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HGS Annual Guest Night - May 22, 2010 - Speaker Announced

Bill Osten — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 13:00:00 GMT

Announcing

2010 HGS Annual Guest Night

Saturday, May 22, 2010

"Big Bend

Where the Rockies Meet the Appalachians

Discoveries and Enigmas"

Guest Speaker:

Dr. Patricia Wood Dickerson,

The Geological Institute and Visiting Research Fellow,

Jackson School of Geosciences, University of Texas at Austin

The 2010 Houston Geological Society Guest Night program will be held on Saturday, May 22 at 6:30 p.m. at the Houston Museum of Natural Science. HGS members and their guests will have access to the first and second floors of the Museum for a fun and informative evening. Upon arrival and check-in, HGS members and guests will have about an hour and a half to enjoy the Museum’s spectacular collection of fossils, minerals, and oil and gas exhibits. Attendees will enjoy a delicious Texas-sized buffet dinner, beverages and dessert inside the Museum’s main hall. Following the social hour and dinner, guests will retreat to the IMAX Theater for a presentation by Dr. Patricia Wood Dickerson of the Jackson School of Geoscience at the University of Texas. Dr. Dickerson will present an intriguing geological analysis of the stunning and mystical Texas treasure.. The Big Bend!.

Dr. Pat Dickerson was born (at a very early age) in Waukegan, Illinois. She has worked as a geologist, editor, photographer, writer, dance instructor and apricot cutter for a California fruit-packing firm (not in that order).

Her research in rifts and mountain chains of the world, including doctoral studies (University of Texas-Austin) in the Big Bend of west Texas, has provided opportunities for wide-ranging explorations: the Rocky Mts., Rio Grande rift, Iceland, Norway, the Cordillera of western North America, Mexico, Belize, Argentine Precordillera, Appalachian chain from the Canadian Maritimes through west Texas, and the Southern Alps of New Zealand. She has drawn from those investigations in petroleum, gold, and water resource assessments and now applies those passions in astronaut crew training, in academic teaching, and in leading natural history field seminars for students, professional scientists, and nonscientists. For her efforts in astronaut training in field geophysics and geology, she was recently awarded the NASA Exceptional Public Service Medal.

Always a sell-out, the 2010 HGS Guest Night program will limited to 400 people due to seating capacity limitations of the IMAX Theatre. Prepayment is required, and tickets will NOT be available for walk-ins. On-Line registration will be open on April 1, 2010. For more details, click here.

15-Feb-10 7:00 AM

2009 HGS Holiday Party Featured Door-Prize Give-Away

Tarek Ghazi — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 19:00:00 GMT

55 revellers gathered at Sullivan's Steakhouse on December 21, 2009 for the annual HGS Holiday Party. This year's event, sponsored by RPS and Star Creek Energy, featured gift basket give-aways to eight lucky attendees, who were selected at random by HGS President Elect John Tubb and Kelly Limbaugh of Global Geophysical.

The winners of the gift baskets were Larry Rairden, Walt Wornardt, Scott Thornton, Mike Tribble, Donna Fouch-Flores, Terry Mattalino, Joy Badger and Tim Kiley. Thanks to Linda Sternbach for the pictures of the winners and other partiers shown below. The people are named left to right.

Part of the crowd at Sullivan's Steakhouse

Larry Rairden and Kelly Limbaugh	John Tubb, Walt Wornardt, Kelly Limbaugh
John Tubb and Scott Thornton	Mike Tribble and Kelly Limbaugh
Donna Fouch-Flores and Kelly Limbaugh	John Tubb, Terry Mattalino and Kelly Limbaugh
John Tubb, Kelly Limbaugh and Joy Badger	John Tubb and Tim Kiley
Dawne Jordan and Thom Tucker	Tom Riley and wife dancing

5-Jan-10 1:00 PM

The Wise Report

Henry Wise — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 02:00:00 GMT

The Wise Report

Henry M. Wise, P.G.

January 4, 2010

The Texas Board of Professional Geoscientists TBPG failed to adopt the proposed amended §851.30, as published in the June 12, 2009, issue of the Texas Register (34 TexReg 3913), within six months and so has been withdrawn. The proposed rule was in regards to firm registration. The proposed amendment cleaned up wording related to firm registration, clarified exemptions for engineering firms, and allowed the TBPG to issue certificates of registration on a non-annual basis. The proposed amendment also exempted from registration engineering firms that perform services or work that is both engineering and geoscience as long as the geoscience work performed is incidental and specific to their work as an engineering firm. The original proposal can be found at: http://www.sos.state.tx.us/texreg/archive/June122009/PROPOSED/22.EXAMINING%20BOARDS.html#337

Henry M. Wise, P.G.

The Wise Report

1/4/2010

4-Jan-10 8:00 PM

The Wise Report

Henry Wise — Sat, 26 Dec 2009 03:00:00 GMT

The Wise Report

Henry M. Wise, P.G.

December 25, 2009

The Texas Board of Professional Geoscientists (TBPG) proposes new §§850.100 - 850.105, regarding advisory opinions. These rules are being proposed to allow the Board to issue Advisory Opinions. Section 850.100 addresses subjects of Advisory Opinions and states that the Board shall prepare an Advisory Opinion regarding an interpretation of the Act or as an application of the Act regarding a specified existing or factual situation. Section 850.101 specifies the type of information that should be included on written requests for Advisory Opinions. Section 850.102 allows the Board to issue an Advisory Opinion on its own accord. Section 850.103 details the process for receiving, reviewing and processing requests for Advisory Opinions. Section 850.104 requires the Board to classify, number and compile a summary on the agency website of each final Advisory Opinion issued. Section 850.105 requires the Board to respond to requests for Advisory Opinions within 180 days after the Board receives the written request unless the Board affirmatively states its reason for not responding to the request within the time period or for not responding to the request at all. For more information go to: http://www.sos.state.tx.us/texreg/sos/PROPOSED/22.EXAMINING%20BOARDS.html#62
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The TBPG proposes new §§851.40 - 851.46 regarding the Geoscientist-in-Training (GIT) program, an amendment to §851.80 concerning fees, and an amendment to §851.106 concerning responsibility to the geoscience profession.

New §851.40 is being proposed to establish a Geoscientist-in-Training (GIT) designation and certification for individuals who meet the necessary education requirements and who have passed an examination on the fundamentals of geosciences. New §851.41 establishes the necessary qualifications for obtaining a GIT certificate, including educational requirements, passing a Board approved examination, a supporting letter of reference, and payment of the application fee. New §851.42 describes the process and submission requirements for GIT application and certification, including submission of the Board approved application, official academic transcripts, one letter of support attesting to the individual's moral character, and payment of the fee as established by the Board. New §851.43 addresses that the GIT certificate may be renewed annually for a period of up to eight years, unless granted at the discretion of the Board. New §851.44 describes the appropriate use of the "Geoscientist-in-Training" or "GIT" title, and that it is not to be used in conjunction with the word "licensed". New §851.45 describes the relationship of the GIT certification to licensure of Professional Geoscientists. New §851.46 describes the ability of the Board to take appropriate disciplinary action including the revocation of a GIT certificate.

