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TABLEofCONTENTS

ON THE COVER: ThesehikersareontheirwaytoMountWapta(center)andFossilRidgeinCanada’sbeautifulandgeologicallysignificantYohoNationalPark,siteofthefamedBurgessShale.It’salsothesiteofoneof16fieldtripsplannedinconjunctionwiththeupcomingAAPGInternationalConferenceandExhibition,setSept.12-15innearbyCalgary,Canada.Formoremeetinginformationseepage30,orgoonlinetowww.aapg.org/Calgary.

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 Thenewtermbegins:DavidG.RensinkassumesthepresidencyofAAPG,leadingthemembersofthisyear’sAAPG Executive Committee.

8 Renaissanceera:Geoscience research–oftenmorepracticalthantheoretical–isenjoyingastrongrevival.

12Going,andgoing,andgoing…TheMars Exploration Roverscontinuetoprovidespectacularviews–andimportantinformation–togeoscientistsonearth.

16Headsup:ThemoonmaybeimportanttoEarthinmorewaysthanwerealized.

18 Inforthelonghaul:AnewstudysaystheMarcellus Shaleplay,alreadyaheadlinegrabber,maygetevenlarger.

30 Isitsafe?TheEnvironmentalProtectionAgencyisstudyinghydraulic fracturingtodetermineitsimpactonsurface,groundanddrinkingwaterresources.

GeophysicalCorner.............................26

WashingtonWatch................................28

MakingaDifference.............................32

FoundationUpdate...............................34

InMemory............................................34

MembershipandCertification..............38

Readers’Forum....................................40

ClassifiedAds......................................42

Director’sCorner..................................43

DivisionsReport(DPA).........................43

STAFF

Communications DirectorLarryNatione-mail:[email protected]

Managing EditorVernStefanice-mail:[email protected]

Communications Project SpecialistSusieMooree-mail:[email protected]

CorrespondentsDavidBrownLouiseS.DurhamSusanR.EatonDianeFreemanBarryFriedman

Graphics/ProductionMattRandolphe-mail:[email protected]

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]

AAPGHeadquarters:1-800-364-2274(U.S.&Canadaonly),others1-918-584-2555

Vol

. 31,

No.

7Vol.31,No.7JULY2010

LeadingWithanEyetotheFutureInsevenyearsAAPGwillcelebrateits

100thanniversary–andIbelievetheactionsAAPGtakesinthenextseven

yearswillbepivotalinpreparingAAPGforitssecond100years.

Itmayseemridiculoustothinkwecanpreparesuchalong-rangeplanwhenthereisnoguaranteethattheoilindustrystillwillberelevanttosocietyin2117.Itiscertainlytruetheworldandtheoilandgasindustrywillchangeinunimaginablewaysinthenext100years,justasithasinthepast100years.

Changeisinevitable,butthatdoesnotmeanthatitcannotbemanaged.

***

Therehasbeenoneconstantforthelast93years,anditlikelywillpersistforthenext100years–AAPGisfirstandforemostaboutthescienceofpetroleumgeology.WedisseminateitthroughourpublicationsandwearchiveitinDatapages,GIS-UdrilandSearch and Discovery.Theunderlyingprinciplesofpetroleumgeologyhavenotchangeddramaticallyinthelast40years,butourunderstandingandapplicationofthoseprincipleshasimprovedgreatly.Itistheimprovementinthetoolsweusetoapplythoseprinciplestoexploreforanddevelopoilandgasreservesthathasbeentrulyincredible.Fortyyearsago,themostvaluabletoolageologistcouldpossess–besidesaBruntoncompass–wastheabilitytovisualizeinthreedimensions.Theabilitytovisualizeageologicinterpretationin3-Disnotasimportantasitoncewasbecauseacomputercangenerateitforyou.

Nomatterhowfarcomputer

technologyhasadvancedinrecentyears,norhowfaritwilladvanceinthefuture,thereneverwillbeasubstituteforthegeoscientistwhoisabletoassimilatedatafrommultiplesourcesandgeneratearationalinterpretationofthesubsurface.ThatgeoscientistneedsAAPG,andweneedthatgeoscientist.Althoughthemediumwillchange,thepublicationofthesciencewillcontinuetobethemost

valuableserviceAAPGprovidestoitsmembership.

Ourpublicationsgiveuscredibility,andtheyhavemadeuswhatweare.However,anorganizationcanonlylastaslongasitisfinanciallysound.Wehavebeenblessedwithverygoodfinancialstewardshipfrommembersandstaff.AAPGhasgrownintoacomplex,$18millionperyearenterprise.Thereis

nothinginherentlywrongwithcomplexity,butitcanmakeanorganizationdifficulttomanage.Ourabilitytofurtherthescienceofpetroleumgeologyandourcontinuedfinancialhealthareinextricablylinked.

OneofthechangeswecanpredictisthatourmembershipwillcontinuetogrowoutsidetheUnitedStates.Atthegrowthrateswehaveexperiencedinthelast10years,morethanhalfourmemberswillliveintheinternationalregionsinlessthan20years.Wearedevelopingastrategythatwillencourageandaccommodatethatgrowth–butindoingso,wedonotwanttomarginalizetheU.S.memberswhohavelongbeenandwillcontinuetobeanintegralpartofAAPG.Weareaglobalindustry,andtheglobalizationofAAPGisinevitableanddesirable.

AtthetimeAAPGwasformedin1917,thenumberofautomobilesintheworldwasmeasuredinthemillions.Todaytheyaremeasuredinthehundredsofmillions.Approximately75percentofthecrudeoilconsumedintheUnitedStatestodayisusedfortransportation.Thatcompareswithapproximately61percentworldwide.Untilwefindaviablealternativetotheinternalcombustionengine,crudeoilwillcontinuetobeasignificantpartoftheworld’senergypicture.

AAPGmemberswillbethere,leadingthesearchfornewreserves–justastheyhaveforthepast93years.

ByDAVIDG.RENSINK

PRESIDENT’SCOLUMN

RENSINK

There never will be a substitute for the geoscientist who is able to assimilate data from multiple sources and generate a rational interpretation of the subsurface.

Takakkaw Falls, located in Canada’s Yoho National Park.

AAPGofficercandidateshavebeenannouncedforthe2011-12term.

Biographiesandindividualinformationforallcandidateswillbeavailableonlineinmid-Augustatwww.aapg.org.

Forthefirsttime,videocommentsbythecandidatesalsowillbeavailableonline.

Thepresident-electwillserveinthatcapacityforoneyearandwillbeAAPGpresidentin2012-13.Thevicepresident-Regionsandsecretaryservetwo-yearterms.

Ballotswillbemailedinspring2011.Theslateis:

President-ElectpEdward A. “Ted” Beaumont,

independentconsultant,Tulsa.pJohn C. Dolson,DSPGeosciences

andAssociates,CoconutGrove,Fla.

Vice President-RegionspDavid C. Blanchard,ElPasoEgypt

Production,Lasilky,Maadi,Egypt,pStuart D. Harker,CircleOilPlc,

Finchampstead,U.K.

SecretarypCharles A. “Chuck” Caughey,

ConocoPhillips,Houston.pDenise M. Cox,StormEnergy,

PanamaCity,Fla.

CandidateSlateAnnounced

Photo by Douglas O’Brien

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David G. Rensink,aconsultinggeologistinHouston,hasassumedthepresidencyofAAPG

onJuly1.AMinnesotanative,Rensinkretired

in2009asseniorgeologicaladviserforApacheCorp.

HepreviouslyhasservedasoffshoreexplorationmanagerforPacificEnterprise;vicepresident-offshoreforbothTotalMinnetoneandTexasGasExploration/CSX;andwasoffshoreexplorationmanagerforC&KProduction.HealsoheldpositionswithOceanProductionandShell.

Hereceivedabachelor’singeologyfromtheUniversityofMinnesotaandamaster’singeologyfromtheUniversityofOklahoma.

JoiningRensinkontheExecutiveCommitteeisPaul Weimer,oftheUniversityofColorado,whorecentlywasvotedpresident-elect.

Weimerisprofessor,BruceD.BensonEndowedChair,UniversityofColorado(Boulder)andisdirectoroftheEnergyandMineralsAppliedResearchCenter.Healsoisaconsultinggeologist,andhe

willserveasAAPGpresidentin2011-12.Hisfather,RobertJ.Weimer,

professoremeritusattheColoradoSchoolofMines,servedasAAPGpresidentin1991-92.

Otherselectedtothe2010-11ExecutiveCommitteeare:

pVicepresident-Sections–Marvin D. Brittenham,EnCanaOil&Gas(USA),Denver.

pTreasurer–James S. McGhay,Mid-ConEnergy,Tulsa.

pEditor–Stephen E. Laubach,BureauofEconomicGeology,UniversityofTexasatAustin.

Boththevicepresident-Sectionsandtreasurerwillservefortwoyears,andtheelectededitorservesforthreeyears.

Remainingonthecommitteeforthefinalyearoftheirtermsare:

pVicepresident-Regions–Alfredo E. Guzmán,consultant,Veracruz,Mexico.

pSecretary–William S. Houston,withPTTEP,Bangkok,Thailand.

AlsoonthenewcommitteeisDavid H. Hawk,aconsultantinBoise,Idaho,whoassumedthechairmanshipoftheAAPGHouseofDelegates. EX

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RensinkTakesHelmofAAPG

RENSINK WEIMER BRITTENHAM GUzMáN McGHAY HOUSTON LAUBACH HAWK

Membersofthe2010-11AAPGAdvisoryCouncilare:

pJohnC.Lorenz(chair),Edgewood,N.M.

pScottW.Tinker,Austin,Texas.pWillardR.Green,Midland,Texas.pMichaelD.Campbell(president-

EMD),Houston.pMaryK.Harris(president-DEG),

NorthAugusta,S.C.pDanielJ.Tearpock(president-

DPA),Houston.pStephenA.Sonnenberg(immediate

pastchair-HoD),Golden,Colo.

pKurtE.Neher(PacificSection),Bakersfield,Calif.

pDonnaS.Anderson(RockyMountainSection),Golden,Colo.

pDavidC.Harris(EasternSection),Lexington,Ky.

pMaryE.Broussard(GulfCoastSection),Lafayette,La.

pDeniseM.Stone(GulfCoastSection),Houston.

pW.C.“Bill”Stephens(SouthwestSection),WichitaFalls,Texas.

pLeonardC.DionisioJr.(Mid-ContinentSection),OklahomaCity.

pJeanR.Gerard(EuropeRegion),Madrid,Spain.

pJohnR.Hogg(CanadaRegion),Calgary,Canada.

pJosephJ.Lambiase(Asia/PacificRegion),Bangkok,Thailand.

pJosephE.Ejedawe(AfricaRegion),Houston.

pFowziaHussienAbdullah(MiddleEastRegion),Safat,Kuwait.

TherepresentativefortheLatinAmericaRegionwillbenamedatalaterdate.

AdvisoryCouncilMembersAnnouncedfor2010-11


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Geoscienceresearchisundergoingarenaissance,drivenbyfavorablecrudeoilpricesandthedevelopment

ofunconventionalresources.Researchingeochemistry,especially,

nowrivalstherecentperiodofsignificantadvancesingeophysics–today’sgeochemistshelpdefineshalegasplays,analyzehydrocarbonsourcingandmakeimportantcontributionstobasinandreservoiranalysis.

Theefforttodevelopnewtypesofoilproductionandfacilitateimprovedoilrecoveryalsohasproducedgeoscienceresearchrelevanttoconventionaloil,heavycrude,shaleoilandtarsands.

Reflectingthebroadrangeofcurrentwork,recentAAPGHedbergResearchConferenceshaveexamined“ApplicationsofReservoirFluidGeochemistry,”“GeologicalCarbonSequestration”and“BasinandPetroleumSystemModeling.”

UpcomingHedbergswillfocusonassessmentofshaleresourceplays,evaluationofcarbonatereservoirsandenhancedgeothermalsystems.

KenPeters,scientificadviserforSchlumbergerInformationSolutionsinMillValley,Calif.,servesasachairofAAPG’sResearchCommittee.

“There’sarevolutiongoingoningeologythathasrevitalizedtheexplorationanddevelopmentofpetroleumresources,”hesaid,relatingtherecentupsurgeinresearchtothedevelopmentofshalegasandotherunconventionalresources.

“JustafewyearsagointheUnitedStatesweweretalkingaboutimportinggas,”henoted.“Unconventionalresourceshavethepotentialtodrasticallyaltertheglobalenergypicture.”

Spotlight On …

Petersidentifiedseveralcurrentareasofinterestinresearch:

uDiamondoids and the extent of secondary oil cracking.

“Everybodyisscramblingrightnowtodogeochemicalanalyses,”Peterssaid.“Onethingthathascapturedtheattentionofalotofpeopleintheindustryisthediamondoids.”

“Diamondoids,”alsocallednanodiamonds,referstovariantsofadamantane,thesmallestmolecularstructurerecognizableasadiamond.Putsimply,diamondoidsarethree-dimensionallyfused,carboncagemoleculeshavingthestructureofadiamondcrystallattice.

“Adamantaneisthesmallestpseudo-homologintheseries,”Peterssaid.“It’sgot10carbonatomsand16hydrogenatoms,anditlookslikealittleball.”

Diamondoidsoccurnaturallyinpetroleum,andtheyhavebecomeanimportantindicatorofoilmaturitywhilehelpingtoidentifydeepercrudesources,accordingtoPeters.Theyalsoofferthepotentialtodirectlymeasuretheextentofoil-to-gascracking,whichcouldgreatlyenhanceourabilitytoidentifyanddevelopthemostprolificzonesingasshales.

Whenyoungercrudeismixedwithdeeper,morematureoil,thedeepercrudecanbedifficulttoidentify.Geochemistsusediamondoidstogaugecrackingandspotthelikelihoodofdeepersourcing.

“Usually,thedeepsourceissomaturethattherearenobiomarkers–they’regone.They’veallbeencracked,”Peterssaid.“Onceyoustartcrackingthesethingsintogas,thediamondoidsstartpilingup.”

Peterssaidgeochemicalanalysisusingdiamondoidsisawaytodetermineultra-

deepsourcinginoils.“Allthemajorsaredoingpistoncore

analysisallovertheworld,”henoted.“Diamondoidstellthemhowmaturetheoilsareandifthere’sadeepersource.

“ThatturnsouttobecriticalinplaceslikeSaudiArabia,wheretheyhavethatdeepSiluriansource,”headded.“It’salsocriticalforoffshoreBrazil.”

uSilica diagenesis and stratigraphic traps.Studiesinsilicadiagenesisdeal

partlywithreductioninporosityasdiatomiteoropal-Atransitionstoopal-CTandthenquartz.

