Special Items

Region Presence at the AAPG Annual Conference & Exhibition in San Antonio

• 19 May – Kurt Bayer, Juan Pablo Lovecchio, Patricio Marshall, Hans Krause (delegates) and Walter Sebastian Bayer, Flavio Feijó, Elvira Pureza Gómez and Pedro Alarcón (appointed delegates) represented the LACR at the AAPG House of Delegates Meeting in San Antonio, Texas
  • A majority of delegates present voted to implement stricter ethical standards for AAPG and to eliminate sponsorship as a requirement for membership in the Association
• 18 May – the Industrial University of Santander (UIS) team represented the LACR at the Global Finals held in San Antonio on May 18. Team had a strong performance before a panel of industry judges
  • Global winners included the University of Houston - first place, UniLaSalle – second and the University of Oklahoma – third.
• 20 May –LACR Student Chapters received awards for their contributions to the AAPG Student Chapter YouTube video contest
  • ESPOL Chapter from Guayaquil, Ecuador received first place
  • UNI Chapter from Lima, Peru received third place
• 21 May –Approximately 50 people attended the AAPG Latin America & Caribbean Region All-Member Meeting and Reception at AAPG ACE
  • Region President Pedro Alarcón provided an overview region programs and recent events
  • Immediate Past President Victor Vega highlighted upcoming region events and sponsorship opportunities
  • President-Elect Elvira Pureza Gómez presented 2019-2020 incoming leadership team and delivered two region awards, the LACR Visiting Geoscientist Award for Flavio Feijó for his service to VGP and the Leadership Award to Pedro Alarcón for his service as Region President and for implementing the Ready to Work Initiative in LACR

LACR 2019 Elections

• Elections for FY2019-2021 Officers and seven of ten region delegate slots will be held in mid-June
• Individuals elected will join the team led by 2019-2021 President Elvira Pureza Gómez and Immediate Past-President Pedro Alarcón Medina
• All positions will have a single candidate participating; LACR voting members may vote yes or no on the ballot
• Officer Candidates (two-year term: 2019-2021)
  • Federico Seminario, Pluspetrol, Lima, Peru

• Xavier Moonan, Touchstone Exploration, Fyzabad, Trinidad & Tobago
• Juan Pablo Lovecchio, YPF, Buenos Aires, Argentina
• Region Delegates to the AAPG House of Delegates (three-year term: 2019-22)
  • Jhonny Casas, POES International, Caracas, Venezuela
  • Flavio Feijó, Independent, Porto Alegre, Brazil
  • Clyde Griffith, Staatsolie, Paramaribo, Suriname
  • Varendra Rambaran, BHP Independent, Port of Spain, Trinidad & Tobago
  • Silvia Santos Grapain, Mexican Petroleum Institute, Mexico City, Mexico
  • Ricardo Vargas, Perenco, Bogota, Colombia
  • Antonio Velásquez, Ecopetrol, Rio de Janiero, Brazil

Advance the science of geology

Visiting Geoscientist Program (VGP)

• 6 May – Juan Pablo Lovecchio delivered the talks "Geological Evolution of the Argentine Offshore Basins: Mesozoic Gondwana Rifting” and “Evolution of the Atlantic Passive Margin" at the National University of Cordoba in Argentina. 30 students attended.
• 8 May – Mauricio Guizada delivered the lecture “Oil Exploration in the Andes: Concepts, Methods and Limitations,” at UNICAMP in Campinas, Brazil. 25 students attended.
• 28-29 May – Gerson Terra delivered the talks "History of Petroleum Exploration in Brazil with Emphasis on Discoveries in Carbonatic Rocks”, "Performed Activities, Skills and Knowledge Needed for Geologists in the Oil Industry" and “Carbon and Petroleum Rocks" at the Federal University of Pernambuco in Brazil. 35 students attended.
• 30-31 May – Gerson Terra delivered the talks "History of Petroleum Exploration in Brazil with Emphasis on Discoveries in Carbonatic Rocks” and “Carbon and Petroleum Rocks" at the Federal University of Sergipe in Brazil. 100 students attended.
• 28-31 May – Flavio Feijo delivered the talks "warming and the end of the oil age” “Brazilian Equatorial Margin” and “Petroleum Systems" at the Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte. 345 students attended

Earth Science Week

Argentina

• 28-30 May - UBA, Argentina, held the activity “Discovering the World of Hydrocarbons Workshop”. 60 high school students and 6 AAPG student members attended.

