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TABLEofCONTENTS

ON THE COVER: TheShaikan1-Bdiscoverywell,locatedinIraq’sKurdistanprovincenearthecityofDohuk,about85kilometersnorthwestofErbil.Thewell,drilledbyGulfKeystonePetroleuminspring2009,reachedTDat2,950metersmeasureddepthandencounteredninehydrocarbon-bearingformationswithinCretaceous,JurassicandTriassicdeposits.TheShaikanstructureisaneast-westanticlineatthenorthwesternpartoftheZagros/TaurusFoldbelt.PhotocourtesyofAAPGmemberChrisGarrett.

TheAAPGEXPLORER(ISSN0195-2986)ispublishedmonthlyformembers.PublishedatAAPGheadquarters,1444S.BoulderAve.,P.O.Box979,Tulsa,Okla.74101,(918)584-2555.e-mailaddress:[email protected],Okla.,andatadditionalmailingoffices.PrintedintheU.S.A.Notetomembers:$6ofannualduespaysforoneyear’ssubscriptiontotheEXPLORER.Airmailserviceformembers:$55.Subscriptionratesfornon-members:$75for12issues;add$72forairmailservice.Advertisingrates:ContactBrendaMerideth,AAPGheadquarters.Subscriptions:ContactVetaMcCoy,AAPGheadquarters.Unsolicitedmanuscripts,photographsandvideosmustbeaccompaniedbyastamped,self-addressedenvelopetoensurereturn.TheAmericanAssociationofPetroleumGeologists(AAPG)doesnotendorseorrecommendanyproductsorservicesthatmaybecited,usedordiscussedinAAPGpublicationsorinpresentationsateventsassociatedwithAAPG.Copyright2009bytheAmericanAssociationofPetroleumGeologists.Allrightsreserved.POSTMASTER: Please send address changes to AAPG EXPLORER, P.O. Box 979, Tulsa, Okla. 74101. Canada Publication Agreement Number 40063731 Return undeliverable Canadian address to: Station A, P.O. Box 54 • Windsor, ON N9A 6J5 • E-mail: [email protected]

REGULARDEPARTMENTS

6 Earthquakes,volcanoes,landslides,sinkholes.Dangerousstuff,geology–butgeologicexpertsarehelpingsocietiestostudy,explainanddealwithgeohazards.

12 Expertshavespokenaboutitsoilpotentialfordecades.Finally,Iraqisprimedtofulfillitspromise–anditsopportunitiesaren’tjustforthesuper-bigplayers,either.

18Theeyeofthebeholder:Seismicdatainterpretationsarenotoriouslyvaried–andsometimesjustplainwrong.ButnowateamofScottishgeoscientists(picturedbelow)issheddingsomelightonwhatoftengoeswrong–andwhy.

24Atlast,areasontothankyourkidsforplayingvideogames:PlayStation3technologyiselevatingseismicimagingtoawholenewlevelofrefinement.

30Chatroomredux:Newtechnologyandresearcheffortsaremakingitpossibleforseismicdatato“talk”toseismicdata.Andthestoriestheycantell…

38 Notallshalesarecreatedequal;theIllinoisBasin’sNewAlbanyshale,forexample,hasyettobemistakenfortheBarnett.Butgeoscientists,armedwithnewtechnology,areabouttofindoutwhy.

GeophysicalCorner.............................34

WashingtonWatch................................36

SpotlightOn….....................................44

ProfessionalNewsBriefs......................45

InMemory............................................45

RegionsandSections..........................46

FoundationUpdate...............................48

wwwUpdate..........................................49

MembershipandCertification..............51

Readers’Forum....................................53

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Director’sCorner..................................55

DEGColumn.........................................55

STAFF

Communications DirectorLarryNatione-mail:[email protected]

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Communications Project SpecialistSusieMooree-mail:[email protected]

CorrespondentsDavidBrownLouiseS.Durham

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Advertising CoordinatorBrendaMeridethP.O.Box979Tulsa,Okla.74101telephone:(918)560-2647(U.S.andCanadaonly:1-800-288-7636)(Note:Theabovenumberisforadvertisingpurposesonly.)fax:(918)560-2636e-mail:[email protected]

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TheEnergyRatioLimitGrowingupduringtheLowerDiluvian

epoch,whenmyfathergotusoutofbedtowatchSputnikblinkacross

theskyastheworld’sfirstsatelliteandwebegantolearnnewmathinsteadofarithmetic,gasolineforthefamilydinosaurcostabout$0.33/gallon.Sincethen,inflationhasraisedthepriceofU.S.postagestampsfrom$0.04to$0.44,themodelairplanesIboughtasayouthfor$1.06nowcostabout$15,andthecostofgrocerieshasincreasedsignificantly.

Bythesesubjectivemeasurements,intheUnitedStatesthat$0.33gallonofgasolineshouldnowcostwellover$3justtoaccountforinflation,withanadditionalpricebumptocoverthefactthatoilandgashavebecomehardertofindandproduce.Believeitornot,gasolineandotherhydrocarbonproductsarebetterbargainsnowthantheywere50yearsago,andgiventheimprovedfueleconomyofmoderncarsweprobablyspendalowerpercentageofourincomeongasolinethanwedidbackthen.

Evenso,manycomplainaboutthepriceofhydrocarbons,unwillingtoallowforthefactthattheoilandgasindustryisabusinessthatdependsonaneconomicreturnfortheeffort.Wedon’texploreforoilandgasjustforthesakeofprovingtheoriesaboutthepresence/absenceofanoilpool,eventhoughthatisthefun,scientificpartofthejob.Andsinceaneconomicreturnisnecessary,knownfieldscontainingmillionsofbarrelsofoilremainuntappedbecauseitwouldcostmoretoextractandtransporttheoilthancouldberecoveredbyitssale.Such

dollarlimitschangewithproductprices,thusmanysuchfieldscanandwillbeproducedwhenpricesforoilandgasincrease.

However,thereisadifferentandlessflexibleenergy-budgetlimitinvolvedintheproductionoffossilfuels.Aslongasoilisbeingrecoveredforuseprimarilyasanenergysource,noonecanaffordtoexpendtheamountofenergyfoundinabarrelofoilinordertodrillfor,pumpout,andtransportlessthanabarrelofoil.

JeremyBoakisthenewchairoftheAAPGEnergyMineralsDivisionOilShaleCommodityCommittee,andprofessorattheColoradoSchoolofMines.AccordingtoBoak,theratiobetween1)theenergyexpendedinobtainingoil,and2)theenergyrecoveredbytheprocess*wasprobably1:100orbetterfornewwellsintheeraofeasyoil,buttheratiohasfallento1:20oreven1:10asthatoilhasbeendepleted.Theratioisevenlessformaturefieldsthatrequireadvancedoilrecoverytechniques,whereBoaksuggeststhattheratioisbelow1:10.

Sofar,efficiencygainsthroughbetterscienceandtechnologyhavekepttheratiofromdecliningtothepointwhere,aswithcorn-basedethanol,it’sdebatablewhetheranetenergybenefitexists.

Ultimately,evenwhenoverhalftheoilremainsintheground,industrymakesthedecisiontoabandonafieldwhenittakesmoremoneyandenergytorecovertheoilthancanbeextractedfromtherecoveredoil.Andwithmanyconventionalfieldsreachingtheirproductioncapacitylimitsweareagainlookingatextractingfossilenergyfromtheimmaturekerogeninoilshaleformations,whereBoaksaystheenergy-in/energy-outratioisonlybetween1:3½and1:5.Therenewedinterestinthisandotherunconventionalresourcesisanindirectindicationbothofindustry’sinternalforecastsforenergydemandsandofhowclosetothebonewearegetting.

Risingoilpriceswillonlygosofarinpromotingrecoveryoftheworld’sfossilenergyresources.Thelawsof

physicslimithowmuchoilandgascanberecoveredfromsmall,deep,orremotefieldsaslongaswedon’tintendtoputmoreenergyintothegroundthanweextractfromit.Oncewedevelopreliableandinexpensivealternativeenergysourceswemayusehydrocarbonsprimarilyforpurposessuchaschemicalfeedstockinsteadofmerelyburningthem,whereupontheycouldconceivablybecomemorevaluablethantheenergytheycontain.Inthemeantime,ourjobasgeologistsistousethebestavailablegeosciencewhenpickingdrillinglocationsanddeterminingcompletiontechniques.Everyday,AAPGmembersareadvancingthescienceandtechnologythathelpkeeptheenergyratiofavorable.

*Describedasthe“EROI,”theenergyreturnoninvestment,byCleveland,C.J.,2005,“NetenergyfromtheextractionofoilandgasintheUnitedStates,”Energy,v.30,p.769-782.

ByJOHNC.LORENZ

PRESIDENT’SCOLUMN

LORENZ

Our job as geologists is to use the best available geoscience when picking drilling locations and determining completion techniques.

SEISMIC

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Haiti indicators studied

GeohazardsLurkinFamiliarPlacesA nearthquakeinHaitibrings

widespreaddeathanddestruction.AvolcanoeruptsinthePhilippines

and50,000evacuate.AmassivelandslidedestroyshomesinSanDiego.

Dangerousstuff,geology.IntheUnitedStates,geological

hazardsaremonitoredandstudiedbytheU.S.GeologicalSurvey.TheUSGSGeologicHazardsTeamhasitsheadquartersinGolden,Colo.

Itworksinearthquake-hazard,landslide-hazardandgeomagnetismprogramsandpartnersintheGlobalSeismographicNetwork(GSN).AdditionalearthquakeresearchandmonitoringisconductedinUSGSofficesinMenloPark,Calif.,SeattleandAnchorage,Alaska.

TheGSNprovidesworldwidemonitoringoftheEarth,withmorethan150seismicstationsdistributedglobally.

“InthecaseofHaiti,wehaveasub-networkofninestationsintheCaribbean(atthetimeoftheJan.17earthquake).ThereisliterallynotaseismometerinHaiti,soalltheactivityhastobemonitoredremotely,”saidAAPGmemberDavidApplegate,USGSseniorscienceadviserforearthquakesandgeologichazardsinReston,Va.,andformerlywasdirectoroftheAmericanGeologicalInstitute’sGovernmentAffairsProgram,workingcloselywithAAPGonpolicyinitiatives.

Monitoringearthquakesandgathering

datamakeupasignificantpartoftheUSGShazardsmission,essentialforissuingemergencynotification.

“Wetrytogetthefastestinformationandtherichestinformationouttotheemergencyrespondersasquicklyaspossible,”Applegatenoted.

“FortheHaitiearthquake,weissuedthemagnitude7.0estimatewithin20minutes,”headded.“Wealsowereabletosayatleasttwomillionpeoplewereexposedtoviolentshaking.”

Haiti: In the Field

Geologistsalsoareearlyrespondersfollowingadestructiveearthquake,butinadifferentsense.

PaulMann,anotherAAPGmember,isaseniorresearchscientistfortheInstituteforGeophysicsattheUniversityofTexasatAustin.HeandafellowscientisttraveledtoHaitiaftertheJanuaryearthquaketoconductfieldwork.

“HeandIarebothinvolvedinrapid

response.I’vejustspentfivedaysdowntheremeasuringthefault,”Mannsaid.

“ItwassortoflikebeinginWorldWarII.Everythingwaswrecked.Allthebuildingswereblocksofconcrete,”herecalled.

Also,hesaid,peopleafraidtoliveindoorswerestayingoutsideeverywhere–usuallyundermakeshifttentsmadeofbedspreadsstretchedacrossstring.

MikeJacobs,speakingaspresidentofAAPG’sDivisionofEnvironmentalGeosciences,sharedtheconcern.

“Weasgeologists,ofcourse,areawareofthegeologicalrisksoflivingandworkingincertainregionsandcanmakeeducateddecisionsonwhetherornotwechoosetoacceptthoserisks,”hesaid.“ThetragedywithHaitiisthatitispopulatedbysomeofthepoorestpeopleonthisearth–andeveniftheywereawareoftherisk,theymostlikelyhadnochoiceonwhetherornottoacceptit.

“Manypaidthepricewithdeathandsuffering,”Jacobssaid,“andmyprayers

andthoughtsgoouttothem.AccordingtoMann,scientistsneedto

reactquicklytostudyindicatorsofrecentearthquakeactivity,“ephemeraleffectsthatareimportantbutnotpermanent.

“It’saverygoodexampleofteamworkintryingtogetdowntherewhiletheseindicatorsstillexist,”hesaid.“Someofthosewilldisappearwiththefirstheavyrainstorm.”

Mannwasabletotraveltotheepicenterfaultarea,detailingthenear-siteeffectsanddiscoveringthegroundhadnotrupturedfromthequake.

“That’sanimportantpieceofinformationtohave.Itshowswhathappenedtothatfaultduringtheearthquake,”hesaid.

TheHaitiquakeinvolvedan80-kilometersectionofthe600-kilometerEnriquillo-PlantainGardenFault,whichstretchesfromJamaicatotheDominicanRepublic,Mannsaid.

Movementoftheadjacentplatesbuildsupfaultstressveryslowly,butinexorably.Earliermeasurementandcalculationhadshownabouttwometersofstressbuiltuponthefault,Mannnoted.

“Ifyoureleasetwometersofstressonthisfaultyouwouldgeta7.2magnitudeearthquake,soitwasjustalittlesmallerthanwethought,”hesaid.

Mannwasfrequentlyinterviewed

ByDAVIDBROWN,EXPLORERCorrespondent

TheU.S.GeologicalSurveymonitorsearthquakes,volcanoes,landslidesandgeomagnetism.Otheragenciestrackhurricanes,tsunamis,floods,evenicebergs.

Whichhasthegreatestday-to-dayeffectontheoilandgasindustry?

Mostlikely,geomagnetism.It’snothardtothinkofbigimpacts

fromfluctuationsintheEarth’smagneticfield–causingvoltagesurgesinpowerlinesthatcanleadtoblackouts,interruptingradiotransmissions,degradingtheeffectivenessofGPS,damagingsatelliteelectronicsandsoon.

Geomagnetismalsoaffectsnational

securityoperations,saidJeffreyLove,adviserforgeomagneticresearchfortheUSGSinGolden,Colo.

Duringmagneticstorms,navigationalsystemscanbeaffectedandastronautsandairplanepassengerscanbesubjectedtoenhancedlevelsofradiation.Notsurprisingly,theU.S.AirForceisaBIGcustomeroftheNationalGeomagnetismProgram.

And“duringlargemagneticstorms,it’snotunusualforexpensivesatellitestobelostordamaged,”Lovesaid.

OilandgascompaniesalsodrawontheUSGSgeomagnetismdata.

“Theyoftentimesengagein

directionaldrilling,withasmallmagnetometerintheinstrumentpackagethat’sloweredintothehole,”henoted.

Athighlatitudes,acompassreadingcanvaryasmuchas10to20degreesduringalargegeomagneticevent,Lovesaid,socorrectingforgeomagnetismismorethanaminorconcern.

Pipelineoperatorsalsokeeptheireyesonthedatabecausemagneticactivityworsenspipelinecorrosion.

“Whatthepipelineindustrydoesisputacurrentintotheirpipelinethatoffsetsthecurrentinducedbythenaturalmagneticfieldvariations,”hesaid.

TheUSGSoperatesmagnetic

observatoriestomeasuregeomagnetism.Customerscangetdirectinformationfeedsormonitorvariousprogramresources.

DataalsoisavailablethroughtheInternationalReal-TimeMagneticObservatoryNetwork,knownastheINTERMAGNETprogram,currentlychairedbyLove.

AttheUSGS,“we’renowworkingwiththeindustryupinPrudhoe(Alaska).We’reinstallingamagneticobservatorytoassistwithdirectionaldrilling,”hesaid.

– DAVID BROWN

A day-to-day effectGeomagneticActivityAlsoaRisk

Evidence of geohazards in South Africa: Left, a rock slide on Tafelberg road (Table Mountain), right, another rock slide episode within siliciclastic Cape Supergroup of South Africa, near Cape Town.

APPLEGATE

“We try to get the fastest information and the richest information out to the emergency responders as quickly as possible.”

See Geohazards, page 8

Photos courtesy of Vaughn Thompson


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bynationalmediaafterthequakeasoneofasmallgroupofscientistswho’dproducedstudieswarningofthepossibilityofamajorearthquakeinHaiti.

“‘Predicted’wouldbetoostrongaword,becausetheydidn’tsayanythingaboutwhenthatearthquakemighthappen,”Mannsaid.

“Therealfearnow,”headded,“isthatthemovementofthis80-kilometersectionhasincreasedthestressontheadjacentpartsofthefault.”

‘A Very Young Science’

Althoughearthquakesciencehasmadeimpressiveadvances,ithasnot

reachedthepointofpredictingthetimeofanevent,orevennarrowingdownthepossibilityintoashorttimeframe.

“Thathasprovenelusive,”Applegateconceded.

“Instead,whatwefocusonaremedium-andlong-rangeforecasts,”hesaid.

FortheUSGS,thatmeansanassessmentofaquake’slikelyintensityandprobabilityina30-yearto

50-yearperiod.Asanexample,Applegateciteda

2008jointforecastbytheUSGSandotheragenciesthatpredicteda99percentlikelihoodinthefollowing30yearsforaquakeof6.7magnitudeorgreaterinCalifornia,withthetwomostlikelycandiatesforamajorearthquakebeingtheHaywardFaultintheSanFranciscoBayareaorthesouthernsectionoftheSanAndreasFault.