“Thefunnythingistheopal-CThaslowporositybutprettygoodpermeability.It’sadiagenetictrap.Andinadiagenetictrapyoucantraphydrocarbonsonamonocline,”Petersobserved.

“Thequestionissimilartothatingasshalesn–where,forexample,inatightsourcerockcanyouexpecttoproduceoil?”

Petersdrawsonhispastexperienceinindustry,governmentandacademia.HenowservesasaconsultingprofessorforStanfordUniversity’sBasinandPetroleumSystemModelingGroup,wherestudentsareworkingonvarioustopics,includingsilicadiagenesisresearch.

“We’regoingtobeaddingthisintoamoduleinourbasin-modelingprogram,”hesaid.“Thekineticscanbeusedtoassessdepthbetterthanjustguessing.These

Improved modeling an ultimate beneficiary

ResearchGettingUnconventionalBoostByDAVIDBROWN,EXPLORERCorrespondent

PETERS

Much of the current research addresses challenges faced by the industry, producing work that is more practical than purely theoretical.

See Research, page 10


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rocksarealloverthePacificRim–theJapaneseareveryinterested.”

uCarbon isotope rollover in gas shales.Isotoperolloverisanemergingresearch

areaofspecialinterestinshalegasproduction.Rolloverseemstooccuratavitrinitereflectanceofabout1.5percentRo,saidKevinFerworn,vicepresidentatGeoMarkResearchinHouston.

TheisotoperollovereffecthasbeenidentifiedintheBarnett,Fayetteville,Haynesville,WoodfordandAppalachianshaleplays,aswellasintheHornRiverBasininCanada.

“EthaneandpropaneandCO2,whichnormallygetisotopicallyheavier(enrichedin13C)withincreasingmaturity,allgetlighter

(enrichedin12C)ataboutthis1.5percentRopoint,”Ferwornnoted.

“Also,thewetnessofthegasdropsalongwithit,”hesaid.“Sometimesthishappenswithin10feetasyougothroughaformation.”

Conversely,thepressuregradientincreases.Geochemistscanuseisotoperollovertoidentifythemostpromising–thatis,themostgas-productive–areasinashalegasplay.

Fromascientificviewpoint,oneinterestingthingaboutthereversalintheisotopetrendlineisthatitshouldn’thappen,andnooneseemstobesurewhyitdoes.

Ferwornsaidanearlytheorypositedtherolloverresultedfromcrackingasgasstayedinsidetheshalesathightemperatureandpressure,butthetypeof12C-13Cbond-breakingseendidnotsupportthatidea.

Amorerecenttheoryholdstherollovereffectmaybeanaturalsteamreformingreaction,wherehydrocarbonsinthepresenceofwaterandaferrouscatalystat180-200degreesCundergoaFischer-Tropsch-likeconversion.

“We’restillatthetheoreticalstage,”Ferwornsaid.“Themaintargetforoperatorsisthattheygetluckyenoughtobeinarolloverarea.

“Whateverthemechanismisthatcausesthischangeinisotopesanddecreaseinwetness,it’ssomethingtodowithbiggermoleculesbeingreplacedbymore,smallermolecules,”headded.

Petersdescribedtheisotoperolloveras“alittlestrange,”butitseemstowork.

“It’sfascinating,”hesaid.“Tome,itwarrantsalotmorestudy.Ihavesomeideasbutthey’rebasedmoreonthinkingthanonexperiments.”

‘The Frontier for Research’

Muchofthecurrentresearchingeosciencedirectlyaddresseschallengesfacedbytheindustry,producingworkthatismorepracticalthanpurelytheoretical.

“Alotofthisisflat-outexciting.Thefunnythingis,alotofpeopleinacademiaarenotyetawareofthiscurrentrevolutioningeology,”Peterssaid.

Interestinunconventionalresourcesandthehigheroilpriceshavecontributedtotherecentupsurgeinresearch–butsustainedsupportforlong-rangeresearchprogramscanbedifficulttosecure.

“Industryhasalwayshadthisproblem,”hesaid.“Whentheindustry’sdoingwell,alltheseuniversitiespopupwiththingsthatcanbetiedbacktoindustryfunding.Thenwhenthingsturndown,mostoftheseprojectsdisappear.”

Whentheoilindustrywon’tcommittolong-termresearchfunding,itlosesthebenefitsfromresearchprogramsthatproducetheirbestresultsovera10-yearperiodorlonger,henoted.

Today’sgeoscienceresearchiscontributingtoabetterunderstandingofpetroleumsystems–basinandpetroleumsystemmodeling(BPSM)tracestheevolutionofsedimentarybasinsastheyfillwithsedimentsthatmaygeneratelargehydrocarbonaccumulations.

Usingcomprehensivemodelingsoftware,BPSMcombinesgeological,geochemical,geophysical,hydrodynamicandthermodynamicdata.Itdrawsondynamicprocessesthatincludedeposition,faulting,burial,kerogenmaturationandmultiphasefluidflow.

“Inmyview,basinandpetroleumsystemmodelingistheGrandCentralStationofthesciencerightnow.Alltheotherresearchisfeedingintoit,”Petersobserved.

“It’sthefrontierforresearch,”hesaid,“and20yearsagopeoplesaid,‘Youcan’tdoit.’We’redoingitnow.” EX

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Researchfrom page 8

Graphic courtesy of Ken Peters


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A saplanetaryfieldgeologist,JohnGrantgetsexcitedwhenhecompletesa150-meter-longtraverse

injustoneday.FromhisofficeattheSmithsonian

Institution’sNationalAirandSpaceMuseum–whereGrantanalyzesimagesbeamedtoEarthfromNASA’stwoMarsExplorationRovers–heinterpretsmicro-andmacro-scaleplanetarygeologyon-the-fly.Hisjobistomaximizethescienceconducted,andtohelpkeeptheMarsExplorationRoverssafewhiletheyexplorethesurfaceoftheRedPlanet.

Grant’smissionis,indeed,toboldlygowherenogeologisthasgonebefore.

AttherecentAAPGAnnualConventionandExhibitioninNewOrleans,Grant,chairoftheCenterforEarthandPlanetaryStudiesattheSmithsonianInstitution’sNationalAirandSpaceMuseum,toldtheEMDandDEGluncheonattendeesthatsedimentarygeologistscontinuetoplayakeyroleindocumentingevidencethatwaterexistedonMarsinthegeologicalpast.

“Thegeologicalprocessesarebasicallythesame(onEarthandMars),butthemanifestationsanddetailsaredifferentonMars,”Grantsaid.“There’ssomestunninglandscapesonMars,includingaweirdmixofalienandfamiliarlandforms.”

Evercognizantofthegeomorphicterm“equifinality”–thatdifferentprocessescancreatesimilarlookingfeatures–Grantsaid:

“YouhavetokeepanopenmindinMarsexploration,andthinkaboutnewwaystotestyourhypotheses.”

ThepresenceofatleastephemeralwateronMars,threetofourbillionyearsago,hesaid,hasbeenconfirmedinsedimentaryrockoutcropsoffluvialandlacustrinedepositionalorigins.Grantillustratedthispointwithstunningphotos–takenbytheRoversandalsofromspace–ofalluvialfans,masswastingfeatures(caughtinmotion),cross-beddedsandstones,duneswithtell-talewaterripplesandthepresenceofchalkywhiteevaporites.

“We’reseeingthingsfromorbit,onthesurfaceofMars,thathavethepixelspaceofonesquarefoot,andthat’sincrediblespatialresolution,”Grantsaid.“ItlooksliketherewereplacesintheearlyhistoryofMarswheretherewerehundredsofmetersofstandingwater,”headded,citingsedimentaryoutcrops,completewithcross-bedding,whichmeasureupto150metersthick.

TheHoldenCrater,oneofGrant’songoingareasofinvestigation,containsclay-bearingminerals–byhiscalculations,theassociatedwaterintheHoldenCratermayhavebeensome300metersdeepatonetime.

Still Going Strong

In2004,SpiritandOpportunity,thetwoMarsExplorationRovers,werelandedon

oppositesidesoftheplanet,commencingwhatwastobea90-sol(“sol”isaMarsday,whichisabout40minuteslongerthananEarthday)scientificmission.Nearlysevenyearslater,inascienceprojectthat’sexceededall

expectations,thesolarpoweredroversarestilltransmittingdatabacktoEarth.

“Youdesigntheroversfortheworstcasescenario:maximumimpactonlanding,maximumlifeandmaximumshaking,”Grantexplained.

Goodluck,combinedwithgooddesignandlongevity,haveenabledtheroverstotraverseuniquefeaturesonMars,unlockingtheplanet’sgeological

historyintheprocess.GrantaffectionatelycallsSpiritand

Opportunitythe“identicaltwins”thathavesix-wheelseachandareaboutthesizeofgolfcarts.However,thegolfcartanalogyendsthere:theAthenaSciencePayloadofsophisticatedremotesensinginstrumentation,highdefinitioncamerasandrockabrasiontoolstransformtheroversintotravellingfieldlaboratories.

UsingHiRISEcameraimagestocreatedigitalelevationmodelsofthesurfacetraversedbytherovers,Grantidentifiesintriguinggeologicalfeaturesthatmeritfurtherscientificinvestigation.WorkingwithengineersattheJetPropulsionLab(JPL),hehelpschartnavigationalroutes–freeofhazardousbouldersandcliffs–tointerestingscientifictargetsthatdon’tcompromisetherovers’safety.

EarlyoninOpportunity’smissionintheEagleCrater,nearanoutcropdubbed“StoneMountain,”theroverphotographedlayeredsedimentaryrockscontaining“blueberries,”sphericalconcretionsthatcontainhematite.Infact,Grantsaid,thegroundwaslitteredwithsphericalconcretions,weatheredfromthenearbybeddedrocksandsomewhatreminiscentofconcretionsfoundintheNavajoSandstoneinUtah(May2005EXPLORER).

“WetraversedtoStoneMountain,”hesaid,“basedupongeochemicalevidencefromtherover’sinvestigationsthatrevealedtheexistenceofhematite,amineraloftenassociatedwithwater.”

Step By Step

GrantdescribedhowtherovershavebeenbuffetedbydustdevilsracingacrosstheMartiansurface,oftenoperatingonreducedpowerbecausetheirsolarpanelsarecoveredwithdust.Luckily,hesaid,thepassageofsubsequentdustdevilshelpsremovethelayerofdustoccludingthe

Rovers probe extraterrestrial processes

Mars:‘WeirdMixofAlienandFamiliar...’BySUSANR.EATON,EXPLORERCorrespondent

Continuedonnextpage

GRANT

Photos courtesy of John Grant, Smithsonian Mars project


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solarpanels.AccordingtoGrant,therearetwoways

todrivetheroversatJPL:uAdvance“blindly,”onanon-

threateningtrack,ataspeedoftwometersperminute.

uWhenfacedwithpotentiallyhazardousobstacles,proceedmoreslowlyandcautiously,atabout10metersperhour.

OneofSpirit'swheelshasfailed,leavingfivefunctionalwheelswithonethatdragsalongtheground.However,outofadversitycameaserendipitousscientificdiscovery:Asthewaywardwheeldragged,itplowedthroughtheubiquitousoxidizedsurface,excavatingwhite,silica-richsedimentsbelow.

"Wemaywellhavemissedthatotherwise,"Grantmused.

Spiritcurrentlyisstuckinsoft,finesedimentsalongthemarginofasmall,filled-incrater,inanareacalledthe"RockGarden."

"StatementsaboutthefutureviabilityofSpiritmaybeexaggerated,"Grantsaid,soundinglikeaproudfatherdefendingitsoffspring.Tiltedsouthward–thesuniscurrentlyinthenorth–Spirit'ssolarpanelsarelesseffectiveduringthesouthernhemisphericwinter.

"Spirithasbasicallygoneintohibernation.ComeSeptember,when‘springtime’happensandthesunreturnsinthesouthernsky,wehopetohearfromSpirit–andresumeexplorationoftheGusevCrater–whenitcallsbacktotheJPL."

In2011,withthelaunchoftheMarsScienceLab,thefocusofexplorationwillshifttoinvestigatewhethertheancientaqueousenvironmentswerehabitable.AccordingtoGrant,theMarsScienceLabwillbegearedtosearchfor–andstudy–theexistenceoforganiccarbon,thebuildingblockofpotentiallifeformsontheRedPlanet.

Alreadywellintheplanningstages,thenextgenerationofMarsroverswilllaunchin2018.Thecurrentplancallsfordualroversthatwillcarrycomplementarytools–includingground-penetratingradarandadrillonaEuropeanrovercapableofpenetratingonemeterintothesubsurface–increasingthedepthofsubsurfaceinvestigation.

AccordingtoGrant,thefutureexplorationofMarscouldinvolvebringingbacksamplestoEarth.Thenextgenerationroverswillbesearchingforthenecessitiesofhumanspacetravelandexploration–potentialfuelsourcesonMars,perhapsgashydratesornear-surfacewaterthatcouldbeconvertedtohydrogenenergy. EX

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ThebestpaperandposterawardwinnershavebeenannouncedforpresentationsattherecentAAPGAnnualConventionandExhibitioninNewOrleans.

uTheGeorgeC.MatsonAward,presentedforthebestoralpresentation,goestoSatinder Chopra,withArcisCorporationinCalgary,Canada,forthepaper“DetectingStratigraphicFeaturesviaCross-PlottingofSeismicDiscontinuityAttributesandTheirVolumeVisualization.”

Hisco-authorwasKurt J. Marfurt,withtheConocoPhillipsSchoolofGeologyandGeophysicsatthe

UniversityofOklahoma,Norman,Okla.Choprahaswrittenfivearticlesfor

theEXPLORER’spopularGeophysicalCornercolumn,mostrecentlyinNovember2009.

uTheJulesBraunsteinAward,presentedforbestposterpresentation,goestoEddy Lee,Craig Shipp,Willem Hack,J. Larry GibsonandFa Dwan,for“QuantifyingtheProbabilityofOccurrenceofShallowGasasaGeohazard.”

AAPGmembersLee,ShippandGibsonarewithShellInternationalE&P,Houston,andAAPGmemberDwaniswithShellE&PTechnology,Houston.HackiswithShellInternationalE&P,Houston.

Theawardswillbepresentedattheopeningsessionofthenextannualconvention,whichwillbeheldApril10-13inHouston.

Matson,BraunsteinWinnersAnnounced

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Editor’s note: Campbell is chair, EMD Uranium (Nuclear Minerals) Committee; EMD president-elect; a member of the DEG Advisory Board; and a member of the

AAPG Advisory Council. Ambrose is co-chair, AAPG Astrogeology Committee, and a past EMD president (2007-08).

MoonUraniumHasIntriguingImplications

TheindicationofuraniumonthemoonreportedbyJapaneseresearcherslastyearcouldhavewideimplications.

