture zones in a complex granite basement reservoir offshore Vietnam where conventional methods fail to produce convincing results.

SOLUTION > The data was reprocessed using the CGGVeritas Controlled Beam Migration algorithm for the velocity model building and the final migration.

RESULTS > Based on the new CBM images, the operator was able to confidently carry out a successful drilling campaign to develop the reservoir.

cggveritas.com

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On the cover: Geologists have known about it for decades, but now the rest of the world is being invited to the party – the year-long celebration of the 100th anniversary of the discovery of the Burgess Shale is about to begin. Shown here are geologists at the Burgess Shale’s Walcott Quarry, a site that has been called “Mecca for paleontologists” because of its treasure trove of fossils. It’s located in Yoho National Park in British Columbia – a park that is itself a cathedral to geologic splendor. See story on page 20; photo courtesy of Jon Dudley.

Your shut door, our open window: Current fiscal realities 8 have stalled some projects, but two geologists say now is the perfect time to consider better ways to evaluate shale Photo courtesy of Denver Visitor and Convention Bureau . gas potential A chance to hike in the Gore Range near Denver is just one of the reasons to attend this year’s AAPG Annual Convention and Exhibition. Need more reasons? Check out Can’t we all just get along? Companies have accepted that 12 the Director’s Corner on page 50 – and start making your plans now to head to Denver. collaboration is good. The next step – making it happen.

Hot stuff: Researchers are excited about new data that 16 point to the huge geothermal potential of Colorado’s Lesson Learned? Raton Basin. Let the celebration begin: It was 1909, and Charles Doolittle 20 We Are Needed Walcott, while riding a horse, noticed some unusual fossils in the ground beneath him – and the 505 million-year-old By SCOTT W.TINKER Instead, she was in I often learn the most important lessons search of access to Burgess Shale became an overnight sensation. when I am least prepared and from those AAPG geoscientists for most unexpected. her university, as in Distinguished Lecturers The eye of the beholder: Everyone knows Colorado is a 28 *** or speakers in our beautiful state. The big question is, how did it get that way? Visiting Geoscientist On March 23, students and faculty Program, and training advisers representing the AAPG student such as workshops, A personal connection with a legendary geologist Hollis 30 chapter at Khon Kaen (KK) University in short courses and field northeast Thailand rode five hours on a Tinker schools. Hedberg triggered Georges Pardo’s personal connection bus to meet our small AAPG presidential Essentially, she was with – and that bond has led to a new AAPG book on delegation in the offices of PTTEP, a major asking the largest professional association Cuba national oil company headquartered in of geoscientists in the world to help Khon the island’s geology. Bangkok, Thailand. Kaen University, in remote northern The KK students, many of them female, Thailand, become globally relevant. presented with pride a short video about Khon Kaen University is not unique. I their university and geology department. have been fortunate during the past year We then engaged in conversation about to visit with faculty and/or students from their experiences and perceptions. universities in Malaysia, Scotland, Spotlight On … 32 Foundation Update 44 I made a presentation later that evening England, Russia, Poland, Germany, China, to about 100 folks comprising staff from Nigeria, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Professional News Briefs 34 Membership and Certification 46 PTTEP, Chevron, a few smaller companies U.A.E. and South Africa. Although culture, In Memory 34 Readers’ Forum 48 and independents, and the KK students. language, facilities and instruction vary, The talk ended around 7:30 p.m., and the the sentiment is consistent: Washington Watch 36 Meetings of Note 48 students then got on the bus for the five- “Dr. Tinker, we are striving to learn, grow, Geophysical Corner 38 Classified Ads 49 hour drive home. I was a bit awed by their expand and globalize. We want to matter.” dedication. www.Update 40 Director’s Corner 50 At the end of the session, the president *** Regions and Sections 42 EMD Column 50 of the Khon Kaen AAPG student chapter, a young woman, said, “Dr. Tinker, we seek The world is changing. Change does your help.” not always happen quickly, but the pace of What help was the student leader change can be accelerated by crisis. The looking for? AAPG Headquarters – 1-800-364-2274 (U.S. & Canada only), others 1-918-584-2555 Not money, equipment or other “stuff.” See President, next page Communications Director Correspondents Advertising Coordinator Larry Nation Louise S. Durham Brenda Merideth e-mail: [email protected] Susan R. Eaton P.O. Box 979 AAPG Voting Deadline is May 15 Barry Friedman Tulsa, Okla. 74101 Time is running out for those who have for both vice president-Regions and telephone: (918) 560-2647 Managing Editor yet to vote for AAPG officer candidates. secretary are two years. Vern Stefanic Graphics/Production (U.S. and Canada only: e-mail: [email protected] Rusty Johnson 1-800-288-7636) Balloting for the 2009-10 term will The slate is: e-mail: [email protected] (Note: The above number is for continues to be available online until the Communications Project Matt Randolph advertising purposes only.) voting deadline May 15, at 11:59 p.m. President-Elect Specialist e-mail: [email protected] fax: (918) 560-2636 CDT. Ë Donald D. Clarke, geological Susie Moore e-mail: [email protected] Election winners will be announced in consultant, Lakewood, Calif. e-mail: [email protected] the June EXPLORER. Ë David G. Rensink, Apache Corp., While electronic balloting is available Houston.

Vol. 30, No. 5 to all members a paper ballot also will be The AAPG EXPLORER (ISSN 0195-2986) is published monthly for members. Published at AAPG headquarters, 1444 S. sent. Boulder Ave., P.O. Box 979, Tulsa, Okla. 74101, (918) 584-2555. e-mail address: [email protected] Vice President-Regions Periodicals postage paid at Tulsa, Okla., and at additional mailing offices. Printed in the U.S.A. Survey and Ballot Systems, which Ë Adekunle A. Adesida, Shell Note to members: $6 of annual dues pays for one year’s subscription to the EXPLORER. Airmail service for members: $55. handles the AAPG election, has a coded Petroleum Development, Nigeria. Subscription rates for non-members: $75 for 12 issues; add $72 for airmail service. Advertising rates: Contact Brenda Merideth, AAPG headquarters. Subscriptions: Contact Veta McCoy, AAPG headquarters. Unsolicited manuscripts, system where only one ballot per person Ë Alfredo E. Guzman, consultant, photographs and videos must be accompanied by a stamped, self-addressed envelope to ensure return. is counted, with the paper ballot taking Veracruz, Mexico. The American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG) does not endorse or recommend any products or services that precedent if both are submitted. may be cited, used or discussed in AAPG publications or in presentations at events associated with AAPG. Candidate biographies and individual Secretary Copyright 2009 by the American Association of Petroleum Geologists. All rights reserved. information continue to be available online Ë William S. Houston, Samson, POSTMASTER: Please send address changes to AAPG EXPLORER, P.O. Box 979, Tulsa, Okla. 74101. at www.aapg.org. Denver. Canada Publication Number 40046336. Return undeliverable Canadian address to: The president-elect winner will serve Ë Peter MacKenzie, MacKenzie Land P.O. Box 503 • RPO West Beaver Creek • Richmond Hill, ON L4B 4R6 as AAPG president in 2010-11. The terms & Exploration, Worthington, Ohio. J

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Career Choices: President Making Geology Fun from previous page Can a student’s life be changed in world is in a global recession; some call it seven minutes? AAPG has a a crisis. There is a new leader in the creative way to find out, thanks to United States, a leader who has ignited a new PowerPoint show – hope in the world. President Obama, in a complete with musical soundtrack very short time, has become larger than – called “Why Geosciences?” life on the global stage. I know; I have created by Joanne Billingsley seen the reaction personally on several (wife of past AAPG president Lee continents. Billingsley) specifically for junior Do the times make the person or does high and high school students, to the person make the times? Perhaps encourage and promote careers some of each. Regardless, in these in the geosciences. The energy “times” the political dialogue is presentation is available free of about non-fossil energy – “green energy” charge, and can be found online and “green jobs.” Substantial at www.aapg.org/k12resources/ investments are being considered, to GeoscienceExplained.cfm. attempt to accelerate the pace of energy change. Those in the fossil fuel industry could feel threatened, hunker down, retrench and resist. Many would understand such a reaction. In fact, when I go to Washington, D.C., I often have to convince my “fossil-fuel” self to get off the airplane! But these feelings are fleeting, because I have seen a world that remains massively engaged in fossil fuels. I see young geologists in universities around the globe beginning to recognize that applied geosciences matter now more than ever. I see “national” oil companies – those owned in large majority by the state – fast becoming “international” oil companies, and international oil companies – struggling under the weight of misguided Western policies that reflect an under- informed energy public.

***

I have never met a petroleum geoscientist who believes that the supply of oil is infinite. To most geoscientists, it is not a question of whether there will come a day when fossil fuels will no longer be combusted as a source of heat energy. Instead, the question is when that day will come – and which form(s) of energy have the capacity to replace fossil fuels. Most geologists also recognize that day may not be soon, because oil resources far exceed proven reserves, conventional and unconventional natural gas resources could exceed 30,000 TcF (not including hydrates!) and then there is coal. Resource geoscientists and engineers understand that fossil fuel reserves increase with technology, price and understanding. We also understand the time, cost, technology and new invention required to transition to energy alternatives that have the capacity to meet the required scale of global energy demand. So instead of hunkering down, we must square our shoulders, get off the metaphorical airplane and become part of the solution.

***

What lesson did I learn from the student in Thailand? I learned that young people around the world are desperate to do something that matters. They need me, they need us, to share our experience and to impart our collective knowledge. They need us to educate the world to the reality that energy transitions take time, efficiency is vital and a stable supply of fossil fuels is the bridge to an alternative energy future. They need us to embrace change and lead them into the future. Their future. That is a powerful lesson indeed.

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MAY 2009 8 Integrated data aid decisions Shale Calls for the Unconventional

By LOUISE S. DURHAM density, advanced acoustic logs,” EXPLORER Correspondent ot all shales are created equal, so Sommer said, “and we add magnetic Natural gas prices in the $3/Mcf-and- N there are differing factors that must resonance, geochemical, geomechanics under range understandably are and borehole image logs to determine causing many operators to scale back an array of information.” on budgets, production and new drilling be taken into account. That array includes lithology, projects. mineralogy, rock mechanical properties, Just don’t expect this to be a total organic carbon and gas-in-place in permanent scenario. the formation, he added. The consensus is that once the economy turns around, hydrocarbon Specific Challenges demand will make an about-face as well. However, not all shales are created The waiting game doesn’t necessarily equal, so there are differing factors that imply wasted time as it offers continued must be taken into account. opportunity to delve deeper into For instance, borehole imaging is not potential techniques to better evaluate that important in the high-profile some of the more challenging and often Haynesville shale play because there’s perplexing plays being explored/ no significant fracturing in the produced. Haynesville, Sommer said. In contrast, High on this list are the numerous it’s quite important in the Barnett play shale gas plays that have sprung to life and some others. over the past couple of years in various He noted also that in the Haynesville regions of the country. the actual presence of gas is a given, Gas shales differ from conventional but it presents other challenges: reservoirs in that they function not just How to optimize getting that gas as reservoir rock but also source rock out of the ground. and seal. Economical production from Selecting the best intervals for the this complex rock demands extensive completion. hydraulic fracturing and often requires How to implement the frac job to horizontal wells. get the best production possible. Successful wells depend on an in- Where to place the horizontal leg if depth understanding of the geology, going lateral. petrophysics and geomechanics of the The goal with all the shales is to Photo courtesy of Range Resources particular shale formation. In fact, an gather all the data possible. integrated approach to shale gas Marcellus Shale production in the Appalachian Basin: Integrated evaluation can help. “One of the things we found in the evaluation can be key to conquering the works in these plays that conventional “Our integrated interpretation Haynesville, especially, is the intervals complexities of these rocks to optimize methods just don’t work,” said Duane methodology designed specifically to production of the natural gas they hold. Sommer, senior petrophysical engineer evaluate shale gas reservoirs focuses “It’s fairly obvious to anyone who at Baker Hughes. on conventional resistivity, neutron, See Shale Gas, page 10 Deep East - Offshore Florida

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Shale Gas Shale Gas Presentations Will Have High Profile in Denver from page 8 Duane Sommer and AAPG member Mitch Pavlovic will present the poster “An Integrated Approach to Shale Gas that seem to produce the best and have Evaluation” at the upcoming AAPG the most silicious material,” Sommer Annual Convention and Exhibition in said. “They have more quartz than Denver. limestone. The poster presentation will be “Part of that is the geomechanics,” Tuesday morning, June 9, as part of the he explained. “That rock breaks easier – EMD session on “Gas Shales Reservoirs making it easier to frac – so we look at – Updates and New Insights II.” the geochemical logs in combination Other titles in the session include: with the advanced acoustics which we The Middle Devonian Marcellus do rock mechanical properties with and Shale – A Record of Eustacy and Basin look at what intervals will frac easiest.” Dynamics. Marcellus Shale Log Calibration Identifying the Interval and Mapping With Legacy Logs. Shale Gas and Shale Oil The next step is to look at some of Resources of the Paradox Basin, the standard logs or magnetic Colorado and Utah. resonance to try to get a better idea of Gas Shale Reservoir porosity. This can vary significantly in Characteristics from the Pennsylvanian different plays, e.g., porosity is quite low of Southeastern Utah. in the Barnett but ranges from 8 to 10 For more information on the several percent in the Haynesville, according to EMD technical sessions – oral and Sommer. poster – and other events set for Denver “When we put all our information involving shale gas see the EMD together, first we find which intervals in column on page 50. J the well will fracture easiest,” he said. “Of those we identify which have the Photo courtesy of Terry Engelder best porosity, which has total organic carbon in or near that interval to supply Rock to stay away from. the gas itself. “We’re trying to make it as simple as “We’re trying to pick the interval we possible for someone to look at the Shale Gas Primer U.S. Data think will be most successful for well,” Sommer said, “and even if they completion,” Sommer noted. “If you’re don’t understand all the pieces, to be A primer on U.S. shale gas shale gas development, is aimed for a going lateral instead of just perfing and able to say OK, this is where we need to production, recently released by the public audience. fracing, you still want to drill the lateral be, where we need to frac, where we U.S. Department of Energy, notes that The EXPLORER is among the in that same interval.” need to perf or where to drill our lateral. unconventional production now publications cited. The acquired data are presented to “In a nutshell, that’s our approach,” accounts for 46 percent of total U.S. The primer also provides an overview the client in a large, wide plot that said Sommer, who noted the overall production. of the regulatory framework and the Sommer likens to a facies curve that presentation remains the same even The 116-page technical summary environmental considerations shows crucial information such as: though the individual pieces change document, which includes geologic associated with shale gas development. The target type of rock. from basin to basin. information on the shale gas basins in It is available via the DOE Web site at A piece of rock that would be a “The general process,” he said, the United States and the methods of www.fossil.energy.gov. J barrier to a fracture. “usually works for all.” J

