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Books Continue Legacy of AAPG

By RICK FRITZ

While checking on potential quotes for my column I was amazed at how many quotes were made about books. For example, Martin Luther said, “Every great book is an action and every great action is a book.”

Then there is a Chinese proverb that says, “A book is like a garden carried in your pocket.” I am not sure exactly what that means but I like it.

My favorite quote on books was by Lord Byron, who said, “A drop of ink will make a million think!”

That fits exactly with AAPG’s goal to disseminate science. 

This year you will have a tremendous opportunity to examine a portion of the treasury of knowledge provided by some of the top geoscientists in the world. The following is a list with a brief description of four key special publications that will soon be available:

• Advances in the Petroleum Geology of Mexico – Editors: Claudio Bartolini and J.R.R. Ramos (co-published with Repsol YPF and PEMEX).
• This special publication contains 20 chapters covering onshore and offshore Mexican basins of the circum-Gulf of Mexico. Most of the chapters have a multidisciplinary approach, with special emphasis on hydrocarbon exploration and petroleum geology.
• It is an incredible new look at the geology and petroleum potential of Mexico.
• Natural Gas Hydrates – Energy Resource Potential and Associated Geologic Hazards – Editors: Tim Collete and Art Johnson, C. Knapp and R. Boswell (co-published with the U.S. Department of Energy, EMD and AAPG Foundation).
• This title evolved from the results of an AAPG Hedberg conference. It is a comprehensive treatise containing 39 printed extended abstracts and 39 full papers on CD on the geology of gas hydrates, focusing on resource assessment along with other significant papers on gas hydrate related geologic hazards.
• Oil Field Production Geology – Mike Shepherd.
• This special publication is written for students, new professionals in oil companies and for anyone with an interest in reservoir geology.
• Forty chapters explain the background to production geology in the context of oil field subsurface operations. It also gives practical guidelines as to how a production geologist can analyze the reservoir geology and fluid flow characteristics of an oil field with the aim of improving hydrocarbon recovery.
• CO₂ Sequestration in Geological Media – State of the Science – Editors: Matt Grobe, J.C. Pashin and R.L. Dodge (co-published with EMD, DEG, the Bureau of Economic Geology and the AAPG Foundation).
• This is a comprehensive geological analysis of carbon sequestration. Its 43 chapters present a compilation of state of the science contributions from the international research community on the topic of carbon dioxide sequestration in geological media, also called geosequestration.

 

AAPG has a rich history of developing special publications. On the bookshelves in my office is a set of every AAPG special publication. The very first special pub is titled “Geology of Salt Dome Oil Fields,” by E. DeGolyer and “Others.” The second is titled “The Theory of Continental Drift,” by W.A.J.M. van Waterschoot van der Gracht, published in 1928! It is the results of an early AAPG “workshop.” Even in our early history our members were thinking outside the box.

The first publication on salt domes has some classic papers and a great forward by Wallace Pratt, who writes:

“Much of the speculation as to the origin of salt domes especially in America, appears to be unsound, and the error results from an inaccurate of distorted conception of the true form and character of our salt domes. It is hoped that with a more accurate, more detailed picture of American salt domes, such as this volume attempts to present, students of salt-dome origin may clarify and bring into accord their several theories.”

In his forward Pratt describes the goal of AAPG in developing special publications: We want to publish more so we ask all members to consider this opportunity to “clarify and bring into accord your several theories.”

Terri Olson is the chair of the Publications Committee, and they are constantly looking for new proposals for special pubs. You can send inquiries to Beverly Molyneux .

I am even getting into the act. Ten years ago the late Dr. James Lee Wilson, a Sidney Powers medalist, and I conspired to develop a comprehensive special publication on the Cambro-Ordovician carbonates of North America. As a memorial to Jim, his many friends, colleagues and students plan to have “The Great American Bank: The Geology and Petroleum Potential of the Cambro-Ordovician Sauk Sequence of Laurentia” to print this fall.

 

Sir Francis Bacon said, “Some books are to be tasted, others to be swallowed and some few to be chewed and digested.”

Now is the time to take a new look at AAPG special publications – at least for a taste.