An amendment to §851.80 is being proposed to establish an initial application fee of $25 and a subsequent annual renewal fee of $25 for a Geoscientist-in-Training (GIT) certificate. Section 851.106 is being amended to require geoscientists to report to the Board any known or suspected violation of the Texas Geoscience Practice Act or Board rules. For more information go to: http://www.sos.state.tx.us/texreg/sos/PROPOSED/22.EXAMINING%20BOARDS.html#71

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The Railroad Commission of Texas (RRC) adopts amendments to §12.108, relating to Permit Fees for coal or lignite mines, without changes to the version published in the November 6, 2009, issue of the Texas Register (34 TexReg 7744). The amendments implement provisions of Senate Bill 1, 81st Texas Legislature, Regular Session (2009), and, specifically, Article VI, Railroad Commission Rider 10, which makes the amounts appropriated from general revenue for State Fiscal Years 2010 and 2011 to cover the cost of permitting and inspecting coal mining facilities contingent upon the RRC assessing fees sufficient to generate, during the 2010-2011 biennium, revenue to cover the general revenue appropriation.

The RRC amends the fees set forth in subsection (b) as follows. In paragraph (1), the RRC decreases the annual fee for each acre of land within a permit area on which coal or lignite was actually removed during a calendar year from the current $150 to $130. In paragraph (2), the Commission increases the annual fee for each acre of land within a permit area covered by a reclamation bond on December 31st of each year, as shown on the map required at §12.142(2)(C) of this chapter (relating to Operation Plan: Maps and Plans), from the current $3.75 to $5.50. Finally, in paragraph (3), the RRC increases the annual fee for each permit in effect on December 31st of a year from the current $4,200 to $4,250. The RRC anticipates that annual fees at these new amounts will result in revenue of $1,467,500 in each year of the 2010-2011 biennium.

Based on a formula and schedule agreed to by the coal mining industry and the RRC in 2005, every two years since 2005, the RRC has adjusted the surface mining fees based on that predetermined formula. This adjustment phases in fee changes based on bonded acreage for each permit as of December 31 of each year. At the same time, the fee for mined acreage correspondingly decreases and a revised annual permit fee is set based on this formula. This adjustment in fees is designed to take place over a ten-year period; this is the third adjustment to the fee schedule. For more information go to: http://www.sos.state.tx.us/texreg/sos/adopted/16.ECONOMIC%20REGULATION.html#315

Henry M. Wise, P.G.

The Wise Report

12/25/2009

25-Dec-09 9:00 PM

Wilcox Talk Draws Big Crowd at Nov. 9 General Dinner

Tarek Ghazi — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 20:00:00 GMT

James Cearley delivered an outstanding talk on the scope and potential of the deepwater Wilcox oil play at the HGS General Dinner on November 9, 2009. HGS President-Elect John Tubb was pleased to announce to the crowd that turnout for the evening totaled nearly 200 geoscientists, according to Treasurer-Elect David Meaux. Vice President Art Donovan welcomed Cearley, who is General Manager of Gulf of Mexico Deepwater Exploration for Chevron North America Exploration and Production Company.

Cearley told the audience that the emerging Lower Tertiary Wilcox Trend of the Deepwater Gulf of Mexico is the latest exploratory trend since the deepwater sub-salt Miocene trend was ignited 10 years ago with large discoveries like Thunder Horse and Tahiti. The deepwater Miocene has delivered over 8 billion BOE to date, and the Lower Tertiary Trend has delivered over 3 billion BOE so far, with much of the trend yet to be explored. The Lower Tertiary Wilcox is a 300-mile-long, primarily sub-salt, trend in the ultra-deep water targeting some of the oldest and deepest clastic reservoirs yet developed in the Gulf of Mexico. In the Wilcox trend, the oil fields discovered to date have been very large with significant pay thickness. However, these discoveries have flow rate challenges created by lower permeability rocks and low mobility hydrocarbons.

Cearley discussed some of the geological surprises found by the Wilcox drilling including strange gumbo and rock inclusions inside salt, overturned beds and repeat sections of the Lower Tertiary above the main target, and the incredible challenge of drilling wells with up to 12 strings of casing in 8,000 feet of water. The HGS audience actively participated in a question and answer session with Cearley after the talk.

Pictured from left: Art Donovan (HGS VP), James Cearley (speaker), and John Tubb (HGS President-Elect)

Cearley's Wilcox talk drew a crowd of nearly 200 geoscientists.

Pictured from left: Oliver Geisler (Terrasys) and David Meaux (HGS Treasurer-Elect).

Pictured from left: Art Donovan (HGS VP), John Tubb (HGS President-Elect), and Richard Bishop (HGS Past President)

10-Nov-09 2:00 PM

The Wise Report

Henry Wise — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 01:00:00 GMT

The Wise Report

Henry M. Wise, P.G.

November 6, 2009

The following is an update on the elimination of the California Board for Geologists and Geophysicists (BGG), from Peter Thams, Chair, AEG Southern California Section.

The three California sections of AEG formed the California Association of Professional Geologists (CAPG) and filed a complaint against the Governor to stop implementation of ABX4 20 which eliminated the BGG.

The first hearing on the matter was set for October 20, and over 30 geoscientists showed up to support the action. Unfortunately, the hearing was continued to October 26 when the Attorney General (AG) complained they did not have enough time to review the filing and accused CAPG of waiting until the last minute to file the complaint. A supplemental brief was filed, wherein it was pointed out to the court that the AG had more time to review the filing than did the legislature before voting on ABX4 20, and that the complaint was filed in as timely a manner as possible. There were only 91 days to determine how to respond to the issue, gather support, declarations, etc., and prepare the pleadings – not a lot of time. There was in fact no public notice whatsoever of the actions taken in ABX4 20 and, therefore, no opportunity for the profession to point out the significant failings of this legislation.

At the October 26 hearing, which was also well‐attended by supporters, the court would not grant the temporary restraining order, but did set a date to hear the pleadings for injunctive relief on December 2nd. It was hoped that any action against BGG would be forestalled until the court could rule on the injunction, but this didn’t happen. The good news is that the court agreed to grant the December 2nd hearing.

In the meantime, changes are occurring at BGG and the offices may be moved to the Board for Professional Engineers and Land surveyors (BPELS) in early November. Remaining staff (some have already moved on) will be maintained for up to 120 days by civil service rules if they cannot find positions elsewhere in state employment. The board members and Executive Officer have been dismissed. If, however, we prevail in December, provisions of existing law allow for the reinstatement of conditions as they existed prior to the effective date of the legislation.

