AAPG Convention Set for April 9-12

AAPG Convention Set for April 9-12
By AAPG Convention Organizing Committee
 
Of the 11 times that Houston has hosted the AAPG Convention (since 1924), only two conventions were held at times of historically high oil and gas prices. The last time a convention was held in Houston during an oil boom was in1979, 27 years and a generation ago! The 2006 AAPG Convention in Houston will be another landmark “oil boom” convention. Since 1979, Houston has grown substantially in people and technology making Houston today a thriving energy capital, a crossroads of technology and a gateway of “know-how” to the world.
 
Back in 1979, high prices followed the peak output of U.S. domestic oil production. In 2006, our industry is facing the possibility that at this time in history we could be at the peak of global oil production. AAPG is planning a forum entitled “Winning the Oil End Game-The Future of Hydrocarbon Resources in Our Global Economy” at the April 2006 convention to debate the issue. However controversial these issues may be, one thing is certain: geologists have always been at the center of energy exploration, from the early wildcatters to space exploration. AAPG is pleased to announce that Apollo 17 astronaut Jack Schmitt, the only AAPG member to have walked on the moon, will share his ideas about future exploration and energy at a special forum.
 
The AAPG today is made up of an ever-expanding global association of petroleum professionals. This is reflected in the convention logo, representing a diverse group of talented geoscientists of various backgrounds, having multiple skill sets, and coming from many geographic locations.We are pleased that our logo also reflects the latest technologies that these teams employ. (Of particular note is the innovative forum “Women as Leaders in the E&P Industry”.)
 
Conventions are all about people and ideas. Ideas drive this year’s AAPG program. The theme of the meeting, “Perfecting the Search” (a quote from the late Michel T. Halbouty), reflects efforts to improve our abilities to find and produce hydrocarbons commercially as we strive to become better scientists and explorers. The strength of the technical program is our foundation. Technical achievement paves the way to profitable business so geologists can “Deliver on our Promises.” Mindful that exploration is a business, we have taken steps to ensure that business relevance is integral to this program. Sessions such as “Energizing the World in the 21st Century” will occur all day during the Monday program. CEOs of oil companies will share their visions of the future. Other business-relevant sessions include “Overcoming Challenges for E&P in the 21st Century,”“Reserves Now and in the Future” and “Show Me the Money! How Wall Street Logic, NYMEX Traders and Capital Markets Impact You.”
 
 
For additional information, see below and also the AAPG web page: http://www.aapg.org/. Registration discounts apply prior to February 17. In addition, you can be a part of the convention by volunteering, judging or sponsoring.
 
Contact Jim Grubb, Volunteer Chairman
(713-591-1155), George Klein, Judging Chairman (281-937-
9436) or Gonz Enciso, Sponsorship Chairman (713-422-8261).
 
Technical Program
The technical program builds on the convention theme “Perfecting the Search, Delivering on Promises,” beginning with oral and poster sessions on discoveries, case studies and techniques with an additional focus on the business of our profession. This year we have over 875 papers consisting of 432 posters and 446 oral papers.
 
Program themes are:
• Successful Business Strategies with the landmark forum “Energizing the World in the 21st Century” beginning the technical program.
• Delivering Resources and Environmental Quality for a Sustainable Future
• Learning from Exploration and Exploitation Successes, Failures and Mistakes, with the opportunity to study Bypassed Pays and Plays
• Giant Fields of the World, Their Implications and What They Have to Teach Us which includes the Giant Fields Core Workshop and Giant Fields Core Poster Session
• Play Openers and Where They Are Leading Us
• Perfecting the Search for AAPG Convention continued on page 15 
 
Unconventional Plays and Technology, which in addition to discussing various unconventional reservoir types includes the Halbouty Lecture by Harrison Schmitt “Wildcatting on the Moon”
• Integrating Geology, Geophysics and Engineering to Deliver Success
• Reservoir Characterization and Modeling, focused on geological and geophysical input to reservoir analysis and ultimately fluid movement
• Stratigraphy and Petroleum Systems
• Structure and Tectonics
 
Forums
 
Contributions of the GulfCoast to geoscience technology
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