Energy Policy Blog

Those of us in the petroleum industry have been tracking the rapid expansion of oil and gas production from shales and in the process we may not have noticed the rapid expansion of renewable energy, especially wind. Read the latest Energy Information Administration (EIA) statistics.

American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG)
Explorer Policy Watch

Over the course of four months the House Natural Resources Committee, chaired by Doc Hastings (R-Wash.), or its Energy and Mineral Resources Subcommittee, chaired by Doug Lamborn (R-Colo.), hosted seven hearings celebrating energy education and employment.

American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG)
Learn! Blog

Mexico has six basins that produce oil and gas, and tremendous offshore, deep Gulf of Mexico resources. There is also shale potential in formations that extend south from the South Texas Eagle Ford. Still, according to statistics released by Pemex, Mexico’s oil and gas production has declined 25% since the 1980s. The problem has stemmed partially from a lack of investment, and difficulties in implementing new technologies to explore for and develop resources.

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American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG)
Energy Policy Blog

China plans to significantly increase its natural gas consumption to help cut its appalling air pollution. But natural gas is still a small part of its energy mix. In addition, and to confound environmentalists, a significant part of China’s gas supply comes from Coal-to-Gas technology, which generates large volumes of greenhouse gas and other pollutants, but does allow China to deliver clean-burning gas to locations with severe air pollution.

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American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG)
Explorer Historical Highlights

The discovery of giant oil fields in new basins typically occurs only after multiple exploration periods and numerous unsuccessful wells. The first explorers might or might not have the right technical concepts, but for various reasons they fail to find the big prize. This pattern was repeated prior to the discovery of the giant (in place) Liuhua 11-1 Field, Pearl River Mouth Basin, South China Sea.

American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG)
Explorer Division Column EMD

To address some of what appear to be competing issues, the Canadian Society of Petroleum Geologists (CSPG) and the AAPG will host a joint, multidisciplinary technical symposium on oil sands and heavy oil: “Oil Sands and Heavy Oil Symposium: A Local to Global Multidisciplinary Collaboration.”

American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG)
Explorer Director’s Corner

How are you working to protect your company’s information systems and physical assets? How are you working to protect your own digital information and assets? Both are critical infrastructure.

American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG)
Explorer Emphasis Article

For the first time in a generation, oil and gas doctoral programs in the United Kingdom have received a surge of financial support from the Natural Environmental Research Council (NERC), the main governmental funding body for academic research and training in geosciences in the United Kingdom.

American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG)
Explorer Article

Despite its “fits and starts” drilling history, the Tuscaloosa Marine Shale has begun to garner some respect– specifically, it appears to be on the brink of becoming a bona fide commercially productive play.

American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG)
Explorer Article

Independent companies, both large and small, are widely acknowledged for spearheading the shale play phenomenon. “Nimble” usually is the operative word here.

American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG)

Hot Items

Explorer Historical Highlights

The Paris Basin offers times of both discoveries and failures, from its first well drilled near Normandy in the 1920s to today. 

American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG)
Explorer Director’s Corner

Perhaps you did a double take pulling the April issue of EXPLORER from the mailbox. What is this? If you joined AAPG in the last 40 years, you’ve only known EXPLORER in its long-standing tabloid format. It worked well for many years as our advertisers – particularly seismic companies – loved the large format and the ability to display their data on a sweeping canvas. For readers, it was a little more awkward.

American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG)
Explorer Article

Carbon capture and sequestration reduces emissions, but it cannot work past cost barriers without the revenue opportunities provided by utilization and storage. 

American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG)
Explorer Article

Nihal Darraj, carbon capture and storage researcher at Imperial College, London shares barriers to CCUS commercialization, including costs, technology, permitting and more. 

American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG)

Headquarters Contacts

Susan Nash
Susan Nash Director, Innovation and Emerging Science and Technology, AAPG +1 405 314 7730