Outgoing Observations

DEG, AAPG Need Each Other

By RIMA PETROSSIAN
DEG President

DEG Web Site

DIVSION COLUMNS ARCHIVES

Our Dallas AAPG Annual Meeting is behind us, and it was -- as always -- a good opportunity to learn, catch up with old friends, share views about the industry, find out what is going on in others' area of interest and talk about the organization.

This column marks my last message as DEG president, so I would like to synthesize what I've learned, where DEG has gone and where I think it needs to go.

First, the tough message: We need more people in the industry and the profession to acknowledge that they need DEG.

Few industries are as visible to the public in their impact on the environment as the oil and gas exploration industry. Drilling in environmentally sensitive areas always arouses public concern, and is often controversial and politicized. As reserves diminish over time, exploration in these areas will be necessary if the demand for oil is to be met. But nothing will happen if the industry cannot show that it can provide for environmentally sustainable exploration.

Even if everyone in the oil and gas industry throughout the world cares about the environment, that won't sway the public's perception of the industry if the public does not see tangible evidence of industry's worldwide environmental concern.

One way to make sure that they know is to have a strong environmental division in AAPG and to be able to show both membership numbers and active participation in the Division.

In contrast, it was great to see all the enthusiastic faces at our booth in Dallas, especially all the young people who displayed genuine interest. Geology students, with whom many of us can still relate to from our own experience in joining AAPG, have a sincere and serious attitude toward preserving the environment -- but they also hope to have a long-term career in geology. These goals are not mutually exclusive.

Additionally, some still had no idea AAPG had an environmental division, and they expressed a high level of enthusiasm for our journal and the information we provide. Constant communication is a must!

I was dismayed to encounter veterans of AAPG who were complacent about the DEG, or members who had allowed their membership to lapse. AAPG needs the DEG. And, those of us in the DEG, especially now, have an obligation to ensure that the wider AAPG membership understands that. Spread the word among your colleagues.

As such, I hope that I have contributed to broadening this understanding during the past year. I look forward to working with Ken Vogel, my highly capable successor. As I pass the torch I'd like to say that I think we have had a successful year and I hope that we have given Ken a good foundation on which to move forward.

Among our accomplishments this year include updating the look, feel and mechanics behind our journal, Environmental Geosciences. Editor Gerald Baum said it best when he was writing about the EG: " ... what a dramatic increase in interest and submissions. I don't want to sound metaphysical, but I sense an up-tick in DEG enthusiasm ... (we) just need to translate that into increased membership."

We also had a very successful series of poster and oral sessions at the regional and national level, particularly in Dallas but also significantly at the Eastern Section meeting in Pittsburgh last year. I believe the future of our division rests firmly on the peer-reviewed EG, our public outreach through local and regional contacts, information we publish in environmentally related topical books and, most significantly, our Web site.

However, these areas where we choose to put our collective energy into will only thrive with more active contributing members. We need more division members now. We need you to join -- if not to be actively involved, then to show support to our division, because it is the right thing to do to support our profession. Environmental issues in energy-related industries are already inextricably woven into the process of natural resource exploration and development.

Thank you, again, to everyone in our great organization -- AAPG. I thank you for your assistance, support and encouragement over the past year. It has been a great pleasure and privilege to serve as your DEG president.

I will cherish the memories of this past year the rest of my life.