Highlights
Special Events
Opening Session and Awards Ceremony
Date: Sunday, 11 April
Time: 4:00 p.m.–5:00 p.m.
Location: La Nouvelle Orleans Ballroom
Fee: Included with convention registration
This year’s opening session is guaranteed to get you ready not just for the 2010 ACE, but for the
experience that is New Orleans. After all, no one knows better how to have a good time than the
good people of New Orleans — and that spirit will be felt throughout the opening session.
This year’s multi-media event will feature live music, exciting videos and colorful sights that will
serve as the setting for what promises to be an engaging and entertaining session. Of course,
the opening session’s focal point is the annual awards presentation, when the best of AAPG are
honored in a fast-moving, often emotional ceremony that pays tribute to the outstanding leaders,
scientists, educators, civic leaders and authors of the past year. This year’s session will feature
the special presentation of the Michel T. Halbouty Outstanding Leadership Award to independent
geologist Patrick J. F. Gratton and conclude with the awarding of the Sidney Powers Memorial
Medal to renowned geologist L. Frank Brown Jr., who will offer a few brief remarks of his own.
The opening session also will feature an official welcome by convention General Chair Tom Hudson and the annual AAPG presidential address by John Lorenz. The Icebreaker celebration begins immediately at the end of the session and you may find yourself dancing all the way to the exhibits hall, led by musicians who will be playing the quintessential sounds of New Orleans.
This fast-moving and powerful ceremony will be the talk of the convention, so plan now to start your New Orleans’ experience in style. Laissez les bon temps rouler!
Those who will be honored in New Orleans include:
- Sidney Powers Memorial Award
L. Frank Brown, Jr. - Michel T. Halbouty Outstanding Leadership Award
Patrick J. F. Gratton - Honorary Member Award
Adebayo O. Akinpelu, John R. Hogg, Pinar O. Yilmaz - Outstanding Explorer Award
John Amoruso, J. Denny Bartell, Larry Bartell - Robert R. Berg for Outstanding Research Award
Martin P. A. Jackson - Distinguished Service Award
Martin M. Cassidy, Rebecca L. Dodge, Bob A. Hardage, Dwight “Clint” Moore, Terence G. O’Hare, Craig W. Reynolds, John W. Robinson - Grover E. Murray Memorial Distinguished Educator Award
Wayne M. Ahr, Eric A. Erslev, Murray K. Gingras - Special Award
Robert W. Allen, George P. Mitchell - Public Service Award
Thomas C. Bergeon, Ahmed N. El Barkooky, William B. Harrison III, Tako Koning - Pioneer Award
Thomas D. Barrow - Wallace E. Pratt Memorial Award (recognizing the authors of the best AAPG Bulletin article published each calendar year)
David R. Pyles - Robert H. Dott, Sr. Memorial Award (recognizing the authors/editors of the best special publication dealing with geology published by the Association)
Stephen P. Cumella, Keith W. Shanley, Wayne K. Camp - J. C. “Cam” Sproule Memorial Award (recognizing younger authors of papers applicable to petroleum geology)
David R. Pyles - John W. Shelton Search and Discovery Award (in recognition of the best contribution to the “Search and Discovery” website in the past year)
Paul M. (Mitch) Harris - George C. Matson Award (recognizing the best oral presentation at the AAPG Annual Convention in Denver)
Barbara Tilley (Co-authors: Pradeep Bhatnagar, Scott McLellan, Bob Quartero, Byron Veilleux, Karlis Muehlenbachs) - Jules Braunstein Memorial Award (recognizing the best poster presentation at the AAPG Annual Convention in Denver)
Nikki Hemmesch (posthumously), Nicholas Harris - Gabriel Dengo Memorial Award for Best International Paper (AAPG 2009 International Conference & Exhibition in Rio de Janeiro)
Pedro V. Zalan (Co-authors: Maria do Carmo G. Severino, Joao Alberto B. Oliveira, Luciano P. Magnavita, Webster U. Mohriak, Rogerio C. Gontijo, Adriano R. Viana, Peter Szatmari) - Ziad Beydoun Memorial Award for International Best Poster (AAPG 2009 International Conference & Exhibition in Rio de Janeiro)
Paul Markwick (Co-authors: Mohamed Raddadi, Lauren Raynham, Steve Tomlinson, Emma Edgecombe, Dennis Rowland, Robert Bailiff, Amanda Galsworthy, Neil Wrobel)
Foundation Awards
- Weeks Medal (awarded in recognition for extraordinary philanthropy and service directed to advance the mission of the AAPG Foundation)
Lawrence W. Funkhouser - Chairman’s Award* (in recognition of extraordinary contributions (monetary or service) to the AAPG Foundation)
D. Scotty Holland
*Presented at the AAPG Foundation Chairmen's Reception
Forums and Special Sessions
Forum: History of Petroleum Geology (AAPG)
Date: Sunday, 11 April
Time: 1:30 p.m.–3:00 p.m.
