As 2021 draws to a close, HGS Members and Volunteers continue to give Thanks for our passage through a very challenging year, as we prepare to enjoy the Holidays.
The December HGS events will be focused in the first half of December to respect our members and volunteers’ plans to travel and celebrate the Holidays with their families but stay tuned! We will have some MUST SEE events coming your way before you pack those bags! Yet before we leave November, let’s have a quick look back at some of the noteworthy HGS events from last month.
The EAGE-HGS Latin American 3-day Conference was a very successful Hybrid event, beginning on Monday November 8 with an in-person networking reception and dinner on November 8th, followed by online virtual presentations on November 9th and 10th attended by 80+ people.
The annual Houston Gem, Mineral and Fossil Show was held Friday, November 12 thru Sunday November 14, at the Civic Center in Humble, Texas. Perennial HGS Volunteer and HMNS Geo-Docent Dr. Janet Combes was so kind as to provide a substantial report with lots of pictures. While customers were admiring the interesting rocks, intriguing fossils, beautiful gemstones, and exotic minerals, nearly a dozen HGS Volunteers (all honored in the article, later in this Bulletin) held forth at tables, provided Geo Posters for multiple Boy Scout groups, answered teachers, families, and kids’ questions for a glorious weekend of HGS Geological Outreach. See the article and pictures; it’s a really enjoyable story. Our THANKS to Janet and ALL the HGS Volunteers for sharing their time, knowledge, and passion for Geology!
At the Monday, November 15 HGS International Virtual Dinner meeting, Dr. Elisa Fitz Díaz from the National University Autonomous of Mexico (UNAM) near Mexico City, D. F. presented a Mexico and Western Gulf of Mexico oriented look at “The Role of Structural Inheritance in the Tectonic Evolution of East and South Mexico: From Paleozoic Pangea Assembly to Mesozoic Rifting and Cenozoic Shortening and Basin Inversion". Dr. Diaz’ fascinating presentation on the foundational Paleozoic to Modern tectonics provided a timely introduction to HGS’ December activities.
We begin on Monday evening, from 6 to 7 PM, December 6, 2021, with the HGS Virtual General Meeting: “Paleozoic Orogenesis of North America”, as an HGS Zoom Virtual Event. Our presenter will be Kurt Rudolph, Retired ExxonMobil Chief Geoscientist, now Adjunct Professor at University of Houston & Rice University. Kurt’s presentation of “Paleozoic Orogenesis of North America”; will focus on Mthe Assembly of Pangea, a view from Laurentia – Paleozoic Orogenies and their Impact on Basin Evolution and Petroleum Systems. Kurt is a skilled and engaging speaker with multiple awards from AAPG, SEG and RMAG. This will be a memorable presentation that will detail the complex assemblages and fascinating history of Paleozoic Plate Tectonics.
But now, BREAKING NEWS….
The Houston Geological Society will join with the Africa Energy Futures Forum on Wednesday, December 8th and Thursday December 9th at the Four Seasons Hotel in Downtown Houston. The HGS will have a booth on the Pavilion Floor, right beside NNPC; ‘in the ”heart of the action”. The Theme of the Forum is: Africa’s Energy Security and Regional Economic Development In A Disruptive Global Economy. “The Africa Pavilion and the Africa Energy Futures Forum present prime platforms for the African Oil and Gas Community to engage with the global investment publics; oil and gas business ecosystem to address the critical challenges affecting the inflow of foreign direct investments across the energy business value chain as well as engage with the global energy players to chart a regional strategy for the emerging energy transition. Both initiatives enable a cost effective, strategic, leveraged and managed service approach to country participation in the Exhibition Program of the 23rd World Petroleum Congress that delivers immense return on investments and objectives”. Please see the HGS website for links to the events and registration. The Africa Energy Futures Forum will also be a participant in the 2022 HGS-PESGB Africa Conference, currently scheduled in Houston for mid-September 2022.
The Wednesday, December 8, 2021, HGS Engineering and Environmental Group speaker and topic are TBA, as of this writing. See the Bulletin, the HGS Website and the HGS Calendar for the latest updates.
Following the Holidays and New Year’s celebrations, January 2022 will begin with a Joint HGS-GSH January Virtual Evening Meeting, celebrating the Seismic Centennial! Our speaker will be Dr. James Knapp, presenting “Reflection Seismology: Born in Oklahoma, 100 Year Centennial”.
Dr. James Knapp is an OSU Professor and Boone Pickens Distinguished Chair of Geoscience at the Boone Pickens School of Geology, in the Noble Research Center of Oklahoma State University in Stillwater, OK.
On Monday January 24th, 2022, the HGS North American Virtual Evening Meeting will present four exceptional speakers addressing “The State of Private Equity in Oil & Gas”. Register early, as we expect a sellout crowd for this Zoom event! More about January meetings to come, right around New Years. Be Safe and Have Fun!
During the Holiday season, we have much to be thankful for. Take time to enjoy the holidays as much as possible during this pandemic transit. Stay safe and healthy as you travel and gather with Colleagues, Friends and Family.
We continue to Honor and Thank ALL our HGS Members, Volunteers and HGS educational outreach teams!
HGS Editor 2021-2022 | Scott C. Sechrist | Editor@ HGS.org