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MAY 2009 12 Mentoring in the digital age Remote Collaboration via Technology economy is. Darrel Fanguy, will present the f you bring a (young geologist) into a “Collaboration is a tool that’s always paper “The Future of Collaboration been there,” he said, “and the in the Oil and Gas Industry” at the “Ibig company and put them in an open collaborative environment could be a upcoming AAPG Annual Convention definition of what you want to make it do. and Exhibition in Denver. cubical environment they’ll freak out.” “It could be a conference room with Fanguy’s talk is slated for 8:25 video cameras, one of the big a.m. on Monday, June 8, as part of visualization environments and the session on “Discovery everything in between,” Fanguy noted. Thinking,” chaired by Charles “So when I talk about collaboration, I talk Sternbach and Ed Dolly. times owing to increased cutbacks on sitting in a conference room in Houston about getting people connected using travel in addition to the usual restrictions talking to one of the collaboration rooms technology and technical tools available By LOUISE S. DURHAM on visiting certain locales in the world. wherever they are,” Fanguy said. “The today that are easy to use – even for EXPLORER Correspondent “A collaborative environment allows CE kind of addresses some of those those who have to learn it on their own.” Remember those big, expensive you to conduct meetings at a desk or issues that popped up with the way the immersive visualization facilities that The Price Is Right became increasingly commonplace beginning in the late 1990s? In contrast to the early days of CEs, They were considered to be the ‘Discovery’ Forum Set for Denver advances in technology are enabling ultimate cool venue for collaborative folks to indulge in this activity on the teams of geoscientists and others to This year’s Discovery Thinking Forum Richard Findley. cheap – relatively speaking – without the assemble to interact with one another – not to be confused with the Steve Kneller. need for oversized upscale real estate and the data and to share knowledge. “Discovery Thinking” technical session Doug Strickland. with a hefty price tag. Today, many oil and gas companies – will once again feature seven M. Ray Thomasson. In fact, technology has improved to continue to use advanced collaborative speakers who have been recognized as Bob Weimer. the point that a collaborative environment environments (CEs) of varying types to giants of the profession. Marv Brittenham. with furniture, servers, clusters and more support multidisciplinary work sessions, The forum, chaired by Charles Each speaker will discuss how they can be put together for as little as make decisions in real time and gain Sternbach and Ed Dolly, will be held at overcame huge challenges to succeed $80,000, according to Fanguy. This access to external expertise. the AAPG Annual Convention and in both business and geological differs markedly from the few million A recent industry survey on the future Exhibition from 1:15-5 p.m. on Monday, aspects of the profession. bucks often shelled out for the somewhat of collaboration in the oil and gas June 8. Topics to be discussed include grandiose facilities that kicked off this industry documented that people not This will be the second presentation philosophies of exploration; lessons trend. only want to collaborate, many of the AAPG 100th Anniversary learned; professional insights; and Today, the CE offers an added benefit companies want to know how to make it Committee’s program recognizing “100 personal stories and anecdotes. for the oil industry that is losing vast happen, according to Darrel Fanguy, Who Made a Difference.” The Discovery Thinking technical amounts of knowledge when its Houston CTC manager and global This year’s speakers – all renowned session, also chaired by Sternbach and experienced professionals opt to retire. practice manager of oil and gas at for their success in exploring and Dolly and featuring nine oral New recruits are coming in with survey-sponsor Cyviz. finding hydrocarbon reserves – are: presentations, will be held from 8-11:40 Fanguy emphasized that collaboration Bill Barrett. a.m. on Monday, June 8. J is even more advantageous during tough See Collaboration, page 14

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Do more exploring collaborating project leading technology leading industry leading team building rock sampling carbon capturing subsurface subsea subanywhere smiling geosteering globe-trekking horizontal drilling ecothinking biking groundbreaking digital mapping remote sensing having your opinion matter relaxing on the weekends playing creative thinking stress reducing family bonding mud logging well logging caring for our environment life balancing parenting softball playing soccer playing initiative grabbing challenging yourself here.here.

Photo: Sam Gainer/StatoilHydro

Do more with your career. Do more with your life. At the one energy company that offers more than a thousand employee enrichment programs around the world. DoMoreHere.com

MAY 2009 14 Networking Spurs Student Expo Success

By MIKE MLYNEK otherwise – as possible. ceremony to honor the winners of the The Spring Break Student Expo was AAPG Asst. Manager – Student Focus “I think the student Expo is a great best poster contest. They were: the first of several similar AAPG Student Representatives from 22 companies opportunity and a good learning events planned for the coming year. For plus 205 students – including some experience for any graduate student,” Geology information on the program and events from non-U.S. locales – attended the said Shannon LeBlanc, a senior at the Ë Christopher D. Althoff, University of go to students.aapg.org. recent AAPG-SEG Spring Break Student University of Louisiana, Lafayette, who Oklahoma (first place, $500). Upcoming events include: Expo in Norman, Okla. will do graduate work at the University Ë Lois E.Yoksoulian, University of Student Job Quest, Sept. 20-21 Students from as far away as Mexico of Houston. Kentucky (second place, $250). (with Eastern Section meeting), and Minnesota made the trip to the “Most students, including myself, Ë Ryan D. Lindsay, Baylor University Evansville, Ind. (www.esaapg2009.org/). University of Oklahoma campus, where noticed things were pretty fierce this (third place, $100). Fall Student Expo, Sept. 21-22, they experienced networking, company year, but I think we can take that as Houston (www.studentexpo.info). interviews, poster sessions, short some of the best experience,” she said. Geophysics Rocky Mountain Rendezvous, courses and various entertainment “We all have to learn how to be Ë Victor Pena, University of Sept. 25-28 (tentative), Laramie, Wyo. activities. competitive and how to market Oklahoma (first place, $500). (aapg.gg.uwyo.edu/RockyMtnRendezvo Making contacts was an especially ourselves (especially right now) and the Ë Jesus Eduardo Mar Hernandez, us/home.html). high priority at the Expo, and students student Expo definitely gives us the CICESE (Mexico) (second place, $250). West Coast Student Expo, Oct. 1-3, were kept busy just by getting to know opportunity to do so.” Ë Charles B. Inyang, University of California State University, Northridge, as many people – company and The Expo ended with an awards Houston (third place, $100). Calif. J Collaboration from page 12

exceptional technical expertise but little knowledge of the industry overall, not to mention where the reserves are, what the Gulf of Mexico is all about, etc. There’s a need to transfer knowledge quickly, and a CE can serve as the ideal vehicle. After all, if people are going to retire, they’re not going to want to go to Angola or offshore or wherever. “The student can sit in the collaborative environment, and the experts can be at home and Skype their way into a room,” Fanguy said. “A lot of tools can be downloaded from the Web, and you can buy one of those little $39.95 cameras and the experts can talk to the students in the CE. “You can connect both the students and the experts to the rig,” he said. “You have cameras on the rig, sensors coming from the rig – you’ve got real time drilling going on, real time monitoring, and now you have all three locations connected.”

Seeing Is Believing?

Today’s young people don’t have the practical knowledge on the oil and gas side, Fanguy said, “but they expect the technology because they get it. They think something like video-conferencing is the norm. “If you bring them into a big company and put them in an open cubicle environment they’ll freak out,” Fanguy asserted. “They’ll expect something like a collaboration room with a lot of technology.” This could go a long way to attract those potential job candidates who harbor the idea that working in the oil and gas industry means they’ll spend many of their days in grimy overalls and hard hats. “It’s all so high tech today,” Fanguy noted. “The drilling foreman is in the office in Houston talking to the rig every morning, and the guy doing the geosteering is in the office or on the rig but in a control room. “How you find oil is basically to bring people into a room environment and do interpretations and all on 3-D graphics,” he said. “It blows these kids’ minds when they see it. “It all comes down to collaboration and communication,” Fanguy emphasized. “The only way to get them up-to-date on our technology is to get them in front of it.” J

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Do more exploring collaborating project leading technology leading industry leading subsurface subsea subanywhere smiling geosteering creative thinking stress reducing family bonding globe-trekking horizontal drilling biking ecothinking team building carbon capturing pushing the envelope groundbreaking digital mapping remote sensing rock sampling rock climbing relaxing on the weekends mud logging well logging caring for our environment life balancing parenting softball playing soccer playing initiative grabbing challenging yourself here.here.

Do more with your career. Do more with your life. Right here in Houston at one energy company that believes we should be able to play as hard as we work. DoMoreHere.com

MAY 2009 16 An idea that could spread Colorado ‘Hot Rocks’ Enticing

By LOUISE S. DURHAM Hot Stuff EXPLORER Correspondent There’s been much ado about oil and He noted that temperatures gas drilling and production in the Rocky exceeding 150 degrees C, or 300 Mountain region. degrees F, are conservatively estimated Today, there’s also another energy at depths less than 8,200 feet, and they source in the region that’s receiving some are sufficient to generate electricity using close scrutiny: geothermal energy for binary power plant technology. electricity generation. Temperatures close to these predicted The research effort on the potential for temperatures have actually been geothermal in this area has focused on measured at depths as shallow as 500 the Raton Basin, which is the feet. southernmost classical Laramide Basin in “No one has developed anything like the Rocky Mountain region and straddles that in the United States yet,” Morgan the New Mexico-Colorado state line. said, “mainly because they’ve been The central part of this sedimentary looking in crystalline rocks versus basin, just west of the town of Trinidad in sedimentary rocks, so far.” southern Colorado, has been determined The sedimentary rock units at the to be a region of high heat flow and an depths where the temperatures are hot area of interest as a potential geothermal enough to generate electricity likely are resource. not permeable enough to allow This discovery was made by geothermal fluids to circulate at a rate piggybacking on existing old information necessary to generate electricity without any need to acquire new data, economically, according to Morgan. according to AAPG member Paul However, the permeability in the rocks Morgan, geothermal geophysicist at the can be increased via hydrofracing to Colorado Geological Survey, which create artificial fractures. This would sponsored the effort. result in an enhanced geothermal system “There’s been extensive drilling for that would be new in practice, even coalbed methane since 1998,” Morgan though the technology to produce this said, “and I went through 2,000 well logs, kind of system in sedimentary rocks is read the header and collected the mature. (subsurface) temperature data. “These data have been compiled, Dependability? reduced and interpreted,” Morgan said, “and the results confirm there is a Morgan said the Survey intends to significant potential geothermal resource seek project funding from the U.S. in the basin, concentrated on the eastern side of the basin.” See Geothermal, page 18 Graphics courtesy of Paul Morgan, Colorado Geological Survey

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MAY 2009 17

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! ! ! Bay Marchand! ! ! ! West Delta !! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !! ! ! ! ! ! !! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !!! ! ! !! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! Grand Isle ! ! !! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !! ! ! ! ! ! !! ! ! ! ! !! ! ! ! !!! ! ! !South Pelto ! ! South Pass ! !!!!! ! ! !! ! ! ! ! ! !! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !! ! ! ! ! !! ! !! ! ! ! ! !! ! ! !! ! ! ! ! ! !! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !! !! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !!!!! Ship! Shoal! !! !! ! ! !! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !! ! ! ! ! ! !!West!!! Delta !! ! South Timbalier ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! South!! Addition ! ! ! ! ! ! !! ! ! ! !! ! !!!! ! !!! ! !! !! ! ! !! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !! !!! ! ! ! !! ! ! ! ! !! ! ! !! ! !! ! !! ! ! ! ! ! !! !! ! ! ! !! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !! ! ! !! ! ! ! !! ! ! !! ! ! ! ! ! ! !! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !! Grand!! Isle ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! South Addition! !! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! Mississippi! Canyon ! ! ! ! ! !!! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! South Timbalier ! !! !! !! ! ! ! !! ! South Addition ! Ship Shoal ! ! ! ! !! ! ! !! ! ! ! ! South Addition !!! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !!! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !! ! !! !! ! ! Ewing Bank !! ! ! !! ! ! ! ! ! ! !! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !

! !

Green Canyon Atwater Valley

MAY 2009 18 Geothermal from page 16

Department of Energy, probably in collaboration with Colorado School of Mines and Pioneer Natural Resources. Pioneer holds all the coalbed methane resource in the Basin where it has drilled extensively, generating the information about subsurface temperatures used in the research. “If we can get the funding to go ahead, we would try to drill a deep hole to confirm the temperatures and test the fracturing and could be on line with a test facility in as little as three years,” Morgan said. “That will be just a couple of megawatts.” Ultimately, the plant could top out at 10-20 megawatts. This would be adequate to power Trinidad, which is within 10 miles of the resource. Morgan emphasized there’s no intention to solve the nation’s energy crisis with such a system, but to make a contribution. He noted also that it’s a shallow resource, so if it can be proved this would provide incentive to go down to the 10,000 to 12,000-foot range. This means there would be many more basins throughout the Midwest that will be open to geothermal expectation. The proposed binary power plant likely would be cost effective after seven to 10 years, depending on the price of oil. Once the plant is built, the fuel is cost-free – and always available. “Geothermal is a base load system that runs 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year,” Morgan said, “so it’s there when you need it, all the time. “You don’t have to wait for the wind to blow or the sun to come out,” he emphasized. “Wind and solar make great contributions, but aren’t necessarily there at peak demand time whereas something meeting the base load is always there when it’s needed. “Also, geothermal facilities have fewer working parts than most other plants,” Morgan noted. “You have a working load up around 97 percent, so it’s online longer than just about any other type of power plant – you have less downtime.”

