The Wise Report Provides Government Updates for Areas of Interest to HGS Professionals.
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January HGS Dinner
GeoLegends:
An Evening with T. Boone Pickens
Monday, Jan. 14, Westchase Hilton, 5:30 pm
"An Evening with T. Boone Pickens"
On January 14th, 2008 the HGS continues its "Legends" series as we present one on the most successful geologists of our era, T. Boone Pickens. T. Boone Pickens is a geologist who believed in his prospects enough to do what it took to get them drilled, and in the end, that's where it all started. By the 1980s he came to believe that acquiring other companies had become more profitable than oil exploration and production. His skill lay in an ability to identify undervalued companies and make a profit when outside parties and the markets recognized their value. Boone Pickens' repeated attempts to take over companies much larger than his own led to his and Mesa Petroleum's greatest fame. He has made billions for himself and average investors by shaking up the moribund management of major corporations and by taking huge gambles in the energy industry. He has risen from his apparent financial deathbed at least twice. He has donated hundreds of millions to various philanthropies.
Join HGS at the January Dinner to hear from this interesting and at times controversial GeoLegend.
Register now, because we expect this event to sell out.
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Sponsor: Knowledge-Reservoir, Aramco Services, Fugro-Robertson
The Wise Report
Henry M. Wise, P.G.
December 28, 2007
The Texas Board of Professional Geoscientists (TBPG) proposes an amendment to 22 TAC §850.63, concerning the responsibilities of the Board and Executive Director. This section establishes guidelines requiring license holders to provide notification to the consumer for the purpose of directing complaints to the Board. This amendment clarifies how the notification will be provided to the consumer. Specifically, the TBPG will require license holders to notify consumers and service recipients of the name, ailing address, and telephone numbers of the TBPG for purposes of directing complaints to the TBPG. The notification will be included on the written contract for services of an individual or entity regulated by the TBPG, and a sigh will be prominently displayed in the place of business of each individual or entity regulatec by the TBPG if the consumers or service reciients must visit the place of business for service or products. For more information go to: http://www.sos.state.tx.us/texreg/sos/PROPOSED/22.EXAMINING%20BOARDS.html#56
Hello
HGS This Week
December 14, 2007
Party - International Explorationists
Monday, Dec. 17, Rioja Restaurant (11920J Westheimer), 5:30pm
Rioja Restaurant has made us a wonderful deal this year for $29.50, tax and tip included. We have the run of the whole place! The cash bar begins at 5:30PM in one half of the restaurant. When you get hungry (no set time), wander over to the other half of the restaurant to enjoy a delicious sit-down dinner. Adjustments can be made for special needs. Just let us know in advance. When you're finished with dinner, feel free to wander back to the bar for an after-dinner drink and more good company.
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HGS Environmental & Engineering Group Christmas Party
Tuesday Dec. 18th 5:30
Black Lab Pub Churchill Room
4100 Montrose Blvd.
No speaker....No talk...Just a social evening with friends.
Everyone invited
Register now
January 2008
The January HGS Dinner will be the next installment of our very popular “Legends” series. This year’s speaker will be T. Boone Pickens. Register now because this event is sure to sell out.
Don't forget to register for the International Explorationists Party. It's happening this coming Monday, December 17, at Rioja Restaurant, starting at 5:30 PM with a cash bar and a full dinner served whenever you like. Check out the menu and register at: Int'l Party Registration. Bring your friends and family -- everyone is welcome. Let's make this a holiday event to remember!
The Wise Report
Henry M. Wise, P.G.
December 8, 2007
As you will recall, the last Texas legislative session passed HB 3554, whick requires the implementation of Risk-Based Corrective Action for all leaking petroleum storage tank (LPST) releases. The TCEQ has determined that it already meets the risk-based corrective action legislative requirements of House Bill 3554. Therefore, all LPST releases reported through August 31, 2003 continue to be subject to all parts of 30 TAC 334 (the PST rules), and all releases reported on or after September 1, 2003 must meet the assessment, response actions, and post-response action care requirements of 30 TAC 350 (the Texas Risk Reduction Program (TRRP) rules). In otherwords, nothing has changed.
Henry M. Wise, P.G.
The Wise Report
12/8/2007
December 2007 HGS Bulletin
To download a copy of the HGS Bulletin, click here.
HGS This Week
December 7, 2007
Technical Meetings
HGS/NAE General Dinner Meeting
Monday, Dec. 10, 5:30 pm, Westchase Hilton
Michael Sweet (ExxonMobil) talks about early recognition of reservoir compartments, barriers to fluid flow, and how they change through time, in "Recognizing Reservoir Compartments on Geologic and Production Timescales in Deep-Water Reservoirs: An Example from Genesis Field, Gulf of Mexico". This should be a good one for anyone working in a development setting.
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Other Events
International Explorationists Christmas Party
Monday, Dec. 17, Rioja Restaurant (11920J Westheimer), 5:30pm
Rioja Restaurant has made us a wonderful deal this year for $29.50, tax and tip included. We have the run of the whole place! The cash bar begins at 5:30PM in one half of the restaurant. When you get hungry (no set time), wander over to the other half of the restaurant to enjoy a delicious sit-down dinner that includes the items listed below. Adjustments can be made for special needs. Just let us know in advance. When you're finished with dinner, feel free to wander back to the bar for an after-dinner drink and more good company.
Register Mapquest | Add to Calendar
Coming in January
HGS Legends Night: An Evening with T. Boone Pickens
Monday, Jan 14, Westchase Hilton, 5:30 pm
Get your tickets early--this will sell out!
Resistance: Integrating New Technology
by Steve Earle
This month we feature a technical article on a marine CSEM case study. Controlled source electromagnetic (CSEM) surveys use a geophysical method that measures resistivity contrasts in the earth, somewhat analogous to the way seismic surveys measure acoustic contrasts. Although resistivity techniques have been used in the mining industry for a long time, their use in hydrocarbon exploration has been limited. However, recent advances in marine CSEM applicable for deep-water work mesh with the need to control risk in this high-cost environment. A method that directly measures hydrocarbon signatures now has tremendous financial impact and the ensuing research has led to significant technological breakthroughs.
The case study here is from the Norwegian Sea. Several early surveys from the North Sea and the deepwater Gulf of Mexico demonstrated the promise of CSEM, but the Luva area seemed to give a false negative. The article explains that there actually is a hydrocarbon signature in the data and why the early work did not see it.
This follows the interesting September presentation by Jason Robinson, in which he discussed how MTEM, his employer who was recently purchased by PGS, has brought CSEM back onshore. They use a source that generates a varying-frequency EM signature and process the measured response, similar to how Vibroseis works. Clearly, a fair amount of new development is occurring in this field and companies that can integrate the new technology into their workflow can gain competitive advantage. The authors of the case study published here work for a small company, so large size is not necessary to be a player.
A separate point that the article makes is that interpretations that integrate more data are always more robust. Everyone understands this point, but effectively doing it can be a challenge. At various times, you need to be expert on depositional environments, diagenesis, biostratigraphy, log analysis, structural geology, seismic interpretation, AVO analysis, geochemistry,... and I'm just getting started here. Now throw in electromagnetic methods. Whew!
So exactly how does new technology get integrated into the mainstream? Art Berman gave an interesting talk last year that drew upon research out of Iowa State College. Joe Bohlen and George Beal followed the introduction of a hybrid corn that not only gave superior yields but was more disease, pest and drought resistant (Ref. 1). This work was later generalized by Everett Rogers as his diffusion of innovations theory and initially published in 1962 (Ref. 2). The research suggests that only 16% of a population readily adopts new technology. Another two-thirds will follow along, spread over some time period, and the remaining 16% of people change reluctantly, if ever. Art agues that innovation in the oil and gas industry follows this same path.
