Editor's Column
HGS Bulletin
December 2008

Homage to a Seawall

Michael F. Forlenza, P.G.
Editor HGS Bulletin 

It is an occasion of some note when civic leaders from earlier centuries can be credited with foresight and vision in the service of their cities by implementing and funding successful projects. Successful projects can provide tremendous benefits to citizens more than 100 years later. Among these are:
 

• Construction of the city walls that saved Vienna from the Ottoman invasion in 1683.
• The late-1800s planning and development of New York City’s huge water system that brings fresh water from mountain reservoirs to the city through underground aqueducts.
• Baron Haussmann’s urban redesign of Paris between 1852 and 1870 that included wide, straight boulevards to cut through the medieval street grid.

Construction of the Galveston Seawall is also noteworthy for its enduring service to the city. The Galveston Seawall may seem modest now, but its construction is considered an astonishing feat for that era, not to mention for a city that was all but destroyed by a hurricane.
On the night of September 13th and the morning of September 14th, 2008, Hurricane Ike tore into southeast Texas. Galveston Island and the Bolivar peninsula suffered the brunt of the tempest when winds exceeding 100 miles per hour and the storm surge blasted ashore. The eye of Hurricane Ike passed directly over Galveston Island. The storm surge associated with the hurricane was most powerful on the “dirty side” of the storm, that is, the right side, or north side, in relation to track of the eye. Coastal communities and low-lying barrier islands from Galveston northward to the Louisiana border and beyond were devastated.
A full accounting of the damage in these coastal communities from the hurricane will not be known for many months, but in some areas 90 percent of the structures were damaged or lost. Galveston suffered extensive damage from storm-driven flood waters, but the city, protected behind its seawall survived and has begun to recover. The lives that sheltered there were spared.
The storm surge at Galveston was fortunately less than the 18 to 22 feet that was forecasted. Hurricane Ike’s 10 to 12 foot storm surge from the Gulf of Mexico was largely blocked by the 17-foot high seawall. To many, the seawall may be an ugly concrete monstrosity, but it worked. The seawall performed as promised and protected the city from the full fury of the Gulf. The foresight of Galveston’s early civic leaders paid off.
 When Galveston was founded in 1839, the natural topography of the island included very little land with an elevation higher than five feet above sea level. In hindsight, the establishment of a city in such a vulnerable position seems unwise. In the following years, the island endured several strong storms including the hurricane of 1886. Still, Galveston grew and by the late 1800s, was the largest city in Texas and the commercial engine of the region, dubbed the “Wall Street of the South.”
The city’s luck changed in September 1900 when the Great Galveston Hurricane roared out of the Gulf of Mexico. The storm surge submerged the island and claimed 6,000 to 8,000 lives, still the greatest natural disaster in United States history. The city leaders resolved to stay and restore the city to prominence, but protection was needed to prevent a future cataclysm and to give the business owners and residents the confidence to rebuild.
Galveston formed the Deep Water Committee to oversee the task of protecting the city and appointed three engineers to develop a plan. These engineers were Henry M. Robert, retired from the Army Corps of Engineers; H.C. Ripley, formerly with the Army Corps of Engineers; and Alfred Noble from Chicago. Interestingly, while Henry M. Robert is honored in Galveston for his work with the Deep Water Committee, he is more widely known for developing Robert’s Rules of Order. After attending an unruly church meeting in Massachusetts in 1877, Mr. Robert took on the duty of authoring and self-publishing a set of procedural rules to maintain order during meetings. Henry M. Robert was featured in an episode of Dr. John Lienhard’s <

Recently, the HGS completed an audit of our books. I am pleased to be able to say that the HGS is fiscally sound. As a 501-c3 organization, we are classified as a non-profit, but it is still a good idea to stay in the black, particularly in financial timessuch as these. The good news is that this year we can expect a substantial income from the proceeds of the joint meeting of GCAGS/GSA, the Africa Conference, and the Mudstone Conference (scheduled for February 2009). The bad news is that the audit turned up a substantial number of unpaid accounts receivable, most of which comes from advertising in the Bulletin which was not paid to us, and that the Shrimp Peel, usually held in the late fall, was cancelled because of Hurricane Ike damage and use of the racetrack facility as a staging ground for incoming electrical service vehicles. Another issue has been an ongoing dispute with Schwab, by whose counsel the HGS placed some of our cash cushion in an investment which was billed as a conservative, safe vehicle, but turned out to be much more risky than we were aware. After a great deal of negotiation with them, we have decided to settle with the recovery of about half of our loss on the investment.
On the whole, though, HGS is doing very well. We tend to run in a cycle of about 3-4 years; when we host the AAPG annual meeting, we earn a cash influx, and on years when we do not have that meeting, we break even or sometimes run a bit into the red. As a non-profit, that’s okay, as long as we are providing the services we want to provide to our members. We do have a substantial cash cushion, so that if the industry falters, we can still continue our programs through the hard times. We are looking into rescheduling the Shrimp Peel in the late spring, and the conferences and continuing education courses we offer this year should provide enough income to comfortably finish the year.
We are grateful to the companies that sponsor many of our events. I was invited recently to accept a donation of over $5000 to the HGS Foundation from the TGS Charity Golf Tournament, which will be used to provide undergraduate scholarships for geology students. TGS/A2D has been a long-term sponsor and donor to the Foundation, and we would like to thank them and
companies like them that provide ongoing funding for our events and scholarship programs.
December brings us two talks and a party. Dr. Hans Nelson will speak at the General Dinner about modern turbidites and mini-basin pathways in the northern Gulf of Mexico and their use as Miocene depositional analogs. At the Engineering and Environmental meeting, Richard Howe will be showing some spectacular photos of the Daisetta sinkhole. The International Explorationists have organized a holiday party December 15, with live music and a prime rib buffet. That sounds like a great way to finish the year!
For anyone who missed it last month, I will buy a drink ticket for use at any HGS dinner or lunch event for the person who comes closest without going over in predicting the price of oil at the close of business on March 31, 2009. Last day to enter will be December 31, 2008. Email your picks to me at kcbhgs@gmail.com.
Do not forget the Public Comment period for input to the new earth science 4th year high school science curriculum. This is our opportunity to show the Texas State School Board that earth science is an important part of the education of high school students in our state. Only three public comments had been received as of the November HGS board meeting! Since then, I have sent my comments by email to curriculum@tea.state.tx.us (put “SCIENCE FEEDBACK” in the subject line). You can find the proposed curriculum at http://www.tea.state.tx.us/teks/ scienceTEKS.html. It’s easy, takes only a few minutes, and it is very important for our kids, both for general education, and to introduce them to the geosciences as a profession.
May you have a wonderful holiday season. _

 
  
 
                                To download December 2008 Bulletin click here
 

The Wise Report
Henry M. Wise, P.G.
November 15, 2008
 
On November 5, 2008 the TCEQ approved the proposal of a rule package to revise 30 TAC Chapter 350, the Texas Risk Reduction Program (TRRP),  and Chapter 334, Underground and Aboveground Storage Tanks rules. The proposed rule language will be published in the November 21, 2008, issue of the Texas Register  for public comment. The public comment period will end January 5, 2009. You may download the proposed amendments to both Chapters from the following Web page: http://www.tceq.state.tx.us/rules/prop.html#09003
 
The TCEQ will hold a stakeholders meeting on this proposal in Austin on December 11, 2008 from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. in Bldg E, Room 201S, at the commission's central office located at 12100 Park 35 Circle. The meeting is intended to facilitate discussion on the proposed rules.  Oral comments will not be recorded. Comments may be submitted by:

• mail to Michael Parrish, MC 205, Office of Legal Services, Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, P.O. Box 13087, Austin, Texas 78711-3087;
• by fax  to Michael Parrish  at  (512) 239-4808; or
• electronic at http://www5.tceq.state.tx.us/rules/ecomments. File size restrictions may apply to comments submitted through the eComments system.