A Few Concerns

Lest it sound too good to be true, there is a downside of sorts. One must go to the resource rather than where it’s wanted. In other words, it has to be used where it’s generated. “There’s no point in generating electricity and transporting it hundreds of miles, as you lose power,” Morgan said. “If a town uses electricity, let them use it there – it’s still a contribution and less demand on the national grid, especially if it’s a very reliable source.” If you’re pondering the environmental blight of the binary power plant, not to worry. “Most of them don’t use water cooling towers anymore,” Morgan said. “It will use air-cooled cooling, so it’s not much of a visual impact – probably no more than 40 feet high. “It will be much smaller than a normal power plant with no effluents coming out,” he said. “It will look pretty benign, and Trinidad may build a wall to cut down on noise.” Next on Morgan’s agenda is a similar project for Southern Methodist University to update some AAPG studies from a couple of decades ago. “I’m going through material from the Midwest and the eastern states to do the same kind of thing,” he said, “harvesting data already there – it’s kind of picking the low hanging fruit.” J

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MAY 2009 20 Burgess Shale Has Stories to Tell Formation has ‘fan club,’100 years of discoveries

By SUSAN R. EATON public Chautauqua gatherings featuring EXPLORER Correspondent international and local lecturers, In July, the Burgess Shale presentations by Walcott’s descendents Geoscience Foundation (BSGF), a not- and an historical re-enactment – on for-profit Canadian organization focused horseback and in period costume – of on geoscience education and public Walcott’s famous discovery of the outreach, kicks off the 100th anniversary Burgess Shale. of the discovery of the Burgess Shale, a formation containing a unique fossil Making It Matter assemblage of diverse, soft-bodied life forms that developed during the The BSGF’s mandate is to increase evolutionary “big-bang” called the science literacy, and its over-arching Cambrian Explosion. theme, “Putting Earth Back Into the With only one full-time staff member, Sciences,” is accomplished through this small but vital organization relies education and public outreach. heavily upon volunteers – oil and gas “We know that most students who are geologists, structural geologists, interested in science will not be exposed research paleontologists and climate to Earth sciences in the school system,” change scientists – who are passionate explained Jon Dudley, exploration about hiking in the Canadian Rockies, manager of thermal oil sands for and who delight in bringing the lessons Calgary-based Canadian Natural of the Burgess Shale to the general Resources Limited. Dudley has been a public, science teachers and school BSGF volunteer for a decade, guiding to children. the Walcott Quarry and the Mount During the past 14 years, the BSGF Stephen Trilobite Beds, and instructing has guided more than 45,000 clients the science teachers’ workshop held in from all over the world to the two Yoho National Park every August. protected fossil locales in British This summer Dudley will deliver a Columbia’s Yoho National Park: the Chautauqua lecture, “Of Mountains, Walcott Quarry and the Mount Stephen Soda Pop and Carbon Dioxide.” The Trilobite Beds. lecture’s title, he said, originated from his Serendipity played a role in the application of geological concepts to the exquisite preservation of these animals’ high school chemistry curriculum. soft body parts, and in their subsequent “We’ve tried to take geological uplift and exposure during the Rocky examples that kids can relate to,” he Mountain Orogeny. said, “and apply them to the pure Serendipity played a further role in sciences.” the discovery of the Burgess Shale: “Everyone drives through the ‘blue’ During the final days of the 1909 Canadian Rockies,” Dudley continued, summer field season, Charles Doolittle “so let’s talk about the chemical Walcott, former head of the Smithsonian equilibrium, thermodynamics and Institute and the U.S. Geological Survey, reactions involving these mountains of was navigating Burgess Pass on rocks – let’s view the rocks as composed horseback when he discovered these of minerals which are chemical 505-million-year-old fossils, famous for compounds.” their amazing diversity, bizarre life forms During the years, Dudley has and out-of-this-world appendages and developed a tool kit of simple, proboscises. Walcott had come to Yoho geologically-based experiments and National Park, in search of “stone bugs” real-life exercises – focusing on carbon excavated during the construction of the dioxide – for high school chemistry Canadian Pacific Railway. teachers to incorporate into their lesson The fossil discovery – and its plans: significance to the understanding of the Understanding that soda pop is evolution of life – led to the protection of Photo courtesy of Jon Dudley fizzy, due to carbonic acid. the Burgess Shale in 1981 as a UNESCO Classroom in the sky: Geologists at the Burgess Shale-Walcott Quarry, at 7,600 feet Dipping white paper into vinegar, to World Heritage Site. In 1984, the elevation, in Canada’s Yoho National Park. determine how much calcium carbonate Burgess Shale was integrated into the is in the whitening compound in the Canadian Rocky Mountain Parks “This is a place where one can The BSGF’s summer-long Centennial paper. UNESCO World Heritage Site. observe the impact of climate change, Celebrations are extensive – for hikers Dipping fossils containing “The 2009 Centennial Program that’s first-hand,” he explained, describing and non-hikers alike – and are designed limestone into hydrochloric acid and been laid out is simply amazing – it hanging valleys, lateral moraines and to engage stakeholders from all over the observing the fizz. reaches all the rapidly disappearing glaciers of the world, introducing them to the wonders Investigating the chemical reactions stakeholders,” said Canadian Rockies. of geology. that occur at a cement plant located in AAPG member G. “The general public can see these Activities will include geo/paleo art for the front ranges of the Rocky Mountains. Warfield “Skip” Hobbs, features very easily – they’re readily kids, guided hikes for kids (led by kids), a member of the accessible.” hikes for the general public, a series of See Burgess, page 22 BSGF’s board of directors and managing partner of Connecticut-based Ammonite Resources. “The programs are Hobbs spread from Alberta to British Columbia, from one side of the Canadian Rockies to the other. “The Burgess Shale is an outstanding natural field laboratory,” Hobbs continued. “The Burgess Shale appeals to everyone, whether you’re a six-year- old child interested in trilobites, or a renowned professor of paleontology.” According to Hobbs, the BSGF’s three educational themes – the origin of life on Earth, mountain building and Photos courtesy of Murray Coppold, Burgess Shale Geoscience Foundation and Alex Mowat climate change – can all be observed Out of their element? Aysheaia (left) and trilobites that have gone from the sea floor to the mountain top are found at the Burgess during a single field trip in Yoho National Shale-Walcott Quarry in Yoho National Park. The Burgess has been called “Mecca for paleontologists.” Park.

MAY 2009 21

MAY 2009 22 Burgess Happy Birthday, Burgess Shale from page 20

Free Centennial Chautauqua lectures Resolves Darwin’s to change. Calculating how many moles of are scheduled from July to September, Dilemma and the Evolution From Oceans to carbon dioxide are stored (or in Alberta and British Columbia. They of Complexity. Mountains … to Oceans. sequestered) in Mount Field in Yoho include: Circle of Life: The The Geological National Park – and measuring the 100 Years of Scientific Exploration Influence of Continental History of the Burgess equivalent volume of greenhouse gas and Discovery in Yoho National Park: Drift on Evolution. Shale Area: The History of that could be released from the The First Century. Fluid Geochemistry the Planet from Creation mountain. Great Canadian Fossils and the in the Western Canada Present with an Emphasis In its tenth year of operation, the History of Life on Earth. Foreland Basin and on the Burgess Shale and three-day science teachers’ workshop Aliens in Rocks. Paleoclimate Influence. Rocky Mountains. attracts junior and high school A Geological Odyssey: Bicycling Of Mountains, Soda For a complete listing teachers from Canada, the United around Iceland. Pop and Carbon Dioxide. of the 2009 Centennial States and globally. Classes range in Climate and the Geological Record Polar Climate Crisis: Celebration activities, size from 16 to 24 students. of Climate Change. Climate Change with including venues, dates AAPG member Clint Tippett, a Around the Permian World in 80 particular focus on how and times, to burgess- principal regional geologist with Slides. the polar regions already shale.bc.ca/. Calgary-based Shell Canada Energy, From Galapagos Finches to the have changed, and how – SUSAN R. EATON volunteers as an instructor for the Burgess Shale: How Modern Biology they will continue Walcott science teachers’ workshop. Tippett is part of a five-person team of professional geologists who spend their summer vacations running teachers through a crash course on geology 101 – lectures include mineral and rock identification, paleontology, glaciology, climate change, the use of topographic maps and the principles of coal, oil and gas extraction. Deﬁne Reservoir All of these lessons are reinforced during geological field trips that begin in the front ranges of the Rocky Mountains and end west of the Continental Divide in Yoho National Park. Parameters with Philip Benham, a staff geologist at Shell Canada Energy, also assists in the science teachers’ workshop. “I enjoy the field trips the most, because the teachers ask some basic questions Conﬁdence which really force me to think,” he said, “because geology is full of technical jargon.” As part of the centennial celebrations, Benham will deliver a Chautauqua lecture titled “Circle of Life: The Influence of Continental Drift on Evolution.” The following day he’ll guide participants to the Walcott Quarry. Benham gets excited when he can demonstrate oil and gas principles in the field. At Grassy Lakes, Alberta, he said, “the teachers can actually climb inside a pore in outcropping Devonian carbonates.” And at Mount Yamnuska, in the front ranges of the Canadian Rockies, teachers can observe blue Cambrian carbonates thrusted over red Cretaceous shales. “The teachers start looking at the mountains in a different way,” Tippett said. “They learn the concept of geological time – how long it takes to deposit rocks, and how long it actually took for the mountains to form.” Tippett uses a time analogy for mountain building – which blows the teachers away – suggesting that the orogeny occurred at the same speed as human fingernails grow. “It’s good to see the teachers’ enthusiasm, and to know that it’s going to be passed along to the students,” he said. Convinced more than ever that the BSGF’s geoscience education program is addressing a need in today’s society, Tippett asks, rhetorically: “How Looking to maximize opportunities in today’s volatile market? knowledgeable are legislators and the

® general public about issues that are Combine the power of PETRA , IHS Logs, Formation Tops and our impacted by Earth sciences?” extensive Well and Production Data to deﬁne reservoir parameters and Hobbs echoes Tippett’s comments: “If we hope to influence the political determine new opportunities faster and more cost effectively. debate, we have to educate the general public. By promoting the BSGF, the resource sector (oil and gas, and mining) sees the returns come IHS information solutions can improve your decision-making and reduce back, in spades.” your risk. Find out more today at www.ihs.com/reservoirsolutions See 100 Years, page 24

MAY 2009 23

MAY 2009 24 100 Years from page 22 She Wears Two Hats for Burgess Shale For the past year AAPG member she introduced renowned geologist Benham helped develop one of the and Explorer correspondent Susan R. and best-selling author Simon BSGF’s innovative teaching tools, Eaton has volunteered for the Burgess Winchester to the natural wonders of “Geopardy,” a board game fashioned Shale Geoscience Foundation – the Burgess Shale. after the TV-game-show “Jeopardy,” specifically, Eaton has assisted with “Imagine, traversing a mountain, which features questions about basic fundraising and media activities for the chock-a-block full of trilobites of all science, geology and the oil and gas BSGF’s 2009 Centennial Program. shapes and sizes,” Eaton said. industry. “Yoho National Park is one of the “Geologists and non-geologists alike “The teachers get extremely crown jewels of the Canadian Rockies,” must experience, first-hand, the competitive,” he said. “It’s a lot of fun.” Eaton said, “and it contains the most excitement and wonder of the Burgess But science teachers aren’t the only significant fossil find of the century.” Shale.” ones playing “Geopardy” – 2009 marks Since first encountering the Burgess Oil and gas corporations and the second anniversary of the BSGF’s Shale some 15 years ago, Eaton has Photo courtesy of Alex Mowat individuals alike can visit the BSGF’s Kids in Science Program (KISP), this made the arduous trek to the Walcott Rocky Mountain naturalist Alex Mowat Web site (burgess-shale.bc.ca) for year funded by Imperial Oil, the Quarry on four occasions. with EXPLORER correspondent and information or to make a donation in Canadian Society of Exploration She also has hiked, twice, to the BSGF volunteer Susan Eaton, at the support of the activities. J Geophysicists and the Association of Mount Stephen Trilobite Beds, where Burgess Shale’s Walcott Quarry. Professional Engineers, Geologists and Geophysicists of Alberta. In May, 35 KISP volunteer mentors will Moore will give two Chautauqua run 160 school children (grades 7-9) lectures, guide two hikes to the Walcott through a spirited game of “Geopardy,” Quarry and conduct several “Lunch & and will squire them around the exhibit Learns” in Calgary. floor at the Canadian Society of “It’s a tremendous opportunity to Petroleum Geologists’ annual reach out, to get people interested in the convention, held jointly with other Burgess Shale and science in general,” geoscience groups. Moore said, adding that, for geologists, Fifteen years ago, David Moore, an “hiking in the Rockies and connecting aspiring young geologist at the with the fossils reminds people about University of Calgary, landed his dream why they were interested in geology and summer job – he couldn’t believe that science in the first place.” someone would actually pay him to Moore described the marathon, guide groups to the Burgess Shale. round-trip hike to the Walcott Quarry – “I got into geology because I liked it’s 14 miles long and includes a 2,500- paleontology,” he recalled. “The Burgess foot vertical elevation gain – as “a team- Shale is ‘Mecca’ for paleontologists – it building exercise.” was like being asked to work on King “People are excited; there’s a sense Tut’s tomb, for an Egyptologist.” of discovery, awe and wonder,” he said. Today Moore is team lead for “They see gill branches on the Calgary-based Enerplus Resources undersides of arthropods that don’t Fund’s unconventional gas team and Photo courtesy of Burgess Shale Geoscience Foundation survive 15 minutes, post-mortem, yet are business development. As a BSGF A Burgess Shale guide and his pupils, with Emerald Lake in the background: “People preserved in the Burgess Shale – it’s like volunteer for the centennial celebrations, are excited; there’s a sense of discovery, awe and wonder.” you’re touching part of the past.” J

MAY 2009 25

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MAY 2009 28 An uplifting story Rocky Mountains Get Deep Study