The relationship of this to the creaming curve is striking and suggests they are linked. The creaming curve says the earliest wells find the easiest and largest fields--the "cream of the crop." The majority of reserves in any given trend will be discovered fairly early in the exploration cycle after some initial period in which people determine the keys to success. When I worked in a frontier exploration group, we believed that new plays, whether identified by new technology or the opening of new basins, fit this model and that success comes to those who identify when a new idea is just beginning to mature. This also ties into the idea of "tipping points" where the unusual becomes the norm. I believe we are at that point in the cycle with regards to CSEM and other resistivity techniques, especially for deepwater exploration.
I'll wrap up with another request for technical articles, case histories, your recollections of interesting events from "the patch" or a discussion about an especially interesting rock (photo required). If you have an interesting submission for the Bulletin, please send it to me at hgs_editor@earthlink.net.
References
1. Joe M Bohlen and George M Beal (May 1957), "The Diffusion Process," Special Report No. 18 (Agriculture Extension Service, Iowa State College) 1: 56-77.
2. Everett M Rogers (2003), Diffusion of innovations (5th ed.). New York: Free Press.
Geo-Celebrities: People Who Inspire
Today's Oil Finders
by Linda Sternbach
HGS is hosting another stellar event in the Geo-Legends series! T. Boone Pickens will speak at the HGS January 14 dinner meeting at the Westchase Hilton hotel. Pickens began his career as a geologist and then founded the company that became Mesa Petroleum. He was one of the first independent oilmen to grow a company by the acquisition of other oil and gas companies. He currently pursues a wide range of business interests. We look forward to having him share his stories and views at the January HGS dinner meeting.
Geo-Legends is an original HGS dinner meeting series that began seven years ago with a "Legends in Wildcatting" panel discussion in January 2000. This was followed by a second "Legends in Wildcatting" in 2003, "Geo-Legends" in 2006 and "Legendary Fields" in January 2007. This series is one of the most popular technical meetings that HGS organizes, and we anticipate a sell-out of tickets for the T. Boone Pickens talk. This January 2008 program was initiated and organized by Vice President Gary Coburn and HGS Director
Bonnie Milne-Andrews.
When HGS puts together a Legends program, the people on the wish list to invite have characteristics that make them "Geo-Celebrities" in our business. Geo-Celebrities are successful individuals who fulfill the dreams of the regular geoscientist. Geoscientists attend the Legends series because they are looking for role models for their own careers. They seek insight into how to become financially successful from winners in the oil business and also to hear a "hero's story," in which the celebrity started from humble beginnings and rose to prominence in the profession. I think one reason both men and women choose petroleum geology as a career is because they have internal hopes of "hitting it big," whether in finding oil, making a scientific discovery or creating a business.
Geologists are keenly interested in collecting and comparing information to create a "big picture" of the natural world. They also enjoy travel, adventure and making predictions. Deep down inside, in their quiet internal world, geologists imagine what it would be like if they were wildly successful. It would be all the more sweet if their success is the result of being smart enough to figure out the play, or the formula, before the competition does. Geologists also imagine that because they are so smart, they will also be lucky, too.
The way I see it, there are three kinds of Geo-Celebrities. T. Boone Pickens is the empire builder. Geologists admire the empire builders' ability to make connections, to see value in fallow land or a string of small fields, and to grow a company that builds and revamps oil assets into profitability. They also have the insight to foresee potential in oil and gas properties out of favor in the mainstream. Pickens has invested beyond the oil business and diversified into other resources such as water, wind and alternative energy. Past Legends panelists that are "empire builders" include Gene Van Dyke of Vanco, Joe Foster of Newfield, Marvin Davis of Davis Oil and Joe Bruso of Sovereign Oil. These types of Geo-Celebrities are very ambitious, very imaginative and incredibly tough business people.
Another type of Geo-Celebrity is the wildcatter. Geologists admire the wildcatter story: a geologist who rose from humble beginnings, learned and survived through failure, and finally found wealth and success through an oil field discovery. The HGS Legends panel in 2003 was one of the last opportunities to hear the late Michel T. Halbouty talking about his decades in the oil business and the optimism and dogged persistence that kept him successful. Other wildcatters from the 2003 Legends program included Tom Barrow (Exxon-Prudhoe Bay) and Bill Barrett (Cave Gulch field). The wildcatter Geo-Celebrity appreciates the benefits of science and business training but realizes that it takes savvy beyond books to win at the game of finding oil. Intuition takes wildcatters to places where they have more hope than facts. Geologists especially love the part of the story when there is a big discovery that makes up for dry holes.
The last type of Geo-Celebrity is the geo-hero. The Geo-Legends program of 2006 featured great teachers that have returned tremendous knowledge to the geologic community. Our speakers at Geo-Legends 2006 included Peter Vail, Albert Bally, Arnold Bouma and Pete Rose. Geologists admire the ability of these Geo-Celebrities to write, lecture and communicate the big picture back to the ordinary geologist stuck in a close-focus world. They see patterns in chaotic nature. We ask: how did they get the insight and the intellectual discipline to execute all their publications and teaching efforts?
I hope the HGS can continue to inspire today's and tomorrow's geoscientists with speaker programs like Geo-Legends.
HGS Shrimp Peel a Success!
Over 380 HGS members and guests attended the HGS Shrimp Peel ,Saturday, Dec 1 at the Sam Houston Racetrack. Thanks to longtime committee chairman Lee Shelton (Knowledge Reservoir), everybody enjoyed shrimp, corn, potatoes and pie and wagered on nine thoroughbred races.
Check out these photos taken Saturday night!
HGS Calendar
December, 2007
Technical Meetings
HGS/NAE General Dinner Meeting
Monday, Dec. 10, 5:30 pm, Westchase Hilton
Michael Sweet (ExxonMobil) talks about how to identify reservoir compartments that change through time, in "Recognizing Reservoir Compartments on Geologic and Production Timescales in Deep-Water Reservoirs: An Example from Genesis Field, Gulf of Mexico".
Register Mapquest | Add to Calendar
Other Events
HGS Annual Shrimp Peel tomorrow!
Saturday, Dec. 1, 5:30 pm
Sam Houston Race Park, 6-10 pm
Plan to come to the HGS Shrimp Peel! Come eat boiled shrimp, enjoy beer and other beverages, Texas Champions Day horse races, door prizes! This popular event is a great place to meet up with old friends and colleagues and their spouses for a relaxed, fun evening.
You can still order tickets for will-call, by contacting Lee Shelton at 281-381-1093
or lshelton@knowledge-reservoir.com. For Will Call tickets, pick them up at the HGS will call table at the north gate (south gate if it's raining).
International Explorationists Christmas Party
Monday, Dec. 17, Rioja Restaurant (11920J Westheimer), 5:30pm
Rioja Restaurant has made us a wonderful deal this year for $29.50, tax and tip included. We have the run of the whole place! The cash bar begins at 5:30PM in one half of the restaurant. When you get hungry (no set time), wander over to the other half of the restaurant to enjoy a delicious sit-down dinner that includes the items listed below. Adjustments can be made for special needs. Just let us know in advance. When you're finished with dinner, feel free to wander back to the bar for an after-dinner drink and more good company.
Register Mapquest | Add to Calendar
Coming in January
HGS Legends Night: An Evening with T. Boone Pickens
Monday, Jan 14, Westchase Hilton, 5:30 pm
Get your tickets early--this will sell out!
