Vol. 29, No. 1 January 2008

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On the cover: Outstanding exposures in Nova Scotia of the Late Triassic Blomidon formation revealing numerous first, second and third We are the champions: The order surfaces – an outcrop that is important when it comes to better members of the understanding Atlantic conjugate margins, and a site that will be visited University of during an upcoming conference in Halifax. See story on page 18 – one Aberdeen’s of several stories in this issue that offer a look at exploration activities Imperial Barrel around the world. Photo courtesy of Gela Crane. Award team, winners of the top prize in 2007. This year’s competition will be held during the AAPG Annual Convention in San The medium is still the message: Effectively communicating 6 Antonio. the industry’s “message” has required companies to rethink – and repackage – their public image. A year to remember: Here’s a look at the important 10 discoveries that made global “hit” parade in 2007. The best of the best: Petrobras and partners scored big 14 headlines and a potentially exciting future last year with the Students Embracing big discovery at the Tupi Field. ‘Barrel’ Challenges Nova Scotia and Morocco – separated by an ocean, but 18 joined by common geologic past – are the focus of an (Editor’s note: AAPG President Will Last year AAPG took the competition important conference on . Green has asked Randi Martinsen, AAPG global and opened it up to universities conjugate margins treasurer, to comment on the Imperial worldwide with graduate level geoscience Barrel Award competition.) programs. Seven schools – the University The reel thing: Filmmakers with a love of geology and 26 of Aberdeen (Scotland); Imperial College; connections to the oil industry are helping to show that the By RANDI MARTINSEN the University of AAPG Treasurer Oklahoma; Gubkin earth has star quality. We want in! Russian State That was the opening statement of the University This is not your father’s old career: The number of women 32 University of Wyoming’s Imperial Barrel (Moscow); the – and their impact – continues to grow and Award (IBA) Competition Team – my team University of geoscientists – at last year’s event in Long Beach, Calif. Houston; California transform the industry in the 21st century. The team over the previous weeks had: State University ✓ Studied their basin (onshore (Long Beach); and A curve in the road: Everyone knows about King Hubbert’s Australia). the University of 36 ✓ Worked what they could of the data. Wyoming – took on controversial “Hubbert’s Curve,” but what do you know ✓ Become hooked on the potential of the challenge of about the man? the area. Martinsen participating in the ✓ Developed some exploration inaugural global strategies. competition. Angola is rising to the top of the list of Africa’s hot spots, as 40 ✓ Were now ready to convince When Steve Veal (AAPG’s European demonstrated by the buzz surrounding a recent AAPG- “management” (the judges) on why this Office director and the force behind AAPG endorsed conference. basin was so economically prospective. taking the Barrel Award global) first The team members were nervous but mentioned it and asked if the University of confident their analysis of the basin was Wyoming would want to participate, I told accurate, and their excitement and him “absolutely.” enthusiasm were palpable. Then I had to follow through and put Washington Watch 30 Membership and Certification 49 It was not always so. together a team. Geophysical Corner 34 Readers’ Forum 52 I was concerned that a short time fuse, *** a high level of uncertainty about exactly Professional News Briefs 35 In Memory 52 what this “competition” consisted of and www.update 44 Classified Ads 53 The IBA, a competition concept student schedules that already were full developed by Imperial College (London) with classes, research and teaching Regions and Sections 46 Director’s Corner 54 in 1976 as part of its MSc petroleum responsibilities would make selling the Foundation Update 48 DPA Column 54 geoscience program, is a competitive, concept to my students a bit difficult. I exploration-based project that requires knew however, it was an awesome teams of four to five students to: opportunity. ✓ Demonstrate evidence of rigorous In order to pique their interest I used a and creative technical evaluations. strategy that is nearly always effective in AAPG Headquarters – 1-800-364-2274 (U.S. & Canada only), others 1-918-584-2555 ✓ Work to a strict deadline. luring students to meetings – free pizza. Communications Director Correspondents Advertising Coordinator ✓ Work effectively as a team. Out of the 20-plus students who attended Larry Nation David Brown Brenda Merideth ✓ Make decisions based on limited the organizational meeting, five committed e-mail: [email protected] Louise S. Durham P.O. Box 979 data. to forming a team: Cat, Beth, Jen, Liz and Susan R. Eaton Tulsa, Okla. 74101 ✓ Give lucid, 25-minute oral Phil (who the team jokingly referred to as Managing Editor Ken Milam telephone: (918) 560-2647 presentations to a panel of senior Vern Stefanic (U.S. and Canada only: industry experts. See President, next page e-mail: [email protected] Graphics/Production 1-800-288-7636) Rusty Johnson (Note: The above number is for Editorial Assistant e-mail: [email protected] advertising purposes only.) Susie Moore fax: (918) 560-2636 It’s San Antonio Time! e-mail: [email protected] e-mail: [email protected] Now, it’s official – you meeting: the registration can start preparing for San details, the hotels, the short Vol. 29, No. 1 The AAPG EXPLORER (ISSN 0195-2986) is published monthly for members. Published at AAPG headquarters, 1444 S. Antonio. courses and field trips, the Boulder Ave., P.O. Box 979, Tulsa, Okla. 74101, (918) 584-2555. e-mail address: [email protected] Periodicals postage paid at Tulsa, Okla., and at additional mailing offices. Printed in the U.S.A. The official complete technical program Note to members: $6 of annual dues pays for one year’s subscription to the EXPLORER. Airmail service for members: $45. announcement for this and all of the extra activities Subscription rates for non-members: $63 for 12 issues; add $67 for airmail service. Advertising rates: Contact Brenda Merideth, AAPG headquarters. Subscriptions: Contact Veta McCoy, AAPG headquarters. Unsolicited manuscripts, year’s AAPG Annual that will make this meeting photographs and videos must be accompanied by a stamped, self-addressed envelope to ensure return. Convention, set April 20-23 something special. The American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG) does not endorse or recommend any products or services that at San Antonio’s Henry D. The meeting’s theme is may be cited, used or discussed in AAPG publications or in presentations at events associated with AAPG. Gonzalez Convention “Deliver the Conventional; Copyright 2008 by the American Association of Petroleum Geologists. All rights reserved. Center, is included as a Pursue the supplement to this issue of Unconventional.” POSTMASTER: Please send address changes to AAPG EXPLORER, P.O. Box 979, Tulsa, Okla. 74101. the EXPLORER. And don’t forget, the Canada Publication Number 40046336. In it you’ll find all of the information also is available Canadian returns to: Station A, P.O. Box 54, Windsor, Ontario N9A 6J5 e-mail: [email protected] information you’ll need to plan for the online at www.aapg.org. ❏

JANUARY 2008 4

President believe the IBA has the potential to be one *** from previous page I believe the IBA has the potential to be I of AAPG’s strongest student programs. one of AAPG’s strongest student programs. I don’t know all the difficulties other teams had in completing their our “token male”). For all of them, this was projects, but I’m sure they were many and their first exposure to exploration. Double oops, the faculty contact for about expectations, fuzzy on outcome varied. For three, including our lone the software company is on sabbatical. and frustrated with software difficulties, The Gubkin University team (from geophysicist, it was their first exposure to Triple oops, that faculty member does with each passing week they got more Moscow, Russia), for example, had to petroleum geoscience. not want his students taking time away and more “into the game.” They went on present in English – not an easy task for from their research for this project (our the offensive analyzing what data they them. The Long Beach team consisted of *** lone geophysicist is working “on the sly”). could, strategizing about what plays might undergraduates. When the geophysical software issues be present, and about how they could Each team pulled together, however, The competition was slated for March were finally resolved (about three weeks leverage their knowledge of emerging and overall gave very professional 29 – the Friday before the AAPG Annual before the competition), the students still Rocky Mountain gas play concepts in presentations. The sense of pride and Convention in Long Beach. Our team had to learn the software before they evaluating their Australian gas prone accomplishment in “having met the received our data set and instructions could begin analyzing the data. basin. challenge” was obvious on each of the Jan. 23, and was set to go (we thought). At times the logistical hurdles seemed By the time of the competition they student’s faces at the completion of their Oops, need to learn some petroleum impossible. The learning curves were were ready – they knew their basin, they presentations. geology fast. steep; the camaraderie among team utilized what data they had, they had play The event culminated with the Oops, our geophysical software members grew strong. Although they had concepts, they saw potential, they announcement of the winning teams license expired. started out a bit overwhelmed, nervous “wanted in.” during the student reception. All the students, not just the IBA students, were intensely focused on the announcement. First place: Aberdeen (applause, whooping and hollering). Second place: Imperial (more applause, whooping and hollering). Third place: University of Oklahoma – an unbelievable response. It was like a pep rally. OU must have brought in a busload all chanting “OU, OU, OU!” You would have thought they placed first, not third – and you would have thought it was football, not petroleum exploration. The atmosphere was electric and the whooping and hollering went on for a long time. Enough from me; here are some thoughts from my students:

✓ “I found the experience very rewarding. I came into the process not knowing much about petroleum geology and left with significantly more knowledge.”

✓ “It was really cool to be in a ‘real- world’ kind of situation where we had to be responsible for everything on our own – making our own decisions about what was important and how to tackle problems. That gave the project a very different perspective than most group work done in school ...”

✓ “The competition allowed for great corroboration among students from all different disciplines of geology, allowing everyone’s input to be an important part of the final product.”

✓ “Having to stand up before ‘management’ and defend our findings was a very intense situation, and I think it’s an invaluable practice for all of us going into the industry, as we WILL be doing this often as a part of our job.”

***

As predicted, interest in the IBA has skyrocketed to the point that regional competitions are necessary to determine which teams will compete on the international level just prior to AAPG’s Annual Convention in San Antonio. You can help by encouraging your company to contribute money, software licenses and/or data. You also can help by offering seminars/workshops in petroleum and/or software training to your alma mater or to a school in your area. The IBA is a powerful magnet that will draw geoscience students to us and make them think, “we want in” to this profession – and “we want in” to AAPG. Please give it your support. ❏

(Editor’s note: See this month’s Regions and Sections column on page 46 for more information on the Imperial Barrel Award competition.)

JANUARY 2008 5

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JANUARY 2008 6 Getting the word out Industry Message Takes ‘Flowery’Turn

By DAVID BROWN “Some people think, EXPLORER Correspondent ‘Not only are they In its prime, oil company damaging the advertising produced some environment, classic campaigns: they’re gouging us Remember Dino the while they’re doing Sinclair dinosaur? it,’” he said. Remember the Texaco fire chief, Phillips 66 and Exxon? Beating the Blame “You can trust your car to Game the man who wears the star.” “Flite Fuel.” The industry also “Put a tiger in your tank!” tries to address Now oil company ads are multiple publics on more likely to feature a young multiple issues. girl holding flowers than a furry Advertisements animal holding a gas nozzle. and commercials Indeed, we’ve come a long sometimes have to way, baby … carry out several purposes at once. Wrapped in the Web “I think they’re finding themselves in Many of the industry’s current situations on a number ad campaigns can be accessed of fronts right now,” online. Carroll observed. “But For example, you’ll find the one they are finding Chevron ads at www.chevron.com/ their substance. themselves in most now about/advertising/. Thomson said is in global warming.” You’ll find ConocoPhillips ads at API’s TV ad He said people look at Big Oil as a www.conocophillips.com/ featuring the look, culprit in global warming, but fail to newsroom/advertising. comes from the style and music of the consider the role of their own activities. And you can find ExxonMobil ads at API ad/promotion budget, 1970s has drawn the “It’s easier to lay the blame off on the www.exxonmobil.com/AP- according to Thomson. most interest. energy companies,” he said. English/News/SG_Ads.asp. Early in 2007, API introduced the Other efforts in the During the past decade, the oil In addition, several companies carry or new Web site features, which include a campaign include a traveling petroleum industry’s approach to self-promotion has sponsor Web sites as part of their radio player for short audios. technology exhibit – “I would say geared changed broadly. Companies even went ongoing communications programs. “We’ve done interviews with people on toward high school and above,” she said through some tumult as a new kind of Most of the industry’s Web page such topics as energy supply, hurricane – and a speakers series. image advertising emerged. advocacy follows an informational and preparedness and energy legislation,” “What we hear from people inside the In 1997, Shell began an integrated educational line, in a very low-key way. she said. industry is that they’re really glad we are approach to corporate advertising, On the home page of “We have podcasts on there. We’ve out there talking to people,” Thomson coordinating its brand promotion on a www.willyoujoinus.com, the tagline – “To had blogger events on there. said. companywide and worldwide scale. deliver the world’s energy, we need yours “The Energy IQ is another interesting It formed a global first” – appears in the upper left-hand survey we did last summer,” she added. brand and corner. Recently, a link to a discussion on “It’s a quiz you can take testing yourself communication team, biofuels ran below that. about your knowledge of the industry.” hired a principal ad Another link allowed the reader to In addition to offering the quiz, the site agency and “Play Energyville,” an online game built reports on earlier results – including the produced a around energy choices for a city. percentage of test-takers who answered multinational Tucked away in the lower right-hand questions correctly. commercial. corner is the logo of the site’s sponsor, For instance, only 7 percent knew that The former British Chevron. the industry has invested $75 billion-$100 Petroleum became Go to the Web page of The Energy billion in emerging energy technologies. BP Amoco in 1998, Debate and you’ll see the Shell Oil logo If you want a cheat: The percentage of then simply BP two and a link to The Economist magazine potential offshore exploration sites in the years later when it online. United States restricted by the U.S. adopted the slogan Visitors can register to read and post government is 85 percent. Beyond Petroleum. comments. A recent debate topic asked, Ads in the campaign, including TV Unocal 76 built a “Can coal clean up its act?” video, can be accessed at long-running The bright home page of Energy www.api.org/aboutapi/ads/. relationship with Tomorrow at www.energytomorrow.com Print ads in the campaign have run for NASCAR as the lists an energy primer called “Oil and about a year, primarily in magazines and Graphic courtesy of API Web site official fuel of the Natural Gas 101” and a quick guide to the national press. racing circuit. But energy issues. “We’ve run in publications all over the U.S. Sen. John McCain once remarked newly formed ConocoPhillips dropped the Other content includes an assessment country. Inside the Beltway, we’ve run in that the oil industry has worse PR than sponsorship in 2003 after taking over the of proposed energy legislation and an the (Washington) Post, National Journal, anybody except Satanic cults. Unocal brand, citing a change in Energy IQ quiz. CQ (Congressional Quarterly)” and also in Sadly, that was before cults became marketing direction. Scroll to the bottom of the page and USA Today, the Wall Street Journal and more popular and the price of oil soared you’ll find the copyright notice of the site’s New York Times, she said. above $90 a barrel. The Satan worshipers It’s Not Easy Being Green owner, the American Petroleum Institute. probably have pulled ahead. We’re (Gulp) No. 1? John Carroll is a professor of mass As environmental issues emerged and They Want to Know communication at Boston University and a provoked public concern in the 1990s, While the API ad campaign and Web commentator for WGBH-TV in Boston. He the industry shifted to greener ads. Many Erin Thomson, API director of site do include statements on energy said the industry faces a difficult task in of them promoted efforts to protect the communications, said the public began legislation, they largely focus on facts, improving its image. world’s ecology. calling in numerous questions about the data and information about the industry. “It’s an uphill battle,” Carroll said. “One That led to charges of “greenwashing” industry after a series of hurricanes struck There’s very little image-polishing or of the ways advertising works is not from industry critics, who said the ads the Gulf of Mexico. apple-polishing, although the information changing people’s minds overnight, but often misrepresented or distorted the “We started stepping up our presented is designed to show the shifting people’s image of the industry effects of petroleum development. advertising right after that, because there industry in the best possible light. over time. By 2005, oil companies faced a new was this huge need for information,” she “It’s more about education,” Thomson “Regardless of what people think of (oil challenge: growing public anger over said. noted. “When you look at our Blue Sky TV companies), or what public opinion is, sharply rising oil and gasoline prices. API developed an educational ad, you can see we’re trying to let people they can still make progress over time,” Oil companies responded in several advocacy campaign that includes the know about this new fuel that’s coming he added. ways. As an initial move, top company Energy Tomorrow Web site along with TV, online. It’s very informational.” Higher oil and fuel prices and executives became more available for radio and print advertisements. But so far the ads have generated increased industry profits make the job Money for the multiyear campaign more public response for their flash than even harder, Carroll noted. See Industry Image, page 8

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Industry Image from page 6

public speeches and appearances. CEOs started to show up on morning television programs not usually known for news content, reflecting the level of public interest in fuel cost and availability. Industry ad strategy shifted again, with a new aim of educating the public, defending corporate profits and presenting a more earnest and gentle, girl-with-flowers image. Promoting investments in wind power, biofuels and other alternative energy Accentuate the Positive Shell featured one of its engineers short biopic, the film also served as the sources became very important. developing new drilling technology in a basis of standalone TV commercials for Companies also began to address the One surprising result of the new nine-minute, 14-second film titled Shell. The company even distributed a global warming/greenhouse gas issue. approach has seen the industry produce “Eureka.” full-length version on DVD with several BP included a “How big is your carbon entertainment-quality videos – centered The entire video plus related resources popular magazines. footprint” calculator and its carbon on individuals – that are much longer than and commentary can be seen at Last year, Chevron debuted a 2.5- footprint TV ad on its Web site. the usual 30-second or 60-second TV www.shell.com/realenergy. minute commercial built around its current spots. Part company promotion and part campaign theme, “The Power of Human Energy.” Chevron took the unusual step of buying out blocks of airtime to show the ad in its entirety. The video commercial can be seen at www.chevron.com/about/advertising/. In part, the commercial deals with the world’s continued need for oil and the industry’s ability to keep supplying that oil. “This is Chevron’s challenge each day, because for today and tomorrow and the foreseeable future, lives demand oil,” it says, “but what’s also true is that we can

provide it more intelligently, more efficiently, more respectfully.” “This is a giant diversion machine that Chevron has produced here,” Carroll said of the commercial. “These ads are long- term, incremental. “They don’t change public images of companies immediately. What they do is slowly erode the negative image and A world of intelligence, replace it with a positive one,” he added. The video ends: delivered. “Tell us it can’t be done, then watch as we tap the greatest source of energy in the world: Ourselves. As the search for energy resources moves to the data acquired and or processed from land, transition “This is the power of human energy.” world’s less-hospitable regions, one company stands zones or shallow water regions. And bring back the Chevron continued its “Power of ready to venture forth where few have dared. seismic data that is worth developing. Human Energy” theme in a series of six print ads. Each ad features a simple observation about energy, followed by Geokinetics has blazed new trails into some of the Which is why more and more results-oriented energy Chevron’s response. planet’s most extreme environments. Pioneered the companies depend on Geokinetics. We deliver the A headline on ConocoPhillips print ads use of innovative technologies. Adapted to harsh decision-critical intelligence it takes to cut the cost reads “Tomorrow begins today,” conditions. And accepted challenges from which of every barrel of oil you discover. leveraging on the company slogan, others shrink. All to bring you 2D/3D/4D seismic “Energy for Tomorrow.” The ads promote the company’s involvement in biofuels research and development of alternate energy. Ingenuity. Expanding. Worldwide. www.geokinetics.com Typical copy: “We’re improving environmental performance and stretching traditional fuel supplies by using energy more efficiently. So we can pass on what matters ... to the ones who matter most.” One ad in the series features a vertical, half-page photo of a young girl – with a container of flowers. ❏

