Forums and Special Sessions

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The History of Petroleum Geology Committee will hold its annual forum at the AAPG 2013 ACE. This year’s forum will first discuss why the history of petroleum matters. Rasoul Sorkhabi, with the Energy & Geoscience Institute at the University of Utah, in Salt Lake City, Utah, will talk about the significance of the history of petroleum science and technology. This presentation will highlight the multi-dimensional implications and methodologies of research in the history of petroleum. Pete Rose will provide insight as to how geology impacts history as exemplified by the influence of the Edwards Plateau on frontier history of the Texas Hill Country. Settlement did not truly commence until the arrival of cable-tool drilling and windmills which provided reliable sources of water and barbed wire that ranchers used to control grazing.

John Fontana and David Seneshen with Vista Geoscience in Golden, Colorado, will speak on the past, present and future advancements methods for detecting hydrocarbons seepage above oil and gas deposits. During the mid-1930s, German and Russian scientists first identified anomalous methane seeps above gas fields. Since such time, better understanding of the theory behind vertical migration and micro-seepage, and technological improvements in instrumentation sensitivity and data analysis, has allowed detection of various hydrocarbon compounds at background levels. Also discussed will be a review of the advantages and disadvantages of the methods currently used, along with anticipated future developments.

Lastly, Stephen Testa will provide a historical perspective on hydraulic fracturing. With all the sudden visibility and controversy surrounding hydraulic fracturing, one would think that the techniques used to simulate production are new. However, fracturing techniques to stimulate hard rock wells have their roots in the 1860’s, with the concept of injecting non-explosive liquids (i.e. acid) coming into play in the 1930’s. The first experimental treatment to hydraulically fracture a well to stimulate production was performed in 1947, albeit with questionable results. Since such humble beginnings, the impact on the industry has been significant, with estimated increases in recoverable oil reserves by at least 50% and of natural gas 90%.

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The “Discovery Thinking” Forum will be the seventh presentation of the AAPG 100th Anniversary Committee’s program recognizing explorers that have made a difference. The Forum in Pittsburgh will feature five invited speakers who have pioneered major new resource plays in the U.S. and North America. Speakers will celebrate: Important Discoveries Expanding Resource Play Concepts.

Each speaker and their associates overcame great challenges in both business and geological aspects of our profession. Topics to be discussed will include philosophy of exploration, stories from remarkable careers, professional insights, colorful anecdotes, and lessons learned on the path to success. 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 insights derived from hard won experience. Additional time is allowed to permit the speakers to share personal stories about discoveries they know well and to also bring forward appropriate technical data.

These talks will emphasize exciting discoveries. We will feature resource plays of particular interest to a Pittsburgh venue. These talks are also relevant analogs for our global audience.

• William Zagorski, VP Exploration, Range Resources: Marcellus Shale — Geologic Considerations for an Evolving North American Liquids-Rich Play
• John Roesink and Jason Anderson, Senior Research Geologists, Bill Barrett Corporation: Wasatch-Green River Resource Play, Utah
• Robert Spitzer, VP Exploration, Apache Canada: Horn River Devonian Shale Gas Discoveries in NE British Columbia
• Marshall Deacon, Senior Petrophysical Advisor and Robert Lieber, Geologic Advisor, Noble Energy Inc.: Integrated Reservoir Evaluation as a Means for Unlocking Maximum Resource Value in an Unconventional Reservoir: Niobrara Formation, DJ Basin, Colorado
• Shane Matson, Senior Geologist, Spyglass Exploration: The Mississippi Lime: Outcrop to Subsurface and the Evolution of a Play

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The Michel T. Halbouty lecture series — funded by the AAPG Foundation — is an ongoing special event at the AAPG Annual Convention & Exhibition. Lecture topics are designed to focus either on wildcat exploration in any part of the world where major discoveries might contribute significantly to petroleum reserves, or space exploration where astrogeological knowledge would further mankind’s ability to develop resources on Earth and in the Solar System.

The Michel T. Halbouty Lecture speaker will be Jeff Ventura, President and CEO, Range Resources, Fort Worth, Texas discussing Range’s Path to Discovery and Commercialization of the Marcellus Shale — the Largest Producing Gas Field in the U.S.

