AAPG
EXPLORER
EXPLORER
Online registration for this year’s AAPG Annual Convention and Exhibition is now available – and the first deadline for reduced registration fees is arriving this month.
That deadline arrives March 25, to be exact.
The 2013 ACE will be held May 19- 22 at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center in Pittsburgh – the first time an ACE event has been held there, and the first time since 1986 for AAPG to hold its annual meeting in the eastern United States.
This year’s theme is “Go Deep: Making the Play With Geotechnology,” and a substantial part of the varied, far-reaching technical program will deal with the eastern U.S. shale plays that are dominating much of the industry’s current activity.
For example, this year’s Michel T. Halbouty Lecture, an annual ACE feature funded by the AAPG Foundation, will feature Jeff Ventura, president and CEO of Range Resources, who will discuss “Range’s Path to Discovery and Commercialization of the Marcellus Shale.”
Other examples can be found in the short course offerings (“Basic Tools for Shale Exploration”), field trips (“Devonian Gas Shales of the Appalachian Basin,” “The Marcellus Shale in South- Central Pennsylvania, Eastern West Virginia and Western Virginia”), forums and throughout the oral and poster presentations.
Other highlights include:
♦ Sunday’s opening session, featuring an address by AAPG President Ted Beaumont and the bestowing of AAPG honors to the Association’s and profession’s best, led by Sidney Powers Memorial Award winner Dietrich Welte and Michel T. Halbouty Outstanding Leadership Award winner Stephen A. Sonnenberg.
♦ James Palm, CEO of Gulfport Energy, will be this year’s All-Convention Luncheon speaker, talking about “Proving Up the Utica’s Liquids Window.”
♦ The Discovery Thinking Forum will be held on Monday, making it the seventh presentation of the AAPG100th Anniversary Committee’s program recognizing explorers who have made a difference. This year’s forum theme is “Important Discoveries Expanding Resource Play Concepts.”
♦ A special Energy Policy Forum will be held on Tuesday, titled “Demand Side of the Natural Gas Price,” moderated by AAPG’s GEO-DC Director (and EXPLORER Policy Watch columnist) Edith Allison.
♦ The AAPG Imperial Barrel Awards ceremony once again will be presented in a colorful, exciting setting immediately preceding the opening session, open to all attendees.
♦ As always, the exhibits hall will be filled with the latest technology, information and energy services – and will be the site for the annual Icebreaker reception, daily refreshments, the Cyber C@fé and the AAPG International Pavilion.
As in past years, a discounted fee schedule will be offered to those who register early for the meeting – and members who register on or before March 25 can save $200 off the full price.
Details of the meeting – including the complete technical program, field trips, short courses and various events – can be found in the official ACE announcement that accompanied the February EXPLORER. 
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