Finding resources in changing and challenging environments was the focus of the Expanding Unconventional Resources in Colombia with new Science – from Heavy Oil to Shale Gas/Shale Oil opportunities, a Geoscience Technology Workshop (GTW) held in Bogotá in December.
The GTW, organized by the AAPG Latin America Region and Affiliated Society Asocación Colombiana de Geólogos y Geofísicos del Petróleo (ACGGP) brought a strong attendance despite angst over falling oil prices worldwide and regulatory and community group challenges affecting production in Colombia.
The session opened with a session by Max Torres, vicepresident of exploration at Ecopetrol, Colombia’s national oil company, who talked about the company’s prospects in unconventional resource and heavy oil environments.
The first day of the workshop focused on reservoir characterization and technology and applications related to unconventional resources. While primary focus areas were the Middle Magdalena Valley and Eastern Cordillera Basins of Colombia, participants also heard perspectives from the Vaca Muerta Formation in Argentina and the Chicontepec Basin in Mexico.
The second day focused on reservoir characterization and technology applications for heavy oil, and focus areas included Colombia’s Southeast Caño Field and the Llanos, Caguan-Putumayo and Middle Magdalena Basins.
The workshop followed the typical GTW Format –four sessions featuring presentations followed by the traditional IPOD (issues/problems/opportunities/directions) discussions at the tables – but had two novel components.
The first was a digital poster session held the first day of the workshop. Representatives from seven companies and institutions presented their data stations equipped with a 42-inch monitor and computers.
Camilo Rojas, traveled from Canada to present his work with the University of Canada’s Tight Oil Consortium, described digital poster session as an “innovative idea.” His poster session focused on reservoir characteristics of the Cardium Formation in the periphery of the Pembina Feld in Central Alberta.
Rojas said the workshop was an excellent opportunity to share common knowledge about what the industry is doing to improve production and to compare experiences between countries in differing stages of development.
“You can get a sense of how competitive Colombia is with respect to other oil giants,” he said. “The O&G industry in Colombia is still in its infancy which makes it really exciting.”
Another component unique to a Latin America GTW was the presence of seven students and four young professionals, individuals who traditionally do not attend the workshops due to their high cost.
GTW Organizing Committee members offered deep discounts to seven students – one for each AAPG student chapter in Colombia – and allowed chapters to nominate students who were chosen though a competitive process. Discounted young professional registration was provided to four recent graduates who were looking for work or were unable to obtain company support to attend the workshop.
Maria Alejandra Rodriguez, of secretary of the AAPG Student Chapter at the National University of Bogotá, described participation the GTW as a “remarkable experience that I would repeat without a doubt!”
Rodriguez said attending the provided a great opportunity to learn from experts about current industry trends and new technology as well as to gain confidence participating in discussions with industry leaders. She reported out on her group’s discussions twice during the workshop.
“In addition to all the technical and academic knowledge I gained, I feel I also enhanced my abilities to infer and summarize,” she said. “These types of workshops promote dynamic sessions that are very productive and encourage the participants to meet new people and therefore to discover new perspectives and ideas.”
Rodriguez, said she looks forward to sharing these perspectives with fellow students through the chapter’s investigation group.
GTW brought 140 participants representing 40 companies, seven universities and eight countries in the Americas and in Europe. Event sponsors included Colombia’s Agencia Nacional de Hidrocarburos, HOCOL, Baker Hughes, Emerald Energy Colombia, Amerisur Resources Plc, Petrobras Colombia, Schlumberger, Equion Energía, ConocoPhilips, Nexen and Talisman Energy.