Where can you have the opportunity, for about $80 per day for the price of admission, to choose from 465 technical talks, 415 posters, view state-of-the-art technology from around the world, and enjoy networking with top geoscientists and business leaders?
It is the AAPG Annual Convention and Exhibition (ACE), scheduled for April 9-12 at the George R. Brown Convention Center in Houston.
AAPG is preparing for a really big show in Houston this year, and we are expecting a crowd of well over 7,000 attendees. Our theme is “Perfecting the Search – Delivering on Promises.” SEPM helps produce the technical sessions and other educational opportunities, and this year’s ACE is hosted by the Houston Geological Society.
This year’s convention features a comprehensive technical program that showcases the best of geoscience advances and industry exploration and production activity. Session and forum themes will address:
- Successful business strategies.
- Learning from explorations and exploitations successes, failures and mistakes
- Perfecting the search for unconventional plays and technology.
- Giant fields of the world and what they have to teach us.
- Integrating geology, geophysics and engineering to deliver success.
- Reservoir characterization and modeling.
- Stratigraphy and petroleum systems.
- Structure and tectonics.
- Play openers and where they are leading us.
- Delivering resources and environmental quality for a sustainable future.
This program truly has something for everyone. Whether you work for a major, independent, institution or for yourself this is a great educational opportunity.
Complimenting the technical sessions is a major exhibition. Exhibitors are a key part of the convention, not only for the contribution of their state-of-the-art technology but for their support of the technical program and other convention activities. We encourage all attendees to visit the exhibition. It is where people and technology meet.
ACE also offers many short courses and field trips by AAPG, its Divisions, the SEPM and the HGS.
One of the comments I hear through the year is the desire to look at rocks. AAPG is one of the primary brokers of field trips around the world. This year’s list of convention field trips goes from turbidites in Mexico to Quaternary depositional systems on the East Texas coast to moon rocks at NASA (with astronaut and AAPG member Harrison “Jack” Schmitt as a guide).
Several core workshops also are available.
Conventions of this size are only made possible by the many dedicated hours provided by volunteers with staff. The Houston Organizing Committee, under the direction of general chairman Charles Sternbach, has done a great job.
Of course, one of the best things about AAPG conventions is the integration of geoscience and business. AAPG has a history of providing a good mix of professional opportunities. The Houston convention will be a key opportunity this year to network with old contacts and develop new ones.
The annual convention also is important from a governance aspect of AAPG; this is our annual business meeting. The Executive Committee, Advisory Committee, the House of Delegates and most of AAPG’s standing and ad hoc committees meet at this time.
Of course, we always encourage all of you to join a committee and be involved. It is a great way to develop your career contacts and refine your interests.
You can view a list of AAPG committees at www.aapg.org. Please contact Janice Scott at [email protected] if you find one you want to join.
Now is the time to register! Many of the special lecturers and entertainment events are filling up.
Don’t forget, the price of admission also includes a reception on Sunday night with thousands of your closest friends and peers.
Register online at www.aapg.org/houston/.
Please come, enjoy and support your profession.