The other part of our effort, which is ultimately the most important regardless of what happens with the injunction, is meeting with legislators in both houses to get our message out, and even more importantly, building relationships and support among them. Key to this effort is having a strong and consistent message. Without getting into details of when and with whom we’ve met, one element that has come through very clearly from all is that a return to the status quo is unlikely, and quoting one person loosely “reform is like religion, if you don’t have your own, you’ll probably have to accept someone else’s.”

What we’re finding out through this process is that if whatever we propose does not have some element of consolidation, it will have little support. Everyone we’ve spoken with, including Assembly Members, Senators and/or their staffs, BPELS staff, and Department of Consumer Affairs (DCA) staff, all recognize that process that got us where we are was flawed and the resulting legislation will not work. The key deficiency in the minds of most is the lack of geologic representation on BPELS. Even Land Surveyors have a board member.

The most comprehensive and specific advice we have received so far came from Senator Denise Ducheny, with whom we met on October 26th, coincidentally the same day as the hearing. Based on what she was able to recall about the details of the BGG's demise and our input, her recommendation was that we seek information from the Senate Business, Professions and Economic Development (BPED) Committee staff and then ‐ hopefully ‐ enlist leaders of BPED to sponsor legislation to restore the BGG and consolidate with it jurisdiction over the Registered Environmental Assessors (REAs). She felt strongly that a BPED sponsor was the way to go. She said she would talk to Budget Committee staff to find out what she could about why things went the way they did in AB 4X‐20. She told us more than once that concessions were made to the Governor to keep him from cutting health insurance coverage for kids.

We have said from the beginning that any of three possible outcomes from our efforts would be acceptable, although some are more likely and desirable than others; (1) maintaining the BGG as is, (2) merging BGG with the State Mining and Geology Board (SMGB) or with BPELS but with appropriate representation, and (3) consolidating the BGG with other related programs, namely the REA program (and possibly other disciplines) and changing the name to something like the Board of Earth and Environmental Sciences. From what we are learning from meeting with legislators, it is becoming apparent that the third option is the most attractive. Our plan is to update the key messages to reflect this desired outcome and make the rounds with legislators to enlist support and sponsorship. We will continue to prepare materials for distribution and ask California geologists over the coming weeks to contact their local representatives and meet with them if at all possible. You will be asked to reach out not only to your local representatives, but your employers and colleagues, as well. Please forward this information to California Professional Geologists you know who are not AEG members.

As distasteful as the notion of pursuing the injunction to stop ABX4 20 is to many, it a critical tool to help ensure that even the minimal effort of cleanup legislation to allow geoscientists’ representation on BPELS. It provides real incentive and urgency to government leaders to fix the problem. Piecemeal, temporary solutions are seldom satisfactory, frequently undermine their purpose, and become permanent. We are gaining momentum, we are being heard, and our message is being accepted. We can’t let up now. We need your support. I want to thank the many of you who have given so generously and ask others to please realize the importance of what we are doing and contribute to the effort. Donations may be sent to:

California Association of Professional Geologists, Inc.

(formerly AEGSC‐Political Action Fund)

1772‐J East Avenida De Los Arboles, #304

Thousand Oaks, CA 91362

With your help, the end result of this process will, at best, be a reconstituted board and an expanded mission and, at least, appropriate representation on a reconfigured BPELS that has the resources to accomplish its new mission.

The Wise Report

Henry M. Wise, P.G.

11/6/2009

6-Nov-09 7:00 PM

The Wise Report

Henry Wise — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 02:00:00 GMT

The Wise Report

Henry M. Wise, P.G.

October 23, 2009

At conference on October 22, 2009, the Texas Railroad Commission (RRC) proposed some amendments to §12.108, relating to Coal Mining Permit Fees; and some repeals, amendments, and new rules in Chapter 11 relating to uranium exploration and surface mining activities pursuant to HB 3837 (80th Legislature). The Chapter 11 proposal also includes four new forms for uranium exploration permitting, and borehole drilling and plugging.

The deadline to submit comments on the Chapter 11 proposal and forms is December 7, 2009. The deadline to submit comments on §12.108 is November 19, 2009.

For more information on these and other rule proposals, or to access the online comment form, please see the Proposed Rules table at this link:
http://www.rrc.state.tx.us/rules/proposed.php

These proposed rules will be published in the November 6, 2009 Texas Register.

Henry M. Wise, P.G.

The Wise Report

October 23, 2009

23-Oct-09 9:00 PM

The Wise Report

Henry Wise — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 15:00:00 GMT

The Wise Report

Henry M. Wise, P.G.

October 6, 2009

They say it could never happen, but it has. Alison Steele Manadi, P.G., with Steele Environmental Services, LLC in Houston, Texas, informs me that the State of California has abolished the California Board of Geologists and Geophysicists (BGG), effective October 23, 2009. The Board for Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors (BPELS) will then assume "…all the duties, powers, purposes, responsibilities, and jurisdiction previously vested in the Board…" along with "…two personnel years…for performance of the board’s responsibilities..." under the Geologist and Geophysicist Act.

According to the Association of Environmental & Engineering Geologists - Southern California Section (AEGSC), "This action was taken by legislators under pressure to reach a budget compromise in the form of assembly bill AB 4X 20. This transfer, which had no impact whatsoever on the budget, was not accompanied by the resources or structure necessary for BPELS to fulfill its new mission. As it stands now, there will be no geologists or geophysicists on BPELS, there will be no name change to reflect its new mission, and BPELS will not have the manpower to perform its new functions - only two personnel years were reallocated from BGG. Early discussions with BPELS personnel indicated that none of the standing committees, including the Exam Committee, will be continued. BPELS has since declined to meet with us until after the October 23 elimination date to discuss the many serious issues that have not been addressed. The net effect of all this is that geologists will soon be regulated by an agency that is ill equipped to handle the responsibility and arguably hostile to its new licensees.

"The good news is that there is something that can be done - we can seek an injunction against implementation of AB4X 20. The BGG was abolished suddenly and without due process, eliminating any open, fair and transparent review of the potential consequences."

The AEGSC is requesting donations for their legal fight to re-institute the BGG. The estimated cost for this is $15,000 to get through filing the initial complaint and up to $100,000 to see it through to the end. If you would like to contribute, send it to:

AEGSC-Political Action Fund

1772-J E. Avenida De Los Arboles, PMB #304

Thousand Oaks, CA 91362

This sets a very bad precident and shows how quickly things can change. It appears that California Professional Geologists and Geophysicists may have just lost control of their profession. This is why we need an organization here in Texas to protect our interests, or it could happen here.

To view the official California announcement of the BGG's abolishment go to: http://www.geology.ca.gov/forms-pubs/statement_092109.pdf

For the AEGSC Call For Action Announcement go to: http://www.sandiegogeologists.org/CallForAction_BGG.pdf

Henry M. Wise, P.G.

