The energy industry landscape is rapidly changing – energy is in transition. The world’s resources and the search for plentiful, reliable energy have been and will continue to be in demand.
What has moved to the forefront – and why energy is in transition – is the quest for cleaner, efficient and diversified energy resources.
The role we play as geoscientists – in understanding the surface and subsurface, as well as working closely with others – is to be part of the integrated approach to sustainable development. Technical professionals, including geoscientists and engineers, industry, governments, academia, investors and the public are all critical stakeholders with whom we work to interpret, understand, discover and communicate a complete energy picture.
Cooperation Between Professional Societies
There are many ways to work together professionally, and one that stands out is through professional societies.
In the spirit of full disclosure, I have been a member of both AAPG and the Society of Petroleum Engineers for decades. This integrated network of professionals helps me obtain a broader, more complete vision of science and energy – to understand how global energy comes together and provide the most complete analysis and solutions. I often would attend AAPG forums/meetings and SPE meetings/forums on the same subject matter almost back-to-back, and wondered, “Why aren’t we speaking to each other, why couldn’t this have been one all-inclusive technical meeting?”
These experiences that significantly enhanced my geoscience career are an example of how a partnership between the AAPG and SPE could benefit us all.
As you might have heard by now (and if you haven’t, I would refer you to AAPG President Gretchen Gillis’ column in this issue of the EXPLORER for more details), the vote on the proposed merger between AAPG and SPE has been suspended while the joint Merger Steering Committee reviews issues and concerns referred to it by the AAPG Executive Committee.
Of course, for all of us who have been through mergers, no matter what the type, we are skeptical. How would it be done? Would each organization’s technical side and members be of equal footing? What would the new organization look like? How would I fit in?
All are valid questions. Some of those answers are available on the AAPG-SPE Proposed Merger website and many will become apparent if the process continues.
Whatever happens – or doesn’t happen – with the proposed merger, the fact remains that there is a vital need for technical integration. It is what will help us all learn, grow and work together to meet the energy needs of the present and the future!