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Rocky Mountain Section

Oil Rises 1 Percent After U.S. Crude, Fuel Stockpiles Draw Down - 24 September, 2020 07:35 AM

Calif. Gov. Newsom Bans Sale of Gas-Powered Cars by 2035, Issues Executive Order to 'Radically Change' Energy Consumption In State - 24 September, 2020 07:33 AM

Oil Still Stuck at $40 - 23 September, 2020 07:37 AM

President to Add North Carolina to Executive Order Barring New Oil Drilling Leases - 23 September, 2020 07:33 AM

Shell Launches Major Cost-Cutting Drive - 23 September, 2020 07:30 AM

News in Review ...

10 Oct

Mexican Basins: Advancing the Understanding of Mexico’s Geology and Hydrocarbon Potential - Call for Abstracts Expires in 14 days

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30 Oct

Advanced Petroleum Systems Analysis in the Asia Pacific Region: New Technology and Applications - Call for Abstracts Expires in 34 days

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15 Dec

Stratigraphic and reservoir challenges with Triassic plays in the North Sea Central Graben - Call for Abstracts Expires in 80 days

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21 Jan

2nd Edition: Maximizing Asset Value: Integrating Geoscience with Reservoir Management & Technologies Optimization - Call for Papers Expires in 117 days

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08 Feb

Immersion into Shuaiba Formation to Maximize Production – Call for Posters Expires in 135 days

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Explorer Article By Joseph Moore

The Utah FORGE: An International Laboratory for Advancing Enhanced Geothermal Development

'Conventional geothermal reservoirs are characterized by a heat source, hydrothermal convection, and sufficient natural permeability to allow for fluid migration. Recognizing the geologically restricted occurrence of natural sites, additional opportunities have been sought. Enhanced geothermal systems are reservoirs in hot rock that lack the natural permeability required for fluid movement. In 2014, the U.S. Department of Energy initiated a program to test and develop new technologies for characterizing, creating and sustaining EGS reservoirs under natural field conditions. A site approximately 350 kilometers south of Salt Lake City Utah was selected for the Frontier Observatory for Research in Geothermal Energy, or “FORGE” laboratory. '

Added on 01 August, 2020

Explorer Article By David Brown

Source of Confusion

Understanding source rock provides a key to evaluating the hydrocarbon potential of super basins and an important tool for basin exploration. Geologists get the basics right, in general, but sometimes they might be thinking about source rock the wrong way. They are definitely talking about it in the wrong way.

Added on 01 August, 2020

Explorer Foundation Update By Jensen Angelloz

Announcing the 2020 IBA Finals Winners

Call it unprecedented, call it exciting and unpredictable, call it historic – and you’re right each time. The 2020 Imperial Barrel Award global finals competition was one for the record books – for the first time ever, the entire competition, impacted by the global pandemic that threatened to end it before it began, was held virtually in early June, adding a new chapter in the program’s illustrious history. Indeed, this year’s competition had many firsts – a global pandemic, an entirely virtual competition and the introduction of the IBA Exploration Leadership Series.

Added on 01 July, 2020

Explorer Article By David Brown

World Helium Resources to Enter 'Sustained, Ample Supply'

Helium rose back into the news recently, in part because of drilling exploration programs planned for an area along the Alberta-Saskatchewan border in southern Canada. North American Helium Inc. of Calgary announced it had arranged additional equity financing of about $29 million to purchase and construct its second helium purification plant at the Battle Creek field in southwest Saskatchewan and to fund an active drilling program. A number of other companies are reportedly involved in North American helium exploration projects, including Desert Mountain Energy Corp. and Royal Helium Ltd. of Vancouver, Weil Group Resources LLC in Richmond, Va., and Australian explorer Blue Star Energy.

Added on 01 July, 2020

Explorer Foundation Update By Gretchen Flint

Colorado Educator Named 2020 Inspirational Geoscience Educator

The AAPG Foundation is proud to announce that Bradford Burton, an associate professor in the Natural and Environmental Sciences Department at Western Colorado University in Gunnison, Colo., has been named the 2020 Inspirational Geoscience Educator Award recipient.