The Wise Report

10/6/2009

6-Oct-09 10:00 AM

The Wise Report

Henry Wise — Sat, 12 Sep 2009 02:00:00 GMT

The Wise Report

Henry M. Wise, P.G.

September 11, 2009

Barbara Roeling, chairman of the TBPG, has informed me that my last Wise Report contained an error. I stated that all comments to the TBPG regarding the proposed increase fees were negative. The Texas Register stated that, of the 37 comments teceived during the comment period, three comments were in favor of the Board's decision. I try to be accurate, but sometimes I miss things. Thanks for the correction Barbara!

Henry M. Wise, P.G.

The Wise Report

9/11/2009

11-Sep-09 9:00 PM

Grand Canyon Geology Field Trip 2009: Whitewater and Tall Tales

Linda Sternbach — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 22:00:00 GMT

by Linda Sternbach, Charles Sternbach, Dave Lazor

Photos by Linda Sternbach and Kirk Cushing

Click here for details about the 2010 Grand Canyon trip, which is
scheduled for June 13-21. Hold your spot with a $300 deposit now.

The HGS 2009 Grand Canyon Geology field trip in June turned out to be another exciting trip down the mighty Colorado River! It was a “magic carpet ride into deep time,” according to one participant. The annual trip was once again organized by Dave Lazor, retired oil and gas geologist now living in Carbonado, Washington. Dave started arranging HGS field trips to the Grand Canyon in 1994 while he was living in Houston. This year’s trip involved 28 participants, including both geologists and non-geologists from Houston, Oregon, and Washington. The trip started in Las Vegas, Nevada, and traveled by bus to Marble Canyon, Arizona before setting out on the river at mile zero at Lee's Ferry. Our field trip ended pleasantly eight days later at mile 188, after descending nearly 1,500 feet in elevation down 50 rapids. At the end, the participants rode helicopters out of the wilderness, and took planes back to civilization.

Access to the Grand Canyon is highly monitored and restricted by the Park Service. Approximately 21,000 people are allowed to sign up for accredited raft trips down the Colorado each year. Some people, including people on our trip, wait for years to get a space on one of the permitted raft trips. Dave Lazor has been putting together geology raft trips for the HGS since 1994, making sure our society members can experience life on the river. For people interested in the next trip, please get your name on the waiting list by emailing Dave Lazor or Steve Earle (see the end of this article).

Dave Lazor loves the Grand Canyon, and spoke to this year’s trip members about the history and geology of the area during the eight-day trip. He wore two T-shirts, one with a map (Figure 1) and another with a stratigraphic column so that he could point to features while hiking.

Figure 1: Grand Canyon trip leader, Dave Lazor.

Dave has a PhD in geology from the University of Indiana, and has been, among many things, a university assistant professor during his career. He worked as a geologist with Texaco, Cities Service, Valero, and Beaumont Energy. He then did extensive oil and gas consulting along the Gulf Coast.

After picking up participants at the Las Vegas airport, we drove to Zion National Park for a quick stop, then to Marble Canyon (Figure 2). The next morning we boarded the rafts for the first time at Lee’s Ferry, mile zero, south of Lake Powell.

Figure 2: Map of the Grand Canyon National Park (Grand Canyon Park web site).

Our annual field trip is guided by Hatch River Expeditions, a company started by river pioneer, Bus Hatch, in 1934 and is still managed by the third generation of the Hatch family. The HGS field trip takes two large pontoon rafts to float the river with stops each day to view the rocks and scenery. Hatch’s three guides provided expert raft maneuvering, led hikes, and prepared incredible hot and cold meals during the trip.

The field trip participants on this year’s Grand Canyon trip included both geoscientists and non-geologist friends and family members (Figure 3). HGS members on this year’s trip included John Jordan (Anadarko), Dawne Jordan (BP), Tom Mather (retired), Dennis Ferstler (Alpine Resources), Scott Silver (Blackdog Exploration), Calvin Silver (U of H grad student), Linda and Charles Sternbach (Star Creek Energy), Steve Earle (Carrizo Oil and Gas), and Randy Schott (B&S Exploration). Some of the non-geologists included the Ferstler family (Dave, DJ, Tommy and Matt), Randy’s brother Gordon Schott, and Tom Mather’s brother-in-law, Tom Spaulding. The group was joined by Marv Rueck and Jay Brack, friends of Dave from Oregon and Washington State and others.

Figure 3: Grand Canyon geology field trip of HGS members, friends, and family (2009).

This field trip is a real adventure involving white water rapids and daily hikes into remote canyon country (Figure 4). Each day brings the opportunity to encounter wildlife, including big horn sheep, mule deer, beaver, and iguanas (while keeping an eye out to avoid scorpions). We camped out on tarps or in tents with sleeping bags, completely out of contact with phones and news for 8 days, eating the provisions brought on the rafts with no stops for supplies or fuel. This is a strenuous trip with physically challenging uphill hikes! Lucky for our group, the weather stayed cool at 70-80 degrees for a few days, but ended up over 100 degrees in the final days of late June.

Figure 4: Grand Canyon fun and challenges.

Immersion in Grand Canyon History

Dave Lazor made some great recommendations for pre-trip reading about the history of Grand Canyon exploration and geology. One book every participant should bring is Belknap’s Waterproof Grand Canyon River Guide by Buzz Belknap (Westwater Books), which condenses the exploration of the Colorado, the geologic history, the flora, and the fauna into one booklet of 114 pages.

Our trip had a copy of Edward Dolnick’s Down the Great Unknown: John Wesley Powell's 1869 Journey of Discovery and Tragedy through the Grand Canyon (2002), which was read out loud during the camp nights (Figure 5). This book tells the day-by-day story of Powell’s difficult journey of ten months using wooden boats and limited supplies, trying to make the first white man’s documentation of the path of the Colorado River. John Wesley Powell (1834-1802) was a professor of geology, a Union Civil War veteran, and a key founder of the USGS and the Illinois State Geological Survey. Powell’s diary from his Grand Canyon trips is online on the USGS website at http://www.nps.gov/history/. Powell wrote on August 13, 1869, “We are now ready to start our way down the Great Unknown. We have but a month’s rations remaining. We have an unknown distance yet to run, an unknown river to explore. With some eagerness and some anxiety and some misgiving we enter the canyon below and are carried along by the swift water.”

Figure 5: Photo by Kirk Cushing.

Highlights of the Grand Canyon Geo-Tour

The Grand Canyon’s walls are composed of Late Precambrian to Permian shales, sandstones and limestones (Figures 6 and 7). The interesting part of the geology is when the trip passes the outcrops of the older Paleozoic, where the Cambrian and Precambrian are exposed down near river level in the central part of the canyon. Because the present day surface has been rising relative to sea level for 6 million years, the Colorado River has been cutting down the canyon walls like a knife through butter since the end of the Miocene. This incision reveals ancient Cambrian and Precambrian stratigraphy that can’t be observed outside the canyon.