Trinidad & Tobago

• 4 May – Kami Allong & Kandace Persad presented STEM Session: “Introduction to Rocks and Minerals”. This first session was given to students of the St. Anthony's College, ages 12-16. Students were introduced to geology with an overview of the structure of the earth, plate tectonics, plate boundaries, the rock cycle and types of rocks and minerals. 15 students attended.
• 11 May – Shenille Samlal presented STEM Session: “Introduction to Rocks and Minerals”. Delivered to students of St. Benedict’s College, ages 12-15. 20 students attended.
• 18 May – Kami Allong presented STEM Session: “Introduction to Earth Sciences”. Delivered to students of St. Anthony’s College, ages 12-15. Students were given an introduction to sedimentology, sedimentary processes and environments of deposition. 20 students attended.
• 25 May – Krystal Ramdin and Shenille Samlal presented STEM Session: “Introduction to Earth Sciences”. Delivered to students of St. Benedict’s College, ages 13-15. 18 students attended.
• 29 May – Naparima College’s Career Guidance Seminar 2019. The AAPG YPTT, together with members of the Society of Exploration Geophysicists participated in a career guidance seminar hosted at Naparima College, San Fernando, Trinidad. Forms 1-3 students, as well as teachers and other professionals were introduced to the fascinating world of geoscience and were exposed to the numerous career options available to them. Interacted with approximately 50 students.

Promote the use of technology

GTW Brazil 2019: Solutions for Appraisal and Development of Onshore and Offshore Fields

• Rio de Janeiro, 13-14 June 2019
• Panel Discussion: Field Clusters as an Alternative Solution for Economical Development
• Session Themes:
  • EOR/IOR solutions for mature fields
  • Value of information in appraisal activities
  • Use of technology in complex reservoirs
• Poster Session e: Tools & technology to optimize exploration and production
• Finalized program and promoted registration
• Confirmed sponsorships from Ecopetrol, Shell, Total, ExxonMobil, Spectrum, Enauta and Murphy Oil

GTW Suriname 2019: Recent Discoveries and Exploration and Development Opportunities in the Guiana Basin

• Paramaribo, 5-7 November 2019
• Call for abstracts open through 28 June
• Confirmed sponsorships from Staatsolie, Kosmos, Halliburton, Tullow; several other companies expressed interest
• Session Themes:
  • Tectonic Setting and Prospectivity in the Guiana Basin
  • Recent Exploration in Suriname, Guyana and French Guiana
  • Maximizing Resource Potential in Emerging Basins
  • Enhancing Exploration and Development through Integration and Data Management
  • Beyond Guiana: Emerging Plays, Prospects and Discoveries throughout the Caribbean
  • Government-Industry-Community: Collaborative Strategies for Emerging Hydrocarbon Economies

AAPG Hedberg Research Conference: Geology and Hydrocarbon Potential of the Circum-Gulf of México Pre-Salt Section

• Mexico City, 4-6 February 2020

• Technical committee working actively to develop program
• Signed venue contract with Marquis Reforma Hotel in Mexico City
• Developing website and marketing materials

ICE Buenos Aires 2019: Expanding Frontiers and Unlocking Resources for Future Generations*

• 27‐30 August 2019, Hilton Buenos Aires Hotel & Convention Center
• Finalizing content for Technical Program and registration announcement to be sent in printed and digital form throughout the world in mid-June
• Opened registration for conference, field trips and short courses
• Actively soliciting sponsors and exhibitors. 13 6m2 spots left to sell in the exhibition.

