Vol. 28, No. 2 February 2007

FEBRUARY 2007 3

On the cover: The awesome beauty of Alaska – and for explorers, Ability-to-Pay Graduated Dues Structure (proposed fee schedule) the delicious dynamics of its geologic history – are on full display this Gross Personal Dues Products Options month thanks to AAPG member David Houseknecht, who took this Income photo and will be offering talks on Alaskan potential at the upcoming Level 1 >$50,000 $80 EXPLORER hardcopy/optional BULLETIN AAPG Annual Convention in Long Beach, Calif. See page 6. Specifically, the cover photo captures the thrust fault ramp in Level 2 $50-25,000 $40 EXPLORER hardcopy/digital $30 BULLETIN Carboniferous Lisburne Group carbonates at Brooks Range mountain BULLETIN hardcopy fee front, Akmagolik Creek, north-central Alaska. How awesome is it? Use Level 3 <$25,000 $20 Digital only $20 EXPLORER the blue helicopter (see it in the center of the photo?) for scale. The hardcopy fee and scene is about 150 miles southwest of Prudhoe Bay. $30 BULLETIN hardcopy fee

Note: Figures do not include postal surcharge for non-U.S. mailing.

Taking it to the streets: Ryan Henry, who found creative ways 4 to teach earth sciences to students at a Tulsa Street School, is this year’s AAPG Teacher of the Year. Dues You Can Use; Everything old is new again: The Arctic Alaska already is 6 considered a world-class petroleum province, but future exploration may depend on a new view of old rocks. A Step to the Future

You thought the Grand Canyon was big? Sometimes it’s 10 By LEE T. BILLINGSLEY This situation reminds me of a quote dwarfed by the ongoing flap of how it got that way. After reviewing next year’s financial from Charles Darwin: “It is not the projections and expansion of AAPG strongest of the services, the Executive Committee voted species that Good vibrations: Something is always shaking in the world of 12 to set next year’s dues at $80 for Active survives, nor the seismic technology, and the results have been good for the and Associate and $40 for New Associate most intelligent, but industry and the environment alike. and Emeritus members. the one most To put next year’s top dues of $80 in responsive to perspective: change.” A dirty shame: In a country where earthquakes, volcanoes 16 ✓ It is about the same as the top dues and tsunamis are a constant threat, a deadly mudflow is for SPE and SEG. * * * ✓ It is a 6.7 percent increase after six wreaking havoc. years of no change. Should AAPG ✓ Based on AAPG’s annual salary members be The main course? Frontier exploration may be the industry’s 20 survey, the average member will need to concerned? work less than two hours per year to pay If AAPG were like champagne and caviar when it comes to headlines, but for dues. Billingsley a commercial bank, generating new prospects in known areas remains its ✓ Dues will cost less than that of one we could envision exploration bread and butter. cup of Starbuck’s coffee per week for a members making “deposits” to AAPG in year. the form of new technical data and As you can see from the above interpretations, attendance at rationale, AAPG dues are relatively conventions, purchasing books, etc. inexpensive for our “average” members. AAPG depends on its members to However, some current members and continually replenish and expand its Geophysical Corner 28 Membership and Certification 35 many prospective members currently technical database. Like commercial earn considerably less than the average. banks, AAPG must actively market itself to Washington Watch 29 Readers’ Forum 36 AAPG dues, even the half rate for New new account holders, even though most Associates, are a deterrent for both new members may only make small Regions and Sections 30 In Memory 38 retention and recruitment of some deposits at first. However, as new members. depositors mature and remain loyal, some www.Update 32 Classified Ads 40 In many parts of the world AAPG will make major deposits or contributions. actually competes for members with SPE If AAPG cannot attract these new Foundation Update 32 Director’s Corner 41 and SEG. Even though each organization members we will suffer the consequences offers different content to its members, of a stagnating membership, much like a Spotlight on Education 33 EMD Column 41 prospective members are faced with a bank without new accounts. choice of joining only one organization. AAPG clearly needs a graduated dues Professional News Briefs 34 Currently, both SPE and SEG offer structure to be competitive on a global graduated dues structures, and their dues scale. Several committees and groups are reduced from their top rate based on within AAPG, including the Executive a member’s geographic location, years of Committee, Advisory Council, Ad Hoc AAPG Headquarters – 1-800-364-2274 (U.S. & Canada only), others 1-918-584-2555 experience or combinations thereof. Thus, Graduated Dues Committee and Communications Director Correspondents Advertising Coordinator some geologists are joining SPE or SEG Membership Committee collaborated and Larry Nation David Brown Brenda Merideth but not AAPG simply based on the cost conferred for the past year to recommend e-mail: [email protected] Louise S. Durham P.O. Box 979 structure of dues. a graduated dues structure that would Barry Friedman Tulsa, Okla. 74101 AAPG does not have to imitate other best fit our membership. Managing Editor Ken Milam telephone: (918) 560-2647 organizations, just for the sake of following AAPG’s House of Delegates’ (HoD) Vern Stefanic (U.S. and Canada only: their lead. But SPE’s and SEG’s increasing leadership took the recommendation, e-mail: [email protected] Graphics/Production 1-800-288-7636) memberships and AAPG’s flat to declining modified it slightly and has now placed a Rusty Johnson (Note: The above number is membership have certainly gotten the Bylaw amendment on the agenda for the Editorial Assistant e-mail: for advertising purposes only.) attention of your elected leadership for the Susie Moore [email protected] fax: (918) 560-2636 past couple of years. See President, next page e-mail: [email protected] e-mail: [email protected]

Vol. 28, No. 2 Candidates’ Bios, Responses Online The AAPG EXPLORER (ISSN 0195-2986) is published monthly for members. Published at AAPG headquarters, 1444 S. 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. Biographies, pictures and information were provided by each Note to members: $6 of annual dues pays for one year’s subscription to the EXPLORER. Airmail service for members: $45. Subscription rates for non-members: $63 for 12 issues; add $67 for airmail service. Advertising rates: Contact Brenda statements from all candidates for candidate and edited only for Merideth, AAPG headquarters. Subscriptions: Contact Veta McCoy, AAPG headquarters. Unsolicited manuscripts, photographs and videos must be accompanied by a stamped, self-addressed envelope to ensure return. AAPG office are now available for grammar, spelling and format. viewing on the AAPG Web site, This information, which will remain The American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG) does not endorse or recommend any products or services that may be cited, used or discussed in AAPG publications or in presentations at events associated with AAPG. www.aapg.org. online through the election period, also Copyright 2007 by the American Association of Petroleum Geologists. All rights reserved. The candidates were given the appeared as a hardcopy insert in the opportunity to respond briefly to the January EXPLORER. POSTMASTER: Please send address changes to AAPG EXPLORER, P.O. Box 979, Tulsa, Okla. 74101. subject: “Why I Accepted the Invitation Online balloting will be made Canada Publication Number 40046336. Canadian returns to: Station A, P.O. Box 54, Windsor, Ontario N9A 6J5 to be a Candidate for an AAPG Office.” available in the spring of 2007. Ballots e-mail: [email protected] Responses and biographical will be counted on May 16.

FEBRUARY 2007 4

one-fourth of Level 1, or $20 next year. President ✓ Dues based on any income level AAPG Honors Teacher from previous page cannot be less than $20. At first glance, Level 1 appears to subsidize the lower levels. However, as Ryan Henry, currently a and the other half for his shown on the accompanying table, Level seventh grade earth sciences personal use. HoD meeting in Long Beach, Calif. on 2 and Level 3 dues payers will receive teacher at Graland Country Day He also receives an all- April 1. fewer hardcopy products. These products School in Denver, has been expense paid trip to the AAPG and their delivery are a significant named AAPG’s National Earth Annual Convention in Long * * * expense, so the reduction in dues revenue Science Teacher of the Year. Beach, Calif., April 1-4, where is at least partially offset by a reduction in Henry is receiving the honor he will be presented with his The proposed amendment can be expense. for his efforts while teaching at award at the All-Convention summarized as follows: Level 2 and 3 dues payers can still Street School in Tulsa, where he Luncheon. ✓ Member dues levels are created elect to receive hardcopy products by taught all science classes offered Henry, who received both according to personal gross income in paying an extra fee. These additional fees including: physical science, his bachelor’s degree in earth U.S. dollars. Level 1 – income greater than may be adjusted in future years biology, earth science and science and master’s degree in Henry $50,000; Level 2 – $25,000-$50,000; and depending on costs. geology. He was nominated by secondary science from the Level 3 – $25,000 or less. Each member is The proposed graduated dues the Tulsa Geological Society. University of Arkansas, said he believes on their honor to correctly choose their structure was termed “Ability-to-pay” The award of $5,000, funded by the “true knowledge is attained by scientific dues class. model, but it could also be termed “You AAPG Foundation, will be split with inquiry and first hand experience.” ✓ Level 1 pays full dues, which next get what you pay for.” $2,500 designated for educational use at An interview with Henry will be year will be $80. Level 2 pays one-half of Street School under Henry’s supervision, featured in a future EXPLORER. ❏ Level 1, or $40 next year. Level 3 pays * * *

Student membership dues will remain unchanged, and New Associates and Emeritus members can still pay one-half dues rate, according to their income level. But non-student dues cannot be less than $20. The proposed dues structure has the following characteristics: ✓ Minimal short-term financial impact on AAPG – Dues account for only about 13 percent of revenue, and an estimated 90 percent of current members are in Level 1 category. Also, Level 2 or 3 dues categories will have lower associated costs with digital EXPLORERs and/or BULLETINs. ✓ Positive long-term financial impact on AAPG – Assuming some geologists have not joined AAPG because of the current dues structure, an increase in membership, even in Levels 2 and 3, will still boost AAPG net income in future years. ✓ Independent of geography – Lower dues available to retired geologists, under- employed geologists, young academics in the United States, professionals in low- income international areas, etc. ✓ It is optional – If gross personal income is within Level 2 or 3, members may choose reduced dues; default is Level 1. ✓ Support from leadership – Both HoD leadership and the Executive Committee endorse it, and it was recommended by Membership and Graduated Dues (ad hoc) committees.

* * *

Before the proposed graduated dues structure can take effect it must be approved by the HoD at its meeting in Long Beach on April 1. But I want all members to understand the proposal, so you can address your questions or comments to the delegates from your local society. These proposed changes may sound complicated; but I recommend them because I believe the proposed dues structure will help propel AAPG membership growth in the future. The tendency will be to focus on the details of the dues, but dues revenue is only about 13 percent of AAPG’s current budget. Much more important is the enrichment the organization will receive from new, contributing members that join because they can now afford the reduced dues. I close with an American proverb, “You cannot leap a 20-foot-wide chasm in two 10-foot jumps.” It is now time to take this important step for the future of AAPG. ‘Til next month,

FEBRUARY 2007 5

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Conglomerates and sandstones in the Lower Cretaceous Fortress Mountain Formation exposed on the northern flank of an anticline near the Siksikpuk River, north-central Alaska. Mountain in the distance is Castle Mountain, a syncline composed of Fortress Mountain Formation. The scene is about 130 miles southwest of Prudhoe Bay. Petroleum Systems Offer New Targets Source Ideas Boost Arctic Promise

By LOUISE S. DURHAM David Houseknecht will present the paper “Oil EXPLORER Correspondent and Gas Resources of the Arctic Petroleum Call it a case of seeing something old in a new and Province” at the AAPG Annual Convention in Long excitingly different light. Beach, Calif. Arctic Alaska is a recognized world-class petroleum His talk will be part of a special session on province with plenty of potential for future discoveries, “Results from the Hedberg Conference: according to David Houseknecht, research geololgist at Understanding World Oil Resources,” which will the U.S. Geological Survey in Reston, Va. be held Tuesday, April 3, from 8-11:45 a.m. But the wells of the future likely won’t produce Houseknecht also will present the paper hydrocarbons sourced from the same-old, same-old, “Petroleum Systems of Emerging and Future i.e., the Triassic Shublik formation and the Cretaceous- Importance in the Arctic Alaska Petroleum Tertiary Hue Shale. Province” at the convention at 9:05 a.m. on “There’s been a lot of exploration in Arctic Alaska Monday, April 2. That talk is part of a session on focused on these source rocks,” Houseknecht noted. Arctic Basins and Hydrocarbon Systems. His co- “As exploration expands into frontier parts of the Arctic, authors are Kenneth J. Bird, U.S. Geological these source rock systems probably aren’t going to Survey, Menlo Park, Calif.; and Jonathan Bujak, work because either they’re not present or the Bujak Research International, Blackpool, England. hydrocarbons have been destroyed by high temperature related to deep burial.” So, you ask, what’s left to lure the explorers? so high gravity oil moves more readily and is easier to The good news is there are at least three other produce. candidate source rocks of high quality oil that either Additional discoveries of what is believed to be have been proven already or else probable to be Kingak-sourced oil have occurred in the National widespread – not only around Arctic Alaska, but Petroleum Reserve-Alaska, where ConocoPhillips and perhaps more broadly around the entire Arctic Basin. Anadarko have announced several discovery wells that have recovered oil, condensate and gas. The Kingak’s Importance Test results released indicate hydrocarbon phases that are consistent with the Alpine oil and probably an In the middle 1990s, a drillstem test in a wildcat well extension of the oil system generated from Kingak not far from Prudhoe Bay recovered oil that for the first Shale, according to Houseknecht. time was typed unequivocally to the Kingak Shale of “The importance of that to exploration both early Jurassic age. onshore and perhaps offshore in the Chukchi Sea,” he “It was a gassy, high gravity and low sulfur oil,” said, “is that there is an additional source rock that Houseknecht said. “No one had been able to find an could represent an active petroleum system that accumulation that was exclusively Kingak oil until Alpine would make prospects viable that had previously not Field was discovered.” been considered so because of source problems. The discovery well was drilled in 1994 but not “I consider the Kingak source rock to already be a announced until 1996. proved system,” Houseknecht added, “because Besides discovering the first economic volumes of oil Alpine represents the biggest onshore discovery in that could be typed specifically to the Kingak as a the last quarter-century in North America – greater source rock, the Alpine discovery was notable for first than 500 million barrels recoverable – and additional tapping into the previously unknown Alpine sandstone discoveries have been made. So I think it’s fair to say and trap type, Houseknecht noted: It’s a stratigraphic Photos by David Houseknecht that a number of companies exploring Arctic Alaska, trap with beach sands deposited in incised Geologist on oil-stained turbidites in Lower Cretaceous Torok both on- and offshore, are incorporating the Kingak accommodation space. Formation along Siksikpuk River, north-central Alaska. petroleum system into their thinking as they look The Kingak-sourced hydrocarbons became a focus Extraction and geochemical analysis of residual hydrocarbons toward additional exploration.” of attention because they are high gravity, low sulfur oils. from these samples provide data for interpreting the provenance Many of the reservoirs there are relatively fine-grained, of the oil. Location is about 130 miles southwest of Prudhoe Bay. See Alaska, page 8

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Oil-prone source rocks in Upper Triassic Otuk Formation on headwaters of Autumn Immature, oil-prone source rocks in the Upper Cretaceous Seabee Formation on Creek, north-central Alaska. Geochemistry of many oil-stained outcrop samples Umiat Mountain along the Colville River; the dark gray, organic-rich shale is suggest that oil was sourced from the Otuk across a broad region of northern Alaska. interbedded with lighter gray, yellow-weathering volcanic ash beds, including the thick Note red helicopter for scale; location is about 150 miles southwest of Prudhoe Bay. bed on which hammer is resting. Location about 100 miles southwest of Prudhoe Bay.