Range’s Marcellus story started in 2003 with a corporate strategy shift from traditional, higher risk exploration to looking for large scale and repeatable resource plays. The Barnett Shale was then recognized as the first successful modern day shale play and industry was searching for the next shale play. The Marcellus opportunity presented itself in 2004, which through a combination of long term vision, opportunistic thinking, creativity, and the ability to break conventional wisdom, provided Range with a path to success, starting with the first vertical completion in 2004. This was followed in 2007 with horizontal success and then rapid expansion of the Marcellus play bringing it to world-wide prominence. The opportunities, challenges, obstacles and breakthroughs were many and often the answer was to break away from old mindsets into new. The Marcellus Shale now is producing more than 8 BCF per day, making it the largest producing gas field in the U.S.

Jeff Ventura, President , Chief Executive Officer and Director, joined Range in 2003 as Chief Operating Officer and became a director in 2005. He was named Chief Executive Officer effective January 1, 2012. Previously, Mr. Ventura served as President and Chief Operating Officer of Matador Petroleum Corporation which he joined in 1997. Prior to his service at Matador, Jeff spent eight years at Maxus Energy Corporation where he managed various engineering, exploration and development operations and was responsible for coordination of engineering technology. Previously, he was with Tenneco Oil Exploration and Production, where he held various engineering and operating positions. Jeff holds a Bachelor of Science in Petroleum and Natural Gas Engineering from Pennsylvania State University.

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Global interest in shale and tight-sand unconventional reservoirs as a significant new hydrocarbon resource demands innovative research into unraveling the unique depositional systems and sedimentologic processes that contributed to their accumulation. This research symposium is intended to highlight stratigraphic and sedimentologic research and emerging depositional concepts which can be used as predictive tools in exploration and exploitation of unconventional shale and tight-sand reservoirs.

Research topics to be presented and discussed as part of the Symposium include:

• Use of sequence-stratigraphic approaches and chemo-stratigraphic methods in the identification of shale and tight-sand reservoir “sweet spots”.
• Sedimentologic and stratigraphic influence on fracture mechanics and organic geochemistry of shale and tight sand reservoirs.
• Comparison of ‘deep’ versus ‘shallow’ depositional models for the accumulation of organic-rich shale facies.
• Organic-rich shale facies — A consequence of regional tectono-depositional systems and basin evolutionary history or global events?
• Conventional siliciclastic depositional models — Are they appropriate for interpretation of unconventional shale and tight-sand reservoirs?
• Exploring mudstones and tight sand reservoirs — Depositional processes and characterization.
• Reservoir prediction in low-permeability lacustrine facies.

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The success of North American natural gas producers and the attendant increases in reserves and production have depressed prices. Over the short term natural gas demand is primarily dependent on weather and macro-economic conditions. Over the longer term new markets for natural gas can boost demand bringing prices in line with production costs. This forum will explore some potential areas of growth in natural gas demand. A moderated discussion period will follow the presentation:

• Howard Gruenspecht, Deputy Administrator, Energy Information Administration: Projections of Future Natural Gas Demand from the U.S. Energy Information Administration
• Christopher Smith, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Oil and Natural Gas, U.S. Department of Energy: Expectations for Future Natural Gas and LNG Exports
• Lloyd B. Sanford, Vice President, Gas, TravelCenters of America: Potential Growth of Natural Gas Demand for Vehicles
• James R. Cooper, Vice President Petrochemicals, American Fuel & Petrochemical Manufacturers: Potential Growth in Natural Gas Demand for Chemicals

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Hurricane Sandy’s wrath was only the latest demonstration of the future coastal vulnerability of developed coastal regions, especially the East and Gulf coasts. Barrier islands and coastal dunes are dynamic features that respond to rising sea levels and extreme storms such as Sandy by shifting landward.

Dunes and beaches will naturally recover in the new location and storm related overwash deposits help create higher elevations in the center of the islands and new substrate for marshes in back-barrier bays. However, the natural processes of barrier island response to storms are inconsistent with and often conflicting to immobile coastal development.

Research after the latest East Coast storms tells a dramatic story of the catastrophic effect on the coast and future coastal vulnerability along our developed coastlines. The results of the latest research can help our coastal communities understand where they are most vulnerable to future storms and help decision makers at all levels create policies that protect their economic, environmental, and ecological health in the coastal areas most susceptible to extreme storm impacts.

Invited Speakers:

• Cheryl J. Hapke, United States Geological Survey
• Jesse McNinch, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Field Research Facility
• Art Trembanis, Coastal Sediments Hydrodynamics and Engineering Laboratory