“It’sstillaveryyoungscience.Weseemtoknowmorefromeveryearthquake,butwestillhavealongwaytogobeforewehaveagoodhandleonthepredictability,”saidCarolPrentice,apaleoseismologistfortheUSGSWesternEarthquakeHazardsTeaminMenloPark.

“Whatyoudon’tknowisifanearthquakeisgoingtohappennow,orwillthestrainaccumulateforanother100yearsanditwillbeabiggerearthquake,”sheadded.

EarthquakeresearchersfocusonLateHolocenegeologyandevents,conductingfieldworkformeasurementofcurrentandpastactivity.Amajortechnique“istocuttrenchesacrossfaultstoseewhereearthquakeshaveoccurred,”Prenticesaid.

Theyalsoconductsurfacestudiesoffaultareas,aidedbyremotesensingtechnologythatcanimagethroughvegetation.

“ThemostexcitingthingthesedaysisLIDAR,”shesaid.“It’saremotesensingdevicethatactuallylooksthroughtrees.”

Whilesomeareasoftheworldarewell-studied,Haitiisinanareanotnearlyaswellunderstoodseismically,Prenticenoted.

“Thestudiesthatneedtobedonejusthaven’tbeendone,”shesaid.“Wenevergotthefundingtodoit.”

Long-Lasting Consequences

TheUSGSalsoconductsaVolcanoHazardsProgram,withanetworkoffivemajorvolcanoobservatoriesandotherresources,andwithadditionalresearchconductedattheMenloParkScienceCenter.

“Unlikeearthquakes,volcanoeshaveproventobefairlypredictable.We’reintheprocessofdevelopinganationalvolcanoearlywarningsystem,”Applegatesaid.

Beyondtheimmediateeffectsofavolcanoeruption,theeventcanhavelonger-lastingandfar-reachingconsequences.Forinstance,“therehavebeenseveralcaseswhereaircrafthaveflownintoavolcanoashcloudandlostengines,sometimesallfourengines,”henoted.

Butearthquakesremainunpredictable,andrightnowscientistsarestudyingthegeologicalaftermathoftheHaitiquake.Researchersoftensaythemostlikelyplacetoexpectearthquakesiswhereearthquakeshavestruckbefore.

“Thisquakeisnottheworstearthquakethatcouldhavehappened.That’swhatissostunning.Thisearthquakebroketothewest,sothebulkoftheseismicenergywasdirectedawayfromthecity,”Applegatesaid.

“Thefaulthasnotdoneallthatit’sgoingtodo.Asrebuildingtakesplace,wecansaywithhighcertaintythatstructuresneedtobeabletowithstandatleasttheamountofshakingwesawinthelastevent,”headded.

Earthquakeriskismeasurednotonlybythelikelihoodofanevent,butalsobytheamountofdestructionthatmightresult.

“Animportantpointtomakeisthattherearealotofmajorcitieslocatednearactivegeologicfaults.Andaspopulationgrowsinareasofactivity,theriskgrows,”Prenticeobserved.

That’sonereasonshethinksearthquakeforecasts,evenwithlimitedcertainty,areavaluabletool.

“Ifyouhearthere’sa68percentchanceofrain,”shesaid,“youmightbringanumbrella.” EX

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PRENTICE

“There are a lot of major cities located near active geologic faults. And as population grows in areas of activity, the risk grows.”

Geohazardsfrom page 6


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Thereareanumberoffolkswhoappeartosufferfrommodern-dayChickenLittlesyndrome–except

ratherthanrunningaboutproclaimingtheskyisfalling,they’reallaflutterthattheworldisrunningoutofoil.

Perhapsso,buttheglobalpetroleumscenemakesthispredictionahardselltomany.

Newtechnologycontinuestoprovideaccesstopreviouslyinaccessibledeposits,andbignewfindsaren’tunusual.Look,forinstance,atMcMoRanExploration’srecentfive-mile-deepdiscoveryintheGulfofMexicothathasthepotentialtoopenupawholenewplayintheshallowwaterGulf.

Thentakeaganderatthesizeableprovenoilreserves–particularlyintheMiddleEast,whereSaudiArabiareignsastheundisputedkingpinharboringabout260billionbarrelsofblackgold.

Iraqreportedlyoccupiessecondplaceonthegiantreserveslist,boasting115billionbarrels,followedbyIranwith90billion.

Iraq’spetroleumdepositsareconcentratedprincipallyinthenorthernandsouthernregionsofthecountry.ThebulkofoilproductionandexportsoriginateinthesouthernprovinceofBasra,whilesignificantamountscomefromfieldsinthenorthernregionnearthecityofKirkuk,accordingtoAAPGmemberLouisChristian,aDallas-basedMiddleEastexplorationconsultant.

Iraqessentiallyisonebigoilpoolwaitingtobeproducedfollowingyearsofturmoilinthecountry.

Christianemphasizedthatfromageologicalpointofview,IraqisfarlessintenselyexploredthanSaudiArabia,andperhapsIranaswell.

“Tensofkilometersoreven100kilometersbetweenwellsandseismiclinesinpartsofIraqwestoftheEuphratesRiverleaveopen,inadequatelyexploredregions,”hesaid,“whereIraqigravityandmagneticmodelingsuggestsundrilled

structuraltrendsandhorstblockswiththepotentialforMesozoicandPaleozoicclosures,carbonateshelfedgesandreeftrendsanalogousinageanddimensionstothePaleozoicbasinsofWestTexas.”

ChristiansaidPaleozoicprospectivityinIraqdependslargelyonlowerSiluriansourcerocks,wherethermalmaturityrunsthegamutfromcoolandimmaturetomature–andontosometimesover-mature,dependingoncurrenttemperaturesaswellaspastburialandre-uplifthistories.

Just Getting Started

Lookfortheexplorationactiontorevupsoongiventhemanycompaniesjustwaitingforthechancetoexplorethisoil-richcountry,nowthatthepoliticalsceneisbeginningtostabilizesomewhatandthegovernmentisputtingoutawelcomematofsorts.

Infact,HalliburtonCEODaveLesarisonrecordassayingheexpectsnewdrillinginIraqtosparka“landrush,”providedthere’sapeacefulIraqielectioninMarchaswellaspassageofanoillawbythenation’sParliament.Suchalawwouldleadtoamoreinvitingclimateforforeigninvestment.

Considerablebickeringanddisagreementshavestalledpassageofapendingoillaw,delayinganinfluxoftheindustryplayersstandingonthesidelineseagertotapintothevastreserves.InthenorthernpartofIraq,Kurdistansteppedawayfromthefrayearlyonandimplementeditsownlaw.

Attemptsbytheoilandservicecompaniestosecurecontractsinthecountrymaybeafrustratingexercise,buttherealchallengeswillcomelater.

Whetherwantingtoexploreanddeveloportoprovideservicestoexistingfields,nothingwillbeeasyinthisregionwhereyearsofwarfareandlackofexpertisebothhavetakentheirtoll.

Forinstance,oilfieldinfrastructurehas

Legalities, realities are high hurdles

IraqPotentialFacesaLotof‘Ifs’ByLOUISES.DURHAM,EXPLORERCorrespondent

Oil seeping from the Pila Spi formation on the north limb of the Shaikan Anticline, Iraq.

See Iraq, page 14

Photos courtesy of Chris Garrett


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suffereddramaticallyfromneglectandpurposefuldestruction,andmanyreservoirsreportedlyhavesuffereddamageduetolackofproductionknow-how.Also,there’snoguaranteethatoilfieldsabotageeventsareathingofthepastinthisfragilecountrystillplaguedbyterrorism,corruptionandotherproblems.

Developing Story

Thusfar,theIraqigovernmenthasconductedtwobidroundsthatincludedsomeofitslargestfields.

Inthefirstround,BPandChinaNationalPetroleumCorp.receivedtheonlycontract,whichentailsredevelopingtheenormous17-billionbarrelRumailafieldinsouthern

IraqontheKuwaitborder.Thecompaniesreportedlyintendtospend$15billiontojackuptheproductionto2.85millionbopdfromthecurrentonemillionbopd,catapultingRumailatosecondplaceinoutputworldwidebehindthegiantGhawarFieldinSaudiArabia.

OthergiantfieldsinsouthernIraqalreadyaredesignatedtoseesomeaction.

TheseincludeWestQurna,whichissaidtohold21billionbarrels.

Inajointventure,ExxonMobilandRoyalDutchShellwereawardedacontracttodeveloptheninebillionbarrelWestQurna-1field.StatoilandLukoilarereportedtohavepartneredtoinkadealtodevelopthe12-plusbillion-barrelWestQurna-2.

Notfarawaytotheeast,ShellandPetronaslatchedontoacontracttodevelopthe13billion-barrelMajnoonfield,wheredevelopmenthasbeenhinderedbyitslocationontheIranianborder.Majnoonreportedlymeans“crazy”inArabic,whichwasconsideredtobeanappropriatemonikerforafieldholdingsuchmassivereservesinarelativelysmallgeographicarea.

OilindustryinterestinsouthernIraqclearlyisintense,yettheproductiveKurdistanregioninthenorthhasitsshareoftheaction,includingtheprolificKirkukfield,whichwasoriginallydiscoveredin1927.Thefieldmayholdninebillionbarrelsofremainingreserves,butithassufferedconsiderabledamage.

Forexample,waterfloodprojectshadbrokendowninthepast,andthefieldworkerswerere-injectingprocessedcrudeandresidualoilbackintothesandsbecausetherewasnootherplaceforit,accordingtoAAPGmemberHarry“Bud”Holzman,geologicalconsultant.

Independents’ Day

OpportunitiesinIraqaren’texclusivelyforthesuper-bigplayers.

Look,forinstance,atGulfKeystonePetroleumLtd.,whichisaBermuda-registeredindependentoilandgasexplorationcompanylistedinLondonthatfocusesonexplorationinthehighlyprospectiveandproductiveKurdistanregioninnorthernIraq.

GulfKeystonedrilledtheShaikan1-Bdiscoverywellin2009intheShaikanblocknearthecityofDohuk,about85kilometersnorthwestofErbil.Theblockcoversanareaof283squarekilometers.

TheShaikanstructureintheKurdistanprovinceisaneast-westanticlineatthenorthwesternpartoftheZagros/TaurusFoldbelt,accordingtoAAPGmemberJoeStudlick,COOatDynamicGlobalAdvisorsinHoustonanda2009RobertH.DottAward-winningco-author.Thestructureisontrendwithseveralmajordiscoveries,includingMiranWest,Kirkuk,TaqTaqandTawke.

“TheearlyPaleozoichistoryofthisprovincewasdominatedbyclasticdeposition,”Studlicksaid.“Silurianshalewasdepositedduringthistimeandisakeysourcerockintheregion.

“CarbonatesdominatethereservoirsoftheMesozoicstableplatformoftheZagrosFoldbelt,”hesaid,addingthat“multiplepotentialsourcerockintervals–Triassic,MiddleandUpperJurassic,LowerandMiddleCretaceous–occurinthissequence.”

TheShaikan1-BwellreachedTDat2,950metersmeasureddepthandencounteredninehydrocarbon-bearingformationswithinCretaceous,JurassicandTriassicdeposits.DrillingwashaltedseveralhundredmetersabovetheplannedTDbecauseofaninfluxofhigh-pressuregas

Parasitic folds in the Pila Spi on the gently dipping south limb of the Shaikan Anticline.

Iragfrom page 12

See Kurdistan, page 20


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Euan Macrae’s seismic interpretation exercise will be offered at the Midland Valley booth (925) in the exhibits hall during the upcoming AAPG Annual Convention and Exhibition in New Orleans. The Virtual Seismic Atlas

also has a booth, 1558. Clare Bond’s paper, “When There Isn’t a Right Answer – Dealing With the Uncertainty of Seismic Interpretation to Maximize Success,” will be presented at 2:20 p.m. on Monday, April 12.

Its beauty lies in the eye of the beholder

InterpretationSkillsHoneWithExperienceIt’sasmallmiraclethatsomeonecanlook

atasetofseismiclines,thenproduceaninterpretationrelatedtoreal-worldgeology.Andit’snosurpriseatallthatsomeof

thoseinterpretationsarewildlywrong.AtAAPG’supcomingAnnualConvention

andExhibitioninNewOrleans,geoscientistClareBondwilldiscusstheinterpretationofseismicdata,whatbuildsconfidenceforinterpreters–andwhatonetechniqueproducesthebestresults.

Bond,structuralgeologistforMidlandValleyExplorationLtd.inGlasgow,Scotland,willpresent“WhenThereIsn’taRightAnswer–DealingWiththeUncertaintyofSeismicInterpretationtoMaximizeSuccess.”

Sheandhercolleagueshavestudiedhowgeoscientistsapproachseismicinformationtodevelopgeologicalmodels.

Inparticular,theywereinterestedinthefailedorinaccurateinterpretationwithapoormatchtonaturallyevolvedgeology.

“Youcankindoflookatitwithanexperteyeandsay,‘Thatdoesn’twork.’Wewereinterestedinwhypeoplecreatecross-sectionsthatdon’tmakeanysense,”shesaid.

Geoscientistsaren’taloneinstrugglingwithincompleteinformationorflailingaboutbecauseofunknownvariables.

BondcitedalandmarkpaperbyNobelPrizelaureateDanielKahnemanandhisfrequentcollaboratorAmosTversky,“JudgmentUnderUncertainty:HeuristicsandBiases,”publishedinthejournalSciencein1974.

“Itbasicallylookedathowawfulhumanbeingsareinmakingdecisionswhenthereisuncertainty,”shenoted,“oratleastrisking.”

The Bearing of Bias

Aspartofthisproject,Bondgaveasyntheticseismicsectiontovariousparticipantsandaskedfortheirinterpretations.Participantsinherstudieshavebeendrawnabout50-50fromindustryandacademia,andhaverangedfromuniversityundergraduatestoprofessionalswithmorethan15yearsofexperience,shesaid.

Outof412interpretations:uOnly21percentoftheparticipants

identifiedthecorrecttectonicsettingoftheoriginalmodel.

uOnly23percentwereabletohighlightthethreemainfaultsintheseismicimage.

uOnly10percentoftheinterpretationsshowedthecorrectinversionmodelforthesection.

Thatexperimentquantifiedtherangeof

conceptualuncertaintyfortheseismicsetandhelpedidentifyfactorsthatinfluencehowknowledgeandconceptsareappliedtoseismicinterpretation.

Byexaminingtheresults,Bondandhercolleagueswereabletoclassifydistinctinterpretationaltechniques,todeterminewhatapproachesworkedbestandtostudyhowexperience,biasandareaofexpertiseaffectedtheinterpretationprocess.

Bondnotedthatonechallengeforaninterpreterishonoringtheseismicdatawhiledevisingageometricallypossiblemodel–aninterpretationrelevanttoandconsistentwithreal-worldgeology.

“There’salwaysthisinterplaygoingon,”shesaid.

Biascanhaveanegativeorpositiveeffect.Forinstance,ifaninterpreterisbiasedtowardamodelinvolvingbasinsubsidenceandsubsidenceisafactorinthecorrectinterpretation,thechanceforarightanswerincreases.

Butbias,areaofexpertiseandpriorexperiencescanlockaninterpreterintoa

wrongorunhelpfulapproach.

Workflow Strategies

Tominimizethatrisk,Bondhassuggestedworkflowstrategiesthatbroadentherangeofconceptsavailabletogeoscientistsastheyinterpretseismicdata,followedbystrategiestorefinethemodelsproduced.

Specifically,hersuggestionsforinterpretationinclude:

uUsingoneormoregeoscientistswitharangeofpriorknowledge.

uExposinggeoscientiststomultipleconceptspriortointerpretation.

uRemovingregionalandtectoniccontext.uEncouragingmultipleinterpretations.

Forassessingconceptsandrefiningandriskingmodels,shesuggested:

uUsingstructuralevolutionandrestorationtechniquestodeterminemodelviability.

ByDAVIDBROWN,EXPLORERCorrespondent

BOND

“We were interested in why people create cross-sections that don’t make any sense.”

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uConsideringregionalandtectoniccontext.

uUseofpeerreviewandspecialisttechnicalassurance.

uAssessmentofplayimpact.Examplesfromtheinterpretation

exercisescanbefoundonlineintheVirtualSeismicAtlas(VSA)atwww.seismicatlas.org.

VSAdescribesitselfasan“openaccesscommunityresourcetosharethegeologicalinterpretationofseismicdata,”withhigh-resolutionimagesthatcanbefreelydownloadedandexplored.

OverseenjointlybytheUniversityofAberdeenandtheUniversityofLeeds,theVSAprojectissupportedbytheNaturalEnvironmentResearchCouncil,theGeologicalSocietyofLondon,thePetroleumExplorationSocietyofGreatBritainandanumberofenergycompanies.

Take Your Best Shot

Bond’spresentationattheNewOrleansmeetingwillexamineinterpretationofseismicdatasetsbygeoscientistsatvariouscareer-stages.Herco-authorsareZoeShipton,EuanMacraeandChrisPhilo,allfromthedepartmentofgeographicalandearthsciencesattheUniversityofGlasgow.

Bystudyingtheevolutionofapproachestoseismicinterpretationalongwiththeinterpreters’levelofexperienceandexpertise,Bondandhercolleagueshavebeenabletoidentifykeyskillsandtechnicalworkflows.

Thatenabledthedevelopmentofnewtrainingstrategies,withthegoalofhelpinggeoscientistsoptimizetheirinterpretationalability,atanycareerstage.