the western North Slope, he added, entails Tertiary age source rocks, which intervals within that section with Alaska because it’s been eroded beneath an have generated oil discovered in the hydrocarbon index values in excess of unconformity. Mackenzie Delta of Canada. At least three 300. from page 6 “But seismic stratigraphy indicates the discoveries just offshore from the Arctic “The Azolla horizon is one very unique flooding surface beneath the source National Wildlife Refuge on the Alaska highly organic layer within this larger interval is more regional than previously side of the border also have Tertiary oils in condensed section,” he said. “The Azolla Oil Prone recognized, extending across the them. The source rock, however, has not is important because, overall, the northern Chukchi shelf,” Houseknecht been penetrated by drilling. condensed section was deposited mostly The Turonian lower Seabee formation continued. “Turonian source rocks may be In 2004, a scientific expedition that was during a greenhouse earth when the long has been recognized as an oil-prone buried into – and locally through – the part of the deep sea Integrated Ocean global temperature was significantly source rock that is immature or eroded petroleum window in Tertiary sub-basins Drilling Program (IODP) recovered almost higher than now.” beneath much of the western North Slope. offshore. 400 meters of core from Lomonosov Included in the greenhouse earth It was distributed above flooding surfaces “It’s definitely a source rock that’s oil Ridge, which is a high-standing, narrow interval are deposits that have been that originally were present across all of prone that could generate probably high sliver of European continental crust that correlated to what is called the Paleocene the North Slope, and probably across the gravity, low sulfur oil in the right situations.” rifted away from the rest of Europe during Eocene Thermal Maximum (PETM). One entire Chukchi Sea. In fact, USGS research conducted on the early Tertiary. The core contains a of the published papers related to the “The lower part of the Seabee has not the lower Seabee indicates it’s a rich significant organic-rich condensed IODP expedition indicates the surface entered in to exploration thinking in the source rock, e.g., 3-6 percent TOC is section of mostly Paleocene and early temperature of the water near the North past,” Houseknecht said, “because common, and the hydrogen index can be Eocene age. Pole during the PETM was perhaps as onshore, where it’s present both in outcrop greater than 400 in samples of the unit. “The important part of this is there is a high as 73 to 75 degrees F. and where penetrated by exploration thick, condensed section of fine-grained Indications are the Arctic Ocean at this wells, it’s immature, as it wasn’t heated An Emerging Concept sediment that has TOC that is typically 2-5 enough to generate oil.” percent and ranges as high as 14 It’s not even present across much of An emerging concept in the Arctic percent,” Houseknecht noted. “There are See Arctic Basin, page 14

FEBRUARY 2007 9

FEBRUARY 2007 10

Hey, How Old Is That Rock? Canyon Subject of Grand Fussing By DAVID BROWN EXPLORER Correspondent How big is the chasm between geoscience and Creationism? Right now, the size of the Grand Canyon. Things got deep at the beginning of 2007 after the group Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER) issued a breathy press release critical of the U.S. National Park Service. PEER claimed: ✓ Grand Canyon National Park is not permitted to give an official estimate of the canyon’s age. ✓ Park interpretive rangers cannot honestly answer questions about the geologic age of the canyon. ✓ The Park Service has failed to conduct a promised assessment of a Creationist- themed book sold at Grand Canyon outlets. Those charges brought a huffy response from the government agency. “The National Park Service uses the latest National Academy of Sciences explanation for the geologic formation of the Grand Canyon,” said a statement issued by David Barna, NPS chief of public affairs. “We do not use the Creationist text in our teaching nor do we endorse its content. However, neither do we censor alternative beliefs,” the statement added.

They Said,They Said

Before long, holes started to appear on both sides of the story. NPS defenders claimed the agency has Photo courtesy U.S. Geological Survey continued on next page The Grand Canyon: Some see a thing of beauty, some see the history of the earth, some see a reason to argue.

FEBRUARY 2007 11 continued from previous page book appropriate for the scientific layman. He said a more scholarly look is Will There Be a Gift Shop? presented in Grand Canyon: Solving never been coy about the age of the Earth’s Grandest Puzzle, by James Grand Canyon or its geologic setting. Some Native Americans consider Skywalk will extend 70 feet past the Lawrence Powell. The Park Service’s Web site describing the Grand Canyon a sacred religious canyon’s rim, almost 4,000 feet above Warme, who plans to take his 40th river the canyon contains this sentence: site, with an origin described in tribal the canyon bottom. Visitors can pay to trip down the canyon in August, also “Geologic formations such as gneiss lore. view the canyon through a glass floor noted that some popular overview books and schist found at the bottom of the Traditionalists of the Hualapai tribe, and sides. about the Grand Canyon can be less than canyon date back 1,800 million years.” which inhabits land along the West After the tribe’s casino failed in the accurate from a scientific viewpoint. And supporters said park rangers are Grand Canyon, believe their earliest 1990s, possibly because it was too “I belong to the Grand Canyon not stifled when talking about the canyon’s ancestors emerged from the canyon’s close to Las Vegas, the Skywalk Association. They have a general book on age and history. This from Barna’s depths. emerged as an economic development the canyon, and when I flip through the statement: The Hualapai hold the western scheme. thing, the guy who wrote it was not an “If asked the age of the Grand Canyon, canyon so holy they are building a $30 It reportedly was financed by a Las expert,” he said. our rangers use the following answer. million Skywalk to attract tourists to the Vegas promoter who will split revenues “There’s some misinformation in there, ‘The principal consensus among area. with the Hualapai for the next 25 years. but it is a useful book.” geologists is that the Colorado River basin Scheduled to open in March, the – DAVID BROWN has developed in the past 40 million years Does Paul Bunyan Know This? and that the Grand Canyon itself is View, by Tom Vail. notation, “A contribution to support probably less than five to six million years Vail, a Creationist author and speaker, Creation-based ministries is made for Is the Park Service breaking its own old. The result of all this erosion is one of founded Canyon Ministries and frequently every book purchased.” rules by allowing the sale of a Creationist- the most complete geologic columns on leads rafting trips through the Grand themed book at the Grand Canyon? the planet. Canyon. Who Knows? PEER thinks so. ‘The major geologic exposures in the His book offers a Creationist view of the It quotes from a 2005 NPS director’s Grand Canyon range in age from the 1.7 canyon and identifies its origin as a For geologists, the full geologic history order on interpretation: billion-year-old Vishnu Schist at the bottom relatively recent, global Great Flood. of the Grand Canyon area remains far “The interpretive and educational of the Inner Gorge to the 270 million-year- Shops at the canyon park do have the from certain. treatment used to explain the natural old Kaibab Limestone on the Rim.’” book available for sale. “It’s a heck of a conundrum, the history processes and history of the Earth must Adding poignancy to the response was “This book is sold in the inspirational of the thing and how it got started,” said be based on the best scientific evidence the fact that Barna himself has a degree in section of the bookstore. In this section John Warme, who has led several available, as found in scholarly sources geology from Virginia Tech. there are photographic texts, poetry Geotours of the canyon for AAPG. that have stood the test of scientific peer Barna said he worked as a books and Native American books (that Warme is a professor in the review and criticism ... geologist/physical scientist from 1975-90 also give an alternative view of the department of geology and geological “Interpretive and educational programs for the Atomic Energy Commission, the canyon’s origin),” said Barna’s statement. engineering at the Colorado School of must refrain from appearing to endorse Nuclear Regulatory Commission, the U.S. Critics quickly responded that only the Mines. religious beliefs explaining natural Department of Energy and the U.S. park’s largest bookstore has an He said the Grand Canyon Association processes.” Bureau of Mines. “Inspirational” section, and that Vail’s book published a book of proceedings from a But the NPS Web site has displayed an When he signed the statement, Barna has appeared beside science texts in symposium in 2000 on the geologic alternative explanation of the canyon’s identified himself as a registered other park shops. evolution of the Colorado Plateau and the origin, quoting John Hance, an early professional geologist with AIPG and a They also complained that a text Colorado River during Cenozoic time, Grand Canyon guide and storyteller: licensed geologist in North Carolina. offering a Creationist canyon origin as Colorado River: Origin and Evolution. “It was hard work, took a long time, but science is much different from books of At least two books on the Grand I dug it myself. The Book poetry or Native American myths. Canyon followed the symposium. “If you want to know what I done with Also, Vail’s Web site Warme described Carving Grand the dirt, just look south through a clearin’ At the center of the controversy is a (www.canyonministries.com) carries a Canyon: Evidence, Theories and Mystery, in the trees at what they call the San book titled Grand Canyon: A Different blurb for the Grand Canyon book with a by Wayne Ranney, as a highly readable Francisco Peaks.” ❏

FEBRUARY 2007 12

Photos courtesy of Conquest Seismic Services Technological versatility is an increasingly important need for today’s seismic crews, as contracts include work along peaceful country roads or in quiet neighborhoods. Right Tool Matched With Right Jobs Industry Always Enjoys Good Vibes

By LOUISE S. DURHAM particularly useful for our customers in the region, among other domestic locales. These popular systems generate a EXPLORER Correspondent oil sands who are focusing on reserves in “With truck mounted vibroseis, you’re peak force of 62,000 pounds and have a It’s a given there’s a whole lotta shakin’ place, looking to delineate them with this taking what would be a normal vibrator broad bandwidth up to 250 Hz. Equipped going on in the oil and gas industry these high resolution 3-D – that’s been a focus of and putting it on a truck, so it’s licensed to with wide tires that kind of “float” across days – but the shaking takes on a whole ours over the last couple of years.” drive on the roads,” Crilly said, “and there’s the ground, buggy mounts have less different meaning in the geophysical Indeed, the EV makes up a significant a lot of infrastructure in the way of roads in environmental impact than the narrow tire business. portion of the company’s activity level. New York and Pennsylvania.” truck mount systems. They’re ideally suited There, the rumbling is about surface “The oil sands are a shallow target, so Once the crews need to veer off the for deeper target projects in open areas as vibroseis methods for land seismic we have less force going into the ground,” beaten path and venture into the well as ice-covered terrain. acquisition, which continue to increase in said Gary James, Conquest’s marketing countryside, the acquisition program can The downside: They must be popularity. and business development director, “but be supplemented with dynamite. transported via truck and then driven out Simply stated, vibroseis technology we can run at higher frequencies. With “This is less intrusive than removing into the field. uses vehicle-mounted vibrators vibroseis, we can get higher resolution trees to get a large vibrator down the The allure of the buggy mount vibrator (commonly called “vibes”) to impart coded data because we have the source points source line,” Crilly noted. systems is apparent at Global seismic energy into the ground. The closer together than with subsurface Truck mount vibrators also have proven Geophysical, which currently boasts an seismic waves are recorded via source explosives such as dynamite. highly useful at Plano-based Tidelands entire fleet of 53 of these workhorse geophones and subsequently subjected to “Shallow targets will return higher Geophysical Corp. (TGC), which conducts machines. processing applications. frequencies,” he added, “so our ability to seismic surveys in an array of locales, The methodology was invented by a put higher frequencies into the ground is including its “backyard” – aka, the Barnett It’s a Blast group of scientists at the former useful.” Shale. Continental Oil Company. The initial patent He noted the earth is essentially “a Seismic acquisition in the Barnett often Despite the many advantages of was awarded in 1954. great big filter, always trying to steal entails working in urban environments, vibroseis seismic technology, don’t look for Today, the contractors have their pick of information.” particularly in the core area of the play dynamite-based seismic programs to sophisticated vibrator systems – mini- around Fort Worth. disappear. vibes, truck mount vibes and buggy mount Urban Street Smarts “The trucks are well suited for urban In fact, Global’s planned upcoming vibes – to provide the best possible areas,” said Danny Winn, president at seismic acquisition program in Peru will be solutions to meet clients’ specific seismic Tom Fleure, vice president of TGC. “It’s easy to get around on the city a dynamite shoot. program needs. geophysical technology at Global streets without doing any damage.” “In terms of vibroseis versus dynamite, Certain contractors find that one Geophysical, concurs. When close to structures, water wells, it’s important to have both skill sets,” Crilly particular type of unit meets their “On deep targets, you would use lower etc., vibration monitoring can be used to noted, “in order to provide seismic requirements, while others opt to latch on frequencies because the earth is eating ensure that the particle motion of these solutions to best fit the program you’re to the whole array. higher frequencies, so they don’t come and other vibrator systems doesn’t exceed trying to accomplish to best serve your back,” Fleure said. “But if you’re only tolerable limits. clients’ needs.” Smaller Footprints working a few thousand feet down, you Vibroseis is typically less expensive may be very interested in using high The Workhorse than dynamite. There’s no need to bring Conquest Seismic Services, for frequencies.” drills into the acquisition program area and instance, chose to acquire an inventory of Large, truck mount vibrators, such as If an award were to be designated for drill holes as much as 80-feet deep, load all three systems for operation by the nine the Hemi-44, are ideally suited for use in seismic industry workhorse in the vibroseis them with dynamite and then return later to crews it currently deploys in Canada and cultured environs such as the northeast domain, the I-O AHV-IV all-terrain buggy the United States. United States, where Conquest has a mount vibe likely would win hands-down, A particularly intriguing type of machine strong presence in the Appalachian according to Conquest. See Shaking, page 14 in the Conquest fleet is the relatively small Enviro Vibe EV, which is designed for high production and high resolution seismic Getting there is half the fun: large trucks are often used to transport vibroseis trucks to their exploration targets. prospecting in an environmentally sensitive manner. “It’s highly useful to reduce seismic source gaps between houses, pipelines and other culture,” said Paul Crilly, president Norex Exploration Services (Conquest’s parent company). It sweeps up to 300 Hz and has a maximum peak force of 15,000 pounds, and as Crilly said, it “can operate on narrower cut lines and has a smaller environmental footprint.” Company officials say the system is ideal for use in the currently hot Canadian oil sands play. “The Enviro Vibe works very well in applications where high resolution 3-D seismic is required,” Crilly said. “It’s