All comments should reference Rule Project Number 2009-003-350-PR.
 
Additionally, the TCEQ will hold a public hearing on this proposal in Austin on December 16, 2008 at 10:00 a.m. in Room 201S, Building E, at the commission's central office located at 12100 Park 35 Circle. The hearing will be structured for the receipt of oral or written comments. Registration begins 30 minutes prior to the hearing. Individuals may present oral statements when called upon in order of registration. A time limit may be established to assure enough time is allowed for every interested person to speak. There will be no open discussion during the hearing; however, commission staff members will be available for discussion 30 minutes prior to the hearing and will answer questions before and after the hearing. Persons planning to attend the hearing, who have special communication or other accommodation needs, should contact Michael Parrish, Office of Legal Services, at (512) 239-2548. Requests should be made as far in advance as possible.
 
Henry M. Wise, P.G.
The Wise Report
11/15/2008

The Houston Geological Society and the Petroleum Exploration Society of Great Britain (PESGB) co-hosted the 7th Annual Africa Conference in Houston on September 8-10, 2008, at the Marriott Westchase Hotel. Three hundred geoscientists actively working, or interested, in African geology attended the two-day oral paper and poster event, which included 24 oral presentations on topics such as Gulf of Guinea, South Atlantic Salt Basin, North Africa, East Africa, and South Africa. Africa geology poster presentations were set up in the pavilion foyer. Photographs from the event capture the enthusiasm and networking that infused the two days of meetings and presentations.  Click here to see the Bulletin article with more photos by Linda Sternbach.

The conference organizing committee was headed by Al Danforth, and included Ian Poyntz, Martin Cassidy, John Dombrowski, John Tubb, Tarek Ghazi, Dave Schwartz and Claudia Lopez.  Additional volunteers included Donna Davis, Parrish Erwin, Thom Tucker, Ken Schwartz, Evelyn Medvin, Don Van Niewenhuise and Hamzat Erogbogbo.  The PESGB organizers for this conference were Ray Bate and Duncan MacGregor.

The HGS is grateful to the corporate sponsors who contributed to the costs of hosting the banquets/catering and conference CD and booklets. The sponsors included: Fugro Robertson, ExxonMobil, Vanco Energy, Lynx Information, SeaBird Exploration, CGGVertias, Core Lab, Infoterra, Microstrat, TGS Nopec, ION/GXTechnology, GETECH, and more.

The next Africa Conference will be hosted by the PESGB September 9-10th, 2009 in London. Abstracts for this upcoming 2009 meeting can be sent to Duncan MacGregor at duncan.macgregor2@ntlworld.com or Richard Dixon at dixonr@bp.com.

The Wise Report

Henry M. Wise, P.G.

November 7, 2008

The Surface Mining and Reclamation Division of the Railroad Commission of Texas (RRC) has drafted a revised proposal to repeal the existing rules and adopt new rules in Chapter 11, Uranium Exploration and Surface Mining. This project was initiated to implement new statutory provisions giving the Commission authority to regulate uranium exploration. The prior proposal, published in October 2007, received numerous comments. Many of them were well taken but were outside the scope of the proposal, so the Commission could not have adopted rules that included those changes without re-publication. Therefore, the first proposal was allowed to be automatically withdrawn by the Texas Register in May 2008.
In this revised version, the RRC has incorporated many of the comments that were submitted regarding the prior proposal, and has re-organized the rules for greater clarity. There are two significant changes to that earlier proposal. One is with respect to the implementation of the new statutory provisions concerning groundwater quality. The RRC proposal includes a new Subchapter C, entitled Groundwater Quality, to make those rule requirements more prominent. The second significant change concerns the confidentiality of information. In proposed new §11.4, relating to Information Subject to Public Review, the Staff draft establishes an initial presumption that all information filed by an applicant or permittee is considered essential for public review unless the provisions of subsection (b) of §11.4 apply. Subsection (b) sets out a procedure
by which an applicant or permittee could identify as confidential the specific information that could be confidential under the statute, Texas Natural Resources Code, §131.048; a procedure by which the director would make a determination on the confidentiality claim; and a time line that would permit an applicant or permittee sufficient time to obtain injunctive relief in the courts, if desired. The full proposed rule can be found at: http://www.rrc.state.tx.us/rules/smrddraft/chapter11draftproposal.pdf

The Surface Mining and Reclamation Division will accept comments on the draft proposal through the on-line comment form, at this link http://www.rrc.state.tx.us/rules/draft.php, or by mail to Railroad Commission of Texas, Surface Mining and Reclamation Division, P. O. Box 12967, Austin, Texas 78711-2967.

The Surface Mining and Reclamation Division will also conduct a stakeholders meeting to discuss and take comments on the Staff’s draft proposal on Tuesday, December 9, 2008, from 1:30 p.m. until 3:30 p.m., in Room 1-100, on the first floor of the William B. Travis Building, 1701 North Congress Avenue, Austin, Texas 78701.

In addition, the RRC has a number of proposed forms for use with uranium exploration and and surface mining.  Copies of these forms can be found at: http://www.rrc.state.tx.us/rules/draft.php

Henry M. Wise, P.G.

The Wise Report

11/7/2008

Nine volunteers and friends of the HGS worked Saturday, November 1, 2008, at the Montgomery County Food Bank in Conroe Texas. They sorted and packed 4,000 pounds of canned and dry goods for future distribution to charities, food kitchens and food pantries. This Food Bank distributes over one million pounds of goods a year, of which 60% goes to families with dependent children.

    Pictured are Jim Noser, Hans and Joyce Blixt, Maynard Little, Debbie Steele, Gregg Evans, Bob Choate and Tarek Ghazi.  Thanks to Paul Babcock, another hard-working volunteer, for organizing the event and taking the photos.
 
Upcoming Community Outreach events include the Christmas Bike Build at Reliant Center (with Elves and Moore) and Tree Planting Day in January.  Specific dates for both will be announced shortly. 
 

