Vol. 28, No. 8 August 2007 Synergy Our unique spectrum of superior geophysical technology now brings you the best insight. cggveritas.com AUGUST 2007 3 On the cover: An Irish view of the Gulf of Mexico. Members of Repsol’s Gulf of Mexico exploration team recently spent four days in western and southwestern Ireland observing the “excellent analogs to our subsurface geology in the Gulf,” said Repsol senior exploration geologist for North America Claudio Bartolini – here specifically, a beautiful outcrop of the Congressional lateral basin margin of the Upper Pennsylvanian Ross Sandstone. The exposed section consists of sandstone, siltstone and mudstone. The field trip leader was AAPG member David Pyles, of the Colorado School of Mines in Golden, Colo. The importance of deepwater outcrops is evident in Visits Proved a new AAPG publication that will be released in a matter of weeks. See story on page 24. Photo by Claudio Bartolini. Interesting By WILLARD “WILL” GREEN housed at the During the first week of May six Army and Navy AAPG members – Jim Hill, Pete Club, arranged Partners in time? AAPG and the Petroleum Technology 6 MacKenzie, Deborah Sacrey, Carl through the Transfer Council take the first steps toward a merging of Smith, Dan Smith and I – traveled to courtesy of Carl operations. Washington, D.C., joining nearly 300 Smith, a member of scientists, engineers and business the club. leaders who made visits on Capitol Hill During our stay, High tech, low costs: Innovations in surface geochemical 8 as part of the 11th annual my wife, Marianne, technology are making the potential found in parts of the “Congressional Visits Day,” an event who loves to talk a reality. sponsored by the Science-Engineering- with people, met Paradox Basin Technology Work Group (see an interesting Green “Washington Watch,” July EXPLORER). young lady – a Ironic? CO2 tertiary recovery projects and sequestration 14 Don Juckett and David Curtiss, of Kurdish citizen of are stymied by the same problem: There isn’t our GEO-DC office, coordinated the Iraq. She serves in research AAPG group. Iraq as an interpreter on duty 24/7 for enough CO2. The six of us each visited the offices the U.S. Army in areas where enemy of our home congressmen and senators combatants are lurking. In May she was Looking for clues: Natural oil seeps are providing valuable and focused on three subjects: spending some time in the United 20 Future Work Force Needs of the States in order to eventually qualify for information to explorers – especially in frontier areas – thanks Oil and Gas Industry. U.S. citizenship. to high resolution geochemical methods. Preservation of Geological and We invited her to visit us in Midland. Geophysical Data. Last week we received a box by Oh, that’s where they are – a valuable new Atlas of Research and Development priority mail from Iraq, which had been Deepwater 24 Needs of the Domestic Petroleum opened and inspected. Inside the box Outcrops, years in the making, is about to be unveiled. Industry in the 21st Century. were photos of her with Iraqi and U.S. We left a two-page outline of the military officers, a United States flag And starring … planet Earth! A groundbreaking TV series, issues and requested action items with and a certificate, which reads: 30 each visited office. “United States Army “Faces of Earth,” shows how it was made, how it works and We also had an interesting visit to the Operation Iraqi Freedom what it will look like in the future. office staff of the Senate Energy So that all shall know, this flag was Committee. We learned that Sen. Jeff flown in the face of the enemy for 9 Bingaman (D-N.M.) and eight other minutes and 11 seconds and bears Back to school: AAPG’s Visiting Geoscientist Program is 36 senators had signed a letter to a witness to the strength of the Iraqi and ready for another year of college and university activity. subcommittee of the Senate American people in rebuilding Iraq and Appropriations Committee requesting denying a safe haven for terrorists.” that funding levels for the programs at the DOE for oil and gas research and *** development be no less than the $62.6 Washington Watch 40 www.Update 50 million appropriated in fiscal year 2006 Perhaps next year we will have more to carry out this important work. AAPG members interested in Professional News Briefs 42 Membership and Certification 51 David and Don arranged a meeting participating in Congressional Visits for me (also attended by Don) with Day and similar events targeted at Geophysical Corner 44 Readers’ Forum 52 Brian McCormack, special assistant to providing information to the nation’s the president and deputy director of policy makers in a manner that reflects In Memory 45 Classified Ads 53 public liaison. His