FEBRUARY 2007 13

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FEBRUARY 2007 14

Shaking 160 Hz back is kind of nonsensical,” he signal we put in the water, so we know With vibroseis, however, source points said. what signal traveled into the subsurface. can be added rather easily in order to from page 12 “If you know the source signature you enhance data quality when necessary. Advantages put in the earth,” Fleure said, “it enables Instead of moving 400 feet to the next some fairly advanced signal processing. source point, the crew simply has to move clean up the tailings, which adds to the The ability to determine a source “The problem with dynamite is you drill the system perhaps half that distance. intrusion factor. signature using vibroseis is a big plus for the hole and put the charge in, but you It is noteworthy that vibroseis is a the method, according to Fleure. can’t measure the amplitude of the signal An Informed Public controlled energy source, whereas “We instrument the base plate and the at the charge,” Fleure added. “In hard dynamite is a full spectrum of frequencies. reaction mass on the vibrator so we can rock, the energy transfer function might be Global positioning systems (GPS) often Because the earth absorbs frequencies, compute, in real time, the force that’s one thing, and maybe another in soft rock. play a key role in placement of these land the acquisition process is highly area imparted to the ground, called the Ground You really don’t know the source signature, seismic sources. The GPS positions can dependent. Force,” Fleure said. “In vibroseis whereas with vibroseis you can measure it be loaded into the vibrators so only one “In some areas where the near surface acquisition, Ground Force is usually as you’re putting it into the ground.” trip into the shooting area is required, geology is more unconsolidated, you have considered to be the best estimate of our Be aware that Plan A rules when according to James. The systems can be to drill down through that to get the signal input seismic signal, or more generally kicking off a dynamite source survey. used to plan shothole locations as well. going, so you have to drill deeper with referred to as the source signature. Once you select the source density, GPS technology is also important as a dynamite in these areas,” James said. “It’s not unlike in the marine pre-drill the holes and place the dynamite QC tool, according to Winn at TGC. “Because of the loose type of near surface environment where you have an air gun in them, changing your mind is not really “You can use it to be sure the shothole geology, a lot of the energy will actually go signature,” Fleure noted. “That’s one of the an option – the greenbacks already have is drilled in the correct location,” Winn sideways. reasons marine seismic works real well – been spent. Besides, a “re-do” also entails said, “or to be sure the vibrators vibrated “Using dynamite to, say, create a 160 because the air gun signature is very still more trips into the area, which has at a point they say they did.” Hz signal when the earth never gives you repeatable in water. We know exactly what environmental implications. TGC is active in Louisiana where dynamite has long been – and continues to be – the norm for seismic data acquisition. Maneuvering heavy equipment around in heavily treed and frequently wet areas – think marshy southern Louisiana – is ordinarily out of the question. And the safety of the familiar EARTH Imager: Images in oil-based mud like dynamite approach was proven long ago. In the locally populated areas, vibrator systems can be used to supplement the dynamite program efficiently and cost you’ve never seen before! effectively. Despite their relatively benign operations, these big machines sometimes appear more daunting to the populace than the commonplace dynamite. To assuage any concerns in that regard, companies sometimes resort to public demonstrations prior to operations. In fact, PGS took such an approach in Chalmette, La., using a 47,000-pound vibroseis buggy to demonstrate the noise level and vibrations incurred during the data acquisition process. Two light bulbs and two raw eggs were buried eight inches under the vibrating pads. Following the demo, the eggs were retrieved unbroken and the light bulbs still worked – to the amazement of the crowd of onlookers, including elected officials. Landowners ordinarily are satisfied with verbal reassurance prior to operations. “The permit agents’ personal approach to landowners gives them advance notice of the vibrations they may feel,” James noted. “Having knowledge of the source, they’re not taken by surprise and readily tolerate the vibration level, which may be comparable to kids roughhousing indoors.” ❏ Arctic Basin from page 8

time was not only very warm but was mostly isolated from world ocean

SM circulation as well, according to The EARTH Imager service delivers high-resolution Houseknecht. micro-resistivityimages in oil-based mud with great hole coverage. “The implication of the IODP core This proven micro-resistivity imager from Baker Atlas offers a vertical resolution of less drilling to petroleum geology of the Arctic,” he said, “is that evidence than 0.3-in. at a standard logging speed of 900 ft/hr giving you details never seen before suggests the whole Arctic Ocean may in oil-based mud images. have been a very highly organic productive basin characterized by The EARTH Imager service operates in 6 to 21-in. diameter boreholes. anoxic conditions during much of the With its 6 pads mounted on individually articulated arms, it provides you with 63% borehole late Paleocene and early Eocene.” coverage in 8-in. diameter holes while maintaining pad contact at all hole deviations. This suggests the potential for widespread, highly organic potential Call us today to find out how you can use the EARTH Imager service in your next oil-based source rock across the entire Arctic well to accurately identify structural and sedimentary features, rock texture, fracture Basin, including along the margins of all continents that border the Arctic. orientation and estimate net-to-gross. “The Azolla is very unique because it suggests fresh water conditions – at least in surface waters – during its deposition,” Houseknecht noted. “It’s also important because it’s been found all around the Arctic in a number of related basins, linked by narrow straits

For more information, visit our website www.bakerhughes.com visit our website more information, For © Hughes Incorporated. 2006 Baker The BEST Choice to the Arctic Ocean.” ❏

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FEBRUARY 2007 16 Caused by Drill Rig? Mud Volcano Oozes Destruction

By BARRY FRIEDMAN escapes, eventually breaking through the EXPLORER Correspondent “What they are attempting to do is like earth, which then caused the bath that In a country where earthquakes, now affects the region. volcanoes and tsunamis are constant stopping the Nile from running toward the The puddle became a pond, which threats, the last thing it needed was a mud became a lake, which became a river. By bath. ocean. It is completely impossible.” continuing to drill, critics say, Brantas It is getting one anyway. exacerbated the situation. It began in the Indonesian city of According to a report in Der Spiegel, in Sidoarjo last May, when mud began To date, the mud has covered some 210 being discussed, but the general June, the volcano spit out an average of flowing after an accident at a gas hectares of land in Sidoarjo and is consensus is that the accident occurred 5,000 cubic meters of mud per day. In exploration site. threatening main thoroughfares and when Brantas drilled thousands of feet to September, that figure had increased to And kept flowing … and flowing … and railway lines between Surabaya to Jakarta tap natural gas without installing casings 125,000 cubic meters. continues to flow. (Indonesia’s two largest cities). around the wells to protect seepage. According to a World Health At first, who was to blame for the Company officials initially maintained No Easy Answers Organization report, since the explosion catastrophe wasn’t as important as what the mud slide was caused by the seismic 10 people have died, 13 have been to do about it. activity in the area – a claim not wholly Many believe had the proper casings injured and three were reported missing. Over the past few months that might dismissed by geologists – and not been in place, the mud would not have Most of the dead are police and soldiers have changed. because of malfeasance or entered the well and would not have then who were securing the site. incompetence. (An earthquake struck had to find other avenues to the surface. The latest damage estimates indicate Digging a Hole Yogyakarta on May 27, the day before the David Howell, with the U.S. Geological the mud flood has engulfed 1,810 houses well erupted.) Survey and chairman of the Circum- as well as 18 schools, two government The company at the center of the Even so, local police in Surabaya filed Pacific Council, isn’t completely sold on offices, 20 factories and 15 mosques. storm, PT Lapindo Brantas, which criminal charges against Brantas, alleging that theory, even though he admits that Recently the flow reached 126,000 cubic operated the well and is linked to the its drilling activities caused the torrent and man may have had a hand in this disaster. meters a day, or about 1.7 million cubic country’s welfare minister, billionaire that its response was inadequate. “Nothing is ever simple and most feet. Aburizal Bakrie, at first refused to take Whatever the case, on that first day, things have a complex web of causes,” he As of mid-January, an estimated 3,000 responsibility but recently was ordered to residents began seeing mud shooting said. “How different is it from a large-scale families, or about 10,000 people, had pay the equivalent of $420 million to from the earth 180 meters from the drilling flooding event involving a muddy river? In been displaced. victims and for efforts to stop the toxic rig. any case it’s not a pretty picture.” (If matters were not bad enough, late flow. According to news reports, Brantas Geologist Adriano Mazzini of the last November a gas pipe buried under In one of the stranger twists to the officials assured local citizens it was University of Oslo, after returning from the the relief well exploded, spilling an story, Brantas recently employed a unique nothing to worry about. site, goes even further, remarking that the additional two to three meters of mud onto publicity campaign: it’s funding a soap An environmentalist told the New York slide is the result of natural geological a toll road.) opera called “Digging a Hole, Filling a Times that the problems began when the processes that has been going on for The main source of mud, though, Hole.” Set amidst the misery of the mud company’s drilling reached 9,000 feet, but thousands of years. originated and is coming from a reservoir slide, “Digging …” is a love story that actually started at 6,000 feet when the Mazzini believes Brantas officials may more than 3 1/2 miles underground that is reportedly shows the virtues of patience – wells started leaking. At that time, the have accelerated the event, but the being fueled by tectonic activity and/or by something in short supply these days. company inserted plugs into the well hole. the accumulation of hydrocarbon gases. Exactly how and what happened is still The pressured mud then sought other See Mud Flow, page 18

FEBRUARY 2007 17

FEBRUARY 2007 18

Mud Flow Save $$$ – Register Now for Long Beach from page 16 Planning on a trip to the AAPG Checkered Flag.” www.aapg.org/longbeach. Annual Convention in Long Beach, It’s the first time AAPG has held its The same Web address will get you eruption was bound to happen. Calif., this April? national meeting in California since the to the housing reservation area, where Presently, there are more than 1,000 If so, an important deadline date is 1996 convention in San Diego, and you can secure your hotel room in the mud volcanoes worldwide, from molehill- looming this month: organizers expect a large attendance. AAPG block of hotels. sized formations found in places like Feb. 7 is the meeting’s first pre- While registration will be open Specifics also are available for the Trinidad to powerful ones in places like registration deadline; register by that throughout the meeting, those attending All-Convention Luncheon, featuring Azerbaijan that emit methane gas. Some, date and you’ll save up to $135 on your can save money by signing up now. Michael J. Economides’ talk on “Energy in fact, are – and have been – on fire for registration fees. For example, AAPG members who Geopolitics,” and on the large exhibition years. February also is a good time to get a register by Feb. 7 can do so for $295; featuring the latest in industry guaranteed reservation in the AAPG after that, the fee goes to $350 until technology and information. Relentless Speed block of hotel rooms, all of which are March 22, and $430 after that. (A reminder: Exhibit space contracts located conveniently close to the For Emeritus members registration remain available on a first-come, first- What made the situation in Indonesia meeting site at the Long Beach fees are $148 by Feb. 7, $175 by March serve basis, at www.appg.org.) so threatening was the speed and Convention Center. 22 and $215 after that. For non- Updated information on the meeting relentlessness of the slide. This year’s annual convention and members, the tiered fees for the same and technical program – including It has already taken the shape of a exhibition will be held April 1-4, built on deadlines are $395, $450 and $530. instructions for registration and housing volcano and has grown to a height of 14 the versatile theme “Understanding Online registration (using a credit options – can be found on the AAPG meters (46 feet), making it taller than any Earth Systems – Pursuing the card) is available at Web site, at www.aapg.org. of the surrounding structures and has now submerged trees and buildings. While the mud deposit has been increasing, the land has been sinking at a rate of three centimeters a month since the catastrophe began. And there is still no indication that the mud volcano has reached its maximum output, nor has it shown any sign of subsiding. To help stem the flood, Brantas has constructed a network of earthen dams to contain the mud, but most believe these dams will overflow during the upcoming rainy season, putting the area right back in the same mess. Against the advice of environmentalists, Indonesian officials are planning to pump the mud into the sea, even though most believe that action will suffocate most marine life. At first, the Indonesian minister for the environment, Rachmat Witoelar, said, “I reject and will not allow the mud to be dumped into the sea,” adding that the chemicals in the mud would pollute the marine environment – but last month he changed his position and now welcomes the dumping, adding that the mud would not be toxic to birds or fish. It apparently is inhospitable to humans. After the country’s president, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, said the area “was no longer fit for human habitation,” the government agreed to resettle 3,000 families whose houses have been swamped by mud. To assess how bad the situation is, an Indonesian official, whose own second floor office was flooded with mud, was reported to have said, “People panicked as if a tsunami was coming.” For the moment, nobody knows how long the mud will continue to flow, how bad it will be or how to stop it. Efforts have ranged from the sublime to the ridiculous. One such idea, offered by the government, was to pour concrete into a channel around the city, thus choking it off. “What they are attempting to do,” said Norwegian scientist Martin Hovland, “is like stopping the Nile from running toward the ocean. It is completely impossible.” While government officials and geologists were discussing the merits of dumping, damming and drying up the mud, a local community leader called on more than 100 magicians, shamans and witches to cast their spells on the man- made volcano. One was an elderly woman who presented herself to the mud as the “Queen of Bali” and ordered it to stop flowing immediately. The Queen, too, was unsuccessful. ❏

FEBRUARY 2007 19

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FEBRUARY 2007 20 Geology Trumps ‘Gadgets’ Strategies Glean New Prospects

By DAVID BROWN concepts, it considers gaps in knowledge EXPLORER Correspondent – what isn’t known about a focal basin or The oil and gas industry and petroleum petroleum system, Hamilton said. geology face three major challenges today: “In our experience, new plays grow best First, finding high-potential and in areas of intellectual white space, or even accessible frontier targets for exploration. technical white space where you don’t Second, using technology to optimize have sufficient data,” he explained. production while maximizing field life. That includes taking a big-picture look Third, developing viable new prospects at the existing technical understanding of a in known or mature areas. working petroleum system in a basin. Of the three, the last may have the “One idea that we try to use is looking at greatest effect on near-term world energy petroleum system analogs and not just supply. play analogs,” Hamilton said. Successful frontier exploration is the “Another way to do this is to look at well- industry champagne and caviar that grabs drilled petroleum systems and compare media headlines, but generating new them to petroleum systems where you prospects in known areas remains the don’t have that entropy,” he added.

A Forensic Approach The paper “Identifying New Material Hydrocarbon Plays: The Challenge and Shell’s empiric approach questions the an Approach,” will be presented by specific unknowns in a system and Robin Hamilton at 1:20 p.m. searches for overlooked possibilities. Wednesday, April 4, at the AAPG “You don’t just cookie-cutter your way Annual Convention in Long Beach, Calif. around the planet looking at petroleum Hamilton’s co-authors are David systems,” Hamilton said. “It’s a way to force Steele, Colin Grant, Pedro Restrepo- yourself to ask questions.” Pace and Larry Garmezy, all, like He said certain “prompts” help seed Hamilton, with Shell International. new play ideas for Shell. The paper is part of a session on “One is literally, Go Deep. What’s there? “Next ‘Best’ Chances in Global What is the limitation?’” he said. Exploration: Concepts for Play “You’re somewhat model-driven as you Development.” go deeper and your information gets skinnier,” he added. Go Shallow and Go Lateral are other possibilities. As part of the evaluation industry’s bread and butter for exploration, process, Shell compares an area of interest said Robin Hamilton, regional framework to production in similar settings. studies team leader for Shell International “Almost by definition, there are some E&P in Houston. plays that have worked well in those “The happy hunting ground for new settings and you say, ‘Why not here?’” plays,” Hamilton said, “is not as romantic Hamilton explained. as the undrilled basin.” “It’s in a way a more forensic, first- principles approach,” he continued. “For ‘Intellectual White Space’ instance, if you’re in a deltaic situation, what’s the maximum depth of the AAPG’s upcoming Annual Convention in commercial porosity?” Long Beach, Calif., will offer a rare look into Not every play turns into an instant Shell International’s play methodology. success, so Shell aims for speedy Hamilton and four of his colleagues evaluation of generated prospects. have prepared the presentation “Identifying “When you’re in the new play realm it New Material Hydrocarbon Plays: The would be glorious to hit the home run, Challenge and an Approach,” describing whether that’s with your first well or the first Shell’s prospect-generation process. test of the concept. What’s important here That approach includes similarities to is to evaluate the play as quickly as the methods used by smaller possible,” Hamilton said. “There’s a speed independents in mature producing areas. and efficiency issue.” There’s at least one big surprise in the common approach to generating new Understanding the Geology plays. It’s not a gadget-driven, 3-D-seismic, high-tech pursuit. In Long Beach, AAPG’s George C. “People are running to it as the silver Matson Award for best oral presentation at bullet in so many cases, but over-reliance the 2006 annual meeting will be presented on technology, I think, has stifled our to Steve Brachman, division geologist for abilities,” Hamilton said. Pogo Producing Co. in Houston and At one point, Shell examined a large current president of the Houston number of successful plays that had each Geological Society. found 500 MBoe or more, according to Brachman’s presentation described the Hamilton. discovery of new pay zones in northern “We took 80 plays we knew of and sat Lafourche Parish, La., a 600 Bcf mature down and said, ‘Okay, of the material plays producing area. we know about, what’s been the initiator in “Between Pogo and its partners, we getting these plays up and running?’” he generated 13 to 15 prospects, out of which said. “What was the critical success nine or 10 were drilled with pretty good factor?” success,” he said. New technology didn’t make the top of To generate prospects in a known area, the list. Brachman begins with an understanding of “By far the predominant factor across regional and subsurface geology, using the board was the development of a new well data, logs, 2-D seismic and other geological model,” Hamilton said. resources. And the second was serendipity – plain “My criteria (for a potential prospect luck, he noted. When Shell International’s basin framework group develops new play continued on next page

