A A few years ago, our work team was
tasked to create the company’s very
first annual Sustainability Report.
At that moment in time, we were not sure
what that meant, what it would include and
what its impact would be. Of course, the
first questions we asked ourselves were:
“What is sustainability?”, “What is ESG?”,
“What are the United Nations Sustainable
Development goals?” and “How does this
pertain to the company, our industry, our
technologies?”
Once we understood the answers to
those questions, we were able to define
our current impacts and then set a plan
in motion as to what we can do better –
how we can positively affect and improve
our governance, social responsibility and
environmental performance.
Fast forward to 2021. We have new
questions. What role can AAPG, and
geoscientists play in the sustainability
arena? We, as geoscientists, in whatever
role or position we hold in industry,
academia government or NGO, have a
major role to play in the energy transition
and sustainable development. We
understand the Earth, its processes and
resources better than any other discipline.
AAPG is working together with its
divisions, committees and interest groups
to provide information and to be a major
force in leading the sustainability charge.
AAPG Sustainability Highlights
The Division of Environmental
Geosciences has a number of ongoing
programs and projects dedicated to the
sustainability:
The DEG will continue focus on how
geoscience can contribute to sustainable
development with carbon capture projects,
emissions, water resources and climate.
The Sustainable Development
Committee has a podcast series of
interviews with geoscientists who are
addressing topics related to sustainability,
which can be found at AAPG.org, which can
be found under the “Resources” dropdown
menu, under “Audio Podcast.”
The CCUS Conference, Forums and
Technical Interest Group have been and
will continue to be a resource for technical
information and demonstrate the important
role geoscientists play in this effort. For
more information, visit CCUS.AAPG.org.
Theme 6 of the AAPG/SEG IMAGE ’21
technical program is “Sustainable Energy
and Environmental Geoscience,” and will
include the following presentations:
- Making Sustainability Work:
Incentives, Economics, and Policy
- Geoscience and Technology to Address Methane Emissions,
Environmental Impact, and Mitigation
- Sedimentology and CO2
Sequestration: Reservoir Characterization,
Migration, and Trapping
- Development and Lessons Learned in
Carbon Capture Use OR Storage –
AAPG has been involved with the
Society of Petroleum Engineers GAIA
initiative since its inception. GAIA was
created by the SPE Health, Safety,
Environment and Sustainability technical
discipline to share knowledge about
sustainable development though resources,
thought leadership and applied best
practice. For more information,
visit SPE.org/en/gaia.
AAPG is part of a global team
contributing to a Geoscience Sustainability
Atlas. The Atlas will highlight the
contributions of geoscientists to
sustainability and map those contributions
to the UN 17 Sustainability Development
Goals. If you know or have worked in
initiatives or projects, where the geodisciplines/
geoscientists have supported
communities, improved environmental
performance, reduced environmental
impacts and/or enhanced prosperity,
please, let us know.
AAPG and the DEG offer many
opportunities to be part of sustainable
energy development. We want to hear from
you on your sustainability efforts.