Explorer Emphasis Article

When it comes to biomass – and, specifically, the burning of scrap lumber and forest debris – people on both sides of the debate agree that not only do trees release carbon dioxide when burned, but they are also the most effective tool we have at removing CO2 from the atmosphere. The question and disagreement, then, is what the net result is: do trees – the source of biomass for energy – capture the same amount of CO2 (through photosynthesis) while growing? “Almost half of the ‘renewable’ energy that Western Europe credits itself for is biomass of various kinds,” said Scott Tinker, director of the Bureau of Economic Geology at the University of Texas at Austin.

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American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG)
Explorer Emphasis Article

DeNovo uses green energy to power offshore platforms and reduce country’s carbon footprint.

American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG)
Explorer Emphasis Article

New study shows how challenging the energy transition will be.

American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG)
Explorer Division Column DPA

“All of the above.” I’ve certainly said that phrase when referring to the energy needs of humanity. Sure, I’m in the hydrocarbon business, but I have happily supported utilizing all forms of energy in the quest for human thriving. And I’m not alone in this welcoming approach to energy sources. Many leading voices in the hydrocarbon community openly support an increase of renewables in the global energy mix. Of course, there are genuine concerns regarding the scalability, intermittency, availability, cost and environmental impacts of renewable energy options, but extreme rhetoric attacking renewables is rare. However, the extreme attacks on hydrocarbons have become so commonplace in today’s world that a balanced view of energy has been lost.

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American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG)
Explorer Article

Facing a challenging situation and low demand, geophysical companies found themselves in a hole after the energy industry’s latest, coronavirus-related downturn. They’ve been trying to dig themselves out for the past year. The good news is, that effort now appears to be working, as higher oil prices begin to have an effect and more positive signs emerge in the second half of 2021.

American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG)
wwwUpdate Blog

“I really do not know a lot about leadership models.” That might seem a strange sentiment coming from a Michel T. Halbouty Outstanding Leadership Award winner, but Mahmoud Abdulbaqi, this year’s honored recipient – who has spent his career in leadership positions in the oil and gas industry, its corporations and associations – is not your typical Halbouty medalist. Through his career, he found opportunities to lead, as all good leaders do, but equally important, opportunities needing leadership found him.

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American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG)
Explorer Director’s Corner

The moment is almost here – the time for all applied geoscientists to converge on Denver for the inaugural International Meeting for Applied Geoscience and Energy. More about this great new event in a minute. Yes, we’re still in the age of COVID and the delta variant is giving all of us pause as we consider how best to interact personally and professionally. But I’m pleased to share that I’m writing this column having just returned from my third in-person industry event in a four-week time period.

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American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG)
Explorer Foundation Update

An historic book is being reopened, and the next chapter in AAPG’s ongoing efforts to recognize, offer and promote geoscience excellence around the world is about to be written. Six diverse and internationally acclaimed geoscientists have been announced for the 2021-22 AAPG-AAPG Foundation Distinguished Lecture season – speaking on a spectacular range of subjects that vary from understanding integrated hydrocarbon systems to utilizing machine learning to recognizing the importance of choices in today’s energy transition.'

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American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG)
Explorer Emphasis Article

It started in 2001, it featured the late astronomer Carolyn Shoemaker and it offered a talk that was, no pun intended, out of this world. “It” is the AAPG Michel T. Halbouty Lecture Program, a popular and scientifically important part of the annual convention, sponsored by the AAPG Foundation. Each year at a special, non-competitive time slot, this lecture series throws a spotlight on global experts discussing wildcat exploration – especially in areas where major discoveries have been made – as well as astrogeological developments and achievements that increase our knowledge and ability to develop resources on Earth. Charles A. Sternbach, a past AAPG president who originated AAPG’s Super Basin program, will be this year’s Halbouty lecturer, presenting a talk titled “Super Basin Thinking: Methods to Explore and Revitalize the World’s Greatest Petroleum Basins.”

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American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG)
Explorer Emphasis Article

“I really do not know a lot about leadership models.” That might seem a strange sentiment coming from a Michel T. Halbouty Outstanding Leadership Award winner, but Mahmoud Abdulbaqi, this year’s honored recipient – who has spent his career in leadership positions in the oil and gas industry, its corporations and associations – is not your typical Halbouty medalist. Through his career, he found opportunities to lead, as all good leaders do, but equally important, opportunities needing leadership found him.

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American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG)

Hot Items

Explorer Geophysical Corner

Advancements in processing and imaging techniques have continued over the last several decades, which have gradually improved the quality of the processed surface seismic data. When the quality of the existing seismic data is not adequate to perform an interpretation task reasonably, then the interpreter looks for other options. Is it feasible to acquire a new survey? In the absence of an improved survey, will reprocessing of seismic data be a good option?

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American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG)
Explorer Historical Highlights

The Casablanca oil field, discovered in 1975 and located on the Mediterranean shelf edge, has been greatly significant in the world’s offshore oil industry activity, besides being by far the biggest oil field in Spain.

American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG)
Explorer Article

It isn’t news to anyone that prediction is difficult, especially when it’s the future (as a great man once said). Uncertainty and unpredictability are just a part of the job of tracking and predicting the future supply and demand of energy. That being the case, when energy analysts say that the current level of uncertainty is particularly high, it might be easy to dismiss it as a “dog bites man” story. It isn’t.

American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG)
Explorer Article

A new type of buoyancy model can be used to understand the source of residual oil zones, both thick and thin, to help determine the likelihood that economically viable recoverable oil resides in transition zones of imbibition reservoirs. Application of a buoyancy and breech model will fill a void in reservoir characterization. It will help distinguish between TZs and ROZs, the first of which allows application of primary and secondary (waterflooding) oil recovery methods and the second of which requires more difficult CO2-enhanced oil recovery projects.

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American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG)
Explorer Director’s Corner

Perhaps you did a double take pulling the April issue of EXPLORER from the mailbox. What is this? If you joined AAPG in the last 40 years, you’ve only known EXPLORER in its long-standing tabloid format. It worked well for many years as our advertisers – particularly seismic companies – loved the large format and the ability to display their data on a sweeping canvas. For readers, it was a little more awkward.

American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG)

Headquarters Contacts

Susan Nash
Susan Nash Director, Innovation and Emerging Science and Technology, AAPG +1 405 314 7730