November is a time for reflection. As we head toward the holidays, we can be thankful for another year of strong revenues
and demand. Yet each boom seems to carry with it the seeds of the next bust.My thoughts are partly spurred by an interesting survey question, which asked where energy prices would be in 20 years: up, down or flat. I applaud the forward-looking approach, but just had to laugh. I don’t think there has ever been a 20-year period in which prices generally
trended just one direction. A more appropriate question might be, “How many market correctionswill we experience in the next 20 years?”
Of course, you can substitute your own euphemism for “corrections.”This and other items in the news got me to thinking about U.S. energy policy. Energy “policy” as practiced here seems to bump and lurch along from one crisis to the next. The current
high costs of energy have led to the predictable calls for taxing the “excess” profits, eliminating tax breaks or punishing the “price gougers.”What is poorly understood is that, while we are talking about huge amounts of money, when measured against financial standards like return on capital employed, the oil and gas industry is a bit of a laggard compared with many sectors of the economy. The truth is that a healthy energy sector needs to continue attracting capital for its exploration and development work. Punitive measures do more harm to the overall economy than to the oil and gas companies, but somehow folks just feel better.
A sound energy policy should do two rather simple things in my view: first, it should improve economic efficiency; second, it
should encourage a steady supply of energy and petrochemical feedstock here in the U.S. Of course, simple principles do not
necessarily mean that the steps to carry these goals out will be easy or simple. Efficiency can be found in many places. Conservation is one obvious example. Enhanced recovery projects that capture more A sound energy should do simple things…improve efficiency encourage supply of the oil or gas in place are another. Lower pollution and greenhouse
gas emissions will also improve the overall U.S. economy in the long run. What is perhaps a bit less intuitive is the damage
done by the incessant boom and bust cycles. Some rather specialized skill sets are employed in the oil and gas industry; however, when we allow the work force to be demolished in a downturn, then the ability to ramp up again is severely compromised.
We use lots of expensive equipment, but it requires properly trained and experienced people. The number of well-paid energy jobs lost in the mid-80s was an order of magnitude more than in other industries, so why was government falling all over itself trying to mitigate the pain in other sectors while turning a blind eye to us? These cycles are not only inefficient, they also work against a goal of steady supply. Some economists have argued that less expensive foreign resources are more efficient and
this is certainly true in the short term. However, over the long haul, one needs to factor in the costs of reliance on foreign sources of oil. Those costs may include increased military expenditures and costs of a deteriorating global security situation. It seems to me that a steady supply here is still a worthwhile goal. Again, the economic cycles work against this. The energy business is all about risk, but the successful companies are the ones who best mitigate those risks. We understand exploration risk, but financial risk can be even bigger. Whatever you might think about the futures market, its purpose is an attempt to mitigate against unfavorable price swings; the money made and lost there is substantial. Financial risk can be affected by government policies, so again, a good energy policy is one that helps the industry manage those risks while letting us differentiate ourselves in areas such as exploration where we have the expertise. Both politicians and industry pay plenty of lip service to serving long-term goals, but more often than not, annual and quarterly targets drive most decisions. energy policy
two rather things…it should economic efficiency (and) encourage a steady of energy.
The same is true for government programs, which simply must show a return every two years (on the election cycle). Yet longterm issues are the real drivers to a sound energy policy. I wish I had a comprehensive policy to offer, but it is all I can do
to explore for and develop the oil and gas that we so desperately need. Perhaps you have some good ideas about what should be in a good energy policy? If you would like to share them with us, please write.My e-mail address is hgs_editor@earthlink.net.
Hello
HGS This Week
November 25, 2007
Technical Meetings
HGS General Luncheon
Wednesday, Nov. 28, 11:30 am
Petroleum Club Downtown
Eric Stromboe (Chevron) provides an “Appraisal Update and Review, Jack and St. Malo Projects”.
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HGS Annual Shrimp Peel
Saturday, Dec. 1, 5:30 pm
Sam Houston Race Park, 6-10 pm
It’s time for the annual HGS Shrimp Peel! Come eat boiled shrimp, enjoy beer and other beverages, horse races, music, door prizes! This popular event is a great place to meet up with old friends and colleagues and their spouses for a relaxed, fun evening.
There is no online registration for this event, so order your tickets now by mailing in the 2007 Shrimp Peel Ticket Order Form.
It's closer than you think!
For more information call 713.595.5116 or email lshelton@knowledge-reservoir.com
Kelly Krenz, with TCB, Inc, and a member of the Texas Board of Professional Geoscientists, informs me that all elected and appointed public officials are required by state law to receive training in Texas open government laws. The Office of the Attorney General offers free video training courses, which were developed in compliance with a mandate from the 79th Texas Legislature that the Attorney General establish the formal training necessary to ensure that all elected and appointed government officials have a good command of both open records and open meetings laws. If you're interested in this training for yourself, go to: http://www.oag.state.tx.us/opinopen/og_training.shtml
HGS This Week
November 15, 2007
Technical Meetings
HGS Environmental & Engineering Group Dinner
Tuesday Nov. 20, 5:30 pm
Black Lab Pub (Churchill Room), Montrose
Alison Steele Mandadi (Steele Environmental Services) speaks on “Ethics & Copyright: Challenges & Resources for the Professional Geoscientist” When is reproduction of information allowable without first obtaining explicit permission from its maker? This talk may be used to fulfill the annual continuing ed Ethics requirement for Texas state registration.
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HGS General Luncheon
Wednesday, Nov. 28, 11:30 am
Petroleum Club Downtown
Eric Stromboe (Chevron) provides an “Appraisal Update and Review, Jack and St. Malo Projects”.
Register Mapquest | Add to Calendar
Other Events
Shrimp Peel
HGS Annual Shrimp Peel
Saturday, Dec. 1, 5:30 pm
Sam Houston Race Park, 6-10 pm
It’s time for the annual HGS Shrimp Peel! Come eat boiled shrimp, enjoy beer and other beverages, horse races, music, door prizes! This popular event is a great place to meet up with old friends and colleagues and their spouses for a relaxed, fun evening.
There is no online registration for this event, so order your tickets now by mailing in the 2007 Shrimp Peel Ticket Order Form. It’s closer than you think!
The Wise Report
Henry M. Wise, P.G.
November 9, 2007
The Texas Board of Professional Geoscientists (TBPG) and the Texas Board of Professional Engineers (TBPE) have developed a joint board policy for work that is both engineering and geoscience. This new policy can be found at: http://www.tbpg.state.tx.us/FAQ%20Work%20that%20is%20both.html This policy also discusses which board should be notified of a complaint.
Henry M. Wise, P.G.
The Wise Report
11/9/2007
November 2007 Events
HGS Road Rally , Saturday November 10th
A team or individual is given a packet with clues directing you to travel by car to secret cultural,historical, and geological sites in and around Houston. The team that answers the most questions based on the sites/clues and does it in the least mileage wins a trophy. To Register Now!!
Registration deadline is Friday Nov 9th 3:00 PM
HGS General and International Dinner – R.E. Sheriff Lecture
Sponsor: University of Houston Department of Geosciences and UH Geoscience Alumni Association and Swift Energy
Speaker's Name: Dr. Chris Beaumont, Canada Research Chair in Geodynamics, Dalhousie University
Day: Mon Nov 12th 5:30 PM
Location: Westchase Hilton 9999 Westheimer Rd Houston, TX 77042
Summary: Come Meet the Next Generation of Geoscientists from UH! The Robert E. Sheriff Lecture Series was initiated in 1999 by the UHGAA.
