SCIENTISTVOLUME 29 No. 11 ◆ DECEMBER 2019 ◆ WWW.GEOLSOC.ORG.UK/GEOSCIENTIST GEOThe Fellowship Magazine of the Geological Society of London @geoscientistmag REDEFINING EARTH’S ‘BORING BILLION’ Simon Poulton on a billion year interval in Earth’s history that might not be so boring after all Foram Week takes over Twitter! PETROLEUM PIONEERS BEYOND ACADEMIA A GEOLOGIST’S CHRISTMAS Sarah Day interviews GSA Tools and tips for thinking The trials and tribulations of President Robbie Gries outside the academic box geological mapping in 1841 WWW.GEOLSOC.ORG.UK/GEOSCIENTIST | DECEMBER 2019 | 1 The Geological Society Publishing House For Special Publications, Maps, Memoirs and seasonal gift ideas visit the Geogift page AD SPACEwww.geolsoc.org.uk/geogifts It’s that time of year again! We’ve put together a range of our favourite items on our GeoGifts page that make for great seasonal gifts for you or someone else, with prices starting from £7. View the full range at: www.geolsoc.org.uk/geogifts GEOSCIENTIST CONTENTS Geoscientist is the Fellowship ADVERTISING SALES © Geological Society Library The Geological Society magazine Dominic Arnold of the Geological Society T 01727 739 184 of London E [email protected] The Geological Society, Burlington ART EDITOR Publishing House House, Piccadilly, Peter Davies London W1J 0BG T +44 (0)20 7434 9944 PRINTED BY F +44 (0)20 7439 8975 Century One Publishing Ltd. E [email protected] (Not for Editorial - Please contact Copyright the Editor) The Geological Society of London is a Registered Charity, number Publishing House 210161. The Geological Society Publishing ISSN (print) 0961-5628 House, Unit 7, ISSN (online) 2045-1784 Brassmill Enterprise Centre, Brassmill Lane, Bath The Geological Society of London accepts no responsibility for the views BA1 3JN expressed in any article in this publication. T 01225 445046 All views expressed, except where explicitly F 01225 442836 stated otherwise, represent those of the author, and not The Geological Society of 26 Library London. All All rights reserved. No paragraph T +44 (0)20 7432 0999 of this publication may be reproduced, E [email protected] copied or transmitted save with written permission. Users registered with Copyright EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Clearance Center: the Journal is registered Professor Andy Fleet with CCC, 27 Congress Street, Salem, MA 01970, USA. Every effort has been made DEPUTY EDITOR-IN-CHIEF to trace copyright holders of material in this Mr David Shilston publication. If any rights have been omitted, the publisher offer their apologies. EDITOR No responsibility is assumed by the Ms Sarah Day Publisher for any injury and/or damage to E [email protected] persons or property as a matter of products 14 06 Dr Amy Whitchurch liability, negligence or otherwise, or from E [email protected] any use or operation of any methods, For Special Publications, Maps, products, instructions or ideas contained in the material herein. All advertising Memoirs and seasonal gift EDITORIAL BOARD material is expected to conform to ethical Mrs Natalyn Ala and trading standards, and reasonable ON THE COVER: Mr Steve Branch care is taken to ensure that advertisers are ideas visit the Geogift page Dr Robin Cocks reputable and reliable. However, inclusion 10 NOT SO BORING AFTER ALL Dr Howard Falcon-Lang in this publication or as an insert does not Dr Hazel Gibson constitute a guarantee or endorsement Simon Poulton on how Earth’s www.geolsoc.org.uk/geogifts Prof. Tony Harris of the quality or value of such products or services, or of the claims made by Mr Edmund Nickless ‘boring billion’ years of stagnant, Dr Alan Roberts its manufacturer. Geoscientist and the Prof. Peter Styles Geological Society of London can give no assurance that an advertiser will fulfil its stinking oceans might actually have Dr Colin Summerhayes obligation under all circumstances. Prof. Frances Wall been rather dynamic Dr Jan Zalasiewicz Subscriptions: All correspondence relating to non-member subscriptions Trustees of the should be addresses to the Journals Geological Society Subscription Department, Geological of London 2019-2020 Society Publishing House, Unit 7 Brassmill Prof Nicholas Rogers (President) Enterprise Centre, Brassmill Lane, Bath, BA1 Mr Thomas Backhouse 3JN, UK. Tel: 01225 445046. Email: sales@ Mr Andrew Bloodworth geolsoc.org.uk. Contact us by phone or Mr John Booth (Vice President) email for current rates. INTERVIEWFEATURES Dr Michael Daly (President © 2019 The Geological Society designate) 14 PETROLEUM PIONEERS Ms Lesley Dunlop of London GSA President Robbie Gries on her petroleum geology Dr Joel Gill Geoscientist is printed on FSC® mixed Mr Graham Goffey (Treasurer) credit - Mixed source products are a blend