In a rapidly changing world with an ever-evolving energy landscape, geoscientists must learn quickly and work seamlessly with professionals from many disciplines to succeed both in industry and academia.
Integration – of teams, projects and concepts – is more than a buzz word. It is a key to doing business in nearly every aspect of the energy sector.
As industry evolves, professional associations are following suit. Three years ago, AAPG, the Society for Exploration Geophysicists and the Society for Sedimentary Geology integrated their annual events to create IMAGE – the International Meeting for Applied Geoscience and Energy.
IMAGE combines the three societies’ annual meetings into a single event designed to be the ultimate geoscience experience for learning best practices, discovering solutions and developing new perspectives and strategies for the future.
The Best of the Best
Alan Wegener, AAPG managing director for global business and IMAGE operations director, described the conference as the premier event for geoscientists around the world.
“Whether you call it our Super Bowl, World Cup, the Finals, or simply ‘the best,’ IMAGE is the world’s most important event for petroleum and energy geoscientists and, if you’re a member, AAPG is your Home Team,” he said.
Wegener noted that, while the industry has embraced the new event and abstracts submissions have climbed 69 percent year-over-year, many members continue to ask about ACE – the AAPG Annual Convention and Exhibition.
“It’s a lingering question for some, as the name changed and the timing shifted from the second to the third quarter every year,” he said.
“IMAGE is the annual convention – everything you valued about ACE, and more. That incredible sense of community – supporting science and technology, learning and giving back, and engaging with friends and colleagues – means everything to keeping the profession and the Association working,” he said.
IMAGE ’23 includes more than 1,500 geoscience and energy technical presentations across a variety of oral and poster talks, strategic panels, short courses, field trips, workshops, business pitches and networking sessions.
Meredith Faber, geologist at Aramco Americas, and strategic panels co-chair for the IMAGE ‘23 Steering Committee, agreed.
“While ACE and IMAGE are distinct events that serve different purposes, longtime members should know that many of the qualities they valued in ACE are still present in IMAGE. We might not be spending Sunday morning at the House of Delegates meeting, for example, but the opportunities for networking remain an integral part of IMAGE’s framework,” she said.
“In addition, the high-caliber scientific sessions that ACE attendees have come to expect have been greatly expanded at IMAGE. The combined energy geoscience talent in AAPG and SEG is unmatched, and that excellence is reflected in the technical program. There will be something for everyone at IMAGE ‘23,” Faber added.
Traditional Favorites and New Features
The 2023 IMAGE event includes popular ACE sessions: the Halbouty Lecture, Discovery Thinking Forum and History of Petroleum Geology sessions, as well as luncheons organized by AAPG divisions and the AAPG Women’s Network.
IMAGE ‘23 includes programming and activities organized by the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee, an Early-Career Professionals Scavenger Hunt and Networking Event and a Gathering Place in the exhibition designed for informal meetups and discussions.
Participants can attend complimentary programming in the Carbon Management, Digitalization, Near-Surface and Global Energy Opportunities Pavilions that joined the IMAGE exhibit hall in 2022.
Faber said that, after months of planning and committee calls, she looks forward to seeing the event come together in August.
“A very dedicated group of AAPG, SEG and SEPM volunteers, along with staff from those organizations, have spent countless hours crafting an incredible program that showcases the science as well as the evolving nature of our industry,” she said.
Faber has helped to plan annual meetings before, but this year she had additional support from her employer Aramco, a company she joined last October.
“Aramco has a longstanding commitment to corporate citizenship and has proudly supported both AAPG and SEG for many years, including as a Diamond-level sponsor of IMAGE 2023,” she said.
In addition to participation as a sponsor, Aramco will have a stand in the exhibition and dozens of oral and poster presentations in the program. The company will receive three awards from SEG during the Honors and Awards ceremony on Aug. 29.
Faber said she is grateful to contribute to IMAGE ‘23 through her involvement in both technical and non-technical programs.
“I consider it a means to give back to two professional societies that have helped my career,” she said.
Faber worked with co-chair Laura Pommer from EnergyFunders to design eight strategic panels designed to complement the technical sessions at IMAGE.
“The strategic panels represent an opportunity to connect our industry’s thought leaders with the broader geoscience community and generate important dialogue around several topics critical to the future of energy,” she said.
“Facilitating conversations on workforce dynamics and diversity, energy transition, diversification and investment, and collaboration and public engagement brings awareness to not only the challenges currently facing our industry, but also the opportunities we have to learn and grow as energy professionals and people.”