2020 Events

• Activities planned include GTW Colombia (focused on offshore) in Bogotá in April and Energy Opportunities 2020 in Mexico City in September

Serve AAPG members throughout the Region

Region website & social media as of 4 June 2019

• Facebook page has 1793 followers (increased 1.1%)
• Twitter account has 660 followers (increased 1.2%)
• LinkedIn account has 957 followers (increased 3.9%)

Develop the next generation of geoscientists

2019 Student-Young Professional Leadership Summit*

• 30 August – 1 September 2019 in Buenos Aires
• Advertising Summit Sponsorship option in the ICE Buenos Aires 2019 sponsorship brochure
• Confirmed Sponsorships from Chevron, ExxonMobil and Shell
• Evaluated applications from the nominee of each Student and YP Chapter to select participants
• Working on the program, budget and venue

Ready to Work (RTW) Program

• Committees working in Bolivia, Brazil and Colombia to develop programs for recent graduates being trained to work in the energy industry
• The initiative is supported by the FY2019 Region budget, additionally, in Brazil, through sponsorship provided by ExxonMobil, and in Colombia through sponsorship provided by ACGGP
• Program dates:
  • Colombia: 27 May – 1 June
  • Brazil: 27 May-7 June
  • Bolivia: 6-13 July

Bolivia

• Made preparations for the program. Held committee meetings to define milestones and steps to follow. Developed preliminary program and sent letters to speakers.

Brazil

• Began marketing Ready to Work Brazil on social media
• Opened registrations using Google Forms
• Purchased tickets for 4 participants and made hotel reservations.
• Held Ready to Work kick off at the UERJ Seismostratigraphy Laboratory in Brazil. Guilherme Sowek, RTW coordinator, and YP Chapter members Thamila Bastos and Hyalla Queiroz organized the opening ceremony.

Colombia

• Program Held 27 May – 1 June
• Program involved 6 days of technical and practical sessions explaining the processes involved in the petroleum industry, going from exploration-production to transportation, petrochemistry and trading, including soft skills.
• 30 last-year students and young professionals participated in the program
• 25 instructors delivered program content