JANUARY 2008 9

JANUARY 2008 10

Deep find offshore Brazil leads list Important Discoveries Hit in ’07

By LARRY NATION located just to the north of the is huge gas potential in the deep Xujiahe AAPG Communications Director Scarborough gas field and could Formation, the evaluation of which only 2007 was a good year for provide much needed reserves to finally began in 2000. discoveries, according to Ken White, get that LNG project off the ground. Xin 2 penetrated a 150-meter gas senior editor of The IHS Energy column in the Xujiahe 2 formation and International Oil Letter, with the Tupi 1 Australia – Drilled by Apache, tested 18 MMcfg/d, while Xin 3 flowed discovery by Julimar-1 is significant as it proved up an 8.2 MMcfg/d. Such is the potential of the Petrobras being a area of the North Carnarvon Basin where area, Sinopec–Sichuan plans to drill five world-class subsequent follow-up drilling has led to exploratory wells and eight outpost wells discovery that will a further discovery at Brunello, with more to further explore gas in the Deyan area be talked about for drilling planned in the area. Two of the Turkmenistan – North Nayip 1, drilled of the west Sichuan basin during 2008. decades (see page four gas-bearing fluvial channel sands by Turkmengeologiya, is an important 14). encountered in the well flowed a new pool discovery. Located north of the China – Dabei 3 is considered Additionally, combined 85 MMcfg/d. Nayip field which has three Lower significant, as the structure is located 20 Africa continued to The block is surrounded by large gas Cretaceous clastic reservoirs, this new kilometers east of the Dabei 1 Field, contribute to the list discoveries, with Tryal Rocks West and find has been successful in its objective adding some certainty to the huge gas of important John Brookes to the south and Pluto, Upper Jurassic carbonate play. potential in the Kuche area. The Dabei 3 discoveries this Xena, Wheatstone and Iago to the north. Testing is thought to be incomplete is drilling ahead in the Cretaceous. past year, with an White but results to date have produced 0.3 The Dabei 1 Field was discovered in offshore Angola Australia – Prelude 1A was drilled in MMcfg/d from the Oxfordian- 1998, but it was not until 2006 that the wildcat addition to the country’s portfolio Shell’s WA-371-P license and proved up Kimmeridgian between 2,255-2,317m. company drilled the first outpost around of big producers. the extension of Inpex’s Ichthys Field into three kilometers to the southeast of And in Nicaragua a new field wildcat the block. Turkmenistan – Yagtylyk 1 is showing Dabei 1; this well also struck gas and on the Oklanicsa Block in the Pacific Having identified this potential, Shell some promise as an important well. To condensate. Coastal Basin is being seen as having put in a then-record breaking bid of 13 date five open hole tests have been run, The reservoirs of the Dabei Field are enormous potential. wells and work commitments that come of which the Hauterivian between 2,773- Tertiary and Cretaceous sandstones, Below is a list, provided by IHS to nearly US$100 million over six years. 2,815m flowed 230,000 cfg/d. buried at depths of 5,700-5,800 meters, Energy, of significant discoveries of ’07. The well has yet to reach planned with porosities ranging from 4 to 9 An extensive country-by-country listing total depth of 3,800 meters, and the best percent. It is estimated to hold 3.5 Tcf of can be accessed on the AAPG Web site CIS potential is thought to be in Upper proven in-place gas and 5.3 Tcf of at www.aapg,org/explorer/2008/01jan/ Jurassic carbonates, as evidenced in probable reserves. finds.cfm. Azerbaijan – BP finally completed the recent finds at Yuloten Gunorta and The field is undergoing further Shah Deniz SDX 4 at a cost of around Osman. appraisal. US$120 million, one of the most AUSTRALASIA expensive wells ever drilled in the India – The CY-III-D5-A1 (Dhirubhai Caspian Sea. It tested over 35 MMcfg/d, FAR EAST 35) well, drilled by Reliance Industries, is Australia – Thebe 1, a deepwater and more than 2,300 b/d of condensate BHP-Billiton discovery, ranked as one of and discovered a new gas reservoir in China – Xin 2 and 3 provided further the largest in Australia this year. It is the Pereryva suite. evidence that in the Sichuan Basin there See Global Activity, page 12

JANUARY 2008 11

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Petrobras is ranked as the biggest find discovery in the country for 15 years The six intervals have an estimated Global Activity of the year (see page 14), establishing and is potentially opening up a shallow production ranging from 10 to 100 a new carbonate facies previously gas play trend in the Magallanes bo/d with a total combined production from page 10 unknown in Brazil. The 3-RJS-646 (3- Basin. estimated at 205 b/d of 34- to 43- BRSA-496-RJS) well in the Santos Located in the Dorado Riquelme degree API crude. Basin found 28-degree API oil, with Block, the well tested gas at a rate of The well is considered as having ranked as the most significant gas-oil-ratio estimated at 15-20 2.8 MMcfg/d from three different the potential to open a new play in the discovery in India – one of nine finds percent in a structure believed to hold reservoirs in the interval 800 to 1,000 Pacific. the company made during 2007. five to eight billion barrels of oil meters in the El Salto Formation. It is This well is singled out because it is equivalent. located 8.5 kilometers northwest of Peru – With pre-drill reserves the first deepwater discovery in the Based on the 15 wells drilled to Puerto Sara 1 – a 1984 one-well gas estimated at 120 MMbo, Petro-Tech’s Cauvery Basin. It encountered a date in the subsalt trend, eight of discovery that was never developed San Pedro Este 1-X well located in the clastic reservoir with a gross which have been tested, Petrobras by ENAP. southern part of offshore Block Z-2B in hydrocarbon column of around 150 believes the productive trend extends the Sechura Basin is now looking to be meters in the Cretaceous. It yielded 31 from the Espirito Santo Basin to the Nicaragua – Norwood Resources more significant than originally MMcfg/d and 1,200 bc/d from the main southern end of the Campos Basin. completed the San Bartolo Rodriguez thought. Sited in just 30 meters of zone while a deeper second horizon Speculation is the entire pre-salt Cano 1 new field wildcat on the water, the well reached a total depth of tested around 550 bo/d and 1 trend could hold up to 56 Bboe Oklanicsa Block in the Pacific Coastal 2,152 meters seeking a Paleozoic MMcfg/d. reserves of light oil. Basin as a potential oil producer. primary objective. Drillstem tests were run on 11 intervals It flowed at a maximum rate of 4.9 LATIN AMERICA Chile – Palenque 1 is gaining in totaling a net 179 meters, of which MMcfg/d with a psi of 2,300 on a importance now that the first appraisal seven recovered oil; all but one of 20/64-inch choke. Brazil – The Tupi 1 well drilled by has been successful. It is the first these is considered productive.

MIDDLE EAST

Iran – The Minister of Petroleum claims the NIOC Sefid Zakhur 1 wildcat in southern Iran is a giant discovery. Reserves of 11.4 Tcf were mentioned, with around 8.5 Tcf recoverable.

SAHARAN AFRICA

Egypt – The Ramadan North 1 wildcat in the Egyptian Gulf of Suez, in which ONGC has equity, is a significant oil and gas discovery. The well established 40 meters of net pay in the Asl formation and tested 2,979 b/d of 36.50 API oil and 1.5 MMcfg/d.

SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA

Angola – Chevron’s Malange 1 well in Block 14 offshore Angola is a significant find, with a 65-meter net oil column in the Cretaceous Pinda formation. The first Pinda discovery on the IF YOU acreage, it tested 7,669 bo/d.

CAN’T Equatorial Guinea – Wildcat I-1, the first well to be drilled on Block I (in SEE IT, which Noble is the technical operator), IS IT was an instant success in that it confirmed the potential of the Douala REALLY Basin. Two successful appraisals followed, THERE? the last of which (I-3) tested 36 MMcfg/d and 371 bc/d and may have Vision for Energy been drilled on the same structure as Yoyo 1 in Cameroon. > Strategic consulting Ghana – Kosmos/Anadarko claim a > Seismic imaging significant find in the deep waters off > Velocity analysis Ghana. The Mahogany 1 well encountered a 270-meter hydrocarbon > Structural interpretation column. > To be tested at a later date, Stratigraphic delineation reserves are estimated as high as 600 > Formation evaluation MMb. > Reservoir modeling Tanzania – Completed in January > Pore pressure prediction 2007, Mkuranga 1 (operated by Mayrel and Prom) was the first well to > Well planning and drilling establish potentially commercial gas flows of 19.2 MMcfg/d from the Upper Cretaceous. It is located just five kilometers from the gas pipeline to Dar es Salaam and is to be appraised in 2008.

Uganda – Kingfisher 1 flowed 4,120 bo/d (30-degree API) from Lower Vision is Certainty Pliocene sands in the last quarter of 2006. However, the discovery of the Leading science, breakthrough innovation and exceptional people. main 44-meter net reservoir in the Providing customers with the intelligence to minimize risk and optimize Upper Miocene was made by the subsurface asset management. Paradigm. Unconfl icted, unsurpassed. www.pdgm.com Kingfisher 1A sidetracks in the first quarter of 2007 (aggregate of three tests: 9,773 bo/d). ❏

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JANUARY 2008 14

S t r u c t u r e Midland Valley Wo r l d

BRAZIL

ESPIRTO SANTO CAMPOS BASIN SANTOS BASIN ENLARGED AREA

EXPLORER graphic by Rusty Johnson

“Chevron Regional Construction” Tupi: Find of the year

Project “regional” from foot wall-cut off. Blue lines are “shear pins” Red lines are fault segments parallel to displacement of all points in hanging wall. This shows fault trajectory is very low angle and would cut reflectors Salt Couldn’t on seismic. The problem is resolved by adding in extra fault terrace shown in dotted lines. Hide Elephant From Explorers

By LOUISE S. DURHAM EXPLORER Correspondent You hear it all the time, both within and outside the industry. All the Big Ones have been found. There are no more “elephants.” News from Brazil’s state-owned Petrobras could put the quietus on this IOCs – an increasingly common and, kind of talk. some would say, disturbing trend among The company recently announced it government bodies holding sway over tested a second well drilled in Block BM- sizeable reserves. S-11 at its Tupi Field offshore The day following the early November southeastern Brazil in the Santos Basin announcement of the enormous potential Silver Anniversary Events that indicated reserves of as much as at Tupi, the government removed 41 of To help celebrate our anniversary this eight billion barrels of oil equivalent for the most promising blocks from its the field. Petrobras’ partners in the field upcoming auction set for November 27. year we’ll be bringing you news on include Britain’s BG Group and Portugal’s The auction was open to private our support for universities and young Galp Energy. companies who had invested professionals with: Energy and industry experts hailed considerable time and effort preparing the discovery as the find of the year. for the event. • The Midland Valley Student Structure Indeed, Tupi represents the biggest In the absence of the premium blocks, Prize find since the 13 billion-barrel Kashagan Shell and Chevron reportedly made no • Our new initiative to develop and Field in Kazakhstan was discovered in bids at all. support student training in field Permeability anisotropy 2000. Kashagan, in turn, was the largest from fractures computed mapping skills as property on Eclipse grid field discovery since Prudhoe Bay in Tough Days Ahead? • News from our academic users and Alaska more than 30 years ago. research sponsorships The initial discovery well in Block BM- Discovering the oil at Tupi likely will S-11 was drilled in 2006, and a well prove to be the easy part. already has been drilled in each of two This is a deepwater subsalt Product News neighboring blocks, according to Caio environment, which by definition is costly For our clients we are holding a Silver Carvalhal, research associate at to drill and filled with unknowns. Anniversary User Conference in Cambridge Energy Research Associates Producing and developing the field October – watch out for details. in Brazil. will require major technology know-how, specialized equipment and deep [email protected] By the Numbers pockets. Nerves of steel for the participants would help, too. We’ll also be giving you news of new The significance of Tupi’s potential Water depth is about 7,000 feet, and software and services this year. Look impact on Brazil is best put in the field occurs another 17,000 feet out in this column and at the AAPG perspective when compared to the subsea under a massive sheet of salt, conventions for the:Silver Anniversary country’s current reserves, which tally 12 which is noted for its ability to hinder Enterprise Edition software releases. billion barrels, Carvalhal said. seismic imaging quality. He noted that the added reserves On the drilling side, extreme would make Petrobras the third largest pressures and temperatures can pose company in volume of reserves, behind huge problems and challenges. For more info on anything in this BP and ExxonMobil. Yet Petrobras is considered to be well column call +44 (0)141 332 2681 Yet Tupi isn’t necessarily good news up to the task, according to Carvalhal. He or email [email protected] for some industry players. noted the company historically has done The structrual geology experts In fact, the Brazilian government most of the deepwater drilling in this www.mve.com quickly made it clear that it’s not particularly interested in sharing with the See Tupi, page 24

JANUARY 2008 15

JANUARY 2008 16 Speculation rife Brazil Now OPEC-Caliber Producer?

By LOUISE S. DURHAM EXPLORER Correspondent PEC’s impact on oil prices has waxed and Oil supply cartel OPEC has once again become a household word since O waned over the years, but its potential always-volatile oil prices began flirting with the $100 per barrel mark. clout cannot be overestimated. The Vienna-headquartered Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries comprises 13 nations whose economies rely on oil export revenues. Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and crude petroleum, which has Speculation is rife that Brazil will jump Achieving stable oil prices is among Venezuela. Today its membership fundamentally similar interests to those of on board with OPEC at some point given the group’s purported missions. includes the founders along with Algeria, member countries may become a full state-owned Petrobras’ recent The 47-year-old cartel was founded Angola, Indonesia, Nigeria, Qatar, United member of the organization, if accepted announcement of a well drilled at its September 14, 1960, in Baghdad as a Arab Emirates, Libya and Ecuador. by a majority of three-fourths of full offshore Tupi Field (see page 14), permanent inter-governmental The OPEC statute states that “any members, including the concurring votes indicating the presence of as much as organization, with five founding members: country with a substantial net export of of all founder members.” eight billion barrels of oil equivalent in reserves at the field. The cartel’s member countries are accustomed to big reserves numbers. According to available information, OPEC had proven oil reserves of 922,482 million barrels of crude at the end of 2006. This represents 77.2 percent of the world’s total of 1,195,318 million barrels. The OPEC member countries produce about 45 percent of the world’s crude oil and 54 percent of the oil traded internationally. OPEC’s impact on oil prices has waxed and waned over the years, but its potential clout cannot be overestimated. For instance, the industry remembers well the most recent price debacle in the late 1990s, when the cartel miscalculated the depth of Asia’s financial crisis and, therefore, the upcoming Asian demand – and opened its spigots several turns only to watch prices crater to the $10 range. The cartel is known for its ability to increase or decrease oil production in response to market conditions. Meaningful spare capacity has been limited to Saudi Arabia over the past few years, but the amount of idle oil the cartel’s other producers can bring on line quickly is thought to have increased. The lack of transparency there makes a guessing game of any attempt to define real numbers. Today, the general consensus appears to be that the group can no longer move oil prices to any significant degree, taking a back seat to such market movers as geopolitical events, increasing fund flows from Wall Street, the NYMEX traders and more. Even Saudi oil minister Ali al-Naimi is on record as saying today’s price fluctuations have nothing to do with OPEC action. Still, the mere hint of either a production increase or decrease by the cartel often sends the oil traders into a near-frenzy to bid futures prices way up or way down, depending on the situation du jour. The oil and energy ministers of OPEC member countries congregate at least twice yearly to coordinate their oil production policies relative to the market fundamentals of supply and demand. It is noteworthy that a brief November summit meeting of OPEC heads of state in Saudi Arabia revealed a tad of dysfunction may be a-brewin’ within the OPEC family. Despite OPEC kingpin Saudi Arabia’s professed desire for oil price stability, Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and Venezuela’s infamous leader, Hugo Chavez, made it clear they think oil is too cheap – even at $100 a barrel. Perhaps more unsettling was Chavez’s rhetoric about his desire for OPEC to revert back to a militant, revolutionary organization with the member countries using their oil as a political weapon. ❏

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JANUARY 2008 18 Nova Scotia, Morocco share geologic DNA ‘Analog Sisters’ Prompt New Ideas