By BARRY FRIEDMAN Earth,” he added, “where we can see lots EXPLORER Correspondent of mantle/lithosphere dynamic processes Everyone knows that Colorado is a being played out that fundamentally help scenic, beautiful locale. us learn how continents grow, evolve and Scientists using state-of-the-art 3-D erode, both from the top and bottom, seismic technology are trying to explain throughout Earth history.” in detail how it got to be that way. The Colorado Rockies Experiment and Curtain Going Up Seismic Transects – perhaps better recalled by its acronym, CREST – is a In theatrical terms, researchers view project that will provide near 3-D the history of Colorado’s Rockies as teleseismic images of the geometry of the something of a three-act play: The initial mantle anomaly in the central part of the uplift that began as a low-angle state. subduction of the Farrallon plate during More specifically, CREST will the Laramide Orogeny; when the strike- investigate time-space correlation slip San Andreas Fault did a version of between Cenozoic rock uplift and the geologic merengue and started to denudation patterns, magmatism and the form; finally, the post-Laramide modern day mantle anomaly using a host “ignimbrite flare-up” in the San Juan of integrated geological and geophysical Mountains. techniques. The hope is that CREST will now be The purpose is to understand when able to review the entire show. Aster and why changes in lithospheric hopes the project will be at the vanguard buoyancy occurred in the Rockies, how of a new set of multidisciplinary earth these changes have been expressed in investigations in the region where terms of Cenozoic magmatism and the geologists, geophysicists, topographic evolution of the highest geomorphologists and geochronologists elevation region of the Rocky Mountains. can work in larger teams to more fully In other words, why those beautiful characterize and understand the history mountains are so beautiful. of this often baffling region. “We hope to gain increased Specifically, the imaging methods understanding on how intra-plate employed by CREST will be: mountain building and continental Seismic layering that shows up as lithosphere evolve under a wide variety of velocity discontinuities (for example, tectonic influences relevant to western Moho, at the base of the continental North America, and generally on Earth, crust, a zone of complexity in the including compression, extension, Rockies). magmatism and small-scale mantle Tomograms that can reveal bulk convection,” said CREST principal mantle seismic velocity structure (for investigator Rick Aster. example, in the region of Aspen). Work like CREST has been going on Looking for Answers elsewhere internationally for years; North America is now a player of such CREST’s focus on deep Earth imaging investigations because of EarthScope, a is intended to augment pre-existing data National Science Foundation mega- already gained in imaging projects, project in which CREST is imbedded, and specifically since 2008, which included the IRIS PASSCAL instrument pool recorded earthquakes from around the (managed at the Instrument Center on the world. NMT campus). Aster, a professor of geophysics who EarthScope will probe the deep is a department chair at the Geophysical structure of the entire conterminous Research Center and Department of United States with a 2,000-station moving Earth and Environmental Science, New Photo courtesy of Jack Olson network of seismographic stations called Mexico Institute of Mining and USArray. CREST will add an additional 59 Technology, said the CREST recorders The Colorado Rockies Experiment and Seismic Transects project – CREST, for short – stations, specifically in and around the started earlier this year and will remain in is trying to find data on the state’s geologic foundations. Above, the dramatic Black Aspen anomaly. place for approximately another year, Canyon of the Gunnison River. In a sense, they’re both part of the collecting seismic data to help explain same enigma – both hoping to unlock the how mantle processes beneath the exposure dates, stream incision and the climax of an enigma? same climax. Colorado Rocky Mountains have other geomorphic data, and other data “The lithosphere in the Rocky The partnership between CREST and influenced their tectonic history. from the region to assess the tectonic Mountain region occupies an important USArray, however, constitutes one of the Dating, geomorphology and other evolution of the region in consort with transition between ancient lithosphere to largest and densest seismic arrays efforts, Aster said, will continue for what we learn from the deep seismic the east and recently altered lithosphere currently deployed on earth – and several years after that. imaging,” he said. to the west,” Aster said. represents an unprecedented scientific “We also are surveying the gravity, So what is it about Colorado that made “The Rocky Mountains occupy one of search for the meaning of one’s state’s geochemistry, pluton ages, geodynamics, researchers deduce the Rockies were at the broadest plate boundary regions on beauty. J

Photos courtesy of Ken Dueker Members of the CREST team usually work alone in the field – unless the locals show some interest, of course, as one did near Carbondale, Colo., when a CRESTer was checking the seismic data logger. The team is trying to unlock data that could help explain the state’s complex geology, like this folded rock site near Glenwood Springs (right).

MAY 2009 29

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MAY 2009 30 AAPG author pulls data together Cuba Needs Big Scale Exploration By LARRY NATION again,” he continued. AAPG Communications Director “He said ‘Good idea!’ Caribbean geology has always held a and a week later I was charm for Georges Pardo. on my way to Cuba.” For the past 60 or so years, the area has been his professional focus, or at The Lost Years least in the periphery of his attentions. His interest has resulted in the Pardo was in Cuba publication of AAPG Studies 58 Geology a couple of times prior of Cuba, due to be hot off the press in to 1952, and then time for the AAPG Annual Convention Pardo resided and worked and Exhibition in Denver. there as chief geologist “The Caribbean always has been of of Cuban Gulf Oil from 1952 to 1955. great interest to me,” Pardo said. “I never returned to the island after “Throughout my career I have been that,” he said. “I also kept contacts with personally involved with the geology of Harry Wassall (founder and CEO of Barbados, Venezuela, Northwestern Petroconsultants) and established a good Colombia, the Gulf of Mexico and several friendship with Manuel Iturralde-Vinent, geophysical transects across the from the Museum of Natural History in Caribbean.” Havana. Born in Paris to a Venezuela father and “The work we did in Cuba (with P. a French mother, Pardo’s family moved to Bronnimann, Wassall and Truitt) in the Caracas when he was a teenager. 1950s was truly pioneering, but for one Studying toward a geology degree at the reason or another was never published in Venezuelan Instituto de Geologia, he was its entirety,” he said. “Then Castro came, encouraged by professor E. Mencher and communications were lost for many (later of Massachusetts Institure of years.” Technology) to join AAPG as a student With his interest kindled, Pardo gave member. several oral presentations on Cuba at “I became an (Active) member in AAPG and Geological Society of America 1945, after joining Mene Grande (the Photo courtesy of Georges Pardo meetings in New York, New Orleans, Venezuelan subsidiary of Gulf Oil Corp),” Georges Pardo, left, with Harry Wassall in Nuevitas in Cuba’s Camaguey Province, Caracas and other venues. He also wrote Pardo said. “I had graduated in 1943, in 1952. the paper “Geology of Cuba” for the and worked in the San Tome stratigraphic series “The Ocean Basins and Margins” laboratory.” later a close friend and mentor. reports,” Pardo said, “and said (Vol. 3, 1975), edited by Nairn and Stehli. The highly influencial Hollis Hedberg Hedberg was responsible for Pardo “’Georges, try to make sense of this. It’s a Pardo also contributed to “The (in whose honor AAPG Hedberg going to Cuba. mess.’ Geology and Tectonic Evolution of the Conferences are named) was the chief “While Hedburg was Gulf’s chief “A few days later I went to his office geologist there – and was one of Pardo’s geologist for foreign exploration in New and suggested to forget about everything sponsors for Active membership and York he came to my office with a stack of and start studying the island all over See Cuba, page 32

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MAY 2009 32

published – in one volume, and also Cuba incorporate the older information into new, very good data coming out of new from page 30 generations of students of Cuban Zagorski = Marcellus geology,” he said. AAPG member William A. Zagorski, supported our work in Northern Big Potential – Or Big Talk? Range Resources vice president of the Marcellus.” Caribbean geology, has been given the title “Father The honor was Margin,” by Lewis Pardo explained that Cuba is part of of the Marcellus” by the Pittsburgh presented at a recent and Draper, 1990 an orogenic belt that forms the southern Association of Petroleum Geologists. ceremony by PAPG GSA, and DNAG boundary of the North American The award is in recognition of president Jim “The Geology of continent, and though it is the southern Zagorski’s “outstanding Pancake and Ray North America, The boundary of the Gulf of Mexico it has accomplishments in the initiation and Walke with Range Caribbean never been much written about in the early development of the modern era of Resources. Region,” edited by U.S. literature. natural gas production from the “A discovery such Dengo and Case. There has been a lot of buzz lately Marcellus Shale in the Appalachian as the Marcellus is a Zagorski He also wrote a about Cuba’s petroleum potential. Brazil Basin,” according to PAPG. once-in-a-lifetime report on Cuba for signed an exploration agreement in “This is a humbling honor, but I truly achievement,” Pancake said. “This Wassall’s November 2008, and in March Russia share this recognition with so many represents a tremendous opportunity to Petroconsultants. expressed interest in Cuban blocks and others at Range Resources,” Zagorski significantly boost our local economy “Having been involved in the geology formed an exploration unit with said. “So much of the credit goes to the and transform our nation’s energy of Cuba for quite a few years, I decided Venezuela’s PDVSA for possible others at Range who believed and future.” that it would be a shame not to try to put exploration there. all this information – much of it never What does Pardo think of the huge estimates of potential being tossed about? “I do not believe any of the published estimates,” Pardo said. “On land, although source rocks and potential reservoirs are common (Cuba produced 52,000 Bod in 2007), the structural picture is incredibly complicated. “There are very few ‘conventional structures,’” he continued, “and those are faulted, fractured, thrusted to an unbelievable intensity. In most cases, the thrust plane is the only seal. “Most of the zone where oil has been found consists of relatively thin-bedded carbonates crushed between a slab of oceanic crust overriding the Bahamas carbonates and the southern Gulf of Mexico,” he said. “To make matters worse,” he continued, “the seismic response of Cretaceous and older rocks is very poor – including high velocity, poor reflection coefficients and high dips. Nearly nothing has been published about the deep offshore except articles of a promotional nature. “The few seismic profiles I have seen do not show anything coherent below the Tertiary cover.” Already a number of fairly deep wells have been drilled along the north and northwest coast, and some of the wells bottom in sediments younger than at the surface. “There is no indication that the extent of thrusting is known,” Pardo said. “To the south of the island there is no reason to believe that anything but volcanics, metamorphics and igneous rocks are present under a thin Tertiary cover.”

Wanted: A Complete Picture

A world of intelligence, If big success is to be had in Cuba, Pardo advises a comprehensive delivered. exploration program – including the Bahamas. “Deep transects to clarify once and As the search for energy resources moves to the data acquired and or processed from land, transition for all the deep structure under the world’s less-hospitable regions, one company stands zones or shallow water regions. And bring back the island, and how it fits with North America ready to venture forth where few have dared. seismic data that is worth developing. will be needed,” he said. “I am afraid that the “lease-by-lease” approach will Geokinetics has blazed new trails into some of the Which is why more and more results-oriented energy not do it.” With Gulf, Pardo also worked at the planet’s most extreme environments. Pioneered the companies depend on Geokinetics. We deliver the Gulf Research Laboratory, was regional use of innovative technologies. Adapted to harsh decision-critical intelligence it takes to cut the cost geologist in the Latin American conditions. And accepted challenges from which of every barrel of oil you discover. operations-domestic exploration and others shrink. All to bring you 2D/3D/4D seismic served as exploration vice president for Gulf Global Exploration. When Gulf and Chevron merged in 1984, Pardo retired as general manager of Gulf’s Central Ingenuity. Expanding. Worldwide. www.geokinetics.com Exploration Group and Houston Technical Service Center. But the geology of Cuba was still on his mind. Studies 58 includes 88 printed pages and 360 total pages on CD-ROM (the 360 pages include the 88 printed pages plus additional data). J

MAY 2009 33

MAY 2009 34

Howard Barousse, to senior Doug Melton, to Arkoma asset geologist, Texas Petroleum Investment manager, Southwestern Energy, Co., Houston. Previously vice president- Fayetteville, Ark. Previously manager- geosciences, Centurion Exploration, Desoto geological operations, Houston. Southwestern Energy, Fayetteville, Ark.

Alan P.Byrnes, to senior R.I. “Bob” Moore, to president, Force petrophysicist, Chesapeake Energy, 10 Resources, Calgary, Canada. Oklahoma City. Previously research Previously vice president-exploration geologist, Kansas Geological Survey, and development, Crown Point Lawrence, Kan. Ventures, Buenos Aires, Argentina, and Vancouver, Canada. Jhonny E. Casas, to senior geologist/sedimentologist, Gazprom Chris Persellin, to associate Latin America, Caracas, Venezuela. geologist, Chesapeake Energy, Previously senior Oklahoma City. Previously student, geologist/sedimentologist, SINCOR, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, Venezuela. Okla.

Reino F. Clark, to senior geologist, James Pol, to senior staff geologist, Chesapeake Energy, Oklahoma City. Southwestern Energy, Houston. Previously geologist, Minerals Previously senior geologist, Sanchez Oil Management Service, New Orleans, La. & Gas, Houston.

Eric Cummins, to district exploration Heather N. Ramsey, to geologist, manager-Permian Basin, Kirkpatrick Oil, Chesapeake Energy, Charleston, W.Va. Midland, Texas. Previously senior Previously geologist, Anadarko exploration geologist, David H. Petroleum, The Woodlands, Texas. Arrington Oil & Gas, Midland, Texas. Trent Rehill, to manager geology, Mark A. Earley, to Knotty Head team Kulczyk Oil Ventures, Calgary, Canada. lead, Nexen Petroleum USA, Plano, Previously senior staff geologist, Texas. Previously geophysical adviser, Artumas Group, Calgary, Canada. EOG Resources, Corpus Christi, Texas. Robert Rieser, to senior geologist, Tom W. Harrold, to senior staff Chesapeake Energy, Oklahoma City. geoscientist, Laredo Petroleum, Tulsa. Previously senior geologist, Previously with Zenergy, Tulsa. Schlumberger, Oklahoma City.

Alexandra “Alex” Herger, to director- Allan Scardina, to chief geologist- international exploration and new ventures, Shell, Rijswijk, conventional new ventures, Marathon Netherlands. Previously senior new Oil, Houston. Previously director- ventures adviser, Shell, Rijswijk, worldwide conventional new ventures, Netherlands. Marathon Oil, Houston. Robert “Bob” Tehan, to geological Nigel Hicks, to geophysicist, adviser, Linn Energy, Oklahoma City. Chesapeake Energy, Oklahoma City. Previously chief geologist and Previously geophysicist, BP America, consulting geologist, Highmount E&P, Houston. Oklahoma City.