The series honors Dr. Sheriff as an educator, scholar, and a proponent for the geosciences. Its mission is to:
1) Bring some of the best known geologists and geophysicists in the world to the Houston community in order to share highly relevant ideas to exploration geology and geophysics and,
2) Showcase geoscience activity at the University of Houston.
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.
Speaker's Name: Ursula Hammes, Research Associate, PHD, BEG – Texas Bureau of Economic Geology
Day: Tue Nov 13th 11:30 AM
Location: Crowne Plaza Hotel-Greenspoint (former Sofitel) 425 North Sam Houston Pkwy E Houston, TX 77060
Summary:
Growth faulted subbasins in the Oligocene Frio Formation are major exploration targets along the South Texas Gulf COast. Historically exploration has targeted on-shelf highstand and trasgressive systems tracts and the lowstand prograding wedge systems tract with great success.
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Young Professional Taking Charge of Key HGS Committees
by Linda Sternbach
The HGS recognizes the importance of young geoscience professionals in the petroleum and environmental geological community. I am happy to report that two important HGS committees, the NeoGeos and the North American Explorationists, are chaired by young geoscientists whose ideas are contributing to the revitalization of HGS’s programs. In this column, I want to recognize the young leaders of the NeoGeos, Tim Gibbons and Dianna Phu, and the chairman of the North American Explorationists’ Group, Mike Jones, for their ideas and contributions. I recently overheard the phrase, "The Great Crew Change," which I think aptly describes a hopeful feeling that the energy business is finally able to increase the number of professionals between 25 and 35 years old by offering attractive employment opportunities in this boom time of high oil prices. The new "Crew" has a lot to offer!
The HGS NeoGeos group was started as an HGS committee in 2000, seven years ago. The founding members are now "Eo-Geos," which I guess means an older NeoGeo. The original founding NeoGeos have 7-10 years of industry experience under their belts. Denise Stone (former Secretary, VP and Past President of HGS) told me she fondly remembers organizing the first NeoGeos Happy Hour by email invitation in 2000, and being excited when young people actually showed up and were willing to staff the new committee! The goals of the young professional group are still the same seven years later: the NeoGeos are a social and networking group of Houston-based geoscientists (energy, environmental, hydrogeology) who meet regularly (post-work happy hours) and organize programs of interest to young professionals with 0-5 years industry experience.
Timothy Gibbons took on the NeoGeos chairmanship (2007-2008) from past chairman Dianna Phu, who handled the committee for several years previously. Before going on I need to acknowledge other past NeoGeo organizers, including Natalie Uschner, Matt Boyd, Nigel Hicks, Kelly Latter and Andrea Reynolds, who today wear "Eo-Geo" monikers because they are well beyond being new hires in the industry.
Present chairman Tim Gibbons graduated from the University of Texas at Austin with an MS in geology in 2006, then went to work at El Paso Exploration and Production Company and joined HGS the same year. I asked Tim what he thinks attracts people to join NeoGeos. He thought maybe two seconds, and told me it was the networking and social aspects that are the main attraction. He and Dianna Phu are using an expanding email list (currently about 300 people) and an Internet bulletin board to contact NeoGeo members and potential members and are very creative in using cost-effective ways to get messages out using email. Under Tim’s guidance, the NeoGeos have been approved for increased funds from HGS to start including more programs and field trips in addition to the "Thirsty Thursday Happy Hour" each month, which has a group of 10-30 people getting together at a restaurant. Tim says he wants to especially thank Vivian Rohrbach, Amanda Beardsley and Lauren Petty as members of the NeoGeos committee for their organizational efforts. If you want to get on the NeoGeos email list, send an email to neogeos_houston@yahoo.com and check out www.neogeos.org.
Dianna Phu has contributed to HGS as chair of NeoGeos, as advisor to our HGS website committee and as an organizer of student outreach efforts for AAPG, HGS, OTC and other geoclubs. Dianna works at Geoscience Earth and Marine Services (GEMS) here in Houston as a geologist and seismic interpreter. She graduated from the University of Houston with a BS in geology in 2000. Under Dianna’s leadership, the NeoGeos creatively expanded their use of free Internet resources including creating a Yahoo user group and an HGS Bulletin Board for Internet postings. They use college alumni organizations at San Jacinto College, U of H and UT to forward the NeoGeos newsletter into the student community. Dianna told me one of her favorite NeoGeos experiences was a field trip last year to central Texas led by NeoGeo alumnus, Professor Tom Miskelly, and attended by 30 people with different geoscience backgrounds and their families. She believes NeoGeos events should be open to professionals from all geoscience backgrounds to keep the group’s demographics broad and not narrowed to just geologists. Dianna can always think of better ways to get things done (which is why HGS gave her the "Rising Star" award in 2007). She recently helped the HGS membership committee by recommending a low-cost printing company to help us create 10,000 HGS membership brochures.
Mike Jones is the chair-man of the North American dinner meeting group, taking over from past chairman Steve Earle two years ago when Steve was elected HGS Bulletin editor-elect. Mike completed his BS in geology from Texas A&M in 2001 and his MS in geology from Texas Tech in 2003. He worked as an intern geologist for EOG Resources in the summer of 2001 and for Mewbourne Oil Co. in the summer of 2002. After graduation he became an independent geologist on retainer with Scout Petroleum, L.L.C., generating Gulf Coast oil and gas prospects. Scout Petroleum is a family business headed by Mike Jones’ father, Thomas L. Jones, Jr., who became an oil and gas independent in 1979. Mike married a fellow geologist, Kelly Jones, who works at Amerada Hess, and they have a young family. In four years of actual industry experience, Mike has accumulated the equivalent of 10 years because of the intensive work experience of a small family business.
The North American group has plans to get more active beyond the dinner meetings every other month. Mike is very interested in adding members to the committee and possibly putting on a one- or two-day applied geoscience conference next year. Interested HGS members should contact Mike at mike@scout petroleum.com. The North American Group has been a resource of leadership talent for the HGS since it was formed in 1992. Past chairmen Steve Levine and Charles Sternbach have gone on to be presidents of HGS, and still have fond memories of leading the group’s dinner meetings because the group focuses on onshore Gulf plays and midcontinent trends of interest to many HGS members. Mike Jones received the HGS "Rising Star" award in 2005.
In closing, I wanted to make one more comment on "The Great Crew Change." The young professionals’ greatest asset is that they entered the business at a time when digital communication is both taken for granted and evolving really fast into all aspects of life. I think the HGS needs to rethink and retool the many ways we try to deliver Society benefits to our members and I hope the "New Crew" can offer help on our webpage and in our publications.
Young Professionals Taking Charge of Key HGS Committees
The HGS recognizes the importance of young geoscience professionals in the petroleum and environmental geological
community. I am happy to report that two important HGS committees,the NeoGeos and the North American Explorationists,
are chaired by young geoscientists whose ideas are contributing to the revitalization of HGS’s programs. In this column, I want to recognize the young leaders of the NeoGeos, Tim Gibbons and Dianna Phu, and the chairman of the North American
Explorationists’ Group, Mike Jones, for their ideas and contributions. I recently overheard the phrase, “The Great Crew
Change,” which I think aptly describes a hopeful feeling that the energy business is finally able to increase the number of professionals between 25 and 35 years old by offering attractive employment opportunities in this boom time of high oil prices.
The new “Crew” has a lot to offer! The HGS NeoGeos group was started as an HGS committee in 2000, seven years ago.