TheJapaneseKaguyaspacecraft,whichwaslaunchedin2007,detecteduraniumwithagamma-rayspectrometer.Kaguya,officiallynamedSELENE(SelenologicalandEngineeringExplorer),crashedintothelunarsurfaceattheendofitsmissioninJune2009.

Resultsfromtheexplorationsuggeststhatanomalouslyhighuranium,thoriumandiron(whichinferscertainstrategiccommoditiesaswell)appeartobe

concentratedinProcellarumKREEPTerrainandSouthPoleAitkenBasinonthemoon.

OneofthechaptersofanAAPG“SpecialPaper,”producedbymembersofEMD’sUranium(NuclearMinerals)CommitteeandcurrentlyinpreparationbytheAAPGAstrogeologyCommittee,focusesinpartonthefindings–andwebringthisinformationtoyounowbecausetheSpecialPaperwillrequireanumberofmonthsbeforeitisreleased.

***

Anydiscoveryofoff-worlduraniumandthoriuminpotentiallyeconomicconcentrationscouldhaveamajorimpactonnuclear-powerdevelopmentonEarthandacceleratelunarexploration.

Thismaywellresultinanewspaceraceamonginternationalintereststodevelopmineralresourcesonthemoon.

High-gradeuraniumdepositsfoundonEarththatmayhaveanalogiesonthemoonlikelyarethosefoundinCanadaandnorthernAustralia.Theore-bodytonnageandassociatedoregrademayneedtobehigherthanthosefoundonEarthbeforeeconomicadvantagesarelikelytojustifyoff-worlddevelopment.

Themetal-richimpactsitesknownonEarthalsohaveoff-worldanalogs.

Onthemoon,forexample,earlyindicationsofanomaloussitescontaininghighlevelsofthorium,samariumandrecentlyuraniumwillbeonNASA‘slistforfollow-upinvestigationswhentheUnitedStatesreturnstothemoonwithmannedmissions–assumingChina,India,Russiaorothercountriesdonotclaimthesitesfirst.Recentdiscoveriesofanomalousuraniumonthemoonmaychangethepoliticaldynamicsinspace,especiallywithIranrecentlydemonstratinganinterestinspace.

CombinethatwithChina’sincreasingclaimonstrategicmineralsonEarth(suchassamariumandotherrare-earthminerals);thesecommoditiesplayanimportantroleintheworld’sdevelopmenttoday.Recentannouncementssuggestthesemineralswillsoonbeinshortsupply,andoff-worldresourcesofthesecommoditiesalsowillreceiveattentionbythosenationalinterestsexploringthemoonandasteroids.

WeseeaparticularironyintherolethatmeteorandcometimpactsmayhaveplayedinbringingnotonlywatertoEarthbutalsometalsofeconomicvalue–suchasnickel,uranium,thorium,etc.Aspreviouslydiscussed,areasinandaroundcertainlunarimpactcratershavebeenfoundtocontainthorium,uraniumandsamarium.OnEarth,economicconcentrationsofnickelandotherconstituentsofinteresthavebeenfoundnearSudburyinOntario,Canada;intheBushveld-VredefortstructuresinSouth

ByMICHAELD.CAMPBELLandWILLIAMA.AMBROSE

CAMPBELL AMBROSE

Above – Inferred thorium abundance on a two-hemisphere map projection. (From Elphic, et al., 2000, and Yamashita, 2009.)

Below – Inferred samarium concentrations in the Imbrium/Procellarum regions. (From Elphic, et al., 2000.)

See MoonUranium, page 26


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International players join in

MarcellusPoisedforEvenMoreAttentionT rendscome,trendsgo.

Thisholdstruefortheoilandgasindustryaselsewhere.

Foranumberofyears,bothlargeandsmallindependentshavereignedsupremeindomesticonshorelandplaysaftertheBigGuysprettymuchexitedtheseareastochasemoreeconomicallyattractivetargets.TheseincludedbigdeepwaterfindsontheinternationalsceneandtheGulfofMexicoinparticular.

Thenafunnythinghappened.Onshoreonceagainbecamealluring,

owingprincipallytosomefairlyamazingproduction–andpredictedfuture

potential–fromthemanyrelativelynewshalegasplays.

Majorcompaniesandothersbeganannouncinglandacquisitiondealseven

beforethenow-infamousspillinthedeepwaterGulfinApril.

Thiscatastrophiceventhasthepotentialtospurincreasedinterestinlanddrilling

especiallyconsideringthesix-month-minimummoratoriumfordrillinginwaterdeeperthan500feet.

Evenoilandgasfolksfarremovedfromoffshorearewatchingandopiningastohowtheunfoldingsagamayalterindustryactivity.

“Ifthemoratoriumcontinuesforanysignificantperiodoftime,thisbynatureforcescompaniestorelookatwherethey’relookingforreserves,”saidAAPGmemberDanBillman,aveterangeologicalconsultantintheAppalachianBasin.“Someoperatorsmaywellconsiderplacingmoreemphasisononshore,lessriskyreserves.”

AfewmonthspriortotheGOMdebacle,ExxonMobilhitthefrontpageswithitsannouncementtosnapupXTOEnergy,whichisknownforitsappealingportfolioofdomesticshalegas,tightgas,coalbedmethaneandshaleoil.

The$41billionall-stockdealindicatestheindustrygianthasconfidenceinthefuturefordomesticnaturalgasdespitethecurrentoversupplyandanemicdemand.

Primed for Take-Off

Asmightbeexpected,theAppalachianBasin’sMarcellusShaleplay,withitsestimatedreservepotentialofasmuchas500Tcfanditsproximitytothegas-guzzlingnortheasternmarkets,isattractingsomenew/formerlandlubbersaswellasenticingcurrentplayerstoincreasetheirholdings.

AstudyrecentlyreleasedbyPennsylvaniaStateUniversityenergyandmineralengineeringdepartmentstatedthattheMarcellus,whenfullydeveloped,hasthepotentialtobethesecondlargestnaturalgasfieldintheworld,supersededonlybytheSouthPars/AsalouyehfieldsharedbetweenIranandQatar.

Thestudy,“EconomicImpactsofPennsylvaniaMarcellusShaleNaturalGasPlay:AnUpdate,”wasfundedbytheMarcellusShaleGasCoalition.

“ConvertedtoBTUs,thenaturalgasfoundintheMarcelluscouldbeequivalenttotheenergycontentof87billionbarrelsofoil,”saidTimothyConsidine,professorofenergyeconomics,schoolofenergyresourcesattheUniversityofWyoming,andco-authorofthestudy.“Thiswouldbeenoughtomeetthedemandoftheentireworldfornearlythreeyears.”

Someeconomicfindingsrevealedinthereportmightspurstatesfortunateenoughtoharborshaleplaystodoessentiallywhateverittakestoencouragedrillinganddevelopmentgiventheomnipresentneedtobeefupstategovernmentcoffers.

“InPennsylvania,thedevelopmentofthesehistoricresources,whilestillinitsinfantstages,iscreditedwiththecreationofthousandsofjobsandbillionsinannualrevenueforthestate,”Considinesaid.“Overthenexttwoyears,thisgrowthisexpectedtoincreaserapidly.”

LongtimeindustrybigwigRoyalDutchShell,whichhasbeeninvolvedintightgasactivityintheUnitedStatessince2001,recentlyannouncedithasacquiredamajorpresenceintheMarcellusviaitspurchaseofWarrendale,Pennsylvania-basedEastResources.

Shellagreedtoanteup$4.7billionforthedeal.

AccordingtoShell,Eastowns1.05millionnetacres,principallyintheAppalachianBasin.Eastisoneofthe

ByLOUISES.DURHAM,EXPLORERCorrespondent

See Marcellus, page 24

BILLMAN

“The way to come in is to invest through joint ventures, partnerships or other arrangements in private and public companies that have established plays.”


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V intage2-Dseismicdataishelpingtomapmajorfaultsintheworld-class

MarcellusShaleplay,whilenewer2-Dproprietaryorspecseismicisidentifyingevensmallerstructuralfeatures.

ThatwastheinsightprovidedbyAAPGmemberJamesMorris,chiefgeophysicistforRangeResourcesCorp.’sMarcellusShaledivisioninPittsburghsince2004,whodiscussedseismicapplicationsintheMarcellusShale

atthe16thannual3-DSeismicSymposiumearlierthisyearheldinDenver.

“Vintage2-Dwillallowyoutomaparegionalstructureandidentifymajorfaults,”Morristoldthe700attendees.“Newer2-Dcanhelpidentifyevensmallerstructuralfeaturesandfaults.”

Thisnewer2-Dseismicdatacanprovideuptofivetimesthespecial

samplingandthreetimesthefrequencycontent,hesaid.

Also,highfold,highfrequency,wideazimuth3-Dseismichasprovideddetailedisochronesofshaleunits,locallineaments,openfracturedirectionsandpossiblyotherrockproperties,hesaid.

“ThenorthcentralandsouthwesternpartofMarcellusarethemaindrillingandseismicactivityrightnow,”Morrissaid.InthenortheasternMarcellusShaleplayarea,therearemoreproprietaryandspec/multi-client2-Dand3-Dseismicsurveysbeingacquiredthaninthesouthwest,hesaid.

Thisareaiswithin60milesoftheAlleghenyStructuralFrontandwithinthethickestpartoftheSalinaSaltbasin.

TheMarcellusShaleliesundertheAlleghenyPlateau,westandnorthwestoftheAlleghenyStructuralFront.ThetwomainareasofdrillingandseismicactivitycurrentlyarelocatedinnortheasternPennsylvaniaandinsouthwesternPennsylvaniatonorthernWestVirginia.

“WiththeDevonianMarcellusShalegettingincreasedfocusfromindependents,andmorerecentlymajoroilandgascompanies,Marcellusreserveestimatesalsohavebeenrising,”Morrissaid.

From1985to2009,Marcellusreserveestimatesrosesevenfoldfrom67TCFto489TCF–“aworldclassgasfieldbyanyyardstick,”hesaid.

Withabout45,000squaremilesofprospectivearea–mainlyinPennsylvaniabutalsoinlowerNewYorkandnorthcentralWestVirginia–theMarcellusisprobablyoneofthelargestinsize,too.

Case Study

MorrispresentedacasestudyandshowednumerousslidesofMarcelluschartsanddata.

“AlmostallMarcellusoperatorsacquiresomekindofseismicdata,fromvintage2-Dtomodern3-Dbeforedrilling,especiallyinthefoldbeltregion,”Morrissaid.“Acquiring3-DseismiccanbequiteachallengeintheruggedterrainofnortheasternPennsylvania.”

“It’sprettyroughterrain,”headded.“Wehadahardtimeaccessinghere.”

Steep-sidedcanyonsdropping1,000

Regional 2-D seismic line (north to south) across northeastern Pennsylvania’s Marcellus Shale basin. Marcellus Shale overlies (blue/green) salt cored thrust faults.

2-DAssumesFault-FinderRoleinMarcellusShalePlayBYDIANEFREEMAN,EXPLORERCorrespondent

MORRIS

See Multi-Seismic, page 24

CorrectionAnarticleintheJuneEXPLORERon

theresultsoftherecentImperialBarrelAwardscompetitionmisidentifiedoneofthecompetingschools.TheSouthwestSection-winningIBAteamwastheteamfromtheUniversityofTexasatArlington.

Teammembersearned$1,000inscholarshipfundsfortheirschoolplusindividualmedalsforthemselvesasIBAfinalsparticipants.


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largestMarcellusshaleholders,boasting650,000highlycontiguousnetacresprimarilyinPennsylvania.

ThisMarcellusacreageisalmost100percentoperatedwithhighaverageworkinginterestandaccesstopipelineinfrastructure.

Eastalsolaysclaimtomorethan100,000netacresintheRockiesinthefledglingNiobrarashaleplay,whichalsoisahotattractionthesedays.

International Playground?

TheMarcellusistakingonadecidedinternationalbentthatactuallybeganearly-on.

Forexample,StatoiljoinedforceswithdomesticbigMarcellusplayerandnaturalgasdevoteeChesapeakeEnergybackin2008whenitpurchasednearlyathirdofChesapeake’sholdingsintheplay.Statoilreportedlyhasexperiencedgoodproductionperformanceandrecentlyadded59,000netacrestoitscurrent600,000netacreholdingspertermsofthe2008jointventureagreement.

Recently,MitsuiE&P,aunitofMitsui&CoLtd.,agreedtoforkoveracool$1.4billionfora32.5percentstakeinAnadarko’sMarcellusshaleholdings,locatedprincipallyinnorth-centralPennsylvania.

FurthercontributingtotheinternationalstatusoftheMarcellusplay,Mumbai’sRelianceIndustrieshasacquireda40percentinterestinAtlasEnergy’scoreMarcellusshaleacreageposition.Thetabwasreportedtobe$1.7billion.

U.K.-headquarteredBGGrouphasjoinedtheMarcellusactionviaajointventurewithDallas-basedEXCOResources,whichhasoperationsprincipallyinAppalachiaaswellasTexasandLouisiana.

Investmentinterestfromoverseascontinues.

“Recently,Istarteddoingduediligenceforaninternationalinvestor,”Billmansaid.“Itwillbeanewventureforthem–andtherelikelywillbemoreofthattocome.

“Rightnow,ifyoucomeinwantingtoleaseproperties,mostoftheleasingisdone,”Billmannoted.“Sothewaytocomeinistoinvestthroughjointventures,partnershipsorotherarrangementsinprivateandpubliccompaniesthathaveestablishedplays.

“Therearesomecompaniesherenowthatstillmaybelookingforpartners,”Billmanemphasized.

Ofcourse,ifyouhavethereallybigbucksandferretoutareallysweetopportunity,youcanfollowtheExxonMobilandShellmodel,i.e.,buythewholecompany.

IfthecurrentinterestandinvestmentactivityescalatesandtheAppalachianturfgetstoocrowded,don’tfret.

Youhaveoptions.Considertheraftofotherdomesticshale

playsdottingthelandscape,includingtheattractionofthemoment:oilshaleplays,i.e.,theBakkeninNorthDakota,andshalegasplaysrichinliquids,suchastheEagleFordinTexas.

Acaveat:Shaleplayscarrytheirownkindofrisk,owinginlargeparttotheburgeoningnon-industryskepticismoverthesafetyoffracingfluidusedtomakethesedenserocksproduce.

“WehaveourownkindofmoratoriumintheMarcellus,”Billmannoted.“Rightnow,there’snolargevolumehydraulicfracinginthestateofNewYork.

“Asaresult,we’veseensomeNewYorkplayersmovetheiremphasisintoPennsylvania.” EX

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Marcellusfrom page 18

feetwithboulder-cappedridgesmakeshotholedrillingdifficultandoftenrequireheli-drills,hesaid.

“Roadswithinthecanyonsaresometimesvibratedtoaddfoldforimagingproblemswhenshotholeaccessislimited,”hesaid.

