EAGE Newsletter Students 2017, Issue 2 2017

EAGE NEWSLETTER

STUDENTS

Issue 2 2017

Looking forward to sustainable Copenhagen

By Pierre-Olivier Lys, chair, EAGE Student Affairs Committee

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ost international oil companies today are striving to abide by the Paris climate agreement, and have come up with strategies to contribute to mitigating global warming. Although they are likely to continue producing hydrocarbons for decades, most big companies have launched initiatives to offer cleaner energy, by shifting their portfolio towards more gas, by investing in alternative, lower carbon energies such as solar or wind, and by producing their hydrocarbon resources more efficiently and safely.

I believe that the growing awareness of the need for a transition to a future with cleaner energy is symptomatic of a deep change that is transforming the oil and gas industry, and which has accelerated since the 2014 crisis. Today, values such as safety, corporate social re-

Trivia Question Its API is higher than 35°.

Which kind of oil is?

A - Very light oils B - Medium oils C - Light oils D - Heavy oils

sponsibility and commitment to the next generations are more than simple words, and deeply impact our day-to-day work and business.

This is why I couldn’t think of a better theme for the next Annual Conference than the one that was chosen: ‘Opportunities presented by the Energy Transition’. And probably, there is no better place than Copenhagen to actually embody this theme! Few capital cities can pride themselves on receiving the prestigious European Green Capital award, and yet Copenhagen handily won the prize in 2014. Aiming at becoming carbon-neutral in 2025, the city will sharply reduce its CO2 emissions by increasing the share of renewable energy for the city’s district heating, while promoting cycling amongst citizens thanks to participative actions involving Copenhageners.

In many respects, Copenhagen is indeed a model for our industry: turning 850 years old in 2017, the city has been able to permanently adapt to offer an unparalleled quality of life. At the forefront of the world-renowned Danish design, Copenhagen is a showcase of minimalistic, timeless creations that never go out of style. It is also a great place to have fun, as shown by the Tivoli Gardens, a 174 year-old entertainment park located right in the centere of the city.

Quality of life, efficiency and fun: three qualities that we are all looking for at our workplace!

Looking back at the past year and Annual Conference, the Students Affairs Committee for sure had a lot of fun organizing and participating in the different events that marked the year. Despite the lasting difficulties experienced by the industry, we were positively surprised to observe that the number of Student Chapters is steadily increasing worldwide (79 in 2017 vs. 67 in 2016), showing the dyna-

Answers on p. 5 Read more on page 2 ➤

Tyumen students have been busy!

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ver 100 students from 14 Russian universities took part in the first Geonature conference organized by the Tyumen Industrial University (TIU) EAGE Student Chapter. Theme of the event held on 25-26 April was ‘Natural processes in the petroleum industry’.

The technical part of the programme included topics such as molecular geology and other geological themes including mining as well as oil exploration and development; sections on geophysical issues as well as hydrogeology, geothermal and geocryology.

Credit for organizing this first event goes to Marina Antipina, president of the Student Chapter with the support of Dr Vladislav Kuznetsov, a professor at Tyumen Industrial University and Dr Ivan Nesterov, a professor and member of the Russian Academy of Science.

Dr Kuznetsov presented a lecture on multi-wave seismic during the proceedings and Dr Nesterov spoke on molecular geology. There was also a round table discussion Read more on page 2 ➤

What's inside Jesper’s blog

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World traveller with a passion for geoscience

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Biking tour for the ages

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and more

EAGE UPDATE

Looking forward to sustainable Copenhagen Continued from p.1.

mism of the studen community. We had the opportunity to meet some representatives of the chapters in Paris, during a dedicated meeting where the best Student Chapter (IFP School, congrats!) presented their activities.

Presentations on several topics such as innovation or ‘tips and tricks’ for newcomers in the industry, complemented this interesting session.

As usual, the GeoQuiz brought a lot of fun and excitement between the competing teams.

