I
was intrigued by AAPG President Dan Smith's question in his column
in the July EXPLORER. Under the headline "Value Proposition — An Attainable
Goal," he asked if there exists a reservoir geologist who knows
the ins and outs, the tools and science of his reservoir.
I completely
agree with Dan's answer — I do not qualify either.
Nonetheless,
I am sure we can make a difference when dealing with a reservoir through
knowing what needs to be understood and what needs to be done. In addition,
knowing the right experts to fall back on when in doubt is an asset
at hand.
As the new
chair of the International Regions Committee, I am learning quickly
that this technical analysis parallels the volunteer work of the IRC.
A few months ago, then-AAPG President Robbie Gries approached me asking
if I would chair the IRC, replacing Peter Lloyd after he was elected
to AAPG vice president. As a member of that committee for three years
now, I felt privileged to be offered the chance to add value and make
a positive difference — I almost agreed on the spot.
The IRC is
fortunate to include an active team composed of vice chairs, team leaders
and country contacts, all committed to expanding the network of communication
between AAPG members throughout our international regions. Above all,
the IRC is fortunate to enjoy the direct support of the AAPG Executive
Committee and the support of the ever-active AAPG headquarters staff.
The IRC team
has the focus, the initiative, and the desire to do our task. The task
is simple: Promote international participation in the AAPG.
You and the
IRC team can make a difference for AAPG, for our profession and for
ourselves by joining a region when you are planning to work on that
region for more than a year. Doing so enables you and other region members
to exchange views and understand geology, geophysics, the people and
the environment in the region — and make intelligible decisions when
it comes time to answer:
Have we minimized
the risk?
How about geological
factors, geophysical factors, environmental factors and geopolitical
factors?
Having accurate
information and knowing the right professionals may create or eliminate
a prospect, a play or a whole deal.
In the IRC,
we do our best to convey accurate information to our members and promote
the understanding of our captivating discipline, "Petroleum Geology,"
through our Web site, through the committee structure and communication,
and with AAPG HQ support.
Peter Kahn
is a U.S.-based IRC member who has taken on the tremendous responsibility
of providing content to AAPG HQ for the site.
Using this
invaluable tool, you can stay current with members in other countries
— not only those who will make a difference, but also those who can
help you make a difference. Country contacts, team leaders and the vice
chairs interact to exchange their experience and benefit each other
and not re-invent the wheel.
In coordination
with HQ's international development efforts, headed by the ever-active
Brenda Cunningham, we've got what it takes to learn fast enough to accomplish
our goal.
Coming back
to being a jack of all geoscience trades, whether reservoir characterization
or chairing the IRC, I do not claim to do either faultlessly. But at
the IRC, we can confidently claim that we are trying our best — and
adding value to the AAPG.
Let me leave
you with these two notes:
- The 2002 International
Conference and Exhibition in Cairo, Egypt, Oct. 27-30, is a learning
experience that the IRC members are contributing heavily to, and will
definitely benefit from. Plan to attend it.
- Meanwhile, join the region
that you benefit from — now.