Figure 6. North Canyon, steep climbs, 1,000 year-old Indian sites, native plants and

Paleozoic fossils. Photo by Kirk Cushing.

Figure 7: Precambrian to Permian-aged limestones, sandstones and shales,

and waterfalls at Vasey’s Paradise (mile 32).

One of the field trip highlights is the exposure of a “Great Unconformity” where the Cambrian Tapeats Sandstone rests on the tightly-folded, metamorphic, 1.7 billion year-old Vishnu Schist. Our trip spent an hour at Blacktail Canyon (river mile 120) to investigate this legendary outcrop (Figure 8). A lecture was given by Dave Lazor as he sat on the famous unconformity, estimated to represent a 900 million year gap of time.

Figure 8: Blacktail Canyon exposure of Vishnu schist and Cambrian sandstone.

Lazor pointed out Paleozoic marine fossils during daily canyon hikes (Figure 9, Mississippian nautiloid). He led field trip participants to fossil reptile tracks and ancient sediment flow structures in the Shinumo Quartzite. The cliffside Nankoweap Indian storage site is where early Americans stored dried grain and seeds 1,000 years ago.

Figure 9: Paleozoic fossils in some of the Grand Canyon formations,

a marine nautiloid from the Mississippian Redwall Limestone.

Water Fun in the Little Colorado River

The Grand Canyon participants had a lot of fun in the water, especially in the relatively warm waters of the Little Colorado River, which feeds into the cold 46-degree water of the main Colorado River at mile 61. The field trip members floated down some small rapids in their lifejackets (Figure 10).

Figure 10: The light blue, warm waters of the Little Colorado River at mile 61.

Photo by Kirk Cushing.

The field trip visited Phantom Ranch at mile 88 on the fourth day of the raft trip. This ranch is populated by hikers who walk down from the rim of the Grand Canyon and by people arriving via boat or raft on the Colorado River. A group photo of the two rafts on the HGS trip after 4 days in the wild was taken when we arrived at Phantom Ranch (Figure 11). Here one can send out postcards and get a chance to make a quick telephone call.

Figure 11: Phantom Ranch at mile 88.

The biggest and wildest rapids were near the end of day 7 at Lava Falls, mile 179. This last rafting day takes field trip members into a dark area of the canyon where 1 million year-old lava flowed into the gorge and formed a natural dam across the river, flooding the canyon. A residual basalt lava tower called Vulcan’s Anvil marks the entry into white water. This lava feature was noted by Powell in 1869. The rapid water at Lava Falls is caused by a series of 15-foot drops in elevation complicated by underwater boulders of basalt. Only skillful guides can maneuver rafts and boats through the rapids, but our guides had successfully run the rapids over 100 times and made this seem easy. The character of the white water is partly determined by the amount of water discharged from the Lake Powell reservoir. On our trip it was a normal water flow up to 15,000 cu ft per second, according to Hatch Expeditions (Figure 12).

Figure 12: The Grand Canyon field trip team surfs through white water at one of
many rapids on the trip at Lava Falls. Photo by Kirk Cushing.

On day 8, the group returned to “Rim World” (as it is known by the guides). Helicopters picked up the field trip party at a helipad down the river from Lava Falls at mile 188 (Figure 13). We arrived a few minutes later at Bar 10 Ranch, where we had a chance to take our first hot shower in a week before hopping a 30-seat airplane that flew us back to Las Vegas or Marble Falls.

Figure 13: Helicopter ride out after Lava Falls marks the end of the 2009 Grand Canyon Raft trip.

The HGS thanks Dave Lazor for all the work he put into organizing the 2009 and prior Grand Canyon Field Trips and for bringing us all back happy and safe. Thanks also to trip participant Kirk Cushing for letting us include some of his photographs.

Reading References

1. Grand Canyon River Guide, by Buzz Belknap, also called Belknap's Waterproof Grand Canyon River Guide all new edition, at www.westwaterbooks.com, also at Amazon.com.

2. Down the Great Unknown: John Wesley Powell's 1869 Journey of Discovery and Tragedy through the Grand Canyon, by Edward Dolnick, 2002. Harper Perennial books (paperback and hardcover) available at Amazon.com.

3. Grand Canyon Geology, 2003, by Stanley S. Beus and Michael Morales (paperback), Oxford University Press, 432 pages.

4. The Exploration of the Colorado River and its Canyons by John Wesley Powell, 1875, available online at at google books and at http://www.nps.gov/history/history/online_books/geology/publications/inf/powell/sec4.htm

7-Sep-09 5:00 PM

The Wise Report

Henry Wise — Sat, 05 Sep 2009 01:00:00 GMT

The Wise Report

HenryM. Wise, P.G.

September 4, 2009

The Texas Board of Professional Geoscientists (TBPG) has raised licensing fees and annual renewal fees for licensed individuals and registered firms. These new fees are:

P.G. Application and Licensing Fee $255
P.G. Annual Renewal Fee $223 (those 65 or older will pay half this amount)
Firm Registration and Renewal $300
Sole Proprietor Registration and Renewal $50

There were a number of comments, all negative, made to the Board. A discussion of these comments and the Boards responses to them can be found at: http://www.sos.state.tx.us/texreg/sos/adopted/22.EXAMINING%20BOARDS.html#314

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Effective September 1, 2009, TBPG will begin accepting requests for Advisory Opinions, as authorized by Senate Bill 940, 81st Legislative Session. If you have requests, you need to fill out a form and send it in. Complete information is available at: http://www.tbpg.state.tx.us/Advisory-Opinions.html

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The TBPG has listed a disciplinary action against an individual for engaging in the public practice of geoscience with an expired license. The fine was $500. The complete announcement is located at: http://www.tbpg.state.tx.us/DisciplinaryActions.html

Henry M. Wise, P.G.

The Wise Report

9/4/2009

4-Sep-09 8:00 PM

You're Invited! OCGS/OGS Real Deal Midcontinent Prospect Expo

Sue Crites — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 20:00:00 GMT

Would you like to…

Sell a prospect? Buy a prospect?

Market your company’s products/services to the Midcontinent oil and gas industry?

Network?

Please join us on September 30^th for the 2^nd annual Real Deal Midcontinent Prospect Expo, brought to you by the Oklahoma City Geological Society (OCGS) and Oklahoma Geological Survey (OGS).

This event is all about you, the energy industry.

Prices are low: $100 for a prospect booth; $500 for a company/vendor booth; and $30 to attend and network/absorb the atmosphere. Admission to two technical talks and lunch are included!

Anticipation is high as the 2^nd annual Real Deal Mid-Continent Prospect Expo on September 30^th approaches. The OCGS and OGS would appreciate your sponsorship to help us make this a great event.

Opportunities for sponsorship include morning and afternoon coffee breaks ($1500 each), lunch ($3500), beer ($400 per keg – we are planning on 2 kegs) and general sponsorships (any amount toward the whole event).