 Science and Politics  
 
 
Michael F. Forlenza, P.G.
Editor, HGS Bulletin
There is an adage that oil and water don’t mix. The same might be said about science and politics. Both are necessary for our nation’s prosperity and both function best independently. 
 For most of the United States’ history, science and politics have coexisted amicably or even cooperatively. The government often provided funding and support of basic scientific research. Science provided the know-how to meet challenges in health care and medicine, climate and oceanographic research, protection of the environment and natural resources, atomic physics, and national defense.
 Government often called on science and engineering to meet national goals or challenges. When America needed a victory during the dark days of the Cold War, the scientific and engineering communities responded to the Kennedy administration’s challenge of putting a man on the moon and bringing him home safely again. This stunning achievement rallied the nation’s aspirations, inspired a generation of students, and allowed the United States to claim superiority over communism.
 United States universities have a global reputation for scientific excellence drawing students from around the world. Yet some see the Unites States preeminent stature in science slipping away. Overall, two-thirds of American science and engineering graduate students are foreign students, primarily from Asia.   
As a professional and scientific organization, the Houston Geological Society has an interest in the advancement and teaching of science and scientific principles. The objectives in the HGS mission statement include promoting advancement in the geosciences and supporting the teaching of geosciences.
 The American people depend upon federal agencies to promote scientific research and to develop science-based policies that protect the nation’s health and welfare.  Historically, these agencies — such as the National Institutes of Health, the Food and Drug Administration, the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration, the Centers for Disease Control, and the Environmental Protection Agency — have had reputations for scientific distinction. However, leading scientific journals have questioned whether scientific integrity at federal agencies has been sacrificed to further a political and ideological agenda.  As the editor of Science wrote in early 2003, there is growing evidence that the Bush Administration “invades areas once immune to this kind of manipulation.”
 Critics have claimed that, during the administration of George W. Bush, science and politics have become incompatible, even antithetical. Representative Henry A. Waxman of California requested an assessment of the Bush Administration's treatment of science and scientists. The result was a report titled Politics and Science in the Bush Administration, United States House of Representatives, Committee on Government Reform, Special Investigation Division, August 2003. The report can be viewed at http://oversight.house.gov/features/politics_and_science/pdfs/pdf_politics_and_science_rep.pdf. 
 The Waxman report noted in the introduction, that for the scientific process to succeed, political interference must be minimized and quoted former President George H.W. Bush: 

“Science, like any field of endeavor, relies on freedom of inquiry; and one of the hallmarks of that freedom is objectivity. Now more than ever, on issues ranging from climate change to AIDS research to genetic engineering to food additives, government relies on the impartial perspective of science for guidance.” (National Academy of Sciences, 1990)
 

 The report summarized:

“Federal agencies with global reputations for scientific excellence depend upon the objective input of leading scientists and the impartial analysis of scientific evidence to develop effective policies. The Bush Administration, however, has repeatedly suppressed, distorted, or obstructed science to suit political and ideological goals. These actions go far beyond the traditional influence that Presidents are permitted to wield at federal agencies and compromise the integrity of scientific policymaking.”
 

 In his 2005 book The Republican War on Science, Chris Mooney documents the intellectual clash between scientists and politicians.  Scientific advice, he writes, has been ignored, undermined, distorted or spun, and uncertainties magnified or even manufactured.  “Science politicisation,” Mooney states, “threatens not just our public health and environment, but the very integrity of American democracy, which relies heavily on scientific and technical expertise to function.” 
In 2005, President Bush told Texas newspaper reporters in a group interview at the White House that he believes that intelligent design should be taught alongside evolution as competing theories. "Both sides ought to be properly taught . . . so people can understand what the debate is about," he said, according to an official transcript of the session.  The president made this declaration ignoring the overwhelming consensus of the scientific community regarding the validity of evolution and the concept of an ancient earth. Intelligent design, or creationism, has no supporting peer-reviewed scientific evidence and is untestable by the scientific method.
On November 4, 2008, we will choose a new president. This is a chance for a new start: a revitalized and mutually beneficial relationship between science and politics. Voters will choose between Senator John McCain and Senator Barack Obama to be the next leader of the United States. But what are the views of these two candidates regarding science?

The organization Science Debate 2008 has issued a series of questions about science policy to the presidential nominees.  Science Debate 2008 is a concerned citizen’s initiative co-sponsored by the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the Council on Competitiveness, the National Academy of Sciences, the National Academy of Engineering, and the Institute of Medicine, and endorsed by over

Download November 2008 Bulletin
 

 
Landing on our feet
 It is a good thing that the oil industry is good at dealing with uncertainty. Risk is one of those things that are second nature to us, and right now, that capacity for dealing with risk and finding our way through it is coming in awfully handy. It has been quite a roller-coaster year for oil prices, and predicting where we are going to be in another 6 months, 1 year, or 5 years is a critical issue for our businesses. So what do we do? Deal with it. Make it work. Our bets are made and now we need to make the best we can out of difficult financial times.
 As I write this, oil prices are around $80 per barrel, down considerably from their earlier record highs. That is still a pretty good price, given that it has not been so long since we were pretty happy with $60 per barrel oil. The upside of the current situation is that it is going to create some opportunities to buy solid assets. Oil and gas are still irreplaceable commodities and we can juggle our future plans; if demand goes down now, it gives us a breather to regroup and prepare for the long term. If prices continue to fall, there will come a time to pick up some of those assets that hit the market at reasonable prices. There will be winners and losers in this market, but as an industry, we have a tendency to land on our feet, and I believe we will do it this time too.

 
Just for grins, I will buy a drink ticket at any HGS dinner or lunch for the person who comes closest without going over in predicting the price of oil at the close of business on March 31, 2009. Email your picks to me at kcbhgs@gmail.com.
 This month at the General Dinner meeting on November 10th, we will hear Tucker Hentz and William Ambrose of the Texas BEG present a regional picture of the Woodbine Group. I am looking forward to seeing what they have pulled together.
 On November 17th, Brian Tucholke presents the annual Sheriff lecture. This is a fun annual event with posters from UH students and the presentation of HGS student scholarships, followed by the talk. The Northsiders this month will host Charles Fried of BP, with a new twist on mapping geologists, instead of geology. The Environmental & Engineering dinner will feature Bob Patton from the TCEQ speaking on dry cleaner remediation. 

The General Lunch speaker will describe mapping the Daisetta sinkhole, which appeared suddenly from the collapse of a salt dome and grew to enormous size, consuming cars and drilling equipment as it grew. 
 The public comment period for input on the new Earth Science 4th year high school science curriculum has begun. The proposed curriculum can be found at http://www.tea.state.tx.us/teks/scienceTEKS.html. Please take the time to support our science by reading the curriculum and making your opinion known to the Texas State Board of Education by contacting your State Board Representative (find your board rep contact information by filling in your address at http://www.tea.state.tx.us/teks/scienceTEKS.html then going to the bottom of the page).  We need to strongly support the curriculum as it has been designed, and not allow the program to be diluted by pseudo-science. This curriculum design will determine the content of text books to be used in Texas, and will have a ripple effect because California and Texas strongly influence the text books that are used in schools across the country. So give your state Board of Education rep a call saying, “I like this curriculum,” (or whatever you think) and send constructive commentary on specifics of the curriculum to HGS member Alison Henning, who has been actively involved in the curriculum development committee.