Victory was eventually won by the Imperial College London/University of Munich Germany team, after an epic but courteous battle of knowledge! 2017 also saw the introduction of a more prestigious FIELD Challenge, which will from now on be called the ‘Laurie Dake Challenge’, as a tribute to the famous reservoir engineer. The challenge was made more competitive thanks to a ‘fictitious’ exploration round,

EAGE Student Newsletter Student Affairs Committee Pierre-Olivier Lys co-chair (Total) Claudia Steiner-Luckabauer co-chair (HOT Engineering GmbH) Giancarlo Bernasconi (Politecnico di Milano) Roger Clark (University of Leeds) Thomas Finkbeiner (KAUST) Aaron Girard (University of Western Australia) Karine Labat (IFP Energies Nouvelles) Arjan Kamp (Total) Community Manager (Students) Rosmery Gonzalez (rgz@eage.org)

View of the Nyhavn, Copenhagen, Denmark.

which allowed the SAC to select ten semi-finalists amongst the 35+ competing teams.

The candidate teams had to interpret a set of 21 2D lines covering a large area from the North Sea and to identify potential prospects in order to bid on the opened blocks. The selected teams were then tasked with a full dataset (with five wells, a 3D seismic block and core data) in order to evaluate the field’s reserves. Eight finalists were invited to present their field development plan, based on three minute video pitches outlining their approach and preliminary results.

The final took place just before the official opening of the Annual Conference, on Sunday, 11 June. A panel of professionals from the academic world and industry (including the global

Tyumen students have been busy!

Continued from p.1.

Account Manager Corporate Relations Daan van Ommen (don@eage.org) Submission of articles communications@eage.org Newsletter on the Web (www.eage.org)

‘I love Tyumen’ statue.

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chief geophysicist from Total) participated in the jury, and were rightfully impressed by the quality of the work presented by all the teams.

It was therefore very difficult to break the tie, but eventually IFP School won the prize, and was for the first time this year acknowledged during the Opening Ceremony, another concrete example of the EAGE Board’s commitment to the student community.

The few topics which I have chosen to describe the activities of the past year are only a handful of everything EAGE has to offer to students. Don’t hesitate to check out the brand new website dedicated to EAGE Students (http://students.eage.org/) and to propose your help and ideas to continually improve the various activities organized by the EAGE!

led by A. Yakovenko, a sponsor of the event, on Russian technology strategy.

On the first day of the conference the Student Chapter arranged trips for the students to the Siberian Analytical Centre and a Schlumberger training facility. Also as part of the event, students were invited to play an intellectual game Geomind, in which they had a chance to both show their knowledge as well as work in a team.

TIU EAGE Student Chapter says the Geonature conference is just the start of some ambitious plans. They intend to make the event bigger and, furthermore, want to organize workshops, mind games, scientific competitions and roleplaying games.

EAGE NEWSLETTER STUDENTS ISSUE 2 2017

EAGE UPDATE / COLUMN

Early membership renewal can benefit you

Jesper Dramsch is a Masters degree student who recently started his PhD at DTU in Copenhagen. He frequently writes for his blog ‘The Way

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he days are getting shorter again, which means essay deadlines, end of term examinations ahead, and holiday planning.

In all this hustle and bustle, don’t forget to renew your student membership!

Our membership team is working hard to help you with your renewal, so keep an eye on your inbox. As you probably know, it is possible to renew your membership from 1 October onwards..

The good news is that the EAGE Board has decided to keep the membership fees the same for 2018, which means you will have the same benefits next year without a price increase.

Still in doubt whether to renew? Here are some good reasons why you totally should!

First, there is our online database EarthDoc. Over two thirds of all student listed EarthDoc and access to its papers as a main EAGE membership benefit. EarthDoc is a great help when researching methodologies, case studies or new techniques for both students and professionals alike, so make sure to maintain your access by renewing early.

Then there are the registration discounts. If you fancy going to a conference or meeting in 2018, you should make it an EAGE one.

Our members have discounted rates to most of our workshops and conferences. Students can often benefit from special dedicated student fees, giving you even more bang for your buck.

Another key benefit is First Break. Stay on top of the latest developments in the industry, academia and EAGE with our acclaimed monthly journal. Each month First Break has a different dedicated topic, allowing you to read up on a wide variety of scientific disciplines.

We hope we can welcome many of you as member again in 2018!

It would be great if you could let us know why you intend to renew via our the EAGE Student Facebook page! Hopefully it will encourage your student colleagues.

of the Geophysicist’ on his experiences as a student in the geoscience community.