office is in the the value of geosciences professionals Executive Office Building, which has and their contribution to the nation’s Regions and Sections Director’s Corner 46 54 double security stations at the entrance. economic, environmental and energy Foundation Update 49 EMD Column 54 The purpose of this visit was to reinforce security. my invitation to President Bush to speak Washington is exciting; I look forward at the AAPG Annual Meeting in San to my next visit. Antonio. Have a great day! The request is still viable but no AAPG Headquarters – 1-800-364-2274 (U.S. & Canada only), others 1-918-584-2555 commitment has been made. Communications Director Correspondents Advertising Coordinator Larry Nation David Brown Brenda Merideth *** e-mail: [email protected] Louise S. Durham P.O. Box 979 Diane Freeman Tulsa, Okla. 74101 The AAPG group in Washington was Managing Editor Barry Friedman telephone: (918) 560-2647 Vern Stefanic Dennis King (U.S. and Canada only: e-mail: [email protected] 1-800-288-7636) Graphics/Production (Note: The above number is Editorial Assistant Rusty Johnson for advertising purposes only.) Get Ready for ThisYear’s ESW Susie Moore e-mail: [email protected] fax: (918) 560-2636 e-mail: [email protected] Earth Science Week, an annual Polar Year and the International Year e-mail: [email protected] event that focuses attention on the of Planet Earth. status of earth science in education Through these major initiatives Vol. 28, No. 8 The AAPG EXPLORER (ISSN 0195-2986) is published monthly for members. Published at AAPG headquarters, 1444 S. and society – and which celebrates Earth Science Week will help spread Boulder Ave., P.O. Box 979, Tulsa, Okla. 74101, (918) 584-2555. e-mail address: [email protected] its 10th anniversary this year – will be understanding of the impact the Periodicals postage paid at Tulsa, Okla., and at additional mailing offices. Printed in the U.S.A. Note to members: $6 of annual dues pays for one year’s subscription to the EXPLORER. Airmail service for members: held Oct. 14-20. earth sciences have on society. $45. Subscription rates for non-members: $63 for 12 issues; add $67 for airmail service. Advertising rates: Contact This year’s theme is “The Pulse of A poster promoting Earth Science Brenda 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. the Earth,” and various local Week is inserted in North American activities will promote public and issues of this EXPLORER, courtesy of 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. profession awareness of the earth the AAPG Foundation. It can be sciences. found inserted at page 44. Copyright 2007 by the American Association of Petroleum Geologists. All rights reserved. The theme also will focus attention Members are asked to post or POSTMASTER: Please send address changes to AAPG EXPLORER, P.O. Box 979, Tulsa, Okla. 74101. on geosciences research, such as share the posters appropriately to Canada Publication Number 40046336. that associated with the International promote the activities. J Canadian returns to: Station A, P.O. Box 54, Windsor, Ontario N9A 6J5 e-mail: [email protected] AUGUST 2007 4 AUGUST 2007 5 AUGUST 2007 6 Officer Candidates Named Letter of Intent Signed AAPG Considering Officer candidates for the 2008-09 President-Elect term have been announced by the Ë John C. Lorenz, Geoflight LLC, AAPG Executive Committee. Edgewood, N.M. Candidate biographies and Ë Ronald A. Nelson, Broken N individual information will be published Consulting, Cat Spring, Texas. PTTC Management on the AAPG Web site and inserted in an upcoming EXPLORER. Vice President-Sections AAPG and the Petroleum Technology The president-elect winner will serve Ë David H. Hawk, Energy Analysis Transfer Council in early July signed a as AAPG president in 2009-10. The and Answers/Consultant, Boise, Idaho. Letter of Intent for AAPG to assume terms for both vice president-sections Ë W.C. “Rusty” Riese, BP Americas, management of PTTC activities. and treasurer are two years. Katy, Texas. The agreement provides for a due- Ballots will be available in spring ‘08. diligence period of 60 days after which, A complete list of AAPG rules and Treasurer presuming positive negotiations, the guidelines governing the campaign – Ë Edith C. Allison, U.S. Department transition to an AAPG-managed PTTC for candidates and supporters – can be of Energy, Washington, D.C. would occur. found online at http://www.aapg.org/ Ë Kay L. Pitts, Aera Energy LLC, Since 1994, PTTC, funded primarily business/candidates/rules.cfm. Bakersfield, Calif. J by the U.S. Department of Energy with The candidate slate is: funds matched by the states and industry, has been a recognized force for transferring exploration and production technology to domestic U.S.