Frontier oil and gas exploration today usually means expensive, difficult and risky drilling offshore, often in untested deep waters. And most deepwater frontier wildcats result in dry holes. Is frontier exploration still worth it? Still relevant?

American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG)
Desktop /Portals/0/PackFlashItemImages/WebReady/frontier-exploration-offers-hero.jpg?width=100&h=100&mode=crop&anchor=middlecenter&quality=75amp;encoder=freeimage&progressive=true Frontier Exploration Offers High Risk, High Rewards
 

Exploring for oil and gas is becoming more challenging as operators venture into new frontiers, especially in deepwater settings. In the recently renamed Gulf of Mexico/America, for example, where wells can be more than 30,000 feet deep, imaging subsalt reservoirs with seismic technology can be difficult – even with improved technology. And, while machine learning and artificial intelligence are useful tools, they cannot help characterize reservoirs if they lack the necessary input data to perform. To overcome this issue, a team of geologists at Chevron are reexamining the “first principles” that influence controlled reservoir distribution in deepwater settings

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Desktop /Portals/0/PackFlashItemImages/WebReady/chevron-geologists-reexamine-hero.jpg?width=100&h=100&mode=crop&anchor=middlecenter&quality=75amp;encoder=freeimage&progressive=true Chevron Geologists Reexamine ‘First Principles’ for Frontier Exploration Offshore
 

Colombia made headlines in December when Petrobras and Ecopetrol announced results from Sirius-2, an appraisal well that confirmed the most significant gas discovery in the country’s history, a find projected to increase Colombia’s reserves by around 200 percent.

American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG)
Desktop /Portals/0/PackFlashItemImages/WebReady/the-brightest-star-hero.jpg?width=100&h=100&mode=crop&anchor=middlecenter&quality=75amp;encoder=freeimage&progressive=true Petrobras and Ecopetrol confirm Colombia’s largest-ever gas discovery in the Caribbean offshore ‘The Brightest Star in the Sky’
 

Ukraine, entering its fourth year of war with Russia, makes up only 0.4 percent of the Earth’s surface and is home to approximately 5 percent of all the world’s critical raw materials. Politicians aren’t alone in their fascination by the place. All that geology and resources have been in the news lately as an agreement is in the works between the United States and Ukraine.

American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG)
Desktop /Portals/0/PackFlashItemImages/WebReady/geoscience-and-geopolitics-hero.jpg?width=100&h=100&mode=crop&anchor=middlecenter&quality=75amp;encoder=freeimage&progressive=true Geoscience and Geopolitics Clash in Ukraine
 

As the world strives to meet a growing demand for energy while also making it less carbon intense, the energy “trifecta” has yet to be met. In other words, a power source that is simultaneously reliable, affordable and low-carbon remains out of reach. While renewable energy helps to affordably power electrical grids in many states, it offers only intermittent supplies, as battery technology lacks the storage capacity needed to keep the lights on when the sun isn’t shining and the wind isn’t blowing. Despite the array of emerging energy sources, as it stands, natural gas-fired power plants remain one of the most reliable and affordable sources for electricity in the United States. Is there a way to make it clean?

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Desktop /Portals/0/PackFlashItemImages/WebReady/could-natural-gas-hero.jpg?width=100&h=100&mode=crop&anchor=middlecenter&quality=75amp;encoder=freeimage&progressive=true Could Natural Gas Be the ‘Energy Trifecta’?
 

Some perspective on energy would be a good thing right about now. With the industry moving into a time of transition and uncertainty, maintaining a proper perspective feels like an essential practice. The Offshore Technology Conference offers multiple perspectives on energy in its Executive Dialogue presentations – one-hour sessions with industry executives and other thought leaders.

American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG)
Desktop /Portals/0/PackFlashItemImages/WebReady/energy-perspectives-hero.jpg?width=100&h=100&mode=crop&anchor=middlecenter&quality=75amp;encoder=freeimage&progressive=true Energy Perspectives from the C-Suite
 

How do you teach geology in a flat place where there are no rocks? Take them to a place where they can see erosion and deposition that have a direct impact on their lives! On a picture-perfect Saturday morning in February, AAPG continued its professional commitment to K-12 teachers with a reimagined Educators’ Program.