By SUSAN R. EATON EXPLORER Correspondent The break-up of the supercontinent Pangea and the development of conjugate margins with analogous petroleum systems on opposite sides of the Central Atlantic have resulted in many past and present linkages between Nova Scotia and Morocco. Geologists and geophysicists in Nova Scotia cite recent oil and gas discoveries in offshore Mauritania and Morocco as analogs for their sister discoveries offshore Nova Scotia, and vice versa. In order to “touch” the Late Jurassic carbonates at EnCana Corporation’s 1.0 Tcf natural gas discovery at Deep Panuke on the Scotian Shelf, geoscientists travel to Morocco, where analogous rocks outcrop. Another historical linkage between Nova Scotia and Morocco is the French language – since the 1980s, Canadian

The call for papers for oral and poster presentations is under way for the Central Atlantic Conjugate Margins Conference, set Aug. 13-15 in Halifax, Nova Scotia. The theme of the conference, Photo courtesy of André Michardf which will be held at Dalhousie For Canadian Shelf explorers, this African example matters: Lower Devonian mud mounds, Eastern Anti Atlas, Erfoud, Morocco. University, is “Sharing Ideas and Embracing Opportunities.” government development agencies and In association with the AAPG, opposite sides of the Central Atlantic. All abstracts must be submitted by universities have worked with French- geoscientists from Morocco and Nova The first conference, held recently in March 1 through the conference Web speaking Moroccan geoscientists, Scotia organized two conjugate margin Morocco, designed to create Pan- site at www.conjugatemargins.com. transferring oil and gas technologies conferences featuring a series of field and exploration and production skills. trips that showcase outcrops on continued on next page

JANUARY 2008 19

continued from previous page featuring wells from the Scotian Shelf and the adjacent U.S. Outer Continental Shelf. Atlantic gatherings of geoscientists, Attendees will be able to view facilitated the exchange of ideas on hydrothermal dolomites of the Late geological basin development and Jurassic Abenaki Formation in the cores petroleum systems (see accompanying from the Deep Panuke Field – during story, page 20). testing, the H-08 well flowed 50 to 57 The second conference, set Aug. 13- Mmcf/d of natural gas. 15 in Halifax, Nova Scotia, will once Dave Brown, the conference co-chair, again provide a venue for recent said the conference themes are advances in seismic, drilling and extremely topical, given recent production technologies specific to discoveries in offshore Nova Scotia. emerging plays in these frontier regions. “We have an active petroleum Given recent discoveries and the system, because wherever a reservoir potential expiry in 2013 of exploration was found, it was full of gas” said Brown, moratoria on the U.S. Atlantic Outer an AAPG member and senior petroleum Continental Shelf and Canada’s Georges geologist with the Canada-Nova Scotia Bank, the oil and gas industry is Offshore Petroleum Board (CNSOPB). revisiting these conjugate margins with renewed interest. Diving Into the Scotian Basin

A Timely Conference Brown and his CNSOPB colleagues attended the conjugate margin The upcoming August Central conference in Marrakech, where they Atlantic Conjugate Margins Conference presented papers on the resource in Halifax, presented by the Canadian potential and exploration play types of Association of Petroleum Geologists in the Scotian Basin, which measures association with AAPG, the Atlantic about 100 to 150 kilometers wide and Geoscience Society and several other about 900 kilometers long. industry, academic and governmental Water depths there vary from less sponsors, is titled “Sharing Ideas and than 100 meters to 3,500 meters. Embracing Opportunities.” The shallow waters of the Scotian The conference, to be held at Basin – the historical focus of exploration Dalhousie University, will present three – contain 194 wells, with historical oil basic themes: production from the Cohasset-Panuke ✓ Margin evolution and development. Field and current natural gas production ✓ Basin petroleum systems. from the Sable Project. To date, 10 Tcf of ✓ Productive fields and analogs. natural gas and 381 million barrels of oil In addition to the oral and poster have been discovered in the shallow sessions, organizers are creating a waters of the Scotian Basin. state-of-the-art seismic data room with In 2006, the CNSOPB reported that the latest Central Atlantic Programs and another 17 Tcf of natural gas remained to profiles. The conference will include be discovered in the Scotian Basin’s courses on salt tectonics and petroleum Photos courtesy of Gela Crane systems modeling, and a core workshop See , page 22 Margins Out of Africa: These Nova Scotian outcrops tell a lot about conjugate margins.

JANUARY 2008 20

What they studied: An artesian water well (left) from the Turonian limestone aquifer Ain Allali, eastern Morroco; and the South High Atlas Fault zone (right), Morocco. Photos courtesy of André Michard

Ideas, Analogs Promote New Plays In late October, the Moroccan MAPG, as an organization, is only 10 “The conference was important to technologies developed on the other Association of Petroleum Geologists years old. Africans,” he said, “because African side of the world. (MAPG), in association with AAPG and “The conference,” said Morabet, an academic geoscientists don’t often “We’re using Nova Scotian other industry associations, held the AAPG member and general director of travel to international scientific discoveries and analogs to promote our first MAPG International Convention Tamouda Consulting (SARL), “was a conferences due to visas and travel plays,” he added. Conference & Exhibition in Marrakech, photocopy of AAPG. We tried to bring costs.” Morabet cited attractive fiscal terms, Morocco. the international industry and academic MAPG described the conference direct negotiations and a 10-year “Revisit the Rocks; Realize the geoscience community to Morocco.” theme by aptly quoting legendary corporate tax holiday as compelling Potential” attracted more than 600 He acknowledged that AAPG was geologist, the late Parke A. Dickey: reasons for the international oil and gas delegates (from 44 countries) interested instrumental in promoting the “We usually find oil in new places industry to explore offshore Morocco. in Pangean geology and in recent conference, as were ONHYM, with old ideas. Sometimes, also, we find According to Morabet, Morocco may exploration and production activities in Morocco’s National Office of oil in old places with a new idea. But, also have the largest onshore reserves northwest Africa. Hydrocarbons and Mining, the we seldom find oil in an old place with of oil shales in the world – more than Al Moundir Morabet, the conference International Lithosphere Programme an old idea.” 100 billion tons, with TOCs on the order general chair, said he was extremely and the Colloque du Jurassique “The recent discoveries show that of 10-11 percent. pleased by the international Marocain. the petroleum system is working,” Asked if Morabet and his associates participation in the conference – 30 Morabet said the conference allowed Morabet said, pointing to recent from Morocco will be attending the exhibitors, 328 abstracts presented in African and Moroccan geoscientists to multiple significant discoveries in upcoming conference in Nova Scotia, 50 different oral sessions, 144 posters present their ideas to their international offshore northwest Africa. “We have to he answered: “You bet.” and six field trips – especially given that peers. revisit the rocks with new ideas and new – SUSAN R. EATON

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By SUSAN R. EATON that “Tuzo” was a was an open book, free of historical shallow waters. The CNSOPB’s report EXPLORER Correspondent cool name. theories and biases. also estimated the resource potential of I was in my first year of my geology Intrigued, I attended During my field studies at Dalhousie, the Deep Water Scotian Shelf at 17 to 57 studies during the mid-1970s – still the lecture, and was I visited several outcrops in Nova Scotia Tcf of natural gas and 1.3 to 4.5 billion trying to grasp the difference between mesmerized by J. and marveled that the same rocks also barrels of oil. igneous and sedimentary rocks – when Tuzo Wilson’s were exposed in Morocco. An industry review of the recent a buzz of excitement overtook the interpretation of Today, plate tectonics is the Holy drilling activity in the Deep Water Department of Geology at Dalhousie ancient Earth – the Grail of geology, and it’s sobering to Scotian Shelf revealed that the University in Halifax, Nova Scotia. existence of hot discover that during the early 1960s deepwater sediments – targeted by 10 The professors exclaimed, in hushed spots in the mantle J. Tuzo Wilson’s manuscript was wells – were not actually penetrated. and reverent tones: and the realization rejected by all major scientific journals According to Brown, the drilling data “He’s coming … He’s Canadian … that the continental because his theories were deemed too confirm the offshore delta is broader He’s a geophysicist … He’s God …” plates had all fit Eaton “radical.” His manuscript was finally than previously thought and the “He” was J. Tuzo Wilson, the father of together before the published in 1963 by the Canadian deepwater turbidite sand reservoirs lie, modern-day plate tectonics. break-up of the supercontinent Pangea Journal of Physics. undrilled, further down the slope. A neophyte in geology and – which made absolute sense to me, a The rest, as they say, “is history.” ❏ Brown’s optimism about the geological processes, I simply thought geologist-in-the-making whose mind deepwater prospectivity of the Scotian Shelf is further buoyed by recent analog discoveries in offshore Mauritania.

‘Something for Everyone’

Grant Wach, the Halifax conference co-chair and a professor of petroleum geoscience and director of energy at Dalhousie University, described Dalhousie as one of the leading academic institutions in the study of tectonics along the Central and North Atlantic conjugate margins. According to Wach, an AAPG member, all of the technical sessions will run in one venue – there will be no concurrent sessions, thus enabling all participants to attend all the papers. “There’ll be ample opportunity for “Sharing Ideas – Embracing Opportunities” academic geoscientists and industry explorationists to meet to exchange August 13 — 15, 2008 | Dalhousie University | Halifax | Nova Scotia | Canada ideas,” he said. “There will be something for everyone, from geodynamic modeling to regional geology and reservoir geology.” Call for Papers The Tide That Binds Wach said the geology field trips For Oral and Poster Presentations Relating to: have been planned with the tide charts in mind – that’s because Nova Scotia’s Margin Evolution & Development Bay of Fundy boasts the highest tides in the world, ranging up to 50 feet. Basin Petroleum Systems | Productive Fields & Analogues As such, many of the world-class outcrops can only be seen at low tide. IN ADDITION TO THE CONFERENCE SESSIONS, ALSO FEATURED WILL BE: The Fundy Basin also is the largest and best-exposed early synrift basin in FIELD TRIPS COURSES the Central Atlantic realm. Nova Scotia (Pre-Meeting) Practical Salt Tectonics Permian to Jurassic Rift Successions Petroleum Systems Modelling The pre-meeting field trips will • Classic Carboniferous Sections include: • Onshore Cretaceous Reservoir Equivalents ✓ The Permian to Jurassic rift • CORE WORKSHOP successions. Morocco (Post-Meeting) Offshore Nova Scotia Reservoirs, ✓ The Carboniferous section at • Triassic Synrift Reservoir Facies & Architecture Facies & Sequences Joggins, formed by salt withdrawal Portugal (Post-Meeting) Cumberland Basin. Jurassic Carbonates & Fluvio-deltaic Successions SEISMIC DATA ROOM ✓ The onshore Cretaceous reservoir • equivalents of the production fields on Latest Central Atlantic Programs & Profiles ABSTRACT SUBMISSION DEADLINE the Scotian Shelf. March 1, 2008 PROGRAM INFORMATION Post-meeting field trips will be led to: All abstracts must by submitted through the ✓ Morocco, to view the Triassic synrift conference website David E. Brown [email protected] reservoir facies and architecture. ✓ Portugal, to view the Jurassic EXTENDED ABSTRACT DEADLINE carbonates and fluvio-deltaic May 1, 2008 Grant D.Wach successions in the Lusitania Basin. Extended abstracts for accepted papers [email protected] must be submitted by this date Brown gets excited by the oil and gas LOGISTICAL INFORMATION potential of the virtually unexplored margin of North America. WEBSITE Trudy D. Lewis “Imagine a carbonate bank fairway www.conjugatemargins.com [email protected] that extends several thousand kilometers from Nova Scotia, clear to Florida,” he said, “that’s been tested by only a handful of discovery wells at SPONSORS / ENDORSEMENTS Deep Panuke and by two wells on the U.S. Outer Continental Shelf.” ❏

Offshore Energy Canada-Nova Scotia Dalhousie Nova Scotia Atlantic Canadian Society American Association Technical Research Offshore Petroleum University Department Geoscience of Petroleum of Petroleum Association Board of Energy Society Geologists Geologists

JANUARY 2008 23

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States Receiving Revenues through Fiscal Year 2007 Include: Wyoming...... $925,261,906.81 South Dakota...... 1,007,068.91 Royalties Provide New Mexico...... 552,934,465.33 Kentucky...... 714,750.97 Utah...... 135,429,658.25 Michigan...... 616,971.05 Colorado...... 122,894,226.71 Oregon...... 558,122.83 California ...... 61,240,940.54 Ohio...... 493,091.99 Bonanza for States Montana ...... 39,158,279.03 West Virginia ...... 389,004.34 Thirty-four states earned more than for collecting, auditing and disbursing Louisiana...... 24,029,594.03 Washington ...... 366,365.07 $1.9 billion during 2007 (fiscal year) as revenues associated with mineral leases Alaska...... 21,796,671.52 Virginia ...... 233,474.14 part of their share of federal revenues on federal and American Indian lands. Texas ...... 21,667,264.63 Illinois...... 205,558.80 collected by the Department of the Disbursements are made to states on a Interior’s Minerals Management Service monthly basis from royalties, rents, Alabama...... 14,173,908.88 Pennsylvania ...... 55,584.87 (MMS), officials recently announced. bonuses and other revenues collected North Dakota ...... 13,775,447.53 Arizona ...... 41,792.37 That figure is down from the 2006 by MMS. Arkansas ...... 8,143,230.86 Nebraska ...... 24,176.98 fiscal year payments to states, which This marked the first full year that Nevada...... 7,663,678.82 Minnesota...... 13,126.30 was $2.2 billion, according to the MMS. MMS distributed funds from geothermal Oklahoma ...... 6,988,592.26 Indiana...... 8,046.75 Officials said the slight decline is the energy production directly to the result of several factors, including lower individual counties where that Idaho ...... 4,729,812.55 Florida ...... 6,649.38 natural gas prices during the fiscal year production occurs. Missouri ...... 3,598,352.32 South Carolina...... 277.50 and a drop in lease sale bonuses from Randall Luthi, MMS director, noted Mississippi ...... 2,226,547.50 the previous year. the Energy Policy Act of 2005 mandated Total...... $1,972,322,944.82 Kansas...... 1,876,305.00 MMS is the federal bureau within the that 25 percent of receipts from Department of the Interior responsible geothermal energy production be disbursed directly to counties where that production occurs, in an effort to increase use of that alternative energy resource. As part of that mandate, and included in the $1.9 billion distributed overall, MMS distributed more than $4.3 million to 32 counties in the states of California, Idaho, New Mexico, Nevada, Oregon and Utah. Wyoming led all states in 2007 by receiving more than $925 million (see chart) as its share of revenues collected from mineral production on federal lands within its borders, including oil, gas and coal production. “These revenues from mineral production on federal lands play a crucial role in many state budgets,” Luthi said. “The funds support everything from education to infrastructure improvements and capital projects.” ❏

Tupi from page 14

region as compared to the Gulf of Mexico where several companies are experienced in the deepwater, including the subsalt environment. Pilot production at Tupi reportedly may begin around 2010. There are guesstimates that as many as 100 wells may be required to develop the field, at a cost somewhere between $50 billion and $100 billion. Carvalhal noted the initial well at Tupi cost about $240 million and required a year to drill.

Catch-22

Tupi may well be only the beginning when it comes to the region’s potential for subsalt reservoirs, which offer the bonus of prized light crude oil. “There could be huge reserves in the subsalt offshore Brazil under the Campos, Santos and Espirito Santo basins,” Carvalhal said. “The subsalt could be a whole new play beneath the most prolific basins in the Brazil region, and one with better quality oil. “The subsalt crude is higher quality, about 30-degree API,” Carvalhal noted. “Brazil has very heavy oil on average, about 16-degree to 17-degree.” There’s a catch-22 here. Given the estimated cost to develop Tupi and any future big subsalt finds nearby, it’s crucial that crude prices remain at relatively lofty levels. On the other hand, skyrocketing commodity prices have played a key role in the current labor and construction bottlenecks that are hindering development in proven fields. ❏

JANUARY 2008 25

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JANUARY 2008 26

Stories make hills ‘come alive’ Filmmakers Share Love of Rocks

By KEN MILAM younger viewers. EXPLORER Correspondent A trailer for the film and outtakes are Oklahoma marked 100 years of on youtube.com (search “Oklahoma statehood in 2007. Centennial events, rocks”). exhibits and programs celebrated the 47th state’s history from pre-Columbian Long-Lasting Teamwork times to the present. Filmmakers Todd Kent and Devin Scheduled for November release, Dennie are digging even deeper into “Oklahoma Rocks!” is not the pair’s first the state’s past. movie. “Rockhounds: The Movie” Their new documentary, “Oklahoma focused on gem and mineral Rocks!” celebrates the state’s “pre- collectors. The movie was filmed in history” – “looking at what the science several states and screened in venues of geology tells us of how Oklahoma worldwide. came to be,” Dennie said. “Rockhounds” won the American The state’s diverse geology offered Federation of Mineralogical Societies’ a rich vein of material for the duo, who Excellence in Education Award. logged hundreds of hours and A portion of the film was shown as thousands of miles pursuing the project part of the “OK Rocks!” exhibit at the over the last year. Sam Noble Museum of Natural History While people picture Oklahoma as a in Norman, Okla., for more than a year, Plains state, overlapping landscapes Kent said. vary from pre-Cambrian metamorphic Another film featured the East Texas rock formations to Cretaceous stones oil field, and a 1999 television show, holding dinosaur bones to Ice Age “North Texas Explorer,” aired in several sand dunes, all within a couple hours’ Photos courtesy of Explorer Multimedia Inc. states, Kent said. drive of each other, Dennie said. Getting down to business: Award-winning filmmakers Todd Kent and Devin Dennie, Nor is this project the first time The barren granite Wichita filming a segment that will help showcase geology to the general population. AAPG members have had a chance to Mountains in the state’s southwest encounter the team. The two gathered corner, for example, contrast greatly footage for their projects at the 2004 with the richly forested Ouachita Centennial events also helped the narrow canyons and over the edge of AAPG Annual Convention in Dallas, Mountains in the southeast, he said. pair by putting a lot of history on cliffs. interviewing geologists and going on a In addition to tourist vistas, the film display, Dennie said, referring to how in Interviews with experts and pre-convention field trip (August 2004 touches on the geology behind the one case a visit to a Paleo-Indian interesting visuals are being EXPLORER). state’s industry and economy, buffalo kill site offered evidence of how condensed into a quickly paced 60- The pair grew up in north Texas and examining the contributions of indigenous inhabitants used geology to to 90-minute package that Kent and petroleum, minerals and mining – and their advantage. Dennie hope will appeal to the general even sand and gravel – to the area. Early hunters drove the bison into public as well as hold the attention of continued on next page

IN THE FUTURE, EVERYTHING WILL RUN ON CREATIVITY

JANUARY 2008 27 continued from previous page have known each other since the first grade. Dennie, a petroleum geologist with Devon Energy, does most of the research and is the on-camera host for the films. Kent, a professional filmmaker, said he is “the production guy.” They formed their non-profit production company, Explorer Multimedia Inc., in 2003. It is a “frugal organization,” Kent said, with the two friends doing most of the work themselves in their spare time. Store and online sales are planned

For more information about the movies “Oklahoma Rocks!” and “Rockhounds: The Movie” – and the production company behind them – visit www.okgeology.com or www.explorermultimedia.org for “Oklahoma Rocks!” The filmmakers also are seeking out potential financial contributors to help pay for the movie’s distribution.