Theoverallstudycomparedtwoexperiments.Inthefirst,geoscientistswereaskedtointerpretaseismicsectionwithoutanyinformationaboutgeologicalsetting,stratigraphyorothercontext.Inthesecond,participantsweregivenaseismicsectionwithfivepossibleinterpretationsandaskedtochoosethebestone,ortomaketheirown.

Comparingthoseexercisesprovidedinformationabouthowgeoscientistsevolveskillstodealwithinterpretationaluncertaintyandhowtheirapproacheschangewhensimilarproblemsareframeddifferently.

Macraewillfollowthatpaperwiththepresentation“UncertaintyAnalysisofGeologicalInterpretations,”withBondandShiptonasco-authors.

Hispresentationwilldescribeastatisticalinvestigationofthefactorsthatcontributetoconceptualuncertaintyininterpretation,calledtheFreyjaProject.

“TheoriginalprojectwascalledOdin–wegavethemthenamesofgodsfromNorsemythology,”Bondexplained.

Aquestionnaireandseismicimagewillbehandedouttomembersoftheaudienceforthepresentation,soeveryonewhowantstocanparticipateintheproject,shesaid.

Whatbuildsconfidenceforseismicinterpreters?

Thekeyisexperience,Bondobserved.Rightorwrong,geoscientistswithmore

experienceweremorewillingtoidentifyandlabelfeatureslikefaultlinesinaseismicsection.

Andwhatone,specificapproachproducesthemostaccurateseismicinterpretations?

Bondwilldiscussthatfinding,andothers,duringtheApril12afternoonsession,“SeismicInterpretationofFaultedReservoirs:HowtoGettheRightAnswertheFirstTime.” EX

PLORER

whiledrillingtheborehole.Studlicknotedthatseismicdatashow

prospectivedeeperclosuresthatwillbetestedbyfurtherdrillingin2010.

A3-DseismicprogramovertheShaikanstructurealsoisplannedfor2010.

GulfKeystonecontractedDGAwhilethewellwasstilldrilling,toevaluatetheresourcesdiscoveredbytheShaikan1-Bwell,whichwasakindoffeather-in-the-capevent.

“It’sarareopportunityinone’scareertobeabletoevaluateaworldclassdiscovery,”Studlickemphasized.“IbelieveShaikanwasinthetopfivediscoveriesin2009.”

DGAestimatedtheoilresourcesbetween1.9BBOand7.4BBOwithameanvalueof4.2BBO.Gasresources

rangefrom0.4Tcfto1.5Tcfwithameanvalueof0.8Tcf.Highsideresourcesareestimatedatapproximately13BBOand2.7Tcf.TherewasnofreewaterlevelencounteredinthewellthroughTD.

TheShaikandiscoverynotonlydemonstratesasignificantresourcebutsignificantlyreducesthegeologicriskinGulfKeystone’sadjacentopportunities:theSheikhAdi,AkriBijeelandtheBerBahrblocks,whichareontrendwiththeShaikanstructure.Thediscoveryprovesthepresenceofhydrocarbonsourceandmigrationinthearea.

ThepleasantworkexperienceinKurdistanwasanaddedbonus.

“WorkinginKurdistanforthelasttwoyearshasbeenapleasure,”saidAAPGmemberChrisGarrett,vicepresidentofoperationsatGulfKeystone.

“Thesceneryandgeologyare

exceptional,andtheKurdsarewelcoming,”hesaid,“andtheKurdishgovernmentishelpful,proactiveandpositive.

“GulfKeystoneasanoperatorhasbeenencouragedtomoveforwardwithaminimalamountofbureaucracy,”Garrettnoted.“This,combinedwiththespectacularShaikanprospect,hasallowedustoquicklydrilltheShaikan1-Bdiscoverywell.”

HolzmanexpressedconfidencethatifIraqgetsitsacttogetherwithagoodhydrocarbonlawandbringsintheservicecompaniestorepairtheinfrastructure,there’snoreasonwhythecountrycouldn’tovertakeanyplaceintheworldinproduction.TheveterangeologistemphasizedthecountryisthesizeofTexaswithabout2,300wellsdrilled.

“Theyhavetheoil,andtheyjustneedtogetitout,”hesaid.“It’seasytogetto,andtheexplorationcostsareextremelylow.” EX

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Kurdistanfrom page 14

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Fewfolkswouldthinkvideogameshaveanythingincommonwithseismicimaging.

YetagamingchipisattheheartofRepsolYPF’snewproprietarytechnologydesignedtoelevateseismicimagingtoawholenewlevelofrefinement.

Infact,thechipprovidingthepunchtoaccomplishthisjusthappenstobethesameoneusedintheSonyPlayStation3gameconsoles.

Themulti-cellprocessorispoweringthenextgenerationofhighperformancecomputersneededtohandlethenewseismicimagingalgorithmsrequiredtosucceedinthehighlycompetitivebusinessofsubsaltexploration,particularlyinthedeepwaterGulfofMexicowithitsevergrowingvolumesofseismicdata.

OfficiallydubbedKaleidoscope,theRepsolprojectdedicatedtodevelopingthisinnovativetechnologyhadthebenefitofinputfromaconsortiumcomprisedofrepresentativesfromindustry,academiaandnon-industrybusinessentityIBM.

“TheideaforKaleidoscopeistolookatthesameseismicdataavailabletoallcompanies,butcompletelyfromanewperspective,”saidFranciscoOrtigosa,directorofgeophysicsatRepsolYPF.

Togetthere,thecompanyveeredofftheusualpath.

“Traditionallyinindustry,researchismadeonthealgorithmswiththethoughtthatsomeonewillprovidethehardware

needed,”Ortigosasaid.“Wedecidedwewouldgrabthebullbythehornsanddevelopthehardwareplatformatthesametimeasdevelopingthealgorithms–andthisapproachprovedverysuccessful.”

Quality Control

Itwasdeterminedfourspecificcharacteristicswereessentialtotheprocessor:

uMulti-coreelement(multipleprocessingcoresonachip).

uBasedincommodityoff-the-shelfmarketsinordertobesufficientlyeconomicaltoflourishandbeappliedextensively.

uLowpowerconsumption.uManufacturer’shands-onsupport.Ortigosanotedthatafterevaluating

differentplatforms,theyrealizedthat

‘Kaleidoscope’ gives seismic a different perspective

PlayThis:GameChipAidsExplorationByLOUISES.DURHAM,EXPLORERCorrespondent

The glass-encased MareNostrum supercomputer and (above) a seismic data comparison from the Gulf of Mexico showing a salt body resembling a pillow-like structure. Section A has been processed using Wave Equation Migration (WEM); section B is the same section, but processed with Reverse Time Migration (RTM). See GameTech, page 26

SEISMIC

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Data property of TGS, processed by Repsol.

A B


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thecellprocessordevelopedbySony,IBMandToshibathat’susedinthePlayStation3andotherconsumerelectronicsfulfilledthosefourrequirements.

Henotedalsothatthechipisbasicallydesignedforrealtimeresponse.

Thedecisiontousethechipledtoassemblyofapowerful,physicallysmallsupercomputercontaining600oftheprocessorsandpackingamegapunchequivalentto10,000PCs.

“IBMmanufacturedthechipsandtailoredthesupercomputertoourrequirementsandcompletelytailoreditforthekindofalgorithmswe’rerunning,”Ortigosasaid.“Thiscomputerisuniqueinitsownspecies.”

RepsolhasbeenusingthisadvancedtoolsuccessfullyforthepasttwoyearstoprocessseismicdatafromsubsaltenvironmentsintheGulfofMexicoandoffshoreBrazil.Theturnaroundisexceptionallyfast,butthedatacanbeprocessedveryquicklywithoutanytradeoffofquality,accordingtoOrtigosa.

“Kaleidoscopeisabletoensurethemaximumpossibleimagingqualityregardlessofthecomputerpowerrequired,”hesaid.“TheeconomicvalueofKaleidoscopeisthatitgivesbetterimagesleadingtobetterdecisions.

Something’s Coming

Evenso,thecurrenttechnologyisonlyonecomponentofwhat’stocome.

RepsolkickedoffitsPhoenixprojectattheendof2009,takingwhattheyalreadyhavedevelopedoneorderofmagnitudefasterandonebetter.

KaleidoscopeandPhoenixprovideyetanotherexamplewheretheindustrypressesontodevisethetechnologiesneededtocontinueexploringefficientlyandeconomicallyinanarrayofchallengingcircumstances.

“It’sveryinterestingthateverytimewechangetheoldplays,wehavethetalenttofindnewgeophysicaltoolstoimagethese(new)plays,”Ortigosasaid.

ThisisnosmallfeatgiventhatthecomputingpowertofindoilinthedeepwatersubsaltGulfofMexicoisthreeordersofmagnitudehigherthanthecomputingpowerneededinthe1980sand1990sontheshallowwatershelf.

“IntheGulfinthe’80s,pre-stacktimemigrationwasgoodenoughforshallowwatershelfexploration,”Ortigosasaid.“Thenwewentdeeper,workingwiththesaltflanks,andthestandardalgorithmusedwastheKirchhoffequation.

“Movingevendeeperandbelowthesalt,whereKirchhoffcouldn’tsee,wehadtodevelopwaveequationmigration,”hesaid.“ThiswasonlypossiblebecauseofPCLinuxclusters.

“Nowbecauseofchanginggeologicalplays,wehadtodevelopreversetimemigration,orRTM,”henoted.“ButRTMrequirescomputingpoweranorderofmagnitudehigherthanwavemigration.

“It’seasytoseehowcomputingpowerandimagingalgorithmsalignintheGulfofMexico,”Ortigosaadded.

“Newplaysarecoming,andforthesewedon’thavethecomputerpower,”hesaid.“That’swhyPhoenixiscomingtofillthisgap.

“IntheGulfofMexiconow,itmakessensetoinvestinthiskindoftechnologyorresearch,”henoted,“becausea10percentto15percentincreaseintheprobabilityofsuccesswithtechnologymakesiteconomic.”

Repsol,anintegratedSpanishoilandgascompany,hasreceivedconsiderablerecognitionforthetechnologycomingoutoftheKaleidoscopeproject.

TheIEEEgranteditanawardforoneofthefivemostinnovativeprojectsworldwidein2008.AnotherofseveralawardscameinDecember2009whenthecompanyreceivedthePlattEnergyAwardforcommercialtechnologyoftheyear. EX

PLORER

Who said bigger is better? Certainly not anyone connected to the computer world, where advances over the past 15 years have resulted in huge amounts of power being condensed into small packages. The chip here boasts enough power to make a big difference in the world of seismic data processing.

GameTechfrom page 24

ORTIGOSA

Photos courtesy of Repsol


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Do you speak ‘seismic?’

‘Conversation’WithoutVelocitySeismicdataprocessingtechnology

hasprogressedmarkedlyoverthepastdecadeorso.

Infact,theresearchfolkssometimescomeupwithanewtechnologythatdoesn’tjustpushtheenvelope,itappearstoblastallthewaythrough.

“Talkingseismicdata”nodoubtfallintothiscategory.

Usingnewseismicmethods,theprocessororinterpreterdecidesonthetopicforthedatato“talk”aboutandtheninstructsthemtotalktooneanother,stayingfocusedonaspecificseismicprocessinggoaluntilthedataconversationdeliversthespecificprocessingobjective.

Thisisnojoke.Infact,thistechnologyalreadyhas

resultedinformsofcoherentnoiseremoval(forexample,removingfreesurfaceandinternalmultiplyreflectedevents)thatrequirenosubsurfaceinformationandarenowwidelyusedwithinthepetroleumindustry.

Theyareparticularlyeffectiveincomplexgeologicsituations,suchassubsaltplaysintheGulfofMexico,offshoreBrazilandtheRedSea.

Thethrustnowistoextendthatearliernoiseremovalcapabilitytotheextractionofusefulsubsurfaceinformationfromsignal.

Researchershavedevelopedandarepreparingtofieldtestanewimagingmethodthatenablesseismiceventsarrivingattherecorderto“converse”witheachothertorevealaraftofcriticalinformationbeneaththeearth’ssurface.

Includedamongthegoalsaredepthimaging,targetdelineationandQcompensation–eachusingadistinctdataconversationthatfocusesononeofthesegoals.

Theaddedkickeristhiscanbeaccomplishedwithoutanyfirsthandknowledgeoftheearthandcanbeachieveddirectlyandwithoutanyindirectexpressionofaneedforsubsurfaceinformationthroughaproxy–velocityandothersubsurfacedataareunnecessary.

Thisnear-mystical-soundingdevelopmentstemsfromtheMission-OrientedSeismicResearchProgram(M-OSRP)establishedin2001attheUniversityofHouston(UH).Theprogramissupportedbymorethanadozenmajoroilandindustryservicecompanies.

TheM-OSRPfunctionsundertheleadershipofitsfounder,ArthurWeglein,whoistheHughRoyandLillieCranzCullenDistinguishedProfessorofPhysicsatUH.

Theresearcheffortiscomplex,butthegoalisdefinedsuccinctly:“Wewanttomakethecurrentlyinaccessiblepetroleum

targetaccessible,”Wegleinsaid,“andtheaccessibletargetbetterdefined.”

Coming and Going

Whenaseismicsourcesendsasignalintotheearthduringthedataacquisitionphase,itcontinuestravelinguntilithitsaninterface,whenapartofitisreflectedbacktotheseismicrecorder.Thelargerthecontrastinpropertiesattheinterface,thelargertheamplitudeorsizeofthereflection.Thetimeofthearrivalrevealshowlongtheroundtriprequired.

“Weclassifyeventsbywhethertheygostraightdownandbackup,whichwecallaprimary,”Wegleinsaid,“orifawavebouncedaroundabitandthencomesbackupwecallitamultiply-reflectedevent,oramultiple.

“Youwanttogetridofmultiplesbecausetheyhittoomanyreflectors,andyoucan’tdecipherandisolatetheencodedinformationwithinthemultiply-reflectedevent’scomplicatedhistory,”Wegleinnoted.“We’vebecomeknownforgettingridofthe

multiples–withoutknowinganythingabouttheearth.”

Here’stheblueprint.Historically,theonlywaytoknowifthe

signalwentdownandstraightback,orwhetherithasbouncedaroundandhitmultiplereflectorspriortoreturningistoknowtheearth,particularlytobeabletodeterminevelocityofthesignalasittraversedthesubsurface.

“Ifwemathematicallymakeeventstalktoeachotherinamath-physicssense,wesetupamath-physicsconversationwherewegetthemtotalktogether,therebygettingdatatocooperateandparticipateinreachingseismicprocessinggoals,”Wegleinsaid.“Withoutthatcooperationallseismicprocessingmethods–forexample,formultipleremovalordepthimaging–requiresubsurfaceinformationtoreachthesameend.

“Bygettingeventstocooperateandcommunicatewitheachotherwithacertain

ByLOUISES.DURHAM,EXPLORERCorrespondent

WEGLEIN

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“We set up a math-physics conversation where we get them to talk together, thereby getting data to cooperate and participate in reaching seismic processing goals.”


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conversation,theytelluswhicheventsaredownandback,i.e.,primaries,andwhicharemultiples–withoutourknowingtheearth,”hesaid.

“Theinversescatteringseries,orISS,isamath-physicsprogramwe’vedevelopedthatallowsthatkindofcommunicationbetweeneventsfordifferentseismicpurposes,”Wegleincontinued.“TheISShastheuniqueabilitytoachieveallprocessinggoalsdirectlyandinpreciselythesamemannerthatfreesurfacemultiplesareremoved,i.e.,withoutsubsurfaceinformation.

“Themethodsweoriginallydeveloped20yearsagoforremovingmultipleswerehighlycontroversialandradicalwhenwefirstintroducedthem,duetotheirclaimofnotneedinganysubsurfaceinformation,”

Wegleincontinued.“However,ourearlier(so-called)radicalideasforremovingallmultipleshavenowbecomefullymainstreamandareinwidespreadindustryuseworldwide.

“Nowwearefocusedonprimariesandtargetinformationextraction,”hesaid,“andwenowclaimwecandirectlydeterminethedepthofthetargetwithoutanyneedforavelocitymodel–that’sthecurrentcontroversialandradicalthought.”

Complex Challenges

Ordinarily,whenworkingwithanindividualprimaryevent,thequestionsbecome:

uHowdeepintheearthdidthedown-goingwaveencounterareflector?

uWhatdiditexperienceatthatdepth?uIswhatresidesatthereflector

somethingthatintereststhepetroleumindustry?

Inasimplehomogeneousgeologicsettingwherethewavevelocitymaybeknowntobe,say,60mph,andthewavemakesaroundtripintothesubsurfaceandbackinonehour,determiningthedepthofthereflectortobe30milesisaslam-dunk.

VentureouttothedeepwaterGulfofMexicoandsuchsimplicitydisappears.

“TheproblemwithcurrentimaginginthedeepwaterGulfofMexicounderneaththesaltinthesubsaltenvironmentiswecan’toftenenoughandaccuratelyenoughfigureoutthevelocityabovethetarget,becausethesaltisverycomplex,”Wegleinsaid.“Theycan’tgetthat60mph,sotospeak.

“IfIhaveatopsaltprimary,orbounce,andaprimaryfrombottomsaltandthesubsalttargetprimaryandIknowthevelocityexperiencedtoreacheachofthese,thenIcouldfigurethedepth,”Wegleinsaid.“ButalltoooftenIcan’tbecauseit’saverycomplicatedproblem.

