Annual Report 2012: FY July 1, 2011-June 30, 2012
Division of Environmental Geosciences
Mission Statement and Purpose
- Educating the membership of AAPG and the general public about important issues that affect petroleum energy minerals exploration and production.
- Communicating to the general public and government agencies the Association’s commitment to protect the environment while developing the world’s natural resources in a responsible manner.
- Applying the expertise developed in the petroleum/energy minerals industries and hydrogeology to resolve environmental problems.
- Promoting environmental self-regulation within the petroleum/energy minerals industries.
- Providing relevant educational opportunities and services for professional development of the AAPG membership through seminars and conferences in environmental geosciences, hydrogeology, and related fields.
2011-2012 Objectives
- Representation and programmatic involvement at section, regional, and annual meetings
- Increase active membership through recruitment and advancement of associates
- Communicate more effectively with our membership at large
- Make sure DEG committees and representatives are actively involved
- More joint efforts with other divisions and other societies where possible
- Continue improvement of Environmental Geosciences journal
- Continue improvement of DEG website appearance and timeliness
- Increase environmental awareness throughout AAPG
2011-2012 Activities and Accomplishments
- Monthly Executive Committee teleconferences
- New format for DEG website rolled out in Summer 2011 and constant efforts to keep it up to date
- Environmental Geosciences went completely digital as of July 1, 2011, and is available on the DEG website. Greatly decreased our annual division costs, thereby allowing the dues decrease to succeed while keeping the division in good financial shape. Kristin Carter, Editor-in-Chief for the Environmental Geosciences journal, has succeeded on keeping the journal producing 3-4 articles per issue for the past year, thereby greatly improving the relevancy and value of the journal compared to several prior years. Special issues are produced and in planning as possible from papers from AAPG and other meetings and in the pipeline.
- Four issues of the new digital, quarterly DEG newsletter (Spheres of Influence) distributed via e-mail and available on the DEG website. Spearheaded by Managing Editor Danielle Deemer. Well received thus far and DEG leaders working to help keep the material fresh and interesting for members.
- Strong DEG program at the 2012 AAPG ACE in Long Beach with four technical sessions, a short course, and a field trip. Annual luncheon oversold with Steve Leifer speaking on “Hydraulic Fracturing: Separating Myth from Reality.”
- Joint DEG-EMD luncheon at 2012 ICE in Singapore on “Water Well ‘Problems’ in Areas of Unconventional Resource Developments: Appearances are Deceiving and Solutions are Many.”
- Joint Workshop on March 29, 2012 with SAGEEP annual conference on “Hydrofracturing 101: What Is It, What Are The Issues, and How Can Geophysics Help?”; includes future special issue of EG journal on this topic area
- Joint DEG-EMD Geoscience Technology Workshop on Hydraulic Fracturing, scheduled for August 13-15, 2012 in Denver.
Discussion from DEG President, Douglas C. Peters (July 2011 – June 2012)
The DEG membership drive was successful in moving more than 60 associates to active status or in process for that move. However, due to a number of existing DEG members not paying their dues on time, the division was unable to regain voting status (750 members) on the AAPG Advisory Board by July 1, 2012. Therefore, the DEG membership drives will continue both for encouraging Associates to apply for Active status and to retain and grow DEG membership in general. We have had great success with attracting students to the division, so another effort will be to keep those members engaged and interested in moving to full membership when qualified after graduating. Likewise, international membership is expected to grow as environmental awareness and government regulations mature outside of North America and Europe. Representatives on the DEG Advisory Board have been appointed for the Asia-Pacific, Canada, Europe, and Latin America regions to aid in keeping abreast of environmental developments in these areas and to provide members in these regions with representation in the division. The Canada Region representative also is serving as a Young Professional voice on the DEG Advisory Board, and other YPs will be brought into DEG when possible. Representative for the African and Middle East regions still are being sought.
We have expanded our efforts to hold joint events within AAPG with sections and divisions, such as the GTW on Hydraulic Fracturing being held in August 2012 jointly with EMD. We are actively seeking cooperation with other technical societies that have similar interests or overlaps with DEG topical areas such as the Engineering and Environmental Geophysical Society and Environmental Division of the Society for Mining, Metallurgy, and Exploration (ED-SME). A joint workshop on hydraulic fracturing was held with EEGS at their annual meeting in Tucson in March 2012, and plans are in the works to have joint events at their 2013 annual meeting in Denver. DEG is a co-sponsor with ED-SME for a meeting in August 2013 in Charleston, West Virginia, on environmental aspects of energy production. Outreach to other societies likewise is in process.
Communications with DEG members and other AAPG members remains a priority. Challenges remain on keeping the DEG website updated and relevant to members and nonmembers. Making sure all members who try to communicate with DEG leadership are responded to and their needs met in some way also needs to remain as a key effort of our leadership.