FEBRUARY 2007 21 continued from previous page plays. He bent that rule somewhat by “By far the predominant factor across reaching from south Louisiana all the way area) are a good deal of structural or into far eastern Texas. stratigraphic complexity and potential the board was the development of a new “We went international – we crossed reservoirs at multiple levels,” he said. the Sabine River,” Bechtel joked. “In fact, The geologic complexity provides a geological model.” we’re drilling a well right now in Orange reason to shoot 3-D seismic, a near-final County, Texas.” step in Brachman’s approach. And multiple potential reservoirs give “We don’t just look at the geophysics. logged a well and might have some It’s a Puzzlement Brachman additional chances for We look at the wells first, then try to fit the information that could have been lost,” he production. seismic into it,” he explained. said. “If you’ve got a lot of contacts, you These companies generating A third consideration compares known Like most good prospectors, Bechtel can track down a lot of ideas like that.” prospects in known areas have reached a production and projected potential won’t let an old exploration idea go to On a typical deal, Bechtel said, Blue common conclusion: recovery to the cost of a drilling project. waste. He said his company monitors Moon takes a quarter back-in after The ability to devise successful, new “Looking at the production in the area, lease sales on a monthly basis, looking payout, “which we’ve done forever.” geologic models trumps the use of 3-D the kind of prospects that we developed for any known area of opportunity. “We don’t deal with unsophisticated seismic and high-tech approaches. had to justify shooting the 3-D seismic and “If we’ve got some old ideas in that investors – just about all the people who “In my career, the geologist was always drilling some pretty expensive wells,” area, we’ll jump in there and see what we drill with us are sophisticated geologists, the lead guy,” Bechtel said. “The Brachman explained. can do,” he said. geophysicists or other industry people,” geophysicist and engineer and landman “The most important thing is that it has “Another thing I think is real important he said. were the secondary guys. Now I see it to make economic sense – to do a 3-D is being able to run down data on old And like many prospect generators, switched in a lot of big companies where project requires a tremendous capital wells,” Bechtel commented. Bechtel prefers to maintain focus and the geophysicist is the top dog. outlay prior to going out and looking for “We can track down the guy who stay close to home when evaluating “I just don’t get it,” he admitted. ❏ partners,” he said. “You have to convince your management that your prospect is economic enough.” Pogo Producing had acquired 2-D seismic in the Louisiana prospect area, and Brachman said that was crucial to the program’s success. “Interestingly enough, none of our 2-D leads panned out in the 3-D,” he noted. “But without having done the subsurface and the 2-D, we would not have been able to generate many of the prospects. Understanding the 2-D was absolutely critical to understanding what the 3-D was telling us,” he said. In Brachman’s approach, acquiring 3-D seismic is a late evaluation step prior to drilling, one that can contradict 2-D- based interpretation. “My biggest fear,” he said, “is shooting a dry 3-D.”

In Their Footsteps

According to Brachman, it can take three years from the start of the prospect- generation process before shooting 3-D, and four to four-and-a-half years before drilling. “Another type of project is buying existing 3-D off the shelf in areas that have been worked by others,” he added, “in many cases where 20 companies may have generated prospects.” Blue Moon Exploration Co., another south Louisiana player, uses that approach to generate prospects in a known area. “We generally don’t initiate a program to shoot data. Just about everything we do, we’re following somebody else,” said company president Michel Bechtel. “We’re not afraid to follow anybody, even on data sets that have been out there for 10 years,” he added. Bechtel considers an understanding of subsurface geology the key to successful prospecting, combined with geologists capable of seismic and engineering evaluation. “The approach we take is more the old- fashioned geology,” he said. “All the guys here were mentored the same way. We’re just as comfortable doing the engineering and reserve estimation as doing the geologizing.” By utilizing existing seismic data Bechtel avoids the expense of funding an acquisition program, which can be daunting for prospect generators. “With all the dollars on the front end, if you only come out with one sellable idea, you’ve got a lot of money in the front of that thing that one idea isn’t going to support,” he said. Instead of starting with seismic data, his geologists start with well control and a knowledge of the subsurface, then extrapolate into interpretation. “We’re trained as geologists but we’re very comfortable looking at data. We’re not so theoretical, and we’re not as high-tech as other shops, I imagine,” Bechtel said.

FEBRUARY 2007 22

FEBRUARY 2007 23

FEBRUARY 2007 24 AAPG’s Search & Discovery Online Journal Booming

By SUSIE MOORE “We’re hoping to post more articles EXPLORER Staff Writer than we have in the past,” Shelton AAPG’s online journal, Search and said, “And, we’d like to post one per Discovery, has been striving to working day.” provide the latest geoscientific “And there are reasons to do this,” information for the past six years. he added. “AAPG’s probably Anyone can access the online Shelton, who was elected editor for publishing fewer than 250 articles per library and no password is needed. the AAPG BULLETIN 1975-79, year.” But the number of potential All articles are posted in two format recipient of AAPG’s Distinguished articles that could come from versions: HTML and PDF for ease of Service Award in 1980, Honorary presentations given at the annual and use. Membership in 1990 and was AAPG international meetings is greater. According to John Shelton, adviser vice president 1988-89, said what has “We’re hopeful that at the various to Datapages, no major changes have changed about the program is the meetings we’ll be able to get, been made to Search and Discovery need for AAPG to post more articles routinely, a number of presentations – Shelton since its inception in 2000. per year to the online library. both posters and oral,” he said. Calling All Authors

This is an appealing offer for the author that wants to get their presentation out there now. The process for getting an article posted on Search and Discovery is less complicated for the author than the process for getting an article approved for presentation at a meeting. “We want to make it easy on the author because we understand the people who are doing the best work, generally their time is limited,” said Shelton, “And they’re usually not being promoted on the basis of how many articles they post.” Shelton along with Mike Horn, Doug Peter, Ron Hart and Ted Beaumont make up the editorial board that seeks, solicits and approves new articles to be posted online. “The advantage of Search and Discovery is that we can put things up soon after they (authors) send it,” Shelton said. “We try to make it so that the author doesn’t have to do anything. He’s already made his presentation; give it to us, we’ll post it, he added.

Contact

It does take some time to get the articles and images posted, Shelton said. Larry Gerken, Search and Discovery webmaster, is the primary source for loading articles and images to the site. And because Shelton believes geologists are visual scientists, they will add color or animation to images and link to any references, if available. So if you missed that awe-inspiring presentation on the Covenant Field at Your wellbore. Your view. the annual meeting in Calgary, or you know a colleague who presented a paper recently on a play of interest to EarthView. you; and you want more details, log on to Search and Discovery at We’ve always seen things your way. No matter what your application – structural searchanddiscovery.net. determination, stratigraphic delineation, Take our new EarthView suite of imaging fracture identification, geosteering, borehole If you have a scientific presentation solutions – a uniquely versatile combination shape and stability – EarthView gives you that you think would make a good of technologies and services that allows you unprecedented flexibility with a full spectrum addition to Search and Discovery, call to view your wellbore and the formation in of near-wellbore imaging capabilities. multiple ways – even in unconventional John Shelton at 1-918-560-2640, or environments like coalbed methane and So now you can have all the data you need e-mail your article to him at heavy oil wells. to optimize recovery wherever and whenever [email protected]. you need it. With all the robustness you To help you understand every part of your Shelton is optimistic about the expect from Weatherford. formation and wellbore in greater detail than future of Search and Discovery. ever before, our GeoEngineering experts can EarthView. Just another way we see things “The more articles we can put up, interpret images while drilling or post-drilling from your point of view. the better we are disseminating to maximize your recovery. To find out more, visit www.weatherford.com scientific information,” he said. ❏ or contact your Weatherford representative. All Around You. Stay Connected – Drilling | Evaluation | Completion | Production | Intervention Visit us online

© 2006 Weatherford International Ltd. All rights reserved. Incorporates proprietary and patented Weatherford technology. www.aapg.org

FEBRUARY 2007 25

FEBRUARY 2007 26

Obstacles Consume Money,Time ‘Twins’ Face Political Challenges By KEN MILAM standards of living. EXPLORER Correspondent “There is extreme difficulty on both “Extremes of wealth and poverty are a While Africa and South America pulse driver of political unrest and strife,” Stark with opportunities for geologic continents in converting abundant said. exploration, the most daunting challenges may be above ground. resources to wealth and prosperity for the Bridging the Prosperity Gap Philip H. Stark and Andrew Hayman, both of Houston-based IHS, are prone to people.” One way to help bridge the prosperity talk about two specific examples of this gap is to balance exports and regional – “Gondwana’s enigmatic twins,” they needs as the local economies grow. call them, referring to the challenges estimated $148 billion annually, concerns, he said, while the countries’ Natural resource industries must take facing Africa and Latin America. including lost tax revenue and deterred economies and infrastructure have fallen an active role in steering production Stark and Hayman, who presented investment, according to Time magazine into disarray. wealth into local needs of business and their thoughts in a paper at the recent (Nov. 6, 2006). manufacturing, he said. AAPG International Conference and The expanding role of national oil External Dynamics Stark highlighted a project by Exhibition in Perth, note that the “twins” companies (NOCs) in the international Artemus in Tanzania as a healthy had great success from 1996 to 2004, arena, he added, further complicates the Another factor is the rise of Chinese example. with the oil and gas discoveries totaling competitive landscape. and Indian NOCs. The company reopened an old well, 59 Bbo and 214 Tcf. Keith Skipper, who co-chaired the Driven to secure more resources, they producing enough gas for a plant and Deepwater discoveries off both session in Perth on “Exploration Potential have moved heavily into northern Africa, pipeline to power local businesses. continents and higher prices are of Africa and Its Margins,” agreed, replacing older relationships, Stark said. Such projects remain relatively rare, stimulating frontier basin exploration. saying some NOCs tie political aid and The Asian NOCs outbid competitors, he said. One reason is that competition But all the petrodollars flowing into debt forgiveness to access. but often bring their own crews and for resources, in the long run, is powered the regions haven’t always benefited the Such political and economic gear, cutting locals out of the revenue by countries’ need for energy security. population at large. obstacles consume up to 50 percent of loop. Plans for regional pipelines are “There is extreme difficulty on both management’s time, Stark said. “How about employing low-cost underway, however. continents in converting abundant Investment flowed into both laborers in the host countries?” Stark They include piping gas from resources to wealth and prosperity for continents as they dramatically opened said. Mozambique to Johannesburg, South the people,” Stark said in a recent access in the last decade, he said. Lack of infrastructure is a major Africa; offshore gas to Cape Town, S.A.; interview. Now other factors – such as close obstacle. and the trans-Sahara pipeline. elections in South American countries – “In Chad, billion-barrel discoveries Skipper said the central policy Political and Social Obstacles might foreshadow a shift to more sat for 20 years waiting for pipe,” Stark challenge for the oil exporting countries Socialistic systems, making investors said. is managing booming revenues. Shifting political tides and civil unrest wary, he said. “Across 80 percent of both Improved transparency that would have kept standards of living stagnant The reasons may differ, but similar continents, there is no good gas help ensure benefits are spread widely for both Africa and South America, patterns emerge on both continents. network,” he said. among the population, he said. despite huge revenues flowing into Dictatorships in countries like So the challenge becomes a priority: Implementing the Extraction central governments, Stark said. Venezuela and civil unrest in places like converting a rich endowment of natural In addition, corruption costs Africa an Chad have kept the focus on political resources into supplies, then into higher continued on next page

FEBRUARY 2007 27 London Calling: Time to Plan for APPEX 2007 Companies interested in exhibiting smaller independent companies,” said ✓ ABN-AMRO-sponsored Finance (Ian Longley, Woodside). are encouraged to register immediately Graham Heard, exploration manager for Forum (five talks detailing financing of ✓ Pakistan – Past, Present and for APPEX London 2007, an exhibition Northern Petroleum. upstream exploration). Future (Bernhard Krainer, OMV and forum that annually attracts the “APPEX gets it right by providing a ✓ Management of E&P Risk Analysis Exploration). industry’s top decision makers. forum that concentrates on deals for short course (presented by Peter Rose). ✓ Sub Saharan Africa (Bruno-Pierre APPEX 2007 will be held March 20- both buyers and sellers,” he added. “It ✓ European Basin Ranking Review Soulhol, Total). 22 at London’s Royal Lancaster Hotel on only takes one right contact to make a (Tom Albrandt). ✓ Deepwater Africa for the the north edge of Hyde Park – a new deal, and this is bound to happen at ✓ Pannonian Basin Potential Independents (Alan Stein, OPHIR location for the event, with easy access APPEX.” (Hungary). Energy). from Heathrow Airport via the London The addition this year of the AAPG ✓ Norway – The Growing ✓ East Africa: Opportunity in Underground to Lancaster Gate or International Pavilion means that exhibit Opportunity (Andrew Armour, Revus Tanzania and Madagascar (M. Rego, Paddington Station. space will be limited – hence, the Energy). Aminex). The popular event offers prospect urgency for exhibition registration. ✓ International Deal Flow (Joe exhibits and upstream activity Exhibition spaces come fully catered, Staffurth, JSI Services). For more information, or to register to presentations that span the world. and all exhibitor registrations include a ✓ Colombia – An Update and the attend or reserve one of the limited “I attended APPEX 2006 and found it presentation slot in the technical Opportunities (M. Weibe, Solana). number of exhibition booths, go online an excellent form in which to network program to present their prospects. ✓ Present and Future Opportunity in to http://appex.aapg.org; or contact with people that are key executives and Confirmed forum presentations Russia (John Dolson, TNK-BP). Peggy Pryor, AAPG meetings manager, decision makers in both major and include: ✓ Future of Offshore Gas-Australia at 918 584-2555; [email protected]. ❏ continued from previous page

Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) in producing African countries should be a priority, he said. While it wouldn’t imply greater geological prospectivity, it would make the investment climate more suitable, he said. The EITI supports improved governance in resource-rich countries through full publication and verification of company payments and government revenues from oil, gas and mining. Some 20 countries have either endorsed or actively implemented EITI Principles, Skipper said. Skipper noted with enthusiasm Kenya’s attendance at an EITI conference in Norway in late October.