The founding members are now “Eo-Geos,” which I guess means an older NeoGeo. The original founding NeoGeos have 7–10 years of industry experience under their belts. Denise Stone (former Secretary, VP and Past President of HGS) told me
she fondly remembers organizing the first NeoGeos Happy Hour by email invitation in 2000, and being excited when young people actually showed up and were willing to staff the new committee! The goals of the young professional group are still the same seven years later: the NeoGeos are a social and networking group of Houston-based geoscientists (energy,environmental, hydrogeology) who meet regularly (post-work happy hours) and organize programs of interest to
young professionals with 0–5 years industry experience. Timothy Gibbons took on the NeoGeos chairmanship (2007–2008) from past chairman Dianna Phu, who handled the committee for several years previously. Before going on I need to acknowledge other past NeoGeo organizers, including Natalie Uschner, Matt Boyd, Nigel Hicks, Kelly Latter and Andrea Reynolds, who today wear “Eo-Geo”monikers because they are well beyond being new hires in the industry.
Present chairman Tim Gibbons graduated from the University of Texas at Austin with an MS in geology in 2006, then went to
work at El Paso Exploration and Production Company and joined HGS the same year. I asked Tim what he thinks attracts people to join NeoGeos. He thought maybe two seconds, and told me it was the networking and social aspects that are the main attraction.
He and Dianna Phu are using an expanding email list (currently about 300 people) and an Internet bulletin board to contact
NeoGeo members and potential members and are very creative in using cost-effective ways to get messages out using email. Under Tim’s guidance, the NeoGeos have been approved for increased funds from HGS to start including more programs and field trips in addition to the “Thirsty Thursday Happy Hour” each month, which has a group of 10–30 people getting together at a restaurant. Tim says he wants to especially thank Vivian Rohrbach, Amanda Beardsley and Lauren Petty as members
of the NeoGeos committee for their organizational efforts. If you want to get on the NeoGeos email list, send an email to
neogeos_houston@yahoo.com and check out www.neogeos.org.
Dianna Phu has contributed to HGS as chair of NeoGeos, as advisor to our HGS website committee and as an organizer of
student outreach efforts for AAPG, HGS, OTC and other geoclubs. Dianna works at Geoscience Earth and Marine Services
(GEMS) here in Houston as a geologist and seismic interpreter. She graduated from the University of Houston with a BS in geology in 2000. Under Dianna’s leadership, the NeoGeos creatively expanded their use of free Internet resources including creating a Yahoo user group and an HGS Bulletin Board for Internet postings. They use college alumni organizations at San Jacinto College, U of H and UT to forward the NeoGeos newsletter into the student community. Dianna told me one of her favorite NeoGeos experiences was a field trip last year to central Texas led by NeoGeo alumnus, Professor Tom Miskelly, and attended by 30 people with different geoscience backgrounds and their families. She believes NeoGeos events should be open to professionals from all geoscience backgrounds to keep the group’s demographics broad and not narrowed to just geologists. Dianna can always think of better ways to get things done (which is why HGS gave her the “Rising Star” award in 2007). She
recently helped the HGS membership committeeby recommending a low-cost printing companyto help us create
10,000 HGS membership brochures.
Mike Jones is the chairman of the North American dinner meeting group, taking over from past chairman Steve Earle two years ago when Steve was elected HGS Bulletin editor-elect. Mike completed his BS in geology from Texas A&M in 2001 and his MS in geology from Texas Tech in 2003. He worked as an intern geologist for EOG Resources in the summer of 2001 and for Mewbourne Oil Co. in the summer of 2002. After graduation he became an independent geologist on retainer with Scout Petroleum, L.L.C., generating Gulf Coast oil and gas prospects. Scout Petroleum is a family business headed by Mike Jones’ father, Thomas L. Jones, Jr., who became an oil and gas independent in 1979. Mike married a fellow geologist, Kelly
Jones, who works at Amerada Hess, and they have a young family. In four years of actual industry experience,Mike has accumulated the equivalent of 10 years because of the intensive work experience of a small family business.
The North American group has plans to get more active beyond the dinner meetings every other month. Mike is very interested
in adding members to the committee and possibly putting on a one- or two-day applied geoscience conference next year.
Interested HGS members should contact Mike at mike@scout petroleum.com.
The North American Group has been a resource of leadership talent for the HGS since it was formed in 1992. Past chairmen Steve Levine and Charles Sternbach have gone on to be presidents of HGS, and still have fond memories of leading the
group’s dinner meetings because the group focuses on onshore Gulf plays and midcontinent trends of interest to many HGS
members. Mike Jones received the HGS “Rising Star” award in 2005.
In closing, I wanted to make one more comment on “The Great Crew Change.” The young professionals’ greatest asset is that they entered the business at a time when digital communication is both taken for granted and evolving really fast into all aspects of life. I think the HGS needs to rethink and retool the many ways we try to deliver Society benefits to our members and I hope the “New Crew” can offer help on our webpage and in our publications.
HGS visits University of Houston ---Pipeline to the Future!
The Houston Geological Society made a presentation to University of Houston graduate and undergraduate students on Friday, Oct 26. Forty four students heard the presentation and submitted applications to join HGS.
Pictured are Linda Sternbach (HGS President --down front), Gustavo Carpio (far left), Darla Tripp, Jared Anderson, and Blake Austin, all students at U of H. Thanks to Fernando Ziegler, Dr. John Castagna, Dr. Bill Dupre, and Dr. Bob Sheriff for arranging the student participation!!
A team or individual will navigate the route using a packet of clues directing them to cultural, historical, and geological sites in and around Houston. The team must answer questions based on those sites and clues.
Participants will have a sealed ‘help’ instruction envelope to keep on track, and help by phone will be available. The contest will be based on answering the most questions correctly, in the least mileage, and least use of ‘help’ clues. Teams will check in periodically by phone.
Trophies will be awarded to the winners.
Coffee and donuts will be provided at the starting location. The course takes 4 to 6 hours to complete and ends in a social event (meal/drinks not included).
WHEN??
Saturday November 10, 2007 at 9:00 AM
HOW??
Registration forms Click Here
Sponsored by HGS Field Trip Committee
If you want information please contact: Paul Britt, at pbritt@texplore.com.
HELPFUL ITEMS TO BRING: Keymap or other Houston road map, cell phone.
-$20/person or $50/team (1 car with 3 or more riders)
-Starting at The University of Houston, Main Campus 9:00 AM. Exact starting location will be provided to registrants.
- Registration deadline is Wednesday, November 7, 2007.
-Contact: Paul Britt, at pbritt@texplore.com
Check for starting location, last minute changes, or event cancellation.
Pre-registration is strongly encouraged. Onsite registration may be limited.
-Alternate contact for last minute instructions: Richard Howe, 281-788-8340
or hgs.howe@gmail.com, include in subject line: Road Rally
Register Add to Calendar
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The Wise Report
Henry M. Wise, P.G.
November 2, 2007
If you're looking for that one hour of ethics training and don't know where to get it, try the Texas Board of Professional Geoscientists website. They have an on-line, one-hour ethics course available. Just fill out the registration form. They will email you a link to the 45-minute video, watch it, and pass a 10-queston test at the end and you'll get a certificate good for one-hour of ethics continuing education credit. The course can be found at: http://www.tbpg.state.tx.us/ethicsquiz/quiz.asp
Henry M. Wise, P.G.
The Wise Report
11/2/2007
The Wise Report
Henry M. Wise, P.G.
