Letters from Delegates
While attending the AAPG Leadership Conference, Sigrunn asked if I could find someone from the Houston delegation to write a letter for The Delegate’s Voice. I agreed with the intent to pass the “opportunity” along; however once the hook was set, she told me it was due in one week. Being essentially stuck, you get to hear from me.
I’m an explorationist at Carrizo Oil and Gas, an independent E & P (Exploration and Production) company working the United States onshore. I do all the geology and geophysics for the company in South Louisiana and Alabama. The accompanying photo is Shivling and me in India. I’m on trek above Gaumukh (the source of the Ganges) on my way over the Kalindi Khal at 5947 meters (19,506 feet). 
I was a chairman in the Houston Geological Society and thinking to get more involved in AAPG when Charles Sternbach recruited me to run for the House of Delegates. So I’ve been a Delegate for about four years now. It has been quite insightful to see the workings of AAPG and the issues we are grappling with. I believe that we, as delegates, must protect the integrity of our organization in two important ways. First, we are a resource to insure the quality of our applicants. Second, we screen and help fine-tune changes to our governing documents, namely the Constitution and Bylaws.
The other aspect of our job is that we represent about 75 AAPG members. We are their voice, but it also means we have the task of educating them about what is going on in the organization.
The House of Delegates is an exceptional networking venue and I value it highly. I’ve met a good number of incredible people and am sure I’ll meet more. I salute your efforts on behalf of AAPG and hope to see you in Denver.
Some Thoughts on Degree Requirements for Active Membership
During our Annual HoD Meeting in San Antonio John Hogg, Vice President- Regions, brought up an interesting question: is the requirement for an Active member to have a “degree in geological science” still appropriate or do other geoscientists like geophysicists or geological engineers feel too excluded to join AAPG?
Well, when I think about it, as a Geophysicist I have been a “mole” within our Society for the last 25 years. And what’s more, I have made it to the House of Delegates, serving for the European Region for the last three years.
When I decided to join AAPG I had just spent my first couple of years in the oil and gas industry and already had been a member in SEG and EAGE. What I was looking for was a society that integrated the geosciences better than the geophysical societies did (at least that was my impression at the time). Their journals focused very much on the theoretical aspects of my field (lots of formulas) whereas the AAPG Bulletin contained many applied case histories involving seismic interpretation, geology and reservoir engineering, in short just what I needed for my job. Also I felt that you cannot interpret a seismic section without understanding the geology behind it. Again, that need was fulfilled by AAPG and its international conferences offering a host of great field trips. I still enjoy reading the Bulletin and attending AAPG’s great conferences.
If I look at the E&P industry today, we are ideally looking for the Reservoir Scientist who is able to integrate all aspects of the earth sciences at least to the degree that he or she is able to work in a team of specialists and is able to follow and contribute to the team’s discussions by understanding the other specialists language. This requirement has also been taken up by many European and American Universities offering integrated curricula. The walls between geologists, geophysicists and reservoir engineers have been crumbling for quite some time and will probably disappear altogether in the not too distant future.
I am sure there are quite a number of “Non-Geologist” members within AAPG who have decided that they benefit from the services that our Society offers. To change the requirement for Active membership from “degree in geological science” to something like “degree in geological or related science,” would in my opinion, just phrase what’s happening anyway and would signal AAPG’s openness to broaden its membership base.
I am looking forward to the proposal of the Constitution and Bylaws Committee at out next meeting in Denver.