Added on 01 June, 2020

Bulletin Article By Alexei Milkov,Jack Samis,Phlemon George

Sedimentology, diagenesis, and reservoir characterization of the Permian White Rim Sandstone, southern Utah: Implications for carbon capture and sequestration potential

The potential storage capacity and fluid flow pathways through the Permian White Rim Sandstone, Utah, is evaluated in order to reduce atmospheric CO2 levels. This sandstone would not make a high-quality storage reservoir despite initial, promising outcrop results.

Added on 22 May, 2020

Explorer Foundation Update By Gretchen Flint

Arizona Educator Named AAPG Foundation’s 2020 Teacher of the Year

Rebekah Kienenberger, an Earth and space science teacher at Arete Preparatory Academy in Gilbert, Ariz., has been named the 2020 Teacher of the Year by the Tulsa-based AAPG Foundation.

Added on 01 April, 2020

Explorer Article By Lyn George

Rocky Mountain Section of AAPG Announces Presentation Awards

The Rocky Mountain Section of AAPG is pleased to announce the winners of its Presentation Awards for the section’s 2019 Annual Conference which was held in Cheyenne, Wyo. The Presentation Awards are given to those who present the best technical papers at the annual meeting. Authors gave more than 125 oral and poster presentations on the geology of the Rocky Mountain region at the Cheyenne meeting. Judging on technical merit and presentation determined the winners.

Added on 01 April, 2020

Bulletin Article By Alexei Milkov,Jack Samis

Controls on fracture network characteristics of the middle member of the Bakken Formation, Elm Coulee field, Williston Basin, United States

Zones of anomalously high production from secondary permeability exist in the Bakken Formation in the Elm Coulee field of the Williston Basin, United States. An antiformal structure provides a plausible explanation for these sweet spots and a potential new exploration trend.

Added on 23 March, 2020

Explorer President’s Column By Mike Party

Righting the Ship in Stormy Waters

This Executive Committee and the past five EC have been working hard on your behalf. AAPG had a couple black swan events in 2014 and 2015. The Executive Committees during these few years have been working very hard to cut costs and bring the budget into balance in this new commodity price environment. The bottom line to all this is that in five years we have righted the ship, bailed the water, and are sailing once again.

Added on 01 March, 2020

Short Course By Ursula Hammes

Virtual Short Course

Monday, 26 October – Wednesday, 28 October 2020, 8:00 a.m.–11:00 a.m.

Evaluation of Tight-Shale Reservoirs: Sedimentologic, Stratigraphic, and Geochemical Tools to Identify Production Sweet Spots

This virtual short course focuses on methods and workflows for identifying, characterizing, and developing tight-shale reservoirs. Participants will learn how to apply mudrock depositional, sedimentological, sequence stratigraphic, and geochemical principles to exploration areas and production assets in shale basins.

Added on 02 June, 2020

Short Course

Virtual Short Course

Monday, 16 November – Wednesday, 18 November 2020, 8:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m.

Petroleum Geochemistry 101, Unconventional Thermal EOR's and Hybrid Plays

This course will allow beginner or intermediate professionals to provide with daily geochemical solutions to executional E&P projects from exploration to WIM/production and environmental footprints issues.

Added on 27 April, 2020

Short Course

Virtual Short Course

Wednesday, 16 December – Friday, 18 December 2020, 8:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m.

Applied Middle East Late Palaeozoic Palynology: Solving Geological Problems

In an area where palynology still has a significant impact, this course will cover all aspects of Palaeozoic applied palynology for the Middle East including regional and industry case studies. We will look at real applications of Late Palaeozoic palynology specific to the industry. There are no other courses that cover applied Middle East Late Palaeozoic Palynology, nor has the regional and industry focused on solving these geological problems.

Added on 23 April, 2020

Online e-Symposium

Wednesday, 5 March 2014, 12:00 a.m.–12:00 a.m.

Virtual Field Trip: Geology of the Grand Canyon, Bryce Canyon, and Zion National Parks

Explore three of the great wonders of the geological world. Take a guided tour of classic geological sites on the Colorado Plateau.

Added on 11 December, 2013

Online e-Symposium

Friday, 27 March 2009, 12:00 a.m.–12:00 a.m.

The Many Faces of GIS: Oil and Gas Applications, New Directions, Careers

Join two GIS/geoscience experts Scott Sires and Gerry Bartz as they use information from the Teapot Dome Field in Wyoming (DOE/RMOTC program).

Added on 02 December, 2013

Online e-Symposium

Thursday, 12 July 2012, 12:00 a.m.–12:00 a.m.