A Multifaceted, Integrated Program
Asked for one word to describe IMAGE, Faber chose “multifaceted,” joking that she cannot resist a minerology pun.
“If you’re involved or interested in geoscience and the role it plays in delivering energy to the world, IMAGE has programming for you,” she said. “There are multiple sessions offering integrated studies on geological and geophysical topics from around the world. It will be easy to find a session relevant to your field of study.”
Charles Sternbach, Star Creek Energy president, adjunct research professor at the University of Houston, and AAPG’s 101st president, chose “integration” as the best word to describe IMAGE.
“Integration, analogs and exploration mindmaps” is his descriptors for the Discovery Thinking Forum, a highly popular AAPG annual meeting program Sternbach developed and credits with attracting more than 12,000 attendees in its 15-year history.
Sternbach and SEG member Mike Forrest will co-chair the 2023 Discovery Thinking Session entitled “Integrating Geology and Geophysics: Lessons from Giant Global Discoveries.” This year’s forum will be the 28th in the program’s illustrious history.
Sternbach said Discovery Thinking exemplifies the event’s overarching strategy to integrate disciplines through a combined annual meeting.
“AAPG ACE was organized the way most geologists think, geographically by basins, plays and fields. Geophysics tends to be more technological, mathematical and process-oriented. While specialization is needed, integration is also needed to perform creative functions like exploration. And that is what we designed Discovery Thinking to showcase,” he said.
“The challenge for IMAGE is to integrate geology and geophysics, not just co-locate geology sessions in one room and geophysics in the next. We created the Discovery Thinking forum at IMAGE to showcase successful geoscience teamwork all in the same room,” he added.
Sternbach said he looks forward to a solid program featuring global talks.
“The maps, cross-sections and seismic images are always so instructive. Bill Armstrong’s giant discoveries in Alaska are breathtaking and bold. Bill Langin and his team from Shell will share information on basin-opening discoveries in Namibia and global deepwater exploration. Andrea Cozzi and the ENI team will share privileged methodological insights from 70 years of outstanding exploration success in the Eastern Mediterranean. And we are so grateful to Derya Kilic Demirci, TPAO, as she shares exciting recent discoveries in the Black Sea, Turkey,” he said.
Sternbach said the more than one hundred Discovery Thinking talks seen over the years have made him a better explorer, and a history of strong attendance confirms the benefit to others.
“Explorers are always learning. We can’t have enough analogs in our toolkits. We want this Forum at IMAGE ‘23 to inspire attendees. The experience and wisdom of creative explorers accelerates all of us.” he said.
The 28th Discovery Thinking Forum will be presented on Wednesday, Aug. 30, 1:20 to 5:20 PM in Room 360A of the George R. Brown Convention Center.
A legacy of many previous Discovery Thinking presentations can be found on Search and Discovery: www.searchanddiscovery.com/specialcollections/discoverythinking.html
Connection and Community
Wegener said attendance at IMAGE benefits individual members, the geoscience community and the Association as a whole.
“Geoscientists play a critical role in our planet’s future, and AAPG’s mission of advancing scientific and professional excellence is enduring,” he said.
He added that, while technology provides many opportunities for geoscientists, there is no substitute for in-person connection.
“IMAGE is committed to putting a global spotlight on geoscience and geoscientists – a mirror of AAPG’s, SEG’s and SEPM’s mission,” he said. “If you believe geologists play a vital role in the world, then staying connected with your AAPG family and professional peers has never been more important.”
Encouraging Others to Attend
Faber said she hopes her service to the IMAGE ‘23 Steering Committee and attending the event will encourage others to get involved.
“Volunteering is an excellent way to cultivate stewardship and engage with peers from multiple aspects of the global energy community,” she said.
“IMAGE is the premier event for energy geoscience and AAPG members have much to discover and learn by attending. Even if you only meet one person that can help your business, employ your services or products, provide career advice and mentorship or build your network, IMAGE will have been worth it. I invite all AAPG members to take advantage of this opportunity. You never know who you might meet!”
Benefits for the Association
Faber added that, in addition to receiving personal and professional benefits, members who register for events like IMAGE provide a service to the associations who organize them.
“Professional societies and organizations exist because of the interest and support of the people engaged in those professions. For those who are concerned about what the future holds for AAPG, I urge you to come to IMAGE and see how the industry is changing,” she said.
“To remain relevant, our societies must change as well. By attending IMAGE, donating your time as a volunteer or serving in a position of leadership, you demonstrate your commitment to helping professional societies remain important resources for you and future geoscience professionals.”
View the full schedule of IMAGE events at IMAGEevent.org.