The vision
of AAPG's Energy Minerals Division (EMD) is to be the primary professional
community for geoscientists working with natural energy resources
other than conventional oil and gas, and for professional development,
information and networking in the following technical fields:
-
Coal.
- Coalbed
methane.
- Energy
economics and technology.
- Gas
hydrates.
- Gas
shales.
- Geospatial
information.
- Geothermal.
- Nuclear
minerals (uranium).
- Oil
shale.
- Tar
(oil) sands.
This list
has grown with the development of unconventional energy resources.
A new technical field for gas shales was added to the EMD program
in 2003.
As an organization
we strive to be the first place to go when either expanding within
a field or moving into a new field. No one is knowledgeable in all
of the broad technical fields within EMD, but most EMD members are
specialists in at least one field, and the EMD has a knowledge and
experience base in each of these fields.
EMD provides
benefits to all AAPG members through publications (e.g., Sequence
Stratigraphy, Paleoclimate and Tectonics of Coal-Bearing Strata;
Atlas of Coal Geology; Geology and Coal Resource Utilization; and
the Unconventional Energy Resources of North America poster) and
sponsorship at professional meetings (e.g., oral and poster sessions,
short courses, field trips and luncheons). Basic information on
each of the technical fields is provided in the public area of the
EMD Web site (http://emd.aapg.org/).
The most
value is afforded to EMD members. The members-only area of the EMD
Web site currently has information on our annual report, business
plan, bylaws, certified coal geologists, committees, Explorer articles,
honors and awards (historical list), leadership meeting reports,
membership directory (searchable by member name, technical area,
AAPG Section, city, state, country and company), newsletters, past
executive committees, procedures manual, publications and sections.
The
EMD offers:
-
Certification — In conjunction with the Division of Professional
Affairs, EMD offers peer-reviewed, professional certification
for coal geologists (application forms are available on the Web
site). Certification recognizes qualified professionals who subscribe
to a strict code of ethics and possess relevant education and
experience.
- Discounts
— EMD members receive discounts on EMD-sponsored short courses
and field trips at AAPG annual and sectional meetings.
- Information
— The Web site's members-only area has detailed information on
both regional and technical levels. The area includes information
on meetings, activities and technical areas at the AAPG Section
or region level, and technical articles, reference lists, Web
links and committee reports at a technical level.
- Networking
— EMD provides a forum for interaction with professionals in
a wide range of technical fields to gain knowledge of scientific
and technological developments worldwide.
Networking
can be accomplished through involvement on committees, attendance
at professional meetings and luncheons, and searching the EMD membership
directory online for members with similar interests and geographic
areas.
If you
have not looked at the Energy Minerals Division recently, it is
time to take a look — we have
much to offer. The EMD is the place for your professional development
within unconventional energy fields on which future generations
will increasingly rely.