American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG)
Desktop /Portals/0/PackFlashItemImages/WebReady/buffalo-bayou-hurricane-hero-1.jpg?width=100&h=100&mode=crop&anchor=middlecenter&quality=75amp;encoder=freeimage&progressive=true Buffalo Bayou Hurricane Hike Offers Professional Development for Science Teachers
 

Talk about seeing the fruits of your labor – fast! Recent hard work by the AAPG Foundation produced tangible results in a very short time this spring, with students and geoscience professionals around the world benefiting from the efforts.

American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG)
Desktop /Portals/0/PackFlashItemImages/WebReady/aapg-foundation-celebrates-hero-1.jpg?width=100&h=100&mode=crop&anchor=middlecenter&quality=75amp;encoder=freeimage&progressive=true AAPG Foundation Celebrates Inaugural Student Expo and Symposium
 

The U.S. Geological Survey recently released assessments detailing the estimated volumes of undiscovered, discovered and technically recoverable oil and gas resources in several basins across Wyoming, southern Montana and parts of western South Dakota and Nebraska. The overall picture looks promising.

American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG)
Desktop /Portals/0/PackFlashItemImages/WebReady/nash-susan-1.jpg?width=100&h=100&mode=crop&anchor=middlecenter&quality=75amp;encoder=freeimage&progressive=true New Studies Boost Technically Recoverable Oil and Gas Via New Technologies
 

There’s an oft-told parable about a large vessel at sea during a stormy night. The captain looks out through the rain to see what appears to be the lights of another vessel on a collision course with his ship. He tells the ship’s signalman to send a message telling the other vessel to change course 10 degrees north. A message returns telling the captain to alter his vessel’s course 10 degrees south. The captain, in frustration, again tells the other vessel to change course 10 degrees north and informs them that he is the captain of a battleship. The responding message comes back: change your course 10 degrees south. I am a lighthouse.

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Desktop /Portals/0/PackFlashItemImages/WebReady/schulenberg-judy.jpg?width=100&h=100&mode=crop&anchor=middlecenter&quality=75amp;encoder=freeimage&progressive=true Navigating the ‘New Normal’ in a World of AI
 

As we navigate an increasingly interconnected world, the concept of globalization has become more than just a buzzword: it's a reality that shapes every facet of our lives, including the petroleum geosciences. As vice president for international regions, I believe it's crucial to examine how our society can harness the power of globalization to advance our field and benefit our members.

 

American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG)
Desktop /Portals/0/PackFlashItemImages/WebReady/al-hajri-said-1.jpg?width=100&h=100&mode=crop&anchor=middlecenter&quality=75amp;encoder=freeimage&progressive=true Unlocking the potential of petroleum geosciences through globalization Embracing Global Horizons
 

Drilling deep into Earth’s crust and sedimentary basins, whether for resource exploration or scientific investigation, has been one of the most technological achievements of modern times – thanks to the oil industry. Recently, some companies have developed ambitions to drill even deeper. Earlier this year, Ecopetrol and Occidental Petroleum planned to drill the Komodo-1 well in Colombia’s Caribbean waters to a depth of 3,900 meters below the sea floor, but the project has been delayed due to political conflicts.

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Desktop /Portals/0/PackFlashItemImages/WebReady/the-deepest-and-longest-hero.jpg?width=100&h=100&mode=crop&anchor=middlecenter&quality=75amp;encoder=freeimage&progressive=true These historic wells set records, unearthed essential scientific insights and spurred the innovative pursuits of today. The Deepest and Longest Wells Ever Drilled
 

Once Europe’s most progressive major, BP has reset its strategy back to investing heavily in oil and gas. In February, BP CEO Murray Auchincloss announced the company would return its focus to its core business in oil and gas, an attempt to recover from poor performance and improve shareholder returns.

American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG)
Desktop /Portals/0/PackFlashItemImages/WebReady/back-to-petroleum-hero.jpg?width=100&h=100&mode=crop&anchor=middlecenter&quality=75amp;encoder=freeimage&progressive=true BP returns to its core business, oil and gas, after a failed pivot to renewable energies. Back to Petroleum
 

Nuclear fission is getting more time in the spotlight recently, as the true scale of the world’s projected power needs rises. Estimated increases in energy demand are fueled by developing nations’ need for accessible and cheap energy, the push to electrify appliances and automotives and the data-hungry AI revolution. Anyone crunching the numbers realizes that the math isn’t math-ing without input from a heavy hitter. Enter: nuclear fission.