Location: Room 243/244/245
Co-chairs: S. Testa and M. Barnett
From Drake’s first successful well in Pennsylvania to the installation of the first deepwater spar development, from back room wheeling and dealing for leases in the early days of the East Texas Oil Field to today’s modern computer applications and Internet communication capabilities, and from the early days of divining rods and creekology to today’s modern 3-D seismic and well logging technologies, the petroleum industry has an exceptionally colorful and varied history. An
understanding of the history of petroleum geology is a key to avoiding mistakes of the past and allows today’s explorationists insights into how innovative thinking has changed our industry
for the better over the last 100 years.
Presenters and their topics include:
- R. Sorkhabi: The Miri Oil Field 1910: The Centenary of the First Oil Discovery in Borneo, SE Asia
- R. M. Clary, J. H. Wandersee: Locating the Play: The History of Visualization in Petroleum Exploration
- W. G. Frost, R. Hubbard: The Somewhat Accidental Discovery of the Mobile Bay Gas Field: A Story of Perseverance and Good Fortune.
- J. P. Martin: The Oil and Gas Industry in the Empire State: Past, Present and Future
Forum: Discovery Thinking (AAPG/DPA/HOPG)
Date: Monday, 12 April
Time: 1:25 p.m.– 5:00 p.m.
Location: Room 243/244/245
Co-chairs: C. Sternbach and E. Dolly
The “Discovery Thinking” Forum will be the third presentation of the AAPG 100th Anniversary Committee’s program recognizing “100 Who Made a Difference.” The New Orleans forum will
feature six invited speakers who have made a difference. They are John Amoruso, Marv Brittenham, Gregg Robertson, Bill Zagorski, Mike Forrest and Dan Smith.
Each is a legendary veteran of the petroleum industry.They are all renowned for their success in exploring for and finding hydrocarbon reserves. Each speaker overcame great challenges and thrived in both business and geological aspects of our profession. Topics to be discussed will include philosophy of exploration, lessons learned from remarkable careers, professional insights and some colorful anecdotes. As technology advances and a new wave of young geoscientists enter our profession, we see continued interest in forums such as this to discuss the personal side of success and what has been called the “art of exploration.” This year’s program focuses on 1) insights derived from hard won experience and 2) discovery thinking behind the hottest “unconventional” resource plays of the Gulf Coast and Eastern sections of interest to the New Orleans venue.
Presenters and their topics include:
- J. Amoruso: East Texas, Deep Bossier Sandstone- Amoruso Field
- M. Brittenham: “Unconventional” Discovery Thinking in Resource Plays: Haynesville Trend, N. Louisiana
- G. Robertson: From First Idea to 10 TCF in 10 Months: Discovery of Eagle Ford Shale in the Hawkville Field, LaSalle and McMullen Counties, Texas
- B. Zagorski: The Appalachian Marcellus Shale Play - Discovery Thinking, Timing and Technology
- M. C. Forrest: Learning from 40 Years’ Experience Risking Seismic Amplitude Anomaly Prospects
- D. Smith: Discovery Thinking Has Led to 70 Years of Continued Exploration and Development at Stella Salt Dome, Plaquemines Parish, Louisiana
Global Climate Change Forum: Climate Change, Sea Level Change and Storm Event Impact on Sedimentary Environments and Petroleum Industry Infrastructure, U.S. Gulf of Mexico (AAPG/DEG)
Date: Wednesday, 14 April
Time: 1:15 p.m.–5:00 p.m.