“Wehavearoughly90percentfailurerateinthedeepwaterGulfofMexicodrilling,with25percentnotevenreachingthetarget,”Wegleinsaid.“At$150millionperexplorationwell,andthepressuretodevelopfieldswithfewerwells,thisconfluenceoftechnicaldifficulty,drillinghazardsandcostsisapressingchallengeforthepetroleumindustry.

“Ifweweremoreeffectiveindeterminingvelocityandacquiringimagesundersaltwewouldhaveahigherpercentsuccessindrilling,”hesaid.

Well,yousay,maybepeoplejustneedmoredataandmorecomputerspeed.

Won’twork.“Collectingmoredataandacquiring

fastercomputersisimportantanduseful,buttheydonotrecognizeakeyunderlyingproblembehinddrillingdryholes–andhence,bythemselves,donotrepresentacomprehensivesolutionandresponse,”hesaid.

“What’smissingandwhat’swrongiswhatwecallabreakdownorviolationofalgorithmicassumptions,violationsnotcausedbylimiteddataorcomputers,”Wegleinnoted.“Becausethecurrentabilitytofindvelocityfailsundercomplexgeology,we’vebeenlookingforamethodtofinddepthwithoutneedingvelocity,aimingtolocateanddelineatetargetreservoirswithouthavingtoknowanythingaboveit.”

Up to Speed

Toovercomeaproblemindeterminingvelocity,Wegleincitedtwoapproaches:

uFindanew,improvedwaytofindthevelocity,andthenyoucanusecurrentimagingmethodsthatdependonhavinganaccuratevelocitymodel.However,there’snocandidatemethodorconcepttodaywiththatimprovedvelocitypromiseorpotential.

uFindatotallynewimagingmethodthatdoesn’tneedvelocityeitherdirectlyorindirectly,whichiswhattheM-OSRPisdoing.

“Theseprimariesatthetopofthesalt,bottomofsaltandsubsalttargethavetohaveaconversation–amath-physicsconversation,”Wegleinemphasized.“There’sacertainmath-physicscommunicationthatoccursthatISSallowsthatwilloutputthedepthwithoutthevelocity.

“Ifyouallowallthoseprimaries,orsinglebounces,fromtopsalt,basesaltandsubsalttargettocommunicatewitheachother,thentheywilllocatewhereeachoftheirreflectorsare,”Wegleinsaid,“withoutneedinginprincipleorpracticetoknowvelocityoranythingabouttheearth–we’reafterthisgame-changingnewimagingcapabilitytomakecurrentlyinaccessibletargetsaccessible.”

Heemphasizedthatthisnewtargetlocationandimagingcapabilityappliestocomplexgeologyotherthansubsaltandtoshallowwaterenvironmentsaswellasdeep.Additionally,itappliestoonshorechallengesforremovinginternalmultiplesanddepthimaging.

ThefirstfieldtestoftheISSimagingtheoryisscheduledwithinayear,andlikelywilloccurinthedeepwaterGulfofMexico.Actually,thiswillbeasequenceoftests,ofincreasinglevelsofdifficulty,whichwillkickoffbyaddressinganimagingchallenge,e.g.,afaultshadowzone,andthenmovingforwardinstagestothemoredifficultchallenges,enablingtheM-OSRPteamtobuilditsimagingexperienceonfielddata.

“TheM-OSRPprogramclearlyindicatesthatthepetroleumindustrywillsupportfundamentalhighimpact,potentiallygame-changingresearch,”Wegleinsaid,“ifyoucandescribetothepetroleumsponsorswhatbenefitswouldderive,andbedelivered,ifwearesuccessful–andintermsthatmakesensetothem.” EX

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GEOPHYSICALCORNER

The Geophysical Corner is a regular column in the EXPLORER, edited by Bob A. Hardage, senior research scientist at the Bureau of Economic Geology, the University of Texas at

Austin. This month’s column deals with “making seismic data come alive with shaded relief.”

ShiningLightonaShadySituationSeismicreflectiondatacomealive

whendisplayedwithshadedrelief.Withshadedrelief,timeslices

looklikeilluminatedtopography,andverticalsectionslooklikeruggedcanyonwalls;faults,domes,anticlines,synclines,channelsandevengascloudsstandoutboldly.

Shadedreliefdisplaysareubiquitousingeologyandgeophysics.Elevations,bathymetry,gravity,magneticandotherkindsofmapdataareroutinelydisplayedwithshadedrelieftomakemapsthatlooklikephotographsofapparenttopography.

Suchmapsarepowerfulaidstogeologicintuitionbecauseapparenttopographyoftensuggeststrueunderlyinggeology.

Thoughcontourmapsofferthesameinformation,shadedreliefmapspresenttheinformationinawaythatismorenatural–andsomorereadilycomprehensible.

***

Addingshadedreliefto3-Dseismicdataissimilartoaddingshadedrelieftomaps,withthedifferencethatshadingisappliedtoallreflectionsurfacesintheseismicvolume,nottoasinglehorizon.Thusseismicshadedreliefisinherently3-D,sothatbothtimeslicesandverticalsectionsappearilluminated.

Theprocessofaddingshadedrelieftoseismicdataissimple:createashadedreliefseismicattributeandblenditwiththeseismicdata(figure1).Ashadedreliefseismicattributequantifiestheamountoflightthatseismicsurfacesreflectwhenilluminatedbyadistantlightsource(figure2).

Thisquantity–theshading–isafunctionoftheangleofincidenceoftheillumination,whichdependsonreflectionorientationandthepositionofthesun.Shadingcanbecontrolledbyexaggeratingreflectionslopestoenhancecontrasts,orbyadjustingsurfacestoappeardulllikeshale,shiny-likewaterormoderatelyshiny-likequartzsand.

Becauseshadedreliefdependsonthesunposition,itactsasadirectionalfilter.Featuresthattrendperpendiculartotheilluminationdirectionarehighlighted,whilefeaturesthattrendparallelarehidden.

Tocapturealltrends,itisnecessarytocreatetwoshadedreliefattributevolumesusingorthogonalilluminationdirections.

Blendingseismicdatawithshadedreliefcomplementsblendingdatawithadiscontinuityattributebecauseshadedreliefrevealsdifferentstructuralfeaturesthancontinuity,principallyanticlines,synclinesanddomes(figure3).

Likediscontinuity,shadedreliefalsorevealsfaultsandchannels(figure4),withtheadvantagethatitcanindicatethedirectionofthrowonafaultandshowtheinternalgeometryofthechannel.

Ashadedreliefseismicattributecanhavearbitraryresolution,butittendstoprovidebetterresultswhenitis

fairlysmoothandclean(asinthedataexamplespresentedhere).Smoothedshadedreliefhighlightslargefeaturesandtrendsthatmightotherwisebeobscuredbydetailsinthedata;itletsoneseetheforestforthetrees.Inthiswayshadedreliefcanserveasausefultoolforrapidreconnaissanceofstructureinaseismicvolume.

Ofcourse,smoothingreducestheresolutionoftheshadedreliefsothatsmallfeatures,suchasnarrowchannelsandminorfaults,willnotbeseen.Thesefeaturesareoftenbestimagedbydiscontinuityandcurvatureattributes.

***

Almosteverythingwedotoprepareseismicdataforconventionalinterpretationisdesignedtomakeimagesthatlookasmuchlikegeology–andaslittlelikeseismicwaves–aswecan.Seismicshadedreliefisanothersmallstepinthisdirection.

Canshadedreliefaidourunderstandingofseismicdataasmuchasitaidsourunderstandingofgeologicmaps?

Onlytimewilltell. EXPLORER

(Editor’s note: Barnes, an AAPG member, is with Landmark Graphics Corp., Highlands Ranch, Colo. He can be contacted at [email protected].)

ByARTHURE.BARNES

Figure 1 – Seismic data + shaded relief attribute = illuminated seismic reflections.

Figure 2 – A cross-section as it would appear if imaged by seismic data and converted to seismic shaded relief. At any point on a reflection surface, the illumination is a function of the angle of incidence of the light upon the surface.

Figure 3 – (a) Time slice through the seismic data volume of figure 1; (b) the same time slice blended with shaded relief. The yellow arrow indicates the direction of illumination. The anticlinal structure stands out sharply, even though the crest is obscured by a gas cloud.

Figure 4 – Seismic shaded relief is best viewed along time slices or horizons, but it can also be effective in vertical view. (a) A highly faulted zone through the seismic data of figure 1; (b) the seismic data blended with shaded relief. The yellow arrow indicates the direction of illumination. Faults appear sculpted into the side of the volume and tend to be clearer.

BARNES


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Editor’s note: David Curtiss, head of AAPG’s Geoscience and Energy Office in Washington, D.C., can be contacted at [email protected]; or by telephone at 1-202-684-8225.

Oil,GasTakeHitsonProposedBudgetOnFeb.1PresidentObama

launchedthefederalappropriationsseasonwiththereleaseofthefiscal

year2011budget,outlininghisprioritiesforthecomingfederalfiscalyear(Oct.1,2010toSept.30,2011).

Thebudgethittheheadlineswitheye-poppingdeficitprojectionsat11percentofGDPinFY2011.Andmoredramatically,wrotetheNew York Times,“ByPresidentObama’sownoptimisticprojections,Americandeficitswillnotreturntowhatarewidelyconsideredsustainablelevelsoverthenext10years,”andturnhigherattheendofthedecade.

Topreventalargerdeficitthisyearandinitsprojectionsforthedecade,thepresidentproposednumerousmeasurestoraiseadditionalrevenueandtrimgovernmentspending.Oilandnaturalgasactivitiesweretargetsonbothsidesofthefederalincomestatement.

***

Ontherevenueside,thepresidenthasproposedtorepealaseriesofoilandnaturalgastax“preferences.”Thisisessentiallythesameproposalthepresidentmadelastyear,butwhichCongressdidnotadopt.TheOfficeofManagementandBudgetestimatedthateliminatingthesetaxmeasureswouldnet$36.5billionover10years.

Themeasuresincluderepealingforoilandnaturalgascompaniesthe

expensingofintangibledrillingcosts,percentagedepletionforoilandnaturalgaswells,theexceptionofpassivelosslimitsforworkinginterestsonoilandnaturalgaswells,adomestic

manufacturingtaxdeductionavailabletoallotherindustriesandextendingtheamortizationofgeologicalandgeophysicalexpensesforindependentstosevenyears.

Italsorepealsseveralotherprovisions:theenhancedoilrecoveryandmarginalwellcredits,andadeductionfortertiaryinjectants.

Ifimplemented,thesemeasureswouldseverelydisruptthepetroleumindustry,bothmajorsandindependentoilandnaturalgasproducers.AAPG’sviewontaxesisarticulatedinitsstatementontaxreform:

“…AAPGsupports[tax]policieswhichservetoencouragepetroleumexplorationandproduction…”

Thepresident’sproposalscertainlydonotmeetthisstandard,andruncountertoasoundnationalenergypolicy.

ByDAVIDCURTISS,GEO-DCDirector

WASHINGTONWATCH

MembersNeededforThisYear’sCVDByDEBORAHSACREY

CharlesD.Warner,afriendofMarkTwain,iscreditedwiththefamousline,“Everyonecomplainsabouttheweather,butnoonedoesanythingaboutit.”

Idon’tknowaboutyou,butIhavethesamefeelingaboutpolicyandpolitics–andnomoresothanrightnow,whenlawmakersarefocusedonahostofissuesthataffectpetroleumexplorersandproducers,rangingfromhydraulicfracturingandenergypolicytotaxesandaccesstopubliclands.

ThatiswhyIinviteyoutojoinfellowAAPGmembersinWashington,D.C.,

May10-12forthesecondannualAAPGCongressionalVisitsDay(CVD).Youwillreceiveacomprehensivelegislativebriefing,andhaveanopportunitytomeetwithpolicy-makersandtheirstafftodiscussissuesofconcerntoAAPGmembers.

Istronglyencourageyoutoattendifyouwouldlikepersonalexposuretothepolicymakingprocess.Wearelookingforfolksfromindustry,theconsultingworldandacademiatojoinus.

PleasenotethatAAPGdoesnotprovidefundingformembers

toparticipateatAAPGCVD,butDivisionsandSectionsshouldconsidersponsoringoneoftheirmemberstoensurerepresentation.

ContactDavidCurtiss([email protected])toreserveyourspot.IhopetoseeyouinWashingtoninMay.

(Editor’s note: Deborah Sacrey is the chair of the DPA Governmental Affairs Committee.)

Continuedonnextpage

CURTISS

Now is not the time for panic. Now is the time for AAPG members to get personally engaged.


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***

Turningtotheexpensesideofthefederalincomestatement,thepresident’sbudgetproposed$200billioninspendingcutstodiscretionaryprograms.Thesecutswerespreadacrossfederalagencies.

uAttheDepartmentofEnergy(DOE)theproposedcutsincludedtheoilandnaturalgasresearchanddevelopment(R&D)programs.Indoingso,PresidentObamafollowedinthefootstepsofPresidentBush,whoalsorepeatedly“zeroedout”theseprograms.

Thepetroleum-oiltechnologiesR&DprogramwasunfundedinFY2010.Insteadofrestoringfundingforthisprogram,asithadinpreviousyears,Congressreprogrammed$20millionforanewunconventionalfossilenergytechnologiesprogram.

TheadministrationisnotseekingFY2011fundingforeitheroftheseprograms.

ThenaturalgastechnologiesR&DprogramalsowaseliminatedforFY2011.FundinginFY2010was$17.8million.Mostofthiswasdedicatedtomethanehydratesresearch,whichwillshifttoDOE’sOfficeofScience.

CarbonsequestrationresearchatDOEfocusesoncarboncapturetechnologiesandgeologicstorage.TheFY2011fundingrequestisdownabout7percentto$143million.TheregionalsequestrationpartnershipscontinuetheirPhaseIIIprojects,withnineinjectionsiteslookingtoinjectatleastonemilliontonsofcarbondioxideoverthreeyears.

TheDOEgeothermalprogramcontinuestoseeincreasedfundingrequests.TheFY2011budgetrequestis$55million,anincreaseof25percent.Thefocusofthisprogramisresearch,developmentanddeploymentoftechnologiestorealizethepotentialofenhancedorengineeredgeothermalsystemstocontributesignificantlytobaseloadpowergenerationintheUnitedStates.Theprogramwillcontinueitseffortsindeployingapublicgeothermaldatabase,internationalcooperation,low-temperaturegeothermalsystemsresearch–includingproducedwaterfromoilandnaturalgaswells–andthechallengesofinducedseismicityandwaterusage.

uShiftingtotheU.S.GeologicalSurvey(USGS),itsbudgetproposalincludeda9percentincreasefortheEnergyResourcesprogram,to$30.8million.ThisincreaseistoprovidethescientificsupporttheDepartmentofInteriorneedstofosterwinddevelopmentonpubliclands.

uTheMineralsResourcesprogramfacesa2.5percentdecreaseinfundingto$52.5millionduetosomereprogrammingoffunds.Buttheadministrationdeservescreditforrecognizingthevalueofthemineralsprogram.Ithadbeenundercontinuousthreatduringthepreviousadministration.

uTheNationalCooperativeGeologicMappingprogrambudgetrequestisupafractionat$28.3million,andtheUSGSdatapreservationprogramisexpectedtoalsoremainflatat$1million.

Therewerenosurprisesinthepresident’sbudget,atleastforthe

programswetrack.DOEoilandnaturalgasprogramsareperenniallyunderpressure,whilecarbonsequestrationandgeothermalpresentrealopportunitiesforappliedgeoscienceresearchers.AtUSGSchronicunderfundinghampersthedatapreservationprogram.

***

TheproposedtaxchangeshavecausedgreatconsternationamongAAPGmembers,becauseoftheirdestructivepotentialifimplemented.Itisuptoustoexplaintoourelectedofficials,friendsandneighborswhythesetaxproposalsarebadpublicpolicyandwhythefederalgovernmentshouldbeinvolvedinoilandnaturalgasR&D.

Nowisnotthetimeforpanic.NowisthetimeforAAPGmemberstogetpersonallyengaged. EX

PLORER

Continuedfrompreviouspage

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Considerablemediacoverageaboutshaleplaysleadstheuninitiatedtothinkashaleisashaleisashale.

Notso.Thesedenserockshavecharacteristics

thatcanvarynotonlyfromregiontoregionbutalsowithinspecificplays.

Forexample,eventhoughnaturalfracturesordinarilyaretheprincipleconduitforproductionflowinshales,allfracturesarenotcreatedequal.Theyvaryinnumerousways,includingintensity,distribution,sizeandporosity/occlusionpatterns.

Actually,there’snoguaranteetheyevenwillbepresent.

ThefolksatPetrohawk,whodiscoveredthestill-newEagleFordshalegasplayinsouthTexas(seeJanuaryEXPLORER),haven’tyetseenanynaturalfracturingintheEagleFordcoredataafterdrillinganumberofwells,accordingtoAAPGmemberDickStoneburner,executivevicepresidentandCOOatthecompany.

Theproliferationofdomesticshalegasplayshascomeaboutthroughadvancedtechnology,suchashorizontaldrillingtechniquesandincreasinglyefficientfracstimulationtreatments,leadingtomorecost-effectiveproduction.

Technical Challenges

Economicallyexploitingtheserocks,however,isnotnecessarilyaslam-dunk.