Africa’s Geologic Challenges

Africa also poses numerous geological challenges, including: ✓ The concentration of the bulk of the resources and potential resources in a few selected geologically constrained areas – predominately North Africa and in the “armpit of Africa.” ✓ New geological concepts include toe thrust plays in the Niger Delta, offshore Kenya; more sub-salt in Angola; and the potential for oil discoveries on the East African margin, traditionally thought to be mainly gas prone. ✓ Apparent prolific potential for ultra- deepwater prospectivity – but who A world of opportunities, will/can discriminate and rank prospects in these frontier areas? ✓ All the usual pre-drill evaluation revealed. culprits of (world-class) source, timing of maturation and expulsion, entrapment, Imagine the ingenuity it would take to create and and services makes us the provider of choice product type, geothermics, crustal dynamics, paleoclimates and conduct seismic data acquisition programs in even when you need 2D/3D seismic data acquired paleogeomorphology, seismic and other the most difficult-to-access areas of the world, from and/or processed from land, Transition Zones or imaging, etc. British Columbia to Bangladesh. Imagine the depth shallow water regions anywhere on earth. With 20 ✓ Narrow shallow coastal margins, i.e. offshore basins and geology, may not of expertise necessary to identify and quantify experienced seismic crews who excel at transporting reflect deepwater potential but may potential opportunities, cost-efficiently apply and operating sophisticated man- and heli-portable reflect continent scale paleohydraulics. innovative technologies and techniques, while over- equipment in areas that would otherwise be inac- Africa has the world’s fourth largest proven oil reserves and third largest gas coming the challenges posed by severe topography, cessible, we can go wherever your opportunities reserves. ocean currents, tides or extreme weather. Now imagine lead you. And bring back the seismic data that “Africa offers something for all levels it all being available at a single company, Geokinetics: reveal those that are worth developing. Count on of players,” Skipper said. “The answer lies in a diverse scale of a global leader dedicated to responding to your Geokinetics for whatever it takes to reveal the true players, geological prospectivity and immediate needs and achieving your strategic goals. potential of your next energy opportunity, no matter individual companies’ capabilities,” he Our expanding array of specialists, methodology where in the world it may be. said. Transforming resource wealth into general prosperity is not only a moral Ingenuity. Expanding. Worldwide. www.geokinetics.com issue but one of self-interest to countries hoping to lessen dependence on Middle Eastern sources, Stark said. “If the world doesn’t solve the ‘great divide,’ it will fuel more turmoil,” he said. AAPG can help spread that awareness, he said. “One company can only do so much,” he said. ❏

FEBRUARY 2007 28

Hello, This Is Your Geophone Calling

(The Geophysical Corner is a each RAU transmits its data to a regular column in the EXPLORER, central data-storage unit via a system edited by Bob A. Hardage, senior of overlapping radio-antennae research scientist at the Bureau of patterns. Economic Geology, the University of In figure 1b, the data transmission Texas at Austin.) from geophone station C to data- storage unit D occurs via pass-along protocols between radio antennae a, By BOB A. HARDAGE b, c and d. In other systems, data stay We all know how cellular wireless in the RAU and are downloaded to a telephones have spread around the data-storage unit at appropriate time world. “Cell” phones are in every nook intervals. and cranny of the earth and are used In one option, each RAU is by people of all ages, nationalities and physically transported to a local data- professions. storage device and then returned to This same cellular wireless its assigned geophone station. In yet technology has now entered the other systems, a technician visits each onshore seismic data-acquisition RAU at selected times with a PC and world. uses a data wand to dump data from Just as a distant friend using a cell the RAU memory into the PC (shades phone can cause a system of radio- of Harry Potter!). tower relays to reach your cell phone and leave a message or transmit a * * * graphic image, a small cellular wireless unit attached to a geophone Figure 1 – Comparison between a cellular wireless telephone system spanning a The attraction of cellular wireless can transmit the data recorded by that city (a) and the same technology used to acquire seismic data (b). seismic data acquisition is that cables geophone through a system of radio are eliminated. In some onshore 3-D antennae to a central data-storage seismic surveys, easily 200 to 600 unit. miles of cable can be deployed to connect a large acquisition template * * * of thousands of receiver stations. In terms of weight, volume and number A system that acquires seismic of support vehicles and crew, cables data using cellular wireless are the major equipment component technology is similar to a cellular of a cable-based data-acquisition telephone system in a large city. system. Inside the hypothetical city limits In a cellular wireless system, the shown in figure 1a, several radio geophone connects directly to the towers create overlapping RAU (figure 2). There are no cables to reception/broadcast areas that connect the RAUs to a central combine to cover the city. Through a recorder or to connect a RAU to its connection of radio towers, a cell- assigned geophone. phone user at A can talk to, or transmit Some think that this absence of digital information to, a second cell- cables is a weakness of wireless phone user at B. systems, not an asset, because The diagram implies that A and B cables ensure a high data- exchange information via pass-along transmission rate. Both schools of communication links 1, 2, 3 and 4, Figure 2 – The principle of seismic data acquisition using cellular wireless technology. thought have good arguing points. which span many miles. The remote acquisition unit (RAU) is, in essence, a cellular telephone with a huge In wireless seismic data memory that is built to withstand harsh weather and rough treatment. The unit also * * * acquisition, a geophone is connected has an accurate internal clock and a precise GPS receiver. An RAU connects directly directly to a small, wireless, remote to a geophone string. The geophone output signal is digitized by the RAU and then is Cable-based seismic data- acquisition unit (RAU) that functions downloaded via radio links to a central data unit, or it is retrieved by a visiting acquisition systems have been used essentially the same as a common cell technician, who downloads the data at the geophone station, or the RAU is forever, are great technology and will phone (figure 2). transported to a data-download station and then returned to the geophone station continue to be used for years. The RAU has an accurate internal after emptying its data. However, the new kid on the block, clock that is synchronized with the cellular wireless data acquisition, internal clocks in all other RAUs looks bullish and will no doubt across the seismic spread. Each RAU become popular with some seismic also has an internal GPS receiver that geophone is digitized by the RAU and photographs. crews. adds precise earth coordinates to all then stored in flash memory – the Wireless cellular seismic systems In the future, when you get a phone data acquired by its assigned same type of memory used in cell made by current manufacturers differ call, it may not be heavy breathing you geophone. phones functioning as cameras that in how they handle the data received hear; it may be your geophone calling. The seismic signal from the acquire, transmit and receive from geophones. In some systems, ❏ Hardage Heads List of Seismic Symposium Speakers

Bob Hardage, editor of the and Jim Hollis, EVP and COO I/O Inc., Attributes, Natural ✓ Mike Ammerman (with Jamie Rich) EXPLORER’s Geophysical Corner on “BP’s World-Record Seismic Program Buttes Field, Utah”). (“Barnett Shale Fracture column, will be the kickoff speaker for near Wamsutter, Wyoming,” where a ✓ Susan Nissen Illumination/Stress Orientation from 3-D the 13th annual 3-D Seismic large 3-D seismic program was (“3-D Attributes for Volumetric Curvature Analysis”). Symposium, set March 6 in Denver. completed in the Green River Basin Fracture Trends in ✓ Eric Johnson (“Cost-Effective 3-D The popular event, sponsored by the using “firefly” wireless technology for Mid-Continent Seismic for Shallow Gas Structures – Rocky Mountain Association of speed with minimal environmental Mississippi North Central Montana”). Geologists and the Denver Geophysical impact. Carbonate ✓ Satinder Chopra (“Fracture Society, offers a state-of-the-art look at The one-day program features 10 Reservoirs, Lineaments Calibrated to Volumetric the seismic industries. other talks that cover the latest in 3-D Kansas”). Curvature, Canadian Rockies Foothills, ✓ Hardage, senior research scientist at technology and activities, including Hardage Rob Horine B.C., Canada”). the Bureau of Economic Geology in AAPG members: “Modern 3-D ✓ Tom Davis (with Murray Roth and Austin, Texas, will speak on “Seismic for ✓ Vincent G. Rigatti (“Vermillion Seismic Technologies in the Mature San Julie Shemeta) (“Renaissance at Rulison Independents Exploring for Basin Structural Style and Pore Pressure Juan Basin, New Mexico”). Field – Visualization of 9C/4-D Seismic Unconventional Resources.” Prediction”). ✓ Charles Blumentritt (Fracture with Borehole Microseismic Data”). The keynote address will be given by ✓ Robert Kidney (“Integrated mapping in the Mississippian Barnett For more information, see the RMAG Colin Bruce, BP North American Gas, Fracture Analysis – 3-D Seismic Shale, Fort Worth Basin). Web site at www.rmag.org. ❏

FEBRUARY 2007 29

‘Realities’ Create Opportunities

By DON JUCKETT the priority list are likely to include many of Conference on Reserves (see January ✓ We’ve added a feedback feature to A Washington outsider once quipped, the same items that were worked since EXPLORER) will highlight the outreach the GEO-DC Web page titled “Results,” to “Washington, D.C., is 100 square miles this office was inaugurated in late 2005: activities with Congress and the let you know what impact your surrounded by reality.” While there may be Geoscience education, geoscience Administration in the first half of the year. involvement has had in the policy arena. some merit in that observation, as a research opportunities, access to With the continuing support of AAPG If you take a quick look at the Results Beltway insider perspective it may be prospective acreage presently held in leadership and members, CVD and a from the last Action Alert you will see that expressed by, “your reality and my reality moratoria and work force issues will topical annual conference with energy your efforts had an impact! are just different.” continue to constitute the focus of GEO- policy-related implications will become a I want to extend my sincere thanks to Many within the petroleum DC activities. regular feature of the GEO-DC. the membership for your support and geosciences community will approach the In addition, there will be greater focus In anticipation of an active year for involvement. next two years with great concern and on providing greater access for AAPG policy related issues: apprehension; many are anticipating that leadership and members to the national ✓ We will be making greater use of the (Editor’s note: Don Juckett, head of the already stated agenda from the policy process. Action Alert portion of the AAPG Web site AAPG’s Geoscience and Energy Office in incoming House majority will gain traction Congressional Visits Days (CVD) and to alert members to specific issues that Washington, D.C., can be contacted at and establish new priorities for the energy an AAPG/SPE Multidisciplinary will need their attention. [email protected]; 1-703-575-8293.) sector that will impact our industry and us as energy professionals. A contrarian perspective, however, would reflect that this is an opportunity to expand the beachhead that AAPG has established in the last year and put forward even greater efforts to bring good science and education to the new Congress.

* * *

Looking a little deeper, there are 55 new congressmen and 10 new senators who began their tenure in Washington in January. On average, each new senator will have a budget that will permit him/her to hire 30-35 new staff members. Roughly two-thirds of the new staff will be located in Washington and one-third in the member’s district. In a similar manner the average House member will hire 15 new staff members, with the split between Washington and the member’s home district in about the same proportion as in the Senate. The party shift also means that committee staff assignments will have changed. At the same time, many of the congressional staff that worked for members who are not returning to their seat in Congress will have moved into the private sector or other positions within the existing staff and committee structure. Many of these individuals will continue to be part of the network that constitutes the Washington political environment. And many of these individuals will have spent the past 12 years as students of the process. As such they will have unique working knowledge of the intricacies of getting legislation introduced in Congress and will have strong information needs. Therein is the opportunity! Because the rollback of provisions of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 and other energy-related matters are high on the House agenda, there will be a great need for information that will permit staffers to provide their member with sound policy input. AAPG needs to be prepared to respond to those needs. The re- examination and updating of the Association’s position papers by a panel of members is timely and is being executed with dispatch. They form the basis from which this office functions.

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By the time this EXPLORER is published the “first 100 hours” of the new Congress will have passed and much of the associated House agenda will have been dealt with. The Senate will be more deliberate in its consideration of House-passed legislation. This is one of those occasions when the public may benefit from the legendary resistance of the Senate to move with the same speed as the House. For 2007, the issues that will remain on

FEBRUARY 2007 30

Student chapter members at Stephen F. Austin State University have reason to smile.

Student Chapters Share More Success Stories

(Editor’s note: Regions and Sections is challenge to maintain membership by a regular column in the EXPLORER marketing ourselves to prospective offering news for and about AAPG’s six members by emphasizing the international Regions and six domestic environmental and mining divisions of Sections. AAPG. News items, press releases and other information should be submitted to the 4. Describe the most effective methods EXPLORER/Regions and Sections, P.O. for increasing membership in your student Box 979, Tulsa, Okla. 74101. chapter. Contact: Carol McGowen, AAPG’s We increase membership by Regions and Sections manager, at maintaining an active, tight-knit group. We 1-918-560-9403; or e-mail to keep busy throughout the year by [email protected]. organizing service projects, in-house This month’s column is provided by lectures from industry geologists, and by McGowen.) sponsoring departmental social events.

Last month we shared success stories 5. Describe the activity or event hosted from AAPG student chapters at the by your student chapter that attracts the University of Texas-El Paso and the largest attendance. Upstream presentations on University of Bucharest. Every spring semester we try to make This month three more outstanding it a priority to have at least one speaker student chapters share their experiences visit and conduct a presentation or short Northwest Europe, South America, and advice for success, starting with one course. of the oldest – Stephen F. Austin State University, formed 25 years ago. 6. Advice or best practice to share with Africa, Middle East, Russia, Asia, other student chapters. Your chapter will never grow or survive Stephen F. Austin State University unless you do more than meet every few Australia, India and China. (Nacogdoches, Texas, U.S.A.; Student months and send one or two people to Chapter formed in 1982; adviser – LaRell the national convention. You have to Nielson, [email protected]; current provide frequent events and activities for president – Joe McShane, the members in order to maintain their SHORT COURSE BY Synthesize the key concepts and applications [email protected].) interest. DR. PETE ROSE of RA as a profitable long-term business. 1. Describe the key factor essential to Management of Geared for organization upper echelons. the success of your student chapter. Imperial College London Essential to our success has been an (Department of Earth Science and (separate registration – see APPEX website) E&P Risk Analysis accommodating geology department and Engineering, London, England; student adviser, and a core group of student chapter formed 2000; adviser – Howard officers committed to the success of the Johnson, [email protected]; current ONLINE REGISTRATION OPEN! http://appex.aapg.org chapter. In addition to running the chapter president – Rachel Kieft, for their term, student chapter officers [email protected].) need to keep the chapter’s future in mind AAPG INTERNATIONAL PROSPECT and plan for the years to come. 1. Describe the key factor essential to the success of your student chapter.    2. What information do you know now We benefit from more than 200 that you wish you had known when enthusiastic post-graduate students plus PROPERTY EXPOSITION starting your student chapter? 200 undergraduates studying geology, We wish we would have known how geophysics and environmental beneficial interacting with other AAPG geoscience. Together, they help maintain 20-22 March • London’s Royal Lancaster Hotel student chapters could have been. a solid, diverse membership of well- motivated students, interested in 3. What has been the greatest petroleum geology and the broader challenge for your student chapter – and global energy challenge. how have you overcome that challenge? Our student chapter’s connection with Much like the entire energy industry, a strong department within a college such the greatest challenge has been adapting as Imperial helps us attract interesting to changing interests in the fields of speakers to discuss diverse topics. We geology. In the last few years there has maintain close links with the Society of been a trend for more students to focus + 1 918 560 2618 • http://appex.aapg.org on other aspects of geology (i.e. environmental). We have overcome this continued on next page

