Happy new year to all Energy Minerals Division and AAPG members!
T.S. Eliot wrote, “For last year’s words belong to last year’s language, and next year’s words await another voice. And to make an end is to make a beginning.”
Therefore, I am focusing on the exciting future outlook in energy minerals and not dwelling on the past year that has been painful to many of us on a personal and professional level. One of the good outcomes of the downturn in oil and gas was an increased focus on alternative resources and technologies related to both the climate change discussion and the demand for clean energy. The transition has been embraced by most major oil and gas companies, which already have a competitive advantage in producing energy related to low-cost production and significant domestic expertise. Perhaps most exciting is the fact that many of the majors have been putting out statements of diversification toward clean energy, many with a goal of net-zero by 2030!
However, this transition will not happen without hydrocarbons, especially natural gas. EMD is very well prepared to lead the charge with our different scientific committees focused on alternative energy sources, such as nuclear, critical minerals, gas hydrates, helium, geothermal and tight oil and gas. In order to facilitate the energy transition, the oil and gas sector will need to work together with companies and scientists involved in critical minerals, hydrogen, geothermal and others, as these industries will also furnish jobs and attract investments and growth opportunities. Unfortunately, the oil and gas industry as we’ve known it is in flux, but with that, many new opportunities will present themselves.
ACE 2021 and Other EMD Content
Preparations for the 2021 AAPG Annual Convention and Exhibition are under way with a variety of very interesting sessions in the works. Claudia Hackbarth is the chair for Theme 9 of the meeting and it’s not too late to submit your abstracts. We are also going to have another “What’s new in energy minerals” special session with our esteemed EMD committee chairs giving us an overview of the newest developments in their respective committees, in addition to a session on “Questions of transitions – forum of leading thinkers.” Stay tuned!
I hope you didn’t miss the EMD highlights and special section on our Uranium and Hydrate committees in the last issue of the EMD. Please check out our new EMD YouTube channel showcasing highlights and diverse sessions of our EMD activities, which can be found by searching “AAPG Energy Minerals.”
As always, please contact me or any of the EMD committee chairs if you’d like to get involved in this exciting organization by visiting AAPG.org/Divisions/EMD.