Student Chapters

• 1 and 2 April, UNMSM, Peru, held the short course "Sedimentary Facies and their Application to the Sedimentary Environments - Basic Course for the Application Course of the Stratigraphy Sequences Methodology in Outcrops" by Eng. Gerardo Pozo and Eng. Edson Castillo. 30 students attended.
• 1 - 5 April - IPN, Mexico, held the " First Meeting of Earths Sciences Student Chapters". More than 1.300 students and professionals attended.
• 02 April - IPN, Mexico, held in cooperation with Chevron the " Chevron Day", More than 600 students and professionals attended.
• 07 April - IPN, Mexico, participating in collaboration with AAPG UNAM SC and AAPG YP by implementing activities during " Seventh Metting with the Earth". More than 15.000 public attended.
• 13 April - UERJ, Brazil, held the talk "Petroleum Geopolitics", by: Edison Milani. 25 people attended.
• 23 April - UNLP, Argentina attended the conference: "El gas de CAMISEA". 10 students participated.
• 24 - 26 April - IPN, Mexico. participating during the " Second EAGE Workshop on Deepwater Exploration in Mexico". 8 AAPG IPN Student Chapter Members attended.
• 1 May - UFPE,Brazil, earned $500,00 dollars fromL. Austin Weeks Undergraduate Grant Program.
• 2, 3, 9, 10 and 27 May - UMSA, Bolivia, theoretical course "Techniques of structural geology and tectonic interpretation – II". 14 student attended.
• 4 May - ESPOL, Ecuador, held the activity “ Tribute for mother's day”. 5 officers ,10 students attended.
• 5 May- UFRuralRJ, Brazil, received support from AAPG in order to accomplish the III Rural Oil & Gas.
• 6 May - UNC, Argentina, held the activities:"Geological Evolution of the Argentine Offshore Basins: Mesozoic Gondwana Rifting and Evolution of the Atlantic Passive Margin", dictated by Ph. D. Geol. Juan Pablo Lovecchio (from YPF). 30 students attended.
• 6 - 8 May - UFRGS, Brazil, helped in the organization and provided a financial support to the conference: " XXXII Week of Geological Debates". 200 students attended.
• 6 May - UFRGS, Brazil, held the presentation: "IBA 2019 - How was the experience of petroleum exploration in Alaska" given by 2019 UFRGS IBA team. 200 students attended.
• 6 May - UFRGS, Brazil, held the presentation: "What is the role of the AAPG Student Chapter at the university and how to participate?" given by Camila Betella (UFRGS student chapter president) and Alexandre Baumhardt (AAPG Brazil YP chapter member). 200 students attended.
• 08 May - UNICAMP, Brazil, held the activity “Oil Exploration in the Andes - Concepts, Methods and Limitations” by Mauricio Guizada. 25 students attended.
• 9 May - UFRuralRJ, Brazil, realized a seletive process, based on the 2nd trainee AAPG program and 11 students became members of the Executive Committee.
• 10 May - ESPOL, Ecuador, held the activity “Visit to ECU 911: Risk management area”. 5 officers attended.
• 14 May - UFRGS, Brasil, held the activity: "Help with new memberships and regularization of the AAPG membership status". 9 students attended.
• 15 May - UWI, Trinidad and Tobago, participated with the Young Professionals group in a techincal talk entitled, ''Increased production and longer pump run times from the Parrylands E JV Block Operations by inventing smart lifting technology,'' presented by Greg Boyle. 33 people in attendance.
• 19 to 22 May - UNI, Peru, participatied in ACE 2019. The faculty advisor Fritz Palacios and one student were present to receive the award for the third place of the Youtube Video Awards 2019 contest.
• 20 May- UFRuralRJ, Brazil, organized a University bus to take the geology students to the Brazil Offshore, that will happen on 25 to 28 of June, in Macaé-RJ.
• 21 May - UNICAMP, Brazil, held the activity “4D Seismic Interpretation on the Norne Field, Norway” by Masoud Maleki. 19 students attended.
• 21 May - UNIPAMPA, Brazil, held the activity "Caixa de areia interativa". 58 students attended.
• 24 May - UFPR, Brazil, held the webinar "Finding your own dip and azimuth, and structural geology in the oil and gas industry" given by MSc. Samuel Rivas Dorado (Compañia Española De Petróleos). 8 people attended.
• 24 May - ESPOL, Ecuador, held the activity "Geonotes: Geological Risks “ 700 visualizations on social networks.
• 24 May - UNI, Peru, held the conference "The Vaca Muerta Formation in Unconventional Development" by Jorge Albeiro. 16 students attended.
• 25 May - UNICAMP, Brazil, participated in the event “Unicamp with Open Doors” contributing on the areas of petroleum geology, sedimentology and paleontology. 50+ students attended.
• 25-26 May - UMSA, Bolivia, participated in the field trip "Techniques of structural geology and tectonic interpretation - II ". 14 student attended.
• 26 May - UNICAMP, Brazil, attended the conference “National Symposium of Tectonic Studies: SNET, Bento Gonçalves -RS”. 1 student chapter member attended.
• 27 May - UNAL, Bogota-Colombia , held the activity " El campus del agua de la Universidad de Girona : Contando los ultimos avances de investigación en naterua de agua con el territorio " by Joana Mencos Bellpuig . 16 students attended.
• 27 May - UNC, Argentina, held the activity "Introduction to Geological Modeling of Hydrocarbon Reservoirs", dictated by the Geol. Victoria Ferreyra (from Schlumberger). 30 students attended.
• 27-29 May - UNIPAMPA, Brazil, participated in the "XVI Simpósio internacionl de estudo tectônicos e XI Simposio Sul-Brasileiro de Geologia". 8 members and 1 advisor attended.
• 27-30 May – UFRGS and UNISINOS, Brazil, held and participated: "Meeting of the Students Chapters of South Brazilan Region" during the XVII Nacional Symposium of Tectonics Studies, XI International Symposium on Tectonics, XI South Brazilian Symposium of Geology. 13 AAPG student members participated.
• 28-29 May - UFPE, Brazil, received the geologist Gerson Terra through the VG’s Program AAPG, in which the following lectures were given: Lecture 1 – “History of Petroleum Exploration in Brazil with Emphasis on Discoveries in Carbonic Rocks”. 26 students attended. Lecture 2 – “Performed Activities, Skills and Knowledge Needed for Geologists in the Oil Industry”. 31 students attended. Lecture 3 – “Carbon and Petroleum Rocks”. 29 students attended.
• 28 and 30 May - UBA, Argentina, held the activity “Discovering the world of hydrocarbons workshop”, that took place in the Earth’s Science Week, attended by 60 highschool students and six AAPG student members.
• 29 May - UNICAMP, Brazil, held the activity “AAPG Student Chapter: How to join and the benefits of becoming a member” by Lucas Marti. 23 students attended.
• 31 May - UNICAMP, Brazil, held the activity “Photo Contest: Life as a Geoscientist” in partnership with SEG and GRSS student chapters honoring the geographer and geologist days. 30 students attended.
• 31 May – UWI, Trinidad and Tobago, participated with the Young Professionals group and with SPE Student Chapters of an exploration wellsite visit, “Barakat”, operated by Lease Operators Ltd., and located in the Balata East field, Rio Claro Trinidad. It was led by Nykesi Omokughebe and by Amrit Cooblal. 17 people attended.