You may choose any of the above in whole or in part. The categories of sponsorship are as follows:

Platinum Sponsor: $2500 & up

Gold Sponsor: $1000 to $2499

Silver Sponsor: $250 to $999

Bronze Sponsor: $0 to $249

Signs will be posted throughout the event space acknowledging your sponsorship including a sign in front of the coffee break stations, lunch table, and keg(s) so everyone knows who to thank for sponsorship.

Interested parties should contact Michelle Hone, OCGS, to make arrangements and payment:

405 236 8086 ext #10

405 235 1766 (fax)

ocgs.mhone@logixonline.com

This will be as great an event as it was last year with high quality prospects, cutting edge vendors and many interested attendees learning about drilling deals and new services as well as seeing both new and familiar faces. Thank you for your support!!

So, what are you waiting for? Sign up to join us in Oklahoma City on September 30^th…

31-Aug-09 3:00 PM

Technofest Successful Again in 2009

Tarek Ghazi — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 18:00:00 GMT

Over 350 Attend the 2009 Technofest

Over 350 people attended Technofest on August 13, 2009 at the Westin Galleria. Many thanks to Deborah Sacrey (Auburn Energy) and her committee for making this year's event another success. Helping Deborah were HGS leaders Bonnie Milne-Andrews, Jim Grubb, Robert Pledger, and Jennifer Burton, who were assisted by local geoscience university students.

HGS thanks the vendors who participated and the event sponsors, which included SMT, Vanco, Swift Energy, SeisWare, IDML, Dan Smith, RCL Systems, GeoComputing, Slawson, Corridor, Halliburton, Landmark, SeismicVentures, CoreLab, Resolve Geosciences, Aramco Services Co., Steve Brachman, Star Creek Energy, NuTech, and Swift Oil and Gas. Thanks also to Linda Sternbach, past HGS President, for this article and the accompanying pictures.

Figure 1: Technofest Chairman, Deborah Sacrey, of Auburn Energy organized the program. She has improved and expanded Technofest over the last 2 years, coordinated the booth vendors and raised money for HGS programs. Deborah is an HGS Honorary Member, thanks to her contributions to the Society as Treasurer, Board member and Committee Chair.

Figure 2: The HGS booth was manned by John Tubb (President Elect),

Linda Sternbach (past President), Charles Sternbach and Donna Davis.

Figure 3: Technofest attendees enjoyed the buffet.

Figure 4: The Technofest exhibit hall at the Westin Galleria.

Figure 5: Technofest committee members Bonnie-Milne Andrews (front),
Jim Grubb, and Robert Pledger (new HGS Director, far right).

Figure 6: The Technofest committee was on hand to check people in. This photos shows (left to right) Richard Otubusin (student), Deborah Sacrey and Lauren Becker (student).

Figure 7: Shawn Porche of E-Seis and Charles Sternbach enjoy networking at Technofest.

18-Aug-09 1:00 PM

Submit Geophysical Integration Abstracts for the 2010 AAPG by Sep. 15, 2009

Linda Sternbach — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 19:00:00 GMT

Submit Your Geophysical Integration Abstract for the
2010 AAPG Convention in New Orleans
by September 15, 2009

Linda Sternbach and Steve Earle, HGS members who are on the AAPG Geophysical Integration Committee, are on the lookout for oral session papers on the theme of: AAPG Theme I: Technology & Techniques Session: Geophysical Integration: A Road Map to Exploration Success. They are looking for case histories that illustrate how stratigraphy, structure, petrophysics, geochemistry, seismic time and depth, AVO and/or other seismic attributes have been integrated to produce accurate models of the subsurface for oil and gas exploration, development or environmental areas (domestic or international). Papers should show how integration of diverse data helped answer critical questions leading to success.

If you have an interesting project, or know an associate who has one, please consider submitting an abstract. The AAPG Call for Papers has important information about how to submit and is available at:

http://www.aapg.org/neworleans/documents/CallForAbstracts_NewOrleans.pdf

Abstracts should be submitted through AAPG at http://aapg2010ace.abstractcentral.com/

To be considered for this integration session, please also send copies of your abstract to Steve Earle at steve.earle@crzo.net and linda.sternbach@gmail.com. Remember the deadline for online submission is September 15 2009.

17-Aug-09 2:00 PM

Oklahoma Geological Survey: Unconventional Reservoirs Workshop

Sue Crites — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 17:00:00 GMT

The Oklahoma Geological Survey has scheduled an “Unconventional Reservoirs Workshop”, which will focus on exploitation of tight gas and shale gas reservoirs. This event will be held on Thursday, August 20, 2009, at the Moore Norman Technology Center in Norman from 9:00 am to 4:30 pm (registration opens at 7:30am).

According to workshop coordinator Carl Sondergeld, University of Oklahoma Mewbourne College of Earth & Energy, several presenters and papers new to OGS technical programs will be featured in this one-day workshop. This new technical lineup will include presenters from four operators, a representative from a private company presenting data on fracturing, as well as four presenters from the University of Oklahoma Mewbourne College of Earth & Energy.

Presentations will address mid-continent resource plays such as the Red Fork, Granite Wash, Barnett Shale, Bossier Tight Gas Sand (Texas), Caney, Fayetteville, Arkoma Basin, and Woodford. Topics include vitrinite reflectance, Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR), as well as the challenges to high grade the economically more attractive zones and to efficiently stimulate the productive intervals. Of special interest are the quantitative characterization of petrophysical variability in these unconventional reservoirs and their relation to seismic attribute analysis to define sweet spots and the role of modern logging suites in helping to exploit these resources.

Advance registration is highly recommended. The workshop fee is $125.00, which includes coffee breaks, lunch, and the workshop manual and CD. Contact Michelle Summers to register or ask questions about this workshop: 800/330-3996 or 405/325-3031; fax: 405/325-7069. The major sponsor of this event is the Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC).

The Oklahoma Geological Survey, an agency constitutionally established by the State of Oklahoma in 1908, is charged with investigating the land, water, mineral, and energy resources of Oklahoma, and disseminating the results of those investigations to promote the wise use of the state’s natural resources consistent with sound environmental practices. More information about the OGS may be found at www.ogs.ou.edu.

5-Aug-09 12:00 PM

The Wise Report

Henry Wise — Sun, 19 Jul 2009 20:00:00 GMT

The Wise Report

Henry M. Wise, P.G.

July 19, 2009

Several members of the Texas Board of Professional Geoscientists (TBPG) and Texas Association of Professional Geoscintists (TAPG) met with the Governor's office this week to discuss help with the PG board's financing. In a nutshell, we came away with nothing. The Governor's office wants the board to keep track of both it's shortfall and the number of members who leave, this despite the projected loss of 30-50% of PGs in Texas. The Governor's office did suggest that the board meet with the Financing Committee to see if we can implement only some of the increase and perform only some of the approved tasks, rather than all or nothing. While this is a possibility, it won't come in time for the required budget numbers. It appears to me that the board has no choise but to implement all of the increase. If some of the expenses don't come to fruition, then they and implement a reduction later on. The biggest cost savings would be from Col. Hess not coming back as Executive Director. The board has to hold his place open for him until he's back from military duty, which means they have to have his salary in the budget. He was due back last year, but his tour was extended. He was due back this month, but his tour's been extended again. If he keeps getting extened, that's money we have to budget for, but won't spend. This makes budgeting very difficult.