The Wise Report
Henry M. Wise, P.G.
October 25, 2008
 
The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality's (TCEQ's) Texas Groundwater Protection Committee has released two reports:

• Joint Groundwater Monitoring and Contamination Report - 2007, and
• 2008 State of Texas Water Quality Inventory, Groundwater Assessment (305(b)) Report

These reports can be found at:  http://www.tgpc.state.tx.us/

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The TCEQ has adopted new rules for the regulation of petroleum storage tanks.  The purpose of the adopted amendments is to incorporate into agency rules, changes to statute which were effective September 1, 2007, based on language in House Bill (HB) 3554 and HB 1956, 80th Legislature, 2007, to incorporate certain underground storage tank (UST) provisions of the federal Energy Policy Act of 2005, and to update certain technical requirements pertaining to USTs. Changes include such items as the requirements for: proof of financial assurance to be included with annual tank self-certifications; cessation of annual facility fees; secondary containment for UST systems in accordance with United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Federal Energy Policy Act requirements; and extension of the Petroleum Storage Tank (PST) Reimbursement Program for four years.  For more information goto:  http://www.sos.state.tx.us/texreg/sos/adopted/30.ENVIRONMENTAL%20QUALITY.html#287

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The TCEQ has begun the rule making process to revise 30 TAC Chapter 350, The Texas Risk Reduction Program (TRRP) rules, Section 350.2, and Chapter 334, Underground and Aboveground Storage Tanks, Section 334.71. This rulemaking would remove the applicability of Leaking Petroleum Storage Tank sites from the TRRP.   The rules pending proposal were filed on October 17, 2008 and are scheduled for the Commission agenda on November 5, 2008. You may download the pending proposal from the following Web Page: http://www.tceq.state.tx.us/rules/pendprop.html#09003

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The Texas Board of Professional Geoscientists (TBPG) has issued twonew reports: 

• Legislative Appropriations Request For Fiscal Years 2010 and 2011, and

• Agency Strategic Plan For Fiscal Years 2009 - 2013

These reports can be found at:  http://www.tbpg.state.tx.us/

Henry M. Wise, P.G.

The Wise Report

10/25/2008

The Wise Report
Henry M. Wise, P.G.
October 17, 2008
 
As reported in last week's Wise Report, the TCEQ has been working on adapting PST rules to legislation passed during the previous legislative session.  One of these new rules pertains to the removal of PSTs from the TRRP rules.  All of this has resulted in some confusion because the legislation was non-specific - Chapter 334, which contains the RBCA rules, was not specifically named in the legislation.  The legislator who introduced the bill wrote to the TCEQ Commissioners that it was his intention to remove PSTs from the TRRP rules and have them placed back under the RBCA rules specified in Chapter 224.  Therefore, the rule has, once again, been postponed.  The rest of the rule, pertaining to the remediation fund, fees, etc. is scheduled to be published  in the Texas Register soon.  The TRRP to RBCA rule is now scheduled for additional public comment soon.  Hopefully all of this will be resolved soon, otherwise, additional legislation that specifically mandates using Chapter 334 for PSTs may be required.
 
Henry M. Wise, P.G.
The Wise Report
10/17/2008

Click here to download higher resolution pdf
 

Geologic Website of the Month – October 2008
Michael F. Forlenza, P.G.
 

 Bureau of Economic Geology
 www.beg.utexas.edu
 

The Bureau of Economic Geology website has improved greatly over the last few years. The homepage has an appealing modern look with large photographs, clean graphics, pull down menus, and links to information repositories. Previously, the homepage was a rather uninteresting collection of lists that required the user to have some previous knowledge of the type of information being sought. The redesigned and updated website is more organized and more fun for browsing and exploring.
 The Bureau was established in 1909 and is the oldest research unit at the University of Texas at Austin. The Bureau’s mission is to provide research and advice related to energy and environmental issues and to perform the functions of the state geological survey for Texas as requested by the state legislature.   As the state geological survey, the Bureau is involved in outreach efforts with the public, state agencies, federal agencies, private foundations, and industry. The Bureau conducts basic and applied research related to: energy resources including oil, natural gas, and coal; mineral resources; coastal processes; Earth and environmental systems; hydrogeology; carbon sequestration; nanotechnology; energy economics; and geologic mapping. The Bureau disseminates scientific knowledge by:
 (1)        Publishing research results in scientific journals, in Bureau reports, and on the internet;
(2)        Conducting technology transfer workshops and schools;
(3)        Participating in professional meetings;
(4)        Training undergraduate, graduate, and postdoctoral students by providing hands-on research experience with modern datasets; and
(5)        Promoting learning in grades K through 12 and through public outreach.
The Bureau, part of the John A. and Katherine G. Jackson School of Geosciences, not only curates the largest volume of subsurface core and cuttings in the United States at three world-class centers located in Houston, Austin, and Midland, but also runs a major Texas well log library, with nearly one million well records on file. The Bureau serves as the regional lead organization for the Petroleum Technology Transfer Council or PTTC (www.pttc.org) and as the managing organization for the Advanced Energy Consortium (www.beg.utexas.edu/aec). 
The current Director of the Bureau, and State Geologist, is Dr. Scott W. Tinker, a professor holding the Allday Endowed Chair in the Jackson School of Geosciences. The Jackson School traces its origins to a Department of Geology founded in 1888 and subsequently became a separate unit at the college level only on September 1, 2005. The school’s formation resulted from one of the most generous gifts in the history of higher education when the late John A. and Katherine G. Jackson bequeathed endowments and assets to the university that presently are valued at over $300 million. Following the receipt of this gift, the Bureau website was upgraded and expanded.
On the homepage, the seven pull-down menus connect to the extensive geologic resources and information available through the website. The heart of these resources is found in the Research pull-down menu which has listings for Research Programs, Research by Region, Energy Research, Environmental Research, Center for Energy Economics, and Industry Associates Programs. The Energy Research and Environmental Research menus have large sub-menus relating to specific areas of Bureau research. For example, the Clastics page under Energy Research describes five ongoing Bureau research projects and three recently completed projects.
Under the Publications pull down menu, the Publications-by-type page presents a list materials published by the Bureau including: books, reports, cross sections, maps, posters, digital data, open-file reports, and discontinued series. This page is reminiscent of the look of the Bureau homepage prior to the website redesign. The list of printed publications includes puzzling two-letter abbreviations such as: Bestsellers [GA, GB, RI, RK, SM]. Only by going farther does the visitor realize that GA means geologic atlas. Also on this page, are links to geological societies including the HGS. Unfortunately, most of these links are broken and return errors.

The Wise Report

Henry M. Wise, P.G.

October 11, 2008

The TCEQ has released the TRRP guidance document RG-366/TRRP-10 Selecting Target Chemicals of Concern.  It can be found at http://www.tceq.state.tx.us/comm_exec/forms_pubs/pubs/rg/rg-366_trrp_10.html  

TRRP-10 answers the question “What chemicals must I analyze for when doing a TRRP assessment?” Those chemicals are the focus of the document and are called “target chemicals of concern (COCs).”   Rather than providing expansive lists of chemicals, the document describes a logical process consisting of 8 steps:

1. Evaluate permit, order or program requirements.  If these are very specific, the process can stop here.

2. Evaluate project objectives.  A site in VCP must consider all releases; a tank closure can focus on the contents of the tank.

3. Collect information.  Look for relevant information on current and past operations.

4. Review the information using professional judgment.  Look for data gaps.

5. Select options when information is “insufficient.”  Fill data gaps with several options.

6. Designate target COCs.  Make the call based on the preceding steps.

7. Conduct the assessment.  If additional COCs are found, repeat the process.

8. Document and report results.  Describe in the APAR the basis for the target COC list.

TRRP-10 handles several other subjects in appendices:
 

A.  References where some of the information for Step 3 can be found;

B.  How to handle daughter and companion chemicals; and

C.  Treatment of tentatively identified compounds.

Please contact Paul Lewis at 512-239-2341 if you have any questions

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Athough I didn't see it in the Texas Register, the TCEQ has evidently adopted rulemaking that extends the Petroleum Storage Tank reimbursement program (and related remediation and reimbursement deadlines) for eligible leaking petroleum storage tank (LPST) sites; eliminate annual registration fees for underground and aboveground storage tanks; address financial assurance requirements for underground storage tanks (USTs); incorporate UST Secondary Containment requirements for new UST systems in Federal law (The Energy Policy Act of 2005); amend certain technical standards for UST systems related to Federal requirements; and remove LPST sites from Texas Risk Reduction Program (TRRP) requirements and place them in the RBCA rules once again.  This new rule is to take effect on October 30, 2008.  For more information go to: http://www.tceq.state.tx.us/rules/adopt.html

Henry M. Wise, P.G.