FEBRUARY 2007 31

Levorsen Winners Announced

A.I. Levorsen award winners have Fields, Western Anadarko Basin.” been announced for last year’s various AAPG Section meetings. ✓ Gulf Coast Section – Mary L. All will receive their honors at 2007 Barrett, Centenary College of Section meetings. The winners are: Louisiana, Shreveport, La., for “High- Resolution Foraminiferal ✓ Rocky Mountain Section – Geoff Biostratigraphy of Cenomanian and D. Thyne, Colorado School of Mines, Turonian Sandstones, Tyler County, Lakewood, Colo., for “Evaluation of Texas.” (Co-author is John P. Goodson Potential Impacts to Water Resources Jr., Ergon Exploration, Benton, La.) from Petroleum Drilling, Grand Mesa, Colorado.” ✓ Eastern Section – Frank R. Ettensohn, University of Kentucky, ✓ Mid-Continent Section – Raymond Lexington, Ky., for “Black-Shale Source P.Sorenson, Anadarko Petroleum, Rocks as Indicators of Paleozoic Houston, for “A Dynamic Model for the Tectonic History in the Appalachian Permian Panhandle and Hugoton Foreland Basin.” ❏ continued from previous page University of Nigeria, Nsukka (Nsukka, Enugu, Nigeria, Africa; student chapter formed in 2003; adviser – Petroleum Engineers Student Chapter, Kalu Mosto Onnuoha, and organize talks of common interest [email protected]; current president – and encourage early professional Sunny C. Ezeh, [email protected].) integration. We are lucky to have a dedicated 1. Describe the key factor essential to committee, prepared to devote time and the success of your student chapter. effort into making the chapter a success. The factors that have guided our But perhaps most important to our chapter this far are commitment, unity and success has been the assistance collective contribution of ideas received from Steve Veal, AAPG’s irrespective of our individual European Office director. His enthusiasm, backgrounds. passion and support of our goals has been key. 2. What has been the greatest challenge for your student chapter – and 2. What has been the greatest how have you overcome that challenge? challenge for your student chapter – and Our greatest challenge has been trying how have you overcome that challenge? to register all our members in AAPG and Our biggest challenge was getting the renewal of membership due to seven members of the AAPG Executive inadequate funds by most students. Committee in the same place, at the same However, the Halliburton and Chevron time, talking on various petroleum-related sponsorships have helped us overcome topics, for a half-day seminar! It was this challenge. hugely successful, with a great student attendance – and despite the challenges 3. Describe the most effective methods involved, we are planning something for increasing membership in your student similar in 2007. chapter. Our annual membership drive 3. Describe the most effective methods campaign has been the most vital activity for increasing membership in your student in sustaining our membership. chapter. During this event the student chapter During the first 30 minutes of a members, particularly the chapter student’s life at Imperial College, each executives, organize a campaign to masters of science in petroleum enlighten the geoscience students within geoscience student is strongly advised by the university about the benefits that the faculty to start supporting professional student chapter offers. groups through active membership. We By informing students that membership urge new students to join one local provides access to recent geologic society, in our case the Petroleum findings, workshops and seminars on Exploration Society of Great Britain, and tropical geologic issues etc., they are the premier international society, the encouraged to join. AAPG. During registration and enrollment, new students are given membership 4. Describe the activity or event hosted application forms for both societies! by your student chapter that attracts the Many geoscience students (bachelor’s, largest attendance. master’s and Ph.D. alike) come to Imperial The most memorable and attended College because they intend to pursue a student chapter event is our annual career in the petroleum industry. The NAPE/AAPG Day. During this event, faculty here view AAPG membership as a experts from the Nigerian oil industry are natural first stepping-stone in developing invited to speak on topical issues. There the professional credentials of young are also student paper contests and field petroleum geoscientists. This is further trips in which everybody is assured of reinforced by existing students who participation at low or no cost. advertise the chapter to each new intake The 2006 ‘NAPE/AAPG UNN - of students, along with details about Schlumberger Day’ was voted as the forthcoming talks. Recommendation to “best ever organized.” join AAPG by existing fellow students adds extra weight. 5. Advice or best practice to share with Many new students are already familiar other student chapters. with the AAPG, which definitely makes We advise that unity, commitment and recruitment easier. Halliburton’s and professionalism should be the driving Chevron’s global sponsorship of student goals. Also, no member should be membership fees is enormously helpful. disregarded due to racism, religion or ethnicity. Understanding of individual 4. Advice or best practice to share with differences during meetings and the other student chapters. ability to make everyone feel important is Our advice to other chapters would be very essential. to use all the willing support from the Indeed, leadership is all about service AAPG, industry and other student and human management, thus the leaders chapters, like our own. in each AAPG student chapter should take this into consideration. ❏

FEBRUARY 2007 32

A new AAPG Foundation-funded for the University of Southern California, digital products university subscription Los Angeles. has been established for the University Those donations mean that 26 of Utah by Marta S. Weeks. universities now have received gifts of Weeks’ endowment was made in endowments through the Foundation’s honor of Frank Brown, an AAPG member Digital Products subscription program. and dean of the University of Utah’s In it, a one-time gift of $12,500 endows a College of Mines and Earth Sciences in subscription for geoscience students at Salt Lake City. your designated university – and at the In other recent Foundation activity: same time honors the donor, an ✓ Len Eisenberg, of Ashland, Ore., esteemed colleague, a family member has provided funding for an AAPG or a favorite professor. digital subscription for San Diego State To include your alma mater with the University in honor of his favorite gift of uninterrupted access to the entire professor, Don Ptacek. AAPG digital library contact Rebecca ✓ An anonymous donor has provided Griffin, Foundation administration funding for an AAPG digital subscription coordinator at 1-918-560-2644. * * * Foundation (General) William Ray Grants-in-Aid Fund Bernold M. “Bruno” DPA: Online PDH John J. Amoruso Scheidecker John D. Haun Hanson Memorial In memory of Robey Colin Arthur Shaw In memory of Earl Environmental Grant Clark, James O. Hugh Leighton Steward Griffith and Charles Dorothy Carsey Sumner Lewis and Marcus John “Jack” B. Thomas L. Severy Milling In memory of Fred Ohio Geological Society Tracking Available Michael Millard A. Dix and in honor Richard W. Beardsley Named Grant Anderson of Daniel Busch Named Grant Patrick Alan Jackson Lee B. Backsen James McDonald James McDonald By JANET BRISTER member record for you. William J. Barrett Awards Fund AAPG Web Site Editor Albert S. Bonner Jr. Ziad Beydoun J. Ben Carsey Sr. Donald A. and Mary Are you Board Certified? Data Display Charles Elwell Brown IV Memorial Award Memorial Grant O’Nesky Wait! Let me rephrase that question ... Ross Anthony Brunetti Pinar Oya Yilmaz Michael A. Cervantes Named Grant Walter Paul Buckthal Dorothy Carsey Sumner Arthur M. Van Tyne Are you a member of the Division of After that, DPA members will be able Earl Patrick Burke Jr. Ozan Sungurlu In memory of Larry Professional Affairs, and have you to maintain their hours themselves. Also, In memory of the Memorial Award Classen Family J. Rummerfield upgraded to a Board Certified they will be able to check their status for 9/11 massacre Pinar Oya Yilmaz Named Grant membership level? the year’s requirements in order to ensure Brian Campbell Cardner Willard John Classen Jr. Wallace E. Pratt Alfred Townes Digital Products Fund Memorial Grant It’s easy – and it doesn’t cost you fulfillment of Board Certification through Carleton Jr. Jack P. Martin Ike Crumbly Minorities Dorothy Carsey Sumner anything but the time to complete the the DPA, as well as the requirement of a In memory of W.B. In honor of Bill in Energy Grant form(s). It’s voluntary for membership, state board of registration/licensure of Newberry Fisher Robert L. Countryman J. Elmer Thomas and it’s the beginning of being which one may be a member. Don Forrest Carlos Malcolm H. Mossman Jean C. Hsieh Past Presidents registered/licensed in many states, as This is particularly useful if you also In memory of C. Memorial Grant Page Richardson Indiana University, Herbert G. Davis and Linda L. Farrar DPA works with the various state boards are a registrant/licensed with more than Paul Edwin Carlton Bloomington Shirley A. Davis In honor of AAPG of professional registration/licensure for one state that has continuing education William L. Champion Michael Thomas May Named Grant past presidents recognition as a reporting service. requirements; you’ll be able to keep track Steven Douglas Chang Herbert G. Davis At its mid-year meeting in November of all your activities in one place that is Kirby Lee Oberlin College In honor of Daniel A. L. Austin Weeks Cockerham Jr. Lawrence W. Busch, Marta S. Memorial the DPA approved the Professional customizable for different reporting In memory of Alan Funkhouser Weeks and James Undergraduate Grant Development Hour (PDH) forms that DPA periods. Jackson and Fred E. Wilson Jr. Fund members may now complete to record There are three ways to display your Edward Grinstead Oklahoma State Jean K. Stoneburner the 20 hours of professional development PDH data: Edward Julian L. Davies University Norman H. Foster required for Board Certification. ✓ Calendar year. Henry C. Dean Jr. John David Traut Memorial Grant Weimer Family ✓ Thomas A. Fitzgerald In memory of Paul Arthur M. Van Tyne Named Grant The PDH online tracking system Birth year. In memory of Alan McDaniel In memory of Robert J. Weimer includes a spreadsheet that summarizes ✓ Customized dates. Jackson and Norman Foster DPA members’ attendance at meetings, The calendar year display is based Marcus Milling Princeton University James A. Hartman courses, field seminars and other upon that year’s January through Robert E. Fox Lawrence W. Jean G. Funkhouser Student Fund Scott Joshua Friedman Funkhouser Memorial Grant James A. Hartman functions that count toward the 20 hours December; the birth year selection will David Thomas Grace In memory of Hollis John H. and Colleen required to reach Board Certified level. display data one year from your birthday Hugh Edward Hanagan Hedberg Silcox K-12 Fund Since most members already are for that year. Ronald Glenn Heck In memory of Bob Bruce S. Appelbaum attending meetings with their local (If your birthday is not entered Stewart Lawrence Henry University of Houston Osbourne In memory of Paul F. Hoffman Kelly L. Knight Marcus Milling society or going to Section or annual correctly into our database, you’ll need to Dudley Joe Hughes Lawrence W. Thomas Glenn Fails Jr. meetings, it won’t take much to begin edit that by clicking on the “Add to this Kingdon R. Hughes University of Utah Funkhouser Melvin James Hill keeping track of these online. information” link.) Frank Thompson Ingram Marta S. Weeks Named Grant David E. Lange To reach the PDH input area, log on to The customized dates accommodate Frode Moller Liestol In honor of Frank Lawrence W. Jack P. Martin AAPG Members Only; DPA members will a larger time frame. By clicking on the John Harris Marshall Jr. Brown Funkhouser In honor of Jack C. William Stanley Marshall Threet find “DPA Board Certification PDH Form,” displayed information for current dates Marvin Merle Martin Robert K. Goldhammer Gene R. Robinson which takes you to the online entry form. displayed you may select what month, Kenneth J. Nelson Distinguished Lecture Memorial Grant John McCarney Sweet Since this is the beginning of this day and year to start and finish. Leslie Owen Niemi Fund Michael A. Cervantes In memory of reporting process a PDF file is also So, all you active members of the Javier Nunez Donald Lowell Zieglar John Arthur Marcus Milling Alexander Tarang Weissenberger provided for printout. This file may be DPA, now is the time to get your Patrick J. Ben Carsey Visiting Geologist completed and returned to AAPG, where information turned in. James Palmer Rogers Distinguished Lecture Fund the information will be entered into your Good browsing! ❏ In memory of Robert Fund Peter Robert Rose W. Sabate Dorothy Carsey Sumner ❏

FEBRUARY 2007 33

Donna Riggs Retiring After 38 Years

AAPG has several education Riggs quickly became general office opportunities for you in the month of April. Donna Riggs, AAPG senior the reasons she manager/special projects, is retiring was first hired assistant as committee functions such as Visiting Geologists and ✓ Now is the time to sign up for AAPG’s after a total of 38 years with the by AAPG in Distinguished Lecture programs moved short courses and field seminars offered in Association. 1964 was her from committee administration to conjunction with our annual convention in During her tenure, Riggs has worked experience headquarters operations. She left five Long Beach in early April. Log on to closely with Membership Department working for an years later for the birth of a child but AAPG’s Web site for a complete listing of activities and the House of Delegates oil company as returned in 1973, working in the courses and registration details for the since it was inaugurated in 1970. She well as her Membership Department. convention at www.aapg.org/longbeach/ became one of the most-recognized international She became department manager in toc.cfm. AAPG staff members, attending in her experience, words “well over a hundred” AAPG including 1980, and in 1999 was named director working in of the AAPG Service Center. She ✓ The always-popular “Modern annual, international and Section France and for returned as department manager after Terrigenous Clastic Depositional Systems” meetings over her career, meeting face- the comptroller a reorganization, and assumed her field seminar will be held April 13-20 in to-face with thousands of AAPG of the Eighth present position in 2005. South Carolina, beginning in Columbia and members. U.S. Army in Riggs Riggs continues working with AAPG ending in Charleston. Taught by Walter The Arkansas native attended a Korea. as a part-time consultant. ❏ Sexton, the complete course description is Tulsa business school and said one of at www.aapg.org/education/fieldseminars/ details.cfm?ID=6.

✓ Another favorite field seminar, “Clastic Reservoir Facies and Sequence Stratigraphic Analysis of Alluvial Plain, Shoreface, Deltaic and Shelf Depositional Systems,” scheduled for April 22-28, begins and ends in Salt Lake City. Thomas Ryer is the leader – and he’s been teaching for AAPG for over 15 years! Course details are at www.aapg.org/ education/fieldseminars/details.cfm?ID=9.

✓ Due to demand, we’ve scheduled two offerings of our “Basic Well Log Analysis” short course, and the first will be held April 23-26, in Denver. This course is taught by industry experts George Asquith and Daniel Krygowski. The course description is at www.aapg.org/education/shortcourse/ details.cfm?ID=109.

✓ If some of your support staff could benefit from a non-technical course that explains the language and processes of petroleum exploration, drilling and production, they can take advantage of the April 24-26 offering of Norman Hyne’s course on “Basic Petroleum Geology for Non-Geologists.” This course will be held in Houston, co-sponsored by AAPG and the University of Tulsa’s Continuing Engineering and Science Education (CESE) Department. Find out more at www.aapg.org/education/shortcourse/ details.cfm?ID=69. Remember, complete course listings for our entire 2007 education program plus instructor biographies and special discounts can be found on the AAPG Web site at www.aapg.org/education/index.cfm. Questions? Contact the AAPG Education Department at 1-888-338-3387 (USA only) or 918-560-2650; fax – 1-918- 560-2678; e-mail – [email protected]. We look forward to seeing you in a 2007 course. ❏

FEBRUARY 2007 34

James Booth, to senior explorationist, City. Previously exploration/exploitation senior vice president, LaRoche Petroleum Thomas M. Levy, to senior consultant, Woodside Energy (USA), Covington, La. supervisor, Devon Energy, Oklahoma City. Consultants, Dallas. Decision Strategies, Houston. Previously Previously senior regional geologist, Shell retired as senior geological adviser, International E&P, Rijswijk, Netherlands. Joseph R. Davis, to vice president, Alexandra “Alex” Herger, to Gulf of ExxonMobil Development, Houston. Hyperion Resources, Dallas. Previously Mexico exploration manager-new Angel Callejon, to senior exploration consultant, Dallas. ventures, Shell E&P, Houston. Previously Jeff Lobao, to exploration and new geologist, ExxonMobil Exploration, regional exploration consultant (the ventures manager-Asia Pacific, Lundin Houston. Previously senior research David DesAutels, to vice president- Americas), Shell E&P, Houston. Petroleum, Singapore. Previously specialist, ExxonMobil Upstream geosciences, Occidental Colombia, manager-exploration new business (Asia Research, Houston. Bogotá, Colombia. Previously chief Tako Koning, to adviser-social projects Pacific), Shell International E&P, Miri, production geoscientist, Occidental Oil and public relations, Tullow Oil, Luanda, Malaysia. John Caprara, to manager-resource and Gas, Houston. Angola. Previously technical adviser, play development, Swift Energy, Tullow Oil, Luanda, Angola. Andres Mantilla, to senior reservoir Carpentaria, Calif. Previously vice Wallace G. Dow, to chief geochemist, engineer, Marathon Oil, Houston. president-exploration, Royale Energy, San EOG Resources, Houston. Previously Julie Kupecz, to manager-SURE Previously senior reservoir engineer, BP, Diego. consultant, The Woodlands, Texas. northern appraisal and field development, Bogotá, Colombia. Shell E&P, Houston. Previously manager- George B. Davis, to geological Richard G. Green, to president and geoscience technology, Anadarko Dave Muller, to assurance geologist, manager, SandRidge Energy, Oklahoma CEO of Saxon Oil, Dallas. Previously Petroleum, The Woodlands, Texas. BP America-North American gas, Houston. Previously exploration geologist, BP America-deepwater Gulf of Mexico, Houston.

Mark Pospisil, to senior vice president- geology and geophysics, XTO Energy, Fort Worth, Texas. Previously vice president-geology and geophysics, XTO Energy, Fort Worth, Texas.

Patrick Rasavage, to geophysicist, ConocoPhillips, Midland, Texas. Previously consulting geophysicist, Midland, Texas.

Arthur C. Saltmarsh, to senior petroleum geologist, Alaska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission, Anchorage, Alaska. Previously geologist, Alaska Department of Natural Resources Division of Mining, Land and Water, Anchorage, Alaska.

Dick Selley has been awarded Honorary Membership of the Petroleum Exploration Society of Great Britain. He is professor emeritus of petroleum geology and Senior Research Fellow, Department of Earth Science & Engineering, Royal School of Mines, Imperial College, BECAUSE YOU NEVER KNOW London, England.

