Vol. 30, No. 5 May 2009 Commitment to the Very Core Kirchhoff PSDM section. Controlled Beam PSDM section. CHALLENGE > To image the oil-bearing fracture zones in a complex granite basement reservoir offshore Vietnam where conventional methods fail to produce convincing results. SOLUTION > The data was reprocessed using the CGGVeritas Controlled Beam Migration algorithm for the velocity model building and the final migration. RESULTS > Based on the new CBM images, the operator was able to confidently carry out a successful drilling campaign to develop the reservoir. cggveritas.com MAY 2009 3 On the cover: Geologists have known about it for decades, but now the rest of the world is being invited to the party – the year-long celebration of the 100th anniversary of the discovery of the Burgess Shale is about to begin. Shown here are geologists at the Burgess Shale’s Walcott Quarry, a site that has been called “Mecca for paleontologists” because of its treasure trove of fossils. It’s located in Yoho National Park in British Columbia – a park that is itself a cathedral to geologic splendor. See story on page 20; photo courtesy of Jon Dudley. Your shut door, our open window: Current fiscal realities 8 have stalled some projects, but two geologists say now is the perfect time to consider better ways to evaluate shale Photo courtesy of Denver Visitor and Convention Bureau . gas potential A chance to hike in the Gore Range near Denver is just one of the reasons to attend this year’s AAPG Annual Convention and Exhibition. Need more reasons? Check out Can’t we all just get along? Companies have accepted that 12 the Director’s Corner on page 50 – and start making your plans now to head to Denver. collaboration is good. The next step – making it happen. Hot stuff: Researchers are excited about new data that 16 point to the huge geothermal potential of Colorado’s Lesson Learned? Raton Basin. Let the celebration begin: It was 1909, and Charles Doolittle 20 We Are Needed Walcott, while riding a horse, noticed some unusual fossils in the ground beneath him – and the 505 million-year-old By SCOTT W.TINKER Instead, she was in I often learn the most important lessons search of access to Burgess Shale became an overnight sensation. when I am least prepared and from those AAPG geoscientists for most unexpected. her university, as in Distinguished Lecturers The eye of the beholder: Everyone knows Colorado is a 28 *** or speakers in our beautiful state. The big question is, how did it get that way? Visiting Geoscientist On March 23, students and faculty Program, and training advisers representing the AAPG student such as workshops, A personal connection with a legendary geologist Hollis 30 chapter at Khon Kaen (KK) University in short courses and field northeast Thailand rode five hours on a Tinker schools. Hedberg triggered Georges Pardo’s personal connection bus to meet our small AAPG presidential Essentially, she was with – and that bond has led to a new AAPG book on delegation in the offices of PTTEP, a major asking the largest professional association Cuba national oil company headquartered in of geoscientists in the world to help Khon the island’s geology. Bangkok, Thailand. Kaen University, in remote northern The KK students, many of them female, Thailand, become globally relevant. presented with pride a short video about Khon Kaen University is not unique. I their university and geology department. have been fortunate during the past year We then engaged in conversation about to visit with faculty and/or students from their experiences and perceptions. universities in Malaysia, Scotland, Spotlight On … 32 Foundation Update 44 I made a presentation later that evening England, Russia, Poland, Germany, China, to about 100 folks comprising staff from Nigeria, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Professional News Briefs 34 Membership and Certification 46 PTTEP, Chevron, a few smaller companies U.A.E. and South Africa. Although culture, In Memory 34 Readers’ Forum 48 and independents, and the KK students. language, facilities and instruction vary, The talk ended around 7:30 p.m., and the the sentiment is consistent: Washington Watch 36 Meetings of Note 48 students then got on the bus for the five- “Dr. Tinker, we are striving to learn, grow, Geophysical Corner 38 Classified Ads 49 hour drive home. I was a bit awed by their expand and globalize. We want to matter.” dedication. www.Update 40 Director’s Corner 50 At the end of the session, the president *** Regions and Sections 42 EMD Column 50 of the Khon Kaen AAPG student chapter, a young woman, said, “Dr. Tinker, we seek The world is changing. Change does your help.” not always happen quickly, but the pace of What help was the student leader change can be accelerated by crisis. The looking for? AAPG Headquarters – 1-800-364-2274 (U.S. & Canada only), others 1-918-584-2555 Not money, equipment or other “stuff.” See President, next page Communications Director