Location: Room 243/244/245
Co-Chairs: J. Levine and J. Kupecz
Severe storms in the Gulf of Mexico have demonstrated the susceptibility of coastal facilities and infrastructure to damage and disruption by the combined effects of high winds, waves and storm surge. Storm surge from Hurricane Katrina traveled inland as far as 12 miles in the state of Mississippi, highlighting the vulnerability of our estuaries to storm-related flooding. With a substantial portion of our domestic energy industry centered in the Gulf region — including onshore and offshore petroleum production, port facilities, refineries, and transmission and transportation systems — the entire country is likely to feel the impact of future severe storm events. Moreover, the combination of rising sea level, regional subsidence, and disruption of natural patterns of sedimentation, will heighten the risk of damage.
In light of these concerns, this session will consider the following questions, among others:
- What is the historical and recent record of impact of severe storms on coastal erosion, sediment redistribution, and flooding along the U.S. Gulf Coast.
- How does recent (post-1900) sea level rise relate to post-glacial sea level rise? What are the prospects for the future and the likely impact?
- In what way are severe storms affected by climate, and what is the potential long-term impact of climate change on storm frequency and intensity?
- How is subsidence of the Mississippi Delta, in combination with projected sea level rise likely to impact coastal infrastructure?
- What strategies and plans are being implemented for mitigation and adaptation in response to the risk of future severe storm events?
Presenters and their topics include:
- B. Soden: Modeling and Interpreting the Impact of Severe Storms and Their Relation to Climate”
- Dr. Asbury (Abby) Sallenger: An Overview of Extreme Storms in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico and Their Coastal Impact
- Dr. Michael Blum: Impact of Sea-Level Change and Regional Subsidence on Coastal Evolution: Prospects for the Mississippi Delta
- Dr. John Anderson: Response of Gulf Coast Bays and Coastal Barriers to Changes in the Rate of Sea-Level Rise and Sediment Supply
- Robert Patterson: Petroleum Industry Response to Storms and Sea Level Changes
SEPM Research Symposium: Autogenic and Allogenic Controls on Sedimentary Successions: Modern and Ancient, Clastic and Carbonate
Date: Tuesday, 13 April
Time: 8:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m. and 1:15 p.m.–5:00 p.m.
Location: Room 343/344/345
Co-chairs: C. Paola, M. Perlmutter and M. Blum
Stratigraphy records include both externally forced (allogenic) and internally generated (autogenic) signals. For a long time it was assumed that the two could be readily separated, with allogenic effects dominating at longer space and time scales. Several recent developments have made the situation more interesting: (1) researchers are increasingly interested in extracting high-frequency external signals, especially climate, from stratigraphic records; (2) recent research has expanded the range of effects that autogenic processes can produce and extended their range to surprisingly long space and time scales; (3) the discovery of similarity in autogenic processes has opened the possibility that their stratigraphic effects may be scale independent over some range of scales; and (4) recent work suggests that autogenic and allogenic processes can interact strongly. This session was motivated by developments such as these but is open to any innovative research on the interaction of autogenic and allogenic processes in stratigraphy.
DPA Panel Discussion on Ethics and Professionalism
Date: Tuesday, 13 April
Time: 2:00 p.m.–4:00 p.m.
Location: La Nouvelle Orleans Ballroom
Moderator: J. Jones and C. Smith
Join the DPA for an informative and thought-provoking talk on issues affecting the DPA, AAPG,
geoscientists and society at large. Immediately following the DPA Luncheon, panelists David
Curtiss, John Dolson, Lynn Hughes, Pete Rose, Ray Thomasson and Scott Tinker will discuss
issues ranging from DPA bylaws to position statements, the role of the DPA and more. Come hear what they have to say on issues such as:
- AAPG Constitution and Bylaws — purposes, code of ethics and responsibility.
- Tax issues related to our profession are items on which we have position papers. Higher taxes mean less production and less exploration. Is this type of thing a political or partisan issue?
- AAPG has an obligation to educate, but what about subjects that are semi-political or largely political?
And be sure to bring a friend!