AnexampleistheNewAlbanyShaleintheIllinoisBasin,whichisthefocusofan

ongoingR&DprojectundertheaegisoftheGasTechnologyInstitute.Thefield-basedindustrycooperativeprojectisfundedbytheResearchPartnershiptoSecureEnergyforAmerica(RPSEA).

TheNewAlbanycanvarysignificantlyindifferentpartsofthebasin.ThegoaloftheGTIresearchteamistodeveloptechniquesandmethodstoincreaseproductivityofNewAlbanyshalegaswellstoalevelwheretheotherwisenon-commercialgasresourcemaybecomecommerciallyviable,accordingtoKentPerry,executivedirectorofGTI’sE&P

research-supplysector.IrajSalehi,seniorinstitutescientistatGTI,

isatthehelmoftheproject.“We’reintegratingallthenecessary

aspectsofdevelopingashaleresourceintothisproject,”Perrysaid.“TheNewAlbanyShalewillrequirecarefulconsiderationofwelldrillinggeometries,accurateformationcharacterizationandcompletionpracticestoensureoptimumgasrecovery.”

Productionintheregiondatesbacktothelate1800swhentherewasconsiderableoilexploration.Gaswas

detectedasthedrillbitpassedthroughtheshale,butearlyexperimentalattemptstoharvestthegaswerehinderedbytheexcessivelylowshalepermeabilityandotherissues,accordingtoPerry.

Gas-in-placeestimatesfortheNewAlbanyrangefrom90to160Tcf,andtechnicallyrecoverablevolumesareestimatedtorangebetween1.9Tcfand19.2Tcf.

Still,thegaswellsthathavebeendrilledovertheyearshaveyieldedlimitedquantitiesofgas.

“Thiscombinationoflimitedproductionandhighvolumesinplaceraisesthequestionofwhyisn’ttheremoreproduction,”saidPerry,whonoted“there’sasetoftechnicallycomplexissuesbetweenthetwo.

“Peoplearen’tsurehowtofrac,wheretobestlocatethewellsandsoforth,”headded.

Two-Way Tech Transfer

TheNewAlbanyShaleoccursatsurfaceoutcropanddowntoasmuchas4,500feetdeep;boththermogenicandbiogenicgassystemsarepresent.Wellcostsforahorizontalwellwithhydraulicfracturestimulationrangebetween$1millionand$1.8million.

Productionisprimarilyfromnaturalfractures,andproductionincommercialquantitiesrequiresproperplacementofhorizontalwellsrelativetodominantfracture

An eye toward broader application

IllinoisBasinShaleGetsTechFocusByLOUISES.DURHAM,EXPLORERCorrespondent

New Albany Shale natural fractures, found in the Illinois Basin; its orientaton is east-west.

See NewAlbany, page 40

Photo courtesy of Gas Technology Institute


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orientation.Owingtotheextremelylowmatrixpermeabilityandlimitedopennaturalfractures,interconnectingthefracturesviahydraulicfracturestimulationisamust.

ThiscanbeatedioustaskgiventhattheNewAlbanyisunderlainbywater-bearingDevonianrocksinsomeareas.Caremustbetakentopreventthefracturesfromgrowingintothewater-bearingzone.

“We’renowaboutayearintothisproject,andtheteamhasconductedacoupleoffieldexperimentswithpartneroperatorsinthearea,”Perrysaid.“They’relookingatdetailedcoredescriptionstobetteridentifynaturalfracturepatternsandformationevaluationissuestobettercontrolhydraulicfracturedesign.”

Henotedtherewillbeadditionalfield

teststogatherdataforfurtherstudytotrytoresolvesomeoftheproductionissuesandothersthatareongoing.

TheprojecthasthepotentialtobenefitshaleplaysotherthantheNewAlbany.

“Whenwedoacomprehensivestudyofthistype,we’realwayslookingtoseehowfarandwidetheresultsmighttransfertoothergeologicbasins,”Perryemphasized.“Likewise,it’sbeenpartofthisprojecttotakewhatlearningshavetakenplaceintheBarnettandotherareastoseewhatmightapplyinthisbasinaswell.

“It’salwaysatwo-waytechtransferpathwaythat’skindofongoing,”hesaid,“justsowedon’tduplicateeffortsorreinventthings.”

Raising ‘the Curve’

It’simportanttorecognizethatnotalltechnologiesapplicabletoshalestranslatetoeachshale.

Forinstance,thenaturallyfracturedrocksupportingbiogenicgasgenerationintheNewAlbanyisn’treadilysimilartotheotherhigh-profileshaleplays.CautionisnecessarywhenattemptingtotransferoutsidetechnologiestotheNewAlbany.

Perryemphasizedthereareeightimportantareasthatcancontributetoashaleplay’ssuccessindifferentwaysandvaryingquantitativevalues,andtheyshouldbeinvestigatedforeveryplay.Theimportanceofeachofthesecanbedifferentforeachshale:

3 Organicrichness.3Maturation.3Gas-in-place.3Permeability.3Porepressure.3Brittleness.3Mineralogy.3Thickness.Anumberofverticalwellshavebeen

drilledandfracturetreatedintheNewAlbany.Yethereaselsewhere,horizontalwellsprovidetheopportunitytocontactmorenaturalfractureswarmsandbettercontactthereservoirrock.

InitialgasproductionratesforaNewAlbanyhorizontalwellwitha2,500-footlateralaregenerally275mcf/d,decliningto100mcf/dinthefirst24months.Infact,peakproductionvolumesfortheselong-livedwellsoccurinthefirst30days,followedbyasignificantdeclineandthenashallowhyperbolicdecline.

Cumulativeestimatedgasproductionovera40-yearperiodisoneBcfperwell.

Initialhighproductionratesfollowedbysteepdeclinestendtobetheruleforshaleplaysingeneral.AstheNewAlbanydemonstrates,post-declineproductioncancontinueformanyyearsultimatelyyieldingsignificantvolumesofgas.

Still,there’sroomforimprovement,andthisisanindustrycomprisedoffolksnotedforanalmostuncannytalentfordevelopingnewtechnologiestoovercomechallenges.

TheongoingGTIeffortisanexample.“Wedon’tthinktheresults(oftheproject)

willnecessarilybetochangethatdeclinecurvepattern,buttoraisethewholecurve,”Perrysaid.“Insteadofinitialproductionofmaybe200mcfadayanddecliningrapidly,wemightbeabletogettheinitialrateupto500mcfadayanddeclinerapidlybutthenproduceatahigherrateoverthatlongperiodoftime.

“Theshapeofthecurvewon’tchange,”hesaid.“We’lljustliftitupabithigheronthegraph.”

Perrynotedtheyareinvestigatingoptimumdesignsforfracturestimulation,alongwiththetypesoffluidtobeused.

Headded:“Ifwecanstimulatemoreeffectivelyonlonghorizontalwellsandcutcosts,thenallofasuddenwecouldseealotofactivityinthatshale.” EX

PLORER

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AAPG’sYoungProfessionalsCommitteeisorganizinganexcitingnetworkingopportunityatthe2010

AnnualConventionandExhibitioninNewOrleans–thesecondannualStudent-ProfessionalMeet‘n’Greet.

Aswiththetimingoflastyear’sinauguraleventinDenver,thisyear’s“MnG”willbeheldonSunday,April11,rightbeforetheopeningsessionattheErnestN.MorialConventionCenter.

It’sdesignedspecificallyforthosewhoare:

uAstudent.uNewtotheconvention.uLookingtoexpandyournetworkwith

workingoilandgasprofessionals.uWantingtominglewithcoolgeology

types.Seriously,werealizethatnavigating

theconventioncanbeasconfusingasthatfirstmappingprojectatfieldcamp.Buthavenofear–we’reheretohelp!

TheMeet‘n’Greetisstructuredtoallowstudentswhoareinterestedinnetworkingtomeetindustryprofessionals–andviceversa.

Thisyear’seventwillbeginat2p.m.inroom352–that’sonefloorabovetheLaNouvelleOrleansballroom,wheretheopeningsessionwillbeheld.

Participatingprofessionalsandstudentsarepairedup(usuallyoneortwostudentsforeachprofessional),allowingplentyoftimefortheprosto

sharesomeoftheirindustryexperiences.The“pairs”thengototheopeningsessiontogether,allowingplentyoftimeforthestudentstobeintroducedtoevenmoreprofessionals.

Therearemanybenefits:uStudents,byconnectingwith

workingprofessionals,immediatelyexpandtheirnetworkexposure.

uStudentscangetsomegenuineinsightintowhattheindustryisreallylike.

uAllhaveaccessthebenefitsofAAPG.

u Therewillbealotofsharingoffieldcampstories–forallgenerations.

uAllofthosepaststudentsyourprofessorswarnedyouabout–well,meetthem!

uAllwillhaveatleastonemorefriendlyfacetoseearoundtheconventionhall.

Wewillbesendingoutmoreinformationonhowtosignupinthenextfewweeks,sopleasestaytuned.Fornow,anyquestionsshouldbee-mailedtoeitherFrankGrafatfrank.graf@anadarko.com,[email protected].

WelookforwardtoseeingyouinNewOrleans.

(Editor’s note: Ben Kessel, with Anadarko Petroleum in Denver, is a member of the AAPG Young Professionals Committee.)

Gathering in New Orleans

YPsSetMeet‘n’GreetByBENKESSEL

ProposedamendmentstotheAAPGBylawsthatwillbeconsideredattheannualmeetinginNewOrleansareavailableonwww.aapg.org.

HouseofDelegatesChairmanSteveSonnenbergsaidsevenchangesareproposed,threeofwhichare“editorialhousekeeping.”

Theotherproposedchangeswould:uProvideforappointmentof

DelegatesfromU.S.Affiliatedsocieties,ifsuchDelegatesarenotelectedpriorto60daysbeforetheannualmeetingoftheHouseofDelegates.

uProvidefortheAdvisoryCouncil

torecommendrecipientsofhonorsandawardswhendirectedtodosobytheExecutiveCommittee.

uLimitthetermsofAAPGrepresentativestonon-AAPGcommittees.

uProvideforstandingcommitteeco-chairmenandcommitteemanagersandtolimitthetermsofcommitteevicechairmen.

Inadditiontobeingavailableonline,aprintedcopyoftheproposedchangesmaybeobtainedbycontactingReginaGillat1-800-364-2274,[email protected].

HoDBylawsProposalsAvailableOnline

SavingsStillAvailableforN.O.Onlineregistrationcontinuesforthis

year’sAAPGAnnualConventionandExhibition–andtwobigregistrationdeadlinesloominMarch.

MemberswhoregisteronorbeforeMarch22cansaveupto$120offtheregularfee;also,hotelreservationsfortheAAPGblockofroomsmustbemadebyMarch12.

Thisyear’sACEwillbeheldApril11-14attheErnestN.MorialConventionCenterinNewOrleans–AAPG’sfirstannualmeetingtherein10years.

Thethemeis“UnmaskingthePotentialofExplorationandProduction,”andatechnicalprogramofferingmorethan400oralandnearly600posterpresentationshasbeenpreparedtoprovidethelatestingeoscienceexpertiseandinsight.

Alsoofferedwillbeavarietyof

forums,specialsessionsandluncheonspeakerswhowillgiveup-to-the-minutetalksonissuesthatimpacttheentireindustryandprofession.

Complementingthetechnicalprogramwillbealargeexhibithall,featuringmorethan200exhibitsfromindustryleaders,independentoperators,educationprovidersandmore.

AspecialticketedsocialgatheringattheNationalWorldWarIIMuseum–“AnEveningWith‘America’sGreatestGeneration’”–willbeofferedTuesday,April13.

TheentiretechnicalprogramwasmailedtomembersinDecember,andisavailableonline.

Formoreinformationgoonlinetowww.aapg.org/neworleans/index.cfm.


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YusakSetiawanisayoungprofessionalandavery,verybusymanwithalotofresponsibilities.

SetiawanrecentlytookanewpositionasexplorationmanagerforMurphyIndonesiainJakartatomanageexplorationprogramsinthedeepwaterSouthBaritoandSemaiIIblocks.

MurphysigneditsfirstProductionSharingContract(PSC)inMay2008fortheSouthBaritoBlockinSouthKalimantan.Thiswasfollowed,inNovember2008,byacquiringthePSCforthe3,379-square-kilometer-SemaiIIBlockoffshoresouthofWestPapua.

Thus,Setiawanhashishandsfullwithhisjob.

Buthestilltakestimetomakeadifferenceforhisprofession–behindthescenesandasaleaderandrolemodel.

HefirststeppedintotheAAPGspotlightin2003whenherecruited48newmembersfortheAssociationandearnedatriptotheAAPGInternationalConferenceandExhibitioninBarcelona,Spain.

HewasthenseniorgeophysicistwithUnocalinJakarta,workingonthedevelopmentoftheWestSenoField,Indonesia’sfirstdeepwaterfield.

Ashiscareerprogressed,hisinterestinpromotingtheprofessionhasnotwaned.

HejoinedAAPGasastudentmemberwhileearninghismaster’sdegreeatColoradoSchoolofMinesonascholarshipprovidedbytheeducationmoniescollectedaspartofthelicensing/productionagreementsinhisnative

Indonesia.HejoinedUnocalaftergraduation.

HebecameleadgeophysicistfortheRanggasFieldintheMakassarPSC,Indonesia,forUnocal/Chevron(ChevronacquiredUnocalin2005).

In2006hejoinedHessandmovedtoKualaLumpur,Malaysia,workingonanumberofprojectsasseniorgeophysicist,geophysicaladviserandexplorationprojectleader.

HealsotooktimetoserveasAAPGDistinguishedVisitingGeoscientisttoHanoiUniversityofMiningandGeology,NankingUniversityandChinaUniversityofPetroleum.

Additionally,SetiawanhasspokenattheInstitutTeknologiBandung(hisundergraduatealmamater),UniversitasGajahMada,UniversitasPembangunanNasionalandtheInstitutTeknologiMedan-allinIndonesia.

ThroughhisjourneysSetiawanhasbeenrecruitingnewmembersandsponsoringthemtojointheAssociation.

In2007SetiawanreceivedaSpecialRecognitionAwardforsignificantcontributionineducatingnon-technicalemployeesonoilandgasindustry.

Whenvisitinguniversities,alongwiththetechnicaltopicssuchas3-Dmodeling,Setiawanadvisesstudents“tobasically

strengthentheirtechnicalskills,learnfromyourmentorasmuchaspossibleandbeactiveintheprofessionalorganizationssuchasAAPG.”

Additionaladviceisforthenon-nativeEnglishspeaker;Setiawan,whospeaksIndonesian,Sundanese(hislocallanguage),English“andalittlebitofThai,”says,“IwouldliketoencouragethemtomasterEnglishasearlyaspossibleintheircareerbecause,believeme,itisveryessentialinthisglobalworld.”

DoeshestillrecruitforAAPG?“Ofcourse,”hesaid.“AAPGislikeagatethathasintroduced

metotheoilandindustryworld.ThroughAAPGIhavelearnedsomuchondifferentinvolvementofpeopleinthepetroleumindustrysuchasoilcompanies,servicecompanies,recruitmentcompaniesandmanyothers.”

Healsocitesnetworkingasamajormembershipbenefitthatisacareerasset,learningsuchthingsas“technicalstuff–bestpractices–suchaswhatotherpeoplehavedoneinothercompanies.”

Also,heappreciates“theopportunitytoseetheothersideoftheworld,whichreallyalsoinfluencesinshapingmypersonalitybehavior(andunderstandingoftheglobalcommunity).”

Setiawanalsopracticeswhathepreaches.Hecontinuestostrengthenhistechnicalskillsandlearnfromothers–he’splanningtoattendtheAAPGAnnualConventionandExhibitioninNewOrleans.

YoungProGivesBacktoProfessionByLARRYNATION,AAPGCommunicationsDirector

SPOTLIGHTON

Yusak Setiawan conducted his first Distinguished Lecturer tour in 2008 at Hanoi University of Mining and Geology. He offered a general overview of the petroleum industry and potential careers in the petroleum industry then, and today he continues to talk to students and other groups about the profession and AAPG.


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P. Jeffrey BrownhasfoundedExplAnalysis,OakRidge,Tenn.Previouslyengagementleader-oilandgaspractice,DecisionStrategies,Houston.

John C. CorbetthasbeenordainedasapriestintheAnglicanCommunion,Pittsburgh,Pa.Heisseniorgeologist,CNXGas,Pittsburgh.

James J. Emme,to executivevicepresident-NorthAmerica,EndeavourInternational,Denver.Previouslypresidentandchiefoperatingofficer,ElkResources,Denver.

Roger Humphreville,toheadofthechiefscientists’officeandsecretarytotechnologyadvisorycouncil,BPInternational,London,England.Previouslyprojectbenchmarkingmanager,BPInternational,Sunbury,England.

Shu Jiang,toresearchscientist-coordinatorforChinaprogramdevelopment,Energy&GeoscienceInstitute,SaltLakeCity.Previouslyresearchassociate,EnergyResearchandMineralsGroup,Boulder,Colo.

Glen Mah,topresident,GWMahPetroleumConsultants,Calgary,Canada.Previouslygeologist,NikoResources,Calgary,Canada.

Michael W. Maughan,topresident,BasicOil(Calgary),Calgary,Canada.Previouslyvicepresident-geosciencesandmanager-smallclients,SprouleAssociates,Calgary,Canada.

Mike Mellen,toseniordirector-researchanddevelopment,Landmark,Houston.Previouslydirector-geologicalandgeophysicaltechnologies,Landmark,Houston.