ThevelocityoftheMarcellusShaleinthesouthwestisgenerallyslowerthanthenortheast.TheMarcelluscanbedividedintotwostratigraphicunitsinthefarwesternAlleghenyPlateau,hesaid.

TheUpperMarcellushasanaveragevelocityofabout11,500feet/second,whiletheLowerMarcellushasanaveragevelocityof10,000feet/secondorless.

“ThedetectionandresolutionoutoftheUpperandLowerMarcellusandthesesmallhorstblockscanonlybeimagedwithhighresolutionseismic,either2-Dorpreferably3-D,”hesaid.

“ThewesternAlleghenyPlateausitsonthenorthwesternboundaryoftheRomeTroughandisdissectedbynumerousnorthwesttosoutheastcrossstrikediscontinuities,”Morrissaid.“Thesedeepseatedfeaturesappeartohaveinfluencedshallowerstructuresrightupthroughcoaldeposition.

Hesaidthat3-Dstructure,3-Dcoherencyand3-DcurvaturemapsontheMarcellusandencasingformationsallshowthefootprintofthesedeepfeaturesandcandividetheshaleintostructuralprovinces,providingimportantinsightstowellperformance.

“SincethewesternAlleghenyPlateauseismicdataissogood,we’reintheprocessoftryingtoextractrockpropertiesviaseismicinversion.ThefirststepinvolvesmodelingtheMarcellusforanomaliesthatmightbedetectedwithvariousseismicinversionvolumes,”hesaid.

Somepreliminaryresultsarethestratigraphicinterpretationofthehigh-resolutionacousticimpedancecube.

“InterpretationshowsidentificationofpotentialmaximumfloodingsurfacesrelatingtodifferentdepositionalcycleswithintheUpperMarcellus.Thesedistinctdepositionalcyclesmayexhibitdifferingacousticandstratigraphicreservoirpropertiescarryingoperationalsignificanceallthewaythroughgasfieldlifecyclefromintelligentgeosteeringtomulti-stagefracdesign,”Morrissaid. 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 is part two of a two-part series dealing with defining reflection events and their polarities.

ComplexTraces:There’san‘App’forThatLastmonthweintroducedthe

conceptofacomplexseismictrace;thismonthwe’llshowhow

acomplextraceprovidesarigorouswaytosettheboundariesofdatawindowsassociatedwithdistinctseismicreflections–andwe’lldefinethepolaritiesofeachofthosereflectionevents.

Thiscomplextraceapplicationisimportantbecauseitisnecessarytodeterminethepolarityofeveryreflectioneventthatspansalayeredsysteminordertodeterminewhetherimpedanceincreasesordecreasesfromlayertolayer–whichinturnprovidesinsightintothelithology,porosityandtypeofporefluidineachrocklayer.

Theprincipalprobleminvolvedindeterminingthepolarityofaseismicreflectioneventisthechallengeofdecidingwhatpartoftheseismicresponserepresentsthereflectionevent.

Questionsthathavetobeansweredinclude:

uWheredoesthereflectioneventstartandstop?

uHowmanypeaksandtroughsareembeddedinthereflectionevent?

uWhichpeakortroughofareflectioneventshouldbeusedtodefinereflectionpolarity?

Theamplitude-envelopefunctiondeterminedfromacomplexseismictraceprovidesawaytodefinethestarttime,stoptime,waveletcharacterandpolarityofoverlapping–butdistinct–reflectionevents.

Anexampleseismictrace,itscomplex-traceequivalentandtheassociatedamplitudeenvelopeareshownasfigure1.

Defining Reflection Events

Asshownonfigure1,theamplitudeenvelopeofacomplexseismictraceisanoscillatingfunctionthathasalternatingmaximaandminima.Thedatawindowbetweentwosuccessiveminimaofanamplitude-envelopefunctiondefinesadistinctpacketofseismicenergy.

Termsthathavebeenusedtodescribethisintervalbetweensuccessiveamplitude-envelopeminimaareenergypacket,waveletpacketandreflectionevent.Onceyouequatetheterm“reflectionevent”withenergypacket(orwithwaveletpacket),youcanthenaskthequestion:

“Howmanyreflectioneventsoccur

betweentimecoordinatesAandBonfigure1?”

Youwillgetthedefinitiveanswer“13.”Awaveletpacketsuchasanyofthose

definedonfigure1maybeareflectionfromasingleinterface,oritmaybeacompositeofseveralreflectionsfromcloselyspacedinterfaces.Ineithercase,awaveletpacketrepresentstheshortest-timeconcentrationofreflectionofenergythatcanberecognizedinaseismicresponse.

Becauseamplitude-envelopeminimacanbedeterminednumericallyafteranamplitudeenvelopeiscalculated,thestarttime,stoptimeandtimeextentofareflectioneventcanbedefinedwithmathematicalrigor,asshownbyeachofthelabeled“events”onfigure1,anddonothavetobelefttointerpreterjudgment.

Thebasicseismicwaveletthatisembeddedintheseismictraceontheleftoffigure1isshowninthecenterpartofthefigure.AreadercancomparethiswaveletwithitsassociatedreflectiontraceontheleftofthedisplaytoattempttodecidehowmanyreflectioneventsexistacrossthetimeintervalAtoB.

Inclassroomandworkshopexercises,peoplehavetendedtoconcludethatthenumberofreflectioneventsrangesfromalowoffiveorsixtoahighof17or18.Usingthemathematicalconceptofamplitude-envelopeminimatodefinetheboundariesofareflectionevent,thecorrectansweris13reflectionevents(right-handpanel)asalreadystated.

Defining Reflection Polarity

Whenareflectioneventisdefinedbythisenergypacketconcept,thepolarityofthereflectioneventcanbedefinedasthealgebraicsignofthereal-traceextremum(eitherpeakortrough)thatisclosesttothemaximumoftheamplitude-envelopethatencompassestheenergypacket.

Usingthisconcept,thepolarityofreflectionevents5and10onfigure1arepositive,andthepolaritiesofreflectionevents7and12arenegative.Thusacomplex-traceallowsseismicreflectionpolaritytobedefinedwiththesamemathematicalrigorthatdefinesthetimeextentofeachreflectionevent.

Asecondillustrationofenergypacketsbeingusedtodefinedistinctreflectioneventsandtheirpolaritiesisprovidedasfigure2.

Inthiscase,thereareexcellentexamplesofenergypacketsdistinguishingoverlappingreflectionevents(events7and8andevents11and12)anddefiningthedatawindowsspannedbyfaint,low-amplitudereflections(events2and3). EX

PLORER

ByBOBHARDAGE

HARDAGE

Figure 1 – The concept of an energy packet (or wavelet packet) being used to define the time extents and polarities of reflection events. The wavelet that illuminates the geology is shown in the center. The resulting reflection trace is displayed on the left. The display on the right is a complex seismic trace consisting of a real part (which is the real trace on the left repeated as a solid-line wiggle) and an imaginary part (the Hilbert transform of the real trace shown by the dash-line wiggle). The amplitude envelope is the function that bounds this complex trace on the left and right so as to touch every positive and negative extremum of the real and imaginary parts of the complex trace.

Figure 2 – Example 2 of energy packets being used to define distinct reflection events in the seismic trace on the left and also the polarities of those reflections.

Africa;inassociationwithringstructuresinBalticShieldrocksofSwedenandFinland;andelsewhere.

Theyaretemptingcandidatesforbeingofoff-worldorigins,althoughtheprevailingthoughtisthatsuchdepositsonEarthareeitherofprogenetic(pre-impact),syngenetic(contemporaneous)orepigenetic(post-impact)origin.

Currently,thereareabout170terrestrial

impactstructurespresentlyknownonEarth,withadiscoveryrateofaboutfivenewstructuresperyear.

Inanyevent,explorationcontinuesonthemoonandinthemoreremoteregionsonEarth,andwillcontinueoff-worldthiscenturyandbeyond.ThejustificationforcontinuingthemoveintospaceiswellmadebyYeomans(1998).Asindicatedabove,recentexplorationdiscoveriesontheMoonbyJapanmayaccelerateactivitiesbyChina,India,JapanandtheUnitedStates,whichmaywellsetoffanewraceintospacetoexploreforanddevelopnaturalresources,including:

uWater(fromdarkcraterstomakehydrogenforfuelandoxygen,etc.).

uNuclearminerals(uranium,thoriumandhelium-3).

uRare-earthminerals.uOtherindustrialcommoditiesneeded

foruseinspaceandonEarth.Butuntilsomeformoffusionor

advancedsolartechnologyisavailable–sometimeinthedistantfuture–therequirednuclearresources(uraniumandthorium)neededtodayandintheforeseeablefuturetodrivethenuclearpower-generatingsystemsonEarthandinspacefortherestofthiscenturydependontheresultsof

explorationandtechnologicaldevelopmentoncurrentandfuturemissionstothemoonandelsewhere,notonlyforuraniumbutalsoothermineralsofstrategicintereststotheUnitedStatesaswell.

***

AdditionalinformationisavailableinreportsfromtheEMD’sUranium(NuclearMinerals)Committeeviawww.emd.aapg.org,andfromAAPG’sAstrogeologyCommitteeviawww.aapg.org/committees/astrogeology/index.cfm. EX

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MoonUraniumfrom page 16


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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.

ThetragiclossoflifeaboardtheDeepwaterHorizononApril20andresultingenvironmentaldisasterhas

shockedthenation.Imagesofthedrillshipablazeandgrippingaccountsofcrewmembersleapingfromthecrippledvesselhopingtosavethemselvesleadtoacriticalquestion:

Howdidthishappen?Sincetheblasttherehasbeenaflurryof

activitytoprovideananswer.Theinvestigationbeganimmediatelywith

authoritiestakingstatementsfromsurvivorsoftheDeepwaterHorizon.ThefollowingweekitformallybecameajointinvestigationbetweentheDepartmentofInteriorandtheDepartmentofHomelandSecurity.

AccordingtotheOuterContinentalShelfLandsAct,theInteriordepartment’sMineralsManagementService(MMS)hasresponsibilityforinvestigatingallincidentsontheoutercontinentalshelf(OCS)involvinghydrocarbonexplorationandproduction.Similarly,theU.S.CoastGuard(USCG),partoftheDepartmentofHomelandSecurity,isresponsibleforinvestigationsrelatedtodeath,injuries,propertylossandenvironmentaldamageontheOCS.

Co-chairedbyDavidDykes,thechiefoftheMMSOfficeofSafetyManagementFieldOperationsfortheGulfofMexico(GoM),andUSCGCapt.HungNguyen,thepurposeofthejointinvestigationistodeterminethecauseoftheaccident.Inordertoaccomplishthisobjectivetheteam

hasthepowertosummonwitnesses,issuesubpoenasandtaketestimonyunderoath.

Theteamwasgivenninemonthstocompleteanddeliveritsreport.

InteriorSecretaryKenSalazaralsoestablishedtheOCSSafetyOversightBoardwithintheInteriordepartment.Theboard’stasksaretoassisttheMMSwithitsresponsibilitiesinthejointinvestigation,keepthesecretaryandhisdeputyapprisedoftheinvestigation’sprogress,recommendmeasurestoincreaseOCSsafetyandtoimprovethedepartment’smanagementandregulationoftheOCS.Theboardischairedbytheassistantsecretary–LandandMineralsManagementandalsoincludestheassistantsecretary–Policy,ManagementandBudget,andthedepartment’sinspectorgeneral.

***

InlateAprilPresidentObamaorderedtheInteriordepartmenttoconducta30-dayreviewtodetermine“what,ifany,additional

precautionsandtechnologiesshouldberequiredtoimprovethesafetyofoilandgasexplorationandproductionoperationsontheoutercontinentalshelf.”

DeliveredonMay27,the38-pagereportsuggestedaseriesofnear-termmeasures(suchasinspectionofblowoutpreventersandsafetyequipment)aswellaslonger-termreviewsofwellcontrolandsafetyprocedures.Thereport,whichwaspeer-reviewedbyindividualsselectedbytheNationalAcademyofEngineering(NAE),alsorecommendedasix-monthhaltofdrillingon33permittedwellsintheGulf.

SalazaralsoaskedNAEtoconductanindependentassessment“todeterminetherootcausesoftheDeepwaterHorizondisastersothatcorrectivestepscanbetakentoaddressthemechanicalfailuresunderlyingtheaccident.”

StudiesbytheNationalAcademies,includingNAE,theNationalAcademyofScienceandorganizedbytheNationalResearchCouncil,aregreatlyvaluedbypolicymakersandregulators.Thework

willbeconductedbyvolunteerexperts,includingmembersoftheNAE,academiaandindustry.

Inthepast,suchstudieshavedeliveredanalysisandsuggestionsthat,accordingtoastatementbySalazar,“oftenleadtoresultsandfindingsthathavehadenormousimpactonfuturepolicydecisions.”

Astheoilspillcontinuedunchecked,theWhiteHouseannouncedonMay22thatthepresidenthadissuedanexecutiveorderformingtheBipartisanNationalCommissionontheBPDeepwaterHorizonOilSpillandOffshoreDrilling.

HenamedretiredSen.BobGrahamofFloridaandformerEnvironmentalProtectionAgencyadministrator(duringPresidentGeorgeH.W.Bush’sadministration)WilliamReillyasco-chairsofaseven-personcommission,“taskedwithprovidingrecommendationsonhowwecanprevent–andmitigatetheimpactof–anyfuturespillsthatresultfromoffshoredrilling.”

Inhisremarksintroducingthecommission,thepresidentsaid,“[I]fthelawsonourbooksareinadequatetopreventsuchanoilspill,orifwedidn’tenforcethoselaws–Iwanttoknowit.Iwanttoknowwhatworkedanddidn’tworkinourresponsetothedisaster,andwhereoversightoftheoilandgasindustrybrokedown.

“[T]hepurposeofthiscommissionistoconsiderboththerootcausesofthedisaster

GulfTragedySpawnsMultipleProbesByDAVIDCURTISS,GEO-DCDirector

WASHINGTONWATCH

See Washington, page 31

CURTISS

With all the efforts under way to determine what happened, the principals must avoid the rush to judgment and political finger-pointing endemic to Washington.


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Editor’s note: Maureen Moses braved the 2010 Washington, D.C., blizzards as the spring 2010 AAPG/AGI intern. She completed her undergraduate degree in geological sciences at San Diego State University in 2007

and recently completed her graduate degree in geological sciences at Central Washington University. She hopes to continue working and communicating science and policy through public education and outreach.

TheEnvironmentalProtectionAgency(EPA)recentlyannouncedplanstoundertakeastudyofhydraulic

fracturing,orfracing,todetermineitsimpactsonsurface,groundanddrinkingwaterresources.

Thestudyisexpectedtorunfrom2010to2015,andinitialresultsareexpectedin2012.