The Science ofYour Life

The pair has hundreds of ideas for future films, according to Dennie. “There are 49 other films out there The great American … plains? A new film on Oklahoma geology will help show the state’s contrasts and complexities – and look at like this,” he said, “and there are still how geology impacts the state’s industry and economy. things out there (in Oklahoma) we haven’t gotten. “I’m interested in the science of your The films also capture some of the In the meantime, the pair wants to “We’d like to put a copy on the desk backyard,” he added. “The things you knowledge of older experts “who have put “Oklahoma Rocks!” into as many of every high school science teacher in drive past every day on your way to a lot of insights to share,” he said. venues as possible. They hope to show Oklahoma,” Dennie said. work, the rocks kids play on, that well The movies “help show why some the movie at film festivals and offer “We hope you don’t have to look in the back pasture – where does it people would spend their lives screenings for geological societies and very far to see it.” ❏ go ...?” studying these things,” he said. other organizations.

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Shell is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

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Curtiss Assumes Reins at GEO-DC David K. Curtiss government affairs on behalf of EGI, Colombia, Egypt, Kazakhstan, Morocco, of Representatives. has assumed the developed strategic alliances and Russia, Turkmenistan, Uganda and the In that position Curtiss got an insider’s directorship of the assisted in identifying and developing United States, plus several global view of the legislative process, with duties AAPG Geoscience research programs, was involved in exploration opportunity assessments. including advising Watts and senior staff and Energy Office in public outreach, developed marketing Curtiss first joined EGI in 1993 as a on energy, foreign policy, Third World Washington, D.C. strategies, conducted contract research assistant and was manager of indebtedness and cyber- and homeland (GEO-DC), after negotiations and was primary liaison with program development when in 2001-02 security. He also was charged with serving as deputy EGI’s 63 international industry sponsors. he served as a Legislative Fellow, serving seeking legislative solutions for director of the office He also contributed his geologic in the office of U.S. Rep. J.C. Watts (R- technology infrastructure development at since its inception in expertise to industry-funded petroleum Okla.), who also was chairman of the minority-serving colleges and universities, mid-November 2005. studies in Algeria, Argentina, Azerbaijan, Republican Conference in the U.S. House climate change, urban and rural Curtiss succeeds community renewal. Don Juckett, who Curtiss He also prepared articles, speeches served as director of the GEO-DC since Mark your calendars for briefings on federal science and and press releases. its launch and is retiring to focus on his Congressional Visits Day on March 4-5. technology activities, with a special Curtiss has a bachelor’s degree in consultancy and as director of Far East One of the first items on Curtiss’ session devoted to the geosciences. geology from Wheaton College (Ill.), a Energy Corp. agenda is planning for the upcoming The sessions also include master’s degree in earth resources Juckett also will continue to serve Congressional Visits Day (CVD), information and suggestions for how to management from the University of South GEO-DC in a senior advisory capacity. organized by the Science-Engineering- conduct a successful Congressional Carolina and a master’s of business As GEO-DC director, Curtiss will: Technology Working Group. briefing, and participants receive administration from the University of Utah. ✓ Represent government affairs For the past 12 years this annual materials to leave behind at these He is a registered geologist in Utah interests of AAPG members. event has brought scientists, engineers, meetings. and a member of AAPG. ✓ Provide information to federal state researchers, teachers and executives to The day wraps up with a reception “The experience and contacts David government officials and staff. Washington, D.C., to talk to Congress on Capitol Hill. has gained in his work with industry, ✓ Develop opportunities for AAPG about the importance of science, academia and Congress plus working members to engage in the policy engineering and technology. ✓ Day 2 begins with breakfast back closely with Don Juckett over the past two process. AAPG members have regularly on the Hill, followed by participants’ years, combined with his energy and The GEO-DC office is located at the participated in the event, especially the meeting with the offices of their ability to communicate with scientists, headquarters of the American Geological last two years, and the momentum from respective member of Congress and business leaders and policy makers, will Institute in Alexandria, Va. last year’s meeting led to the formation senators (schedules permitting). ensure a smooth transition of leadership of the Washington Advocacy Group, a in the office and the continued *** Government Affairs subcommittee For more information about effectiveness of GEO-DC,” said AAPG chaired by past DPA president Deborah Congressional Visits Day and regular Executive Director Rick Fritz. Curtiss previously served as manager Sacrey that is intended to promote updates visit http://www.setcvd.org/cvd of international strategy and development increased engagement between AAPG 2008/index.html. (Editor’s note: David Curtiss, head of and was senior adviser to the director of members and policy makers. Space is limited for this event and AAPG’s Geoscience and Energy Office in the Energy and Geoscience Institute At the event: will quickly fill to capacity. Washington, D.C., can be contacted at (EGI) located at the University of Utah. Contact David Curtiss if you plan to [email protected]; or by telephone at In that position he was involved in ✓ On Day 1 participants receive attend. ❏ 1-703-575-8293.)

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JANUARY 2008 32 Noticeable upward trend More Women Joining Geologist Ranks

By SUSIE MOORE upward trend, earning 33 percent of earth, EXPLORER Staff Writer according to an atmospheric and ocean sciences A noticeable transformation continues August 2005 report doctoral degrees. to thrive within the geosciences conducted by the “There has been an increase in community. American women in the petroleum industry,” said Women are becoming more prevalent Geological Institute, AAPG member Laura Zahm, part-time and, increasingly, more prominent in the the American member for the sedimentology and ranks of AAPG and throughout the Geophysical Union stratigraphy services group for energy industry. and the Statistical ConocoPhillips in Austin, Texas. At first the evidence was largely Research Center of “I chose a career in the geosciences anecdotal – anyone who has attended the American because it captured my imagination and an AAPG annual convention in recent Ali-Adeeb Dombrowski Zahm Institute of Physics. at the same time pushed and stimulated years could spot a rise in the number of The study, taken my intellectual capabilities,” said women who were not just attending the But now, officially, the saturation of from the class of 2003, shows women Jessica Moore Ali-Adeeb, geologist for meetings but participating in the women in the geosciences field within have increased their representation Chevron and the Association for Women technical program. the last 10 years is a quantifiable among geoscience Ph.D.s, with women Geoscientists (AWG) president. “There are so many facets to the earth sciences, which allow it to be a lifelong professional pursuit as well as one of my favorite hobbies. “What more could a girl ask for?” she added, “I have a hobby for work!” And like dominoes falling down in succession, this increase in the number of women in the profession has resulted in more women assuming leadership roles in the industry, thereby making more women key decision-makers, thereby affording them the opportunity to mentor the younger generation following in their footsteps. “More women in the industry has changed the need for companies to offer alternative employment options for women who fill a niche in a team, but still would like to have the flexibility to spend time with their families,” according to Zahm. “The petroleum industry is no longer a 40-hour-a-week-at-the-office-or- nothing type of industry,” she said, “Many women are working from home, working part time or job sharing.” Of course, Zahm is slightly biased to this versatile concept because of her current alternative employment position. Still, she believes it is an option becoming more common in the workplace.

Obstacle Course

Anna Dombrowski, a staff geologist with Shell in Houston, agrees there has been a steady climb in the number of women within the petroleum industry. However, she recognized a significant change in how women in the geosciences were viewed beginning in the early 1990s. “There was a big change in corporate culture,” said Dombrowski, also an AAPG member. “More respect came with the awareness of the legal ramifications if you discriminated against a woman.” Dombrowski remembers a time when she couldn’t get a job in the geosciences. It was in the early 1970s – a transitioning period for many women in the work force. It was a time when “women were not taken seriously,” she stated. “Even after graduating with honors,” she said, “I applied for a position with a major oil company and was rejected on the basis that I was single.” Not too long after, Dombrowski married. She then applied for another position in a major oil company and was rejected on the basis that she was married. After finally being offered a position in the geosciences industry, Dombrowski was paired with a mentor who let her

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JANUARY 2008 33 ‘Characters’Toast GSL’s Bicentenary It’s the Geological Society of say that I can only hope that we London’s 200th anniversary of its Americans who owe so much to Great founding, and a birthday banquet held Britain’s leadership in government, the in November celebrated its beginning – arts and science will in time develop a in period costume and character. sister geological organization which The dinner was held at the New could affiliate with you.” Connaught Rooms 61-65 Great Queen But first, there were a few items to Street, London – on the exact site of the take care of, such as five years later the original Freemasons’ Tavern, site of the War of 1812 and the burning of first gathering of the 13 founders in Jefferson’s former home – the White 1807. House. Following a reception and dinner, However, all is persevered and 200 festivities included past AAPG President years later, toasts are offered from the M. Ray Thomasson, giving words of GSLs younger sister organizations as it Past AAPG president M. Ray Thomasson, left, as “William Pinkney, Minister congratulations as “William Pinkney, enters its third century. ❏ Plenipotentiary,” and John Brooks, past AAPG Europe Region president, offered toasts Minister Plenipotentiary, delivered on at the 200th anniversary celebration of the Geological Society of London. behalf of Thomas Jefferson.” As Pinkney, Thomasson said, “President Jefferson has had a keen interest in natural science for many years. As past president of the American Philosophical Society, Mr. How Can PetPetroleumroleum CCompaniesompanies MaMakeke BBetteretter DeDecisions?cisions? Jefferson described in detail the bones of a clawed quadraped, which Dr. Charles Peale of Philadelphia identified as those of a giant sloth. He was flattered to have it named megalonyx Jeffersoni – the first such mammal found in the New World.” “Pinkney” also said, “I would like to continued from previous page know he didn’t want to be her mentor – he had to be her mentor. “His words to me were, ‘You should be barefoot and pregnant at home,’” 20082008 PetroleumPetroleum UserUser GroupGroup ConferenceConference she said. Yes, times have changed. FebruaryFebruary 225–27,5–27, 2008 HoustonHouston MarMarriottriott WWestchase,estchase, HHouston,ouston, TTexasexas The Role of Mentors wwwww.esri.com/pugw.esri.com/pug Both Dombrowski and Zahm agree on the importance of mentorship to other women in the geosciences industry – “to be a contributing member of society and to leave GeographicGeographic iinformationnformation ssystemystem ((GIS)GIS) something behind better than how you found it,” as Zahm stated. sosoftwareftware by ESRIESRI cancan helphelp petroleumpetroleum “One way to give back to the cocompaniesmpanies seseee informationinformation in neneww and industry is to serve in leadership roles ininnovativenovative wways,ays, rresultingesulting in betbetterter and play the role of mentor wherever mamanagementnagement decisions.decisions. GISGIS deliversdelivers businessbusiness possible to those with less experience,” Zahm said. sosolutionslutions tthroughhrough ththee sspatialpatial rrepresentationepresentation “Women have made a of datadata in land/leaseland/lease management,management, conscientious effort to reach out to the exexploration,ploration, prproduction,oduction, ttransmission,ransmission, younger generation, to provide advice and to build contact networks where fafacilitiescilities mmanagement,anagement, corporatecorporate financial,financial, someone who is new to the industry anandd eenvironmentalnvironmental ddepartments.epartments. By feels that there are people who have inintegratingtegrating sspatialpatial and tatabularbular ddataata tthroughhrough their best interests at heart.” Besides mentorship, there are mapmapping,ping, yyourour companycompany cancan betterbetter managemanage programs available to help increase its asassetssets and cocorporaterporate iinformation,nformation, wwhichhich the number of women in the cacann ddirectlyirectly afaffectfect its bottombottom lline.ine. ESRIESRI is a geosciences such as the Stop the fulfull-servicel-service companycompany withwith thethe experienceexperience Leaky Pipeline program formed by the AWG. nenecessarycessary to helphelp petroleumpetroleum companiescompanies AWG, an AAPG associated society acachievehieve successsuccess usingusing GISGIS technology.technology. founded in 1977 in San Francisco on the principles to provide CalCalll ttodayoday to fifindnd ooutut wwhyhy tthehe ooverwhelmingverwhelming encouragement to women in the mamajorityjority of wworldwideorldwide oiloil ccompanies,ompanies, sserviceervice geosciences, recently celebrated its 30-year anniversary. Consequently, its cocompanies,mpanies, and coconsultantsnsultants havehave chosenchosen membership approaches 1,000, ESRI® GISGIS prproductsoducts as one of thetheirir prprincipalincipal reflecting the increasing participation informationinformation managementmanagement tools.tools. of women in the geosciences. And as for the future of women in the geosciences industry, “I’ve seen a trend that is continuing – a real trend,” ESRI—The GIS Com Company pa ny™ Dombrowski said. 1-888-531-9226 JoinJoin our GrowingGrowing PetroleumPetroleum Team “Being a woman is not an issue [email protected]@esri.com anymore.” ❏ www.esri.com/petrocareerswww.esri.com/petrocareers wwwww.esri.com/petroleumw.esri.com/petroleum

CopyrightCopyright © 20200707 ESRI.ESRI. AllAll rrightsights rreserved.eserved. EESRI,SRI, tthehe EESRISRI gglobelobe logo,logo, AArcScene,rcScene, andand ArcInfoArcInfo areare trademarkstrademarks of ESESRI,RI, registeredregistered in the UnitedUnited StatesStates andand certaincertain otherother countries;countries; registrationregistration is pendingpending in the EuropeanEuropean Community.Community. www.esri.comwww.esri.com andand @[email protected] areare serviceservice marksmarks of ESRI.ESRI. OtherOther companiescompanies andand productsproducts mentionedmentioned hereinherein maymay be trademarkstrademarks or registeredregistered trademarkstrademarks of their respectiverespective trademarktrademark owners.owners.

JANUARY 2008 34

Rocks-Physics Theory a Help (The Geophysical Corner is a regular from the two-layer interface, assuming a column in the EXPLORER, edited by porosity of 20 percent for the sandstone Bob A. Hardage, senior research reservoir, are displayed in figure 3. scientist at the Bureau of Economic These reflectivity curves provide an Geology, the University of Texas at important message concerning P-P and Austin. This month’s column deals with P-SV images of siliciclastic rocks that imaging sand/shale geology with have spatially variable clay content: multicomponent seismic data.) ✓ For certain clay-content By BOB HARDAGE concentrations (c), the target layer is DIANA SAVA practically invisible to the P-P seismic RANDY REMINGTON mode but generates a strong P-SV and MICHAEL DeANGELO reflection. For example, when c = 20 Examples of P-P and P-SV seismic percent, P-P reflectivity is small and images of deep geologic targets across changes algebraic sign near an the northern shelf of the Gulf of Mexico incidence angle of 20 degrees for both (GOM) are illustrated in figure 1, with the gas-filled and brine-filled sands. P-SV data warped to P-P image-time These two reflectivity characteristics coordinates. are classic examples of a reflection This time warping is a first-order event that is minor – and probably depth registration of P-P and P-SV invisible – in a final-processed P-P images, implemented by using an image. In contrast, P-SV reflectivity for averaged VP/VS velocity ratio function for each sand facies (gas or brine) when the area to adjust P-SV image time to c = 20 percent is reasonably robust and P-P image time. This first-order has a constant algebraic sign at all adjustment of P-SV image time to P-P incidence angles. image time is sufficiently accurate to This P-SV reflectivity behavior should allow equivalent geology to be identified create a significant P-SV reflection in side-by-side comparisons of P-P and event. Cyclic clay deposition of this P-SV data. Figure 1 – Depth-equivalent P-P and P-SV images of deep Gulf of Mexico geology. concentration level appears to be a Comparing the seismic responses at A and B define depth-equivalent geology. Numbers 1, 2, … indicate a sequence or strong contributor to the different the primed and unprimed number a facies in one image space that is not seen in the companion image space. Prime appearances of P-P and P-SV events locations in each image space shows numbers 1, 2, … show where numbered sequence or facies should appear in the labeled with primed and unprimed that each elastic wave mode provides companion image space. numbers 1 through 4. different – but equally valid – sequence and facies information about subsurface ✓ At other clay-content geology, which is a fundamental concentrations, the target layer is a poor principle of elastic wavefield P-SV reflector but a robust P-P reflector. stratigraphy. For example, when c = 40 percent, P-P Structural features A and B are reflectivity is 6 to 10 percent across the interpreted to be depth equivalent. The total angle range for a gas-filled sand time-warping process positions A and B (left) and 3 to 5 percent for a brine-filled in time-warped P-SV space to within sand (right). 100 ms of their positions in P-P image In contrast, P-SV reflectivity does not space. reach a 2 percent value for either sand A salt structure blanks out both P-P facies until the incidence angle is 30 and P-SV images approximately midway degrees to 45 degrees. This level of clay between CDP coordinates 19,600 and concentration will produce bold P-P 21,000. Features 1 through 4 on the reflections and weak P-SV reflections, P-SV image indicate a cyclic similar to the image windows between depositional process that is not obvious primed and unprimed numbers 3 and 4. in the P-P image (prime numbers 1? through 4?). *** Feature 5 is an example of P-SV data showing strata that are not present in the Figure 2 – Earth model used to demonstrate the effect of clay content on P-P and Variations of clay content in GOM P-P data (position 5?). P-SV reflectivities. Equations used to specify the properties of Layer 1 (shale) come sandstones can thus cause certain Feature 6 is an example of the P-P from Castagna and others. Those used to specify the properties of Layer 2 are from intervals of depth-registered P-P and mode providing a better image of high- Han and others. P-SV data to have P-SV seismic dip strata than does the P-SV mode sequences and facies that differ from (event 6?) along this particular profile. P-P seismic sequences and facies – and On other profiles in the area, the P-SV yet both the P-P image and the P-SV mode often images high-dip strata image are correct images of the better than does the P-P mode. geology. Features 1 through 5 on the data *** displayed in figure 1 are examples of such reflectivity behaviors. Rock-physics theory helps us These differing P-P and P-SV understand why these P-P and P-SV sequences and facies provide a deeper reflection images are both correct and richer insight into rock physics and depictions of deep geology and yet they geology than do seismic sequences and still have the spectacular differences facies produced by single-component illustrated by features 1 through 5. seismic data. A key concept to keep in mind is that Explorationists working in areas the GOM rocks imaged in figure 1 have having clay-dominated siliciclastic rock a significant amount of clay. Laboratory units should consider utilizing analysis of GOM core samples by Han multicomponent seismic data to have led to the relationships between Figure 3 – P-P and P-SV AVA behaviors for varying clay content in a target layer. evaluate prospects rather than relying P-wave velocity (VP), S-wave velocity Layer 2 is assumed to be a sand unit with a porosity of 20 percent. Pore fluid (left) on P-wave data alone. ❏ (VS), porosity, and clay content that are is 100 percent gas; pore fluid (right) is 100 percent brine. noted for layer 2 of the stratigraphic Seismic data were provided by model in figure 2. WesternGeco. Research funding was These rock-physics equations are ✓ The rocks that were analyzed in the northern shelf of the GOM. provided by DOE contract DE-FC26- important because: laboratory had a wide range of clay The upper layer of this model was 04NT42239. ✓ They are based on laboratory content. kept constant, with its petrophysical measurements made on real rocks. To illustrate the value of this rock- values defined by the equations in the (Editor’s note: Bob Hardage, Diana ✓ The rock samples come from physics theory we used the simple, two- figure, whereas clay content and pore Sava, Randy Remington and Michael geology imaged by the seismic data in layer Earth model in figure 2 to represent fluid were varied in the lower layer. DeAngelo are all with the Bureau of figure 1. a typical reservoir target beneath the Resulting P-P and P-SV reflectivities Economic Geology, Austin, Texas.)

