An amazing video and archival celebration of AAPG’s first 100 years is now available online, and it’s a page that every member will want to visit again and again. AAPG’s 100th Anniversary website, including the historic video interviews comprising the GeoLegends sessions, can be found either through a link on the AAPG homepage (under “Resources”), or by going directly to 100Years.aapg.org.
There you’ll find the results of work that has been in progress for more than a decade, involving a large number of dedicated AAPG Members who helped provide content for a website that celebrates the past even as it inspires future generations of petroleum geoscientists.
A personal note: I served as the founding chair of the committee that helped define the project’s vision under the 100th Anniversary Committee, but the work you’ll find was largely possible through the efforts of past AAPG President Paul Weimer and 2017 Michel T. Halbouty Outstanding Leadership Award recipient Ed Dolly.
The 100th Anniversary website includes video presentations from the wildly successful Discovery Thinking Forums that have been offered at our ACE annual conventions and ICE international conferences. I’ve been personally involved in this part of the project and I know firsthand that the speakers who are featured are among the industry’s most amazing explorers.
The century’s “Top 100 Papers” is a list that includes the geoscience’s seminal papers, overseen by past AAPG President Randi Martinsen. The “Top 100 Field Trips,” were compiled by past AAPG President Steve Sonnenberg, and former AAPG executive director Rick Fritz.
And, perhaps the site’s most impressive feature are the GeoLegends interviews, a series of 50 videos with 62 key geoscientists who made game-changing discoveries and significant scientific contributions to the profession and industry, all of whom describe their thinking and the efforts that brought success. Produced by Weimer and Dolly, those interviewed include 16 Sidney Power Memorial awardees, four Michel T. Halbouty Outstanding Leadership Award recipients and eight winners of the Norman H. Foster Outstanding Explorer Award. The entire site is filled with information that is intriguing, inspiring and, best of all, an important resource to help enhance your value as a geoscientist.
But be careful – If you binge watch these inspirational talks, you just may go out and find a giant field of your own, develop a new play, create an innovative technological breakthrough or produce more energy to make the world a better place!
Also, as you’ll see explained elsewhere in this issue, there is an exciting new Explorer website that launched this month, which can be found at Explorer.AAPG.org.
Explore Our Annual Meeting
My hat is off to Michael Vandenberg, 2018 Annual Convention and Exhibition (ACE) general chair, and his team for organizing the event around the theme “ACE 101: Bridging Fundamentals and Innovation.”
The meeting will be May 20-23, 2018 in Salt Lake City Utah. There will be seven special sessions (see next month’s Explorer for details). Other highlights include 13 field trips, an incredible core display (massive in scale), and Pre-Salt sessions. Now is a great time to make plans to attend!
Explore the World’s Most Petroliferous Super Basins!
AAPG Global Super Basins Conference in March 2018 will be a new quick-to-market conference. I have been writing about this for a few months, and it is the editorial focus of this issue of the Explorer that you now hold in your hands (or on your device). It is an initiative to help provide all AAPG members the opportunity to share best practices in the most petroliferous provinces around the globe. The speaker list is a “Who’s Who” of basin experts and big thinkers with 29 global speakers including at least three AAPG “Outstanding Explorers.”
At the conference, we plan to engage global energy leaders, energy advisers and members of the investment community. A launch party is available at CERA week Sunday March 4, 2018 to the first 125 people who register for the Mar 27-29 AAPG conference on the AAPG website. Details can be found in companion articles this issue. Plus, we are planning many super basin articles and enhanced content in the AAPG Bulletin, so there’s more to explore!
Exploring Ways to Strengthen AAPG’s Content Engines
In November last year, AAPG leaders met for a working weekend at the University of Houston campus. In addition to handling important aspects of AAPG’s mid-year business, we shared best practices through committee cross talk.
I selected the University of Houston because it is an energetic and forward-looking venue connecting AAPG to a larger multidisciplinary energy community with excellent public outreach opportunities. The AAPG program included more than 50 students. My favorite moments:
- Recognizing future industry workforce by personally presenting a copy of the “Heritage of the Petroleum Geologist” book in appreciation for poster presentations at the Science Break to 30+ students.
- Thanking each of AAPG’s committee chairs or representatives for sharing news and goals about their committees, highlights and new ideas on how we can work together.
- Alan Wegener of AAPG staff gave a great summary of “What’s going right at AAPG!” This was informative, uplifting, and well timed. AAPG staff have been doing a great job in light of a 40-percent reduction in work force over the last several years. A positive tone is appropriate in light of all that has been accomplished by the remarkable men and women of AAPG staff.
- Other highlights included Allyson Anderson Book (executive director of AGI), Steve Sonnenberg, (AAPG past president), and Denise Cox (AAPG president-elect) speaking on future work force trends.
- We featured industry leaders like Paul Mann, Bob Fryklund and Chandler Wilhelm. David Curtiss chaired a Corporate Advisory panel discussion on energy trends for the future, which also included perspectives by Bobby Ryan and Bill Maloney.
- Innovative Revenue growth panel facilitated by Henry Pettingill and Niven Shumacher.
- YP Mini Summit, chaired by Meredith Faber and Jonathan Allen.
- House of Delegates Midyear Meeting, chaired by HOD Chairman David Entzminger and Justin Vandenbrink HOD Secretary Editor.
- Conversations with Section and Region Leadership, facilitated by Vice President of Sections Dan Schwartz and Vice President of Regions David Cook.
- Forward planning by AAPG’s divisions, including a business meeting by the Division of Professional Affairs chaired by DPA President Jim Hill.
- My remarks focused on how AAPG members help provide abundant and affordable energy that positively impacts our environment and economy. Super basins drive sustainability and security – an important part of AAPG’s future.
Explore Your Options to Contribute to AAPG
There are many ways for all AAPG members to contribute. You can present a paper or poster, serve on a committee, chair a conference session, submit an article to the Bulletin, write a book or publication, teach a short course, organize a field trip, speak to students, stand for office and nominate a colleague for an award.
Thanks to AAPG leaders who have contributed in these and other ways.
I have personally done all of these and found each experience richly rewarding. You can also contribute to Technical Interest Groups (TIG) or Special Interest Group (SIG) postings online: http://aapg.to/TigsSigsOnline.
Those who work to make AAPG a better society enrich both the society and themselves. So, I end with a question: What are you going to do for AAPG in the New Year?