M.D. “Marty” Wittstrom, to manager- WHEN LIFE IS GOING TO TAKE international exploration, Reliance Industries, Mumbai, India. Previously vice president development/chief geoscientist, AN UNEXPECTED TURN. The Information Store, Houston. (Editor’s note: “Professional News Briefs” includes items about members’ career moves and the honors they receive. To be included, please send information in the above format to Professional News Briefs, c/o AAPG EXPLORER, P.O. Box 979, Tulsa, Okla. 74101; or fax, 918-560-2636; or e-mail, [email protected]; or submit directly from THE GEOCARE BENEFITS 10-YEAR LEVEL TERM LIFE INSURANCE PLAN. IT’S THE AFFORDABLE WAY TO the AAPG Web site, www.aapg.org/ explorer/pnb_forms.cfm.) ❏ HELP KEEP YOUR FAMILY’S FUTURE ON TRACK. From affordability, flexibility and financial planning stand- points, the GeoCare Benefits 10-Year Level Term Life Insurance Plan is tough to beat. With many plans, you pay more as you get older. Once approved with the 10-Year Level Term Plan, you can pay the same rate for an initial 10-year period. And, you and your spouse may be eligible for $100,000 to $1,000,000 in coverage.

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The following candidates have Ghana submitted applications for Apaalse, Lawrence Asangongo, membership in the Association and, Ghana National Petroleum Corp., below, certification by the Division of Tema (J.K. Agbenorto, I.A. Botchway, Professional Affairs. This does not C.K. Fordjor) constitute election, but places the names before the membership at Iran large. Any information bearing on the Safarkhanlou, Zeynalabedin, Do you know someone who should be reading the EXPLORER? qualifications of these candidates Schlumberger, East Azerbaijan (M. Investor? Landman? Accountant? should be sent promptly to the Akbar, R.E. Netherwood, A. Rezai) Lawyer? Banker? Secretary? Executive Committee, P.O. Box 979, Engineer? Student? Stock Broker? Tulsa, Okla. 74101. (Names of Norway sponsors are placed in parentheses. Mohanty, Rohit, Schlumberger, First, should they be invited to join AAPG as an Associate Member? Reinstatements indicated do not Stavanger (G. Gillis, G.G. Shanor, P. Or consider A Gift subscription. require sponsors.) Hodgson) It will be the best public relations gift you have ever given. Membership applications are available at www.aapg.org, or by Contact AAPG at (918) 584-2555 for information. contacting headquarters in Tulsa.

For Active Membership

Ohio Bair, E. Scott, Ohio State University, Columbus (L. Wickstrom, P. MacKenzie, R. Riley)

Texas Duncan, Thomas Michael, Tristone Capital, Houston (G.T. Smith, T.L. Davidson, H.D. Cowan); Gebhardt, Terry W., BHP Billiton, Houston (M.A. Catanzano, M.T. Ingram, D.F. Logue); Howell, Shane M., Netherland, Sewell and Associates, Houston (M.K. Norton, D.E. Nice, S.A. Burner); Yu, Yanqing, Shell, Houston (M.T. Cisar, C.J. Minero, D. Schumacher)

Algeria Ben Amor, Faycal, Schlumberger, Algiers (P.R. Simon, S. El-Shazly, K.J. Yeats)

Angola Salomao, Dondo Manuel, Chevron Overseas Petroleum, Luanda (V.A. Kienast, W.T. Combs, D.J. Fischer)

Canada Maric, Robert, Waterloo Hydrogeologic, Waterloo (M.A. Jacobs, K.S. Hopson, R. Zapata); Wang, Norman Z., Provident Energy, Calgary (Q. Yang, M.T. Oliver, J. MacRae)

England Oxford, Melissa, Neftex Petroleum Consultants, Oxfordshire (P. Sharland, R. Davies, D. Casey)

Certification

The following are candidates for certification by the Division of Professional Affairs.

Petroleum Geologist

Colorado Jones, Steven D., Lariat Exploration, Centennial (J. Armentrout, J. Harris, R. Groth); Suek, David Henry, Black Coral LLC, Centennial (J. Armentrout, J. Harris, R. Groth)

Petroleum Geophysicist

Texas Walters, Robert Derek, Ryder Scott Co., Houston (J. Hodgin, G. Presley, J. Broome)

FEBRUARY 2007 36

Restore Paper Editor’s note: Letters to the editor The January EXPLORER brought us should include your name and tragic news of a historic AAPG policy address and should be mailed to retreat on the part of our current Readers’ Forum, c/o AAPG Executive Committee on the issue of our EXPLORER, P.O. Box 979, Tulsa, Okla. Climate Change Position Paper. Both in 74101, or fax (918) 560-2636; or e- the President’s Column and page 36 we mail to [email protected]. Letters may learn that the EC “decided some topics, be edited or held due to space such as global climate change, are not restrictions. appropriate for recommended government policies” and “we probably cannot reach a consensus on give the total answers to questions of recommended policy options.” global warming, and you may or may Both statements are an abdication of not change your mind about the our responsibility to both our members proposed climate card – but you’ll sure and the world at large. The Climate be able to think about climate change Change Position Paper has stood since from a more informed position, rather 1999, when it was first approved by that than be stuck with only a not-very-well EC unanimously, after a broad-based understood geologic history book to creation process that spanned several guide your opinions. years. Further, you may also begin to see As Lee Gerhard (a former DEG the appearance and evolution of Homo president) articulately detailed on page Sapiens as a geologic force of 37 of the same issue, our AAPG Paper significant proportions, which may be may well be the most sensible and exerting an anthropomorphic effect on reasonable in the policy debate today. climate, to the detriment of the species. We must, and have for seven years, Surely those of us who can taken a position on this critical issue that understand the six billion-year geologic nearly everyone in the science time frame can also visualize the effects community is weighing in on. It is our that six billion people might have on a AAPG Constitutional duty to “advance planet with finite size and resources. the professional well-being of the Let’s invite more good scientists into membership,” and our paper has always the debate rather than rebuke them with done that. the empirical proclamation that “climate Also, of nearly 3,000 respondents last change is beyond the control of human summer to the “All-Member” survey, beings!” over 64 percent answered “yes” to the You can’t prove it – and I don’t question “Should AAPG adopt a believe it – and besides, it may get science-based public stance on global awfully lonesome out there on that limb. change that is likely to generate (See Geotimes December 2006 pp. 6, controversy?” In fact, 80 percent of the 18 and 84.) members in the next question also want Albert L. Richardson AAPG to “provide input on U.S. and Bradenton, Fla. global energy issues ...” That’s a clear message that the membership does not Regarding the two “climate” articles simply want a “Fact Sheet” on any issue. by Lee Billingsley and Lee Gerhard I call upon this EC, to continue to (January EXPLORER) Apparently, the honor the will of the majority of the AAPG’s past proposed Global Climate membership by restoring our Climate Change Card is intended to be morphed Change position paper and not into some sort of “fact sheet.” succumb to the efforts of the policy’s The informed world public will small but vocal group of critics. assume that such a product (pocket- Dwight M. “Clint” Moore size card?) is AAPG’s position and Houston policy on global climate change – that is a fact. Our public tends to equate The Hot Topic (continued) increased global warming and various I write this letter as a 48-year member organism stresses with increased global of AAPG; though retired from active pollution. exploration and development I maintain Following, global pollution is seen as a sincere interest in the geologic linked to human activities, in whatever profession and the AAPG, and have degree of perceived influence. Correct already registered a vehement NO vote or not, many radical weather changes to the issuance of the proposed climate reported worldwide are also viewed as card. indicators of detrimental climate change I do, however, want to call attention to induced by humans. the recent publication of “Estimates of Like so many, I believe that our 21st Century World Energy Supplies,” human activities significantly contribute John D. Edwards, Geological Dept. to global warming. However, the extent University of Colorado at Boulder, Colo., of this contribution is unknown to me. It and reproduced on page 4 of the is encouraging to note that AAPG’s September 2006 AAPG EXPLORER. Executive Committee will “appoint a This may be the only comprehensive balanced committee to write AAPG’s publication that gives accurate and up- fact sheet on global climate change” (as to-date data on energy use, of all per Lee Billingsley). sources, from 1900 to 2004, and Indeed, this appointed committee will projects future energy consumption from face a daunting task. all sources to 2100. It is also easy to If AAPG, with a resulting fact sheet, extrapolate back several decades from chooses to refute commonly held public reliable sources. perceptions and to refute the I can guarantee that any of you who investigations of various other scientific plots Edwards’ total energy curve and a organizations, AAPG’s supporting world population curve (based on U.S. credible, worldwide, time-series data census data) using the same horizontal had better be there in spades. Thorough scale is in for an educational and explanation of such data would be informative experience. required for the overall public. For those so interested it is equally Ultimately, world publics will set the easy to acquire and plot temperature global warming policies of their and CO2 emissions data, again on the respective open governments. AAPG’s same horizontal scale, for additional involvement should not be limited to enlightenment. Granted, those four curves cannot See Forum, page 38

FEBRUARY 2007 37

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Forum In his letter to November’s year event with a definition of thousands going to be defensive and moribund? Or EXPLORER, Lee, writing with Bill Pollard rather than millions of years. We can see constructive and vital? from page 36 and Ray Thomasson, again asserts the that it took the planet over 100,000 years Bryan Lovell value of geological observations. to recover from rapid and major Cambridge, UK The writers then go on to base their disturbance. It is not an event we would arguments against human-induced wish to repeat through our own agency. I have followed the dialogue in AAPG scientists fussing with other scientists. climate change on climatological rather I believe that the AAPG has a on climate change with interest. As with It is questioned if sufficiently credible than geological data. particular responsibility to help the oil others that have written letters regarding historical data are available to I suggest that we do not need to rely industry come to terms with the risks AAPG’s initiative on developing a overwhelmingly defend AAPG’s current on computer-driven climatological involved in our main activity of position on global warming, I think we position and direction on this matter, and models. Earth already has run for us the transferring fossil carbon from the geologists have an important role to play in an understandable manner. experiment we are conducting now; the ground to the atmosphere. Rather than in providing evidence from the geologic If a convincing argument is not famous 55 million year-old release of fighting last-ditch battles using data record related to historical climate achieved soon, the Fact Sheet project fossil carbon at the Paleocene-Eocene largely derived from other sciences, the change and the role of CO2. should be decisively scrapped. boundary happened long before we leadership of AAPG should accept the However, I would first want to reach a Jack Steele Sanders were around to light so much as a camp message from the rocks. Of course the clear consensus on the evidence before Dallas fire. This release was comparable in rate world continues to need oil and gas. It taking any firm position. and scale to that for which Homo also needs our leadership in capturing Forty years ago, my freshman course Lee Gerhard and I debated climate sapiens is now responsible (Norris and fossil carbon after use and storing it “Introductory to Geology” at the change in the March 2006 BULLETIN. Rohl, 1999, Nature, v.401, p.775-78). safely, back where it came from, in the University of Missouri (Dr. Tom Freeman) One point of agreement between us was Thanks to the work of the late Nick rocks we know so well. featured engaging and controversial the primacy of observational science, Shackleton and colleagues, we can read Our industry is at a critical point in topics such as “continental drift” and the not least geological evidence. the geological record of that 55 million- considering climate change. Are we “greenhouse effect.” Continental drift captured the imagination of earth scientists in the 1970s and, thanks to a great body of evidence from the geologic record compiled by creative earth scientists using new technologies and their imaginations, became accepted as plate tectonics. The greenhouse effect has not enjoyed such popularity in our discipline, until very recently. The observations of a rapid increase in the CO2 concentration in the atmosphere over the last 50 years and the concomitant increase in average global temperatures during the same period are convincing to most. Also, few doubt that there is some causal relationship between CO2 concentration and global temperature, but the impact of unabated increases in CO2 concentrations in the atmosphere and the potential buffers in the ecosystem are not as clear. Most of the public’s current perceptions of the “crisis” of global warming are based on extrapolation from complex atmospheric and oceanic computer models. The predictions of such models are not beyond question and should be evaluated in the framework of geologic climate history, as the Antarctic ice core work is now doing. It’s also possible that there are other consequences of CO2 increases that have not been recognized yet. Maybe AAPG’s initial contribution would be to define the relevant questions that earth science is best suited to address. As a start, main questions for me are: ✓ What were the changes in CO2 concentrations and average global temperatures over geologic time, and how did those changes effect paleoclimate, populations and species? ✓ What would the geologic record suggest for earth’s future if CO2 concentrations continue to grow unabated, and what processes/sinks likely acted to reduce CO2 concentrations in the past? Thomas W. Oglesby Houston

Gregorio Mario Escalante, 74 San José, Cost Rica, Sept. 6, 2006 Charles Luther Severy, 87 Denver, Nov. 16, 2006 William Alton Skees, 85 Delia, Kan. (Longtime of Midland, Texas) Nov. 24, 2006

(Editor’s note: “In Memory” listings are based on information received from the AAPG membership department.)