October 26, 2007
Here's one proposed regulation from the TCEQ that many of us have been anticipating. As you may recall, the last legislative session passed House Bill 3554, relating to risk-based corrective action. These requirements state that the commission shall use "risk-based corrective action" in response to releases from underground or aboveground storage tanks and shall define risk-based corrective action by rule. These proposed rule changes would amend Title 30 Texas Administrative Code (TAC), Chapter 350 (relating to Texas Risk Reduction Program), §350.2(g) by eliminating language requiring compliance with Chapter 350 for the assessment, response actions, and post-response action care for releases of regulated substances from underground storage tanks (USTs). Currently, leaking petroleum storage tank (LPST) sites discovered and reported after 2003 are required to follow Chapter 334, with the exception that Chapter 350 be used in lieu of §§334.78 - 334.81. This rulemaking would effectively reinstate the use of §§334.78 - 334.81 (relating to site assessment, corrective action plans, etc.). In other words, TRRP will no longer be used for UST work, RBCA will be re-instated. For more information go to: http://www.tceq.state.tx.us/rules/pendprop.html#07059 This link also has information on the proposed public hearing on this subject.
The above link will also take you to information relating to three other pending regulations:
The first is municipal solid waste (MSW) revisions to Chapter 305 and 330. This rulemaking will define and limit the scope of certain major permit amendments and change some non-notice modifications to notice modifications and some notice modifications to major amendments. Notice requirements will be revised to expand distance for mailed notice and require signage.
The second has to do with revisions to Edwards Aquifer fees. This rulemaking implements HB 3098, 80th Legislature, 2007, Regular Session, by revising the 30 TAC Chapter 213 fee structure for water pollution abatement plans and contributing zone plans submitted to the TCEQ for review by the Edwards Aquifer Protection Program.
The third one revises the current compliance history rule as a result of the enforcement review process.
Henry M. Wise, P.G.
The Wise Report
10/26/2007
The proposed changes are necessary to provide clarification, to improve grammar and readability, to define the processes and procedures associated with this chapter, and to better align the rules with existing statutory requirements contained in Chapter 36, Water Code, relating to Groundwater Conservation Districts. In particular, the reorganization and expansion of Chapter 356, including the creation of new Subchapters C and D, are being proposed by the board to provide a clearer organizational structure for the rules to benefit staff, members of the public, and groundwater conservation districts in their efforts to manage the groundwater resources of the state. The changes also reflect increased opportunity for public participation in the management of those resources. This rulemaking is undertaken as a result of the board's internal review and process identification.
For more information go to: http://www.sos.state.tx.us/texreg/sos/PROPOSED/31.NATURAL%20RESOURCES%20AND%20CONSERVATION.html#25
The Wise Report
Henry M. Wise, P.G.
October 14, 2007
The Railroad Commission of Texas (RRC) proposes to amend §3.50, relating to Enhanced Oil Recovery Projects--Approval and Certification for Tax Incentive, to incorporate changes made by House Bill (HB) 3732, 80th Legislature (2007), Regular Session, and to amend §3.80, relating to Commission Oil and Gas Forms, Applications, and Filing Requirements, to adopt a new form related to HB 3732 and to amend and delete other forms.
Section 9 of HB 3732 amends Chapter 202 of the Texas Tax Code, relating to Oil Production Tax) to add new §202.0545, relating to Tax Exemption for Enhanced Recovery Projects Using Anthropogenic Carbon Dioxide. In general, the bill provides a reduction in the tax rate on oil produced from enhanced recovery projects using anthropogenic carbon dioxide. These changes became effective September 1, 2007.
These proposals will be published in the October 26, 2007 Texas Register and the comment period will end on November 26, 2007. On-line coments can be made at: http://www.rrc.state.tx.us/rules/commentform.html
For more information go to: http://www.rrc.state.tx.us/rules/documents/prop-amend-3-50and3-80-carbon-dioxide.pdf
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The RRC proposes the repeal of all rules in 16 TAC Chapter 11, relating to Surface Mining and Reclamation Division, and proposes several new rules under newly titled Chapter 11, relating to Uranium Exploration and Surface Mining. The proposed new rules are as follows:
In Subchapter A, entitled General Administrative Rules, new §§11.1-11.4, relating to Practice and Procedure; Definitions; Permit Processing; and Temporary Orders Prior to Notice and Hearing. In new Subchapter B, entitled Permits for Uranium Exploration and Surface Mining, new §§11.21-11.33, and 11.41-11.46, relating to Purpose and Authority; Applicability; Confidentiality; Uranium Exploration Permit Required; Application for Uranium Exploration Activity; Uranium Exploration Permit Application Fees; Uranium Exploration Reclamation and Plugging Requirements; Uranium Exploration Plugging Report; Uranium Exploration Permit Renewal; Uranium Exploration Permit Amendment; Uranium Exploration Permit Transfer; Uranium Exploration Application Notification by the Commission; Information Provided to Groundwater Conservation Districts; Uranium Surface Mining Permits; Bonding, Insurance, and Payment of Fees; Surface Mining Permit Renewal; Surface Mining Permit Transfer; Surface Mining Permit Approval or Denial; and Permit Changes. In new Subsection C, entitled Designation of Lands Unsuitable for Surface Mining, new §§11.71-11.72, relating to Petition Procedure and Determination; and Elements of Unsuitability. In new Subchapter D, entitled Surface Mining Reclamation, Mine Closing, and Release, new §§11.81-11.86, relating to Reclamation Plan; Reclamation Standards; Alternative Reclamation Methods; Amendments; Surface Mine Closing; and Release. In new Subchapter E, entitled Reporting, Record Maintenance and Performance Bonds, new §§11.91-11.94, relating to Annual Report; Maintenance of Records; Performance Bonds; and Release or Reduction of Bonds. In new Subchapter F, entitled Enforcement by the Commission, new §§11.151-11.165, relating to Scope; Inspections; Time and Procedures for Inspection; Violations Creating Imminent Danger or Causing Imminent Harm; Violations Not Creating Imminent Danger or Causing Imminent Harm; Continuous Violations; Notice of Violation or Cessation Order; Civil Action; Injunctive Relief and Civil Penalty; Administrative Penalty; Penalty Assessment Procedures; Payment of Penalty and Refund; Criminal Penalty for Violating Permits and Orders; Criminal Penalty for Corporate Permittee; and Criminal Penalty for False Statement, Representation, or Certification. Although all the proposed new rules will be designated in the Texas Register with underlining to indicate new wording, in fact in only a few of the rules have substantively different wording proposed from what is currently in effect. Most of the rules have only minor differences from the current wording and can be found at: http://www.rrc.state.tx.us/rules/documents/prop-repeal-and-new-Ch11-uranium-rules.pdf
On-line comments can be made at: http://www.rrc.state.tx.us/rules/commentform.html
NeoGeos Meet Geoscience Students at Expo
The AAPG/SEG student expo on October 8-9th at the Westin Galleria in Houston was a huge success. More than 200 students and 35 companies from around the world attended. AAPG past-president Lee Billingsley gave an opening address emphasizing the importance of professional societies.
The Neo Geos had a well staffed booth. During the meeting, HGS and Neo Geos volunteers signed up 25 new student members and 5 new active members of HGS. This brings the current number of HGS student members to 36. Previously HGS had 11 student members. Discussion at the HGS booth was lively. Several more HGS student recruiting activities are planned for the months ahead. Those participating in the booth were: Tim Gibbons (Neo Geos Chairman), Dianna Phu (Neo Geos past-chair), Lauren Petty, Paul Babcock (past HGS VP), and Charles Sternbach (past HGS President).
The Power of a Word
By Steve Earle Editor
One of the good things about the editor position is the exposure you get to new geologic thinking. We reviewed some
interesting abstracts for this month which I encourage you to read.
For Martin Cassidy’s Northsiders talk on the distribution of CO2, he mentions areas of tectonic escape. Not being familiar with the term, I quizzed Martin and he provided this quote from his coauthor, Kevin Burke: "Because buoyant continental
or arc material generally moves during collision towards a nearby oceanic margin where less buoyant lithosphere crops out, we call the process of major strike-slip dominated motion toward a ''free-face'' (to be) tectonic escape." The plate boundary
interactions here provide a conduit to the mantle and the gases located there.
