Explorer Director’s Corner

Lift foot, step. Lift foot, step. Lift foot, step, panting to catch my breath at high altitude under the midday sun. I’d been at this for nearly 12 miles already, one increasingly unsteady foot in front of the other, the pressure of a headache building. Sweat ran into my eyes as I lifted my head searching for the end of this path. The unending series of switchbacks winding their way up a steep scree slope was not spirit-lifting. Somewhere up there was the summit of Pikes Peak.

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American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG)
Explorer Article

It is no secret that deepwater depositional systems hold some of the largest petroleum reservoirs on Earth. To get those reserves out safely, effectively and economically from such depths requires technology, expertise, and a little bit of luck. The challenges associated with doing that – determining the presence, distribution and quality of those reserves – is the work of the Quantitative Clastics Laboratory at the Bureau of Economic Geology at the University of Texas at Austin.

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American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG)
Explorer Article

The Eastern Section of the AAPG will host its 50th Annual Convention in Pittsburgh, Pa. on Oct. 2-6, 2021. The meeting, themed “Unconventional Wisdom,” is planned as an in-person event that will feature a range of subjects for geologists from all aspects of the petroleum industry and beyond. It will be held in downtown Pittsburgh at the Point – the confluence of the Allegheny and Monongahela rivers.

American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG)
Explorer President’s Column

Listening to “Togetherness (K’a jo se)” as I write prompted me to think about community. AAPG has been a pillar of the scientific community for more than 100 years, with a lengthy history of collaboration and rewarding relationships that extend beyond the Association. Like the rise to international success of Nigerian musician King Sunny Adé, AAPG has grown beyond its American roots to serve a global community of energy geoscientists as well as professionals working in adjacent functions like data science, carbon capture, use and sequestration, and various engineering disciplines.

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American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG)
Explorer President’s Column

Listening to “Will the Wolf Survive” as I write got me thinking about the one thing we must keep alive – the core purposes of our Association. These include advancing geoscience, promoting relevant technology, disseminating information, inspiring high professional standards and advancing the professional well-being of members.

American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG)
Explorer Regions and Sections

The Southwest Section Convention sizzled in the Fort Worth heat in late June, marking the first in-person section convention since the pandemic, and attracting a larger than anticipated number of geologists and geophysicists. Southwest Section organizers were thrilled with the large number of on-site registrations resulting in sellout ticketed events at the Radisson Fort Worth meeting site.

American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG)
Explorer Article

Energy developer Nacero Inc. recently announced plans to build the world’s first natural gas-to-gasoline plant that will operate entirely on renewable energy. The approximately $7 billion plant, which will be located just outside of Odessa, Texas, will use the abundant natural gas resources in the Permian Basin and ultimately produce 115,000 barrels of gasoline a day for markets in Texas and the Southwest. It will be the nation’s first natural gas-to-gasoline manufacturing facility, according to Nacero, with two others planned by the company in Arizona and Pennsylvania.

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American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG)
American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG)
Explorer Foundation Update

It’s been a long time coming, but this year’s AAPG Foundation Trustee Associates annual meeting definitely promises to have been worth the wait. The meeting will be held Oct. 13-17 at the beautiful Nemacolin Woodlands Resort, in the heart of Pennsylvania’s Marcellus Shale country. Originally considered as the site for the 2020 TA meeting, COVID put an end to those plans as well as all other activities. The Foundation TAs, like the rest of the country, haven’t had a chance to meet face-to-face since 2019 – and as meeting chair Jeff Lund points out, that makes this year’s event more special than ever.

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American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG)
Explorer Article

A ransomware cyberattack on the Colonial Pipeline in May brought a short-term disruption of gasoline supplies to the East Coast of the United States. Experts warned the assault has longer-term implications for the oil and gas industry, and for the nation’s critical infrastructure. Following the attack, government agencies quickly vowed to strengthen the nation’s cybersecurity efforts. But the great majority of U.S. energy supply – more than three-quarters, by many estimates – is in the hands of private industry. The Colonial incident “reflects a historically lax cybersecurity culture in the oil and gas industry.”

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American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG)
Short Course
Houston, Texas
Sunday, 16 June 2024, 8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.

In Enhanced Geothermal Systems (EGS), hydraulic stimulation is used to increase the flow rate achievable during circulation between geothermal wells. This course will cover key concepts related to hydraulic fracturing and reservoir engineering in EGS.

American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG)
Short Course
Houston, Texas
Sunday, 16 June 2024, 8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.

This course provides a comprehensive methodology for the diagnosis, analysis, and forecasting of well production data in unconventional resources.

American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG)
Short Course
Houston, Texas
Saturday, 15 June Sunday, 16 June 2024, 8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.

This two-day course introduces a workflow and reviews methods for performing quantitative rate-transient analysis of fractured vertical and multi-fractured horizontal wells (MFHWs), produced from unconventional (low-permeability) gas and light oil reservoirs, including shales.

American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG)
Short Course
Houston, Texas
Sunday, 16 June 2024, 8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.

American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG)
Short Course
Houston, Texas
Sunday, 16 June 2024, 8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.

Learn how to prepare for, conduct, and document safe and effective field activities involving students (field camps) and/or local inhabitants (Geoscientists without Borders) by following generally accepted health, safety, security, and environmental (HSSE) practices.

American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG)
Workshop
Houston, Texas
Tuesday, 21 May Wednesday, 22 May 2024, 8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.