JANUARY 2008 35

Laurel L. Alexander, to senior Donald Paul has retired as chief Previously geophysicist, Newfield senior geophysicist and operations geologist, North Coast Energy, technology officer, Chevron Corp., San Exploration Gulf of Mexico, Houston. geologist, Vanco Energy, Houston. Youngstown, Ohio. Previously senior Ramon, Calif. Paul is currently living in geologist, Chesapeake Appalachia, San Ramon, Calif. Paul Siegele, to vice president- Chris Ward, to vice president- Charleston, W.Va. strategic planning, Chevron Corp., San operations, GeoMechanics International, Valary Schulz, to consulting Ramon, Calif. Previously vice president- Houston. Previously director North and C. Riley Bates, to senior geologist, geologist, Dallas. Previously senior deepwater exploration/projects, Chevron South America, GeoMechanics Plains Exploration and Production, geologist, Wynn Crosby, Plano, Texas. Corp., San Ramon, Calif. International, Houston. Houston. Previously district geologist, Pogo Producing, Houston. Frank Sheppard, to geophysicist, Gary M. Walters, to staff geologist, (Editor’s note: “Professional News Newfield Rocky Mountains, Denver. ConocoPhillips, Houston. Previously Briefs” includes items about members’ Joel Blake, to vice president- career moves and the honors they exploration, Plymouth Resources, Tulsa. receive. To be included, please send Previously business development McDonnell Wins GCAGS Levorsen Award information in the above format to geoscientist, Williams Companies, Tulsa. Angela McDonnell has won the A.I. Paleo-Canopy Presence and New Professional News Briefs, c/o AAPG Levorsen Award for the recent GCAGS Exploration Paradigms.” EXPLORER, P.O. Box 979, Tulsa, Okla. David Brumbaugh, to geophysicist, meeting, presented to honor the event’s She is with the Bureau of Economic 74101; or fax, 918-560-2636; or e-mail, Newfield Exploration Mid-Continent, best paper. Geology in Austin, Texas. Her co-authors [email protected]; or submit directly Tulsa. Previously geophysicist, Pogo Her winning paper was “Importance of were Mike Hudec and Martin P.A. from the AAPG Web site, www.aapg.org/ Producing, Tulsa. Allochthonous Salt in Texas State Waters: Jackson, both also with the BEG in Austin. explorer/pnb_forms.cfm.)

John S. Chimahusky, to vice president and chief operating officer- U.S. operations, Enterra Energy Trust , Calgary, Canada. Previously president, Kirkpatrick Oil, Oklahoma City.

Steven A. Fall, to president and chief executive officer, Heartland Oil and Gas, Stafford, Texas. Previously chief geologist, Universal Property Development and Acquisition Corp., Stafford, Texas.

Joe Finneran, to subsurface appraisal leader-CCS technology, BP Alternative Energy, Houston. Previously well planning team leader-Chirag-DWG, BP Azerbaijan, Baku.

Daniel Franken, to geophysical specialist, Saudi Aramco, Dhahran, Saudi Arabia. Previously senior geophysicist, RWE Dea AG, Hamburg, Germany.

Stephen Hamm, to vice president- exploration, Providence Energy Group, Houston. Previously senior geologist, Seven Energy, Houston.

David R. Keller, to independent consultant, Salt Lake City. Previously reservoir modeler, Norwest Corp., Salt Lake City.

John Leone, to explorationist, Whiting Oil and Gas, Midland, Texas. Previously petroleum geologist, Chevron, Midland, Texas.

Jim Lowe, to staff geologist, Southwestern Energy, Houston. Previously consulting geologist, Devon Energy, Houston.

Peter McCabe has assumed the role as president, American Geological Institute, Alexandria, Va. McCabe is research director, CSIRO, North Ryde, Australia.

John McDonald, to chief technology officer, Chevron Corp., San Ramon, Calif. Previously vice president- strategic planning, Chevron Corp., San Ramon, Calif.

Greg McMahan, to senior geologist, SandRidge Energy, Oklahoma City. Previously senior geologist, Chesapeake Energy, Oklahoma City.

Paul D. Newsom, to senior petroleum geologist, Heartland Oil and Gas, Stafford, Texas. Previously independent consulting geologist, Houston.

Paul Owen, to geological adviser, Hess Exploration Australia, Perth, Australia. Previously geological adviser, Kairiki Energy, Perth, Australia.

JANUARY 2008 36

What did he really say? Hubbert’s Curve ‘Piqued’ Interest

By JAMES E. WILSON After asking a few questions of geologists of a generation or more ago, “Does the name M. King Hubbert ring a bell?” I often got the response: Billion Barrels/Year Hubbert’s Peak “He must have been before my time.” Two or three others said, “Was he the guy who said we’re running out of oil?” 4 King Hubbert did not say “we’re running out of oil.” The media coined that phrase to 9 create a sensational headline. Proved Reserves 200 x 10 BBLS 3 What he did say, in a paper given in 30 x 109 BBLS Ultimate 1956, was that at the then-present rate of discovery and development, current technology and the estimated ultimate, Hubbert U.S. oil production would peak in the early 1970s. 2

Throwing Them a Curve Cumulative Production In this paper, titled “Nuclear Energy 52.4 x 109 BBLS and Fossil Fuels,” Hubbert analyzed the 1 status of coal, oil, gas and nuclear energy materials in the conterminous United 150 x 109 BBLS States (politically correct term for the Ultimate lower 48). He reminds us that fossil fuels exist in finite but as yet undefined 0 quantities. 1875 1900 1925 1950 1975 2000 2025 2050 To examine the status and trend of the progress of consumption toward the ultimate of oil, he used the quasi- mathematical device known as the bell ✓ A second zero – because when the history of the dynamics of this commodity peaked (see above figure, Hubbert’s curve. estimated volume has been consumed it to 1956 establishes the horizontal and bell curve). To construct a bell curve, two points would also be zero. vertical scale. When the half-way point As the process proceeds toward the are needed: The bell curve serves well in dealing between zero and the ultimate has been ✓ An initial zero – the beginning of with commodities like oil and gas in which reached, or is projected to have been production. reserves are both added and used; the reached, volume of the commodity has continued on next page

JANUARY 2008 37 continued from previous page exploration. Many criticized his methodology, but in the 19709s, when 2008 Open Enrollment Course Schedule production of oil did peak, there were a few red faces among his loudest critics. Risk Analysis, Prospect Evaluation & Expl. Economics ultimate (i.e. the right) downward side of Hubbert did not say in these words, the curve, it must be emphasized that “We are running out of oil.” What he did Hubbert himself did not make the ultimate say was: February 11 - 15 Houston, Texas estimate in his graph. Rather he used estimates by Lewis G. Weeks and “... It is almost impossible to draw the March 3 –7 Aberdeen, Scotland Wallace E. Pratt, two highly respected production curve based upon an March 3 –7 Perth, Australia* geologists and executives of Standard Oil assumed (the then-current rate of finding of New Jersey and Humble Oil and and development and production * includes material April 14 – 18 Calgary, Alberta on unconventional Refining of Texas (later combined as technology) ultimate production of 150 resource Exxon), respectively. billion barrels in any manner differing April 21 – 25 Bandung, Indonesia assessment Their separate estimates were very significantly from that shown in [his close together at about 150 billion figure], according to which the curve May 12 –16 Houston, Texas barrels. must culminate at about 1965 and then Hubbert, recognizing that technology must decline at a rate comparable to its June 2 – 6 Denver, Colorado* of exploration and production were earlier growth. undergoing significant improvements, felt If we suppose the figure of 150 billion Register at: www.roseassoc.com/instruction Questions: [email protected] the estimate of 150 billion barrels was too barrels to be 50 billion barrels too low – 713/528-8422 low and arbitrarily added 50 billion barrels for an ultimate of 200 billion See Hubbert’s Curve, page 39 barrels. The vectors toward these two ultimates are identified on the accompanying graphic. The larger ultimate extends the peaking point by about 15 years, from 1965 to the early 1970s.

What He Really Said

On Hubbert’s original 1956 graph (“figure 21” in the original work), the lower dashed curve on the right gives Hubbert’s estimate of U.S. oil production rates if the ultimate discoverable oil beneath the curve is 150 billion barrels. The upper dashed line, for 200 billion barrels, was his famous prediction that U.S. oil production would peak in the early 1970s. The actual U.S. oil production for 1956 through 2000 is superimposed as small circles. Since 1985, the United States has produced slightly more oil than Hubbert’s prediction, largely because of successes in Alaska (not included in estimate of 1956) and in the far offshore Gulf Coast. (Hubbert’s Peak K. Deffeyes, Ch 1, p 3.) For over 50 years additions exceeded withdrawals, and until World War II, the United States even exported oil. (It was our stopping of oil exports to Japan that triggered Japan’s attack on the United States.) Hubbert’s mathematical treatment of the dynamics of discovery, development and production results in a smooth curve for his figure. Estimating an ultimate potential was a game that several credible sources played, but none had ventured or been so “rash” as to project the time of peaking. Rather than heed this warning bell and studying Hubbert’s reasoning and construction, the cry went out to “kill the messenger.” Hubbert was immediately castigated in all manner of emotional criticism as an ivory tower researcher, a traitor to

Editor’s note: James E. “Jim” Wilson was a professional colleague and personal friend of King Hubbert. Wilson worked for about 33 years with Shell Oil, and at age 44 was named vice president for exploration in Houston – the youngest vice president in the company’s history. Since 1973, Wilson Wilson has been an active domestic and international consultant and an award-winning author. He is a Sidney Powers medalist, past AAPG president and holds many other Association and professional honors.

JANUARY 2008 38 Intellectual Battles Were King’s Feast tomorrow The moving finger writes; and situation, no new fields or extensions were discovered in that area. I having writ, moves on. begins today – Poems, Omar Khayyam However, one of the geologists selected for Hubbert’s course applied By JAMES E. WILSON these techniques to the Permian While fighting off critics with his left Basin, which assisted the discovery of hand, King Hubbert continued several hundred million barrels of oil. research and writing with his right. The In other areas, the studies helped to following are sketches of some of his quantify the requirements for effective papers before and after the bell Begin exploring your ConocoPhillips career ringing (not necessarily in chronological order). hen his opportunities today for a promising tomorrow. ✓ During his time at Columbia W paper University, Hubbert worked summers Visit our Careers site at for the Illinois Geological Survey, dealing primarily with ground waters. resurfaced, it www.conocophillips.com/careers. In 1940 he published a paper dealing with “The Theory of Ground-Water attracted the Motion” in The Journal of Geology. Hubbert was interested in the long- attention – and held theories and laws developed in ConocoPhillips offers exciting opportunities the 19th century by Henry Darcy. often the ire – of a Hubbert replicated Darcy’s original to build an inspired and successful geoscience experiments, which led to the new generation. publication of this paper – which verified Darcy’s work, but also career. Whether you are an experienced included the field equations for the movement of water and other fluids geoscientist or a university student/graduate, through porous media. permeability barriers for stratigraphic His paper established the traps and field development, full-time positions and internships are among foundation for modern hydrology, particularly for secondary recovery although at the time the paper did not projects. attract much attention, and in a few Since the technique required data the options that await you. months was out of print. Ten years from wells of other sources, the later it was reprinted, but wasn’t widely technology soon became widely known. known. Recognizing the importance of By chance in 1968, at a publishing the application, Hubbert was invited to house booth at a technical convention, undertake a Distinguished Lecture tour Your ConocoPhillips journey starts now. a book publisher recognized Hubbert in the United States on this subject. and asked him for permission to Later in 1967, Hubbert gave an Begin Today! publish his paper in book form. When invited paper titled “Application of this paper resurfaced, it attracted the Hydrodynamics to Oil Exploration” at attention – and often the ire – of a new the seventh World Petroleum generation of scientists. Congress. According to Hubbert memorialist David Doan, it “infuriated the ✓ In 1948 a paper by J.B. Clark, a hydrologists and petroleum engineers, petroleum engineer with Stanolind Oil who ceased fighting each other to turn and Gas, introduced the technique of on him. He took on all critics in hydraulic fracturing of selected published rebuttals that are portions of a potentially productive themselves models of reasoning and zone that might be improved by a clarity.” stimulation process. The process Hubbert gloried in intellectual would be to isolate this zone and inject combat. a fluid such as diesel under high pressure, which would fracture the formation or widen fractures, which ✓ Later in 1940 Hubbert worked for already existed. the World War II Board of Economic “Fracking,” for the most part, Warfare in Washington, D.C.; then in proved very successful, and between 1943 he came to work for Shell as the 1948 and 1955 over 100,000 individual director in the Bellaire Research Lab in treatments had been performed. Houston, and soon began contributing Advertising by companies performing to operating research. fracking services showed that the When he was working in the Illinois fracking was horizontal. Basin he observed the oil-water However, a number of petroleum relationships in several relatively small engineers had questioned whether the fields. When the ground water was fractures were really horizontal. To static, the contact between the water, produce a bedding plane fracture oil and gas was horizontal; but when meant that the entire weight of the the ground water was in motion, the overburden would have to be contacts would slope at some angle overcome. down-dip depending on the strength In the fluid injection process, it was of the flow. self-evident that fracturing had indeed As a consequence, some fields occurred, but was it horizontal or was were slightly offset to the structural it vertical? Hubbert and David Willis high. began research on the mathematics Recognizing that the hydrodynamic and modeling of the fracturing phenomenon might offer a competitive phenomenon. The results of this 1956 advantage, Shell selected a number of study, “Mechanics of Hydraulic its geologists to study this Fracturing,” showed that in tectonically phenomenon under Hubbert’s relaxed areas, such as the Gulf Coast, direction at the lab. The Rocky the principal stress was vertical Mountain basins seemed ideal for (overburden), and the fracture would application of this concept. While several fields did exhibit this continued on next page EOE JANUARY 2008 39