heroines, and the role of learned societies in effecting change Dr Kathryn Goodenough of FSC 100%, Recycled and/or Controlled Dr Sarah Gordon (Secretary, fibre. Certified by the Forest Stewardship Foreign & External Affairs) Council®. Prof James Griffiths Prof Chris King Mr Andrew Moore REGULARS Prof Bryne Ngwenya SCIENTISTVOLUME 29 No. 11 ◆ DECEMBER 2019 ◆ WWW.GEOLSOC.ORG.UK/GEOSCIENTIST GEOThe Fellowship Magazine of the Geological Society of London @geoscientistmag Mr Nicholas Reynolds (Vice 05 WELCOME Sarah Day bids a fond farewell to the Raising President) REDEFINING EARTH’S Horizons exhibition Prof Katherine Royse (Secretary, ‘BORING BILLION’ Simon Poulton on a billion year interval in Professional Matters) Earth’s history that might not be so boring after all Mrs Sarah Scott 06 SOCIETY NEWS What your Society is doing at home and abroad Ms Gemma Sherwood Miss Jessica Smith (Vice President) Dr Helen Smyth 09 SOAPBOX Face facts on fossil fuels, urges Hugh Richards Prof Robin Strachan It’s that time of year again! We’ve put together a range (Secretary, Publications) Mr John Talbot (Vice President) 20 BOOKS & ARTS Four new books reviewed by Foram Week takes Dr Alexander Whittaker (Secretary, over Twitter! Lars Backstrom, Brent Wilson, Joel Gill & Andrew Barnett Science) PETROLEUM PIONEERS BEYOND ACADEMIA A GEOLOGIST’S CHRISTMAS of our favourite items on our GeoGifts page that make Sarah Day interviews GSA Tools and tips for thinking The trials and tribulations of President Robbie Gries outside the academic box geological mapping in 1841 WWW.GEOLSOC.ORG.UK/GEOSCIENTIST | DECEMBER 2019 | 1 22 CAREERS Beyond academia – how technology can help Published on behalf of Cover image: Earth observation from the outer expand your networks the Geological Society space Shutterstock © Vladi333 for great seasonal gifts for you or someone else, of London by: 23 LETTERS Great minds think alike, and a reply from the Century One Publishing British Geological Survey with prices starting from £7. Alban Row, 27–31 Verulam Road, St Albans, AL3 4DG T 01727 893 894 26 PEOPLE A geologist’s Christmas in Wales, the first Foram E enquiries@centuryone Week, and news of the campaign to save Lyell’s notebooks publishing.uk View the full range at: www.geolsoc.org.uk/geogifts W www.centuryone publishing.uk 30 OBITUARY Wallace Smith Broecker (1931-2019) WWW.GEOLSOC.ORG.UK/GEOSCIENTIST | DECEMBER 2019 | 3 Alkaline Rocks and Carbonatites of the World, Corporate Supporters: Call for Abstracts: Deadline 6 December 2019 Part 4: Geopressur e 2020 Antarctica, Asia and Europe (excluding the Managing Uncertainty in Geopressure by former USSR), Australasia and Oceanic Islands Integrating Geoscience and Engineering 24-26 March 2020 Durham University, Durham UK Organising Committee: 24 March 2020: Field trip 25 and 26 March 2020: Conference Stuart Jones Led by Richard Swarbrick and Jack Lee Durham University, UK Durham University to North Yorkshire Nick Pierpoint NWP Geoconsulting Richard Swarbrick Swarbrick GeoPressure Consultancy Limited and Durham University Scientific Programme Coordinators: Toby Harrold Repsol Rick Lahann The organisers invite contributions within any aspect of geopressure but are particularly interested in Indiana University the various phases of pore fluid pressure prediction, modelling and overpressure evaluation to manage Stephen O’Connor uncertainty during the life cycle of a well. Suggested themes and sessions include: Global Geopressure Pore Pressure and stress, especially complex • Classic case studies, including Macondo and Advice • Binh Nguyen stress regimes LUSI mud volcano JX Nippon • Impact of machine learning on PPFG • Pore pressure as an exploration and prospectivity Tom Sinclair • Well engineering and PPFG tool. Shell • Injecting fluids underground (including CO2) • Geopressure in mature basins – lessons learnt Beth Stump • Pore pressure in active tectonic basins Chevron • Coupling of Pore Pressure and FG including depletion and closing the drilling window • Unconventional stress regimes • Seal capacity and relationship with PPFG • PPFG issues in mature basins (including abandonment/decommissioning) Further Information and abstract submissions: To submit an abstract please send it to [email protected] and copy to [email protected]. For more information please contact [email protected] or visit the event website: www.geolsoc.org.uk/PG-Geopressure-2020 Fellow’s price: £60 At the forefront of petroleum geoscience www.geolsoc.org.uk/petroleum View more and buy online www.geolsoc.org.uk/MPAR4 GA 2020 Geologists’ Association 1 October 2020 The Scottish Poetry Library and its environs, Edinburgh Activities Include: This event is to follow up the first Geological Society of London’s GEOPOETRY day Student Symposium