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Desktop /Portals/0/PackFlashItemImages/WebReady/how-companies-address-hero.jpg?width=100&h=100&mode=crop&anchor=middlecenter&quality=75amp;encoder=freeimage&progressive=true Safety, waste, risk-reward balance and regulation are understandable concerns for many considering nuclear implementation. Some innovative companies are beginning to develop solutions. How Companies Address Key Concerns Around Nuclear Fission
 

The first hour I spent scaling beginner routes at an indoor climbing gym, I realized that while I was on the wall, I could think about nothing else. It was the ultimate exercise in focus and mental clarity – no multitasking, no background thoughts about what might be for dinner. Otherwise, I would fall. Outside, the focus and scenery are even better.

American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG)
Desktop /Portals/0/PackFlashItemImages/WebReady/geology-of-smith-rock-hero.jpg?width=100&h=100&mode=crop&anchor=middlecenter&quality=75amp;encoder=freeimage&progressive=true This climbing haven offers interesting geology and a fun challenge for the outdoors enthusiast. Geology of Smith Rock State Park in Central Oregon
 

When I last wrote, I was getting ready to go to the International Petroleum Technology Conference in Kuala Lumpur. The IPTC organization shares its conferences with AAPG, the European Association of Geoscientists and Engineers, the Society of Exploration Geophysicists and the Society of Petroleum Engineers as partners, and as such, each of the presidents were invited to participate in a panel session in the morning on the first day.

American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG)
Desktop /Portals/0/PackFlashItemImages/WebReady/sacrey-deborah-1.jpg?width=100&h=100&mode=crop&anchor=middlecenter&quality=75amp;encoder=freeimage&progressive=true Reflections on Student Members; Updates on Governance, Director Search
 

In seismic interpretation, our ability to identify geologic features is directly impacted by the way we visualize data. When we analyze seismic attributes – from coherence highlighting fault edges to spectral decomposition revealing stratigraphic features – the choice of colormaps becomes crucial. These mathematical transformations of seismic data help reveal features that might be overlooked in conventional amplitude displays, but their effectiveness depends heavily on how we display them.

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Desktop /Portals/0/PackFlashItemImages/WebReady/improving-seismic-attribute-hero.jpg?width=100&h=100&mode=crop&anchor=middlecenter&quality=75amp;encoder=freeimage&progressive=true Improving Seismic Attribute Interpretation Through Scientific Colormaps
 

Wise explorers learn a lot from their dry holes. In the period of 1978 to 1982, Maraven S.A. drilled 15 wells offshore Venezuela, and none were economic. However, this exploration campaign allowed the company to collect a trove of invaluable geoscience data. Promising new ideas regarding the geology of the offshore region, as well as enhancements in future burial history and thermal maturation profiling can be anticipated as a result.

American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG)
Desktop /Portals/0/PackFlashItemImages/WebReady/maravens-tuy-cariaco-hero.jpg?width=100&h=100&mode=crop&anchor=middlecenter&quality=75amp;encoder=freeimage&progressive=true Maraven’s Tuy-Cariaco Exploration Campaign, Offshore Venezuela
 

Robert Bertagne died peacefully in the presence of family in Houston on Feb. 4, 2025, one month after undergoing surgery.

American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG)
Desktop /Portals/0/PackFlashItemImages/WebReady/bertagne-robert-1.jpg?width=100&h=100&mode=crop&anchor=middlecenter&quality=75amp;encoder=freeimage&progressive=true Remembering Robert Bertagne
 

Albert Hrubetz III, chairman and president of Dallas-based Hrubetz Oil Company, died on Feb. 26, 2025, after a brief illness.

American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG)
Desktop /Portals/0/PackFlashItemImages/WebReady/remembering-albert-fig1.jpg?width=100&h=100&mode=crop&anchor=middlecenter&quality=75amp;encoder=freeimage&progressive=true Remembering Albert Hrubetz
 

Biographical information and videos featuring the candidates for the AAPG Executive Committee are available on the AAPG website. The material can be found at the AAPG Officer Candidates webpage. Included there in addition to the bios are statements from each of the candidates on “Why I Accepted the Invitation to be a Candidate for AAPG Office,” plus recorded Zoom discussions in which candidates responded to a variety of questions regarding AAPG and their roles on the Executive Committee.

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Desktop /Portals/0/PackFlashItemImages/WebReady/meta_AAPG_-200x200.jpg?width=100&h=100&mode=crop&anchor=middlecenter&quality=75amp;encoder=freeimage&progressive=true Candidate Bios, Video Interviews Available Online

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