continued from previous page pumping be stopped and requested a steady angle. The ever-widening gap the Colorado School of Mines to study Hubbert’s Curve between supply and demand is filled by the problem. from page 37 foreign imports. also be vertical. When the principal Expert geologists and geophysicists Hubbert’s paper sounded the warning stress is horizontal from tectonic studied both the ground and bell, but the government did nothing pressure, the fracturing will be underground conditions. Cores taken at about it until about 1973, when they horizontal, as the bedding planes will the time of drilling showed that the well an amount equal to eight East Texas oil created the study committee chaired by be less tightly compressed. bottomed in the Precambrian. The fields – then the ultimate potential reserve Senator “Scoop” Jackson, who held open This new information was of great oldest formations were of a melange of would be 200 billion barrels. hearings on what to do about this energy economic significance in field metamorphic and igneous rocks. The The second of the two extrapolations “crisis.” development and particularly in latest of the faulting was a north-south shown in his figure is based upon this secondary recovery projects. strike-slip fault of the Laramide Age. assumption; but it is interesting to note *** This required some changes in the Apparently the injection caused that even then the date of culmination is service company’s advertising “loosening” of the welded rocks, retarded only until about 1970. King Hubbert lived a hearty life until brochures. allowing movement, which triggered the One other contingency merits his death in 1989. He expanded his An interesting non-oil variation of this earthquakes. comment. thinking and studies to world problems phenomenon occurred in a disposal The interesting phenomenon was the By means of present production and was called on for lectures in most of well in Colorado. seismic “chatter” of minor faulting. In techniques, only about a third of the oil the European countries, as well as In 1962, the northwest region of 1965 there were 550 small quakes, and underground is being recovered. The governmental and professional societies Denver experienced a series of from 1962-67 there were 1,514. After reserve figures cited are for oil capable of in this country. earthquakes; at 5.3 on the Richter scale the pumping ceased, there were some being extracted by present techniques. To his American audiences he these were not seriously damaging. But residual pressure releases as the However, secondary recovery emphasized the importance of they rattled a few dishes and became elements normalized and the quakes techniques are gradually being improved developing alternate sources of energy, of concern to the public, who feared it eventually ceased. so that ultimately a somewhat larger but particularly atomic power, and that plans might portend a “big one.” still unknown fraction of the oil should be made for a network of atomic The Rocky Mountain Arsenal is *** underground should be extracted than is energy plants. located in the north suburbs of Denver, now the case. Again his urging has gone unheeded. and during World War II had Throughout his professional career, Because of the slowness of the In David Doan’s memorial to Hubbert, manufactured and stored nerve gas King Hubbert was a prolific writer for 58 secondary recovery process, however, it he said, “At King Hubbert’s death, there cylinders. After the war, a commercial years from 1927 to 1985, producing 60 appears unlikely that any improvement was not a geologist, hydrologist, company utilized the facilities in making titles from the fundamental to the that can be made within the next 10 or 15 geophysicist, petroleum engineer or pesticides. The Arsenal and the esoteric, inlcuding: years can have any significant effect mineral economist in the entire world who chemical company were pumping ✓ 1927 – A suggestion for the upon the date of culmination. A more was not deeply in his debt.” ❏ waste fluids into this 12,000-foot simplification of fault descriptions. probable effect of improved recovery will disposal well. ✓ 1937 – Theory of scale models as be to reduce the rate of decline after the (Author’s note: This article would not Faulting was well known along the applied to the study of geological culmination with respect to the rates have been possible without the Front Range. David Evans, an structures. shown in Figure 21.” enthusiastic and very effective help of independent geologist, had heard ✓ 1967 – Critique of the principle of (“Nuclear Energy and Fossil Fuels,” Mary Kay Grosvald and Karen Piqune of Hubbert’s lecture and read his paper on uniformity. 1956, pages 23-24.) AAPG’s Energy Resources Library. the hydraulic fracturing of rocks, and he ✓ 1971 – Role of geology in a For the article itself my loyal and suggested that this procedure might be maturing industrial culture. Although it is not shown on his figure, longtime secretary Marguerite Bradford activating the faults causing the ✓ 1974 – Statement of relations the national demand curve tracts the bell for her infinite patience in reading the earthquakes. between physical growth rate, the curve exactly until some time in the research material and helping me Recognizing this might be a monetary interest rate and inflation. 1980s, when the bell curve begins to compose the text itself. Charles Lujan, my possibility, the governor, acting on ✓ 1981 – The World’s evolving show decline in production capacity but personal aide, read to me a significant Evans’ theory, ordered that the energy system. ❏ the demand curve continues upwards at part of the library manuscripts.)

JANUARY 2008 40 Unexpectedly large crowd attends Conference Shines Light on Angola

(Editor’s note: Canadian geologist of oil per day to the current level of Tako Koning, a 30-year AAPG almost two million barrels per day. member, has for 12 years resided and Beyond the oil industry, the worked in Angola, where he is a conference atmosphere also reflected consultant for Tullow Oil. He provides Angola’s economic recovery after the this report on the recent Deepwater 30 years of civil war that ended just Offshore West Africa Exploration and five years ago. Angola is going Production Conference and Exhibition, through a post-war economic boom held in Luanda.) that has resulted in it being one of and Schlumberger, and all the Africa’s top economic performers. universities received contributions from By TAKO KONING The oil industry clearly has been DOWAC in support of their programs. The recent AAPG-endorsed the driver behind this recovery, which A geological field trip also was part Regional Deepwater Offshore West has led to a dramatic expansion of the of DOWAC, as Sonangol’s Mario Africa Exploration and Production construction industry. Continuous Brandao and this author led about 25 Conference and Exhibition (DOWAC), improvement of the roads and geoscientists and engineers on a one- a follow-up to the first such conference rehabilitation of the railroads is day trip to the Caxito area north of held in Abuja, Nigeria, in November providing better access to the interior, Luanda – a geologically fascinating 2004, boasted an attendance that which in turn allows for growth in area due to the extensive oil seeps that surpassed all expectations. agriculture and the mining industry. are found near the outcrop edge of “We expected about 300 attendees, Tourism also will benefit from the Precambrian basement. but by the time the opening day improved access, since the interior of The trip also provided the attendees ceremonies were held well over 1,000 Angola can only be described as with the opportunity to study some of attendees were present,” said “magnificent.” Photo courtesy of Peter Moeller the sedimentary formations that are EnergyWise managing director Gerard Koning, leading a DOWAC field trip in productive in Angola’s offshore area. Kreeft, who organized DOWAC at the Participants and Activities Angola. The Angola DOWAC was new Talatona Conference Centre. sponsored by many of the leading The conference theme was The participants included players in the Angola offshore region “Learning From the Challenges of representatives from 25 countries. concurrent oral sessions and including Sonangol, BP, Chevron, West Africa Deepwater,” and Africa was well represented with continuous poster sessions, offering ExxonMobil, Halliburton, attendees shared the feeling of attendees from Chad, Democratic about 100 oral presentations and 60 Schlumberger and Total. optimism and exuberance that Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, posters. In addition to AAPG, DOWAC also pervades the Angola oil industry as Gabon, Mauritania, Mozambique, An innovative “Knowledge Centre,” received the endorsement of SPE and discoveries continue to be made – Namibia, Republic of Congo, Sao set up in the exhibits area, provided a SEG. ❏ especially in the deep water – and the Tome and Principe and South Africa. chance for five Angolan universities to country’s oil production continues to The unexpected high attendance showcase their geologic programs to (Editor’s note: A report on Koning’s increase. figure was matched by an inundation companies attending the meeting. The humanitarian involvement with Angola’s production in the past of abstracts. The result was a display was sponsored by Angola Angola’s water well initiative will be decade has risen from 700,000 barrels technical program featuring three Santa Fe, the ING Bank, Marathon Oil included in the February EXPLORER.)

JANUARY 2008 41

JANUARY 2008 42 International showcase expanding Impact of IP Shown in Results By LARRY NATION an encore the next year – and a redux AAPG Communications Director after that. It was 13 years ago at the AAPG The International Pavilion is now a Annual Convention in Denver that the staple at the AAPG annual conventions International Pavilion (IP) made its debut and has expanded its presence to the with 37 countries promoting exploration AAPG international conferences. and investment opportunities. At first managed by AAPG volunteers The 1994 premiere was at first and led by the IHS Energy’s forebear thought to be a one-time event. However Petroconsultants, the IP has evolved into the showcase attracted representatives a wholly owned, for-profit subsidiary of from countries as diverse as Indonesia the Association, with Gina Godfrey of and Venezuela, which had extensive oil PetroWeb as lead administrator. and gas operations, as well as Godfrey’s interest in the IP stems from exploration-wise obscure countries such her belief from the beginning that “the IP as Equatorial Guinea and Belize. is a fantastic vehicle for anyone The enthusiasm for the IP called for interested in getting involved internationally.” Results have shown its effectiveness. Ronald Equsquiza, marketing manager for Perupetro, the Peruvian government agency in charge of promoting and signing contracts, noted that since its involvement in 2004 the IP has “contributed to impressive results for his company. “At the end of 2003, Perupetro had 27 E&P contracts,” Equsquiza said. “Now, at the end of 2007, Perupetro has 84 contracts – 65 of them in exploration and 19 in exploitation phase. A special thanks to all the sponsors who helped make this “We believe our participation in the IP program has contributed significantly to AAPG and AAPG European Region Energy Conference and Exhibition possible this success,” he said. On the other side of the business equation are the sponsors, who through the IP stand to gain new customers. TGS-NOPEC has been a corporate sponsor for the past several years. “Through the IP we enhance our ability to cultivate and maintain relationships with high level contacts within NOCs and ministries to further our mutual business interests,” said company president Pierre Benichou.

Results – And What’s Next?

With the IP’s inauguration as a real- live company, opportunities to expand are being tapped, Godfrey said, making the IP a year-round player for promotion of international petroleum investment opportunities – including APPEX London. Also, a recent partnering with the American Association of Petroleum Landmen will result in the IP exhibition at the 2008 NAPE in Houston. Additionally, there is access to year- round marketing not only through the exhibitions but the online Web site, featuring an interactive map with news and data. With all the marketing, the bottom line is still results. Remember those “exploration-wise obscure countries” at the 1994 IP? Consider: ✓ Equatorial Guinea’s economy has grown dramatically since the country began producing oil in 1995 and is now the third largest oil producer in Sub- Saharan Africa, according to the U.S. Energy Information Agency. Also, Equatorial Guinea’s natural gas Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Tourism, Republic of Cyprus • Vegas Oil & Gas S.A. production continues to increase.

SAGEX PetroleumAS • StreamOil & Gas Ltd • Dr. David Jenkins • Concedo AS • GEOREX • PA Resources ✓ Belize is now an oil producer (August 2006 EXPLORER). Interestingly, one of the players in the Belize oil discovery was Susan Morrice, one of the IP’s leaders at its premiere.

“The IP is a fantastic first step for information and contacts,” Godfrey said. Equatorial Guinea and Belize might agree. ❏

JANUARY 2008 43

JANUARY 2008 44

All Browsers Are Not Created Equal

By JANET BRISTER column widths just right. Have the text Sometimes, the difference “ain’t ✓ Firefox (identified as Mozilla Web Site Editor colors arranged to our liking. Make sure pretty” and it’s back to the drawing before 2005). We painted our living room the other the ratio of text fonts to headers are board – but once I feel good about it I ✓ The Mozilla Suite (Gecko, day. perfectly aligned – and we check it in upload the page(s) … then, I get the Netscape). It’s lovely – so we had some friends our browser of choice. fated phone call “you missed a spot!” ✓ Safari (and Konqueror. Both over to enjoy it with us and, sure It’s beautiful! It’s all set. Aaaaarrgh! (again) identified as Mozilla before 2007). enough, one of them politely pointed Then the spot-checks begin. ✓ Opera. out, “you missed a spot.” By that I mean I begin looking at the What’s Your Browser? ✓ Netscape (identified as Mozilla Aaaarrrgh! design in other browsers besides my after 2006). That ever happen to you? personal favorite. According to the W3Schools Web ✓ America Online (based on both IE Well, it’s never happened to me, I make a point to look at a minimum site, there are seven browsers of choice and Mozilla). either – but it does in my job on a of three browers: Internet Explorer, for which Web developers need to be Find it? OK. What version? regular basis. Firefox and Safari. Occasionally I look concerned about. Are one of these And – importantly – when did you As the AAPG Web site editor I at a different browser, but I look for yours? last update? design a series of pages. Get the flexibility and ease of use. ✓ Internet Explorer (IE). Because your answers to these questions will tell me why you might call to say “you missed a spot!” Not all browsers, computers or operating systems are created equal. As pages are developed we try to hit the common denominator. That being said, the W3Schools watches IE7, IE6 and IE5 in addition to Firefox, Mozilla, Safari and Opera. (They do this because these seven browsers are each used by at least 1 percent of the Web-accessing Geological Society of community.) Internet Explorer is still the most common browser used when you lump London Conference and versions 7, 6 and 5 together. But when broken out separately, it turns out that Firefox is gaining ground. In fact, over Events Programme the past six months it has tipped the scale and been the most used browser over IE6, with IE7 in third place. 28 January 2008 Maximising the Remaining When you compare screen shots of Potential of the Central North Sea Burlington House the same Web page generated with different browsers you see that 20 February 2008 Lyell Meeting Burlington House perfection in a Web page does not come through its appearance but its flexibility and ease of access while working within the parameters of every 5-6 March 2008 Reservoir users’ browser of choice. Compartmentalization Burlington House Did I Just SayThat?!?

27 March 2008 19th Petroleum Group Natural History I used the “p” word – perfection. Let Annual Dinner Museum me re-state … Good Web pages are flexible. They 14-16 May 2008 Fold-Thrust display their content fast and easy without a lot of bells and whistles so the Belt Exploration Burlington House communication is clear and the message is concise. 19-21 August 2008 Rifts Renaissance Museum of Natural But to see the intended appearance Sciences, IMAX Theatre, and receive the clearest Houston, Texas, USA communication, you may want to consider updating your browser, changing your browser or getting a 16-18 September 2008 Fault Damage Zones Burlington House new monitor or something. You see, Firefox (aka Mozilla) is 21-22 October 2008 Subsurface Sediment gaining ground because developers of Mobilisation Burlington House Web sites are finding that what they design displays correctly within the Firefox environment. When we are spot- 6-7 November 2008 Rivers, Estuaries, Deltas & checking our pages in Opera, any of Beaches: Traps for Fossil Fuels Burlington House the IEs or other less-favorite browsers, we find many discrepancies due to ignored code or lack of compliance with industry standards. For sponsorship opportunities, to submit an abstract, to register or for When a browser refuses to “play well further information on any of the events listed please contact: with others,” people start to move on. Thus the switch. Plus, since all Web Kerri Deegan, The Conference Office, Geological Society browsers are free for download, why of London. Tel: 020 7434 9944 Fax: 020 7494 0579 not give it a shot? I have about four browsers loaded Email: [email protected] on my computer so I can maximize my options in viewing the Web pages I www.geolsoc.org.uk surf. Try it; you might like it – and discover that we haven’t missed that many spots after all. Good browsing! ❏ At the forefront of petroleum geoscience www.geolsoc.org.uk/petroleum

JANUARY 2008 45 To us, it’s all about making your career a big success. &KRRVH IURP RYHU  H[FLWLQJ ¿HOG VHPLQDUV DQG VKRUW FRXUVHV DOO GHVLJQHG ZLWK WKH JRDO RI KHOSLQJ \RX H[SORUH DQG EHWWHU XQGHUVWDQG \RXU LQGXVWU\ )RU FRPSOHWH GHWDLOV RQ DQ\ RI WKH ¿HOG VHPLQDUV DQG VKRUW FRXUVHV RIIHUHG E\ WKH $$3* FDOO    RU YLVLW http://www.aapg.org/education/

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For more info or to enroll call +1 918 560-2650 or visit http://www.aapg.org/education/ More science than you can shake a pick at.

JANUARY 2008 46

Aberdeen Team Offers Winning Tips

(Editor’s note: Regions and Sections is bring more than one business-dress a regular column in the EXPLORER outfit (the Aberdeen group said they offering news for and about AAPG’s six European Election Results Announced were unprepared for the subsequent business functions that arouse during the international Regions and six domestic New officers for the European plus one year additional term through AAPG conference). Sections. Region have been announced. They 2009). ✓ Don’t try to do too much in the Contact: Carol McGowen, AAPG’s are: ❐ HoD – , independent, Peter Burri presentation, i.e. don’t try to explain the Regions and Sections manager, at 1-918- ❐ President-elect – , Switzerland (through 2010). David Cook 15 prospects you found; focus on the 560-9403; or e-mail to ExxonMobil (retired), UK (through ❐ HoD – , Wolfgang Nachtmann biggest/most interesting/innovative [email protected].) 2010). Rohoel-Aufschungs AG, Austria prospect. ❐ Advisory Council – , (through 2010). Stuart Harker ✓ Don’t overlook the handout. It may By CAROL McGOWEN PGS Reservoir, Scotland, (2005-08, Regions and Sections Manager be what differentiates you from another Applications have been received from team. over 30 universities in AAPG Sections ✓ Go the IBA Web site at deadlines – and set them much sooner The IBA instruction packet requires and Regions around the globe for this www.aapg.org/iba to get an idea of what than they need to be. Aim to finish your two deliverables; a 25-minute year’s Imperial Barrel Award program. is expected from the group. View the presentation at least a week before the presentation and a double-sided A4 Data sets will be sent to participating “Introduction to Imperial Barrel Award” competition. handout. It is easy to concentrate universities in early January, allowing slides. ✓ Distribute the workload evenly and primarily on the presentation, but judges student teams eight-to-10 weeks to ✓ Teams are provided with a sample give each person a different specialty, were influenced mostly by the analyze the data and prepare for their judging form – so think about what the i.e. seismic, petrophysics, etc. information Aberdeen had chosen to local IBA competitions. judges are seeking. Work out your ✓ Make sure everyone is aware of include in the handout. Each Section and Region will hold its objectives. what others in the group are working on, ✓ Keep backups of EVERYTHING! local competition in March, and the first ✓ Ensure you know what software you so there is no overlap and you know who ✓ Be prepared for internal team place team from each Section and will be using and how to use it. to go to with questions. arguments. Try to stay calm. Region competition will advance to the ✓ Check all the data before you start. ✓ Don’t spend too long on the ✓ Present a part of the presentation global competition, to be held in San ✓ Select a project manager (who may literature search and regional that you did not work on – this will help Antonio during April’s AAPG Annual not be the obvious leader). While they background. Key events and knowledge you stick to the five-minute time limit, as Convention. should be just as involved in the of potential play components should be your knowledge will be limited to what is The stakes are high for the global technical work as everyone else, the sufficient. important. competition, with the winning first, PM’s main function is to keep the group ✓ Do the easy stuff early, i.e., slide ✓ The most important thing is time second and third place teams vying for on a schedule and to recognize where layout. management! Aberdeen’s last few weeks large cash prizes to benefit their group members may be going into ✓ Know when you have done enough involved very few hours of sleep and geoscience departments and trophies for excessive detail. The whole group should and concentrate on making what you absolutely zero social life. the winning students. be involved in creating the time have done better rather than trying to do So don’t put things off, just get things Just what does it take to win the schedule, but it will be the PM who extras that you will not have time to finish. done and move on. Imperial Barrel Award competition? ensures it is enforced. ✓ Prepare for potential questions. ✓ Finally: Practice! Practice! Practice! Students from the University of Don’t try to manage as a group – it ✓ Your image should not detract from Do not try to wing it. Aberdeen, last year’s IBA winning team, does not work. the presentation. This is a business dress offered some tips for the 2008 contestants: ✓ Plan your workflow and set mini- code event (wear a suit). If possible, Good luck!

