Events & Meetings
Charles Sternbach,
Chairman AAPG 2006 Convention
in Houston
By many accounts, this annual meeting was one for the record books. At 8,222 attendees this was the highest attended Houston Convention ever, and among the highest attended conventions of all time. We also set the record for raising the highest dollar amount of total sponsorship monies ($675,000) on behalf of all entities (AAPG, SEPM, HGS, etc.). We had 207 exhibitors showing the latest technologies and representatives from more than 80 countries attending. A sincere thank you to all sponsors and exhibitors.
The program contained exceptional papers, posters, short courses, field trips, sold out luncheons, spectacular entertainment events, innovative professional programs, and strong business-relevant forums. All gave meaning to the theme: “Perfecting the Search and Delivering on Promises.” AAPG’s compilation of “first-time” operational and committee-organized events for our convention is truly impressive. We were able to incorporate Houston’s many strengths and initiate business focus into our program by reaching out to the highest levels of corporate leadership.
It is my hope that digital video of the forum “Energizing the World in the 21st Century” will soon be on AAPG’s webpage for all members to enjoy. We included an innovative session “Women as Leaders in the Exploration and Production Industry: “Challenges and Opportunities” that was inspiring to all. Other Houston firsts included a fantastic evening of networking and socializing at the new Houston Aquarium.
Personally, my fondest memories focus on the opening ceremony. I was pleased that we paid tribute to the joy of discovery. This was enlivened through a video montage that included scenes from the movie “Giant” when Jett Rink’s well blows out, a tribute to the great wildcatter Michel T. Halbouty, and a quick cut to Jack Schmitt exploring on the moon back in 1972. It was great to have Jack in attendance to receive Honorary Membership of AAPG, and to recognize the other awardees including Bob Mitchum when he received the Sidney Powers Medal.
Other favorite memories include visiting NASA on a pre-convention field trip with Jack Schmitt and standing in front of his Apollo 17 capsule “America”, looking and touching moon rocks, and visiting mission control with Jack as our guide. And, without doubt, I will always remember the thrill of holding and examining cores from the world’s giant fields. There is something exhilarating about holding a dolomite sample of the pay zone from Ghawar in one’s hand... Ah... the room was full of fragrant hydrocarbons. Someone said “it smells like money!”
Charles A. Sternbach
Email
carbodude@pdq.net
Mallorca Meeting
The European region held a conference in Mallorca, Spain from April 30th to May 3rd on the Architecture of Carbonate Reservoirs. There were 131 attendees from 25 different countries present and was held in the Gran Melia Victoria Conference center in Palma. One of the features of the conference was to have Posters exhibited within the conference room thereby allowing immediate access and discussion during all breaks and during allocated periods immediately after the oral presentations. This format seemed to be appreciated as was the opportunity to engage in debate at the end of the day.
The General Chair was Mateu Esteban from Repsol/YPF and he and his committee need to be warmly congratulated on organizing a very successful and innovative conference which reflected well upon the Region, not only for the topic of discussion but for being willing to try out a new format. The time taken to arrange the conference was short and showed that a theme of this type could be addressed in short order of a year or so. Much of this was down to Bruce Lemmon our conference organizer, and one time AAPG employee.
The architecture of carbonate deposition was considered over the three days of presentations covering the Triassic, Jurassic, Cretaceous and Tertiary periods. Prior to each of these sessions, Jim Markello (ExxonMobil) and Keith Gerdes (Shell) gave an overview of the paleogeography of the specific time and on a map indicated the location of the presentations and the posters relevant to that time period. It took only a few minutes in each case, but was so successful that other conferences might consider using a similar format to better illustrate the regional setting of papers/posters in relation to themes.
There seemed to be discussion at every stage and at no time was there a lull in the enthusiasm generated. The inclusion of colleagues from the Middle East and Africa Regions served only to augment the event and provided direct experience of carbonate reservoirs in countries adjacent to the region giving completeness about the presence of carbonates throughout the area of discussion which would have been missing had they not been represented. This may not have been the first time the sections/regions have collaborated in a conference but again it is a format which might be encouraged to become more common.
Following the meeting a field trip led by Luis Pomar was held in Menorca and Mallorca, hopefully the rain which fell on thursday morning did not persist nor detract what was anticipated to be a stimulating event.
John Brooks
Athens is Next
The Region, in response to a request from the organization, has agreed to upgrade the proposed Athens Conference to one of international status. The meeting is planned for October 2007 and is being organized by a committee under Geir Lunde. More information will be available in the next newsletter.