EPAplanstoaddressresearchquestionsaboutthematerialsusedduringhydraulicfracturingandhowtheyaffectthesurroundingcommunitiesandecosystems.

ThestudywillbeledandimplementedbytheEPA’sOfficeofResearchandDevelopment.Itsgoalistocharacterizethehydraulicfracturinglifecycle.Doingthis

willextendthestudybeyondthefracingprocessesitself,totheinteractionsofthefracfluidswithwaterandtheenvironmentafterinjection.

TheEPAalsowilldetermineifthelargequantityofwaterusedforfracingnegatively

impactswaterresourceavailabilityforecosystemsandrecreationaluses.

Exposure

Althoughproducershavebeendoinghydraulicfracturingfordecades,itsroleinextractingnaturalgasfromshalehasmadetheprocessmorevisibletothepublicandCongress.

LastsummertheHouseEnergyandNaturalResourcesCommitteeheardtestimonyonhydraulicfracturingfromindustryandenvironmentalofficials.ManyrepresentativeswereexcitedbythepotentialtoincreasedomesticproductionofnaturalgasstoredinvastAmericanshalebeds.However,thereremainedconcernaboutthechemicalsusedinhydraulicfracturing.

AnearlierEPAstudyofhydraulicfracturing,conductedin2004,determinedthatfracfluidsposednosignificantrisktodrinkingwater.In2005CongressexemptedhydraulicfracturingfromfederalregulationundertheSafeDrinkingWaterAct.

ThecurrentEPAstudyonhydraulicfracturingwastriggeredduringtheappropriationscycleforthefiscal2010budget.LanguagewasaddedtothespendingbillurgingtheEPAtoconductatransparentandpeer-reviewedstudy,citing“committeeconcernabouttherisksposedtodrinkingwater.”

ThecommitteealsoquestionedthevalidityofsourcesusedinpastEPAreportsonthesubject.

Inthescopingmaterialsreleasedforthestudy,theEPArecognizedtherecouldbesubstantialvariabilityinlocalgeologyandchemicalusagebetweenstudysites.Threetopicswillbeaddressed:

uThehydraulicfracturingprocess.uRelationshipsofthoseprocessesto

drinkingwaterresources.uPotentialhealthandenvironmentalrisks.

Wyoming’s Example

Oneofthemostcontentiouspartsofthefracingsafetydebatearethechemicalsusedbycorporationsduringhydraulicfracturing.Identifyingchemicalconstituentsinfracfluidsisaprimarygoalofthestudy,buttheEPAwillbeundertakingworktoidentifyhowtheseconstituentsmayalterwheninteractingwiththesurroundinggeologyandbiota.

Despitethefindingsofthe2004EPAstudyandexistingstateregulations,safetyconcernsstillexistinthemindsofthepublicandlawmakers.Theincreasingpossibilityoffederalregulationofhydraulicfracturingalsohascausedconcerninindustryandthestates,whichtypicallyarguethatexistingstateregulationshavebeensufficient.

TheInterstateOilandGasCompactCommission,comprisedofthegovernorsofitsmemberstates,calledonCongressinearly2009tonotremovetheexemption

First results due in 2012EPAFracStudytoFocusonWaterImpactByMAUREENN.MOSES

Continuedonnextpage

MOSES

OnlineregistrationcontinuesfortheupcomingAAPG

InternationalConferenceandExhibition–andthere’sstilltimetosavemoneybyregisteringnow.

ThemeetingwillbeheldSept.12-15inCalgary,Canada.ThegeneralchairisJohnHogg.

MemberswhoregisteronorbeforeAug.10cansave$175onregistrationfees.

Themeeting’sthemeis“FrontiersofUnconventionalThinking:SaddleUpfortheRide,”andthetechnicalprogramincludesmorethan400presentationsaddressingtopicsrangingfromunconventionalresourcestointernational

discoverythinking.Theprogramalsoincludesa

numberofspeciallecturesandsessions,including:

uAplenarysessiontitled“Canada:OurResourcestoInternationalExploration.”

uAmanagementforumfeaturinghighlevelindustryexecutives,titled“E&PChallengesinComplexEnvironments:FromtheArctictoDeepWater.”

uAbusinessforumtitled“UnconventionalExplorationandDevelopmentGeoscientists’Toolbox:WhatNewToolsDoGeoscientistsNeedintheNextDecade?”

Detailsandregistrationformsareavailableonlineatwww.aapg.org/Calgary.

ICERegistrationContinuesOnline

INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE & EXHIBITION


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andofferoptionsonwhatsafetyandenvironmentalprecautionsweneedtotaketopreventasimilardisasterfromhappeningagain.”

Thecommissionhassixmonthstodeliveritsrecommendations.

***

Andthereareyetmoreinvestigationsunderway:Congressionalcommitteesbeganconductinghearingsinmid-Mayabouttheeventsleadingtotheexplosionandtheenvironmentalandeconomicimpactoftheoilspill.AndonJune1,AttorneyGeneralEricHolderannouncedtheJusticeDepartmentwaslaunchingacriminalprobe,saying“wehavewhatwethinkisasufficientbasisforustohavebegunacriminalinvestigation.”

Butwithalltheeffortsunderwaytodeterminewhathappened,theprincipalsmustavoidtherushtojudgmentandpoliticalfinger-pointingendemictoWashington.

Thetruecostofthisdisaster–11peopledead,thelivelihoods(tourism,fishing,oilandgasproduction,andmore)ofentireGulfCoastcommunitiesthreatenedandas-yet-undeterminedecologicalandenvironmentaldamage–providesagrimremindernottopoliticizetheprocess. EX

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Washingtonfrom page 28

forhydraulicfracturingundertheSafeDrinkingWaterAct,saying,“theregulationofoilandgasexplorationandproductionactivities,includinghydraulicfracturing,hastraditionallybeentheprovinceofthestates.”

Asexample,inlateApriltheCasper(Wyo.)Star-TribuneeditorialboardthrewitssupportbehindWyomingGov.DaveFreudenthal(D),whoinsiststhatfracingberegulatedbythestatesandthatindustryclearlydisclosefracfluidconstituents.

WyomingreportedlywastoissueitsdisclosurerulesinJune.But,accordingtothepaper,“(industryofficials)shouldbestartingtorealizethatthedaysarenumberedofhavingthestatejusttaketheirwordthatchemicalsusedinfracingaresafe.

“Thefulldisclosureadvocatedbyenvironmentalgroupsisn’tlikelytohappen,either,butFreudenthal…isrightontargetwhenhesaysacompromiseisinorder.”

Thediscussionsbetweenindustryandregulators–bothstateandfederal–haveonlyjustbegun. EX

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Continuedfrompreviouspage

InMaywehadagreatAAPGCongressionalVisitsDay,whenAAPGmembersovertwo-and-a-halfdays

metwithahostofgovernmentofficials,lawmakersandtheirstaff.

Andnow,planningisunderwayforthenextGeosciencesCVD(geoCVD),setforSept.21-22.

ParticipantsfacedapackedscheduleduringtheMaygeoCVD,butatthattimewewereabletocommunicateastrongmessageabout:

uTheimportanceofoilandnaturalgastojobsandtheeconomy.

uHowdevelopmentofnaturalresourcesonpubliclandsisessentialtoU.S.energysecurity.

uThevitalrolethatfederaloilandnatural

gasR&Dplaysinfindingandproducingtheseresources.

uTrainingthenext-generationworkforce.Septemberwillbeyournextopportunity

tojoinmembersfromAAPGandotherearthsciencesocietiesintellingCongresshowimportantthegeosciencesareineverydaylife.It’samessagemostsenatorsandrepresentativesneedtohear.

Spaceforthiseventislimited,socontactDavidCurtiss(202-684-8225;[email protected])toreserveyourspot.PleasenotethatAAPGdoesnotprovidefundingformemberstoparticipateingeoCVD.

MuchishappeninginWashington,D.C.,thataffectspetroleumgeologists.JoinusinSeptemberforgeoCVD2010andmakeyourvoiceheard. EX

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SpringCVDFruitful;AnotherSetinFallByDEBORAHSACREY,DPAGovernmentalAffairsChair

AAPG members (from left) Sarah Jones, Deborah Sacrey, Gerrit Wind, Larry Jones and Dan Smith in Washington, D.C., for the spring Congressional Visits Day.

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ProjectPutsFossilsandBonesinSchoolsYoumayrememberAAPGPublic

ServiceawardwinnerOwenHopkins,apastpresidentoftheCorpusChristi

GeologicalSociety,whosegoalwastoputgeologicmapsintheclassroomsoffifthandsixthgraders.

Andwhilethepurposemayhavebeentoputscienceonthewalls,hishopewastoinstillexcitementinthestudents.

Well,he’satitagain–andthistimeit’snotjustmaps.It’sbones.

Butfirstareview:Hopkins,aspartofaprogramhecalled

“PlantingtheSeedofGeologicKnowledge,”

wantedto:uPlacecolorful,laminated,framedU.S.

geologicaltimeandterrainmapsintothe

classroomsoffifthandsixthgraders.uMakepersonalappearancesinthese

classrooms,speakingtokidsandeducators

inanefforttosparkenthusiasm.uGetcolleaguesinandaroundthe

CorpusChristiareatomakesimilarvisits.Anditworked.Todate,hisinitiativehas

resultedinmorethan1,600suchmapsinCoastalBendAreaschools.

PhaseII,the“BonesintheSchoolsProgram,”beganwhen,afterencouragingstudentsintwoCorpusschoolstostartpaleontologyclubs,heencouragedtheTexasA&MUniversity,Kingsville,todonate62boxesofbonestotheschools.

Tomaketheprojectmoreinter-disciplinarian,Hopkinsthentooktheideatohighschoolweldingstudentsandaskedthemtochooseaboneandthendesignandbuildastandforit.

"Ourstatedgoal,"Hopkinssays,"isfor…studentstoselectabone,designastand,weldthestand,paintandprepthestand."

Heenvisionedadisplaycase,notunlikethetrophycaseoutsidethegym,wherestudentscouldseetheirwork.

"Thestandswillbesigned/initialedbytheweldingstudent,"headded.

Todate,hehasplacedfossilbonesinmorethan84schools–including30boxesofIceAgeMammals,manyfromanareanearCorpusChristi.

HopkinssaysthediversityfoundthererivaledthatfromtheLaBreaTarPitfaunaandalsooftheAnza-BorregofaunainCalifornia.

What Happened in Vegas

ThatpossibilityofsuchaprograminCorpusChristi,hesaid,wasmadecleartohiminaplace1,500milesaway:LasVegas.

Heandhiswife,Susan,wereinSinCitytheweekendbeforethe2008AAPGconventioninLongBeach,Calif.,whentheytookataxitotheNevadaStateMuseum–“notausualtouristdestination,”hesaid.

Buttheyfoundtheplacespectacular,especiallywhentheyfoundthemselvesundera16-footcastofaMammoththatlivedduringtheIceAge.

HopkinssaidhewonderedwhatitwouldbeliketohavesomethingsimilarinCorpusChristi.

“ThesesameanimalslivedinCorpusChristi,”hesaid,excitedly.“Itwasexcitingtowalkunderthecreatureandreallyexperienceitssize,becausewhenyoutellastudentthattheseanimalswere16feettall,itishardtoimaginehowbigtheyare.”

Bettertoshowthem.Hisplan,then,wastointroducesuch

spectacleandhistoryandtoprepareapermanentdisplayforeachmiddleschoolintheregionthatwouldcontain:

uLarge,actualbonesfromanextinctmammalthatwascollectedinNuecesCounty,Texas.

uDrawingsoftheskeletonoftheextinctanimalwiththedisplayedbonehighlighted.

uAnartist’sdrawingofwhattheanimallookedlikewhenalivewithreferencescale.

uMapsshowingtheNuecesRiverfloodplainasitlooked18,000yearsago.

uRenditionsoftheCorpusChristiBay“SerengetiPlain,”showingthediversity.

Tofurtheraidtheprogram,teachersfromthespecificschoolshadanopportunitytoattenda“BonesinSchool”workshoptolearnmoreabouttheincrediblediversityofmammalbonesfoundinNuecesCounty.

"Fundingforaprojectlikethis,"Hopkins

ByBARRYFRIEDMAN,EXPLORERCorrespondent

HOPKINS

The reward for his effort was a letter: “I want to be a geologist when I grow up. You taught me a lot of stuff.”

See Hopkins, page 35

MAKINGaDIFFERENCE


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AnewNamedGrantfortheAAPGGrants-in-AidprogramhasbeenestablishedthroughadonationfromFoundationTrusteeAssociateMichael S. Johnson.

TheMichaelS.JohnsonNamedGrantwillbeawardedbeginningin2011toanOhioStateUniversitygraduatestudent.

TheNamedGrants-in-AidProgramwasinitiatedinthe1970swhenfriendsofthelateHughMiserestablishedamemorialfundintheFoundationtoawardanannualgrant.Aone-timegiftof$12,500willendowanannualgrantofapproximately$500(dependingontherateofreturnfrominvestmentoftheendowment).

Every$5,000addedtotheendowmentwillincreasetheannualgrantbyabout

$200,uptothemaximumof$3,000pergrant.

FinancialsupportoftheGrants-in-Aidprogramisbecomingincreasinglyimportanttodayasmanymorequalifiedstudentsareapplyingforthelimitedfunds.

***

CalvinCollegerecentlybecamethenewestbeneficiaryofanAAPGDigitalProductsLibrarySubscriptionthroughtheAAPGFoundationbyagenerousgiftfromTrusteeAssociateBruce Dice.

Dice’s$12,500one-timegiftthroughtheFoundation’sendowmentprogramwillprovideCalvinCollegestudentsandfacultyaccessinperpetuitytoAAPG’sdigitallibraryofover850,000pagesofnational,internationalandregionallibrariesofpetroleum,geologyandgeophysicsinformation.

Inthepastfiveyearsmorethan60collegesanduniversitieshavebecomerecipientsoftheFoundation’sDigitalProductsUniversitySubscriptionProgram,whichcontinuestogrowinpopularity.

ForadditionaldetailsoftheseandotherFoundationprograms,visitfoundation.aapg.org,ordonateonlineatfoundation.aapg.org/donate.cfm.

ContributionstotheAAPGFoundationaretax-deductibleforthosesubjecttoU.S.incometax.

***

TheFoundationTrusteeAssociateshaveannouncedanewmember.Heis:

uKevin T. Biddle,Houston.HisjoiningbooststheTrusteeAssociates’

membershiptotalto276–anall-timehigh.

