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Explorer Article By Emily Llinás

Colombia’s 60-year internal conflict impacts a great part of the South American nation, but the most devastating effects have occurred in rural communities and outlying populations that, in addition to violence, are plagued by geographical and social isolation, deficiencies in educational and health care and inattention from the government authorities. Ironically, many of these areas are geological environments ripe for oil and gas exploration and mining. Challenges like these caught the attention of Carlos Ortega, an exploration geologist who co-founded ACGGP’s Regional Pedagogy Program to serve as a bridge between communities and industry.

Added on 01 March, 2023

Explorer Division Column EMD By Mike Bingle-Davis

The Persistent Prevalence of Energy Minerals

Energy minerals have always been lurking in the background, silently supporting societal progress without the usual spectacle accompanied by paradigm-shifting discoveries. Looking back at decades’ worth of AAPG EXPLORER issues, many of the cover stories lay bare the gradual exposure of energy minerals into the light. Energy minerals continue to play a supporting role in most technologies, and as these become more prevalent, it is my hope that we don’t lose sight of how and where these energy minerals are being sourced.

Added on 01 February, 2023

Explorer Director’s Corner By David Curtiss

Taking Heed of Rose’s Rules

I attended Pete Rose’s memorial service in Austin, Texas. There, along with his family, friends and several AAPG past presidents and other leaders, we remembered a man who had a significant influence on many and left a legacy to our industry. As we filed to our seats in the sanctuary, we each received a small pamphlet of Rose’s Rules – maxims that Pete compiled and that were meaningful to him – and No. 78 stood out to me.

Added on 01 February, 2023

Explorer Foundation Update By Vern Stefanic

The Trials and Triumphs of AAPG’s Distinguished Lecture Program

Being an AAPG Distinguished Lecturer, from the very first speaking tour in 1941, was always a prestigious achievement and a source of honor and pride for those selected as speakers. It was always recognized and praised as an important vehicle for the profession’s top geoscientists to share the latest in industry insights and advances. It always showcased geologists who truly were distinguished. What it wasn’t always, was easy.

Added on 01 February, 2023

Explorer Historical Highlights By Dan Plazak

When Doodlebugs Ruled the Earth

The idea of an oil-finding instrument was not new. Water dowsers were common throughout the United States and among most people of European descent worldwide, and they were quickly adapted to looking for oil. Soon after the Drake well in 1859, people started working on inventions to detect oil by geophysical methods.

Added on 01 February, 2023

Explorer President’s Column By Steven Goolsby

The Immeasurable Rewards of Volunteering

Volunteering is sometimes worth its weight in gold. There is a reason many of us have continued to volunteer to help AAPG for many years, sometimes decades. There is personal satisfaction in that you help promote the science and business that you love, but the rewards of personal and close interaction with your peers often far outweigh anything else. Such collaboration can be priceless.

Added on 01 February, 2023

Explorer Geophysical Corner By Aria Abubakar,Haibin Di,Sunil Manikani,Tao Zhao

How Deep Learning Can Accelerate Offshore Wind Farm Site Characterization

To achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2050, the demand for renewable energy is increasing exponentially, with offshore wind farms as one potential area of investment. Offshore wind farm development requires effective mapping of near subsurface for turbine foundation design and construction, which faces many challenges related to seafloor topography mapping, shallow geohazard detection, structure interpretation and modeling, soil type analysis and geotechnical property estimation, among other considerations.

Added on 01 February, 2023

Explorer Emphasis Article By Emily Llinás

Trinidad and Tobago Concludes Onshore and Nearshore Bid Round

On Jan. 9, Trinidad and Tobago’s Ministry of Energy and Energy Industries concluded the 2022 Onshore and Nearshore Competitive Bid Round. This bid round featured a total of 11 blocks covering more than 115,000 hectares. Blocks offered included Aripero, Buenos Ayres, Charuma, Cipero, Cory D, Cory F, Guayaguayare, South West Peninsula Onshore, St. Mary’s and Tulsa, located in the central to southern onshore Trinidad; and the South West Peninsula Offshore, located off the southern coast of Trinidad. Xavier Moonan, president-elect of AAPG’s Latin America and Caribbean Region and exploration manager of Touchstone Exploration Inc., follows the bid rounds closely.

Added on 01 February, 2023

Explorer Article By Heather Saucier

Modular Oil Refineries Solve Efficiency, Environmental Problems

Refineries are some of the largest carbon emitters in the world, and making them greener is no simple task. Yet, an effort to do so is taking place in West Texas in the heart of the Permian Basin. Here, two operators have received state permits to build small, modular refineries to process the light, sweet crude from shale formations with emissions that are roughly 95-percent lower than those from the average Gulf Coast refinery. Taking advantage of their location – where oil is produced and its finished products are needed – these operators have capitalized on the opportunity to build their own refineries from scratch, complete with carbon capture technology, and become some of the cleanest refineries in the country.

Added on 01 February, 2023

Explorer Emphasis Article By David Brown

Clean Energy Opportunity Adds to Super Basins Appeal

Energy super basins grabbed the attention of the oil and gas industry during the past five years, with good reason. Now a period of re-evaluation has kicked in. Producers are looking beyond total resource potential to apply other criteria, including economic, environmental and regulatory considerations. Those yardsticks could help identify which basins will dominate energy production in the decades ahead.

Added on 01 February, 2023

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wwwUpdate Blog By Grant Smith

Free Access to AAPG's Discovery Series 10 and 15 Full Data Set Tutorials

Courtesy of AAPG and AAPG Datapages, two Discovery Series data sets have been donated free of charge for use as online teaching materials. Discovery Series 10 – Sandstone Petrology: A Tutorial Petrographic Image Atlas 2nd Edition and Discovery Series 15 – Carbonate Petrology: Interactive Petrography Tutorial, both authored by Kitty Milliken, have been posted online for easy accessibility.

Added on 11 May, 2020

wwwUpdate Blog

Advertise With Us!

AAPG publications are widely read by geologists, geophysicists and reservoir engineers. Are they your target audience? Then take advantage of the many advertising opportunities available in AAPG’s news and journal magazines.

Added on 13 April, 2018

wwwUpdate Blog

AAPG 2022 Strategic Planning Survey Results

Results of the 2022 AAPG Member/Customer Planning Survey.

Added on 05 April, 2023

wwwUpdate Blog

Hackbarth Assumes Presidency of AAPG

Claudia J. Hackbarth, a Houston-based geologist who has held a variety of management and leadership positions for the Royal Dutch Shell Group, assumed the presidency of AAPG on July 1.

Added on 30 June, 2023