Mike Kisucky, to geologic adviser- John Tintera, to executive director, new opportunities, Chevron Asia Pacific Railroad Commission of Texas, Austin. E&P, Rumbai, Indonesia. Previously Previously interim executive director, senior staff petroleum geologist, Railroad Commission of Texas, Austin. Chevron North America E&P, Houston. Jim Wilson, to geoscience manager, Tom Levy, to exploration adviser, Chesapeake Energy, Charleston, W.Va. integrated services for exploration, Previously senior staff geologist, Cabot Schlumberger, Houston. Previously Oil & Gas, Charleston, W.Va. consultant, Houston. (Editor’s note: “Professional News David J. May, to senior geologist- Briefs” includes items about members’ unconventional resources, Chesapeake career moves and the honors they Energy, Oklahoma City. Previously vice receive. To be included, please send president exploration, Torrent Energy, information in the above format to Portland, Ore. Professional News Briefs, c/o AAPG EXPLORER, P.O. Box 979, Tulsa, Okla. Joe McShane, associate geologist, 74101; or fax, 918-560-2636; or e-mail, Chesapeake Energy, Oklahoma City. [email protected]; or submit directly Previously student, Stephen F. Austin from the AAPG Web site, State University, Nacogdoches, Texas. www.aapg.org/explorer/pnb_forms.cfm.)

Clarence F. Balay Jr., 58 Oscar D. Weaver Jr., 85 Houston, Feb. 18, 2009 Houston, Feb. 15, 2009 Frederick D. Bingham, 80 Louis R. Wilson, 94 Clarksville, Va., Feb. 7, 2009 Oklahoma City, Dec. 25, 2007 Dean L. Cummins, 86 Leonard A. Wood, 86 Colorado Springs, Colo. Oakton, Va., Nov. 10, 2008 March 1, 2009 Robert L. Maby Jr., 87 (Editor’s note: “In Memory” listings are Houston, Feb. 3, 2009 based on information received from the Gene P.Morrell, 75 AAPG membership department. Age at New Braunfels, Texas time of death, when known, is listed. March 3, 2008 When the member’s date of death is Russell R. Simonson, 96 unavailable, the person’s membership Carlsbad, Calif., Feb. 27, 2009 classification and anniversary date are William T. Smith (AC ’63) listed.) Fort Worth

MAY 2009 35 AAPG FOUNDATION

DISTINGUISHED LECTURE PROGRAM

In the early years of From trains to the Distinguished planes, through Lecture tour great twelve U.S. scientists like M. King presidents and over Hubbert and W. C. 68 years.... Krumbein endured the Distinguished challenging journeys Lecture Program by train. Although the continues to be one journey was rough due of the Association’s to WWII rationing most prestigious and and strictures, they popular programs pressed on and reaching more than completed their tours 300 affiliated with much help from societies and local societies and their universities around officers. the world.

success against increasing costs. An Who Benefits? endowment challenge provides an exciting • Geoscience students naming opportunity. A match of your gift • Faculty in the amount of $150,000 or $175,000 • Geologist will be provided by the Association/ • Universities and Foundation 1:1 to provide funding for a • Affiliated societies around the world new named North American Distinguished with growth in the future of Lecturer or $175,000 for a new Named geosciences International Distinguished Lecturer. How Can You Help? You may request a AAPG Distinguished Lecturers have 5-year pledge traveled missions of miles and spoken for commitment form or more than a million hours on every possible to discuss your many facet of geology in almost every corner of giving options, please the world. Yet there is more to say and contact Rebecca more to learn. We need your financial Griffin, Foundation support today to secure the program’s Manager at 918-560-2644.

MAY 2009 36

‘Energy Policy’ Process is Under Way

By DAVID CURTISS Repeal enhanced oil recovery GEO-DC Director APG represents the science credit. The plane was buffeted by gusty Repeal marginal well tax credit. winds as it banked to line up with the A and profession of energy Repeal expensing of tangible runway, but with a steady hand the pilot drilling costs. guided our craft to a safe landing at geology, with primary emphasis Repeal deduction for tertiary Midland International Airport. It was my injectants. first trip to the heart of the Permian Basin. on petroleum. Repeal passive loss exception for The purpose of my visit was to speak working interests in oil and gas at a Division of Professional Affairs (DPA) properties. town hall meeting, providing an overview Curtiss Repeal manufacturing tax deduction of GEO-DC activities and addressing for oil and gas companies. specific policy issues that affect AAPG professionals working in industry, Shortly after arriving at Interior, Salazar Increase geological and and DPA members. government and academia. rolled back the oil shale research, geophysical amortization period for Nearly 80 people gathered for drinks As a result, our principal mission at development and deployment leases that independent producers to seven years. and hors d’oeuvres at the Midland GEO-DC is to bring our members’ the Bush administration had awarded in Repeal percentage depletion for oil Petroleum Club, hosted by DPA past- collective scientific expertise and its “eleventh hour.” He opened a and natural gas. president Mike Party. DPA president-elect professional experience into the policy- comment period on a new round of oil Commenting in written testimony Paul Britt led off the evening with an making process to (we hope) result in shale R&D leases, seeking stakeholder presented to the House Energy and overview of the division and its role within better public policy. input. Water Appropriations Subcommittee on the Association and the profession. I The president’s budget for fiscal year the policies proposed in the president’s followed with my talk on “The Shifting *** 2010 proposed the repeal of the ultra- budget, AAPG President Scott Tinker Sands of U.S. Energy Policy.” deepwater and unconventional research wrote: I began with the history of GEO-DC The second part of the talk focused on and development program, which, “… Compounded by a weak economy and what AAPG is trying to accomplish in the policy actions under way and combined with the persistently and limited access to capital, these Washington, D.C. proposed by the Obama administration inadequate funding of the Department of proposed policies on top of an already I stressed that AAPG is a scientific and and the 111th Congress, beginning with Energy’s oil and natural gas research heavily taxed industry would have a professional association, not a trade public land access. programs, will result in insufficient chilling effect on oil and natural gas association. GEO-DC does not represent Secretary of Interior Ken Salazar investment in oil and natural gas R&D to drilling, production and energy the petroleum industry. There are plenty currently is undertaking a comprehensive meet future demand. investment in this country, cost many jobs of trade groups, such as the American assessment of the outer continental shelf The FY2010 budget also included and directly undermine U.S. energy Petroleum Institute and Independent (OCS) – with an extended public provisions seeking to impose a fee on security. Petroleum Association of America, to fill comment period until Sept. 21 – asking non-producing acreage – a “use it or lose “The U.S. tried this experiment from that role. the Minerals Management Service and it” fee. It also proposed changes to the 1980-88 with the windfall profits tax Instead, AAPG represents the science U.S. Geological Survey for an tax code, designed to raise $31.5 billion which, compounded with the drop in and profession of energy geology, with assessment of OCS energy sources, and over 10 years. The changes include: primary emphasis on petroleum. Our holding a series of regional meetings in Excise tax on Gulf of Mexico oil and members include scientists and coastal areas to solicit stakeholder input. gas production. See Washington, page 39

MAY 2009 37

MAY 2009 38

Seismic Steps Aid Sequestration

(The Geophysical Corner is a regular *** column in the EXPLORER, edited by Bob A. Hardage, senior research scientist at Two reflectivity curves are calculated the Bureau of Economic Geology, the for the top and base of the reservoir: University of Texas at Austin. This month’s One curve describes the reflectivity column deals with seismic reflectivity of of a brine-filled reservoir unit. CO2 sequestration targets.) The second curve describes the reflectivity of a reservoir that has a CO2 By BOB HARDAGE saturation of 100 percent. and DIANA SAVA These reflectivity curves are shown as Sequestration of CO2 in sealed brine figures 4a and 4c (next page). The reservoirs is an important issue in reflectivity at the brine-CO2 contact is industrialized countries that are defined by the single curve in figure 4b. concerned about the impact of excessive Examination of figure 4 shows that P-P atmospheric CO2 on the environment. reflectivity increases by about 20 percent A general at the top of the reservoir when brine is consensus is that replaced by CO2. This brightening of the long-term seismic P-P reflection can be detected only if monitoring of injected good-quality seismic data are acquired CO2 will be essential and if seismic data processing is carefully for successful CO2 done. sequestration For this particular geologic layering, programs. the P-P reflection from the interface at the In this column we base of the reservoir does not vary when consider the P-wave brine is replaced by CO2 (figure 4c). reflectivity associated Hardage Figure 1 – Density of CO2 for a range of pressures and temperatures. Numbered with tracking a CO2 *** plume in one reservoir triangle 1 defines the value of CO2 density used to model seismic responses at a CO2 sequestration depth of 6,000 feet. As a reference, the density of water (1 gm/cm3) is considered for CO2 An encouraging result is that there sequestration. 62.43 lbs/ft3. should be a measurable P-P reflection at any brine/CO2 contact boundary that is *** created within the reservoir unit. Figure 4b shows that P-P reflectivity at the The physical brine/CO2 boundary is 3 percent to 6 properties of injected percent. CO2 that affect seismic Comparing this fluid-contact reflectivity imaging are its density with the P-P reflectivity at the top and and acoustic base of the reservoir indicates that a P-P Sava propagation velocity at reflection from a brine/CO2 interface will the pressure and temperature of its host be one-third to one-tenth the magnitude medium. of the reflection amplitudes from the Because CO2 has a shear modulus of upper and lower interfaces of the zero whether it is a gas or a liquid, shear- sequestration interval. wave velocity in CO2 is zero. The only Again, this smaller fluid-contact velocity that has to be known for seismic reflection response can be detected only modeling purposes is VP, the propagation if good-quality seismic data are acquired velocity of the P-wave mode in CO2. and great care is used in processing the The density and P-wave velocity of data. An additional requirement is that the CO2 over a range of pressure and distance from the fluid interface to both temperature conditions are defined by the the top and the base of the sequestration curves displayed in figures 1 and 2, interval should be more than half the respectively. dominant wavelength of the illuminating An Earth model that defines reflecting wavefield. interfaces at the top and base of the In amplitude-versus-offset (AVO) sandstone reservoir and at the fluid parlance, the top of the reservoir is a interface between CO2 and brine internal Class 4 AVO interface (figure 4a), and the to that reservoir is shown as figure 3. From Figure 2 – P-wave propagation velocity in CO2 for a range of pressures and fluid-contact boundary is a Class 3 AVO available log data at this site, the Earth temperatures. Numbered triangle 1 defines the velocity value used to model seismic interface (figure 4b). These differing AVO layers have the following petrophysical reflectivity at a CO2 sequestration depth of 6,000 feet. As references, the velocity in behaviors allow a valuable data- properties: water is approximately 4,800 feet/second, and the velocity in air is 1,100 feet/second. processing strategy to be implemented. Sealing carbonaceous shale: Two P-P seismic images need to be t = 65 µs/ft, = 2.633 gm/cm3. made: Image 1 would use only small- ∆ P ρ Reservoir sandstone: offset data (incidence angle range t = 80 µs/ft, = 2.357 gm/cm3, between 0 and 20 degrees), and Image 2 ∆ P ρ = 22 percent. would utilize only large-offset data Φ Granite basement: (incidence angles between 20 and 50 t = 55 µs/ft, = 2.70 gm/cm3. degrees). ∆ P ρ The sandstone reservoir is at a depth In Image 1, the reflection from the top of 6,000 feet; it is important to define the of the reservoir will be five to six times depth of the injection interval in order to greater than the fluid-contact reflection. In determine the temperature and Image 2, the reflection from the top of the hydrostatic pressure that act on the reservoir will reduce and will be only two sequestered CO2. to three times brighter than the fluid- This temperature and pressure, in turn, contact boundary. specify the density and VP values that The reflectivity behaviors in these two should be used to describe the seismic images should allow a fluid-contact properties of the in situ CO2 (figures 1 and boundary to be identified. 2). A factor of 0.433 psi/ft was used to convert target depth to hydrostatic *** pressure. In utilizing the curves in figures 1 and For simplicity, this modeling assumes 2, the in situ temperature was assumed to that the pore space in the sandstone be 130 degrees Fahrenheit. These reservoir is filled with either 100 percent assumptions lead to V and values of brine or 100 percent CO . In reality, the P ρ 2 1,285 ft/s and 47.0 lb/ft3, respectively, for pore space will be occupied by various the sequestered CO2. Figure 3 – Earth model of the CO2 sequestration target. continued on next page

MAY 2009 39

Figure 4 – (a) P-wave reflectivity at top of reservoir; (b) P-wave reflectivity at brine/CO2 interface; (c) P-wave reflectivity at base of reservoir continued from previous page be done to determine the viability and careful and precise procedures be be easier to image. J strategies of seismic monitoring of implemented for monitoring plume percentage ratios of brine and CO2. injected CO2 before any CO2 growth, as in this case. (Editor’s note: Diana Sava, like Our only purpose here is to emphasize sequestration project is initiated. Appropriate modeling can show if a Hardage, is with the Bureau of Economic that a detailed seismic modeling should Some CO2 plumes may require that CO2 plume in another geologic setting will Geology in Austin, Texas.) Washington from page 36

price of oil in the ’80s, had a disastrous effect on drilling, industry employment and U.S. energy production for nearly two decades to follow. “We face a very similar price situation now,” he continued, “and cannot afford to repeat an experiment that has already been tried and failed.” It is important to remember that the provisions in Obama’s budget are just proposals. Congress holds the federal purse strings and decides from whom tax dollars are collected and how they are spent. This process is just beginning.