Diversity pros and cons

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n my Master’s I made a conscious effort to be involved in the student association. We organized the networking events, and were the point of contact for student problems and politics. But one task in particular stood out: Orientation Week. We introduced the first year students to university.

We always had every new student say a few words about their motivation for starting geophysics and oceanography. Sometimes you got some very odd answers. My two favourites were the lady who said ‘Design school was full, so now I’m here’, and the guy who declared ‘I want to work on a boat with a full grey beard and a skipper’s pipe’.

Geophysics has a pretty good drop-out rate, so you would probably assume that those two would be the first to go. Turns out that with they both worked their way through their Masters degrees. She’s still sewing on the side. He is signing up for every research trip he can get his hands on, but he did drop the pipe - for health reasons.

The takeaway from these anecdotes is you must learn to take account of diversity. It has been all over the news lately. A Google employee lost their job over a memo. One critique that particularly stood out from the memo was that industry diversity directives may put preference on a person who was less competent or less smart than another person that was not ‘as diverse’.

As geoscientists we know diversity is important. Geophysicists need geologists to remind them that seismic is just rocks singing. Geologists need rock physicists to remind them that the non-rock or pore space can be just as interesting as the rock. And I won’t even get into sedimentologists having no clue about structural geology and vice versa. Building on such studies show that diverse groups outperform homogenous groups, which should motivate anyone to harness gender and cultural diversity.

However, I understand the fear that diversity directives may open ways for less competent coworkers to move up the corporate ladder. I know the frustration of working with people who do not do their work. In this case they were not hired or moved up the ladder due to directives,. The one thing they had in common was that they knew exactly who to drink coffee with.

We will always have to work with people that seem incompetent to us.

However, maybe hiring someone with an exciting story like a hobby fashion designer or the bearded seafarer will provide the necessary edge the team needs. In the end we will always be better in a team in geoscience as the field is too wide and we cannot be experts on everything.

Student Court at Paris 2017.

EAGE NEWSLETTER STUDENTS ISSUE 2 2017

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EAGE UPDATE

The story of this year’s GAP

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lmost 100 students from universities throughout Germany arrived in Karlsruhe on 25 May to take part in the now traditional Geophysical Activity Programme (GAP).

The student organization team at the Geophysical Institute in Karlsruhe (KIT) spent the last year preparing an activity programme full of interesting excursions, scientific presentations, a workshop, delicious meals and social events.

Starting on Thursday afternoon, the students were welcomed at the KIT-Campus by a huge barbecue in the café AKK, the heart of the student community.

On Friday morning, different groups met early enough to visit interesting locations in the Karlsruhe area. One group spent a few hours at the nuclear research campus, north of Karlsruhe to get an insight into big physical research projects like KATRIN, ANKA and the cloud chamber. Some

students took the opportunity to visit the Black Forest Observatory to look at some of the best seismological stations in Germany.

Another scientific excursion offered a visit to the geothermal powerplant in Insheim in the Upper Rhine Graben. Those who preferred to be in nature went for a hike to the spectacular ‘Karlsruhe Grat’ or biked through the little villages around Karlsruhe. There was also a trip to the local zoo followed by the ‘Europaba’, an adventurous indoor swimming pool.

For the evening, visitors could choose between the excursion to an astronomical observatory to see stars and galaxies at night, or a workshop about geoethics and the interaction between geoscience, politics and society.

On Saturday, several presentations provided the opportunity to learn more about the working field of geophysics and geoscience. Prof Thomas Bohlen introduced the Geophysical Institute

in Karlsruhe, and Dr Thomas Forbriger and Dr Thomas Hertweck gave an insight into current research topics of the working groups and talked about the Geophysics Masters programme.

In addition, the company ‘Schollenberger’ invited participants for individual talks and information at its booth. Pfalzwerke’, an energy company, and the students group of SPE were present as well offering information about their work and interests. All the presenters gave students the chance to ask general questions about current job opportunities, the work in a geophysical company and what a career is like at a research institute.

The competitive election for organizer of the next GAP in 2018 resulted in Potsdam being chosen. This year’s organizers on behalf of all the students would like to than EAGE and other sponsors for their support, without which GAP would not be possible.