JANUARY 2008 47

JANUARY 2008 48

Individual contributions to the AAPG Fisher recently announced that funding for the new Allan and Eleanor Foundation topped $1,622,470 in 2007. totaling $196,000 was approved at the Martini Named Grant-in-Aid, Foundation officials, in expressing Board’s recent meeting in Tulsa. which will provide an annual thanks to the thousands of AAPG Included in that total: $1,000 grant to a geoscience members who donated money over the ✓ A grant to AAPG DataPages graduate student whose thesis past year, noted much gratitude totaling $146,100 will be used to fast- research has application to the especially for members of the AAPG track additional geological collections search for and development of Foundation Trustee Associates, which and GIS projects. petroleum and energy-mineral accounted for 79 percent of the year’s ✓ The American Geological Institute resources. donations. (AGI) will receive $25,000 in additional By defraying the increasingly The Trustee Associates was formed in funding for its Earth Science Week high costs of fieldwork and lab 1967 with the mission to provide a Program. Fritz Eleanor and Allan Martini analysis, the Grants-in-Aid source of funding to support ✓ The University of Colorado’s Program provides support to educational, charitable and scientific Interactive Geology Project will receive a ✓ Foundation and AAPG Executive deserving students to further their objectives that directly and indirectly $25,000 grant. Director Rick Fritz has provided funding research. benefit the geologic profession and to establish a memorial grant-in-aid to To learn more about establishing general public. *** honor his parents, Charles B. and Named Grants through the Grants-in-Aid Marilyn C. Fritz, to be used by an Program, contact Rebecca Griffin, 918- *** Contributions toward the creation of Oklahoma State University student. 560-2644, or visit the Foundation Web two new grants-in-aid funds have been ✓ Trustee Associate Allan Martini and site at http://foundation.aapg.org/gia/ Foundation Trustee Chairman Bill received recently by the Foundation. his wife, Eleanor, have provided funding index.cfm. ❏

Bill Deward Holland Digital Products Fund William E. and Jean Crain David E. Lange Thomas A. Fitzgerald In memory of Kay Pettway, Borden Roger Putnam III Named Grant In memory of Marilyn Fritz In memory of Douglas Jerry Cooper and Flo Jane William E. and Jean Crain Bostwick Cloud University of Oklahoma Allan and Eleanor Martini Richard C. Gardell Harold Eugene Kellogg William Wayne Ballard Ike Crumbly Named Grant Donald Watson Lewis Donald Watson Lewis In honor of George Huffman Minorities in Energy Grant Allan V. Martini In memory of Ed Roy In memory of Thomas Mairs Robert Loren Countryman John and Mo Sweet John Harris Marshall Jr. University of California, Berkeley In honor of Ike Crumbly Donald A. and Mary O’Nesky Patric R. McConn John H. and Colleen Silcox Named Grant Public Service Fund Leslie Owen Niemi In memory of Norman Ethan Herbert G. Davis and Shirley A. Donald A. O’Nesky James A. Gibbs Harry Ptasynski Allen Hinds Davis Named Grant In memory of Thomas Mairs In memory of Thomas Mairs In memory of John Traut Herbert G. Davis and Daniel Busch and Fred Meissner Distinguished Lecture Fund In memory of Wilbur Hugh M. Looney Foundation (General) Michael S. Shearn Williams C. Blanks McMurtry Weimer Family Named Grant Excellence Fund Keith Robert Adamson Brian James Stambaugh In honor of William Stokes and Daniel Busch Robert J. Weimer Tillie Looney Nasser Mohammad Al Ghamdi II Richard Steinmetz Edward K. David In memory of Daniel Busch, In memory of Hugh Looney Rui Jorge F. Baptista Tunde U.N. Sule In memory of Daniel Busch Norman H. Foster Rufus LeBlanc and Ed Roy Robert D. Cowdery Charles Bowen Wheeler Thomas S. Laudon Memorial Grant Eugene F.Reid Dibblee Fund In memory of Daniel Busch Donald L. Zieglar John R. Todd II Holland Professorship Fund Jeffrey M. Rayner Edward K. David Awards Fund David Scott Holland In memory of Thomas Mairs Robert Berg Grants-in-Aid Fund Charles B. and Marilyn C. Fritz E.F.Reid Scouting Fund Rudolf Stefan C. De Ruiter Outstanding Research Award Edward K. David Memorial Grant K-12 Fund Jeffrey M. Rayner Wallace De Witt Jr. Willard R. Green In memory of Ed Roy Lee Travis Billingsley William J. Barrett Philippe Demeur In memory of Marilyn Fritz Paul H. Dudley Jr. Visiting Geoscientist Fund Robert W. Esser Daniel A. Busch Library Fund William E. Gipson In memory of Thomas Mairs Thomas Walsh Rollins Peter Gordon Gray Anthony Reso In memory of Marilyn Fritz In memory of Fred Meissner

JANUARY 2008 49

The following candidates have submitted Valentine, R.W. Crown); Romig, Theodore U., Ltd., Wallingford (R.D. Fritz, M. Wegner, H.M.C. Norway applications for membership in the Association Noble Energy, Houston (reinstate); Wegner, Danielli) Hansen, Martin Bak, Hydro Oil & Energy, Bergen and, below, certification by the Division of MaryBeth, Humble Geochemical Services, (O.J. Martinsen, B. Badics, J. Korstgard) Professional Affairs. This does not constitute Houston (R.D. Fritz, S.K. Bhattacharyya, H.M.C. Germany election nor certification, but places the names Danielli); Wopara, Gilbert O., ENI Petroleum, Port, Guido J., IES GmbH, Aachen (D. Palmowski, Pakistan before the membership at large. Houston (E.A. Watkins, S.A. Stanley, F.M. D. Welte, K.E. Peters); Wygrala, Bjoern Peter, IES, Rahman, Attique ur, OMV Pakistan, Islamabad (M. Any information bearing on the qualifications Budhijanto) Aachen (D. Welte, B. Horsfield, P.K. Zaman, N. Ahmad, B. Krainer); Shah, Syed Haider of these candidates should be sent promptly to Mukhopadhyay) Ali, Oil and Gas Development, Islamabad (T. the Executive Committee, P.O. Box 979, Tulsa, Australia Jaswal, A.Q. Khan, R. Ahmed) Okla. 74101. Amos, Kathryn Jane, University of Adelaide, Indonesia (Names of sponsors are placed in Adelaide (C. Krapf, B. Ainsworth, J. Kaldi); Pal, Aditi, Schlumberger, Jakarta (G. Gillis, R.E. People’s Republic of China parentheses. Reinstatements indicated do not Chambers, Kurt J., Santos, Adelaide (M.R. Netherwood, M. Donselaar) Ng, Kwok Hei, Hanki Contractors (HK) & require sponsors.) Densley, S.A. Spagnuolo, D. Beckett); Langhi, Associates, Hong Kong (C. Jia, H. Darman, F. Membership applications are available at Laurent, CSIRO Petroleum, Perth (M. Keep, D.N. Korea Zixin) Dewhurst, J. Underschultz); , Chonnam National University, www.aapg.org, or by contacting headquarters Vakarelov, Boyan Choi, Kyungsik , University of Adelaide, Adelaide (R.B. Gwangju (S. Park, T. Lee, S.S. Chun); in Tulsa. Krustev Kim, South Africa Ainsworth, J. Bhattacharya, T. Payenberg) Dongwon, STX Energy, Seoul (J. Pigott, J. Wickens, Henry De Villiers, University of Forgotson, P.R. Philp) Stellenbosch, Stellenbosch (J.B. Aldrich, D.S. For Active Membership Canada Broad, M. Wood) Fothergill, Patrick Allen, Schlumberger, Calgary Malaysia California (B. Davis, M. Lamb, S. Hansen); Zhang, Xingquan Lee, Heng Poh, Sarawak Shell Berhad, Miri (J.E. Thailand Mellors, Robert John, San Diego State University, Kevin, Roxar AS, Calgary (R. Chelak, A.C. Laing, M. Lechner, M. Wiemer) Ampaiwan, Tianpan, PTT Exploration and San Diego (G.H. Girty, J.G. Kuespert, L.T. MacDonald, K.S. Hoffman) Production, Ckatuchak (S. Pradidtan, R.C. Shoup, Billingsley); Owen, Kirk Edward, Aera Energy, Netherlands S. Kaewla-iad) ❏ Bakersfield (K.L. Pitts, M.E. Allan, E.M. McKay) England Korevaar, Aernout, Shell International E&P, Rijswijk Bhattacharyya, Sumon Kumar, Fugro-Jason UK (J. Karlo, S. Meyer, P. Spaak) Colorado Loken, David M., Mak J Energy, Littleton (T.T. Schowalter, R.T. Larson, M.S. Caldwell); Pruit, John D., J.D. Pruit Corp., Denver (reinstate)

Kansas DeBoer, Daniel Alan, Abengoa Bioenergy, Wichita ABSTRACT DEADLINE: (reinstate) JANUARY 18, 2008

Kentucky Shields, Randy, self-employed, Bowling Green (G.W. Cumbee, J.L. Islas, T.W. Cate)

Massachussetts Zhang, Tuanfeng, Schlumberger-Doll Research, Cambridge (N.F. Hurley, D. McCormick, C. Signer) Call For Abstracts Mississippi Tarbutton, Ronald J., Mississippi Oil and Gas You are invited to submit your abstract for the AAPG Board, Brandon (reinstate) International Conference and Exhibition in Cape Town. Pennsylvania Fontaine, James Steven Jr., Universal Well Services, Meadville (J.P. Fagan Jr., D.A. Billman, E.S. Billingsley); Ober, Eric G., Texas Keystone, The Technical Program Committee welcomes Pittsburgh (G.R. Wrightstone, J.M. Taylor, D.A. Billman) abstracts submitted to any of these BIG FIVE themes.

Texas Theme A: Elephants – A Sturdy Advance De Man, Ellen Maryan, ExxonMobil, Spring (S. Deep-water: Ancient Analogues, Current Technologies, Future Opportunities Van Simaeys, M.L. Sweet, J.W. Snedden); Howell, John D., self-employed, Hughes Springs Theme B: Leopard – Unraveling Secrets (reinstate); Jones, U.V.III, consultant, Midland (D.P. Osborne, M. Elliott, L.J. Rulla); Murley, Advances in Geoscience and Allied Disciplines William Hugh, Murley & Standhardt Consulting, Stanton (reinstate); Odunsi, Adedokun Adetayo, Theme C: Black Rhino – Turned Around from Near Extinction Chevron Nigeria, Sugar Land (A. Adedayo, O. Next Generation Tools and Technologies Theme D: Lion King – Roar of the Future Certification The New Business of Energy The following are candidates for Theme E: Cape Buffalo – Beauty and the Beast certification by the Division of Gondwana and Pangean Petroleum Systems: Exploration, Development and Professional Affairs. Production—Emerging Plays, Lessons and Analogs

Petroleum Geologist

Texas Herdklotz, Hal T., Swift Energy, Houston (reinstatement)

France Helm, John Anthony, BP Angola, Hoerdt (Geological Society of London)

AAPG will gladly accept your abstract up to January 18, 2008. Visit www.aapg.org/capetown for abstract guidelines and submittal and conference information.

Host Society Geological Society of South Africa

JANUARY 2008 50 Three levels of dues Statements Reflect New Dues Regime

By VICKI BEIGHLE The graduated dues program affords requires each member to carefully review member electing to utilize lower dues will AAPG Membership Manager three levels of dues, all based on individual and complete the information on the dues be required to indicate the appropriate The graduated dues program, members’ annual personal gross income statement to ensure proper level and level on the form and write their initials as approved by the House of Delegates at (PGI). Dues will no longer be based upon calculation of the amount of dues owed confirmation. the Long Beach meeting last year, is type of membership (excluding Student for the year. Electronic signature will be required for getting close to reality for all AAPG and Emeritus members). For example, one important step for the online payments. members. Also, there are more options available members who are eligible for Level 2 or 3 AAPG’s graduated dues structure was AAPG began offering new applicants for publications for those members who dues is to be certain the total remittance designed to enable and encourage the opportunity to join, utilizing the qualify. line is filled in properly. The total dues will geoscientists worldwide to join the graduated dues program last July but be based on the basic dues amount, Association, regardless of economic effective this billing cycle existing Members’ Responsibilities AAPG Foundation contributions, limitations. members will fall under the program’s publication options selected and Division Delivery methods for monthly guidelines. The changes in the graduated dues dues. publications are tied to the level selected. This means major changes to the next program necessitates several important All Active and Associate members will Members will continue to receive full dues statement you will receive. modifications to the dues statement, and be billed at the maximum rate ($80). Any benefits – including voting privileges for Active members – regardless of the dues level that is selected. AAPG does not require proof of income or any member’s PGI; this is an honor- based program, defined by AAPG standards of professional conduct.

Program Details

Details of the graduated dues program include:

✓ Level 1 dues – $80 for North America, $90 if outside North America (annual income greater than $50,000). Members can receive the BULLETIN either online with a CD, or in print, and the EXPLORER in print.

✓ Level 2 dues – $40 for North America, $50 if outside North America (annual income greater than $25,000, but less than $50,000). Members receive the BULLETIN online only, plus the EXPLORER in print.

✓ Level 3 dues – $20 (annual income less than $25,000). Members have access to the online versions of the BULLETIN and BECAUSE YOUR EXPLORER. All annual income amounts are based on and equivalent to U.S. dollars. All members (applicants) with LITTLE STAR addresses outside North American who select Levels 1 or 2 must pay the additional $10 mail surcharge to receive SHOULD NEVER the print editions of the BULLETIN and EXPLORER. Levels 2 and 3 may purchase print copies of BULLETIN and EXPLORER for HAVE TO WORRY. additional annual added fee(s). Members wishing to contribute to the Foundation via their dues statement also will have greater choice and flexibility regarding distribution of their gifts (select funds will be listed on the back of the statement). Complete details are available at the AAPG Web site at www.aapg.org. THE GEOCARE BENEFITS DISABILITY INCOME PLAN. IF YOU CAN’T WORK, YOU CAN STILL PROTECT YOUR FAMILY’S FUTURE. Studies show 7 out of 10 Americans will suffer a disabling illness or injury during *** their working life.* If you couldn’t work, would your family be impacted? That's why GeoCare Benefits Members also can now indicate their Disability Income coverage is so important. It can pay you a monthly benefit—up to $7,500—if you can’t preferred billing address for various items from AAPG. work due to a covered accident or illness. That benefit could make all the difference—it could even prevent For example, you can choose to you from losing your home. receive mail (and publications such as the EXPLORER) at your home address and other items, like your dues statement, at HELP PROTECT YOUR LITTLE STAR’S FUTURE WITH THE GEOCARE BENEFITS DISABILITY INCOME PLAN. your office. CALL 1-800-337-3140 OR VISIT US ONLINE AT WWW.GEOCAREBENEFITS.COM FOR MORE INFORMATION, Your preferences can be entered online via the Members Only area of the AAPG INCLUDING ELIGIBILITY AND RENEWAL PROVISIONS, EXCLUSIONS, LIMITATIONS AND RATES. Web site. ❏

GeoCare Benefits Disability Income Insurance Plans, P.O. Box 9006, Phoenix, AZ 85068, Email: [email protected]. The Disability Stay Connected Income Plan is underwritten by New York Life Insurance Co. (51 Madison Ave., New York, NY 10010). All coverage is subject to To AAPG – Daily. approval by New York Life. Visit us online *Commissioners Disability Table 2003 © www.aapg.org

JANUARY 2008 51

DPA, EMD Announce Officer Candidates

Officer nominees for and Utilities Board, Calgary, the Division of Professional Canada. Affairs and the Energy Minerals Division for 2008- Vice President 09 have been announced. ❐ Maria Mastalerz, They are: Indiana Geological Survey, Bloomington, Ind. ❐ Andrea A. Reynolds, Shell Division of Professional Affairs International Exploration and Production, Houston. President-Elect (President 2009-10) Secretary ❐ Paul W. Britt, Texplore Inc., ❐ Amy E. Sullivan, Shell International Houston. Exploration and Production, Houston. As advertised by the meeting’s theme, myths were indeed challenged and large ❐ William T. Goff, Cholla Production ❐ Dallas B. Dunlap, Bureau of crowds added to the excitement and overall success of the recent AAPG-AAPG LLC, Littleton, Colo. Economic Geology, Austin, Texas. European Region conference and exhibition in Athens, Greece. More than 1,260 attended, making it the ER’s largest meeting ever. Final numbers were being Vice President Councilors compiled at press time, but a full report on the meeting will be included online at ❐ Michael R. Canich, Equitable Eastern Section www.aapg.org and in the February EXPLORER. Production, Pittsburgh. ❐ Charles M. Boyer II, consultant, ❐ Daniel M. Reynolds, Coral Coast Bridgeville, Pa. Petroleum, Wichita, Kan. Mid-Continent Section HoD Candidates Announced for 2008 Treasurer ❐ K. David Newell, Kansas Nominees for House of Delegates ❐ Stephen A. Sonnenberg, Charles ❐ Michael A. Fogarty, consultant, Geological Survey, Lawrence, Kan. offices for 2008-09 have been Boettcher Distinguished Chair in Berwick, La. announced. Petroleum Geology, Colorado School ❐ J. Sirman Hollabaugh, Crescent Rocky Mountain Section Voting will be held at the 2008 HoD of Mines, Colorado Springs, Colo. Oil & Gas, Dallas. ❐ Genevieve Young, Colorado meeting at the AAPG Annual Geological Survey, Denver. Convention in San Antonio, and the Secretary/Editor winners will assume office on June 1, ❐ Sigrunn Johnsen, senior Energy Minerals Division Pacific Section 2008. geologist in the North Africa and ❐ James G. Clough, Alaska The chair-elect will assume the Middle East department, RWE Dea, President-Elect Geological and Geophysical Survey, House gavel as president for 2009-10. Hamburg, Germany. (President 2009-10) Fairbanks, Alaska. ❐ Erik P.Mason, manager-new ❐ Frank E. Walles, Devon Energy, Chairman-Elect ventures west, Gulf of Mexico, Shell The Woodlands, Texas. All EMD councilor terms are ❐ Deborah K. Sacrey, consultant, Exploration & Production, Houston. ❐ Frances J. Hein, Alberta Energy 2008-10. ❏ Houston.