K. René Mott,toindependentprospecting,EmpressExploration,Houston.Previouslyseniortechnicaladviser,SeismicMicro-Technology,Houston.

Louis Rothenberg,toNikoResources,Jakarta,Indonesia.PreviouslywithBlackGoldEnergy.

Anna Shaughnessyhasbeenappointeddirectorofgeosciences

e-Learning,InternationalHumanResourcesDevelopmentCorp.,Boston.Previouslysupplychainprojectmanager,Anadarko,TheWoodlands,Texas.

Vaughn Thompson,toresearchscientist,EnergyandGeoscienceInstitute,UniversityofUtah,SaltLakeCity.Previouslygraduatestudent.

Graham Wall,tochiefoperatingofficer,TethysPetroleumGroup,Almaty,Kazakhstan.Previouslyvicepresident-technical,TethysPetroleumGroup,Almaty,Kazakhstan.

Fred Wehr,toexplorationmanager,ApacheEnergy,Perth,Australia.Previouslydeputyexplorationmanager,KhaldaPetroleum,Cairo,Egypt.

PROFESSIONALNEWSBRIEFS

Editor’s note: “Professional News Briefs” includes items about members’ career moves and the honors they receive. To be included, please send information in the above format to Professional News Briefs, c/o AAPG EXPLORER, P.O. Box 979, Tulsa, Okla. 74101; or fax, 918-560-2636; or e-mail, [email protected]; or submit directly from the AAPG Web site, www.aapg.org/explorer/pnb_forms.cfm.

INMEMORYArthur Erick Anderson,85 Lafayette,La.,Aug.26,2009Wilbur Lewis Durr Jr.,82 SunCityWest,Ariz.,Dec.11,2009Craig Alfred Lyon,78 Concord,Calif.,Aug.14,2009Richard Cornelius McMillan,61 Birmingham,Ala.,Oct.3,2009Sam McDonald Puryear,64 Fulshear,Texas,May2009James William Richards,78 SaintHelena,Calif.,May28,2009Donald Everett Wilson,81 Albuquerque,N.M.,July19,2009

(Editor’s note: “In Memory” listings are based on information received from the AAPG membership department.)

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57 universities from 18 countries in competition

ImperialBarrelProgramRollsIntoNewOrleansA APG’sImperialBarrelAward

program(IBA)continuestoexpanditsglobaloutreachasitoffersa

uniqueopportunityforearthsciencestudentsfromaroundtheworldtoanalyzerealgeologic,geophysical,land,economicandproductiondata.

Nowinitsthirdyear,thisyear’sIBAprogram,whichwillculminateinthefinalsattheupcomingAAPGAnnualConventionandExhibitioninNewOrleans,willincludeparticipationby57universitiesfrom18countries,representingallsixinternationalRegionsandallsixU.S.Sections.

LatinAmericaandMiddleEastRegionswillenterthecompetitionforthefirsttime.

Likenootherstudentprogram,theIBAprogramgivesstudentsexperienceinteractingwithandlearningfromindustryleadersandmentors;ithasthepowertojoltthecareerpathofstudentsanywhereintheworld.

TheIBACommittee,ledbyformerIBAcoordinatorsSteveVeal(chair)andKenNemeth(vicechair),overseestheglobalprogram.IBACommitteememberTimBergeisresponsiblefortheIBAdatasetspluscoordinationofsoftwaredonationsandsupport.

Thecommittee,workingwithheadquartersstaff,isimplementingfundamentalprogramimprovementsthisyearbyembracingnewtechnologiesandinstitutingaclearlywritten,comprehensive

“Rules,Regulations,OperationsManual.”Simultaneously,industryrecognition,

involvementandsupportofIBAareontherise,withnewdatasetscontributedandadditionalservicecompaniesofferingfreesoftwaredownloads,trainingandtechnicalsupporttouniversitiesandIBAteams.

AtthelocalSectionandRegionlevel,IBAcoordinatorsrecruitschoolstoparticipateintheprogram,securecorporatesponsorsandorganizesectional/regionalIBAevents.

For2010,eightoutof12IBAcoordinatorsarereturningforthesecondyear–acombinationofexperienceandfreshideasthathassparkedseveralIBA“bestpractices.”

Mobilization

TherearereasonswhytheIBAhasthepowertomobilizecompanies,affiliatesocietiesandeducationalinstitutions.

Theprogram’sfocusisondevelopmentofexplorationskills.CentraltotheIBAcompetitionisanalysisofregional-scale(approximately100squarekilometers)datasets,presentedintheprogramasproject“problems”or“newbusinessventures.”

“Thisyear,”Bergesaid,“wewereabletooffersevencompletelydifferentIBAproject‘problems’fromfivegeographicareas–theDanishNorthSea,NorwegianNorthSea,onshoreAustralia,U.S.GulfCoastoffshore,Alaska’sBristolBayand

theBarentsSea.”ItisBerge’sroletocarefullymodify

donateddatasetstoensureeveryIBAteamhasanequivalentchallengeandlearningexperience.Everyprojectcontainsrealgeologicaldataincludingwellcurves,3-Dor2-Dseismicdata,gravityandmagneticdata,Landsatimagery,geologicreportsorstudies,geochemistryandcoredata.

“Thankstoourindustrypartners,affiliatesocietiesanduniversitypartnersthathavedonatedthesedatasets,”Bergesaid,includingMaersk,Texaco,AlaskaDepartmentofNaturalResources,ImperialCollegeLondon,UniversityofOklahomaandPetroleumExplorationSocietyofAustralia(PESA).

IBArulesrestrictstudentstooneIBAeventduringtheiruniversitycareer,althoughanyuniversitycanenteranewIBAteameachyear.Toavoidgivingareturninguniversityanunfairadvantageoverafirst-timeuniversity,Berge’smanagementofthedatasetsguaranteesthateachschool’steamhasacompletelynewprojectthatisfromapartoftheworldthatisunfamiliartothem–eveniftheuniversityisapreviousIBAparticipant.

Inherentinaglobalprogramarevariationsinhardware,softwareandbandwidthavailabletouniversitiesfromstatetostateandcountrytocountry.Bergemakessurethedataareinformatsthat

ByCAROLMcGOWEN,RegionsandSectionsManager

Continuedonnextpage

TeamsGetBonusClassTheGulfCoastSectionhas

discoveredthatreachingouttolocalindustrytoprovidetrainingclasses,mentoringandtoservingasIBAjudgesnotonlyincreasestheeducationalvalueforstudentsbutalsobuildsanetworkofindustrysupportfortheIBAprogram.

TheindustryoutreacheffortsofJaniceGregory-Sloan,second-yearIBAcoordinator,resultedinExxonMobilofferingtwotrainingclassesonbasinanalysistouniversitiesandIBAteamsinLouisianaandTexas.

Theclassprovidedstudentswithanoverviewofplayelementsandplaymapping,includingtwopracticeexercises.Immediatelyfollowingthetraining,teamsdownloadedtheirdatasets.

“Ithinkthatthestudentsinthisyear’sprogramwillfeelthatitwasagoodlearningexperience,”Gregory-Sloansaid,“andprovidedthemwithinsightstoourindustryandtheopportunitytobeginbuildingtheirindustrynetwork.”

REGIONS&SECTIONS

Editor’s note: Regions and Sections is a regular column in the EXPLORER offering news for and about AAPG’s six international Regions and six domestic Sections. Contact: Carol McGowen, AAPG’s Regions and Sections manager, at 1-918-560-9403; or e-mail to [email protected]. This month’s column includes reporting from

AAPG members Anwar Beaiji, Tim Berge, Janice Gregory-Sloan and Adedoja Ojelabi.


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areunderstoodandusablebythedifferentuniversities.

Theabilitytoofferarangeofsoftwarechoices,hesaid,isonlypossiblethroughthegeneroussupportofSchlumberger,SMT,ParadigmandOpendTect,allofwhichhavedonatedsoftwaretotheIBAprogram.

Technical Improvements

InpreviousyearsIBAdatasetswereloadedonportablethumbdrivesorUSBkeys,thenshippedtouniversitycontactsindiverselocales–andwithequallydiversemaildeliverysystems.

Thisyear,nearly100gigabytesofIBAprojectdataarehostedonandcanbedownloadedfromtheAAPGFTPsite.Projectdatasetsareusuallyinthe1-4gigabyterange,althoughsomecanbeaslargeas14gigabytes.

“TheFTPsiteallowsustoassigneachIBAparticipantteamapassword,whichenablesthemtoseeanddownloadonlytheprojecttowhichtheyareassigned,”Bergesaid.“Withthistechnicalimprovement,participantscanaccessthe

datamorequicklyandmorereliably.”Anothertechnicalimprovement

directlybenefitstheIBACommitteeandtheprogram’shistoricalrecords.MikeMlynek,AAPG,assistantmanager,(StudentPrograms)hascapitalizedonnewWeb-hostingtechnologytocreateasinglesourceforallIBAdocumentsandmaterials.

Best Practices

ThreeIBAprogrampracticesdeservespecialmentionas“bestpractices”foraddingvaluetotheIBAexperienceofstudentsandbusinessesalike.

Whatarethey?Readersareencouragedto

viewexpandedaccountsofthesepracticesontheIBAWebsiteathttp://www.aapg.org/iba.Clickonthelink,“IBABestPractices.” EX

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ExperienceCountsAnwarAl-Beaiji,ayoungprofessional

geologistwithSaudiAramco,isuniquelyqualifiedtoserveasIBACoordinatorfortheMiddleEastRegion.WhileageologystudentatImperialCollegeLondon,Anwarwasamemberofthe2008ImperialCollegeIBAteamthatwonsecondplaceintheglobalcompetitionthatyear.

Anwarlastyearlaidthegroundworkforasuccessful2010programbyvisitinguniversitiesintheRegionandcontactingindustrycompaniestoconveythebenefitsofIBAtobothstudentsanduniversities.

“TheseeffortsledtopartialfinancialsponsorshipoftheIBAprogramandtechnicalsupporttoparticipatinguniversitieswithintheregion,”Al-Beaijisaid.

The2010MiddleEastRegionIBAeventisscheduledinconjunctionwithamajorregionalconference,GEOBahrain.InvitationstoanawardsreceptionfollowingthecompetitionhavebeenextendedtogeologydepartmentheadsofallMiddleEasternuniversities,executivesofnational,internationalandserviceoilcompaniesandindustryexperts–astrategydesignedtoraiseawarenessofIBAamonguniversitiesandpotentialsponsors.

MentorsAidAfricaIBAEffortsThesuccessoftheAfricaRegionIBA

Program–13universitiesarevyingthisyear–isbuiltonastrongmentorshipprogramincludingcarefulteammonitoringusingaworkflowtemplate.

Sincetheprogramwasimplemented,thenumberofmentorshasdoubledfrom18in2009to36mentorsin2010.EachIBAteamisassignedoneormoreindustrymentorswhoserveasatechnicalcoachtotheteam.

VolunteermentorsarerecruitedfrommembersoftheAAPGAfricaRegionandexpatriatesworkinginAfrica.Selectionisbasedonoilindustryexperience–particularlyinmappingskillsandawillingnesstoshareknowledgeandprovidetechnicalguidancetothestudents.

Schoolsandmentorsarerandomly

matchedwithteamsincountriesoutsidetheirownnationalityorworkarea.

Agenericworkflowtemplatedefinesmilestonesthateachteamshouldachieveatacertaintime.

“Inthisway,wearecertainthatnoteamisleftbehind,”saidcoordinatorAdedoja Ojelabi,“andallwillcompletetheprocess.

“Thementorprogramexperiencein2009showsthatinteractingwithindustrymentorsisofimmensebenefittostudents,astheylearnwhatisexpectedofthemintheindustry–teamwork,planning,prioritizing,speed,efficiencyandworkethics,”Ojelabisaid,“andwehopethatthementorsalsobenefitfromtheexchangeofideasandderiveasenseoffulfillmentfromhelpinganothergenerationofearthscientistslearnabouttheindustry.”

GeoIndiaAbstractsDeadlineisMarch31

ThecallforabstractsdeadlineforGEOIndia2010,AAPG’sSouthAsianGeosciencesConferenceandExhibition,isMarch31.

GEOIndia,co-sponsoredwiththeAssociationofPetroleumGeologists,India(APG),willbeheldDec.7-10attheExpoXXIexhibitionandconferencecenterinGreaterNoida,nearNewDelhi.Themeetingthemeis“ExploringandProducingBeyondFrontiers.”

Organizershaveidentified15sessiontopics.Abstractsmustbesubmittedonline.

FormoreinformationgototheGEOIndiaWebsiteatwww.aeminfo.com.bh/geoindia2010/#content.

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ProjectsReceiveFundingT heAAPGFoundationBoardof

Trusteesrecentlyapprovedfundingof$12,000tosupportEXPLORER

correspondentSusanEaton’sElysiumEpicExpeditiontoAntarctica.

The20-dayexpeditionisdesignedtocelebratethe100thanniversaryofSirErnestShackleton’s1914-1917ImperialTrans-AntarcticaExpedition,buttheeventincludesaneducationalandoutreachcomponentthatwillbeginduringtheexpeditionandthen,inEaton’scase,willcontinuefor12monthsfollowingtheteam’sreturnfromAntarcticaandSouthGeorgia.

Eaton,aCalgary-basedindependentandprofessionalwriterwhohasreportedonCanadianactivitiesfortheEXPLORERthroughoutthepastdecade,willpostblogsandprovideclassroomsessionsduringhertripwith11thand12thgradestudentsinCanada.

YoucanfollowEaton’sblogfromAntarcticabygoingtotheAAPGWebsiteatwww.aapg.org(seerelatedstory,page49).

***

TheFoundationrecentlyreceivedtheinitialcontributiontoitsnewlycreatedImperialBarrelAwardFund,intheformof$20,000fromAnadarkoPetroleum.

VariouscompaniesandindividualshaveprovidedsupportfortheAAPG’sImperialBarrelAwardProgram(IBA)intheyearspriortothefund’screation,andseveralpledgesalreadyhavebeenmadetoaFoundationfundthatwillprovideongoingsupport.

AAPG’sIBAprogramisanannualprospect/explorationevaluationcompetitionbetweenuniversitystudentteamsfromaroundtheworld,allcompetingtowinscholarshipfundsdedicatedtopetroleumgeoscienceeducationcreatedforgeosciencegraduatestudents.

TheprogramisrigorousandcontributestoAAPG’smissionofpromotingpetroleumgeosciencetrainingandadvancingthecareersofgeosciencestudents(seerelatedstory,page46).

StudentswhoparticipateintheIBAgainexperienceusingrealtechnologyonarealdataset.Additionally,studentsbenefitfromthefeedbackprovidedbytheindustrypanel,theopportunitytoimpresspotentialemployersintheaudienceandthechancetowincashprizesfortheirschools.

Winningteamsareselectedonthebasisoftechnicalquality,clarityandoriginalityintheirpresentations.

TheIBAisahands-onopportunityforstudentstoexperiencethecreativeprocessandthehigh-techsciencethatisthefoundationoftheEnergyIndustrytoday.

TheFoundation’sIBAfundwascreatedtoallowCorporateAdvisoryBoardcompaniesandindividualstomakedonationstotheoverallprogramorIBA.ForothercompaniesthewaytosponsorIBAistocompletetheformat:www.aapg.org/iba/sponsorship.cfm,whichalsoallowsfornon-CABcompaniestosponsorlocalIBAsemi-finalroundsaswellastheglobalfinals.

IndividualsandcompaniesareencouragedtosupporttheImperialBarrelAwardprogram.Donationsareusedtohelpunderwritethecostoftransportationandhousingexpensesforcompetingteams,luncheons,icebreakersandcashprizesfortheuniversitiesofthewinningteams.

TolearnmoreabouttheImperialBarrelAwardProgramgotowww.aapg.org/iba;tolearnmoreaboutAAPGcoreprogramsfundedbytheFoundationgotofoundation.aapg.orgfundsdescription,orcontactFoundationmanagerRebeccaGriffinat1-918-560-2644,[email protected].

FOUNDATIONUPDATE

Foundation (General)JoelA.AlbertsThorntonE.AndersonJuanCarlosCalvoChevronHumankindM.A.CusterHenryC.DeanJr.ByronFredDyerThomasEdwardEwingMichaelC.ForrestGilmorSemmesHamillIV

In memory of James HooksRobertE.HiltyWilliamCrawfordKirkwoodSitianLiLoganMacMillanJamesPalmerRogersWaylandCarlyleSavreWilliamRayScheideckerDanielLesterSmithCharlesAlanSternbachPatrickMarionTolson

Distinguished Lecture FundChrisA.Oglesby

Grants-in-Aid FundWilsonHumphreyJohnScottIsbyJeffreyA.MayNeilS.SummerGordonW.VanSwearingen

Eddie David Named GrantWilliamAsquithMargaretAsquith-Votava

Norman H. Foster Memorial GrantJanetL.FosterandFamily

In memory of Norman H. Foster

Imperial Barrel Award FundAnadarkoPetroleumCorp.

K-12 Education FundLeeTravisBillingsley

In memory of Ed RoyMarshallC.CrouchIIIChristineB.GaynorDonaldWatsonLewisMarkScottSvobodaJohnMcCameySweet

Named Public Service FundJamesA.Gibbs

In memory of Donald Reaser

Jack C. and Catherine I. Threet Endowment Fund

JackC.Threat

Special Publications FundJohnJ.Amoruso

FOUNDATIONCONTRIBUTIONS


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FollowAntarcticTrekViaBlogW hodoesn’tloveagood

story?Especiallywhenitinvolvesbeatingtheoddsand

overcominginsurmountableobstacles–it’sthestuffofwhichheroesandepicsaremade.