Correspondents Advertising Coordinator Larry Nation Louise S. Durham Brenda Merideth e-mail: [email protected] Susan R. Eaton P.O. Box 979 AAPG Voting Deadline is May 15 Barry Friedman Tulsa, Okla. 74101 Time is running out for those who have for both vice president-Regions and telephone: (918) 560-2647 Managing Editor yet to vote for AAPG officer candidates. secretary are two years. Vern Stefanic Graphics/Production (U.S. and Canada only: e-mail: [email protected] Rusty Johnson 1-800-288-7636) Balloting for the 2009-10 term will The slate is: e-mail: [email protected] (Note: The above number is for continues to be available online until the Communications Project Matt Randolph advertising purposes only.) voting deadline May 15, at 11:59 p.m. President-Elect Specialist e-mail: [email protected] fax: (918) 560-2636 CDT. Ë Donald D. Clarke, geological Susie Moore e-mail: [email protected] Election winners will be announced in consultant, Lakewood, Calif. e-mail: [email protected] the June EXPLORER. Ë David G. Rensink, Apache Corp., While electronic balloting is available Houston. Vol. 30, No. 5 to all members a paper ballot also will be The AAPG EXPLORER (ISSN 0195-2986) is published monthly for members. Published at AAPG headquarters, 1444 S. sent. Boulder Ave., P.O. Box 979, Tulsa, Okla. 74101, (918) 584-2555. e-mail address: [email protected] Vice President-Regions Periodicals postage paid at Tulsa, Okla., and at additional mailing offices. Printed in the U.S.A. Survey and Ballot Systems, which Ë Adekunle A. Adesida, Shell Note to members: $6 of annual dues pays for one year’s subscription to the EXPLORER. Airmail service for members: $55. handles the AAPG election, has a coded Petroleum Development, Nigeria. Subscription rates for non-members: $75 for 12 issues; add $72 for airmail service. Advertising rates: Contact Brenda Merideth, AAPG headquarters. Subscriptions: Contact Veta McCoy, AAPG headquarters. Unsolicited manuscripts, system where only one ballot per person Ë Alfredo E. Guzman, consultant, photographs and videos must be accompanied by a stamped, self-addressed envelope to ensure return. is counted, with the paper ballot taking Veracruz, Mexico. The American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG) does not endorse or recommend any products or services that precedent if both are submitted. may be cited, used or discussed in AAPG publications or in presentations at events associated with AAPG. Candidate biographies and individual Secretary Copyright 2009 by the American Association of Petroleum Geologists. All rights reserved. information continue to be available online Ë William S. Houston, Samson, POSTMASTER: Please send address changes to AAPG EXPLORER, P.O. Box 979, Tulsa, Okla. 74101. at www.aapg.org. Denver. Canada Publication Number 40046336. Return undeliverable Canadian address to: The president-elect winner will serve Ë Peter MacKenzie, MacKenzie Land P.O. Box 503 • RPO West Beaver Creek • Richmond Hill, ON L4B 4R6 as AAPG president in 2010-11. The terms & Exploration, Worthington, Ohio. J MAY 2009 4 Career Choices: President Making Geology Fun from previous page Can a student’s life be changed in world is in a global recession; some call it seven minutes? AAPG has a a crisis. There is a new leader in the creative way to find out, thanks to United States, a leader who has ignited a new PowerPoint show – hope in the world. President Obama, in a complete with musical soundtrack very short time, has become larger than – called “Why Geosciences?” life on the global stage. I know; I have created by Joanne Billingsley seen the reaction personally on several (wife of past AAPG president Lee continents. Billingsley) specifically for junior Do the times make the person or does high and high school students, to the person make the times? Perhaps encourage and promote careers some of each. Regardless, in these in the geosciences. The energy “times” the political dialogue is presentation is available free of about non-fossil energy – “green energy” charge, and can be found online and “green jobs.” Substantial at www.aapg.org/k12resources/ investments are being considered, to GeoscienceExplained.cfm. attempt to accelerate the pace of energy change. Those in the fossil fuel industry could feel threatened, hunker down, retrench and resist. Many would understand such a reaction. In fact, when I go to Washington, D.C., I often have to convince my “fossil-fuel” self to get off the airplane! But these feelings are fleeting, because I have seen a world that remains massively engaged in fossil fuels. I see young geologists in universities around the globe beginning to recognize that applied geosciences matter now more than ever. I see “national” oil companies – those owned in large majority by the state – fast becoming “international” oil companies, and international oil companies – struggling under the weight of misguided Western policies that reflect an under- informed energy public.