Prize winning start for IFP Chapter Laura Bosco, Carmen Brazon, Nawal De Freslon and Aniko Fushimi describe their experience as a new student chapter

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o be aware of new technology as well as share our experiences and knowledge with other students and professionals, we decided to create a new EAGE Student Chapter at IFP School (French Petroleum Institut, Paris). It was also a way to link up with the existing AAPG and SPE Student Chapters.

We gathered 24 IFP MSc students from geophysics, geology and reservoir engineering and made the application at the end of 2016. It was accepted at the beginning of 2017. Six months later we emerged the proud winners of first prize for the Best EAGE Student Chapter.

As the new EAGE Student Chapter of IFP School we planned to be innovative and creative though the organization of various events. We wanted to propose technical activities (conference related to Storengy underground natural gas storage), but also focus on soft skills (CV conference and workshop), and create discussion (conference re women in the oil and gas industry). And finally we resolved to set up some social activities such

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Prize winners of the Best EAGE Student Chapter with EAGE President Chris Ward.

as after work meetings and a photo contest.

We also collaborated with the AAPG Student Chapter of IFP School to organize a field trip to Normandy (Mont Saint Michel and Falaises d’Etretat).

This year’s EAGE Annual Conference in Paris was an event we could not miss. It was an amazing opportunity and one of the best ways to improve our network, discover new companies, network with professionals and be involved in the huge geosciences family.

We managed the presence of IFP School students at the EAGE Conference and the booth to promote the School.

To conclude, creating and being part of an EAGE Student Chapter is an amazing experience, justification for the hard work involved. For us, participating at the EAGE Conference was the concretization of our work, and we hope that the new team 20172018 will continue next year with the same dynamism.

We would like to thank warmly all the EAGE Members from IFP School for their help and professors involved in this Student Chapter, Karine Labat, Jean-Pierre Deflandre, Isabelle Rey-Fabret and many others. Especially thank you to the EAGE for believing in us by offering us the Best Student Chapter First Prize.

EAGE NEWSLETTER STUDENTS ISSUE 2 2017

INTERVIEW

World traveller with a passion for geoscience Ming Yi Wong recently completed her PhD in reservoir geophysics at Heriot-Watt University. Currently, she works in the Edinburgh TimeLapse Project Phase V on secondment to Statoil Bergen as a reservoir geophysicist. With the sponsorship of Petronas and the Western Australia Premier Scholarship, she graduated with distinction in applied geology from Curtin University Australia. Ming Yi has won numerous academic honours and awards, published conference papers and reviewed articles for EAGE’s First Break journal. Her work experience includes periods with ExxonMobil Upstream Research Center (USA), ConcoPhillips Skandinavia (Norway), CSIRO and DownUnder Geosolutions (Australia). She also served as SEG Student Chapter president at Heriot-Watt University in 2014-2016, and is on the SPE Petrobowl team representing the UK in the finals at SPE ATCE this year. We asked Ming Yi about her career so far.

What sparked your interest in the oil industry?

I was inspired by a career talk after finishing high school. The oil and gas industry has always had a strong presence in Malaysia where I grew up.

I was really fascinated by how much of a role technology is playing in creating changes, both in upstream and the downstream business. I wanted to be part of the change. Technology such as 3D seismic acquisition, horizontal drilling and the power of computers have really transformed the energy landscape. I wanted to be part of the change, and that sparked my interest in working in this industry.

Was it difficult for you to leave home to pursue your career overseas?

The contrary, I have always wanted to see the world! I truly believe travelling helps develop one’s self-reliance and adaptability.

You have now worked and/or studied in several countries. Which did you like best and any preference in the future?

I thoroughly enjoyed the various places I have worked and studied, the part that I enjoyed best is making new friends and learning new cultures. My time in Edinburgh has been very enjoyable especially as a trip to the Highlands is just a stone throw away. The fringe festival is always something to look forward to each year. I currently work in Bergen No and am blown away by what this beautiful country has to offer, from majestic mountains, waterfalls, glaciers and the fjords. I am thrilled to think where I will be next.

What have been the highlights so far in your career as a geoscientist?