***

GEO-DC will continue informing policy with science, and educating law- makers on the consequences of their actions. Based on the Association’s statements we will support tax and public land use policies that encourage exploration and production – that is good public policy. We also will continue to support robust energy R&D, especially in oil and natural gas. But in a representative democracy, there are limits to what our office can accomplish. In fact, one of our primary responsibilities is to develop ways for you as members and individual constituents to get involved. You are the key to communicating the message to Congress. When considering next steps, I suggested to the Midland audience that the situation demands their personal engagement and action. We all should contact our elected officials by phone, e-mail or a personal visit to their local offices. It is essential that we encourage colleagues and friends to also get engaged, particularly if they live in a state that does not have a large oil and natural gas community. The DPA has posted some helpful resources on its Web page on other ways to get engaged on this issue. Alexis de Tocqueville reportedly said, “[i]n a democracy, the people get the government they deserve.” It is not time to panic. It is also not time for complacency. Get involved and work hard to ensure that your legislator understand the consequences of their actions. As we look forward, the stakes are high but the task is clear. Now let’s get to work. J

MAY 2009 40

EXPLORER Gets Web Makeover

By JAMIE EDFORD These services allow users to share Web Site Editorial Assistant and review Web sites, news stories and The AAPG EXPLORER’s online edition blog articles of interest and see what has undergone a makeover just in time Web content is popular among their for spring, and has been redesigned from friends and the Web at large. the ground up. For example, AAPG Web sites have Inspired by the standards readers been bookmarked multiple times on have come to expect from prominent Delicious, and a search for AAPG on online news sites, the Web EXPLORER’s StumbleUpon or Digg brings up dozens sleeker layout is more consistent and of entries and reviews. easier to read and print. It also has been It’s a quick and easy way for AAPG to optimized for use on mobile devices. see what’s gaining attention among Web The EXPLORER home page is a users and for our readers to find more quick guide to everything: subscription related content. and advertising information, most AddThis also gives one-click access popular stories (according to Google to print and e-mail stories. Analytics), submission information and links to archives and as well as the Archives Expanded current issue. Each issue’s index is focused only on Beyond the individual story pages, the that month’s content, making it easier and column and EXPLORER issue archives faster to find information. are now chronologically listed, with more Larger photographs and a slideshow information than ever featured on the gallery-style display of multiple graphics index pages – such as author names and give a more convenient viewing issue focus. experience, while not interrupting the text It’s also now easier than ever to leave flow. your comments for the editor. At the Many of the new features can be bottom of each page is an interactive found in the sidebar. comment form that appears with a click Related Stories uses keyword (it is otherwise hidden to minimize load searching and the power of Google to Add This … Really! time and optimize the viewing highlight past EXPLORER stories on experience). similar topics – and with a single click The most significant new feature Harnessing the power and features of opens a new page for more in-depth harnesses the power of social Web 2.0 technology has given the searching of past issues. bookmarking using AddThis, an EXPLORER not just a new look, but more Explorer Search, available on every interactive feature that allows you to informational value than ever before by page, searches only the EXPLORER easily add stories to various social linking stories not just to EXPLORERs archives (rather than the entire AAPG networking sites such as Delicious, past and present, but to the entire World Web site). StumbleUpon or Digg. Wide Web. J Make an Assault on Salt

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MAY 2009 42 Face-to-Face Makes a Difference (Editor’s note: Regions and Sections is meeting agenda features a preview of the whether to develop a Web site and how to frequent communications – “connectivity” a regular column in the EXPLORER Region’s new Web site and e-newsletter, a develop a cadre of speakers from the among the local societies, Sections and offering news for and about AAPG’s six review of the Region’s 2009 Imperial Barrel Section who are willing to give talks at local AAPG headquarters. international Regions and six domestic Award competition and plans for IBA 2010. colleges and other venues. Sections. Contact: Carol McGowen, A group discussion will identify ways to Latin America Region AAPG’s Regions and Sections manager, at strengthen existing student chapters and Sections Committee The Latin America Region will welcome 1-918-560-9403; or e-mail to establish new ones. As AAPG continues its evolution as a the AAPG International Conference and [email protected].) Consideration of a process for global organization and a new AAPG Exhibition in Rio de Janeiro this November, establishing country representatives in corporate structure is considered, the role and the Region’s June 8 meeting will help By CAROL McGOWEN each African country with at least one of the Sections Committee is vital to the organize volunteers and further prepare for Regions and Sections Manager AAPG member will round out the meeting. process. the conference. All AAPG Latin America With the many means of electronic Alignment of the Sections with AAPG’s Region members are encouraged to communication now available, one might Eastern Section global initiatives will be a key topic during attend. wonder whether there is much interest in Final preparations for the Section’s the Sections Committee June 8 meeting. The Region faces a challenge of how to holding meetings during AAPG’s Annual annual meeting (Sept. 20-22 in Evansville, All Section officers and committee chairs motivate cross-country interaction within Convention and Exhibition in Denver. Ind.) tops the agenda for the ES Council are invited to join W.C. “Rusty” Riese, Latin America. To address this challenge, Judging by the seven meetings meeting on June 8. Eastern Section AAPG’s vice president-Sections, for this candidates will be nominated to fill vacant scheduled over the two-day period of June officers, delegates and affiliate society important discussion. or expiring officer positions on the Region 8-9 (Monday-Tuesday), however, AAPG’s presidents are invited. Other issues to be discussed include Steering Committee. To support the newly Section and Region leaders still find face- Other agenda topics include how to engage the many geologists who elected Region Steering Committee, a to-face meetings an indispensible tool for improvements to the archival of talks work in the Sections but who are not AAPG point contact in each Latin American exchanging ideas and advancing the work presented at the Eastern Section meetings, members, and ideas for improved, more country will be identified. Other important of the Association. business includes raising topics for Several committees hold monthly Distinguished Lecturers and short courses teleconferences, but meeting face-to-face IBA Sponsorships Slots Still Available within the Region. at ACE and ICE helps networking and new The semifinal competitions for this team winning $20,000 for their members to feel comfortable with their year’s Imperial Barrel Awards petroleum geoscience department. Mid-Continent Section colleagues. It also allows issues to be competition are coming to a close, The IBA depends on corporate The Mid-Continent Section Council will wrestled within a manner not easily which means 10 student teams from sponsorship to help meet the program’s meet on June 9 to discuss: afforded by e-mail or over phone lines. around the world are getting ready for goals – and opportunities still exist for Scholarships. the IBA finals competition in June 5 in companies that want to be part of the Teacher of the Year, Africa Region Denver – one day before the official program. AAPG student chapters. The Africa Region leadership team will start of this year’s AAPG Annual For more information on sponsorship Imperial Barrel Award competition. use their meeting on June 8 to bridge the Convention and Exhibition. opportunities go to www.aapg.org/iba; The Section’s next annual meeting, vast geographic distance of their AAPG’s IBA Program is an annual or contact Mike Mlynek set Oct. 10-14 in Tulsa. respective locales. prospect/exploration evaluation ([email protected]) or IBA Finances within the society. The Denver meeting marks the competition between university student Sponsorship chair Erik Mason Any active member of the Section is completion of this diverse team’s first year teams who use real data, with the top ([email protected]). of service to the AAPG Africa Region. The continued on next page Tomorrow has NOT been Cancelled! check out our: Geoscience Subsurface Interpretation & Mapping Certification Program

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MAY 2009 43

continued from previous page Canada Region Last year, in lieu of a traditional invited to sit in and bring new business business meeting, the Canada Region before the council, but only members of planned a small social gathering – and the council will have voting privileges. attendance was twice the number expected. International Regions Committee Based on that success, a similar social The IRC is a forum for leaders of the event is scheduled on Tuesday evening, international organization to June 9. Invited are all Canadian AAPG communicate needs of the global members, the Canada IBA team, Canada membership, share best practices and regional IBA judges, the Canadian thereby improve service delivery. winners of AAPG awards and Canada The annual meeting is a good Region students, who will have a great opportunity to identify one or two networking opportunity by attending. global initiatives in which all the A brief annual general meeting will be regions can participate and leverage held during the social. off AAPG’s strong domestic resource base. *** Over the years the IRC has worked The technical program has been set for AAPG’s 3P Polar Petroleum Potential with other committees to introduce the Still doubtful about whether face-to- conference, set Sept. 30-Oct. 2 at Moscow’s All-Russia Exhibit Center. “3P” will offer Distinguished Lecturer, Visiting face meetings are really needed? Come an intense look at the geology and exploration potential of the entire Pan-Arctic area Geoscientist and Student Chapter join one of these Region or Section events – including Greenland, shown above. Go to www.aapg.org for the lastest information. programs globally, as well as making in Denver and judge for yourself! J regionalization a reality, developing a track record of successful international conferences and evolving regional Web sites of consistently high quality. More recently IRC has worked to assure strong representation of internationals in the HoD, the standing committees and in the leadership councils of the Divisions and further upgrade our Web sites. Key focus areas for the forthcoming Denver IRC meeting will be sharing ideas on creating a “country-by- country” contact structure to assure good communication and service delivery across the organization. Highlighted will be Regions best practices, along with a status report on the Global Corporate Structure and Regional Incorporation. There also will be updates on the International Pavilion, student activities and how well the Divisions are doing in the Regions. Each region is asked to present the two biggest issues confronting each of them. From this, one or two key projects may crystallize that IRC can focus on and pursue as a team over the next 12 months.

Abstract Deadline Set for GEO 2010 Abstracts are now being accepted online for GEO 2010, AAPG’s next Middle East Geosciences Conference and Exhibition, which will be held March 7-10 in Manama, Bahrain. The conference theme will be “Innovative Geoscience Solutions – Meeting Hydrocarbon Demand in Changing Times.” Nine technical topic themes have been announced for the event, which as in past years will be sponsored by AAPG and several other geoscience groups. The biannual GEOs have become the region’s premier “geo” event. Technical topics are: Engaging Future Generations. Technologies to Solve Complex Reservoir Challenges. Reservoir Characterization. Advances in Geophysics. Next Generation Technologies. Petrophysics. Geological Studies and Basin Modeling. New Play Concepts in Exploration and the Role of Risk Management and Innovation. Harvesting Unconventional Resources. The abstract deadline is July 7. To submit an abstract, or for more information go to www.aapg.org.

MAY 2009 44

FINE MINERALS, JEWELRY & FOSSILS Cal & Kerith Graeber Phone 760-723-9292 [email protected] SEE US IN DENVER -B ooth 1638

333&,*+.$ AAPG President Scott Tinker (third from right) and members of “The Bridge” documentary film crew take a break on the landing deck of the RasGas Alpha offshore &/*+0#+.,.+#&0,.+#"//&+*(//+ &0&+*+#)") "./#.+))+."0%* +1*0.&"/ production facility in the Arabian Gulf north of Qatar; natural gas from the nearby Khuff .",."/"*0&*$/01!"*0/0%.+1$%/"/+*"!*"$+0&0+./ 6/*! 6/!"!& 0"!0+0%""!1 0&+* Formation supplies the LNG facilities in Qatar. The AAPG Foundation has established +# &0/)") "./*!0%"!"2"(+,)"*0+#0.*/,."*0#&.*! (* "!+!"( +*0. 0/*! a new fund to help meet the film’s production costs. 1&!* " +0"/ &* (1!&*$ +*#&!"*0&(&04 $."")"*0 01!4 *! &! .+1, $."")"*0 / ("/ $."")"*0 *&0&50&+* *! ,".0&*$ $."")"*0 A new AAPG Foundation fund has the AAPG Annual Convention and *! +1*0&*$ .+ "!1." / .*/,+.00&+* $."")"*0 been established in support of a full- Exhibition, set June 7-10 in Denver. ".2& "/ $."")"*0 ("/ $."")"*0 length documentary that is being made to Upcoming TA events at the Denver help alert and inform the world of future annual meeting include: trends in energy use and production. Members of the Corporation and %+.0 +1./"/ (10&+*2(10&+*+.'/%+, “The Bridge: Our Fossil Path to Board of Trustees are scheduled to meet "$+0&0&+* '&((/ +.'/%+, +." +1./" +* *0".*0&+*( 3 Alternative Energy” is a production that is at 1:30 p.m. on Monday, June 8. +!"( +*0. 0/ +.'/%+, *"4 !1 0&+*( ")&*./ being shot at locations around the world, Foundation Chairmen’s Reception featuring AAPG President and Trustee will be held at 5 p.m. on Tuesday, June 9. +. "*-1&."/ ")&( )") "./ &,*+.$ Associate Scott Tinker. The Foundation’s “Bridge Fund” also *** will support a Web site on the same subject. On the road again: The Trustee Do you have any problems in assigning Maturation, Contributions to the “Bridge Fund” – or Associate luncheons not only spread the Organic Facies, Oil or GasǦSource rock correlation any AAPG Foundation fund – are tax- word about Foundation activities but also and Temperature/Pressure/Migration Modelling? deductible as specified under U.S. tax are helping to bring in more TA members. laws. Recent guests at the Ft. Worth and For more information about the funds Denver luncheons who accepted Contact: or to make a contribution contact invitations to join the group include: Dr. Muki Mukhopadhyay, President, Global Foundation manager Rebecca Griffin at Geoenergy Research Limited of Canada, a World Expert 918-560-2644, or go online to , Ft. Worth. On Heat Flow, Maturation, and Source Rock Geochemistry Ë William A. Monroe For Conventional (deepwater) and Unconventional http://foundation.aapg.org/donate.cfm. Ë John D. Humphrey, Golden, Colo. (Shale Gas and Coalbed Methane: defining adsorbed and free gas ) They bring the Trustee Associates Petroleum Resources *** membership to 268. Join us at the Post-Convention AAPG Short Course (by Muki & Hantschel) in Denver The Trustee Associates will be busy at on June 11th and Learn about Heat Flow, vitrinite reflectance and other , maturation Parameters and 1D/2D/3D PS Modelling Contact Information Foundation (General) Digital Products Fund William J. Barrett The Ohio State University Global Geoenergy Research Limited Chevron Humankind Michael Sam Johnson 1657 Barrington Street, Suite 427 (P.O. Box 9469, Station A, B3J 5S3) In memory of Edmund M. Spieker Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada B3J 2A1; Tel: 902-453-0061; 902-401-0061 Matching Volunteer Grant: E-mail: [email protected]; [email protected] Janet W. Yun Webpage: www. global-geoenergy.com Steven Gerald Kirkwood University of North Dakota George Raymond Macaulay Jr. Bret John Fossum In memory of Clyde T. Metz Amy Leigh Maldonado Grants-in-Aid Fund Charles John Mankin Chevron Humankind James S. McGhay Matching gift from Chris A. Oglesby William Allen Monroe Harry Ptasynski Bernold M. “Bruno” Hanson In memory of Russ Simonson Memorial Environmental Grant John H. Van Amringe Donald A. O’Nesky 2009 COURSES In memory of Edward A. Hall In memory of Eric Hanson • Deepwater Clastics • Deepwater Reservoirs: Wallace E. Pratt Memorial Grant • August 3-5, 2009 An Integrated Course and Awards Fund Denis Edward Foley • Durango, Colorado Search and Discovery Award In memory of Edward J. Foley Field Seminar Willard R. Green and Walter Spangler • $1,400.00 per person • October 19-23, 2009 In honor of John W. Shelton; • Includes tuition, course In memory of Frank D. Kozak K-12 Education Fund • Tabernas and Sorbas Basins, Chevron Humankind notes, CD and lunches Spain Matching gift from Donald A. Bridge Fund Medwedeff Details & registration: • $2,950.00 per person Gretchen M. Gillis Hans Henning Krause www.cosseygeo.com • Includes tuition, guidebook, In honor of Scott Tinker or email: [email protected] E.F. Reid Scouting Fund ground transport, some meals Paul H. Dudley Jr. or call +1 (970) 385 4800 In memory of Eugene Reid

MAY 2009 45

It’s like a crash course in career advancement.