In the meantime, the Board is still interested in your input in this or any other Board matter. I certainly hope we don't loose 30-50% of the PGs in this state. If you loose it and have to re-up after 3 years, you'll lose your grandfathered PG status and have to take the ASBOG test.

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The drought in Texas continues to get worse. The Guadalupe River is down by 85-90 percent from normal levels over all and is dry in some segments. As a result, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) has reduced the surface water diversion in Kerrville to 1 million gallons per day from a normal rate of 6.4 million.

Flows on area rivers are dropping quickly due to the exceptional drought, says Al Segovia, the TCEQ's South Texas watermaster. These extreme conditions are forcing the TCEQ to cut off or restrict junior rights to surface water diversions in order to supply water for critical functions.

The City of Kerrville has chosen to implement Stage II of their drought contingency plan. The TCEQ requires water suppliers to develop drought contingency plans to manage water usage, reduce peak demand, and extend supplies. Local water suppliers issue notices about water restrictions when the situation warrants action.

Kerrville's Stage II restrictions involve limiting lawn watering to specific days of the week, with reduced hours, and prohibits other non-essential water use to reduce the demand on the system by a certain percentage. People with odd numbered addresses can water on Tuesday and Saturday, even addresses can water on Wednesdays and Sundays, from 6 a.m. to 8 a.m. and from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. If these efforts fail to sufficiently reduce usage, additional restrictions may be imposed.

Henry M. Wise, P.G.

The Wise Report

7/19/2009

19-Jul-09 3:00 PM

The Wise Report

Henry Wise — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 02:00:00 GMT

The Wise Report

Henry M. Wise, P.G.

July 10, 2009

The Texas Board of Professional Geoscientists (TBPG) proposes an amendment to 22 TAC §851.80, regarding fees. The proposed amendment raises licensing fees and annual renewal fees for licensed individuals; it also raises registration and renewal fees for firms and sole proprietorships. The complete text can be found at: http://www.sos.state.tx.us/texreg/sos/PROPOSED/22.EXAMINING%20BOARDS.html#140

The TBPG would like comments, pro or con. Representatives of the TBPG will be meeting with the Governor's office on Monday, July 13, 2009 to see if we can get some help with the finances of the TBPG, as was discussed in the previous Wise Report. Perhaps we'll have some good news to report in the next Wise Report.

Henry M. Wise, P.G.

The Wise Report

7/10/2009

10-Jul-09 9:00 PM

The Wise Report

Henry Wise — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 21:00:00 GMT

The Wise Report

Henry M. Wise, P.G.

June 27, 2009

I attended the Texas Board of Professional Geoscientists (TBPG) meeting on Friday, June 27, 2009. This was an important meeting because they were discussing the possible increase in fees. The legislature passed SB 940, which will allow the TBPG to self-implement complaints, provide confidentiality of complaints until charges have officially been filed, and implement a Geologist-in-Training (GIT) program. All of these were needed to assure that the TBPG rules are being followed by all, allow members to file confidential complaints until the Board can determine if they have merit, and encourage students to advance their careers easier and earlier. Unfortunately, the legislature decided not to fund these programs. They told the Board that they must fund these programs themselves, that is, raise fees to cover these programs. In addition, the legislature requires the Board to fund all of the programs or none. Judging by some of the conversations, the Board was very agitated by this choice. If you look at how much the Board receives in fees, and how much they actually spend, you'll find that the $3 of every $4 brought in goes to the State of Texas General Fund. The Board only gets to keep $1 out of every $4.

If the Board doesn't raise fees for the new programs, they can't be implemented. If they aren't implemented, The TBPG runs the risk of being sunsetted in two years because the sunset commission will look at how many complaints have been filed and actions taken. Currently, the Board is highly dependent on us to issue complaints, and may people don't want to make a complaint for fear of reprisals from the community. There is currently insufficient personnel available to try to find out who's registered or not, and if reports are being properly sealed. There are currently 297 registered geological firms in Texas, which sounds low, considering there are currently over 5,070 registered geoscientists, down from the 6,400 peak. This is why we need better enforcement. We've been getting 81-100 new applications per year, but have been loosing approximately 20-30 PGs per month, mostly from the oil and gas industry. There was a 15% drop in PGs last year. The Board is very concerned about loosing additional PGs. Some estimates are saying a further increase in fees, especially given today's economy, could result in the loss of 20-50% of the the PGs in Texas.

The TBPG received over 325 letters on the proposed increase, almost all against any increase. As I said, the Board is caught in the middle of all this. After a rather contentious discussion, they decided it was better to raise fees on everything, rather than nothing or some things. The result is the proposed increases:

Initial application $55

Renewal $55

Renewal over 65 $28

Initial Firm Registration $225 (corrects an error that made it cheaper to re-register rather than renew)

Firm Renewal $150

Sole Proprietorship $25

There is a 30-day comment period, starting now. If you have comments, pro or con, please write to the TBPG. It was pointed out that, while the Texas PG fees are already the highest in the nation, they are the lowest (even with the increase) of all the professional licenses issued in Texas.

On a bright note, during this meeting, it was announced that the Governor's office had finally responded to a request for a meeting to see what could be done about the finances. The Board had requested this meeting a number of times over the past two to three months. Matt Cowan, with the Texas Association of Professional Geoscientists helped to finally get this meeting arranged. They'll be meeting shortly after July 4. Hopefully the Governor can help. The budget is due in October.

In other matters discussed at the Board meeting, an individual was found to have issued 60 reports over a period of three years with an expired license. The exact fine amount is to be determined. All fines go to the State of Texas General Fund, not the TBPG.

Senator Wentworth will be filing a rebuttal to the veto of HB 2820 by the Governor. This was the bill that was going to add Geoscientists to the list of professional services for bidding purposes.

We are currently negotiating with the states of South Carolina, Arkansas, and Wyoming for reciprocity. Kentucky is looking at accepting comity with us.

The Board is also looking to establish an Oil/Gas Advisory Workgroup. They appreciate the participation of the Oil/Gas industry and want it to continue. They would like to hear from you. They are especially interested in why you continue to support the PG in Texas, even though you're exempt.

The Board also issued it's thanks for the help and involvement of the TAPG and Houston Geological Society during this legislative session.

New officers of the TBPG were also elected. Congratulations and good luck to them:

Barbara Roeling - Chairperson

Ronald Kitchens - Vice Chairperson

Tom Hallmark - Secretary

Henry M. Wise, P.G.