American Association of Petroleum Geologists 2008 Southwest Section Golden Anniversary Convention

February 24-27, 2008 Abilene, Texas hosted by:

Field Trip: Pennsylvanian/Permian of the Eastern Shelf

Short Course: Petroleum Engineering for Geologists

General Chair: To Present Papers contact: Darrell Mauldin ([email protected]) David Holley ([email protected])

Potential Exhibitors contact: Potential Sponsors contact: Buford Salters Don Christensen ([email protected]) (325-692-1930)

JANUARY 2008 52

TECHNOLOGY Editor’s note: Letters to the editor should include your name and address and should be mailed to Readers’ Forum, c/o AAPG EXPLORER, P.O. Box 979, Tulsa, AND INNOVATION Okla. 74101, or fax (918) 560-2636; or e-mail to [email protected]. Letters may be A powerful combination edited or held due to space restrictions.

A Word of Thanks most geologists. This is a quick note to let you and other As the foremost professional geological members of your staff know that the AAPG organization in the world, AAPG should not Foundation Library has been a great help promote this scam, which will waste trillions in getting publications for me that I of dollars and cause unnecessary otherwise would not have been able to regulations on all citizens. obtain. Donald N. Collins The city library here was unable or did Evergreen, Colo. not want to spend a lot of time trying to get Petrobras America Inc. is a U.S. subsidiary of this information. Mary Kay Grosvald and Misleading? Karen Piqune have been very helpful. They The headline “Hot Barnett Play Creating Petrobras S.A.- one of the world’s largest publicly have been able to get almost all of the Wealth” (September EXPLORER) is quite articles I requested. misleading. traded oil companies. We are active in 20 In addition to using these publications in Landowners, charities and governments my work, I have been working part time on are enjoying the large cash flow from the different countries and employ more than 60,000 a paper for several years. I probably would Barnett Shale. From a practical standpoint have given up by now if the AAPG Library two-thirds of the Barnett Shale wells will not people worldwide. Petrobras America holds had not been available. pay out. I believe the library is probably one of Operators drilling wells in the extensive leases in the Gulf of Mexico and the best AAPG membership assets. Fayetteville shale in Arkansas are in a Roger Berg similar marginal situation. is rapidly expanding its exploration & production Shreveport, La. Wells being drilled in the Woodford shale in southern Oklahoma are activities. In Agreement questionable from an economic standpoint. I agree completely with every word of How can operators justify drilling Michael L. Johnson’s letter (December hundreds of wells in these areas – Help make history as a part of a company that EXPLORER) about the Global Climate spending billions of dollars – when they are Change Committee’s charge to research looking at a questionable bottom line? is consistently creating industry firsts and potential “solutions” to the “global warming” Marvin E. Frankamp hoax. Wichita, Kan. constantly pushing the edge of technological As he said, there are no “solutions” to natural climate change. As any geologist Something of Value boundaries! should know, climate change has been Regarding the AAPG annual salary going on for most of our geological history. survey (April 2007 EXPLORER): Looking at As a proud member of AAPG for 45 the global increase in petroleum products, years, I would hate for us to look like a geologists must be paid better than this. • Senior Geologist bunch of fools for agreeing with the Kwabena Antwi W.B disaster mongers, who along with Al Gore Ahafo Kenyasi, Ghana (Exploration) have no knowledge approaching that of

• Senior Geophysicist was active in the Association’s resource evaluation efforts, died Nov. 29 in Oklahoma City. He was 62. Hare, co-president of Panhandle Oil and Gas, was a past chairman and current vice- chair of AAPG’s Resource Evaluation • Senior Petrophysicist Committee. He received the AAPG Distinguished Service Award in 2004.

PETROBRAS AMERICA, INC. OFFERS AN EXCELLENT Eric Anderson, 65 Fort Worth, October 2007 COMPENSATION PACKAGE THAT INCLUDES: Salvador Hare Roger Borchert, 60 • Very Competitive Salaries Bismarck, N.D., Oct. 1, 2007 Amos Salvador, retired professor and an George Dawson, 61 • All Medical, Prescription, Dental, and Vision benefits premiums AAPG award-winning author, died Dec. 2 in Columbia, Mo., May 2, 2007 Austin, Texas. He was 84. Ben D. Hare, 62 are fully paid for employees and their dependents. Salvador retired first in 1980 as chief Oklahoma City, Nov. 29, 2007 geologist for Exxon and became the Kent Johnson, 70 • Better than industry average matching contributions for 401K Alexander Deussen Professor of Energy San Antonio, Nov. 15, 2007 Resources at the University of Texas at Robert McMurtry, 83 • Incredible bonus plan • Flexible work schedules Austin. Marshall, Texas, Oct. 13, 2007 He was the 2007 winner of the Robert H. Wilbur Earl McMurtry, 89 And much more! Dott Sr. Memorial Award, given to honor the Oklahoma City, Oct. 27, 2007 Association’s best special publication, for Amos Salvador, 84 AAPG Studies 54, Energy: A Historical Austin, Texas, Dec. 2, 2007 Perspective and 21st Century Forecast. (Editor’s note: “In Memory” listings are *** Please apply online only at based on information received from the www.petrobras-usa.com/careers Ben D. Hare, an AAPG award winner who AAPG membership department.)

CLASSIFIED ADS

You can reach about 30,000 petroleum geologists at the lowest per-reader cost in the world with a classified ad in the EXPLORER. Ads are at the rate of $2.10 per word, minimum charge of $42. And, for an additional $50, your ad can appear on the classified section on the AAPG Web site. Your ad can reach more people than ever before. No phone calls please. Principals Only Just write out your ad and send it to us. We will call you with the word count and cost. You can then arrange prepayment. Ads received by the first of the month will appear in the subsequent edition. Petrobras America Inc. is an equal opportunity employer

JANUARY 2008 53

GeoCare Offers New Program AAPG’s GeoCare Benefits plans via three different means: Insurance Program recently joined with Liberty Mutual to offer members ✓ Internet – Quotes and coverage “Liberty Mutual Advantage”™ – a can be accessed online 24 hours a program that provides savings on auto day, seven days a week. For access and homeowner insurance, in addition go to www.geocarebenefits.com/aapg- to many other personal insurance autohome.asp. plans. ✓ Call centers – The GeoCare toll- With Liberty Mutual Advantage, free number is 800-789-6419. Call members can enjoy competitive rates centers are staffed from 8 a.m. to 11 on auto and home insurance, based p.m. in all U.S. time zones. on a discount system (that varies by ✓ Local office – A member can be state) including membership, connected to the nearest Liberty education, age, driver background and Mutual office (during local business auto equipment. hours) by calling 800-225-8281. The Auto rates are guaranteed for 12 call will be transferred according to the months (instead of six months), and member’s requested zip code. automatic monthly payment is offered with no finance charges. Rates will be the same, regardless In addition to auto and which option is used – and for homeowners, Liberty Mutual also offers maximum discounts, mention your personal umbrella liability insurance, AAPG membership or AAPG’s client renters insurance, condo insurance number (#112934). and boat, RV and motorcycle General questions regarding this insurance. new program should be directed to the AAPG members may obtain GeoCare Benefits office at 800-254- information about the Liberty Mutual 4788. ❏

• PetroCanada on their global recruitment POSITION AVAILABLE strategy • A case study by Fluor Corporation on their Mentoring Circles and how they benefit long-term William L. Fisher Congressional retention of staff Geoscience Fellowship The American Geological Institute is pleased to FOR SALE announce the William L. Fisher Congressional Geoscience Fellowship. The successful candidate will spend 12 months (starting September 2008) in Mudlogging units with easy to learn software. Washington, DC, working as a staff member for Very reliable, full featured, portable units. Contact Congress. The fellowship is a unique opportunity to Automated Mudlogging Systems gain first-hand experience with the legislative (303) 794-7470 www.mudlogger.com process and contribute to the effective use of the geosciences to develop environmental, energy, ******************** resource, hazards, and/or science policies. Minimum requirements are a master’s degree with at BOOKS. Rare and out-of-print books and least three years of post-degree work experience or periodicals on geology and related sciences. Large a Ph.D. at the time of appointment. The fellowship stock on all phases of the oil industry, domestic and carries an annual stipend of up to $55,000. foreign covering geology, history, engineering, All application materials must be transmitted by logging, geophysics, etc. Catalogs available. The February 1, 2008. Hannum Company. Box 1505-B, Ardmore, OK For more details visit www.agiweb.org/gap/csf. 73402. [email protected] AGI is an equal opportunity employer.

******************** MISCELLANEOUS Oil & Gas Talent Summit US 28th & 29th February 2008 The Hotel Derek, Houston, TX Want to purchase minerals and other oil/gas Tulsa Geological Society Optimise resources, accelerate skills and keep interests. Send details to: P.O. Box 13557, Denver, th key talent through best practice recruitment CO 80201. The 4 Annual Technical Conference retention and development strategies Tel: (+1) 973 256 0211 ******************** A series of short courses students and professional geologists Web: www.iqpc.com/us/talent/AAPG SAMPLES TO RENT February 19 - 21, 2008 Email: [email protected] International Sample Library @ Midland – Oklahoma State University - Tulsa, Conference Center Sessions include: formerly Midland Sample Library. Established in 1947. Have 164,000 wells with 1,183,000,000 well • Chevron on how to implement many different samples and cores stored in 17 buildings from 26 and complementary efforts to recruit minority states, Mexico, Canada and offshore Australia. We Kick-off Dinner workers also have a geological supply inventory. Tuesday, February 19 • Aker Kvaerner Subsea’s VP for HR as he exclusively discusses their Talent Calibration Tool Phone: (432) 682-2682 Fax: (432) 682-2718 Oklahoma Energy Resource Board presents Oklahoma Proud Full Day and Half Day Classes Daniel C. Huston Wednesday, February 20 and Thursday , February 21 Holly Hunter Huston featuring Celebrating our 12th Year ! John Doveton, Kansas Geological Survey Bruce Langhus, ALL Consulting Kurt Marfurt, University of Oklahoma Randy Miller, CoreLab HUNTER 3-D Bill Nagel, Pason Systems 3-D Seismic Interpretation, 3-D Gravity/Magnetics Steve Sadoskas, Baker Atlas Geostatistics, AVO Analysis, Inversion. Roger Slatt, University of Oklahoma 6001 Savoy, Suite 110, Houston, TX 77036 Tad M. Smith, CGGVeritas Dan Tearpock, SCA, LLC (713) 981-4650 Joe Watson, Pason Systems e-mail: [email protected] Website:www.hunter3dinc.com For detailed information and registration please see www.tulsageology.org.

JANUARY 2008 54

Work Force Is a Major Concern

By RICK FRITZ people shortage may be a I started writing this column from ✓ Develop good training programs and Tyumen, Russia – the oil capital of A greater problem to deal opportunities. Western Siberia and one of the key “oil It normally takes four to six years to capitals” of the world. develop a productive petroleum Founded in 1586, Tyumen is a great oil with than an energy shortage. geoscientist. city in Siberia that is growing rapidly. It is about the same size as the Tulsa ✓ Develop new methods to recruit and metropolitan area (a bit fewer than retain female and minority geoscientists in 700,000 people) and reminds me of Fritz the industry. (See related story, page 32.) Houston with its great oil and gas geoscientists and engineers may make it societies and other related institutions atmosphere. difficult to complete major new petroleum must work together on the solution. AAPG ✓ Develop a globally mobile work force. Of course, it’s a little colder than either projects worldwide. is working with other societies like AGI Visa requirements should be reviewed Tulsa or Houston. So what are the dynamics? and GSA and is searching for (and with increased immigration quotas for AAPG just completed the joint Tyumen Let’s start at the beginning of the finding) opportunities to work with trained petro-technical professionals and Conference and Exhibition with Rosnedra, supply chain. Young children have a great government entities to study work force. skilled workers. the Euro-Asian Geophysical Society and love of rocks and dinosaurs; however, as There is a lot of good information from the Society of Exploration Geophysicists. students enter preparatory school, National Petroleum Council and the Energy is a global strategic priority. There were some great talks, and AAPG science and engineering are seen by National Academy of Sciences. Building a talented energy work force is a had a terrific session chaired by John some students as too difficult with math The following is a summary of goals long-term, supply-centric situation. Dolson with featured speakers including requirements – and other top students that may help work force development: Henry Possamentier, Robert Handford, may not see the challenge, especially with *** George Pemberton, Dolson, Ekatrerina the lack of advance placement courses in ✓ Improve communications. Kuzina, Chris Cornford, Peter Gutteridge, earth science. Communication content, style and As I am finishing my column I am on Keith Shanley and Johannes Singer (in The result is there are too few talented design are critical to reaching talented the ‘third leg” of my four leg return from order on program). young people interested in careers in the young people. Marketing and public Tyumen to Tulsa. The Atlantic fly-over is energy industry. Many top students tend relations are important. More recently the longest leg and I call it the “chasing *** to choose careers in medicine, law and companies are improving their public the sun down” stage as I have been business because of profile and job relations by good advertising. watching the same sundown for eight The first day of the conference I gave a security. Generally, we see less students hours now. talk on “developing a global energy work going into science – and new ✓ Support and improve teaching in Building a global work force may be as force.” We discussed that even though the geoscientists tend to prefer government K-12 education. frustrating as chasing a sundown – but we world is using a lot of hydrocarbons, we or environmental jobs over petroleum, One of the best solutions is to train the are not in a sundown industry. Prospects are quickly developing the capacity to even through the pay is significantly better teachers and provide materials for use in are bright for careers in petroleum produce more. in the energy industry. understanding energy needs and the geoscience and engineering. The reality is that the world is not This is not helped by past job security relationship of energy use to the Developing the people to find and running out of oil but we are running a little issues, nor the perception that oil is not environment. produce that energy should be a top short on people. “green.” priority. Manpower, womanpower, human ✓ Support energy teaching and power, whatever you want to call it – work *** research in the universities. Happy New Year! force is a major concern. It is important to Increased scholarships should be understand that a people shortage may So how do we solve a long-term developed for geoscience and be a greater problem to deal with than an “people” supply problem? engineering and new research grants energy shortage. Serious supply First and foremost, industry, should be considered for a broad range of problems of skilled petroleum governments, academia, professional energy problems. Sharing geology stories can have impact Pathways to Profession Have Tales

By THOMAS E. EWING frequent reasons we DPA President have for finding our But along with our professional work, Maps are my passion. I’m addicted, I professional career we have an obligation to “evangelize” – freely admit. are: to give back to the broader community When I was four years old, I traced ✓ Passion for the of citizens, to communicate the state highway maps. When I was nine, I outdoors, maps important insights of geoscience and its created a fantasy city on my notebook and/or rock impact on world affairs. cover (beats listening to the teacher). collecting that is One good way to do this is through I was given a popular geology book – translated to the maps and through history – the Geology of New York City and Environs geologic story once geologist’s long view of time and space. – that linked landscapes with the rocks we’re exposed to it Everyone likes stories – true stories that underlie them. So I went to a – that’s my story. even more so. Everyone likes to have an geology summer school and discovered Ewing ✓ Family idea how things came to be. And many the reach of geologic time and the involvement in if not most people appreciate their local application of scientific method, and my geosciences or in businesses that use enshrined in its Constitution. By joining, landscapes or seascapes and want to fate was cast – I’ll be a geologist! geoscience – particularly oil and gas, we became part of the professional know how they came to be and how So I persevered through college and but also mining. community, and met and networked with they might change. graduate school, and now I make maps ✓ General interest in math and our peers and our mentors – whatever And we as geologists can tell stories through time, discovering the joys of well science, which at the university level company they worked for! – how the mountains have risen and logs and 3-D seismic on the way. And finds a set of really challenging (and We learn lessons about what it fallen, how shorelines change in a people take these maps and drill wells rewarding) problems in Earth’s geologic means to be a professional and what it geologic eye blink, how fossil sunlight from them, and find the energy that systems. means to work in the energy business. has been stored over eons until we propels the world’s people towards a These are all great ways for people to We create trust and knowledge, we made it serve our uses and transformed better future. Not bad! come to professional geoscience. Once build understanding and a firm resource our lives. we get here, we realize that America base, we carry on a distinguished Geology upholds our landscapes, it *** and the world need energy, and finding tradition of science applied to the public explains what we see, it has guided the and producing energy needs good. history of our societies and the Most of us have some sort of story of geoscientists like us. And to express our professional pride geography of our development. “finding” geoscience. This is mostly due So we join the community of energy and work on our professional concerns, And who knows? Telling stories like to the fact that most schools don’t give resource geoscientists – and we join we become certified and join the these may hook some enterprising geology a high profile, and many don’t AAPG. Division of Professional Affairs. young students on geoscience as a teach it at all. When we joined AAPG, we signed off career! Worked for me. From my observations, the most that we adhere to the Code of Ethics *** Thanks for reading. ❏

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