Explorer Article
By Emily Llinás
The Peruvian Congress’s ousting of President Pedro Castillo on Dec. 7 led to two weeks of protest throughout the country, with at least 50 reported dead in clashes with law enforcement. In Arequipa, Peru’s second largest city located 400 kilometers from the southern border, AAPG members Luis Alexander Alvarez and Alexandra Del Castillo took refuge in their homes. Alvarez, a mining and hydrocarbon geologist, said the social unrest directly affected him and his family.
American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG)
Added on 01 February, 2023
Explorer Article
By David Brown
Large institutions and asset managers are diversifying away from traditional oil and gas projects, sometimes driven by climate concerns, but their investments haven’t fallen far afield. Those organizations think in terms of billions of dollars when evaluating a potential investment sector. And so far, they haven’t hesitated to invest in energy. What has changed, and what keeps changing, is where they put those investment dollars. It’s an energy-investment transition that parallels today’s ongoing energy transition.
American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG)
Added on 01 February, 2023
Explorer Director’s Corner
By David Curtiss
Last month the world’s political and industrial leaders gathered in Egypt for COP27. This annual event convened by the United Nations is an opportunity to engage in dialogue on the topic of climate change and to discuss a coordinated global response. If you’ve been paying attention for any length of time, you know that the topic of climate change and meetings like COP divide AAPG members. An individual member may or may not agree with the proposed policies or the concerns expressed at COP. But for many of our members worldwide, the topic of climate change and its impact on our industry and profession is existential – it has or will directly impact their careers and ability to practice their profession. That is why we must discuss this topic.
American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG)
Added on 01 December, 2022
Explorer President’s Column
By Steven Goolsby
If you have attended any AAPG function or convention recently you have seen that we are striving hard to ensure that diversity and inclusion are upheld in everything we do. What does diversity and inclusion entail, and why are we striving hard to factor it into our planning? Does it skew our planning in favor of one group or another? Is it a quota system mandated by the government? Are we doing this just to be “fair”? Finally, why does an old silver-haired dinosaur such as myself champion the importance of diversity and inclusion within AAPG?
American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG)
Added on 01 December, 2022
Explorer Division Column DEG
By Hannes Leetaru
The first U.S. oil well was drilled 1859 in Titusville, Penn., and the first commercial gas well was even earlier in 1825 in Fredonia, N.Y. There are two centuries of oil and gas drilling in the United States, and many of the wells in the first 150 years did not have the best plug-and-abandonment methods in place. Some of these wells are in urban areas and can endanger the residents. The number of orphaned and abandoned wells varies greatly depending on their definition. There might be millions of old and improperly plugged oil and gas wells leaking methane or contaminating groundwater in the United States, and plugging them will cost billions.
American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG)
Added on 01 December, 2022
Explorer Article
By Charles Sternbach
Why deepwater? In addition to expanding our knowledge on sedimentary systems that cover 70 percent of our planet, deepwater systems host promising resources and energy potential for the future. Their characteristic high-rate productivity also means fewer wells, which is good news for lower carbon emissions. Deepwater systems also benefit from the highest quality offshore 3-D and 4-D seismic. Thus, we see more clearly with ever-improving technology. Deepwater concepts and paradigms are rapidly evolving. The 2022 book “Deepwater Sedimentary Systems” sets a firm and comprehensive foundation.
American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG)
Added on 01 December, 2022
Explorer Readers Forum
By Carlos Girabaldi
I have the honor of leading the executive secretariat of ARPEL, the Association of Oil, Gas and (as of lately) Renewable Energy Companies of Latin America and the Caribbean. ARPEL is a key factor in the development and transformation of the oil and gas sector of our region. We foster cooperation and coordination on strategic and operational aspects among our member companies, and with sister trade and professional associations (such as AAPG), governments, regulators, academia and other stakeholders. ARPEL held its 6th conference in Lima, Peru in November.
American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG)
Added on 01 December, 2022
Explorer Article
By Heather Saucier
As countries seek to transition to cleaner-burning fuel to address environmental concerns, it can also be argued that the need to eliminate energy poverty remains just as crucial. The future energy mix must be wide-ranging and diverse to meet the needs both of the environment and the people living on the planet. New companies have begun to bring geothermal energy to areas that aren’t adjacent to volcanoes or that don’t have access to tectonic settings, which allow for an easy harvesting of the Earth’s heat. Some are embracing the niche operation of repurposing traditional geothermal wells and non-producing oil and gas wells. Others are promoting widespread geothermal energy through deep vertical and multilateral wells that can bring heat and electricity to the masses.
American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG)
Added on 01 December, 2022
Explorer Article
By Emily Llinás
Colombia is a land of contrasts – of tradition and innovation, wealth and poverty, triumphs and tragedy. Newly elected Colombian President Gustavo Petro highlighted Colombia’s contrasts in an address at COP27 recently, delivering an eloquent but confrontational discourse. His political agenda includes accelerating the energy transition. Other leftist leaders in Latin America have supported the national oil companies and continued exploration and production, but Petro’s policies advocate an immediate cessation from dependence on petroleum and coal, which he likens to cocaine addiction.
American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG)
Added on 01 December, 2022
Explorer Article
By Heather Saucier
In the world of oil and gas, an increasing number of plays in stratigraphic traps are being made – in large part due to ever-evolving seismic technology. The Discovery Thinking forum at the annual IMAGE conference in August served to highlight some of these plays in offshore frontier basins and the role that geophysics played in their discovery. “We are seeing more giant stratigraphic fields, and seismic is the key,” said past AAPG President Charles A. Sternbach, chair of the Discovery Thinking forum. “And, we are seeing more oil found at greater depths. Unconventional plays are migrating outside of the Western Hemisphere.”
American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG)
Added on 01 November, 2022