Divisions
Division of Professional Affairs
DPA hosted a highly successful inaugural Playmaker Forum on January 24 in Houston, Texas. The one-day event was co-sponsored with the AAPG Education department and modeled after GTW conferences. However, very little was typical about this event, which had about 225 attendees, 14 speakers, and a packed networking ice breaker reception with about 30 young professionals. The program (which debuted two weeks before NAPE) was built on the premise “from prospect to discovery, professionalism leads the way.”
Many traveled from far and wide to attend and hear some of the best oil finders in our business talk about prospecting skills, the art of exploration, prospecting work flows, successful plays and emerging oil and gas plays. The Playmaker program is harmonious with AAPG President Ted Beaumont’s challenge for AAPG to focus on applied science. In addition, it demonstrates how AAPG Divisions can create valuable content for all AAPG members. The Playmaker Forum helps fulfill that mission for DPA. All attendees received a copy of the DPA publication “Heritage of the Petroleum Geologist.”
The Houston Chronicle posted an article about the forum in the January 25 Business section. Also included in the Houston Chronicle article was reference to Mr. Harold Hamm, who gave the Keynote address, “My Vision for US Energy Independence.”
DPA past presidents in attendance were Dan Tearpock, Bob Shoup, Will Green, Terry Hollrah, and Marty Hewitt. Ted Beaumont, AAPG President, spoke on Exploration Creativity. Bill Zagorski, a speaker on the new liquids rich portion of the Marcellus shale, commented that Ted’s talk was particularly important for new plays. DPA plans to share many of these talks as webinars “coming soon to a computer near you.”
Rick Fritz (former AAPG Executive Director) presented a talk on “Geoscouts: Leveraging AAPG and DPA to Improve Your Professionalism”. Rick discussed how AAPG and DPA resources can help explorers. Rick encouraged attendees to join both organizations. Rick’s vision for Geoscouts involves mobilizing AAPG’s vast library resources and web links to provide key information to explorers. Volunteers will add insightful commentary to geologic information in a wiki type web-based format, and it is hoped Geoscouts will become an additional DPA member benefit very soon.
At the Playmaker Forum we combined the “Wildcatter Corner” reception with the Houston NeoGeos regular monthly “Thirsty Thursday” to engage young professionals. Since DPA is about networking, what better way than to mentor and recruit new and future members than though a little “bar diplomacy?”
As Marlan Downey says, “Geology is a science, exploration a business.” DPA members excel at both. It was clear at Playmaker that timing, persistence and thinking big are common in today’s success stories. Geologists have a key role to play in these successes. Programs like Playmaker showcase bright spots in what Divisions can offer all AAPG members and help fulfill DPA’s goal to “empower geologists to discover energy and excel in business.”
Updating the DPA Business Plan: Building on Success
International Presence – We now have Councilors representing all AAPG sections and regions. DPA is planning a big presence at Cartagena ICE 2013. Paul Weimer and I will be organizing a Discovery Thinking Program on South America (AAPG/DPA Forum). The video record of these forums can be accessed on AAPG Search and Discovery. DPA webpage and webinars will continue to expand global content.
Membership – Rick Fritz chairs DPA’s Membership Committee; many prospective members are applying. Rick is contacting AAPG leaders who are not yet DPA members and recruiting them with great success.
Gathering & Learning – DPA has big plans for Spring 2013.
- DPA Town Hall Meeting was held in Tulsa on January 17 and organized by DPA councilors Dave Tschopp and Joel Alberts. Geo-DC Director Edie Allison briefed the audience on upcoming events in Washington.
- Southwest Section, April 6-9, 2013, DPA Luncheon, Dick Bishop “U.S. Shales in Perspective of a World Oil Supply in Transition”, DPA Councilor Gregg Norman.
- Pacific Section, April 19-24, DPA Luncheon speaker: Rob Sterling, DPA Councilor John Williams.
- AAPG ACE Pittsburgh, May 19-22, 2013. Mike Canich, General Chair; Dan Billman, General Vice Chair; and Bob Travail, DPA Vice Chair; have big plans for the Annual Convention in Pittsburgh.
DPA will feature:
- 3 Courses
- Quality Control for Subsurface Maps (QLT’s) Dan Tearpock or Joe Brewton, SCA
- The Three Ps of Geosteering: Principals, Practice and Pitfalls, Toby V. Barlow, Empirica and Mark Gallagher, Encana, (and others)
- Black Belt of Ethics (Luncheon) Bob Shoup, Clastic Reservoirs
- DPA/AWG Luncheon: Patrick Leach, Decision Strategies, Inc. “Everything We Know Is Wrong”
- DPA/Geo-DC Forum: Title: Demand Side of the Natural Gas Price Equation, Edie Allison
- Discovery Thinking Forum. Ed Dolly and I will chair this event for the 6th time at the Annual Convention. This year we expand the conversation by including discoveries of new play types like Eocene Green River lacustrine shale by Bill Barrett and other (non-black shale) plays like Niobrara and Mississippi Lime plays.
Governmental Affairs
DPA is happy to continue support for the Geo-DC office. Edie Allison, new Director of Geo-DC, is doing a great job. Edie has scheduled the next Congressional Visit Day (CVD) for April 16-18, 2013.
CVD provides an opportunity for AAPG members to discuss petroleum science and energy issues with decision makers in the legislative and executive branches of the federal government. It is also an exciting introduction to the world of politics that will provide you with tools to use at the local and state levels once you return home. AAPG staff will provide training and briefing materials, and schedule the meetings.
Send an e-mail to Edie Allison, Geo-DC director, at eallison@aapg.org if you would like information and an invitation. Linda and I plan to attend (maybe show up a little early for a tour of the White House?). We invite you to join us! Edie is organizing DPA forums for Pittsburgh (above), URTeC in August, and meetings beyond. Watch for Edie’s column each month in the Explorer!
Feedback Welcome!
How can DPA be more relevant to AAPG members? Please feel free to share your thoughts with myself, or other members of the DPA Executive Committee: President-Elect Val Shultz, Past President Marty Hewitt, Vice-President Paul Pausé, Treasurer Debbie Osborne and Secretary Mark Gallagher. We now have approximately 32 councilors (and alternates) around the globe, so a friend in DPA is never too far away.
See you at an AAPG meeting soon!