Another moment occurs at the end of Jon Blickwede’s abstract for the General Dinner Meeting where he mentions an Upper Jurassic erg. Being a bit fuzzy on this term, I looked it up and came up with this definition: “In a desert region, an area with a large accumulation of sand, generally in the bottom of a huge basin in which a former river piled up alluvium. Ergs are areas of actively shifting dunes, fossilized dunes, or extensive sand sheets.” The Sahara Desert is the type locale for an erg. The Norphlet sands are interpreted as dune deposits. A paleogeographic map for Upper Jurassic time shows the Hispanic Corridor along the southern border of the North American craton, about where Louisiana to the Florida panhandle are located, as part of the proto-Atlantic which was continuing to open up. On the Pacific side we find the Entrada sands; these paleo-dunes sit above the Navajo, probably the thickest erg deposit in North America. It takes but a little stretch to realize that a substantial volume of sands, sourced from the North American craton, was blown southward and deposited along the edge of the fringing oceans. There is actually still a lot of “white space,” the term used by Robin Hamilton last month in his “Identifying New Hydrocarbon Plays” talk, meaning that there are plenty of areas where potential Norphlet equivalent sand dunes could be hiding. All this from a little 3-letter word, but a word is just shorthand for an idea and the power of an idea can be tremendous.
This month we host another talk on global climate change, a topic that has engendered a fair amount of discussion.
The HGS has not taken a position on this issue, nor do we see any compelling reason to do so. If you polled
the members, you would get the full spectrum of opinion from “man has little to no effect on global climate” to “man is changing
the atmosphere and will be directly responsible for profound and serious changes to our environment.” Most of us probably fall in between these end members, although I am closer to the later statement. Following the AAPG forum was interesting with a lot of well-considered arguments and the occasional statement that suggests people should only talk on topics they know something about. I will try to talk about something I know.
As an explorationist, I have spent some time working with models. Two things you learn about models is that there are lots of
assumptions and they are rarely, if ever, unique. However, they can offer valuable insights when studying complex systems.
Atmospheric physicists have been improving their understanding and hence their models of global climate. They have come a long ways from the crude description they started with. I believe there is at least one critical component that is still poorly understood, but they have been able to make useful predictions that test their models in the short-term and the results appear to confirm anthropomorphic impact which will accelerate the long-period warming trend which we have no control over. However, the science is still evolving so I suggest you stay tuned.
My “words of wisdom” this month came from my freshman physics professor who told his assembled students:
Remember, all science is a lie. As scientists, we can aspire only to a better and closer approximation of
the truth.
The North American and International Explorationists groups have teamed up to bring you “Wilcox Night” on October 29 with
two papers on the deepwater Wilcox sands and, more specifically, the Jack discovery. There are two different interpretations for the depositional setting of this important new sand unit. Chevron’s interpretation is provided in their abstracts. Art Berman and Joshua Rosenfeld have recently published their depositional model for the Wilcox in the deepwater, a.k.a. the “Whopper
Sand.” Their interpretation argues that a forced regression caused by a sea level drop of over 6,000 feet occurred due to plate tectonic movements which closed off the Gulf of Mexico and shifted deposition about 200 miles downdip. Several Paleogene-aged canyons, the best known being the Yoakum Canyon, formed as a result and fed massive amounts of sand to this new accommodation space. This is an important discussion and I encourage you to check out both sides. The proof is in the data so it will be interesting to hear how much Chevron is willing to share in support of their interpretation.
Reference:
A. Berman and J. Rosenfeld, “A New Depositional Model for the Deepwater Wilcox-equivalent Whopper Sand: Changing the
Paradigm,”World Oil, v. 228, No. 6, June, 2007.
K. Burke and C. Sengor, Tectonic Escape in the Evolution of the Continental Crust, in Reflection Seismology: The Continental
Crust, eds. M. Barazangi and L. Brown, Geodynamics Series, v. 14,
1985, p. 41-53.
J. Rosenfeld and J. Pindell, "Early Paleogene Isolation of the Gulf of Mexico from the World’s Oceans: Implications for
Hydrocarbon Exploration and Eustasy," HGS Bulletin, v. 46, No.
3, November, 2003.
Applied Geoscience Conference on Mudstones:
From the President
At the beginning of this month, HGS is sponsoring our first ever “Applied Geoscience Conference: U.S. Gulf Region Mudstones as Unconventional Shale Gas/Oil Reservoirs, Fractured and Non-Fractured,” at the downtown Houston Doubletree Hotel, October 1 and 2. This program was put together in only seven months, starting from an idea by Frank Walles and the Northsiders’ technical committee in April 2007. I want to explain how the Northsiders’ group could put together, and execute, a workshop in this short time period with the help of HGS leadership. I will also discuss the growing popularity of this type of 2-day technical program. I hope this can be a template for HGS technical conferences on “hot topics” in the future.
Geologists often get passionate about an industry topic; for example, carbonate reservoirs or deepwater depositional systems. Frank Walles is a Senior Geological Advisor at Devon Energy whose passion is unconventional resources. HGS is very fortunate to have Frank as one of its active members. He has put several years into organizing and leading the Northsiders’ Luncheon technical program. His position at Devon is something to be proud of—he is responsible for corporate-level technology transfer and technology development and a champion of unconventional resource plays.
Frank Walles and the Northsiders’ group got the idea for this conference prior to April 2007. Frank had attended past SPE technology workshops, and had organized the 2006 EMD AAPG program on “Shale Gas, Tight Sands, Coal Bed Methane and Gas Hydrates.” He wanted to put together a conference involving top experts on unconventional resources, but he didn’t want the conference to be another “Barnett Shale Conference” because that topic had been done recently by other societies. What helped to fast track the mudstone conference idea was that he and co-chair Paul Basinski of ConocoPhillips had already contacted many key people in the shale-gas/unconventional-reservoir topic area. Frank is the type of manager who is not shy about approaching key knowledge workers to present their work.
The main question back in April was, “Can HGS and the Northsiders’ Committee put a new idea for a conference together in time to have it advertised and ready to go to make the July deadline of the September HGS Bulletin?” Due to the limited time frame, Frank had to count on his Northsiders’ Committee for significant logistical support. Key volunteers included Northsiders’ Committee co-chair David Tonner (International Logging), Bruce Martin (Devon), Kirk Barrell (Wave Exploration) and others; they got the hotel contract at the Doubletree, arranged for catering, and put together the conference, brochure and CD.
Back in April, I talked to Frank Walles about his dream of hosting a mudstone conference and realized that we could get this program organized in time for the fall schedule. I thought this could be modeled after the “Africa Symposium” and, since the 2007 Africa Symposium was being held in Cape Town, South Africa, there was an opening in our schedule for a multi-day geoscience conference. The key ingredients for a fast track conference were there: an experienced HGS technical organizer
(Frank Walles), a hot topic (mudstones and shale gas), and a good conference template (the Africa Conference).
The New Model for HGS Technology Conferences Years past, HGS organized “short courses” about geology and computer technology. The old style was that geologists “needed” to take courses to improve their skills and that our members would fit this training in on their weekends or nights. We have found that this is not a popular model for busy professionals today. What is popular today are day-time, one- and two-day conferences. One reason for the growing support of this type of conference is that attendees can get time off from work to attend, and count it towards training or continuing education credits.