The Wise Report

10/11/2008

The Wise Report
Henry M. Wise, P.G.
October 6, 2008

The Texas Board of Professional Geoscientists (TBPG) proposes an amendment to 22 TAC §851.32, regarding continuing education. The proposed amendment removes the requirement for continuing education activities to be pre-approved by the TBPG. For more information go to:  http://www.sos.state.tx.us/texreg/sos/PROPOSED/22.EXAMINING%20BOARDS.html#17

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From the AGI Monthly Governmental Review (September):

Department of Commerce - The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration announces a 45-day public comment period for the draft report titled, “U.S. Climate Change Science Program Synthesis and Assessment Product 4.2: Thresholds of Change in Ecosystems.”  After consideration of comments received on the draft report, a revised version along with the comments  received will be published on the CCSP web site. Comments must be received by October 17, 2008. The draft Synthesis and Assessment Product: 4.2 is posted on the CCSP Web site at:http://www.climatescience.gov/Library/sap/sap4-2/default.php Comments must be submitted to:4.2-threshold@climatescience.gov
[Federal Register: September 2, 2008 (Volume 73, Number 170)]
Department of Defence - The Department of the Army, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers was directed to revise the Economic and Environmental Principles and Guidelines for Water and Related Land Resources Implementation Studies (P&G) in Section 2031 of the Water Resources Development Act of 2007 (Pub. L. 110-114). This notice invites written comments on the proposed Principles by October 15, 2008. The proposed Principles can be found at: http://www.usace.army.mil/cw/hot_topics/ht_2008/pandg_rev.htm.
[Federal Register: September 12, 2008 (Volume 73, Number 178)]

Henry M. Wise, P.G.

The Wise Report

10/6/2008

 Click to Download October Bulletin
 

Stalking the Wild Beast - The Rule of Capture in TexasMichael F. Forlenza, PGEditor, HGS Bulletin
 
Modern geologists may not think of underground fluids, such as oil, gas, and groundwater, as “occult and obscure.” But until relatively recent times, this is how these subsurface resources were viewed by the courts and legislature. For centuries, underground fluids in Texas and throughout the United States were thought of as ferae naturae, that is, free in nature like a wild beast or a feral animal, and subject to the “Rule of Capture.”
 
The rule of capture is founded in English common law and states that the first person to “capture” the resource owns that resource. A wild beast, such as a deer, a turkey, or a bear, which roams across the ground surface, is no one’s property until it is captured, then becoming the property of the person who captured it. Just as there is no owner for the wild beast that wanders freely across property lines, under the rule of capture, no one owns oil and gas underground because it is considered fugacious, evanescent, and fleeting. Only when the wild beast is trapped, or the oil is recovered and pumped into a container, is it owned.
Possession of the land, therefore, is not necessarily possession of the underlying oil, gas, or groundwater. If an adjoining, or even a distant, owner, drills on his own land, and taps into a gas reservoir that underlies your property, the gas that comes to his well and under his control is no longer yours, but his. The rule of capture does not give a property owner the “right” to drain a neighbor’s tract, but merely denies any liability for the person who does so.
 
The Rule of Capture in Texas Oil Fields
The rule of capture has been an integral part of oil and gas law in the United States since the completion of the first commercial oil well in Pennsylvania in the 1840s. Texas joined the ranks of oil producing states in 1866 when Lynis T. Barrett completed the first oil producing well at in Melrose, Nacogdoches County. In the early 1900s, the Texas legislature passed several bills relating to the use and conservation of the state's oil and gas resources. However, these regulations were largely ignored and only sporadically enforced. In 1919, the legislature assigned jurisdiction over oil and gas production to the Texas Railroad Commission. In response, the Texas Railroad Commission, established earlier to regulate the railroads, created its Oil and Gas Division.
After the East Texas oil field was discovered in 1930, a multitude of small independent operators raced to put up rigs. Production wells were drilled close together and along lease boundaries to drain reservoirs quickly. Derricks touched legs with adjoining derricks. Wells were operated wide-open to out produce the competitor across the lease boundary. The price of oil crashed. More critically, the natural water drive of the field was damaged and the resource was wasted.
When the Railroad Commission tried to step in and cut back production, action began in the courts and, at one point, state military forces were called in to regain order. It was several years before courts and the State Legislature were able to settle on the position that the Railroad Commission had the right to prorate production to conserve the state's natural resources, to protect correlative rights, and to prevent pollution.
 
 
 
 
 
The rule of capture was colorfully elucidated in the recent film “There Will Be Blood.” In the film, oilman Daniel Plainview, portrayed by Irish actor Daniel Day-Lewis, sinisterly explains his view of the rule of capture by remarking to a competitor:
“… if you have a milkshake and I have a milkshake, and I have a straw and my straw reaches across the room and starts to drink your milkshake: I drink your milkshake! I drink it up!"
 
The Rule of Capture for Texas Groundwater
 
While Texas has adopted state management of oil and gas production, groundwater use and production in Texas is still unregulated at the state level and the rule of capture is used to settle court disputes. Groundwater is vital to the life and health of Texans and the Texas economy. Texans use nearly 17 million acre-feet (5.5 trillion gallons) of groundwater each year, making up about 60 percent of our total water usage.
As applied to groundwater in Texas, the rule of capture provides that, absent malice or willful waste, landowners have the right to take all the water they can capture from under their land and to do with the water what they please, and they will not be liable to neighboring landowners, even if their actions deprive their neighbors of the water’s use.
The rule of capture contrasts with the “reasonable use” or the “American rule,” which provides that the right of a landowner to withdraw groundwater is not absolute, but limited to the amount necessary for the reasonable use of his land, and that the rights of adjoining landowners are correlative and limited to reasonable use. Since its adoption in Texas more than 100 years ago, the rule of capture has been widely criticized. Today, Texas stands alone as the only western state that continues to follow the rule of capture for groundwater.
The Texas Supreme Court first adopted the rule of capture for groundwater in the landmark 1904 decision Houston & Texas Central Railroad Co. v. East. The railroad company completed a water well on its property near Dennison, Texas to supply water for its locomotives. The well, which produced 25,000 gallons of water daily, lowered groundwater levels in the aquifer and dried up the household well of a neighboring landowner. The landowner sued the railroad for damages.
The court asserted that the rule of capture applied to groundwater in Texas and decided the railroad was not liable for damages: “Because the existence, origin, movement and course of such waters, and the causes which govern and direct their movements, are so secret, occult and concealed that an attempt to administer any set of legal rules in respect to them would be involved in hopeles