YP Chapters

Argentina

• Chapter members supporting development of Student and YP programs at ICE Buenos Aires. The Conference will include a Student-YP Roundtable focusing on career challenges and opportunities in the energy industry.

Bolivia

• 23-25 May – “SPE PetroBowl, Paper Contest and Symposium 2019” sponsored by AAPG YP Bolivia Chapter at the Camino Real Hotel, Santa Cruz, Bolivia. 40 attendees.
• 23 May – Limbert Montaño (AAPG) presented "Standard and Disruptive Technologies, Application to the Oil and Gas Industry”. Chapter also invited participants from the UMSA Student Chapter and members of 2019 IBA UMSA Team at the Camino Real Hotel, Santa Cruz, Bolivia. 80 attendees.
• 29 May – Ph.D. Mario Suárez Riglos, Paleontologist, presented “Paleontology of Bolivia: a short description of biostratigraphy of discovered fossils in the country” as part of the XII Session “Cycle of Geoscientific Talks”, in Santa Cruz, Bolivia. 65 Students, YPs and professionals attended.

Brazil

• 6 May – Alexandre Baumhardt presented a talk about the AAPG during the Geological debates week (SEDEGEO) in UFRGS. 50 attendees.
• 10 and 22 May – Chapter members presented the AAPG Student Chapters and YP activities to students and professors from UFRN. 13 students and 25 students attended on the 10^th and 22^ndrespectively.
• 14 May – Francielly Sá and Hyalla Queiroz sent a notice to YP members about the new YP Executive.
• 22 May – Leticia Correa and Vinicius Silva developed a promotional campaign on Instagram to increase the chapter engagement.
• 29 May – Geology Day celebration at the Engineering Club, Rio de Janeiro. Chapter members Priscila Amaral and Vinicius Riguete were named ABGP board members. Seven chapter members participated.
• During May, the YP Brazil Chapter acquired 7 new members.

Colombia

• 27 May to 1 June – Chapter held Ready to Work Program. (See Ready to Work Section)

Mexico

• 8 May –Workshop on Energy Markets in Mexico "Where do we go from here?" held in Chimalistac, Mexico City. Conference sessions included economists from Autonomous Technological Institute of Mexico, the University of California and the Technological Institute of Monterrey. 2 Chapter members attended.
• 15 May – Presentation of the Student Chapter of the AAPG at the Olmeca University, Villahermosa, Tabasco, Mexico. 25 students and teachers attended as well as the Education Liaison, Victor Antuna Herrera.