FOUNDATIONUPDATE

Grants-in-Aid,SubscriptionGetBoost

INMEMORYJohn S. Berge,82 Arvada,Colo.,April24,2010John Frederick Burst Jr.(EM’56) Rolla,Mo.Nance G. Creager(EM’51) Midland,TexasRobert Hugh Forde,71 Houston,February2007Mark Conrad Leach,50 Tulsa,April14,2010Robert Ramsey McConnell (AC’55)HoustonRobert W. Meader,81 Centennial,Colo.,July27,2009Billy Jan Morris,69 Rockwall,Texas,April13,2010David D. Reimers,66 Houston,May18,2010John Hoffman Wappler,81 Gretna,La.,March20,2010

(Editor’s note: “In Memory” listings are based on information received from the AAPG membership department. Age at time of death, when known, is listed. When the member’s date of death is unavailable, the person’s membership classification and anniversary date are listed.)

SelznickWinsSouthwestLevorsen

MartinSelznick,withRosewoodResourcesinDallas,hasbeennamedwinneroftheSouthwestSection’sA.I.LevorsenAwardforthebestpaperattherecentannualSectionmeeting.

Selznick’spaperwas“SeismicAttribute:SoManyTools,SoLittleTime.”

HewillreceivehisawardatthenextSouthwestSectionmeeting,setJune5-7inRuidoso,N.M.


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concedes,"willbeconsiderablymorethanforPhaseI,butIthinkitisworthwhile."

ForboththestudentandHopkinshimself.

What’s Past is the Future

ThoughretiredfromactiveoilandgasmanagementatSuemaurExploration,Hopkinssaidthetwoprograms–MapsinSchoolsandBonesinSchools–continuetoaddtohisknowledgeofwhathecallsthe“continuingsagaoftheoilbusiness.

“IcantellthatImustmisstheexcitementofgeneratinganewideaandtheheartpoundingthrillofdeadlinesandmeetingsandwellslogging,becauseIamapproachingmyCCGSEducationalProgramlikeanoildeal,”hesaid.“Myown,self-imposedgoalsanddeadlineshavebeenputting,possibly,unduestressonme.ThatishowIhavelearnedtoattackprojects–spendsometimeassessingiftheprojectisneeded,thenforgeaplanandblazeaheadtocompletion.”

What’snew,hesays,isthatwhilethedrivemaybethesame,theturfismorewinnable,morerewarding.

“Butunlikeoil/gasprospects,Idonothavetowaituntilwehavealltheleases,”hesaid.

Instead,henowbaseshissuccessonhowmanykidsgetexcitedaboutscience.

Hasitworked?HavestudentscaughtHopkins’feverforboththetopicandthefutureofgeology?

Oneanswermaybefoundonthearea’sgeologicalwebsite(www.ccgeo.org),wheretherearescoresofstudenttestimonials.Afifth-grader,inparticular,wrotesomethingthatshouldmaketheschleppingofallthosemapsandbonesintoclassroomsworthitforHopkins.

“IwanttobeageologistwhenIgrowup,”thestudentwrote.“Youtaughtmealotofstuff.” EX

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Hopkinsfrom page 32

Herman Darman (left) and Anwar Al-Beaiji at the AAPG booth in Bucharest, Romania, during the first International Geoscience Student Conference.

FirstIGSCaWinnerMorethan240studentsfrom13

countriesattendedthefirstInternationalGeosciencesStudentConference,heldrecentlyinBucharest,Romania–athree-dayeventthatfeaturedposterpresentations,industryinterviews,guestspeakers,afieldtripandnetworkingopportunities.

AAPGco-sponsoredthemeeting,alongwithEAGEandSEG.AmongthekeynotespeakerswasAAPGrepresentativeHermanDarman,fromShellNetherlands.

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Foundation (General)AdeniyiTemitopeAdelajaWillisF.Ammentorp

In memory of Hugh FrenzelJohnJ.AmorusoGeorgeAndrewAndersonIIIJohnMervynAndersonRobertMatthewsAndersonClaudeB.AngerJ.DavidR.ApplegateLarryM.AsburyBalazsBadicsCoreyN.BakerGeorgeArnoldBallJr.DavidWayneBallardCliffordAbbottBarkell

In memory of James ClementDuncanCharlesBarrJohnErickBattieJosephC.BaumanGaryBeccarKennethEarlBeeneyPaulEricBergumAsdrubalJoseBernalWilliamL.BilodeauMauriceNixonBirdwellRickBlackJimBlankenshipLaytonRobertBoeveWilliamPaulBosworthBruceM.BradyIIILindellC.BridgesHilaryJamesBrookIanThomasBrownJamesAlexanderBrownJr.WallaceEdwardBrunsonHeinzMartinBurgisserStephenMichaelBurkeRolandThomasCainJosephKentCampbellRobertH.CampbellBrianStewartCarlKennethWalterCarlsonCameronClarkeCastelliThomasPatrickCastelliPaulDavidCateYuLongChangDongqingChenRolinChenJerryHerbertClarkDeirdreC.ComminsMichaelStephenConnellyDouglasHowardCookJohnPatrickCoughlonRobertD.Cowdery

In honor of A.T. Carleton and Edward David

RobertDeesCraigFrederickJamesCrockett

In honor of John S. RungeJosephWilliamCrossStevenLauranceDavidsonMichaelEdwardDavisRichardE.DeeryAnthonyE.DeLaSotaJoostHarmenDeWeerdRobinP.DiedrichAnnaDombrowskiDouglasAlanDravesGordonEarleDuffyDouglasBurtonDunnMerleJamesDuplantisNaderC.DuttaEdwinHarrisEastChristopherFrankEldersWilliamJamesEmersonRobertW.EsserDavidJonathanEvansMarkD.FalkGlennMarionFeddersonPaulB.FeldmanHershalCeveraFergusonJr.GlennFletcherDecioM.FloresLaurensGaarenstroomVictorHugoGabelaJr.SusanElizabethGalcherHongxingGeJamesE.GeitgeyGeraldMaconGilbertJohnPatrickGoldJoseEnriqueGonzalezPeterGordonGrayVictorRichard“Rick”GreenLarryRayGrillotDavidNelsonGrimes

In honor of Sarah GrimesGarySamGrinsfelderThomasStephenGrovesRobertKentGrubbs

In memory of P.K. Sutherland and Ed Roy

EdmundRichardGustason

JamesChisHallJohnK.HallUrsulaHammesRebeccaM.HarkinsWilliamElihuHarlanIIIFrederikaJohannaHarmsenDavidWilliamHarrisJamesBedfordHarrisTalaatHamidHassanDouglasStuartHastinsRodE.HaverslewKeithOliverHeighingtonIngaHellerThomasMcCloskeyHelmMendozaJoseJ.HernandezAlanPeterHewardJohnW.HidoremPatrickLeeHiggsKenjiHirabayashiGeorgeJ.HirasakiEdwardArthurHoffmannJr.WilliamGarretHoltMarthaEvelynHudsonThomasAllenHudsonAngelD.HurtadoArtunduagaJuliaE.JacksonElizabethA.E.JohnsonFarisThayerJohnsonJr.CrandallDavisJones

In memory of Dean Morgridge

JamesC.JonesIIIn honor of Christina Burlter

AnatolyA.KaplanGeorgeRichardKearWilliamA.KellerJ.MichaelKellyJamesRichardKingJeanetteA.KingWilliamCrawfordKirkwoodReubenJosephKlibertJr.

In honor of Dale M. KlibertJackA.KlotzDavidF.KluesnerWilliamF.KoerschnerIIITakoKoningMargueriteC.KremerDavidL.LawDonaldClementLeVanBenediktLouisLehnerDieterKarlLetschHenryMorrisLiebermanWalterScottLightJr.LuzMarinaLinaresStevenH.LingreyJackLitchenbergJamesA.LorsongRobertG.LoucksJeffreyWilliamLundYongwangMaGeorgeRaymondMacaulayJr.RobertDouglasMacDougallLeslieBlakeMagoonIIIStevenJ.MalecekHolgerMandlerBarbaraMarinWilliamDustinMarshallAldenJeffreyMartinRobertCliftonMasonTerryJ.MatherGianniMatteucciJohnReedMaxwellVincentJ.McDermottCourtneyMcElmoylStevenDarrylMcKenzieDavidAlbertMcMahonJr.DavidMcPhersonLeslieAllisonMelimRobertAncelMercerJimPatrickMillerJayPrestonMitchellRobertBruceMitchellRobertMitchellMitchumJr.StephenJackMizerDavidLeslieEwartMoretonEdwardD.MozleyGeorgeKingP.MunsonJr.MarkPrestonNibbelinkDavidFrederickNicklinArneRudolphNielsenStevenMichaelNoackRichardCarolNormanRichardPatrickO’DonnellF.X.O’KeefeRichardAllenOlsenArianaOsmanSuwitPabchandaMarkAlanParchmanJaimePatinoBlakeP.PattersonJamesLewisPearWilliamS.PeirceMarkEdwardPetersen

JamesByronPetersonJosephReginaldPiersonJr.TerrenceCarletonPlumbGaryNeilPolasekKennethEdwardProctorBordenRogerPutnamIIIWilliamMooreQuackenbushKennethRobertQuarforthMichaelJosephQuinnFrederickW.RabalaisPhilippeJ.Y.M.RabillerRobertDavidRallR.RagnarRasmussenMatthewC.ReedMichaelA.RichterMichaelD.RippetoeBettyMayRobertsonSabineRoessleWilliamDakeRoseJr.JohnH.RountreeLanceRuffelJohnRossSanFilipoDouglasJohnSartorisCarlDavidSavelyWilliamDavidSchneiderMarkD.SchoomakerClydeRaySeewaldRudolphB.SiegertWilliamDwightSimmonsMichaelArthurSimmsDamirStjepanSkerlLethaPatriceSlagleDanielLesterSmithDarrellEugeneSmithRogerWilliamSmithKurtG.SommerAllenRathjenSpelmanMarionEugeneSpitlerCharlesBernardStanleyNeilJosephStefanidesPatrickStinsonAlbertYenSunAlisanColleenSweetBrianL.TaylorCraigJ.TesterDavidPaulThetfordReneR.ThibodauxPaulAnthonyThomasKathyS.TimmonsRobertScottTucker

In honor of Susan LandonDavidTwichellStephenC.VanDalenJoseAntonioVarelaMontesRicardoVasquezGuangMingWangThomasAndrewWarrenHenryV.WatkinsJr.MichaelJ.P.WellandEdmundGeraldWermundJr.MarkEdwardWestcottRolfWestgardPeterHawleyWilkinsonJackJ.WilliamsRobertStewartWilliamsWilliamO.WilliamsEddieA.WilliamsonW.DavidWilligElizabethA.Wilson

In memory of Doris CurtisDominicK.F.YapJoseMiguelYilalysSatoruYokoiWilliamAllenYoungWalterL.YoungquistDonaldHenryZengerGeraldPaulZiecheMartinAndreasZieglerBarryLynnZinz

Awards FundDavidAllanDeGruyterHidekiKitagawa

Robert Berg Outstanding Research Award

ChangsuRyu

Best Student Paper and Poster Award

YongwangMaLindaRaineSternbach

Ziad Beydoun Memorial AwardAlanPeterHeward

A.I. Levorsen Memorial AwardMichaelArthurSimmsLindaRaineSternbach

Teacher of the Year AwardStevenJohnWilliams

Bridge FundChesapeakeOperatingInc.ConocoPhillipsWalterScottLightJr.

Daniel A. Busch Library FundThomasJohnHeckChristopherMarkKravitsAliceCoffeeSalisbury

Digital Products FundBenNicholasAbbottBordenRogerPutnamIIIPhilipeeJ.Y.M.RabillerVirginiaL.RiggertWolfgangE.Schollnberger

Baylor UniversityVictorHugoGabelaJr.

Calvin CollegeBruceB.Dice

Oklahoma State UniversityMohammedA.Kidwai

Texas A&M UniversityRichardHerbertGartner

Texas Tech UniversityRichardHerbertGartner

Tulane UniversityKennethMarkMallon

University of CalgaryJoeWilliamHarrisJr.

University of Central VenezuelaThierryMichelKabbabeLuzMarinaLinares

University of Missouri, ColumbiaRobertCliftonMasonMarkEdwardPetersen

University of TexasRichardHerbertGartnerMendozaJoseJ.Hernandez

Distinguished Lecture FundDavidAllanDeGruyterHughDresserRobertNathanGinsburg

In honor of Robert DillKazuyoshiHoshiJohnRobertKernsWalterScottLightJr.RobertClarksonMillspaughForrestElwoodNelsonRichardWayneOjakangasKennethLeeShawJoeT.Vaughn

Grants-in-Aid FundArthurPaulBaclawskiMarthaLouBroussardChevronHumankind

Matching gift for Amy Whitaker

JeanK.FunkhouserDavidAllanDeGruyterRobertNathanGinsburg

In honor of Robert DillGilmoreSemmesHamillIV

In memory of Melvin J. HillDeniseNoraHodderWilsonHumphreyWalterScottLightJr.RichardBrianNagaiErikCarlE.PalmlovRoyW.SchlischeRobertWilliamScottMichaelArthurSimmsRobinLeeSwankMarkTomassoJamesJosephZambitoIV

Gustavus E. Archie Memorial International Grant

SurassawadeeTanprasat

Rodney A. Bernasek Memorial Grant

GaryNeilPolasek

Classen Family Named GrantWillardJohnClassen

Eddie David Named GrantEdwardK.David

In honor of Dave Parks

Fred A. and Jean C. Dix Named Grant

PaulH.DudleyJr.In memory of Dean Morgridge

Norman H. Foster Memorial Grant

RandiSusanMartinsen

Robert K. Goldhammer Memorial Grant

GregorPaulEberliDavidEugeneEbyUrsulaHammesJaimeLeonardoHernandezLauraInesNetKennethPotmaMichaelArthurSimms

Michel T. Halbouty Memorial Grant

RichardHerbertGartner

James E. Hooks Memorial Grant

GilmoreSemmesHamillIV

Michael S. Johnson Named Grant

MichaelSamJohnson

Jay M. McMurray Memorial Grant

ThomasStephenGroves

Ohio Geological Society Named Grant

NicoleLeeVenteris

Pittsburgh Association of Petroleum Geologists

Named GrantAndrewYelenosky

SEAPEX Named GrantSurassawadeeTanprasat

Roger W. Stoneburner Memorial Grant

JeanK.Funkhouser

Weimer Family Named GrantRandiSusanMartinsen

James A. Hartman Student Fund

StevenT.KeirsteadRichardAllenOlsen

Imperial Barrel Award FundKennethEugeneNemeth

K-12 Education FundPeteC.AguilarJohnFrancisAllenJr.SteveK.AnnaAsdrubalJoseBernalDudleyWoodBolyardChevronHumankind

Matching gift from Donald W. Lewis

MatthewCharlesCiccotelliRobertDeesCraigGarnettM.DowGordonEarleDuffyKennethToddFeldmanJamesRayFloodIIJohnJosephGillespieJohnPatrickGoldJenniferJoanGoodwinGeraldEdmundHarringtonTerryL.HollrahRandallMatthewHoseyBruceHowardJamesHidekiKitagawaWalterScottLightJr.GianniMatteucciGeorgeMavris

In memory of Wayne D. Martin

JamesA.McCartyWilliamJ.McMichaelEvaP.MoldovanyiSidneyStuartMoranJamesAlfredMulliganIIIPeterH.NorthropAnneVerityOldhamDavidW.OldhamWilliamBenjaminOliverIVMarkAllanPattersonWilliamS.PeircePeggyJoyceRiceWilliamF.RipleyNancyMarieRodriguezJohnJosephSchneiderDouglasJaySeyler

In memory of L.A. CurryMarionEugeneSpitlerAnthonyEdgarStephensonStuartCarlStrifeDavidLowellTettDennisB.TowerDonA.UrbanecJohnPatrickF.Welch

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Pratt BULLETIN FundArthurPaulBaclawskiBenjaminL.BarnesIIIJohnPatrickGoldGeorgeRichardReddy

In memory of Sherman A. Wengerd

Special Publications FundTomFullertonDavidFrederickNicklinRussellEmersonQuickRobertDavidRallCharlesAlanSternbach

In memory of Michel T. Halbouty

E.F. Reid Scouting Endowment Fund

JeanDixIn memory of Fred A. Dix Jr.

