This month's column was written by Javier J. Meneses-Rocha, with Pemex.

Gas Plays Focus of Veracruz Meeting

Editor's note: This column is devoted to international items of note to the AAPG.

News items, press releases and other information should be submitted to the EXPLORER/International Bulletin Board, P.O. Box 979, Tulsa, Okla. 74101; telephone – 918-560-2616; fax – 918-560-2684; or e-mail – dfree@aapg.org.

The splendid ambience of the city and port of Veracruz, located in the center of the Mexican gulf coastal plain, is the site of the fourth joint Asociación Mexicana de Geólogos Petroleros (AMGP)-AAPG international conference, which will be held Nov. 4-7 at the Continental Plaza Hotel's Convention Center.

The conference theme is "Exploration and Development of Gas Plays" -- a timely topic, especially for those companies, government agencies and academic institutions that are facing the challenge to increase their gas supply through the exploration and development of their natural gas resources and reserves.

The conference will focus on how and why the resources and reserves of gas plays can contribute to support a worldwide growing demand of this cleaner-burning and efficient fuel.

Mexico is the ideal site for the theme, too, since through its own national oil company, PEMEX, it is developing an ambitious exploration and production plan in which natural gas is a top priority to meet national energy needs for today and tomorrow.

Organizers have assembled a strong sample of 26 oral and 30 poster presentations centered on seven sub-themes, which provide a broad and diverse view of the international gas business, plus the chance to learn about the newest concepts in exploration and production for gas.

The program is organized to include in-depth looks at gas plays exploration and development. Industry experts will discuss and share personal experiences in well-explored basins as well as in the exploration of new global frontiers, such as the Sub-andean and Mexican basins.

Poster sessions will be held for the entire day, allowing plenty of time for reviewing and interaction.

Oral session topics include:

• Supply and Demand for Natural Gas, Present and Future Trends (Management Session).
• Geological Characteristics and Potential of Emerging Gas Plays in the World.
• New Technologies and Methodologies for Exploration of Gas Plays.
• Drilling Technologies, Reservoir Evaluation and Production Management for Gas.
• Where Are We and What Lies Ahead? (Panel Discussion).

Poster session topics are:

• Non-Conventional Sources of Natural Gas.
• Play Analysis of Selected Gas Basins.

Also included will be:

• Two luncheon talks, featuring Alfredo E. Guzman, exploration strategies coordinator of PEMEX, who will speak on "Exploration for Gas in Mexico," and past AAPG president Marlan W. Downey, speaking on "Looking for Gas ... in All the Tight Places."
• A post-conference field trip to the Sierra Madre Oriental at the environs of Monterrey.
• Two post-conference short courses.
• A limited trade show.

For more information, contact those on the conference Executive Committee:

• Javier J. Meneses-Rocha; telephone -- (9) 310-17-96; fax -- (9) 310-18-72; jvmenerc@sur.pep.pemex.com.
• Adán Oviedo-Pérez; telephone -- (9) 310-17-95; fax -- (9) 310-17-41; adoviepr@sur.pep.pemex.com.
• Efraín Méndez-Hernández; telephone -- (9) 310-18-70; fax -- (9) 310-18-63; emendez@sur.pep.pemex.com.

Also, information as it becomes available will be posted on the AAPG Web site.

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