Peru

• 24 May – Jorge Albeiro presented “The Vaca Muerta Formation in Unconventional Development”. 25 people attended.

Trinidad & Tobago

• 15 May – Greg Boyles, New Horizon Exploration CEO, presented “Increased Production and Longer Pump Run Times from the Parrylands E JV Block Operations by Inventing Smart Lifting Technology”. Hosted by AAPG YPTT, Geological Society of Trinidad and Tobago and Society of Petroleum Engineers. 33 persons including industry professionals, students and lecturers at the UWI attended.
• 22 May – Javed Razack, Russel Campbell and Mukta Balroop presented “Chevening Scholarships,” in conjunction with the Chevening Alumni of Trinidad and Tobago. Presenters shared information and personal experience related to much sought-after scholarship for Trinidad & Tobago residents. 9 YPs and 7 students attended.
• 31 May – Wellsite Visit to Barakat Exploration Wellsite. The AAPG YPTT and AAPG and SPE UWI Student Chapters were hosted by Lease Operators Limited to visit their Barakat Exploration Wellsite in Mayaro, Trinidad. 17 members of the AAPG YPTT and AAPG and SPE U.W.I. Student Chapters attended.

Venezuela

• 23 April – Skype meeting held to discuss formation of a YP Chapter in Venezuela. Lizbeth Calizaya, Betzabeth Araque and Jesús Monsalve discussed the AAPG YP Handbook, information about forming a Chapter and included an overview of AAPG programs. 3 people attended.
• 2 May – Meeting between Betzabeth Araque and Jesús Monsalve, initial promoters of the opening of the YP Chapter. Developed the following activities: Social media presence, virtual classroom in collaboration with virtual campus of the Universidad Central de Venezuela (UCV), link with Student Chapters at UCV and Simon Boliviar University, identification of candidates for the chapter leadership team, evaluation of registration with AAPG, database of individuals and companies that can provide support in future for activities. 2 people attended.
• 5 May – Skype meeting of Jesús Monsalve with Stepania Herrera, student of Universidad de los Andes, Venezuela. Discussion and exploratory evaluation for the creation of the Student Chapter at the Universidad de los Andes, Venezuela. Discussion about joint activities through video conferences and the UCV virtual campus. Participants: 2 people.
• 17 May – Meeting for the election of the YP Chapter Officers.
  • Officers include President: Jesús Monsalve, Geological Engineer; Vice President: Manuel Alonso, Geophysical Engineer; Secretary: Yolimar Rojas, Geophysical Engineer; Treasurer: Betzabeth Araque, Geophysical Engineer; Collaborators: Jhonny Calvo, Geophysical Engineer & Enrique Toribio, Geological Engineer. 6 people attended.
• 5 and 17 May – Informative activity about AAPG programs at Universidad Central de Venezuela. 30 students from the School of Petroleum and Degree in Geochemistry attended.
• 17 May – Informative activity about AAPG programs at Rosneft Company. Gave talk about the experience of the students in the Imperial Barrel 2019. Thanked the company for logistical support provided to UCV IBA team who participate in the region semifinals in Rio de Janeiro. 15 people attended.
• 31 May – Joint activity with the president of the AAPG Student Chapter of the Universidad Central de Venezuela and the Young Professional Venezuela, which explained the activities developed so far, experiences and student selection for the AAPG Summit 2018 and 2019. 15 students attended.
• During May – Email contact with Mauricio Guizada VGP, LACR Coordinator, about recruiting individuals from Venezuela into the Visiting Geoscientists program.

Upcoming Meetings

• Region President’s Teleconference, Tuesday, 11 June, 08:00 hs CDT
• No region teleconference to be held in June. Next meeting will be with incoming leadership team in July 2019