TerriDuncanWilliamA.KellerWalterScottLightJr.

Visiting Geoscientist FundBonnerBoydBowdenJeroenMartienPeters

In memory of Tor NilsenBordenRogerPutnamIIIMatthewC.Reed

L. Austin Weeks Memorial Undergraduate Grant Fund

JohnPatrickGoldDavidNelsonGrimes

In honor of Sarah GrimesL.MichaelKozimkoMarkAllanPattersonBordenRogerPutnamIII

FoundationDonorsThe names that appear here are of those who

have made donations to the AAPG Foundation in the past month – redominately through adding some additional monies on their annual dues statement.

To these people, and to those who have generously madedonations in the past, we sincerely thank you.

With your gifts, the AAPG Foundation will continue its stewardship for the betterment of the science and the profession of petroleum geology.

The AAPG Foundation Trustees


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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

ArizonaHunt, William Allen,Closson,Hunt&TaylorLtd.,Phoenix(M.D.Campbell,B.Handley,H.M.Wise)

CaliforniaDoris, Nelson P.,WarrenE&P,LongBeach(M.R.Doris,C.P.Henderson,J.M.Henderson)

LouisianaKienzle, Jack Kenneth,U.S.MineralsManagementService,Covington(G.J.Rutherford,G.H.Hasseltine,A.R.Friedmann)

MissouriPope, John Paul,NorthwestMissouriStateUniversity,Maryville(F.E.Oboh-Ikuenobe,R.J.Gentile,R.R.Anderson)

New MexicoStaatz, Thomas Mortimer,JetWestGeophysicalServices,Farmington(G.L.Gianniny,K.MIskell-Gerhardt,J.W.Brame)

OklahomaBrulet, Benjamin Rhodes,ChesapeakeEnergy,Edmond(R.L.Snyder,J.P.Dube,M.A.Cervantes)

TexasBuse, William Lee,TexonOil&Gas,Houston(J.Casey,W.R.Dupre,J.M.Robinson); Doss, Eric Alan,XTOEnergy,Houston(A.G.Barriault,C.W.Cook,L.G.Miller); Jansen, John F.,TribalKnowledgeSolutions,SugarLand(M.K.Milner,E.VonLunen,R.U.Dolfi); Johnston, Paul J.,BPAmerica,Houston(D.G.Derbecker,B.E.Wagner,P.N.Trumbly); Riley, Mathew Ellis,XTOEnergy,FortWorth(T.H.Stark,R.K.Gray,C.A.Burshears)

WashingtonThompson, Rodney Oliver,HanleyPetroleumInc.,Bellevue(reinstate)

West VirginiaMoore, James Henry,ColumbiaGasTransmission,Charleston(S.S.Holsclaw,K.L.Haddad,R.Smosna)

AustraliaBray, Timothy Paul,RocOilCompanyLimited,Sydney(S.R.Greaves,D.Garrad,L.E.Farmer); Lengenberg, Ashley Peter,AIPC,MoffatBeach(D.L.Walding,S.Z.Jovanovic,F.Simoncelli)

BahrainAl-Radhi, Somaya Hasan,Schlumberger,Manama(A.M.Al-Beaiji,H.M.Al-Otaibi,V.GSoneji)

CanadaBailey, Dennis David,CLConsultantsLtd.,Calgary(reinstate); Chalmers, Gareth Raymond,UniversityofBritishColumbia,Vancouver(R.M.Bustin,L.Chikatamarla,A.P.Beaton)

EgyptAbd ElRazek, Raafat Rezk,MelroseResourcesEgyptCompanies,Cairo(N.M.Tewfik,M.M.H.Said,T.F.ElAzhary)

EnglandAdebulehin, Adedayo A.,NexenPetroleumUKLimited,London(K.J.McLachlan,M.Ala,K.A.Hosein)

HungaryHives-Velledits, Felicitasz,consultant,Dunakeszi(G.Z.Pogácsás,M.L.Peffer,M.Imre)

KuwaitMishra, Prasanta Kumar,KuwaitOilCompany,Ahmadi(S.S.Thakur,K.Ahmad,S.A.Azim)

MalaysiaChun Hock, Tan,KualaLumpur(J.J.Lambiase,J.K.Warren,H.P.Lee)

NigeriaAbubakar, Usman,NigerianNationalPetroleumCorp.,Lagos(M.D.Bako,D.S.Sejebor,B.B.Olafisan); Bola, Adelanke Gregory,NigerianNationalPetroleumCorp.NNPC-NPDC,Benin(F.O.Ogboi,E.O.Adeniyi,A.T.Adelaja); Chukwuka, Clement Amaechi,ChevronNigeriaLimited,Lagos(A.R.Ojelabi,A.O.Esan,A.O.Ekun); Mohammed, Yahaya Jibril,BakerHughes,Lagos(F.P.Hearn,T.L.Wright,K.Yared); Ogboke, Osim Jethro,SubsurfaceConsultantsNigeria,PortHarcourt(reinstate)

NorwayKvadsheim, Erling,OLFNorwegianOilIndustryAssociation,Stavanger(G.Lunde,I.A.Kjorlaug,K.Lokna)

PakistanZaidi, Syed Adnan Haider,OGDCLPakistan,Islamabad(T.M.Jaswal,M.H.Channa,M.Ahmed)

People’s Republic of ChinaLi, Sanzhong,OceanUniversityofChina,Qingdao(F.X.Jian,J.Jin,W.Zhao)

PolandNazaruk, Dariusz Michal,OmanOilCompanyE&P,DabrowaGornicza(H.Darman,J.F.Boels,G.O.Kakayor)

MEMBERSHIP&CERTIFICATION

ThefollowingarecandidatesforcertificationbytheDivisionofProfessionalAffairs.

Petroleum GeologistOklahoma Howell, James R.,WeatherfordInternational,Edmond(SocietyofIndependentProfessionalEarthSciences)Texas Robert B. Hanks,BTOVentureInc,IowaPark(reinstatement);Maxwell, Wayne J.,W.J.MaxwellConsultingInc.,Spring(reinstatement)

Certification

Here’sareminderfromtheAAPGmembershipdepartment:

Keepyourmembershipcurrent–payyour2010-11duesnow.

It’sfastandeasytodo.Youcan:uDoitonline,attheMembersOnly

sectionofwww.aapg.org.uDoitbytelephone,bycalling

AAPGtodayat(800)364-2274,or(918)584-2555.


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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.

QuestionsRegardingtherecentGulfofMexico

oilspill:IftheblowoutwasindeepwateroffthecoastofNigeria,andthefisheriesandbeachesofNigeriaweretheonesbeingfouledbythisobviousandcompletefailureofwelldrillingsafety,ifthe11deadmenwereNigerians...

Wouldweallbesowoundupaboutit?WouldeitherBPorthegovernment

oftheUnitedStatesandthepoliticiansthereinblastsomanytons,somanymillioncubicfeetofgaseousrhetoricandbombast?

DoIhearanycallforarationalenergypolicy,forreductioninfossilfueluse?

It’sALLourfault.RossBrunetti

SantaMaria,Calif.

It’s (More) ComplicatedRegardingthephotographonpage10

oftheMayEXPLORER(shownabove),withthestoryonMemoir90:

Thelowermostpicture(redbedsandevaporitesexposedinthePotosíuplift,justnorthofSanPablodeTranquitas,NuevoLeón)iswhereI’vebeenstudyingdeformationprocesseswithinthedécollementofthethin-skinnedSierraMadreOriental.Thecaptionforthefigurecontainserrors:

uMostoftheredbedsectionbelongstotheLaBocaFormation(HuizachalFormationofsomepreviousauthors),nottheLaJoyaFormation.FossilsfromtheLaBocaFormationintheHuizachal-Peregrinaanticlinorium~100kilometerstothesoutheastindicateaLateTriassictoearlyMiddleJurassicage,butfewage-diagnosticfossilshavebeenfoundinPotosíuplift.

uOnlytheuppermost~25metersoftheredbedsbelongtotheLaJoyaFormation.Noage-diagnosticfossilshavebeenrecoveredfromtheLaJoyaatanysite,buttheformationistypicallyassignedalateMiddleJurassicage.TheLaJoyaisseparatedfromtheunderlyingLaBocaFormationbyanangularunconformityof~15°.

uTheLaJoyaFormationisingradationalcontactwiththeoverlyingevaporites.TheassignmentoftheseevaporitestotheLowerOxfordianispureconjecture:Noage-diagnosticfossilsoccurwithintheevaporiteinterval.However,thebasalevaporiteintervaldoescontainspectaculargypsummylonitesthatattesttointenseLaramide-agesimplesheardeformation.

uTheoverlyingcarbonatesdonotbelongtotheZuloagaFormation,whichwasoriginallydefined~150kilometerstothewestasathicksequenceofcarbonates.Onlyarelativelythin(<60meters)evaporiteintervaloccursinthelowerpartoftheZuloaga.Infact,twodistinctcarbonateintervalsare

visibleinthephoto,separatedbyathin(~25meter)sectionofevaporiteswithcarbonateinterbeds.Thesefourmembers(twoevaporiteandtwocarbonate)formonlythelower~one-thirdofa850-900meterthickcarbonate-evaporitesequencethatincludesatotaloffivethick(upto~120meters)carbonateintervals.Iprefertoassignthisentirecarbonate-evaporitesequencetotheMinasViejasFormation,ratherthanarbitrarilyassignoneormoreofthecarbonateintervalstotheZuloaga.

uPoorly-preservedammonitescollectedfromashalycarbonateintervalwithinthemiddlepartoftheMinasViejasstratigraphyhaveMiddleOxfordianaffinities.ThebasalbedsoftheoverlyingLaCasitaFormationhavelateEarlyKimmeridgianammonites.ThissuggestsaMiddleOxfordian-lowestKimmeridgianagefortheupperhalfoftheMinasviejasFormationinthePotosíuplift.Thepreciseageofthelowercontactoftheformation,however,isuncertain.

uBoththeSmackoverandtheZuloagayieldMiddle-LateOxfordian

ammonites.Hence,atleasttheupperpartoftheMinasViejasevaporite-carbonatesequenceinthePotosíupliftisage-equivalenttotheSmackoverandZuloaga.ThelowerpartoftheMinasViejasshowninthephoto,however,hasnotyieldedreliableage-diagnosticfossils,andhencethecorrelationwiththeSmackovercitedinthecaptioncannotbecorroborated.

Inlightoftheabove,thesimplepictureofrift,transitionalthendriftstagesgiveninthephotocaptionisverymuchover-simplified!

GarethCrossAustin,Texas

Editor’s note: Memoir 90 co-author Claudio Bartolini responds:

TheAAPGmemberisright;Isubmittedabasicandovergeneralizedparagraphforthepictureinquestion.Sincethisisnotascientificjournal,Ihonestlydidnotbothertocheckforthemostrecentandongoingstudiesontheareathatcouldrefinethegeologicaldescription.

TheprimarypurposeoftheEXPLORERstorywastopresentageneraloverviewofMemoir90–including,ofcourse,thefocusofthebook,potentialusers,importancetooilandgasexplorationintheGulfofMexicoandcontributiontothepetroleumgeologyoftheMexicansideoftheGulf.

WearegladtoseethatMexicangeologycontinuestoattractstudentsfromU.S.universities,thusincreasingtheknowledgeofMexico’sgeology.

ClaudioBartoliniMadrid,Spain

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Editor’s note: Frank Walles was EMD president in 2009-10, and Michael Campbell is the current EMD president.

EarlierthisyeartheAAPGandAAPGEnergyMineralsDivisionexecutivecommitteesapprovedthe

eliminationofaseparatechargeforEMDmembership–amovethatrepresentsasignificantnewadditionalAAPGmembershipbenefit.

TobecomeanEMDmember,onesimplyneedstoindicatethisinterestbyclickingaboxintheirrevisedonlineAAPGprofileorbycheckingaboxontheirmembershiprenewalstatement.

BecominganAAPGEMDmemberallowsaccesstoawealthoftechnical,geologicalandrelatedinformationonthefullrangeofenergyresourcecommodities.

ThisinformationismadeavailablewithineachEMDCommoditywebpage,andalsoissearchablebyAAPG’sSearch and DiscoverydatabaseandtheEMD’sWebPortal,whichservestointegratetheexplorationanddevelopmentoftheEMDcommoditieswiththeassociatedDivisionofEnvironmentalGeosciencestechnicalinformationonenvironmentalgeosciences,aswellastheprofessionalandethicalconsiderationsinvolvedintheDivisionofProfessionalAffairs.

ComeseewhatEMDisallabout–it’snownocostwithyourAAPGmembership.

EMDwascreatedbytheAAPGin1977,specificallytoprovidetechnicalgeologicalinformationonenergyresourcesrangingfromuranium,coalandgeothermalenergyandto“unconventional”energyresourcesthatnowrangefromcoalbedmethanetogas

hydrates,gasshales,tightgassands,oilsandsandoilshales.

Manyoftheseenergyresources(not“conventional”oilandgasresources)havenowbecomeimportantresourcesintheU.S.energypictureanddeservecarefulattentionbyacurrentlyrealizedlargeportionofthegeologicalcommunitythatbelongstotheAAPG.HencethebasisfortheremovaloftheduesstructurefortheAAPGEnergyMineralsDivision.

Theseenergyresourcefieldsaretechnicallychallengingtoexploreandexploitefficientlyandrequireadditionalsignificantlevelsofscientificcharacterizationandexploitationtechnologynotnormallyutilizedinconventionalhydrocarbonexploration.