The day-long program has time for socializing with geoscientists of similar interests, and there are take-home notebooks and CDs. The conference is designed for Houston-based members, and rolled out at a discount price compared to the cost of a national society conference like SPE or AAPG. I have to give credit to a break-through conference that changed HGS’s approach. It was the “Dry Hole Seminar” held on Nov 8, 2000, organized by Kevin McVey, who was serving on the HGS Board of Directors. What made this successful was that it featured a day-long format of multiple speakers with case histories and a take-home notebook to document the examples shown. It was an exciting variation of the standard lecture/class format, and people loved it. The first “Dry Hole Seminar” was followed by a second version called “Disappointing Seismic Anomalies” held Oct 21, 2003, at the Marathon Building, co-chaired by Kevin McVey and Evelyn Medvin.
Back in 2001, the HGS International Group’s leaders decided to put together a two-day conference in Houston dedicated to exploration in offshore Africa. This was the first “Africa Symposium.” The International Explorationists Group, led by Al Danforth, Steve Henry and Ian Poyntz, formed an alliance with the Petroleum Exploration Society of Great Britain to alternate Africa Symposium conference locations annually between England and Houston. In subsequent years, the two-day conference concept became established as a successful program with Houston meetings in 2001, 2003 and 2005.
I really took notice when I attended the 2005 Africa Symposium as HGS Vice-President. This successful program was held at the Marriott Westchase, and the strength of the technical program brought in over 300 attendees; many people traveled to Houston from overseas. The HGS International Group organizers showed a lot of business sense because they priced their conference right and added vendor sponsorship to help finance the social hour and meeting materials. The Africa Symposium became, in my mind, the right way to put on local technology conferences. In case you are marking your calendar early, the 2008 HGS/PESBG Africa Symposium is going to be in Houston next September.
In closing, I have a challenge for our HGS readers: do you have a passion for a geological topic, and do you think 150-300 people would also like to share your interest in a future HGS Applied Technology Conference? How about another “Dry Hole Seminar” or Internationally-themed conference? The HGS has the ability to support and advertise these types of conferences here in Houston and the timing from concept to execution can be quite short, as demonstrated by the Northsiders’ Mudstone Conference. It has to start with a passion for a conference topic and people willing to work on the program, but HGS is the place to host such a program.
Applied Geoscience Conference on Mudstones:
An Example of HGS’s Technology Transfer Programs
by Linda Sternbach
At the beginning of this month, HGS is sponsoring our first-ever "Applied Geoscience Conference: U.S. Gulf Region Mudstones as Unconventional Shale Gas/Oil Reservoirs, Fractured and Non-Fractured," at the downtown Houston Doubletree Hotel, October 1 and 2. This program was put together in only seven months, starting from an idea by Frank Walles and the Northsiders’ technical committee in April 2007. I want to explain how the Northsiders’ group could put together, and execute, a workshop in this short time period with the help of HGS leadership. I will also discuss the growing popularity of this type of 2-day technical program. I hope this can be a template for HGS technical conferences on "hot topics" in the future.
Geologists often get passionate about an industry topic; for example, carbonate reservoirs or deepwater depositional systems. Frank Walles is a Senior Geological Advisor at Devon Energy whose passion is unconventional resources. HGS is very fortunate to have Frank as one of its active members. He has put several years into organizing and leading the Northsiders’ Luncheon technical program. His position at Devon is something to be proud of-he is responsible for corporate-level technology transfer and technology development and a champion of unconventional resource plays.
Frank Walles and the Northsiders’ group got the idea for this conference prior to April 2007. Frank had attended past SPE technology workshops, and had organized the 2006 EMD AAPG program on "Shale Gas, Tight Sands, Coal Bed Methane and Gas Hydrates." He wanted to put together a conference involving top experts on unconventional resources, but he didn’t want the conference to be another "Barnett Shale Conference" because that topic had been done recently by other societies. What helped to fast-track the mudstone conference idea was that he and co-chair Paul Basinski of ConocoPhillips had already contacted many key people in the shale-gas/unconventional-reservoir topic area. Frank is the type of manager who is not shy about approaching key knowledge workers to present their work. The main question back in April was, "Can HGS and the Northsiders’ Committee put a new idea for a conference together in time to have it advertised and ready to go to make the July deadline of the September HGS Bulletin?" Due to the limited time frame, Frank had to count on his Northsiders’ Committee for significant logistical support. Key volunteers included Northsiders’ Committee co-chair David Tonner (International Logging), Bruce Martin (Devon), Kirk Barrell (Wave Exploration) and others; they got the hotel contract at the Doubletree, arranged for catering, and put together the conference brochure and CD.
Back in April, I talked to Frank Walles about his dream of hosting a mudstone conference and realized that we could get this program organized in time for the fall schedule. I thought this could be modeled after the "Africa Symposium" and, since the 2007 Africa Symposium was being held in Cape Town, South Africa, there was an opening in our schedule for a multi-day geoscience conference. The key ingredients for a fast track conference were there: an experienced HGS technical organizer (Frank Walles), a hot topic (mudstones and shale gas), and a good conference template (the Africa Conference).
The New Model for HGS Technology Conferences
Years past, HGS organized "short courses" about geology and computer technology. The old style was that geologists "needed" to take courses to improve their skills and that our members would fit this training in on their weekends or nights. We have found that this is not a popular model for busy professionals today. What is popular today are day-time, one- and two-day conferences. One reason for the growing support of this type of conference is that attendees can get time off from work to attend, and count it towards training or continuing education credits. The day-long program has time for socializing with geoscientists of similar interests, and there are take-home notebooks and CDs. The conference is designed for Houston-based members, and rolled out at a discount price compared to the cost of a national society conference like SPE or AAPG.
I have to give credit to a break-through conference that changed HGS’s approach. It was the "Dry Hole Seminar" held on Nov 8, 2000, organized by Kevin McVey, who was serving on the HGS Board of Directors. What made this successful was that it featured a day-long format of multiple speakers with case histories and a take-home notebook to document the examples shown. It was an exciting variation of the standard lecture/class format, and people loved it. The first "Dry Hole Seminar" was followed by a second version called "Disappointing Seismic Anomalies" held Oct 21, 2003, at the Marathon Building, co-chaired by Kevin McVey and Evelyn Medvin.
Back in 2001, the HGS International Group’s leaders decided to put together a two-day conference in Houston dedicated to exploration in offshore Africa. This was the first "Africa Symposium." The International Explorationists Group, led by Al Danforth, Steve Henry and Ian Poyntz, formed an alliance with the Petroleum Exploration Society of Great Britain to alternate Africa Symposium conference locations annually between England and Houston. In subsequent years, the two-day conference concept became established as a successful program with Houston meetings in 2001, 2003 and 2005.
I really took notice when I attended the 2005 Africa Symposium as HGS Vice-President. This successful program was held at the Marriott Westchase, and the strength of the technical program brought in over 300 attendees; many people traveled to Houston from overseas. The HGS International Group organizers showed a lot of business sense because they priced their conference right and added vendor sponsorship to help finance the social hour and meeting materials. The Africa Symposium became, in my mind, the right way to put on local technology conferences. In case you are marking your calendar early, the 2008 HGS/PESBG Africa Symposium is going to be in Houston next September.
In closing, I have a challenge for our HGS readers: do you have a passion for a geological topic, and do you think 150-300 people would also like to share your interest in a future HGS Applied Technology Conference? How about another "Dry Hole Seminar" or Internationally-themed conference? The HGS has the ability to support and advertise these types of conferences here in Houston and the timing from concept to execution can be quite short, as demonstrated by the Northsiders’ Mudstone Conference. It has to start with a passion for a conference topic and people willing to work on the program, but HGS is the place to host such a program.