After months of planning, the GCAGS/GSA Joint meeting has arrived. I encourage you to attend this unique meeting, which takes place at the George R. Brown Convention center here in Houston October 5-9. If you haven’t yet registered, be sure to register as a GCAGS member, which you are if you are a member of HGS. With the joint meeting, we have an opportunity to attend the customary 2 days of CGAGS talks or the complete GCAGS and GSA technical programs. GSA expects a large number of student participants, and I hope that each one of you will make an effort to introduce yourself to at least one student at the meeting. These young people are the future of our industry, and any encouragement we can offer as future geoscientists will be good for both ourselves and our country’s future.
Congratulations to the International Explorationists’ committee for putting on the very successful Africa conference in September! Al Danforth and Ian Poyntz put together a superb technical program for this well-attended meeting, which was notable as not only one of the premier worldwide technical meetings focusing on Africa, but also for showcasing new technologies such as 3D beam migration and practical application of GIS to understanding geology.  Committee members John Dombrowski, Tarek Ghazi, Martin Cassidy and Dave Schultz worked hard to bring the meeting to fruition, and our thanks also go to Fugro for sponsoring the meeting and providing CDs of the proceedings. A job well done!
I am looking forward to a great slate of technical talks this month, ranging from the Paleogene drawdown of the Gulf of Mexico to porosity in eolian reservoirs in Africa to shale fracturing to a review of the Marcellus and Haynesville Shales. Topping the month off with our short course, “Exploration Risk for Senior Management,” and we have a very busy month.
Bring your family to the Annual Family Energy Festival at the Museum of Natural Science Oct 11, and plan to make a trip to the beach at Galveston for the Earth Science Week field trip.  Geoscientists new to the industry are invited to Geoscience Day October 23, where they can learn about the life of an oil field from birth to retirement.
If you haven’t renewed your HGS membership for this year, this is the last issue of the Bulletin you will receive. Every year, 500-800 members don’t renew; most of them simply forget. The HGS board is debating ways to make renewal easier. One option is to allow you to choose to automatically renew each year; another is to provide a way to renew for multiple years at one time. I invite comments and ideas from all of you for making this process easier. HGS membership is one of the best bargains you are likely to find. At $24 per year, our dues remain extremely low compared to other professional societies, and membership provides many benefits, including reduced prices for technical and social events and the monthly Bulletin, as well as abundant opportunities to network through volunteering. We are also looking to expand our membership through new member acquisition. This is the responsibility of the Membership Growth committee, currently headed by Linda Sternbach. Membership Growth is key to the survival of the HGS, as we need to bring in the next generation of geoscientists in order to continue the substantial networking and technical opportunities that HGS provides. I urge you to ask your colleagues if they are HGS members and sponsor their membership if they are not. It continually surprises me how many times I’ve asked someone I’ve known for years if they are an HGS member, and their response is, “No, but I’d like to be.” I have been gratified to see many new faces (and a lot less gray hair) at our activities this year, but we need to actively recruit to maintain our society as the current generation begins to reach retirement age.
The HGS has worked hard to support the addition of a required year of earth science in the Texas public school system. The Texas Legislature passed the requirement, and the Texas State school board has been developing the curriculum of the course. Board Member Alison Henning has been part of the curriculum development committee. She reports that the course curriculum is completed and is both thorough and accurate. The curriculum will be put out for public comment this fall. It is important that, as geoscientists and parents, we provide input to support the curriculum as it is currently written. When the public comment period begins, we will place a link on the HGS web site to the curriculum and comment site. Please take a few minutes out of
your schedule to review the program and lend your support—as always with public commentary, the more positive responses the curriculum receives, the more likely it will be to pass.
I look forward to seeing you at our events this month!
 
 

The Wise Report

Henry M. Wise, P.G.

September 27, 2008

 

The TCEQ will be adopting rulemaking that will extend the Petroleum Storage Tank reimbursement program (and related remediation and reimbursement deadlines) for eligible leaking petroleum storage tank (LPST) sites; eliminate annual registration fees for underground and aboveground storage tanks; address financial assurance requirements for underground storage tanks (USTs); incorporate UST Secondary Containment requirements for new UST systems in Federal law (The Energy Policy Act of 2005); amend certain technical standards for UST systems related to Federal requirements; and remove LPST sites from Texas Risk Reduction Program (TRRP) requirements. The adopted rule was to be published in this week's Texas Register, but wasn't.  It was anticipated to take effect October 2, 2008, but will probably be delayed since it wasn't published on time.  For more information, go to: 

http://www.tceq.state.tx.us/rules/pendadopt.html#07037

 

Henry M. Wise, P.G.

The Wise Report

9/27/2008

The Wise Report
Henry M. Wise, P.G.
September 19, 2008
 
The TCEQ has issued the following advisory for samples collected and/or analyzed in the Houston area during the past week:
 
Due to the September 2008 preparation, evacuation, and/or recovery activities associated with the Hurricane Ike event along the Texas coast in the Galveston/Houston area, environmental laboratories in that area impacted by the hurricane’s movements may report holding time and temperature preservation issues for samples collected Friday, September 5, 2008 through Thursday, September 11, 2008. These activities may include a) the mandatory and/or voluntary evacuation of the laboratories in advance of the hurricane’s anticipated and/or actual landfall, b) the couriers, responsible for delivering the samples to the laboratory, not entering the area by land or by air until after the hurricane conditions had subsided, and c) the laboratory’s recovery and return to routine operating conditions following the hurricane event. 
 
The agency has developed guidelines for evaluating the samples collected during this time period.  These guidelines are posted on our website at http://www.tceq.state.tx.us/remediation/announcements.html. Please discuss any site-specific issues with your TCEQ project manager.

 
Henry M. Wise, P.G.
The Wise Report
9/19/2008

Results of HGS Officer Election
New Officers 2008-2009
President-Elect:   Gary Coburn,  (Murphy Oil)
Vice President :  Art Berman,  (Consultant)
Secretary:    Michael Jones,  (Scout Petroleum)
New Directors:  Ianthe Sarrazin, (Petrobras)   and  Walter Light, (Thunder Exploration)
Treasurer-Elect:   Matt Boyd, (Southwestern Energy)
Editor-Elect:   Gordon Shields, (Fugro-Robertson)

Click here to view photos
 Returning Board Members 2008-2009
President: Kara Bennett,  (Consultant)
Treasurer: John Tubb,  (Consultant)
Editor: Michael Forlenza,  (Malcolm Pirnie Inc)
Directors: Alison Henning, (Rice University) and Richard Howe, (Terrain Solutions).
 Exiting Board Members
Past President: Linda Sternbach, (Star Creek Energy)
Past Treasurer:  John Jordan, (Anadarko Petroleum)
Past Editor: Steve Earle, (Carrizo Oil)
Past Directors: Bonnie Milne-Andrews , (Swift Energy) and Bob Merrill, (Catheart Energy)
 

The Wise Report
Henry M. Wise, P.G.
September 12, 2008
 
The Texas Board of Professional Geoscientist (TBPG) has reached a reciprocity/comity agreement with the State of Alabama.  The full text can be found at:  http://www.tbpg.state.tx.us/SignedAlabama.pdf
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An updated Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the Texas Board of Professional Geoscientists and the Texas Board of Professional Engineers has been adopted by both Boards to address overlapping jurisdictions.  The full text can be found at:  http://www.tbpg.state.tx.us/TBPE_TBPG_MOU
 
Henry M. Wise, P.G.
The Wise Report
9/12/2008

The Wise Report

Henry M. Wise, P.G.