The Wise Report

6/27/2009

27-Jun-09 4:00 PM

The Wise Report

Henry Wise — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 02:00:00 GMT

The Wise Report

Henry M. Wise, P.G.

June 22, 2009

All of the bills I've been following that have been sent to the Governor have been signed with the exception of HB2820. This bill, which would have added Professional Geoscientists to the official Texas list of professional services, was vetoed by the Governor because a last-minute amendment to the bill that would have changed the procurement proceedures from awarding contracts to the most-qualified to the least expensive, was removed prior to passage of the bill. Had the amendment stayed, niether the Professional Engineers, who are already on the list, not the Professional Geoscientists would have supported this bill.

This is very dissappointing and yet another example of why we need someone in Austin to watch out for our interests.

The complete text of the Governor's veto can be found at: http://www.lrl.state.tx.us/scanned/vetoes/81/hb2820.pdf#navpanes=0

Henry M. Wise, P.G.

The Wise Report

6/22/2009

22-Jun-09 9:00 PM

The Year that Was and Grateful Acknowledgement - 2008-2009

Michael F Forlenza — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 13:00:00 GMT

The Year that was and Grateful Acknowledgement 2008-2009

Michael F. Forlenza, P.G.

HGS Editor

It has been a tumultuous year for Houston and the Houston Geological Society. It was a year that saw wild swings in energy prices, a powerful hurricane, an economic collapse, and a historic and often rancorous presidential election.

When the HGS’s administrative year kicked off in July 2008, the price of a barrel of oil was riding high, surging to a record price of more than $147. There seemed to be no stopping the upward trend. Record oil company profits and boom times were here again. Raise your hand if you thought we would see $200 per barrel oil by the end of 2008. I see a few hands, but the rest of you who did not raise your hand are just in denial. See the Editor’s column in the September 2008 HGS Bulletin for some perspective on the price of energy from the distant historical viewpoint of nearly a year ago.

Since those bygone giddy days of last summer, the price of oil fell to less than $35 per barrel by the end of 2008. It turns out that the spike in the price of oil in 2008 really was due to speculation after all. By May 2009, the price of oil had recovered somewhat to around $54 per barrel. Forecasts for future prices are now more moderate, but likely more realistic.

The slide in the price of oil has had a predictable impact on petroleum exploration and production activities. The North American drilling rig count was cut in half in the past year. In April 2009, Apache Corporation announced the layoffs of 200 workers or about six percent of the company’s 3,600-person workforce. "When you are not as active, you don't need as many people," said Apache spokesman Bill Mintz. ConocoPhillips, El Paso Corporation, and oilfield services companies Baker Hughes, Halliburton, and Schlumberger also announced layoffs in April. ConocoPhilips eliminated 1,350 jobs and Schlumberger cut 5,000 jobs worldwide.

There have been other oil booms, notably during the period between 1982 and 1985 when workers from around the United States surged into a burgeoning Houston. These heady times are inevitably followed by a downturn. The mid-1980s downturn lasted many years. In retrospect, the year 2008 may be notable for having one of the briefest oil boom-bust cycles.

As summer slid towards autumn, the Gulf of Mexico turned violent, unleashing Hurricane Ike. On September 13, 2008, Hurricane Ike roared across the Texas coastline and raked Houston and neighboring municipalities. While life returned to normal for most Houstonians shortly after power was restored, coastal communities were devastated and may take many years or decades to recover, if ever. See the Editor’s column in the December 2008 HGS Bulletin for a discussion of the merits of the Galveston seawall.

The autumn and winter tumble in the price of oil coincided with the slide in the stock market and the disintegration of the global economy. The real estate market in many parts of the country crumbled leading to record foreclosures and toxic debt. We are now facing the worst economic situation at any time since the great depression. The federal government has had to provide tens of billions of dollars in TARP and stimulus funds to prop up profligate banks and financial institutions.

A full economic recovery may be years away, but there are hopeful signs that the crisis is ebbing. Houston has fared better through this economic whirlwind than many parts of the country. Because Houston real estate prices did not rocket they way they did in Florida, Arizona, and California from 2001 to 2007, the fall here has been less severe.

At the end of 2008 and the beginning of 2009, America participated in the ideals of founding fathers by electing a president and witnessing the peaceful transition of our government to a new administration, a new administration with a stated goal of restoring "science to its rightful place." Science and politics have not always been companionable. See the Editor’s column in the November 2008 HGS Bulletin about this sometimes contentious relationship.

With this issue of the HGS Bulletin, my term as Editor draws to a close. Hopefully, you found some worthwhile reading in these pages. It has been a great experience and I have learned a lot. I have had the pleasure of meeting many dynamic people who donate their time to make the HGS a great organization. I encourage all members to get involved with some part of the society even if you just come out to the technical meetings.

My thanks go to the fine HGS editorial board of Charles Revilla, James Ragsdale, and editor-elect Gordon Shields. Their insightful and timely editorial reviews and comments kept me on the right path often through some tough sledding. Good luck to Mr. Shields as he dons the editor’s mantle for 2009 - 2010.

Thanks also to Lisa Kruger for her patience and skill each month assembling the Bulletin and producing a great looking publication. Prime Source Office Solutions did a fine job as the Bulletin printer and mailer. Gratefully acknowledgement also goes to Lily Hargrave in the HGS office who managed the flow of advertisements from diverse sources and the financial aspects of the Bulletin.

Thank you to our advertisers for your support throughout the year and to the authors who contributed the items presented in the Bulletin.

Be well, do good work, and stay in touch.

Happy trails.

Michael F. Forlenza, P.G.

HGS Editor

hgs.forlenza@gmail.com

8-Jun-09 8:00 AM

HGS Articles RSS Feed

HGS Annual Guest Night - May 22, 2010 - Speaker Announced

Announcing

2010 HGS Annual Guest Night

2009 HGS Holiday Party Featured Door-Prize Give-Away

The Wise Report

The Wise Report

Wilcox Talk Draws Big Crowd at Nov. 9 General Dinner

The Wise Report

The Wise Report

The Wise Report

The Wise Report

Grand Canyon Geology Field Trip 2009: Whitewater and Tall Tales

by Linda Sternbach, Charles Sternbach, Dave Lazor

The Wise Report

You're Invited! OCGS/OGS Real Deal Midcontinent Prospect Expo

Technofest Successful Again in 2009

Submit Geophysical Integration Abstracts for the 2010 AAPG by Sep. 15, 2009

Submit Your Geophysical Integration Abstract for the 2010 AAPG Convention in New Orleans by September 15, 2009

Oklahoma Geological Survey: Unconventional Reservoirs Workshop

The Wise Report

The Wise Report

The Wise Report

The Wise Report

The Year that Was and Grateful Acknowledgement - 2008-2009

Submit Your Geophysical Integration Abstract for the
2010 AAPG Convention in New Orleans
by September 15, 2009