TheAAPGEnergyMineralsDivisionhelpstoprovideandfillthisneedforadvancedtechnicalinformation,eitherintheformofliteratureandpublicationsorshort-coursesandorganizationalsupportofconferencesandsessionssuchasprovidedbytheannualandregionalAAPGconferences,asapprovedbytheAAPGleadership. EX

PLORER

EMD:NoDuesRequiredByFRANKWALLESandMICHAELCAMPBELL

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POSITION AVAILABLE

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.

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

VicePresidentExploration&Geology-FluentinSpanish/EnglishBasedinSantaBarbaraCA-LeadLatinAmericadivisionofInternationalO&GCompany.Degree-willingnesstotraveltoLatinAmerica.Proveninternationalexplorationexperiencewithmultiplebasins.Backgroundingeology&geophysics.$188,000-$224,000+bonus/stock-e-mailresumeinconfidenceto:[email protected]

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

Bureau of Economic GeologyJohn A. & Katherine G. Jackson

School of GeosciencesThe University of Texas at Austin

TheExplorationGeophysicsLaboratory(EGL,http://www.beg.utexas.edu/indassoc/egl/index.htm)iscurrentlyseekingapplicantsforaRSAIIIposition.Thesuccessfulcandidatewillpossessproficiencyandknowledgetosupportmulti-componentseismicdataresearchactivitiesoftheExplorationGeophysicsLaboratory.CandidatesmusthaveaMaster’sdegreeingeosciencesorrelatedfield,and3plusyearsexperience,orBachelor’sdegreeand6yearsofrelevantexperience. Pleasereferto:http://utdirect.utexas.edu/pnjobs/index.WBX (posting # 100602014209)forafulldescriptionandrequirementsofeachpositionandforinstructionsonhowtoapply. TheUniversityofTexasatAustinisanEEO/affirmativeactionemployer.Allpositionsaresecuritysensitive,andconvictionverificationisconductedonapplicantsselected.

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

Bureau of Economic GeologyJohn A. & Katherine G. Jackson

School of GeosciencesThe University of Texas at Austin

TheExplorationGeophysicsLaboratory(EGL,http://www.beg.utexas.edu/indassoc/egl/index.htm)iscurrentlyseekingapplicantsforaGeophysicistposition.Thesuccessfulcandidatewillconductresearchincollecting,processing,andinterpretingmulti-componentseismicdatainunconventionalresource,geothermal,andCO2sequestrationstudies.CandidatesmusthaveaPhDinGeophysics,orMaster’sdegreewithatleast5yearsrelevantexperience.Experienceinmulti-componentseismictechnologyandtheabilitytowritesoftwarecode. Pleasereferto:http://utdirect.utexas.edu/pnjobs/index.WBX (posting #100602010708)for

afulldescriptionandrequirementsofeachpositionandforinstructionsonhowtoapply. TheUniversityofTexasatAustinisanEEO/affirmativeactionemployer.Allpositionsaresecuritysensitive,andconvictionverificationisconductedonapplicantsselected.

FOR SALE

Mudloggingunitswitheasytolearnsoftware.Veryreliable,fullfeatured,portableunits.ContactAutomatedMudloggingSystems.

(303)794-7470www.mudlogger.com

MISCELLANEOUS

Party Celebrating Dr. Wayne’s World

Dr.WaynePettyjohn,professoremeritus,OklahomaStateUniversityholdstherecordformostpiezometers(43)ataresidence.Asidefromtraininggraduatestudentsandprofessionals,Wayneprovidedacoursethatretooledapproximately1300professionalsfromthepetroleumindustrytothewaterindustrytoprovideemploymentfromtheoilbustduringthe1980’s.Duetothevagariesoffederalrules,wedonothavealistofthesegeologicprofessionals.However,wewouldliketohaveapartyinhonorofWayneonOct1st,2010inStillwater,Oklahoma.IfyouwereastudentorfriendofWayne’sandwouldliketoattendourcelebrationsofhiscareer,pleasecontactToddHalihanattodd.haihan@okstate.eduorOSUSchoolofGeology,105NRC,Stillwater,OK74078formoreinformation.

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

SAMPLES TO RENT

InternationalSampleLibrary@Midland–FormerlyMidlandSampleLibrary.Establishedin1947.Have164,000wellswith1,183,000,000wellsamplesandcoresstoredin17buildingsfrom26states,Mexico,CanadaandoffshoreAustralia.Wealsohaveageologicalsupplyinventory.

Phone:(432)682-2682Fax:(432)682-2718

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EliminatepilotholesanddrillmorehorizontalpayzonewithSEStechnicalGEOSTEERINGSOFTWARE!SESisforgeologistswhoaredissatisfiedwithdrafting-toolmethodsofgeosteering.Freetrial.www.makinhole.com.StonerEngineeringLLC.

CLASSIFIEDADS

Mary Harris,Larry Jones,Sarah Jones,Pete MacKenzie,Dan SmithandGerrit Wind.(Seerelatedstory,page31.)

***

Finally,Iwishtowelcomethenewlyelectedcouncilorsandalternates(term2010-13):

uMid-Continent–Joel A. Alberts(councilor)andDavid Tschopp(alternate).

uSouthwestSection–Gregg A.

Norman(councilor)andDavid Entzminger (alternate).

uGulfCoastSection–William R. MeanyandStewart Chuber(councilors),andTimothy J. BennettandChandler Wilhelm(alternates).

AsincomingDPApresidentIlookforwardtoanexcitingandpositiveyear.Iamconfidentthatourofficers,councilors,alternatesandmemberswilloffertheirsupporttoreachourgoalsandprovidebenefitstoourmembers.

IwishtothankPaulBritt–presidentandtheentireExecutiveCommitteefortheirleadershipduringthepastyear.Thanksforajobwelldone. EX

PLORER

CLASSIFIED ADS

Youcanreachabout30,000petroleumgeologistsatthelowestper-readercostintheworldwithaclassifiedadintheEXPLORER. Adsareattherateof$2.90perword,minimumchargeof$60.And,foranadditional$50,youradcanappearontheclassifiedsectionontheAAPGwebsite.Youradcanreachmorepeoplethaneverbefore. Justwriteoutyouradandsendittous.Wewillcallyouwiththewordcountandcost.Youcanthenarrangeprepayment.Adsreceivedbythefirstofthemonthwillappearinthesubsequentedition.

DPAfrom page 43


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ByRICKFRITZ,AAPGExecutiveDirector

Ilovethesaying,“Youcan’tmakefootprintsintimesittingdown.”

AsIapproachtheendofmytenthfiscalyear,Imusethatwecertainlyhavenotsatdownforthepast10years.Infact,insomecasesthefootprintswouldleavenoheels,aswewererunning!

***

ForthelastissueoftheHoDDelegates’VoiceIwasaskedtowriteaboutthesignificantchangesIhaveseentoAAPGoverthepastdecade.Themostbasicchangeisthenumberofnewprogramsthathavebeenaddedbymembersandstaff.Forexample:

uInscienceAAPGhasaddedthedigitalBULLETIN,Datapages,Search and DiscoveryandtheGISprogram,plusourjointassociationwithGSW–GeoScienceWorld.

uMembershipalsohasseensignificantchange.

3ThroughtheExecutiveCommittee,AdvisoryCommitteeandtheHouseofDelegates,newrulesandprocedureshaveimprovedandstreamlinedthemembershipprocess,includingjoiningandpayingduesonline.

3ManymembersarenowtakingadvantageofAAPG’sgraduatedduesprogram.

3Halliburton’s,andnowChevron’s,sponsorshipofstudentshasrapidlyincreasedthismembercategory.

3ThenewCorporateandBusinesscommitteesarebuildingnewbridgesintocompaniesandcountries.

uIntheareaofcommunications,thewebsitehasbeensignificantlyimprovedandexpanded.Manyinformationaldocumentsarenowreadilyavailablethatwerenotavailablebefore.TheEXPLORERisnowavailableonline,andforpublicoutreachwehaveaddedpetroleumgeology.org.

uConsideringconferences,AAPGwasconductingonlyofficialannualconferenceandexhibition(ACE)10yearsago,andwewouldaddtheinternationalconferenceandexhibition(ICE)whentherewasopportunity.NowweholdICEonaregularbasis–plusAPPEXLondonisanannualevent.TheEuropeanRegionregularlyholdsanannualmeeting,andtheotherRegionsarecontemplatingregularmeetingsliketheSections.

However,therealgrowthhasbeeninjointmeetingswithoursistersocieties.AtthestartofthisdecadeouronlyregularjointsocietymeetingwasOTC.Currently,AAPGparticipatesinNAPE,GEO-MiddleEast,GEO-India,IPTC,3-P(PolarPetroleumPotential)andmostrecently,we’renowmanagingthenewArctic

TechnologyConferenceforOTC.

uTheEducation and Research committeescontinuetodevelopnewprogramcontent.NowwealsoofferGeoscienceTechnologyWorkshopsande-Symposiums.Alsonew,AAPGnowhasoversightresponsibilitiesforthePetroleumTechnologyTransferCouncil.

uHeadquartershaschangedsignificantlyaswell.Newstaff,newadvancedsoftware,andproceduresandpoliciesaresignificantimprovements.

TherearemanyothernewprogramsIhavenotmentioned,suchasourCareer Servicesprogram,andtheDivisions,whichhavesignificantlyincreasedandimprovedtheirofferingsduringthepast10years.

Theoverarchingchangeisglobaldevelopment.ThispathwasmadeclearinthestrategicplandevelopedbyAAPGleadershipearlierinthisdecade.Itisimportantthatthisplanwasnotdesignedtoforgetour“roots”intheUnitedStatesbutrathertousethestrengthoftheorganizationthatwasbuiltbypastAAPG

memberstoplant“newroots”andgrowaroundtheglobesothatwecanprovidebetterscienceandnewopportunities.

TheAAPG Foundationalsohasexperiencedsignificantchange–raisingalmost$30milliontosupportcurrentprogramsandnewopportunities.MostimportantlytheleadershipandstaffoftheFoundationhavedevelopedacultureofgivingthatwillcontinuewellintothefuture.

***

Plutarchoncesaidthat“Timeisthewisestofallcouncilors.”Wehavelearnedalotinthepast10years,andAAPGcontinuestoevolveforthebenefitofitsmembersandthegeneralpublic.

Therealityis,it’shardtoplaceafingeronone“change”thathasmadeAAPGdifferent.ItisratheranevolutionofideasfromAAPGmembersandstaff.EachAAPGpresidentandExecutiveCommitteebringsnewideastobuildandgrowAAPG.ThesameistrueoftheDivisionsandstandingcommittees.

ThisiswhatkeepsAAPGfreshandnew.

Geoscientistsarenevershortofnewideas–andwelookforwardtothenextgreatone.

AAPG–EvolvinginaFullSprint DIRECTOR’SCORNER

ByDANIELJ.TEARPOCK,DPAPresident

AAPG’sDivisionofProfessionalAffairshasbeenspreadingitsmissionof“EthicsandProfessionalism”for45

years.TheDPAisproudtoplayitspartintheeducationanddevelopmentofpetroleumgeoscientists.

AswemoveintothenewfiscalyearbeginningJuly1,weplantobuildontheshouldersofthemanygreatofficers,councilorsandmemberswhohavecomebeforeus.

AsDPApresident(2010-11),internationalgrowthwillbeoneofmykeygoalsforthiscomingyear.ThismeansexpandingourpresencewithinAAPG’ssixglobalregions(Canada,LatinAmerica,Europe,MiddleEast,AfricaandAsia-Pacific).Afterall,aswithgeology,EthicsandProfessionalismdoesnotstopatacountry’sborder–astrongcodeofethicsandprofessionalismisacentralcomponenttointernationalpetroleumgeoscienceactivities.

InordertoaccomplishthischallenginggoalwearefirstmakingaDPABylawschangeinordertoobtainmorerepresentationinternationallyintheranksoftheDPAcouncil.ThischangewillallowtheDPAtohaveatleastonecouncilorandalternateineachofthesixAAPGregions.

WeplantoworkcloselywiththepresidentsofeachRegiontohelpusdefinecouncilcandidateswhopossesapassiontopromotetheDPAwithinthevariousregions.Inaddition,welooktotheRegion

presidentstoprovideuswiththeirvaluedassistancetomakethischallenginggoalarealityfortheDPAandAAPG.

WealsoplantoworkwiththeInternationalRegionsCommittee(IRC)thatisco-chairedbyMartyHewittandPeterLloyd.

Recently,theEuropeanRegionappointedanewAAPGdivisions’liaison,JeffAldrich.IamconfidentthatJeffwillprovideinvaluableassistanceinsupportingtheDPA’sinternationalgrowthgoal.

***

InordertobringvaluetotheDPAmembershipintheUnitedStatesweplantoengageourcouncilorsandalternates

toworkcloselywithregionalsocietiestooffercontinuingeducationcoursesandluncheonseminarsonethics,professionalismandspecialtechnicaltopics.

WealsoplantoparticipateateachoftheAAPGSectionmeetings,aswellastheAAPGannualandinternationalconventions.

IencourageanyDPAmemberwhorecognizestheneedforoneofDPA’sactivitiesinyourareatopleasecontactyourcouncilor,NormaNewbyatAAPGheadquarters,orme.

GrassrootsparticipationbyDPAmembersisaneffectivewayofidentifyinglocalopportunitiesfortheDPAtosupportandbringvaluetoitsmembers.

***

DuringthepastyearDPAhostedaTownHallmeetinginOklahomaCity.WehopetohostadditionalTownHallmeetingsinthecomingyear,andIstronglyrecommendthateachDPAcouncilorandalternateconsiderthepossibilityofhostingaTownHallmeetinginyourarea.

TownHallsprovideanadditional

opportunityfortheDPAtobringvaluetoitslocalmembers–andpresenttopotentialnewmemberstheDPAlegacy,currentactivitiesandoverallbenefitsofDPAmembership.

AAPGandDPAmembersmeettwiceayearinWashington,D.C.,tomeetwithcongressionalstaff.ThemostrecentmeetingwasheldMay10-12.Overtwodays,theymetwithagenciesandcongressionalstafftalkingabouttheroleofenergyintheeconomyandworkforce,theneedforaccesstolandforE&PandtheimportanceoffederaloilandgasR&D.

LedbyDPAGovernmentalAffairsCommitteechairDeborah Sacrey,thedelegationincludedPaul Britt,Ross Clark,

Ethics, professionalism crosses all borders

ExpandingDPA’sInternationalPresence

DIVISIONS’REPORT

FRITz

The overarching change is global development. This path was made clear in the strategic plan developed by AAPG leadership earlier this decade.

TEARPOCK

See DPA, page 42

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Documents

07 Explorer 10