September 6, 2008

Lots of interesting things going on this week, not just from the TCEQ.
The TCEQ has five proposals out this week, dealing with uranium mining and radioactive material disposal.  They are:
The TCEQ proposes amendments to §§37.9001, 37.9030, 37.9035, 37.9040, 37.9045, and 37.9050.
The changes proposed to this chapter are part of a larger proposal to revise the TCEQ's radiation control and underground injection control (UIC) rules. The purpose of this rulemaking is to implement the remaining portions of Senate Bill (SB) 1604, 80th Legislature, 2007, its amendments to Texas Health and Safety Code (THSC), Chapter 401 (also known as the Texas Radiation Control Act (TRCA)), and House Bill (HB) 3838, 80th Legislature, 2007. This proposed rulemaking intends to incorporate new provisions for notice and contested case hearing opportunities related to Production Area Authorizations and UIC Area Permits and financial assurance requirements for uranium mining, and new state fees on gross receipts associated with the radioactive waste disposal. HB 3838 specifically addresses the period between uranium exploration, which is regulated by the Railroad Commission of Texas (RRC), and permitting of injection wells for in situ uranium mining, which is regulated by TCEQ. HB 3838 requires TCEQ to establish a registration program for exploration wells permitted by the RRC that are used for development of the UIC area permit application. In response to a previous petition for rulemaking, the commission has also directed staff to review, seek stakeholder input on, and recommend revision of commission rules related to in situ uranium recovery. The proposed amendments to Chapter 37 establish the financial assurance requirements for licenses for source material recovery, by-product disposal, aquifer restoration, and radioactive substances storage and processing. The commission proposes that the existing financial assurance requirements of Chapter 37, Subchapter T be used for the licensing programs subject to the transfer of jurisdiction in SB 1604. SB 1604 also establishes a new state fee for disposal of radioactive substances and amends UIC requirements for uranium mining.  For more information go to:  http://www.sos.state.tx.us/texreg/sos/PROPOSED/30.ENVIRONMENTAL%20QUALITY.html#154
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The TCEQ proposes amendments to §§39.403, 39.651, 39.653, 39.702, 39.703, and 39.707. The commission also proposes new §39.655. The changes proposed to this chapter are part of a larger proposal to revise the commission's radiation control and underground injection control (UIC) rules. The purpose of this rulemaking is to implement the remaining portions of Senate Bill (SB) 1604, 80th Legislature, 2007, its amendments to Texas Health and Safety Code (THSC), Chapter 401 (also known as the Texas Radiation Control Act (TRCA)), Texas Water Code (TWC), Chapter 27 (also known as the Injection Well Act), and House Bill (HB) 3838, 80th Legislature, 2007. This proposed rulemaking intends to incorporate new provisions for notice and contested case hearing opportunities related to Production Area Authorizations and UIC Area Permits, financial assurance requirements, and new state fees on gross receipts associated with the radioactive waste disposal. HB 3838 specifically addresses the period between uranium exploration, which is regulated by the Railroad Commission of Texas (RRC), and permitting of injection wells for in situ uranium mining, which is regulated by TCEQ. HB 3838 requires TCEQ to establish a registration program for exploration wells permitted by the RRC that are used for development of the UIC area permit application. In response to a previous petition for rulemaking, the commission has also directed staff to review, seek stakeholder input on, and recommend revision of TCEQ rules related to in situ uranium recovery.

The proposed rules to Chapter 39 amend public notice requirements for applications for radioactive materials licenses, injection well permits and production area authorizations, and aquifer exemptions. The proposed rules clarify requirements for public notice of radioactive materials licenses, add requirements for the provision of public notice for injection well permits and production area authorizations to mineral interest owners and groundwater conservation districts, and establish specific requirements for public notice of aquifer exemptions. For more information go to:  http://www.sos.state.tx.us/texreg/sos/PROPOSED/30.ENVIRONMENTAL%20QUALITY.html#165
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The TCEQ proposes an amendment to §55.201. The changes proposed to this chapter are part of a larger proposal to revise the TCEQ's radiation control and underground injection control (UIC) rules. The purpose of this rulemaking is to implement the remaining portions of Senate Bill (SB) 1604, 80th Legislature, 2007, its amendments to Texas Health and Safety Code (THSC), Chapter 401 (also known as the Texas Radiation Control Act (TRCA)), Texas Water Code (TWC), Chapter 27 (also known as the Injection Well Act), and House Bill (HB) 3838, 80th Legislature, 2007. This proposed rulemaking intends to incorporate new provisions for notice and contested case hearing opportunities related to Production Area Authorizations and UIC Area Permits, financial assurance requirements, and new state fees on gross receipts associated with the radioactive waste disposal. HB 3838 specifically addresses the period between uranium exploration, which is regulated by the Railroad Commission of Texas (RRC), and permitting of injection wells for in situ uranium mining, which is regulated by TCEQ. HB 3838 requires TCEQ to establish a registration program for exploration wells permitted by the RRC that are used for development of the UIC area permit application. In response to a previous petition for rulemaking, the TCEQ has also directed staff to review, seek stakeholder input on, and recommend revision of commission rules related to in situ uranium recovery. The proposed rulemaking action implements legislative requirements in SB 1604, establishing requirements for production area authorizations for in situ recovery of uranium. For more information go to:  http://www.sos.state.tx.us/texreg/sos/PROPOSED/30.ENVIRONMENTAL%20QUALITY.html#179
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The TCEQ proposes amendments to §§331.2, 331.7, 331.13, 331.45, 331.46, 331.82, 331.84 - 331.86, 331.103 - 331.107, and 331.143. The TCEQ proposes new §§331.87, 331.108, 331.109, and 331.220 - 331.225. The changes proposed to this chapter are part of a larger proposal to revise the TCEQ's radiation control and underground injection control (UIC) rules. The purpose of this rulemaking is to implement the remaining portions of Senate Bill (SB) 1604, 80th Legislature, 2007, its amendments to Texas Health and Safety Code (THSC), Chapter 401 (also known as the Texas Radiation Control Act (TRCA)), Texas Water Code (TWC), Chapter 27 (also known as the Injection Well Act), and House Bill (HB) 3838, 80th Legislature, 2007. This proposed rulemaking intends to incorporate new provisions for Production A

Hello [firstname],

There are a few errors in the September Bulletin that may confuse you as you make your HGS plans this month.  They are:

• (p. 29) The General Lunch is at the Petroleum Club (as always), not the Crowne Plaza Hotel. 
• (p. 38) The General Lunch (Sep. 24) is missing from the Calendar.
• (p. 38) The International Dinner topic is incorrect on the Calendar.  It should be, "Lacustrine Kitchens -- Keys to Exploration Success in the Pre-Salt Play, Santos Basin, and Potential along the Eastern Brazil Margin."

As always, we encourage you to visit www.hgs.org for the latest information (see the links below), and to register on-line for these events.

International Explorationists Dinner Meeting
Speaker's Name: William Dickson & Craig Schiefelbein, Dickson International Geosciences & Geochemical Solutions Intl.
Day: Mon 22-Sep-08 5:30 PM
Location: Westchase Hilton 9999 Westheimer Houston, Texas 77042-3802
Topic: Lacustrine Kitchens -- Keys to Exploration Success in the Pre-Salt Play, Santos Basin, and Potential along the Eastern Brazil Margin
Register Mapquest | Add to Calendar 

HGS General Luncheon Meeting
Speaker's Name: Stephen Trammel, Senior Product Manager, IHS
Day: Wed 24-Sep-08 11:30 AM
Location: Petroleum Club of Houston 800 Bell, 43rd Floor Houston, TX 77002
Topic: Hot U.S. Plays: Mostly Shale
Register Mapquest | Add to Calendar
 

The Wise Report
Henry M. Wise, P.G.
August 28, 2008
 
TCEQ's Remediation Division is in the process of making minor, unsubstantial changes to the following guidance documents. These documents will be unavailable for a couple of months during our agency's review of the changes.  For questions on this issue, please contact James McGhee at 512-239-5428, Kristine Elliott at 512-239-4665, or Vicki Modak at 512-239-5695.
 