Shale Wells: Making the Engineering Fit What Geology Offers

This presentation will look at well placement vertically in the pay, well azimuth and well trajectory with explanations of how geology and post-depositional effects can make the difference between a successful well and a failure.

Added on 11 December, 2013

Online e-Symposium

Thursday, 28 April 2011, 12:00 a.m.–12:00 a.m.

The Niobrara Petroleum System, a Major Tight Resource Play in the Rocky Mountain Region

The Niobrara Petroleum System of the U.S. Rocky Mountain Region is a major tight petroleum resource play.

Added on 02 December, 2013

Online e-Symposium

Thursday, 23 July 2009, 12:00 a.m.–12:00 a.m.

3D Seismic Profiles of U.S. Shale Plays

As commodity prices have dropped, many shale plays have become uneconomical as statistical plays and have increasingly become recognized as geological plays demanding new insights from data.

Added on 02 December, 2013

Online e-Symposium

Thursday, 16 February 2012, 12:00 a.m.–12:00 a.m.

Seismically Driven Characterization of Unconventional Shale Plays

This presentation describes a proven workflow that uses a standard narrow azimuth 3D seismic, conventional logs, image logs and core data to build five key reservoir properties required for an optimal development of shale plays.

Added on 11 December, 2013

Online e-Symposium

Tuesday, 16 August 2011, 12:00 a.m.–12:00 a.m.

Green River Shales: Geochemical Basin Study

The geochemistry of formation fluids (water and hydrocarbon gases) in the Uinta Basin, Utah, is evaluated at the regional scale based on fluid sampling and compilation of past records.

Added on 02 December, 2013

Online e-Symposium

Thursday, 9 December 2010, 12:00 a.m.–12:00 a.m.

The Bakken Petroleum System of the Williston Basin

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.

Added on 02 December, 2013

View All Online Training ...

Society of Exploration Geophysicists (SEG) seeks Executive Director

The Society of Exploration Geophysicists (SEG) is seeking outstanding candidates for the position of Executive Director. With some 12,000 members in 120 countries, we seek an exceptional individual who will be an effective leader of SEG’s staff, business, and operations.

STARR Project Manager/Research Scientist, Bureau of Economic Geology

The Bureau of Economic Geology (Bureau) at The University of Texas at Austin seeks a highly talented individual to lead the State of Texas Advanced Resource Recovery (STARR) research program. MS, or PhD in geosciences or petroleum engineering or related technical discipline. 15 or more years of oil and gas industry and/or academic experience, including supervising and/or managing complex exploration, development, or research projects.

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VG Abstract By Noelle Joy Purcell

Confounding Carbonates: The Reservoir Rocks that Won't Play Nice

This lecture will discuss the differences between carbonates and siliciclastics from their chemical composition through their distributions in time and space. Building on these fundamental differences, we will explore the challenges carbonates pose to petroleum geologists in terms of seismic interpretation, reservoir quality prediction, field development, etc. Peppered with humorous personal stories, still raging academic debates, and the heartfelt frustrations of real industry professionals, the aim is to inspire students and young professionals to rise to the occasion and embrace the reservoir rocks that petroleum geologists love to hate.

Request a visit from Noelle Joy Purcell!

Added on 17 March, 2015

VG Abstract By David Weinberg

Fracking - A Curse or a Blessing?

This is a less-technical education topic. It can be condensed to an hour or given as 2 two-hour sessions. It stresses selected controversial aspects of fracking that touch some combination of environment and economics and includes a short video of how fracking is done.

Request a visit from David Weinberg!

Added on 19 March, 2015

Peter David Bucknam President (2020-2021) Petro-Hunt LLC (303) 573-4161

Heidi E. Schoenstein Past President (2020-2021) (970) 623-3356

Anna Sheldon Phelps President Elect (2020-2021) SM Energy (303) 837-2484

Alonzo Riley Brinkerhoff Secretary Treasurer Elect (2020-2021) Wasatch Energy 406-839-1375

Timothy Olaf Nesheim Secretary Treasurer (2020-2021) ND Geological Survey 701-777-2460

Natasha Marie Rigg Advisory Counselor (2018-2021) Rigg Geoscience (303) 589-2688

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.

Rocky Mountain Section

Society of Exploration Geophysicists (SEG) seeks Executive Director

STARR Project Manager/Research Scientist, Bureau of Economic Geology

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