Bringing Professionals Together for the Benefit of All
The Energy Minerals Division (EMD) is one of three divisions of the American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG), the largest professional association of more than 36,000 energy geoscientists in the world. Formed in 1977, EMD has offered over the years technical information, publications, and meeting programs to its members covering the alternate energy resources of the day, i.e., coal and lignite, uranium, and geothermal energy.
Beginning as early as the late 1970s, certain geographical areas with geological indications of unconventional carbon-based energy resources (especially in the black-shale basins of the U.S. and Canada) began to be examined and drilled with surprisingly favorable results. With time, the natural gas industry began to recognize the opportunities. The unconventional resources occur as: coal-bed methane, gas hydrates, shale gas & liquids, tight gas sands and, as long as the market prices remain relatively high, oil shale and oil sands. The natural gas resources clearly represent the future for the U. S. energy market. They are an important part of the available carbon-based energy resources that will likely assist in our transition to more climate-friendly energy resources over the next 30 years and beyond.
Why You Should Join the Energy Minerals Division
EMD provides a range of professional support and training programs for the exploration and development of unconventional hydrocarbons and nuclear-based and thermal-based energy resources, such as:
TECHNICAL INFORMATION
The most important membership benefit is the large array of technical information available to the EMD member. For each of the eleven (11) Technical Committees, their Members’ Only webpages provide the following:
- An introduction to the Commodity of interest
- Current Commodity Committee Reports
- Events Calendar Relating to Commodity (Professional Meetings and Continuing Education, etc.)
- Search Results found regarding the Commodity on the AAPG’s Search & Discovery database
- A Wikipedia Search Result on the Commodity
- Special Reports on the Commodity
- AAPG Explorer Articles Archives
- List of Advisory Committee members
- List of Observing Committee members
- List of Special Consultants to the Commodity Committee
An example of the technical information made available on Members’ Only webpage for the Shale Gas & Liquids Commodity Committee.
EMD organizes and sponsors technical programs, short courses, field trips, and a luncheon at AAPG national, regional, and international conventions and special meetings to keep you current with scientific and economic trends.
- EMD and AAPG Publications:
EMD plans and publishes books and CD ROMs to expand your library with a wide variety of inexpensive, high-quality publications that bring together state of the art knowledge of EMD technical specialties.
- EMD website:
The Members’ Only Home page of the website has detailed information on both regional and technical levels. The website provides career assistance to those in transition to a new field or to enhance members’ abilities in a present field. See Example of Members Only Area
NETWORKING
EMD provides a forum for interaction with professionals in a wide range of technical fields to gain knowledge of scientific and technological developments worldwide. You may have specific areas of interest that can be selected on the Profile when you pay your AAPG dues or any time you wish to make a Committee selection.
Networking can be accomplished through involvement on committees, attendance at professional meetings and luncheons, and searching the EMD membership directory online for members with similar interests and geographic areas.
CERTIFICATION
EMD offers coal geologist certification program. In conjunction with the Division of Professional Affairs (DPA), the EMD offers peer-reviewed, professional certification for coal geologists (application forms are available on the EMD Coal Committee website). Certification recognizes qualified professionals that subscribe to a strict code of ethics and possess relevant education and experience.
DISCOUNTS
EMD members receive discounts on EMD-sponsored short courses and field trips at the AAPG annual and sectional conventions.