Well,wehaveagoodstorytotell–onethatinvolvesAAPG,amemberwhohappenstowritefortheEXPLORER,andthecontinentofAntarctica.

InDecember1914,SirErnestShackletonandacrewof27setsailforAntarctica.Theirobjectivewastocrossthatcontinentfromcoasttocoast–butwhentheirshipbecameaprisoneroficetheywereforcedtowalk.

Forfivemonthstheymarchedthroughthemostuninhabitableplaceonearth.Thentheytraveledthisworld’smostdangerousoceaninlifeboatsbeforereturningtocivilizationandultimatelyrescuingtheirremainingcrewmembers.Notasinglemanwaslostinthisamazingstory.

Inhonorofthisfeat,ateam–calledElysium(elysiumepic.org)–hasbeenformedtovisuallydocumentAntarcticaalongthesamepathShackleton’sexpeditiontook.

(InGreekmythologyElysiumisaportionoftheunderworldwherethesoulsoftheheriocandvirtuousresides.)

So,whatdoesthishavetodowithAAPG?

AAPGmemberSusanEaton,aCalgary-basedcorrespondentfortheEXPLORER,hasbeeninvitedtotheparty.

Eatonisoneoftwogeoscientistsonacrewof57explorersfrom18countries,andshewillbepostingtoablogastheteamjourneysfromAntarcticaandSouthGeorgia.AAPGalsowillbefollowingherblogonpetroleumgeology.org–aWebsitedesignedbytheAAPGPublicOutreachCommitteeforthepublic.

EatonalsohasarrangedwithaschoolinCanadatoshareherworkdirectlywiththeir11thand12thgradestudents.

She’llblog,sendphotosandspeak

withthemthroughouttheexpeditionwiththehopeofillustrating,inEaton’swords“thatscienceis‘cool,’thatscienceisfun,thatwomenparticipateinscienceandthatexplorationanddiscoveryisstillpossibleinthe21stcentury.”

Eaton’sblogexpandsthissitewithyetanotheropportunityto“learnaboutthesource,fromthesource”asithappens.

BythetimeyouarereadingthisEatonmaybenearingtheendofherjourney.Butherblogshouldcontinuebeyondthat.

Itwillbeagoodstory.Good browsing!

ByJANETBRISTER,AAPGWebSiteEditor

WWWUPDATE

EATON

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A APGiscallingonallmemberstorecruitcolleaguestojoinourorganization.

How?Startbylookingforpotentialmembersinyourcompany,yourlocalsociety,atindustryeventsandsocialgatherings.AskeveryoneyouknowiftheyareamemberofAAPG–andiftheysayno,orthatthey“usedtobe,”invitethemtojoinorreapply.

Tellpotentialmembersabout:uThemanygoodsandservices

offeredbyAAPG–oftenatmemberdiscounts.

uGreatnetworkingopportunities.uOurtwomonthlypublications

(BULLETINandEXPLORER).uThevarietyofprograms,manyof

themfundedbytheAAPGFoundation.uEducationopportunities.uOurgraduatedduesstructure,

whichisbasedonthemember’sannualPersonalGrossIncome(developedsothatnomemberwouldbedeniedaccessduetofinancialconstraints).

Anddon’tforgettosharethepersonalaspect–sharewiththemhowAAPG:

uHashelpedyourcareer.uHasincreasedyourtechnical

knowledge.uIsareliableresourceforobtaining

thelatestindustrynewsandstayingconnected.

uOffersthemachancetobepartofavibrantprofessionalcommunity.

And For You …

There’sevensomethinginitforyou!ForrecruitingActivemembers(new,transfersandreinstatements)youreceiverecognitionasanofficialAAPGrecruiterandcanearnpointsthatmaybeaccumulatedandexchangedforprizes.Completedetailsareavailableonlineatwww.aapg.org/recruit.

Since1917,AAPGhasbeenthepillaroftheworldwidescientificcommunity.Ouroriginalpurpose–tofosterscientificresearch,toadvancethescienceofgeology,topromotetechnologyandtoinspirehighprofessionalconduct–stillguidesustodayandhashelpedustogrowtomorethan35,000membersinmorethan120countries.

ByhelpingAAPGincreaseourmembershipyouarehelpingtoexpandtheknowledgeanddisseminatethesciencetomoreprofessionalsthroughouttheworld.

ApplicationsareaccessibleviaourWebsiteatwww.aapg.org;formscanbedownloadedortheycanapplyonline.

Wealsocanprovideyouwithrecruitingmaterials(applications,brochures,etc.);requesttheseviaphone–U.S.andCanadatollfreeat1-800-364-2274;allothers,1-918-584-2555;[email protected].

Just ask

RecruitforAAPGByVICKIBEIGHLE,AAPGMembershipManager


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ThefollowingcandidateshavesubmittedapplicationsformembershipintheAssociationand,below,certificationbytheDivisionofProfessionalAffairs.Thisdoesnotconstituteelectionnorcertification,butplacesthenamesbeforethemembershipatlarge.

AnyinformationbearingonthequalificationsofthesecandidatesshouldbesentpromptlytotheExecutiveCommittee,P.O.Box979,Tulsa,Okla.74101.

InformationincludedherecomesfromtheAAPGmembershipdepartment.

(Namesofsponsorsareplacedinparentheses.Reinstatementsindicateddonotrequiresponsors.)

Membershipapplicationsareavailableatwww.aapg.org,orbycontactingheadquartersinTulsa.

For Active Membership

CaliforniaHenderson, Jean M.,WarrenE&P,LongBeach(C.P.Henderson,D.E.Hoyt,L.C.Knauer);Winslow, Donald Joseph,Chevron,Bakersfield(reinstate)

ColoradoGordon, Henry H.,StrataResources,Denver(W.J.Barrett,M.S.Johnson,S.A.Sonnenberg);Keay, James P.,InternationalReservoirTechnologies,Lakewood(R.G.Hickman,T.P.Seeley,L.Brinton);King, Jared David,NorwestCorp.,Denver(J.A.M.Thomson,W.F.Hoppe,J.E.McCray);Miskelly, Thomas E.,SanJacintoCollege,Englewood(C.A.Sternbach,L.R.Sternbach,H.Chafetz)

IndianaWard, Thomas Paul,CitizensEnergyGroup,Worthington(D.L.Gelhausen,D.W.Busch,J.D.Pigott)

OhioHolm, Daniel K.,KentStateUniversity,Kent(I.D.Sasowsky,L.H.Wickstrom,A.H.Coogan)

OklahomaAllen, Gerald,ContinentalResources,Enid(B.P.Thies,R.W.Allen,C.Haugen);Ardoin, Charles Russell,SamsonResourcesCo.,Tulsa(C.F.ClawsonII,J.E.Mathewson,R.K.Soderberg);Herrin, James Matthew,ChesapeakeEnergy,OklahomaCity(S.P.Cooper,J.C.Lorenz,A.W.Jackson);Marfurt, Kurt J.,UniversityofOklahoma,Norman(R.M.Slatt,S.Mitra,G.R.KellerJr.);Thapar, Mangat R.,InternationalGeophysical,Tulsa(R.B.Banks,H.F.Miller,F.J.WagnerJr.)

TexasCroy, Matthew James,Halliburton,Houston(K.E.Williams,J.L.Gevirtz,T.Sheehy);Davis, Clayton Y.,SouthwesternEnergy,Houston(V.J.Atkinson,S.E.Matson,K.L.Martin);Parsons, April Louise,StatoilUSAE&P,Houston(D.M.Cox,P.A.Santogrossi,C.C.Moss);Remington, Lisa Elaine,DrillingInfo,Austin(D.Ratcliff,S.P.Dutton,R.H.Trevino);Shelander, Dianna,Schlumberger,Houston(reinstate);Shumaker, Adam Niven,NobleEnergy,Houston(D.Johng,C.T.Balistrire,G.A.Olson);Thacker, Thomas Tydings,3-TExploration,WichitaFalls(J.L.Hickman,W.H.Nichols,G.M.Godwin)

WyomingVer Ploeg, Alan James,WyomingStateGeologicalSurvey,Laramie(R.DeBruin,J.F.McLaughlin,Z.S.Jiao)

AustraliaJewett, Kelsey,OttoEnergyLimited,WestPerth(J.J.K.Poll,C.J.Martin,R.Sadownyk)

BangladeshLodhi, Abid Nowaz Khan,CairnEnergy,Dhaka(A.M.Shamsuddin,S.H.Chowdhury,R.M.Akhlaqur)

Brunei DarussalamCarl, Brian Stewart,ShellPetroleum,Seria(D.A.Hutchison,J.C.Zura,M.C.Dean)

CanadaTurner, Elizabeth Coral,LaurentianUniversity,Sudbury(A.F.Embry,B.Beauchamp,D.G.F.Long)

KuwaitChakraborty, Kalyan Kumar,KuwaitOilCompany,Ahmadi(S.K.Newton,J.R.Weston,P.Thompson)

LibyaAl Ghazali, Al Mabrouk,ChevronLibya,Tripoli(J.P.Nixon,J.A.Boyer,P.Mazalan)

MalaysiaNgu, William,SarawakShellBerhad,Miri(R.Franssen,C.K.Choo,H.P.Lee)

MoroccoBoutib, Lahcen,ONHYM,Rabat(H.Jabour,M.ElMostaine,J.Redfern)

NigeriaLawal, Taofiq Alaba,ConoilProducing/Compurex,Lagos(O.T.Odusote,A.O.Ekun,A.T.Adelaja);Oke, Olatunbosun Ayotunde,ShellPetroleumDevelopmentCompany,Nigeria,Warri(E.C.Arochukwu,S.O.Akande,G.O.Giwa);Olafisan, Bukola Bolajoko,NNPC-NAPIMS,Lagos(M.D.Bako,D.S.Sejebor,C.P.Okoro);Pinnick, Sotonye Beniboba,NNPC-NAPIMS,Lagos(E.G.Gwong,E.A.Okpokam,M.D.Bako)

OmanAl Hosni, Yaqoub,OXY,Muscat(M.N.

Bushara,K.K.Al-Riyami,A.P.Heward)

People’s Republic of ChinaHao, Fang,ChinaUniversityofPetroleum,Beijing(S.Li,X.Xie,J.Ren)

PolandKotarba, Maciej Jerzy,UniversityofScienceandTechnology,Krakow(reinstate)

QatarCromie, Helen,MaerskOilNorthSeaUK,Doha(F.S.VanBuchem,G.Templeton,D.R.Cook)

ScotlandGuo, Jiulin,BP,Aberdeen(A.Milne,D.Barr,B.E.Holdsworth)

United Arab EmiratesDarma, I Wayan Ardana,MubadalaOil&Gas,AbuDhabi(G.Burgon,P.G.Landmesser,J.A.Bates)

WalesCrossley, Rob,FugroRobertson,Penmaenmawr(R.C.Shoup,J.P.Harris,C.K.Peter)

MEMBERSHIP&CERTIFICATION

CertificationThefollowingarecandidates

forcertificationbytheDivisionofProfessionalAffairs.

Petroleum Geologists

TexasDavid G. Rensink,retired,Houston(AmericanInstituteofProfessionalGeologists);James B. Hersch,W&TOffshore,TheWoodlands(reinstatement)

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Editor’s note: Gerhard, retired Kansas State Geologist, is past president of the AAPG Division of Environmental Geosciences and editor of AAPG Studies #47 Geological Perspectives of Global Climate Change.

Commentary

‘Climategate’andtheEthicsofScienceD ishonestyinsciencecanharm

people.Overthelastcenturysciencehas

playedanever-increasingroleinthelivesofallpeople.Sciencehasincreasedlifeexpectancy,improvedourstandardofliving,dramaticallyspeededcommunicationsandmadeusaspace-faringpeople,tociteonlyafewexamples.Ourabilitytofeedarapidlygrowingglobalpopulationandtomaketheirliveseasierandmoreproductivebothstemfromadvancesinscience.

Thedownsideoftheascentofscienceintopubliclifeisthatpoliticsusessciencethatsupportsparticularviewswhilesuppressingcontraryviews.Theentryofscienceandtechnologyintopoliticsandpublicpolicydemandsthatscientistsbevigilantinguardingtheirprofessionalobjectivityfrompoliticalinfluenceorphilosophy,andtodefendtheirsciencefromperversionbysocial,religiousorpoliticalagendas.

Todaywearefacedwithbothdishonestscienceandquasi-religiouspersecutionofdissentingscientistswhoarenotinagreementwithsocialorpoliticaldogma.Acceptanceofadvocacyordishonestsciencehasbecomeanissueinrecentyears.

Historyisrepletewithexamplesofeitherscientificdishonestyorinterferencewithorabsolutebrutalrepressionofscience.Brunowasburnedatthestakeintheinquisition,andGalileo,facedwithsimilarcircumstances,wasforcedtorecanthis

observationsoftheuniverseinfrontofreligiousauthoritiesinthe16thcentury.

Alegalformofscientificdishonestyisthedemonizingofopponentsinascientificdisagreement.Ratherthancounterthescientificarguments,someattempttodeflectthedebatebyarguingthattheopponentsareincompetent,fundedbycorporations,haveconflictsofinterestorareharmingthepublicwelfare,demeaningtheirworkanddataineverywaypossible,withouteverdemonstratinganyinaccuracyinthework.Whileperhapsacceptableinpolitics,suchtacticsarenotacceptableinscience.

ArecentexampleofsuchanadhominemattackwastheattempttosilenceBjornLomberg,authorof“TheSkepticalEnvironmentalist.”Lomberghaddevastatedzealousenvironmentalist’sargumentsthatthenaturalworldwasbeingcontinuallydegradedbyhumanimpacts,usingbothdataandstatisticstodemonstratethatthe

globalenvironmentwasimprovingandthattheworldneededtoaddresslargerproblemsfirst,ratherthanexpendresourcesonminorissues.Lombergwascastigatedverbally,inthepressandintribunals.Lombergfoughtbackandwasvindicated.

Againstthathistoricalbackgroundthereisnow“Climategate.”Climategateisthetermusedtodescribethereleaseofthousandsofe-mailsfromtheUniversityofEastAnglia’sClimateResearchUnit(CRU),oneofthemostprestigiousclimatedataarchiveandmodelingcenters.CRUdataisthebasisformuchofthedebateaboutclimatechange.Thee-mailsdocumentscientificdishonestyamongtheleadingscientificproponentsofhuman-inducedglobalwarming(AGW),andthemajorplayersbehindtheUnitedNationsIntergovernmentalPanelonClimateChange,bothinEnglandandtheUnitedStates.

Examplesofdiscloseddishonesty

includepurposefulmanipulationofdatainsupportofafavoredhypothesis,conspiracytodenyaccesstodatatoothers(illegalunderFreedomofInformationactions),destructionofdata,attemptstodenyothersaccesstopeerreviewandscientificpublicationprocess,impugningthereputationsofothersandattemptstoremovejournaleditorswhopublishedworksthatdidnotsupportAGW.Whileeachindividualactisworthyofterminationfromascientificresearchorteachingposition,thesumtotalofthesedishonestactsisanindictmentoftheentirescientificprocessconcerningclimatechange.

Scienceworksbyadvancingahypothesis,continuallytestingit,modifyingasnecessary,retesting,allinattemptstofalsifyorinvalidatethehypothesis.Hypothesesthatsurvivetheseteststhenbecomeacceptedtheoriesandthebasefromwhichotherconstructscanbedeveloped.Thatisthescientificmethod.

AnexampleisPlateTectonics.Advancedseriouslyas“continentaldrift”intheearlypartofthe20thcentury,thehypothesiswastestedbutnotestablishedowingtoalackofinformationtocreatearationaltest.Therewasheateddebateoverthehypothesis,withoutresolution.AfterWorldWarIIended,heretoforesecretmilitarysea-floormappingwasmadeavailabletoscientists,whothenidentified

ByLEEC.GERHARD

GERHARD

Acceptance of advocacy or dishonest science has become an issue in recent years.

Continuedonnextpage


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PGEditor’s note: Letters to the editor should include your name and address and should be mailed to

Readers’ Forum, c/o AAPG EXPLORER, P.O. Box 979, Tulsa, Okla. 74101, or fax (918) 560-2636; or e-mail to [email protected]. Letters may be edited or held due to space restrictions.

Students Need HelpIamanMSccandidateingeologyat

theUniversityofIbadaninNigeria,andwillgraduatebythemiddleof2010.IreadwithkeeninterestthecommentbyKodyKramer(Readers’Forum,JanuaryEXPLORER),whogaveavividpictureofthemajorchallengeencounteredbyfreshgeoscientistsinfindingentry-levelpositionswithoilandgascompanies–especiallyinthewakeoftherecentglobalfinancialcrisis.

WhileIamnotputoffbythefactthatKodyandotherstudentshavebeenforcedtotakejobsinfoodservicesandretail,Icringeatthebigwigs(theAAPGmembersoccupyingmanagerialpositionsandabove),therecruitersandthelikefornotgoingtheextramileinensuringthattheseneophytesgetonthetrack…

IfthescenariogivenbyKodyexistsinGod’sOwnCountry(i.e.,theUnitedStates),IwonderwhatthefutureholdsforthoseofusinNigeria,SouthAfrica,Egypt,Ghana,etc.IfanMSccandidatefromLouisianaStateUniversityisinsuchadilemma,despitethequalitativeandquantitativeeducationalstandardsthere,whatwillbecomeoftherestofusinAfrica,wheretheeducationalstandardsarenothingtowritehomeabout?