The 4th Annual AAPG Fall Education Conference September 21-25, 2009 / Norris Conference Center / Houston, Texas

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MAY 2009 46

The following candidates have ConocoPhillips, Houston (W.C. Riese, submitted applications for membership in G.P. Citron, P.D. Carragher); Olive, Don the Association and, below, certification Paul, consultant, Midland (J.M. Party, by the Division of Professional Affairs. E.M. Sebring, W.R. Creech); Scull, David This does not constitute election nor M., Strandline Consulting, Dallas (T.G. certification, but places the names before O’Hare, D.R. Essler, D.P. Muth); Welch, the membership at large. John Patrick F., EOG Resources, Midland Any information bearing on the (M.J. Party, R.P. Richards, J.J. Chapman qualifications of these candidates should Jr.) be sent promptly to the Executive Committee, P.O. Box 979, Tulsa, Okla. Virginia 74101. Shaw, Sarah Rebecca, Southwestern Information included here comes from Energy, Sterling (R.W. Wells, E.H. Mason, the AAPG membership department. N.M. Drumsta) (Names of sponsors are placed in parentheses. Reinstatements indicated do not require sponsors.) Bangladesh Membership applications are Baqi, M. Abdul, Bangladesh Petroleum available at www.aapg.org, or by E&P, Dhaka (A.M. Shamsuddin, P.W. contacting headquarters in Tulsa. Baillie, P.M. Lloyd)

Brazil For Active Membership Elias, Andreia Regina Dias, Petrobras, Rio Grande do Sul (N.C. Azambuja Filho, M.R. Mello, W.U. Mohriak) California Clark, Julian David, Chevron, San Ramon Canada (M.D. Sullivan, A. Fildani, T.R. Blair, Maren Leigh, Sproule Associates, McHargue); Peltonen, Christer B., Calgary (J.L. Chipperfield, M.W. Venoco, Carpinteria (M.D. Wracher, M.J. Maughan, G.D. Strother-Stewart); Torres Kamerling, W.L. Bilodeau) Hernandez, Vladimir, Sproule International, Calgary (D.J. Carsted, B.F. Colorado Jose, G.D. Strother-Stewart) Kyle, Linda S., Anadarko Petroleum, Thornton (D.M. Goldstein, T.B. Beserra, England A.J. Meyer); Lewis, Russell Kristofer, El Cutts, Andrew, WesternGeco, Gatwick Paso Exploration & Production, Denver (G.M. Gillis, R.J. Davis, K.S. (E.R Gustason, J.M. Borer, J. Nettik) Glaser);Drachev, Sergey, ExxonMobil International, Leatherhead (I. Berczi, D.R. Louisiana Cook, J.R. Hogg); Higgs, Karen Helms, Travis Adam, James F. Hardwick Elizabeth, self-employed, Colwyn Bay and Associates, New Iberia (G.K.P. (B.D. Field, R.H. Funnell, P. Barnard); Munson, M.E. Broussard, T.J. Bennett) Hosein, Karize Aruna, Nexen Petroleum UK, London (F.L. Hayes, D.E. Gagnon, New Mexico R.T. Newrick); Wood, Charlie, Perenco, Petronis, Michael S., New Mexico London (M.O. Bowyer, P. Durbin, H.D. Highlands University, Las Vegas (J.A. Johnson) Roberts, E.A. Beaumont, T.F. Wawrzyniec) Indonesia Rahman, Apziarief, Medco International, Ohio Jakarta (N. Guritno, W.A. Gajkowski, B. Foley, Kelly Kristine, Luca Technologies, Sapiie) Powell (J. Burris, L.M. Reeves, B. Lyons) Jamaica Texas Wright, Raymond Marcio, Petroleum Arcuri, Terry, Murphy Exploration & Corporation of Jamaica, Kingston Production, Houston (G.W. Coburn, C.D. (reinstate) Scharpf, S. Harden); Casey, Brian J., Occidental Oil and Gas, Houston (G.W. Japan Woodhouse, D.D. Ryan, R.J. Bottinga); Nabetani, Atsushi, INPEX Corp., Tokyo Kaufman, William Harold, Texpetro Global (K. Takayama, H. Arato, H. Honda) Ventures, Garland (M.W. Downey, H.R. Duchene, M.E. Anglin); McMaster, Glenn, continued on next page

Certification The following are candidates for Concho Resources, Midland (J.M. certification by the Division of Party, G. Hoose, D. Harmon); Ronald O. Professional Affairs. Johnson, Samson Resources, Midland (J.M. Party, D. Osborne, R. Petroleum Geologist Worthington); John E. Kimberly, Grand Banks Energy Co., Midland (Society of Colorado Independent Professional Earth Ronald J. Staskowski, Exploration Sciences); Richard D. Lathrop, Signatures, Fort Collins (A. Carvalho, S. consulting geologist, San Antonio Sonnenberg, J. Everett) (reinstatement); Michael A. Oestmann, Piedra, Midland (J.M. Party, R. North Carolina Worthington, D. Harmon); Russell Paul James Eugene Brown, independent Richards, Great Western Drilling Co., petroleum geologist, Fletcher (E. Trice Midland (S. Ingram, H. Naumann Jr., P. III, S. Burke, D. Alderks) Lufholm)

Texas Petroleum Geophysicist William C. Burkett, consulting geologist, Midland (Society of Independent Texas Professional Earth Sciences); Jerry Benjamin Earl Winkleman, Energy Herman Dunnam, consultant, Midland Partners, Houston (Society of (Society of Independent Professional Independent Professional Earth Earth Sciences); Ted F. Gawloski, Sciences) J

MAY 2009 47 It’s time to renew Membership Benefits a Bargain By VICKI BEIGHLE Need info on these? Contact Norma And we all want to keep a good thing ways – via mail or by calling AAPG AAPG Membership Manager Newby at 918-560-2613, or going, right? headquarters at 918-584-2555. It’s annual dues times – and perhaps a [email protected]. Renewal of your annual dues and And if you know someone who is a good time to remind everyone that AAPG There are personal benefits, too, like contributions to the AAPG Foundation potential member you can help them to offers a plethora of benefits. So many, in access to life/health/auto/home insurance helps us maintain current programs and join by downloading forms from fact, that you may be missing out on and car rental discount. services and unearth new opportunities. www.aapg.org/join – or applicants can some of the rewards of membership. Complete details of AAPG’s So remember: Renew before July 1 to apply online. All members likely are aware of their membership benefits are available online keep your membership in good Finally, remember that by recruiting publications benefit – because the at www.aapg.org/member/ standing. Members paying with a credit someone for Active membership (new, EXPLORER and BULLETIN arrive every handbook/index.cfm. card can renew online at reinstate or transfer) you will receive month – but there’s much more. Perhaps one of the most important www.aapg.org/dues/, or via fax to 918- points that can be redeemed for prizes. For example: benefits is belonging to a professional 560-2694. You receive reward and recognition for Members receive discounts on community of geoscientists who share the Remember, too, to include your full recruiting – and your colleague receives bookstore purchases, meeting same passion and dedication to advance name and member number. the benefits of membership. registrations, short courses and field trips. the science of geology, foster scientific Of course, you can return your dues More questions? Contact us at either Active members can vote in officer research and promote technology. statement and payment the traditional 918-584-2555, or [email protected]. J elections, sponsor Active applicants to join or chair a committee. And Active members who are 65 and have a minimum of 30 years of cumulative membership can request Emeritus status – and then save 50 percent on their annual dues and registration fees for ACE and ICE. Active and Associate members have online access to all BULLETIN archives; student members have access to the previous two years. The newest benefit is the Career Center (careercenter.aapg.org), our resume/job posting service, where members also can sign up for the Hope Member Registry list their experience and areas of interest – and search for other members who share these interests. AAPG members can apply for membership in one or all of our divisions: Division of Professional Affairs (certification of professional geologists, petroleum geophysicists and coal geologists), the Energy Minerals Division and the Division of Environmental Geoscientist. continued from previous page

Kuwait Bugti, Muhammad Nawaz, Schlumberger, Kuwait (T.S. Hasany, A. Waheed, N.K. Siddiqui)

Malaysia Goring, Ken Larry, Shell Exploration & Production, Miri, Sarawak (J.E. Laing, R. Franssen, G. Stone)

Mexico Ponte-Filho, Francisco Celso, Schlumberger-DCS, Boca del Rio (N.C. MAKE SURE IT’S THERE FOR YOUR FAMILY WHEN THEY NEED IT. Azambuja Filho, M.R. Mello, L.P. Magnavita)

Norway Akalin, A.Hamit, StatoilHydro, Bergen- Sandsli (N.F. Hurley, T.L. Davis, H. AAPG’s GeoCare Benefits Group Disability Income Plan • Affordable Group Rates. Exceptional Sarikaya); Harstad, Andreas Olaus, DNO International ASA, Oslo (K.O. Personal Service. For AAPG Members and Their Families. Bjorlykke, J.S. Jahren, R.H. Gabrielsen) Many financial planners agree that Disability coverage of 50 to 70% of your monthly income is an important part of a Saudi Arabia family’s financial plan. Choose from two plans, with benefits of $300 to $10,000 per month, depending on your earned Almousa, Ahmed M., Saudi Aramco, income. You can choose from a 2-year benefit plan or one which pays benefits to age 65. A disabling illness or injury may Dhahran (J.L. Rice, M.J. Rademakers, have a similar impact on your family’s financial well-being as your death. In months, they could lose the lifestyle and E.D. Gustafson Jr.); Teng, Mee Kee, Saudi Aramco, Dhahran (J.L. Rice, H. security it took you years to build. Make sure your family has Hope when they need it...with the GeoCare Benefits Xiao, Y.H. Hu) Disability Income Plan.

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MAY 2009 48

Risking billions with doubtful reservoir analogs? Wake Up 'FINE-GRAINED TURBIDITE' FIELD TRIPS, BUDE, UK: I want to thank and acknowledge Editor’s note: Letters to the editor President Scott Tinker after reading his should include your name and LAKE DEPOSITS, NOT DEEP-SEA FANS column (“Should I Stay or Should I Go?”) address and should be mailed to in the April EXPLORER. Readers’ Forum, c/o AAPG Geoclastica Ltd, Oxford, UK Having 30-plus years exposure to the EXPLORER, P.O. Box 979, Tulsa, Okla. 74101, or fax (918) 560-2636; or Sedimentology Consulting http://www.geoclastica.com petroleum business and being a second- generation oil person, I now find myself e-mail to [email protected]. Letters talking to my two sons about their future. may be edited or held due to space They are in the process of having to restrictions. choose a college major – both are leaning toward the earth sciences, but conversation with Robert O. Anderson, are skeptical about the future based on Arco’s then chairman of the board, and a what has happened in the recent past. friend.) I love the crazy pursuit of oil and gas The most attractive reservoir and will always keep at least one eye on characteristics that are exposed in the the business. However, I’m thinking my sedimentary section in the Brooks Range sons probably will go in a different are found in the Lisburne formation of direction, in part because of what Mississippian age, which was the main Washington is considering doing to our objective of the No. 1 Prudhoe Bay Using improper outcrop analogs for costly offshore oil- & gasfield development beloved business. I suspect that there wildcat. are many other young people Although the Lisburne does produce jeopardizes billions of dollars in field commerciality decisions (unreliable considering a different direction, and that some oil in the Prudhoe Bay field it is of flow/reserves prediction) & poor well/perforation placement. is pretty sad. minor importance. The pleasant surprise Wake up Washington, indeed. was the excellent subsurface reservoir The Bude Formation has the same facies, Carbo-Permian age & Pangean K. Paul Cash characteristics developed in both the foreland-basin setting as the famed Ross, Skoorsteenberg, Laingsburg & Sunnyvale, Texas Sadlerochit and Shublik formations. Brushy Canyon fms (Ireland, S Africa, USA). These are popular as outcrop Bill LeMay analogs for Cenozoic deep-sea-turbidite reservoirs (Brazil, W Africa, Gulf of The Rest of the Story Aiken, S.C. Mexico, North Sea), despite the very different tectonic setting & the 5 outcrops' Regarding the story “Prudhoe Bay historically controversial depo-salinity (lake?) & water depth. Took ‘A Total Team’” (March EXPLORER): (Editor’s note: The March EXPLORER My involvement with Prudhoe Bay was article was an excerpt from Sweet’s book The 'analogy' is superficial. In the 5 'Bude-type turbidite' fms, most sand beds are as a consultant both before and after the “Discovery at Prudhoe Bay,” published vf/f, ungraded & unlaminated; some have HCS; indigenous fossils, if any, are drilling of the discovery well. by Hancock House and available confined to a few thin (cm) shale bands. These features suggest large fresh- I read with interest John Sweet’s through the AAPG Bookstore.) brackish lakes, with slow, sustained, river-fed turbidity currents depositing account of the team effort leading to the hyperpycnites, above storm wavebase (<150m), cf. Black Sea shelf. Resulting drilling of the Prudhoe Bay discovery Some Suggestions composite sand bodies differ greatly in shape, volume, heterogeneity & grain size well. I have no reason to doubt Mr. The solution to our nation’s current from deep sea, surge-type turbidites, e.g. channels smaller, straighter, non-leveed. Sweet’s account of the recommendations energy problems must mitigate emanating from Arco’s Anchorage office. dependence on sources outside North Only Bude combines easy access (London 4 hrs' drive), 1km+ thickness, superb I think it is important, however, to point America and avoid foolish and expensive cliff exposure, Cornish ale & 50 years of sedimentological debate. For private out some facts that were omitted from the alternatives. excursions to this world-class sedimentary & structural workshop, contact article: Free our strong oil and gas industry Dr Roger Higgs 44-(0)1865-552430 [email protected] Arco’s first wildcat on the North from punitive taxation and allow them Slope was the No. 1 Susie, a dry hole access to explore for and produce oil drilled prior to the No. 1 Prudhoe Bay. and gas in areas heretofore banned, i.e. One must conclude this was Arco’s best east and west U.S. offshore, federal geophysical prospect, since it was drilled lands and ANWR. first. Congress, without further delay, must Because the drilling contract called open these areas for exploration and for Arco to pay for shipping the drilling development. Time is of the essence. rig back to Seattle, it was cheaper to drill Dick Baile another well, the No. 1 Prudhoe Bay, than Houston send the rig back. (Personal

2009 U.S. Meetings Oct. 4-7, Society of Petroleum Engineers, annual meeting, New May 2-7, AAPG Pacific Section, Orleans. annual meeting, Ventura, Calif. Oct. 7-11, AAPG Foundation Trustee May 4-7, Offshore Technology Associates, annual meeting, Ponte Verde Conference, annual event, Houston. Beach, Fla.

