01 April, 2010

CVD, Meetings and Events on DPA Calendar

Imagine a broadened skill set

 

As the AAPG annual meeting draws near, the DPA annual council meeting also marks the last meeting for the year.

As the AAPG annual meeting draws near, the DPA annual council meeting also marks the last meeting for the year.

While it has been a fairly busy year – updating AAPG statements and the issuing of a new Onshore Exploration statement, participating in the fall Congressional Visit Days, hosting DPA events at the Eastern, Gulf Coast and Mid-Continent Section meetings and more – there is still quite a bit of DPA business remaining this year.

  • May 10-12 will be the next Geo Congressional Visit Days (GeoCVD), where AAPG members visit Capitol Hill. They meet with members of key energy-related committees, government agencies and their own Congressional representatives, senators and key staff people, to present geoscience materials and DPA statements for scientific support in the decision-making of geological related issues.
  • The DPA will be hosting a breakfast May 18 at the Southwest Section meeting in Dallas, featuring David Curtiss, director of AAPG’s GEO-DC office, as the speaker. He will be catching us up on the current status of legislation in Washington as well a discussing the general function of the GEO-DC office.
  • Following a successful town hall meeting in Midland this time last year, the DPA is hosting another one in Oklahoma City on May 18, again featuring Curtiss. It will be an opportunity to discuss topics that concern the membership.

And then there are all the DPA activities planned for the annual meeting in New Orleans.

DPA Luncheon

The Ethics, Professionalism and Process of AAPG Statements - How does an international scientific professional society like AAPG stay true to its many self imposed goals and policies, such as to educate, while not taking political stands? Moderators are Jeff Jones and Carl Smith and the panelists are David Curtiss, John Dolson, Lynn Hughes, Pete Rose, Ray Thomasson and Scott Tinker.

This topic will be offered as an extended Forum so that the discussion may cover more detail in the afternoon (see below).

DPA Forums
  • The Discovery Thinking Forum , an AAPG/DPA/HOPG sponsored forum, starting at 1:25 p.m. Monday, April 12, will be the third presentation of the AAPG 100th Anniversary Committee’s program recognizing “100 Who Made a Difference.” The New Orleans forum will feature six invited speakers who have made a difference – John Amoruso, Marv Brittenham, Gregg Robertson, Bill Zagorski, Mike Forrest and Dan Smith. Co-conveners for the session are Charles Sternback and Ed Dolly.
  • The Ethics, Professionalism and Process of AAPG Statements panel-forum will begin at 2 p.m. Tuesday, April 13, built on the question, how does an international scientific professional society like AAPG stay true to its many self imposed goals and policies, such as to educate, while not taking political stands?

Moderators are Jeff Jones and Carl Smith and the panelists are David Curtiss, John Dolson, Lynn Hughes, Pete Rose, Ray Thomasson and Scott Tinker.

DPA Short Courses
  • Reservoir Engineering for Geologists, taught by Stephen Norris, (J-W Operating Company, Centennial, Colo.). This course is designed for geologists (and others) who wish to have a basic understanding of common reservoir engineering methods and practices.
  • Quality Control for Subsurface Maps (QLTs), taught by Dan Tearpock, (Subsurface Consultants & Associates, Houston). This course addresses the need for a systematic approach for quickly screening interpretations, maps, prospects and potential resources or reserves, and identifying fundamental interpretation, mapping and estimating errors.