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Despite dour industry conditions and low expectations from some corners, AAPG’s 2016 Annual Convention and Exhibition in Calgary, Canada, saw a strong turnout and high acclaim for what was, by all accounts, a monumental technical program.

American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG)
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AAPG’s Memoir 111 “3-D Structural Interpretation: Earth, Mind, and Machine” will be released this month. The volume is one of the first to compare perspectives of geologic interpretation from industry and academic practitioners, with consideration of how 3-D cognitive skills impact what geologists think and do.

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AAPG needs to be part of the conversation on global energy use to help change the public perception that our industry is solely the problem and, instead, be considered part of the solution.

American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG)
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Emphasis: Geoscience Education

 

Petroleum geoscience courses are still attracting university students, despite the downturn in the oil and gas industry, and those students should benefit from new research in geoscience education as they prepare for future careers.

American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG)
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For the past decade, educators have made a serious effort to get minority, female and non-traditional students involved in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). Today that effort has intensified because of a combination of impetus from industry, research in geoscience education and societal changes.

American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG)
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Earth Science Week, an annual worldwide celebration, will be held Oct. 9-15. The celebration highlights the importance of geoscience education by organizing a variety of activities to promote learning and to spark interest in the field.

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The University of Texas at El Paso’s Department of Geological Sciences recently won first place in the Imperial Barrel Award competition. This was the school’s ninth year in the competition, and its first win, coming out of the Southwest Section.

American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG)
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In the past few years, a wave of schools geared to training students in science and mathematics in the hope of creating the next generation of oil and gas professionals have popped up in several oil-producing states.

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The Student Career Seminar held at AAPG’s Annual Convention and Exhibition in Calgary, Canada provided students and recent graduates with strategies for finding success, regardless of the industry situation.

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Standing Columns

As we all know, last year was a challenging year for AAPG, our sister societies and the industry as a whole, but we are looking forward this year with ideas for increasing revenue and broadening our base of revenue generating services.

American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG)
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Unconventional resources have transformed the global energy landscape. And as this issue hits your mailbox, geoscientists and engineers from around the world are in San Antonio, Texas for the fourth edition of URTeC, the Unconventional Resources Technology Conference from August 1-3.

American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG)
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There are a surprising number of AAPG Members (new and experienced) who are not familiar with the technical divisions of AAPG and what they do. Given how much excellent work is done in the divisions, everyone is encouraged to learn more about them.

American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG)
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Coherence is an iconic attribute available on most interpretation workstations and it helps with the characterization of small and large-scale faults, large structures, fault truncations, buried channels, reef edges and unconformities. There are various algorithms available for coherence computation, each having its advantages and limitations in terms of the quality of coherence imaging of the features of interest and run times associated with them.

American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG)
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A relatively unknown and highly productive oil province in Europe was discovered by a British national oil company, all because they were told to stay close to home.

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Arctic energy is in the news as summer steams into Washington, D.C. Major issues include the midpoint of the two-year U.S. chair of the Arctic Council; public campaigns for and against including the Beaufort and Chukchi Seas in the 2017-22 offshore oil and gas leasing plan; and plans for the United States to build the first heavy icebreaker in 40 years.

American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG)
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The Foundation’s generous contributors have consistently worked to make a big impact within geologic education at the collegiate level with two important undergraduate-focused geoscience programs: the L. Austin Weeks Undergraduate Grant Program and the new U.S. Military Veterans Scholarship Program.

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For the first time during ACE, AAPG Young Professionals held a YP-only field trip and attempted an ambitious four-event program.

American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG)
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