FEBRUARY 2007 39

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candidate in the UNO Geology Building and/or UNO POSITION AVAILABLE Research and Technology Park. EES is well-endowed with field and laboratory resources. We seek an Research Petroleum Geologist individual committed to research, teaching and graduate Indiana Geological Survey training. A PhD is required. Interested applicants should submit a curriculum vita, The Indiana Geological Survey (IGS), a research a statement of research and teaching interest, selected institute of Indiana University, seeks applications for a publications and three letters of reference by March 30, position in petroleum geology to conduct applied 2007 to: research related to the oil and gas systems located within the state and region. Core responsibilities of the position Dr. Shea Penland, Chair include: interpreting subsurface geological and Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences geophysical information, assessing the content and University of New Orleans potential recoverability of energy resources in place, and 2000 Lakeshore Drive processing, synthesizing, and publishing scientific New Orleans, LA 70148 results. Masters degree in geosciences, publications 504.280.6325 record, and 5 years petroleum experience required. [email protected] Complete job posting is available on the IGS Website (igs.indiana.edu). Indiana University is an equal The University of New Orleans, a member of the opportunity/affirmative action employer. Louisiana State University System, is an EEO/AA employer. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Associate Professor (Research) of Energy Resources Engineering Visiting Assistant Professor of Geology Centenary College of Louisiana The Department of Energy Resources Engineering at Stanford University invites applications for an associate Centenary College of Louisiana invites applications for professor (research) in the area of numerical a two-year position at the assistant professor or instructor characterization of geological systems for energy-related level in the Department of Geology, beginning August processes. This position is not a tenure-track position, but 2007. We are seeking candidates who are interested in has a five year term appointment and is renewable teaching geology in a liberal arts environment and subject to funding. It is desired that the selected involving undergraduate students in research candidate be able to start not later than January 1, 2008. experiences. Recent Ph.D.’s and ABD’s are encouraged We are seeking a person with leading edge to apply. The teaching responsibilities will depend on the mathematical, numerical and computational skills who is background of the successful candidate but should expected to 1) co-direct the research efforts of the involve some subset of Physical Geology, Environmental Stanford Center for Reservoir Forecasting, a world- Geology, Historical Geology, and Sedimentary Geology; leading center for innovative research in geostatistics a special topics course in the successful candidate’s and numerical characterization of 3D/4D subsurface field of interest is also a possibility. Centenary College structures, and 2) establish new, leading edge, research (www.centenary.edu) is a selective liberal arts institution avenues of such characterization related to resources with a student/faculty ratio of 12 to 1 and is a member of such as ore deposits and geothermal reservoirs, CO2 the Associated Colleges of the South (www.acs.org). The and nuclear waste repositories, formations for in situ college has a $100 million endowment and is located in a processing of hydrocarbons, etc. metropolitan area with a population of more than Example areas of expertise are 350,000. To apply, send a letter of application, statement of teaching philosophy, vita, copies of transcripts, and • Numerical modeling of physical and geological three letters of recommendation to: processes of deposition and deformation, at all Dr. Scott Vetter, Chair, Department of Geology and relevant scales, in space and time Geography, Centenary College of Louisiana, P. O. Box • Integration of multiple data sources at all scales 41188, Shreveport, LA 71134-1188. Review of • Geostatistical methods and algorithms applications will begin March 1. Centenary College of • Inverse modeling Louisiana recognizes that diversity is essential to its goal of providing an educational environment where students Stanford University is an equal opportunity employer explore the unfamiliar, invent new approaches to and is committed to increasing the diversity of its faculty. understanding, and connect their work and lives to the It welcomes nominations of and applications from women world at large. We thus welcome applicants who would and members of minority groups, as well as others who add to the college’s diversity of ideas, beliefs, would bring additional dimensions to the University’s experiences, and cultural backgrounds. EOE research, teaching and clinical missions. Modern Terrigenous Clastic Depositional Please submit, by March 15, 2007, a curriculum vita * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * with a complete list of publications, names of three Systems Field references including e-mail addresses, a statement of The Westervelt Company has an opening for a Leader: Walter J. Sexton, Athena Technologies, Inc., research and teaching interests, and copies of at most Geologist in Tuscaloosa, AL. This position performs a Columbia, South Carolina three papers published in refereed journals over the past mineral resources inventory on all of The Westervelt Dates: April 13-20; May 12-19; September 22-29, Seminars five years should be sent in either electronic (PDF only) Company ownership and will oversee contractors and 2007 format or paper. Submit electronic applications to consultants used in the evaluation process. Also Location: Begins in Columbia and ends in [email protected] or if preferred, assesses the mineral potential of a prospect area by Charleston, South Carolina paper applications to: applying sound geologic reasoning and techniques; Tuition: $2,500 (increases to $2600 one month prior Clastic Reservoir Facies and Sequence Stratigraphic Analysis of recommends the appropriate course of action upon to each start date), includes ground transportation to Alluvial Plain, Shoreface, Deltaic, and Shelf Depositional Systems Professor Jef Caers completion of evaluation based upon the science used in Charleston, water transportation, guidebook, beach Department of Energy Resources Engineering the evaluation and economic modeling. Oil and gas cookout, modern core workshop, lunch on the fluvial Leader: Thomas A. Ryer, The ARIES Group, LLC, Katy, TX Green Earth Sciences Building, Room 65 reserve valuation and production forecasting experience day, and CD-ROM Date: April 22-28, 2007 Stanford University is desired. Limit: 27 Location: Begins and ends in Salt Lake City, Utah Stanford, CA 94305-2220 Minimum Qualifications include: Content: 5.6 CEU Tuition: $1,800 (increases to $1,900 after 3/23/07), includes field transportation, • Bachelor’s degree in Geology and 5 – 7 years of lunches in the field, guidebook Who Should Attend The Department of Energy Resources Engineering, related work experience. Limit: 15 Geoscientists and engineers who need to understand formerly known as the Department of Petroleum • Must be a Registered Professional Geologist Content: 5.0 CEU the sedimentology, facies architecture, and sequence Engineering, is part of the School of Earth Sciences at • Good communication and listening skills and ability stratigraphy of modern terrigenous clastic depositional Who Should Attend Stanford. The new department will focus on a broader to interact positively with internal and external systems in tidal estuarine, incised valley, shelf, Exploration and development geologists, geophysicists, reservoir engineers, log range of activities related to the recovery of the Earth’s customers. shoreface barrier island, fluvial and alluvial analysts, and managers of exploration and development programs who want a energy resources (e.g., hydrocarbons, geothermal, and • Demonstrated proficiency in the use of personal environments. better understanding of the facies variations that control the distribution of clastic renewables). Two streams of degrees and curricula are computers, including word processing, reservoirs. offered; one in petroleum engineering and a second spreadsheet and database software. broader option in energy resources engineering. For Excellent salary and benefits. Send resume and more information about the Energy Resources salary requirements in confidence to: Engineering Department, see the Stanford ERE web April Education Opportunities with AAPG!! page at http://pangea.stanford.edu/ERE/ The Westervelt Company Attn: Human Resources * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * PO Box 48999 Basic Petroleum Geology for the Non-Geologist UNIVERSITY OF NEW ORLEANS Tuscaloosa, AL 35404 DEPARTMENT OF EARTH AND Email: [email protected] Dates: April 24-26; August 28-30; September 18-20; ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES Short December 4-6, 2007 EEO M/F Locations: Houston, TX (April, August and December), TENURE-TRACK FACULTY POSITION Courses Denver, CO (September) FOR SALE Tuition: $1195 (increases to $1295 one month prior to PETROLEUM GEOLOGIST each course date), includes the textbook “Nontechnical The Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences ESTABLISHED BUSINESS FOR SALE Guide to Petroleum Geology, Exploration, Drilling and (EES) at the University of New Orleans invites applicants Production”, course notes, various maps and glossaries, to fill a tenure-track position as an Assistant Professor in and daily morning and afternoon refreshments. International Sample Library @ Midland – the field of Petroleum Geology anticipating starting in the Basic Well Log Analysis Content: 2.1 CEU formerly Midland Sample Library. Established in 1947. Instructor: Norman Hyne, The University of Tulsa, 2007 calendar year. Commensurate with this position, Have 164,000 wells with 1,183,000,000 well samples and Dates: April 23-26; July 24-27, 2007 Tulsa, OK the successful candidate could also be awarded the cores stored in 17 buildings from 26 states, Mexico, Locations: Denver, CO (April); Austin, TX (July) Braunstein Professorship in Petroleum Geology reflecting Canada and offshore Australia. We also have a Tuition: $1095, AAPG members; $1,195, non-members (increases to Who Should Attend the successful candidate’s distinguished career in the geological supply inventory. $1195/1295 after 3/26/07, for April course, and after 6/26/07, for July course); Train your staff! This course is for anyone who could petroleum geosciences. The mission of EES is to build a includes course notes, refreshments, and a copy of Basic Well Log Analysis by benefit by an overall perspective of petroleum geology, center of excellence in earth and environmental sciences Phone: (817) 461-0408 Fax: (682) 518-7904 George Asquith and Daniel Krygowski, with Neil Hurley and Steve Henderson exploration, drilling and production to be more productive in the heartland of America’s energy coast, Louisiana’s Content: 2.8 CEU in their job. It is a non-technical course, so anyone can Mississippi River delta. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *. Instructors: George B. Asquith, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX; Daniel A. take this course. UNO is seeking an experienced petroleum geologist Krygowski, Chevron, Houston, TX This is a joint course with AAPG and The University of with broad experience in the Gulf of Mexico Basin. Mudlogging units with easy to learn software. Very Who Should Attend Tulsa Continuing Engineering and Science Education Previous experience within the oil and gas industry is reliable, full featured, portable units. Contact Automated Geologists, engineers, geophysicists, and other professionals with a need to Department highly desirable. Other desirable talents and expertise Mudlogging Systems understand the responses of common logging measurements to subsurface Please note – if paying with a check, please make we seek in a candidate include: (303) 794-7470 www.mudlogger.com conditions, and become familiar with basic openhole well log interpretation check payable to The University of Tulsa, CESE techniques. (applies to this course only) • Strucural geology-tectonics, * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * • Sedimentary basin analysis, • Subsurface exploration, and BOOKS. Rare and out-of-print books and periodicals • Reservoir characterization-evaluation. on geology and related sciences. Large stock on all For further information, please contact the AAPG Education Department phases of the oil industry, domestic and foreign covering This position is well-supported with start-up funds geology, history, engineering, logging, geophysics, etc. Phone: 918-560-2650; Fax: 918-560-2678; e-mail: [email protected] commensurate with the successful candidate’s Catalogs available. The Hannum Company. Box 1505-B, Or log on to www.aapg.org/education/index.cfm experience, publication record and funding record. Ardmore, OK 73402. [email protected] Research facilities will be available for the successful FEBRUARY 2007 41

Rising Costs Put Pressure on Dues

By RICK FRITZ reviewed by the underwriter to make sure When I do my personal budget, it’s Bylaws Proposals Available on Web it is insurable. kind of a conscience that doesn’t keep me Proposed changes to the AAPG Bylaws are posted on the AAPG Web site. AAPG is doing everything possible to from spending but makes me feel guilty Comments by AAPG President Lee Billingsley and House of Delegates Chairman develop safe and insurable field trips for about it. Developing AAPG’s budget is Larry Jones concerning the proposed graduated dues proposal are also available, our members and the general public. significantly different. It’s more of a as well as an area for member comments or questions. Visit www.aapg.org for conscience that guides the leadership in details. ✓ Security is the third area of providing the best products and services increasing costs. Since 9/11, AAPG’s for the best price. (NAPE) – and cutting costs in almost It is AAPG’s mission to promote security costs – primarily for meetings – Last fall, in considering next year’s every area of our operations. dissemination of our publications, but in have more than doubled. AAPG is AAPG budget, the AAPG Executive For example, seven years ago AAPG the digital age sometimes publications are committed to making sure our Committee – at the recommendation of had a larger staff. Like most of our not used appropriately and our authors conferences and exhibitions are safe for staff and other AAPG leaders – member’s companies, we now have a lose their recognition. AAPG will defend its participants. recommended an increase in the dues smaller staff doing more. This has been copyright if we feel that the publications Other significantly increased costs from $75 to $80 for Active and Associate accomplished by improved efficiency, are used in a manner that is not best for since 9/11 include the cost of hotel rooms membership. outsourcing and, of course, continued the Association and its many authors. and rental of convention facilities. Owners Historically, we always have been improvements in technology. Recently, we incurred legal costs in of these facilities are passing the reluctant to raise our dues, and usually For a society, communication is vital to meeting with the U.S. Office of Foreign increased cost of security and insurance raise them several years after our sister success. The Internet has helped lower Asset Control to discuss the legality of to their users. societies; e.g. SEG and SPE raised their postage costs and significantly improved publishing certain articles originating dues a couple of years ago. our efficiency in communications; outside of the United States. * * * however, it has not especially improved There are often unexpected legal costs * * * the quality of communications, i.e., I associated with developing a meeting. We Some say that the budget is a method sometimes miss writing or receiving a currently are taking legal action against a of worrying before you spend instead of As a member I always want to know well-written, well thought-out letter – but local hotel and service ground operator afterwards. why my dues increase. The basic answer that discussion is for another time. who clearly did not honor their contract. We are “worrying” about the budget is inflation. As AAPG opens new offices compared to the future needs of AAPG Dues have increased only $3 since the * * * (Washington, D.C., and London, England) members. We are committed to keeping start of this decade, and this most recent we incur new costs, especially legal and costs as low as possible, and to raising increase amounts to a little over a 1.5 Another partial reason for an increase insurance costs related to developing an the dues only when it is absolutely percent increase per year since the last in dues is increased costs in some areas entity outside of headquarters. necessary. increase. During the past 20 years our where costs traditionally have been low, or This dues increase is necessary, and it dues increases have essentially matched at least stable. Three good examples are ✓ Insurance is another example where is good for the continued health of the inflation. legal, insurance and security costs. costs have significantly increased. Association. As in your own budget, when you are AAPG is one of the last major vendors behind or at the inflation rate you must find ✓ In the past our legal costs were of field trips. Field trips are a crucial other income sources and savings to related to basic operations and changes component of our education program. In make budget. We have done both by in the bylaws. More recently we have legal the past, all of our field trips were covered increasing income from events – such as costs in new areas, such as protecting our under our general liability insurance the North American Prospect Exhibition (your) copyrights. policy. Now, each field trip is individually Convention Program Varied EMD Sets ‘Unconventional’ Sessions

By WILLIAM A. AMROSE Heavy oil and oil-sand deposits are The program will cover fuel cell and STEPHEN M. TESTA becoming attractive unconventional energy technology, biofuels and geothermal The Energy Minerals Division is excited sources as the price of conventional oil energy, as well as more exotic potential to present its technical program and continues to rise and as improved sources of energy such as helium-3 on the luncheon for the AAPG Annual Convention technologies reduce their recovery and moon. They will be compared and in Long Beach, Calif., April 1-4. production costs. contrasted with unconventional, EMD has a strong technical program this Over three-quarters of the world’s heavy hydrocarbon-based energy sources such year, covering a variety of unconventional oil and oil-sand reserves occur in Venezuela as gas hydrates, shale gas and heavy oil, energy topics of current interest to both and Canada, with at least 1.8 trillion barrels which can be developed in the near-term as EMD and AAPG members. EMD- in the Orinoco heavy oil belt and 1.7 trillion a bridge to these alternative-energy sponsored oral and poster sessions barrels in Athabasca oil sands. This sources. include: compares to an estimated 1.75 trillion ✓ Shale Gas – Co-chaired by Dan Jarvie barrels of conventional oil, mainly located in ✓ Coal: Energy Source, CO2 Sink, and Bill Coffey, oral and poster sessions will the Middle East. Paleoenvironmental Archive – Co-chairs feature shale gas plays in the United States There will be four oil-sand papers from Walter B. Ayers Jr. and Jack C. Pashin host and Canada. the Alberta Basin and one from Utah. Heavy this poster session, which reports results of The oral session includes the oil deposits presented include the Orinoco Astrogeology Committee) – Co-chaired by selected domestic and international studies Appalachian Basin (Marcellus and Utica heavy oil belt and Lake Maracaibo, as well Harrison H. Schmitt and William A. of coal and coalbed gas resources, shales), Barnett Shale in the Fort Worth as California; the Llanos Basin in Colombia; Ambrose, this session will explore the wide enhanced coalbed gas recovery and CO2 Basin, Gulf Coast and Mid-continent shales, and the North Sea graben offshore Norway variety of alternative-energy sources that will sequestration in coal beds. Cretaceous shales in the U.S. Rockies and and Britain. be needed to satisfy the world’s energy As conventional oil and gas reserves are the Triassic Doig and Montney shales in demand as it moves from hydrocarbon- depleted, the world’s abundant coal British Columbia, Canada. The session will ✓ Alternative Energy Sources: Promises based resources to alternative resources in resources and unconventional gas open with discussion of gas supplies from and Pitfalls (co-sponsored with the the 21st century. supplies, including coalbed methane, will unconventional resources and factors assume increasingly important roles in affecting flow rates. The EMD Luncheon in Long Beach Colorado and the Rocky Mountains – meeting future hydrocarbon demands. This The poster session is equally well- will be held Wednesday, April 4, resources that include natural gas and session focuses on characteristics of coal rounded, with additional details on the featuring EMD division awards and petroleum, precious metals and even and coalbed gas resources, prospects for Barnett Shale as well as the Woodford, guest speaker Vince Matthews, director cement. enhanced coalbed gas recovery and the Floyd, Utica, Marcellus and Mancos shales. of the Colorado Geological Survey, who Matthews, an AAPG member, has potential of coals for geologic sequestration It also will include discussion of tight gas will present “China and India’s authored more than 60 technical of CO2. shale evaluation and exploration Ravenous Appetite for Natural articles and abstracts, and was senior We encourage all AAPG members to paradigms. Resources – Their Potential Impact on editor of the award-winning publication, discover the “unconventional” aspects of EMD – and look forward to seeing you at ✓ Colorado.” Messages in Stone: Colorado’s Colorful Heavy Oil Provinces of the World In it, Matthews will discuss the Geology. the EMD sessions in Long Beach. (Canada, Venezuela, California) – Frances effects of China’s and India’s exploding The abstract and Matthews’ J. Hein and Alan Reed are co-chairs for oral economies on the world’s mineral and biography can be accessed at (Editor’s note: William Ambrose is EMD and poster sessions that examine the energy mineral resources, emphasizing http://emd.aapg.org/. president, and Stephen Testa is the EMD geology of heavy oil and oil-sand deposits. vice chair for this year’s annual convention.)

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