As the world heads toward what could be a significant shortfall in energy supply relative to demand, it is more important than ever for our industry to help stakeholders understand the contribution of the hydrocarbon sector in balancing that energy equation. To do that, the industry needs individuals who can find, exploit, and appropriately assess reserves and resources. The AAPG DPA – SPE OGRC Petroleum Reserves and Resources Forum will help decision makers better understand the energy resource picture, and help interpreters and investors make more accurate reserve and resource assessments.

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American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG)
Short Course
Houston, Texas
Sunday, 16 June 2024, 8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.

This one-day course familiarizes attendees with the issues in the discipline of geohazards assessment. Upon completion of this course, participants will be able to identify, select, and interpret the appropriate geohazards data, understand different types of geohazards documents, and engage the full-time geohazards specialist to complete a thorough assessment.

American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG)
Webinar
Virtual Webinar
Wednesday, 6 April 2022, 8:00 a.m.–9:00 a.m.

Join the Petroleum Systems Technical Interest Group (TIG) for the next session of the AAPG Petroleum Systems Webinar Series, Capillary Seals, Petroleum Migration Patterns and Charge Risk – Summary of Theory and Observations, on Wednesday, 6 April 2022, 8:00 AM (CDT).

American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG)
Webinar
Virtual Webinar
Wednesday, 9 March 2022, 8:00 a.m.–9:00 a.m.

Join the Petroleum Systems Technical Interest Group (TIG) for the next session of the AAPG Petroleum Systems Webinar Series, Expanding the Application of Subsurface DNA Diagnostics into Integrated Petroleum Systems Analysis for Deeper Insights, on Wednesday, 9 March 2022, 8:00 AM (CST).

American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG)
Online e-Symposium
Thursday, 2 October 2014, 2:00 p.m.–3:00 p.m.

This course is ideal for individuals involved in Midland Basin exploration and development. Successful development of Wolfcamp shale oil relies on complex inter-relationships (ultimately interdependencies) within and between a wide variety of scientific disciplines, financial entities, and company partnerships. 

American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG)
Webinar
Virtual Webinar
Thursday, 8 February 2024, 12:00 p.m.–1:00 p.m.

What if the blue whale wasn't the largest creature to have ever lived on Earth? Could the resurrection of ecosystems after the Permian-Triassic mass extinction have allowed ichthyosaurs to become the ultimate predators on our planet?

American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG)
Online e-Symposium
Thursday, 9 December 2010, 12:00 a.m.–12:00 a.m.

The Mississippian-Devonian Bakken Petroleum System of the Williston Basin is characterized by low-porosity and permeability reservoirs, organic-rich source rocks, and regional hydrocarbon charge.

American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG)
Webinar
Virtual Webinar
Wednesday, 1 July 2020, 7:00 p.m.–8:30 p.m.

Join us for 'Pivoting During the Pandemic: Industry Cross-Overs'. Integrating Satellite and Drone Data for Utility Corridor Monitoring. Solutions Development for a Cross-Industry Platform. Webinar will be presented via Zoom 7:00pm - 8:30pm CDT, 1 July 2020.

American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG)
Webinar
Virtual Webinar
Wednesday, 22 July 2020, 7:00 p.m.–8:30 p.m.

Join us for 'Sustainable Solutions for the Energy Transition'. Sustainable Solutions for the Energy Transition strategies for pivoting for new revenue and diversification in today's times. Webinar will be presented via Zoom 7pm - 8:30pm CDT 22 July 2020.

American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG)
Online e-Symposium
Thursday, 10 May 2012, 12:00 a.m.–12:00 a.m.

Recognition and Correlation of the Eagle Ford, Austin Formations in South Texas can be enhanced with High Resolution Biostratigraphy, fossil abundance peaks and Maximum Flooding Surfaces correlated to Upper Cretaceous sequence stratigraphic cycle chart after Gradstein, 2010.

American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG)
Webinar
Virtual Webinar
Wednesday, 20 May 2020, 7:00 p.m.–8:30 p.m.

Join us for 'Matching Capabilities and Capacity With Current and Emerging Demand Areas; Building a Business Plan That Reflects the Realities of Opportunities'. Webinar will be presented via Zoom 7pm - 8:30pm CDT, 20 May 2020. During this webinar we will discuss: Matching technologies and companies Keys to Building a Resilient Early-Stage Business Multi-Industry Technology: Robotics as a Service

American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG)
Webinar
Virtual Webinar
Wednesday, 10 June 2020, 7:00 p.m.–8:30 p.m.

Join us for 'Smart Manufacturing  & 3D Printing' where we will discuss materials innovation and smart manufacturing, leveraging 3D printing to build resilient supply chains and women in 3D printing. Webinar will be presented via Zoom 7pm - 8:30pm CDT, 10 June, 2020

American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG)
Autumn Haagsma Autumn Haagsma President (2023-2024) Michigan Geological Survey (269) 387-8696
Amy Lynn Spaziani Amy Lynn Spaziani President Elect (2023-2024) Spaziani Geoservices, LLC
Dan A. Billman Dan A. Billman Advisory Councilor (2019-2025) Billman Geologic Consultants Inc (724) 916-4557

The House of Delegates of the AAPG is made up of delegates from affiliated societies and international regions throughout the world. They are selected by popular vote from within their respective areas and serve a three year term.

Who Is My Delegate?

NOTE: Membership in an affiliated society does not necessarily constitute membership in the AAPG and vice versa.

Learn more about affiliated societies of the AAPG

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