June 7-10, AAPG Annual Convention Oct. 10-14, AAPG Mid-Continent and Exhibition, Denver. Section, annual meeting, Tulsa.

June 17-20, American Association of Oct. 18-21, Geological Society of Petroleum Landmen, annual meeting, America, annual meeting, Portland, Ore. Clearwater Beach, Fla. Oct. 25-30, Society of Exploration June 21-24, Society of Professional Geophysicists, annual meeting, Houston. Well Log Analysts, annual meeting, The Woodlands, Texas. 2009 International Meetings Aug. 27-28, Summer NAPE (North American Prospect Expo), AAPL, annual May 4-8, Canadian Society of event, Houston. Petroleum Geologists, Canadian Society of Exploration Geoscientists and Sept. 20-22, AAPG Eastern Section, Canadian Well Logging Society, annual annual meeting, Evansville, Ind. meeting, Calgary, Canada.

Sept. 21-26, Association of Sept. 16-18, Polar Petroleum Potential Environmental and Engineering (3P), conference, Moscow, Russia. Geologists, annual meeting, Lake Tahoe, Calif. Nov. 15-18, AAPG International Conference and Exhibition, annual Sept. 27-29, Gulf Coast Association of meeting, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. J Geological Societies, AAPG, annual meeting, Shreveport, La.

MAY 2009 49

Resources at the University of Arizona, EMD will be the speaker for this year’s EMD Luncheon, set for Wednesday, June 10. from page 50 Kargel will astonish us and feed our imaginations with a talk titled “Unconventional Far-Out Petroleum and EMD Short Courses Gas: Hydrocarbons from Mars to Titan Ë Keeping You at the Top of Your and Beyond.” Game Kargel will pose the question of Shale Gas I and II: Geochemical whether we are too terracentric in and engineering predictions of shale thinking that Earth is the only abode of reservoirs; key parameters and data biogenic petroleum and gas. Today, relationships that define productive gas methane rain pours over Titan’s surface, shale’s. erodes river valleys and fills lake basins Uranium Geology and Logging while carbonaceous aerosols drift down Techniques for Uranium Exploration. from the upper atmosphere. Integrated Structural/Tectonic Speculatively, acetylene glaciers may Studies of HRAM Data for Resource Play scour Titan’s poles and benzene sand Analyses. dunes blanket the dry equatorial basins. National Petroleum Reserve Core Volatile hydrocarbons cause comets to Workshop – Lower Cretaceous jet and split, and help power geysers on clinoforms with basin floor source rocks Saturn’s tiny moon, Enceladus. through thick, gaseous coalbeds with A prolific author of two books and reservoirs in-between. multiple peer-reviewed papers, chapters, articles and abstracts, Kargel believes EMD Field Trips that hydrocarbons certainly are treasure- Gas Shales, Oil Shales, Coalbed troves of scientific information on the Methane and Tight Gas Reservoirs in the history of the solar system. Piceance Basin. Please join us for what will be a Coal Bed Methane, Raton Basin, stimulating and titillating presentation! Colorado and New Mexico. Remote Sensing, Climate Change This entire EMD program was and Planetary Science Facilities. organized by numerous volunteers: EMD Executive Committee members and past Forum (EMD, DPA, DEG) members, EMD commodity chairs and Carbon Dioxide Sequestration and counselors, and all the oral and poster Future Energy Sources (Wind, Solar and session co-chairs. Thanks to all of you for Nuclear). your diligence and assistance in putting together a program that features the EMD Luncheon essence of the Energy Minerals Division. Jeffrey S. Kargel, adjunct professor and senior research scientist in the We hope that you will be able to join Department of Hydrology and Water us in Denver! J

specialty. Send statement of teaching and POSITION AVAILABLE petroleum-related experience, resume, and names and contact information of three references to Dr. Assad Panah, Director, Petroleum Technology Post-Doctoral Research Associate Program, 300 Campus Drive, Bradford, PA 16701- Clastic Sedimentologist/Stratigrapher 2898. Applications will be accepted until position is University of Colorado at Boulder filled. AA/EOE. The Energy and Minerals Applied Research Center at the University of Colorado is seeking BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY candidates for a post-doctoral researcher in clastic sedimentology and stratigraphy. This is a 1-yr. position with the possibility for extension. Theh AVAILABLE: A REAL EXPLORATON PROGRAM. I individual will conduct “reservoir=scale” outcrop- have 10 prospects in four counties in the East Texas based stratigraphic research on the Mesaverde Basin. Targets are the Woodbine@ 3400’, Upper Group (Colorado and Utah), and on the associated Glen Rose @ 9500’, Cotton Valley Sands and Lime @ controls on reservoir architecture and heterogeneity. 12,000’ to 12,500’, Smackover @ 12,000’ and 8500’. Candidates should send a CV and contact Please call, fax or email to discuss. PH 903-592- information for three references to: Dr. Matt Pranter, 1308, FAX 903-597-8090 and email: Department of Geological Sciences, University of [email protected]. Colorado, 399 UCB, Boulder, CO 80309-399, or . Refer to , posting #806748. The University of Colorado is committed to diversity and equality in education and employment; and conducts FOR SALE background checks on all final applicants being considered for employment. Mudlogging units with easy to learn software. Very ******************** reliable, full featured, portable units. Contact Automated Mudlogging Systems (303) 794-7470 www.mudlogger.com Visiting Faculty Position University of Pittsburgh at Bradford

Petroleum Technology: Full-time visiting faculty MISCELLANEOUS position beginning August 2009. PhD or MS is preferred, but candidates with a BS and extensive Want to purchase minerals and other oil/gas experience in petroleum technology will be interests. Send details to: P.O. Box 13557, Denver, considered. Will teach Petroleum Geology and CO 80201. Workshop Practices (in petroleum technology), geophysical Prospecting, and Engineering Geology, ******************** together with courses in the candidate’s areas of WANTED CLASSIFIED ADS PRODUCING WORKING INTERESTS OVERRIDES, ROYALTIES, DISPOSAL You can reach about 30,000 petroleum WELLS, PIPELINES IN THE U.S. PAYING TOP DOLLAR geologists at the lowest per-reader cost QUICK CLOSINGS in the world with a classified ad in the OIL STATES TRADING EXPLORER. CALL PAUL 325-695-1329 Ads are at the rate of $2.90 per word, minimum charge of $60. And, for an ******************** additional $50, your ad can appear on SAMPLES TO RENT the classified section on the AAPG web site. Your ad can reach more people International Sample Library @ Midland – Formerly Midland Sample Library. Established in than ever before. 1947. Have 164,000 wells with 1,183,000,000 well Just write out your ad and send it to samples and cores stored in 17 buildings from 26 us. We will call you with the word count states, Mexico, Canada and offshore Australia. We and cost. You can then arrange also have a geological supply inventory. prepayment. Ads received by the first of Phone: (432) 682-2682 Fax: (432) 682-2718 the month will appear in the subsequent edition.

MAY 2009 50

Denver a Great Place for New Ideas

By RICK FRITZ technology will be on display in the ACE I heard a comedian say, “Adults are he overarching importance of exhibition hall. New technology is an always asking kids what they want to be integral component in the success of new when they grow up – ’cause they’re Tattending the meeting is the plays, and this will be an excellent looking for ideas.” opportunity to observe and talk to those If you are looking for some great ideas tremendous opportunity that we who provide the services. then I have just the place for you. It is time for the AAPG Annual Convention all have for networking. *** and Exhibition (ACE) in Denver, and we are scheduled for a week of great Another key part of the annual meeting technical talks and professional Fritz is the opportunity for the various AAPG opportunities. committees to conduct the business of ACE officially starts this year on June 7 leaders will receive well-deserved and the economic and political changes the Association. and ends on June 10, but there will be awards, including the presentation of the that will control our future. If you are interested in serving on a many activities before and after the Sidney Powers Memorial Award to Marlan Tickets for this event are selling at a committee, this is the best time of the meeting – especially a number of Downey. very brisk rate – the event may be year to become active; most committees excellent field trips. completely sold out before the meeting add new members at the end of the Randy Ray is this year’s general chair, AAPG’s annual Management Forum begins – so if this is an event you’d like to AAPG fiscal year (June 30). and he has a passion for developing the (Monday), which this year is built on the experience (and who wouldn’t?), here’s a The easiest way to join a committee is best possible experience for attendees. theme “Challenges for Global Energy suggestion: Buy your tickets now. to go online at aapg.org, search the That passion starts with science and has Demand – Short-term Variability and committee pages for your area of interest resulted in an incredible technical Long-Term Solutions.” The AAPG Divisions also have and then contact the committee chairs. program. luncheons on Tuesday and Wednesday You also can contact me or other The development of the Denver There will be several other special with good opportunities for professional AAPG staff members and we can help program is led by general technical sessions and forums, including this year’s development. Slated for those events are: with the process. program chair Steve Sonnenberg and Discovery Thinking Forum (Monday), The DPA luncheon speaker technical program vice-chair Paul featuring seven more explorers and (Tuesday) will be Denver Mayor John *** Weimer. The technical themes are broad geoscientists from the AAPG’s 100th Hickenlooper, an AAPG member whose and include sessions from “Global Anniversary Committee’s list of “100 Who geologist-turned brewpub pioneer-turned Although science and technology Deepwater E&P” to “Unconventional Made a Difference.” This year’s group elected official career has resulted in his represent the heart of the ACE Reservoirs” worldwide. includes Bill Barrett, Richard Findley, being called one of the country’s top five experience, the overarching importance In addition to the technical talks the Steve Kneller, Doug Strickland, Ray “big city” mayors by Time magazine. of attending the meeting is the committee has produced a number of Thomasson, Bob Weimer and Marv The DEG luncheon speaker tremendous opportunity that we all have special events. Highlights include: Brittenham. (Wednesday) will be Mike Jacobs, with for networking. Pioneer Natural Resources USA, who will Networking is extremely important as The opening session (Sunday) – The Michael T. Halbouty Lecture discuss the “Cooperative Aquifer the industry cycles through the current Something new will be added to this (Monday) will once again offer a very Restoration Project, Fort Peck Indian economic conditions – and there are year’s opening session: entertainment by special guest at the podium: Guilherme Reservation – A Multi-Agency Success many opportunities throughout the entire the award-winning Rocky Mountain de Oliveira Estrella, the director of Story.” event to greet and meet your peers, Children’s Choir, which will provide both exploration and production of Petrobras, The EMD luncheon speaker including receptions and alumni events. pre-show music and a grand finale that will discuss the oil and gas potential and (Wednesday) actually offers an out-of- Of course, Denver and the mountains could have you dancing all the way to the impact of Brazil’s newest plays. this-world experience; Jeffrey Kargel, are always great in June. Icebreaker. Plan now to arrive early to adjunct professor and senior research Please take the time and opportunity enjoy the show. This year’s All-Convention Luncheon scientist at the University of Arizona, will to join us for a little Rocky Mountain High Of course, the more traditional (Monday) will feature AAPG’s own T. discuss “Unconventional Far-Out in Colorado. trappings of the opening session will be Boone Pickens, the high-profile Petroleum and Gas: Hydrocarbons from offered as well. AAPG President Scott entrepreneur, philanthropist and creator Mars to Titan and Beyond.” Tinker will give his presidential address of the “Picken’s Plan,” who will discuss and our profession’s top scientists and his experience in the oil and gas industry And as always, the latest in

18 sessions set for Denver EMD Program Looks to Future

By LAURA L. WRAY EMD Oral and Poster Ë Theme X: Astrogeology EMD Vice Chair Sessions Energy Minerals in the Solar AAPG’S Energy Minerals Division Ë Theme II: System: Resources for the 21st Century. (EMD) will respond to heightened Hydrocarbon Systems The Impacts of Impacts. awareness of global energy issues by and Basin Analysis Lunar Field Exploration Equipment offering an extensive and diverse Exploration and Sample Documentation. selection of sessions, short courses, field Application of High trips and forums at the upcoming 2009 Resolution Magnetic, Ë Theme XI: Alternative and AAPG Annual Convention and Exhibition, Gravity and Remote Renewable Energy set for June 7-10 in Denver. Sensing Data in Frontier Uranium Minerals and Exploration. The core of this year’s technical Wray and Mature Basins. Geothermal Energy Systems – Their program, “Image the Present, Imagine Petroleum Structure, Stratigraphy and Rock the Future” coincides with EMD’s focus Systems – Source Rocks. Ë Theme IX: Unconventional Mechanics. on current and future energy mineral Reservoirs sources and technologies including coal, Ë Theme V: Structural Geology Gas Shales Reservoirs – Updates Ë Theme XIII: Responsible coalbed methane, CO2 sequestration, Tectonics and Diagenesis in Shale and New Insights. Development, Sustainability, Climate gas hydrates, gas shales, energy Basins. Coalbed Hydrocarbons. Science economics, geospatial technology, Hydrates – Sedimentology and Carbon Dioxide Capture and geothermal resources, oil (tar) sands, oil Ë Theme VIII: Tight Gas Resources. Geologic Sequestration. shales, uranium minerals and Pore Network and Fluid Flow in Oil Shales – Reservoir astrogeology topics. Mudrocks. Characterization and Testing. Ë Theme XV: New Technologies Eighteen oral and poster sessions, Petrophysics of Shales and Tight Oil/Tar Sands – New Techniques GIS/Geospatial Map Gallery. included under eight separate themes, Gas Sands: Converting Resources to and Resource Assessments. are highlighted below with short course, Reserves. Core Poster Session: Fractured field trip and forum opportunities. Shale Reservoirs. See EMD, page 49

MAY 2009 51

MAY 2009 52

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MAY 2009