Soil and Groundwater Sampling and Analysis [at LPST Sites]

RG-014

Real Estate Considerations for LPST Cleanups

RG-015

How to Remove Your Underground Storage Tank from the Ground

RG-016

Leaking Storage Tanks - What Should I Do?

RG-018

Risk-Based Corrective Action for Leaking Storage Tank Sites

RG-036

Corrective Action Plans for LPST Sites

RG-041

Groundwater Monitoring and Reporting [at LPST Sites]

RG-043

Selecting an Environmental Consultant/Corr

The Graying of Petroleum Historians
Jeff Spencer (jspencer@blackpoolenergy.com)
In 2009, the petroleum industry will celebrate the 150th anniversary of Colonel Drakes’s oil discovery near Titusville, Pennsylvania — the event traditionally regarded as the start of the industry in the United States. People interested in the history of the oil age are organizing a number of events commemorating this sesquicentennial anniversary. One of these events was the International Oil Symposium held May 7–10th, 2008 in Sarnia and Petrolia, Ontario, Canada.

The Petroleum History Institute and the Petroleum History Society sponsored the meeting, which was hosted by the Ontario Petroleum Institute. “Oil Springs, Ontario 150 Years — Back to the Future” was the theme of the symposium, which included two days of oral and poster presentations, followed by an oil heritage tour throughout Lambton County, Ontario. One of the many highlights of the tour was visiting the oil producing properties of Fairbank Oil, a fourth generation family operation which is currently run by Charles Fairbank lll (Charlie). Here Charlie “pumped oil in the same place using the same technology” as his great-grandfather.
Symposium attendees represented museums, historical groups, and several authors, who are trying to preserve our oil heritage and document its history. The attendees were not a large group, and not a young group, but it was certainly a passionate group! It was also a concerned group. Discussions included not only the “graying” of petroleum historians, but also the lack of interest in our oil heritage, not just by the general public, but also by much of our own industry. Local historians are clearly doing much of the historical research with little financial support from the industry or co-operation in making industry archives available for research.
The 2009 annual International Oil Symposium will take place in Titusville, Pennsylvania from May 14-16. The following month, June 7-10, the AAPG’s Annual Convention will meet in Denver. Several members of the AAPG’s history committee are also members of the Petroleum History Institute. These members plan to worktogether to include oil history/heritage as part of the 2009 AAPG Convention.
“Celebrating the Story — Progress from Petroleum” is the theme of Oil 150, a group from the oil region of Pennsylvania (www.oil150.com). Despite a negative public image, this group hopes to enhance the American public’s perception of the U.S. petroleum industry by focusing on the historical achievements of early oil pioneers and the men and women who followed in later decades. Representatives from Oil 150 attended the 2008 Symposium and will be very much involved in the 2009 Symposium.
Several excellent websites contain information about North America’s petroleum heritage.
These include:
www.albertasource.ca/petroleum,
www.petroleumhistory.org
www.petroleumhistory.ca
www.aoghs.org

When a Fault System Re-Awakens
Observations on China’s Longmenshan Thrust Belt
When a Fault System Re-Awakens, ICGR - Institute for Creative Geology Research
Dr. Franz L. Kessler, ICGR - Institute for Creative Geology Research

On May 12, 2008, China’s most powerful earthquate in 58 years occurred along the Longmenshan Thrust Belt in Sichuan Province. The 7.9-magnitude earthquake caused widespread destruction and killed more than 69,000 people. The Longmenshan Thrust Belt constitutes a series of Mesozoic overthrusts that offset the Tibetan Plateau on the northwest from
the Gansu Plain to the southeast
(Figures 1 and 2).

The possibility of a severe earthquake along this thrust belt had been anticipated in academic circles, but there was little evidence that it would happen so soon and with such devastating consequences. Li Yong, a geological expert at the Chengdu University of Technology in Sichuan,
quoted in an International Herald Tribune article of May 30th, 2008, stated: “The line of the middle fault is as clear as a string. It suggests continuous and strong movement. Such a long and clear lineament should trigger a big quake.
Other scientists have had similar ideas.” In July 2007, Li co-wrote a paper that raised the likelihood of a 7.0-magnitude earthquake in this same area, along the
Longmenshan Thrust Belt. He spoke again of the dangers associated with this fault zone at a conference in China only a month before the disaster struck. Seismic activity in the area was sparse from 2004 to late 2007 , with no strong seismic evidence to indicate an imminent fault reactivation in the thrust belt area. Hence, the Longmenshan Thrust Belt provides an excellent example for a sudden rejuvenation of an older fault system.

The following conclusions are offered:
• The ‘awakening’ of the thrust belt occurred in an extremely short time span. This could be significant for other dormant fault belts.
Figure 2:
Relief maps of the Longmenshan Thrust Belt area. The star indicates location of the
city of Chengdu. The SW-NE Longmenshan Thrust Belt forms an obvious landscape element
that separates lowlands south and south-east of Guangyuan from the Tibetan Plateau. Seismic
activity, as recorded since 1973 by the USGS, indicates scattered events of shallow and intermediate depth, but without emphasizing the fault belt area.
Figure 1:
Geological cross-section through the Longmenshan Thrust Belt to the northwest, and stable Paleozoic
and Mesozoic foreland. Although the thrust belt’s origin is clearly Mesozoic, there remain questions about Tertiary
and Quarternary tectonic activity. From the point of human settlement history, the thrust belt re-awoke to life in
2008. Courtesy of Tai-Ran Jiang Miri, Malaysia
• Data clearly indicate that seismic precursor activity was extremely brief; there was neither strong seismic evidence nor sufficient time for disaster prevention.
• Prediction of earthquake risk needs to be carried out plate-wide, given that risk cannot be calculated nor earthquakes forecasted based on analysis of isolated areas only. ■

Figure 3:
Location of earthquake foci in map view. The position of the Longmenshan Thrust Belt is indicated by the dashed line. In early 2008, four months before the big quake, seismic activity suddenly awakened. Quake foci are taken from the USGS database. Color scale indicates depth of earthquake foci inkilometers.

The annual Houston Gem and Mineral Show will take place on September 26-28.  Click here to see the Show flyer.  Several thousand school kids come through on Friday (Sep. 26) on field trips, and several hundred Scouts are there on Saturday and Sunday working on geology badges.  The Houston Geological Society's Career Booth is an integral part of both the field trip program and the scout activities. 

WHAT IS NEEDED:
1.   A volunteer to organize the schedules for the three days.
2.   Volunteers to staff the booth for Friday, Saturday, and Sunday - preferably in 4-      hour shifts, but 2 hours if necessary.
 
Please contact Janet Combes to volunteer, at jmcombes@msn.com; h 281-463-1564; w 832-486-2160.  
 
Also, please forward this request to:

       
       -- anyone in your organization who’d be interested
       -- anyone who frequently attends the HGMS show
       -- any Scout leaders / geologists who might be interested