Moreso,whenitcomestoglobalcompetitivenessinsucheventsastheImperialBarrelAwardorgrantsofferedbytheAAPGFoundation,thesenorthernandsouthernuniversitiesareassessedequallywiththesameyardsticks.Ithinkitshouldnotbeso.

Andif,accordingtoKody,thereare13,500AAPGmembersinmanagerialpositionsandabove,andonly5,000Studentmembers,thatmeansthatforeverytwoAAPGmanager-positionmembersthereisONLYonestudentrequiringhis/herhelptoenterintothelaborforce.AAPGshouldwatchthisratiocloselyandtakeaction;itisoneofthewaysbywhichprofessionalenthusiasminAAPGwillbefurthersustained.

OkokoDavidsonChidiebere,Ibadan,Nigeria

magneticpolarityreversalsinstripesacrosstheoceanfloor,withage-datingthatprovedsymmetricalspreadingfrommid-oceanridges.Thattestconfirmedseafloorspreading,continentalmovementandprovidedwhatisnowthebasisofournowintegratedandunifiedtheoryofPlateTectonics.Ittook50yearsandnewtechnologytorigorouslytestthehypothesis.Evenso,scientistsstillcontinuallytestthetheory.

ClimategateisadisasterforscienceingeneralbecausethecombinedtransgressionssuggesttheleadersoftheAGWhypothesisviolatedeverytenetofscientificethicsforonesimplereason:TopreventexperttestingoftheAGWhypothesisanditspotentialfalsification.

Theresulthasbeentheacceptanceofthehypothesisbypoliticalandsocialpolicyentitiesasareliablescientifictheory,withoutscientificvalidation.

Ihaveencounteredseveralinstancesofscientificdishonestyinmycareer,includingfalsificationofchemicaltestresults,lyingaboutprogressonmajorinteragencyprojects,andplagiarism.Noneoftheseinstanceshurtpeopleotherthantheperpetrators,thecostswereintimeandmoney.

Wecannotpermitgovernment-encouraged“scientificcorrectness.”Eightyyearsago,Lysenko’sfalsescience,andironcontrolofRussianbotanicalscience,helpedstarvetheRussianpeople.Previouslycitedexamplesofdishonestscienceimpactedfewerpeople,smallareasand,asinBruno’scase,wereonlylethaltotheindividual.

Climategateisdifferent.Climategate’sethicalimpactisglobal.

Proposeddraconianmeasurestoconstrainenergyusewouldharmpoorpeoplesallovertheglobe.Wehavealreadyconvertedmuch-neededfoodintomotorfuel.Literallybillionsofdollarsofscientificandpublicpolicyinvestmentshavebeenmadesuspect,ifnotworthless.Continuedattemptstoimposestricturesonemissionsofcarbondioxidearenotonlynotuseful,theyaremeaninglessintermsofclimatechangewhilecostingaverageAmericansthousandsofdollarseachyear.

Regardlessofoursocialphilosophies,oursciencemustremainobjective. EX

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POSITION AVAILABLE

Petroleum Engineering

Missouri University of Science and TechnologyGeological Sciences and Engineering Department

Assistant Professor of Petroleum Engineering

TheGeologicalSciencesandEngineeringDepartmentatMissouriS&TanticipatesatenuretrackfacultyopeninginPetroleumEngineeringattheassistantprofessorlevelbeginningFall2010orearlier.Successfulapplicantswillhaveastrongbackgroundinmechanicalearthmodelingandfiniteelementanalysis.CandidatesmusthaveanearnedPhDinGeophysicsorPetroleumEngineeringthatisappropriatetosupportresearchandteachinginmechanicalearthmodelingandrelatedareas,preferablywithexperienceininterdisciplinarysettings.Solidoralandwrittencommunicationskillsareessential.Experienceteachingmechanicalearthmodelingandfiniteelementanalysisisdesirable.Documentationofgoodteachingisdesirable.Experienceteachingcommercialsoftwarepackagessuchas:GOCAD,PETREL,HyperWorksandAbaqusisexpected. Thesuccessfulcandidateisexpectedtodevelopacreativeandproductiveresearchprograminmechanicalearthmodelingandrelatedareas.Thisresearchshouldbeindependentandinterdisciplinary/interdepartmental.Developingcontactswithindustryandresearchcentersisencouraged.Theappointeeisexpectedtoteachattheundergraduatelevelinmechanicalearthmodelingandrelatedareas,andtodevelopgraduatelevelcourse(s)inhis/herareaofspecialization.Supervisionofgraduatestudents,studentadvising,participationinoutreachprograms,curriculardevelopment,andperformanceofuniversityserviceareexpected. MissouriS&TisthetechnologicalcampusoftheUniversityofMissourisystem.Thereareapproximately6800students(5200undergrads,1600gradstudents)in65differentdegreeprograms.MissouriS&Twasranked45thoveralland12thamongpublicuniversitiesbyAmericanhighschoolcounselorsintheUSNewsandWorldReport“America’sBestColleges2009,”anda“Top20STEMResearchUniversity”byAcademicAnalytics(January2008).TheGeologicalSciencesandEngineeringdepartmentconsistsof19faculty,over300undergraduate,andover50graduatestudentsinGeology,Geophysics,GeologicalandPetroleumEngineering. Foradditionalinformation(butnottosubmitapplications)contactDr.RalphE.Flori,HeadofPetroleumEngineering,318McNuttHall,Rolla,MO65409;[email protected];(573)341-7583. Applicationsshouldbereceivedassoonaspossibleandreviewwillcontinueuntilthepositionisfilled.Pleasesubmitapplicationandvitaeto:HumanResourceServicesReferenceNumber:R00050335MissouriUniversityofScience&Technology113CentennialHallRolla,MO65409http://hr.mst.edu/employment/petroleum.html

MissouriS&TisanAA/EOEanddoesnotdiscriminatebasedonrace,color,religion,sex,sexualorientation,nationalorigin,age,disability,orstatusasVietnam-eraveteran.Females,minorities,andpersonswithdisabilitiesareencouragedtoapply.TheMissouriUniversityofScienceandTechnologyisresponsivetotheneedsofdual-careercouples.MissouriS&TparticipatesinE-Verify.FormoreinformationonE-Verify,pleasecontactDHSat1-888-464-4218. Thepersonselectedasthefinalcandidateforapositionmayberequiredtoprovideappropriateverification,priortothebeginning

dateofemployment,thatthepersonpossessesthecredentialsstatedonallapplicationmaterialssubmitted.Failuretoprovidesuchverificationmayresultinthewithdrawalofajoboffer.

********************

Petroleum Exploration GeologistNewfield Exploration

Tulsa, OK

SeekingGeologist,responsibleforconductingdetailedprospectanalysisandplayfairwayassessmentswithintheMid-ContinentRegionplusthegenerationandpresentationofprospectideasandleadstomanagement.ThispositionwouldbelocatedinTulsa,OK. Thesuccessfulapplicantwillgenerateandupdatemaps,logs,cross-sectionsandcorporatedatabaseswithnewtops,correlations,showsandotherpertinentgeologicaldata.Developregional,multi-countystratigraphicframeworkandsubsurfacecorrelations. Minimumqualifications,tenyearsofexperience,knowledgeofMid-Continentupstreamoilandgas,experiencewithconventionalandun-conventionalplays,experiencedoingplay-fairwayanalysisassessments.Sendresumetoklefler@newfield.com.

BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY

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EliminatepilotholesanddrillmorepayzonewithSES 4.xtechnicalGEOSTEERING SOFTWARE!Freetrial.www.makinhole.com.StonerEngineeringLLC.

CLASSIFIEDADS


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ByRICKFRITZ

Inhisbook“GoodtoGreat,”authorJimCollinstalksaboutwhatmakesagreatcompany.Hisfirstlineinthebookis,

“GoodistheenemyofGreat!”IthinkthatCollinsissayingitisoften

easytobesatisfiedwiththestatusquowheneverythingisgoingwell.SometimesIthinkittakesagreaterefforttomovefromgoodtogreatthanitdoespoortogood.

IntheAssociationwewrestlewiththeseconceptsconstantly.AAPGhasanumberofgoodprograms,butwealsohaveaverycomplicatedlistofprograms–someofwhichneedimprovement.Thequestionis,“Howdowemakethoseprogramsthebest?”

Theanswerisusuallytofocusoncorevaluesandlistentothemembershipabouttheirneeds.

***

Communicationisakeyelementtoimprovement.

IrecentlytraveledtotheAsia-PacificRegiontomeetwithJoeLambiase,theAAPGRegionpresident,andtheRegioncouncil.IalsometwithAdriennePereira,

AAPG’sAsia-PacificofficemanagingconsultantinSingapore.

OnthewaytoSingaporeIstoppedinJapanandMalaysiaandmetwithmembers,studentsandindustryrepresentatives.Itwas

agreattripandIlearnedalotbylisteningtotheneedsofthemembership.

IalsometwiththepresidentsandofficersoftwoAAPG’saffiliatedsocieties–theGeologicalSocietyofMalaysiaandSEAPEX.Bothhavegoodprograms;itisimportantforAAPGtocoordinateandcommunicateitsprogramswiththesocietiestomakesurewedonotoverlap.

IntheAsia-PacificRegion,theleadershipandstaffareconsideringwhatis“best”toprovidetoourmembership,thelargerpetroleumcommunityandeventhegeneralpublic.AAPGDistinguishedLecturersarewellreceivedandtheprogramisconsideredexcellent;however,thereisaneedformorelecturers.Asaresult

theExecutiveCommitteeisconsideringexpandingthemissionoftheVisitingGeoscientistProgramsowecanreachmorepeopleinthearea.

Professional developmentisanotherareaofopportunity.AAPGislookingforits“niche”intheRegionsaswediscoverneedsforeducation.ItappearsourbesttoolswillbeGeoscienceTechnologyWorkshopsande-symposiums.Wealsowillexamineopportunitiestodevelopandco-sponsorregionalgeosciencemeetings.

Inaddition,thereappearstobeaneedtodevelopchaptersor“professionalgroups,”especiallyinareaswheretherearenoaffiliatedsocieties.TheAAPGExecutiveCommitteehasapprovedthisinconceptandweareintheprocessofdevelopingasetofguidelines.

***

AfterIreturnedfromSingaporeItraveledtoWichita,Kan.,togiveatalktotheKansasGeologicalSociety.ThereIhadtheopportunitytotalktoseveralmembersabouttheneedsofthemembership,andtoconsiderthebestprogramsAAPGcan

providetotheAffiliatedSocietiesandSections.

Infact,mymeetingwithAffiliatedSocieties,bothintheRegionsandSections,ispartofaprograminstitutedthisyearbyPresidentJohnLorenztohaveAAPG’sleadershipandseniorstaffvisitsocietymeetingsandconsidertheneedsofthemembership.

***

In“GoodtoGreat”theauthorstatesthatyoumustanswerthreequestions:

uWhatareyoudeeplypassionateabout?

uWhatcanyoubethebestintheworldat?

uWhatdrivesyoureconomicengine?Thesearegreatquestionstoconsideras

welooktoexpandAAPGandtakeittothenextlevel.

TakingIttotheNextLevel

FRITZ

DIRECTOR’SCORNER

ByMICHAELA.JACOBS,DEGPresident

EverynowandthenIgettheopportunitytotalkabouttheAAPG,andinparticulartheDivisionof

EnvironmentalGeosciences–butuntilnowIhavenothadtheopportunitytodiscusstheDEGwithsuchawideaudience.AndasImaynevergetthischanceagain,IamgoingtotakethisopportunitytotellyousomethingsabouttheDEGandwhomweare.

FirstletmeexplainwhereIamcomingfromandgiveyousomeexamplesofwhatmanyofthemembersintheDEGdo.

Iama35-plus-yearAAPGmember,buthavebeenintheDEGforonlyaboutsixyears.WhenIfirstjoinedtheDEGIdidn’treallyknowmuchabouttheDivision–andifyouarenotfamiliarwiththeDEGyoumayfindyourselfaskingthesamequestionIhad:JustwhoaretheseDEGfolks?

Ihavesincecometoembrace,respectandappreciatethediversityofthemembersofthisdivision.Asyouwillfind,theyaremostlyagroupofgeoscientistswhohavemanywideandvaryinginterests,muchlikeme.Ilikediversityingeosciences,andifyoudotoo,andarelookingforafunplacetocomeandunwind–youknow,aplacetogetawayfromthe8-to-5grindofsittingattheworkstation,classroomoroffice–andifyouareinterestedinlearningsomedifferentstylesofgeologicalandgeophysicalexplorationonthefringesofE&P,thisisdefinitelytheplaceforyou.

***

ThefollowingarejustafewexamplesofthingsthatDEGmembersponder:

uForinstance,therecentdevastatingearthquakeinHaitihasremindedusall

ofthefinebalancebetweenhumanlifeandgeology.Catastrophiceventssuchastsunamis,earthquakes,volcanoes,mudslides,etc.,allaregeo-hazards,allofwhichareofgreatinteresttoscientists

intheDEG,particularlythoseintheDEG’sGeo-Hazards Committee.

uThenthereareDEGmemberswhoarebusykeepingunscrupulouslanddevelopers,wholiketobuildandsellmulti-milliondollarhousesonrangefrontfaultsandrockslidestomovieandrockstars,fromdoingso.OK,thisisnottragedyofthesamescale,butitcanprobablybetraumatictothehomeowner.

uTheDEGhasaHydrogeology Committee.Dotheydoanythinginteresting?Isthereanythingyoucanlearnfromthem?Beforeyoudecide,ponderthisreal-lifeexample:

Let’ssayyouareageologisttaskedwithremovingaslugofbrinewaterfromanaquifer.Forthesakeofananalogyforthepetroleumgeologists,let’scalltheaquiferareservoirandlet’scalltheslugofbrineyourtarget.Yourtargetislocatedwithinanextremelyheterogeneousclasticreservoirandhorizontalwellbores,hydrofracing,etc.,isnotanoption,soyoucan’tmanipulatethereservoirandjustdrillwells

anywhereyouwant.Alsoyoucan’tdependonreservoir

pressuretopushyourtargettothewellbore,becauseyourreservoiratthisdepthisatatmosphericpressure.Soyouhavetodrillwellsandpumpthematacertainrate,whichistotallydependentuponthepermeabilityandporosityofthereservoirrockwithinthatwellbore.

Youalsohavelimitedresources,soyouneedtoplaceyourwellswheretheywilldothemostgood,don’tinterferewitheachotherandhavetheexactradiusofinfluencetorecoveryourentiretarget.

Now,let’scomplicatemattersalittle–becauseyourtargetisbrine,unlikeoil,whichisfloatingatthetopofanicetrapwithaseal;itisdenserthanthesurroundingfreshwater;anditishuggingtheundulating,unconformablesurfaceoftheunderlying,impermeableformation.

Italsoisconfinedtoapaleochannelincisedinbedrockandismovingatarateof2.5feetadayinthedowndipdirection.Youwillneedtodrillnumerousstratigraphictestsandcorethereservoirtogathertheneededporosityandpermeabilitydataandtoalsomakestructureandisopachmaps,cross-sections,etc.

Allofthisthenneedstobeinputtedintoasophisticated

3-Dmodel.OK,Ithinkyouare

startingtogetthepicture.Ifyouareinterested

inlearningmoreabouthydrogeology,etc.,wehaveDEGmemberswhodothisforaliving

allthetime.Wecanarrangeshortcourses,

seminars,symposiums,etc.onthesubject.

uLet’ssayyourexpertiseismostlygeophysicalinnature.Usingthesameanalogyabove,youwanttoknowthespatialandtemporalrelationshipsbetweenthetargetandthereservoir,withoutgoingoutandmakingapincushionoftheearthwithwellbores.

Therearenumerousgeophysicalmethodsyoucanuse,manyofwhichareusedeverydayinupstreamoilandgasexplorationsuchasseismicrefractionandreflectiontodeterminewhattheunderlyingbedrockstructurelookslike.Youalsocanusegeophysicalmethodssuchaselectromagneticsurveysandresistivityprofilestodeterminetheboundariesofthebrinetarget.Youcanusetypicaldownholegeophysicalloggingtools,suchasinductionandgammarayinthewellborestobetterdefinetheverticalvariationsofthereservoirandtarget.

Wanttolearnthingslikethis?WehaveanEnvironmental Geophysics Committee foryou,staffedwithworld-renownedmemberswhodothisallthetime.

***

Thisisjustasampling–thereisnotenoughroominthisarticletoevencomeclosetodescribingalltheotherthingswedointheDEG.Ifyouwanttofindoutmoreyoujusthavetosignup.

Iknowyoucanfindoutmoreaboutthesetechniquesjoiningothersocieties,but…holdon.Letmecheck…oh,yeah,forabout$225ayear.

OryoucansimplycomejoinusintheDEGandletyourimaginationrunwild.

(Editor’s note: Jacobs is senior environmental specialist for Pioneer Natural Resources USA, Midland, Texas.)

Imagine a broadened skill set

DEGCoversBroadInterestSpectrum

DIVISIONS’REPORT

JACOBS

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