One highlight was my internship with the upstream research company (URC) in ExxonMobil Houston investigating the effects of geology and various production mechanisms on fracture gradient prediction, which is crucial in brown field development and in-fill well drilling. The work has strong business impacts and requires integration between various disciplines. I was

interesting and I like how easy it is to collaborate with people across different disciplines in a company. Ultimately, I hope to work in an asset team, working with people in a multi-disciplinary environment to find hydrocarbons and optimize production.

Ming Yi Wong: out seeing the world.

very excited to present my research findings to the asset team and receive first hand feedback.

Another highlight was participating in the premobilization meeting of the acquisition of the Life of Field Seismic (LoFS) in the Ekofisk field. I was fortunate enough to tour the seismic vessel used to acquire the time-lapse sesimic data that I spent four years of my PhD studying.

Looking ahead, are there any specific topics you would like to pursue?

I think topics related to optimizing field production will be something I would like to pursue, such as using big data correlations to increasing production, uncertainties quantification in the reservoir description and the popular rise of data science.

Do you think you will stay in academic research or work in the industry?

I think this is a struggle a lot of people have, and ultimately it is a tradeoff in terms of the freedom to decide one’s research/work direction, funding, deliverables and work-life balance. In general, if I am working on something I enjoy and am passionate about, I will be very motivated, and that can be in research or in the industry. My experience in the industry thus far has been very

EAGE NEWSLETTER STUDENTS ISSUE 2 2017

Do you worry about pursuing a career associated with an industry widely seen as in crisis or decline?

Changing completely to renewable energy is inevitable in the far future but it requires a lot of time and unprecedented co-operations across many countries and policy makers. So, I think there is a future in pursuing a career in the oil and gas industry, at least for the next 30 years.

The extended oil price downturn has highlighted the urgency for companies to focus on sustainable profitability, and I think for graduates it is extremely important to stay abreast of technology and acquire new skills to stay relevant.

You have always been active in student affairs. What inspires you and what are the benefits?

I guess I have always enjoyed working with other people planning events, and work in a team environment. Founding the geology club during my undergraduate years has taught me a lot about humility and the satisfaction of bringing people together. There are many benefits from being active in student affairs such as developing many transferable skills like leadership, speaking in front of people, event planning and so on.

When you have personal time, what do you like to do?

I like to travel and take photographs during my personal time.

Trivia answer A - Very light oils

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EAGE UPDATE/HERE AND THERE

Team up to take part in the Geo-Quiz coming to KL

Paris 2017 Geo-Quiz.

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o you fancy a round trip ticket to attend the EAGE Annual Conference and Exhibition next June in Copenhagen, Denmark? If you do, then get together with col-

leagues and enter the student Geo-Quiz contest being held during the Asia Petroleum Geoscience Conference & Exhibition (APGCE). EAGE is once again organizing the event with PETRONAS on 20 November 2017 at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre (KLCC).

There are two parts to the Geo-Quiz competition which involves teams of people. The first is the Bonus Points section where the student teams are all given the same seismic section and invited to identify sequence boundaries and petroleum system elements present in the seismic section.

The three winning teams with the highest points

ers. The Quizmaster, traditionally dressed up in EAGE green tails and a top hat , asks the questions mainly related to geoscience. Teams have 30-40 seconds to select the correct answer from the options presented. Students are expected to know and understand basic knowledge in other topics such as petroleum geoscience, geophysics and geochemistry as well. This is a fun event and a chance for students to compete with student peers in the region.

You can find more information about the Student Programme at APGCE 2017 website. Please

accumulated will be rewarded additional points to be added into Geo-Quiz’s final points.

The second part is the Geo-Quiz itself with contestants at the ready with their buzz-

note that only students who attend the conference can register for the Geo-Quiz contest. To get yourself registered for the even, reach out to ing@eage.org or apgce@icep.com.my.

Laurie Dake Challenge 2018: pitfalls to avoid Our judges of the annual EAGE FIELD Challenge, now the Laurie Dake Challenge (after the famous reservoir engineer), advise student teams on how they can improve their winning chances.

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t the risk of appearing to be a band of old curmudgeons, the judges would like to point out for future reference some underlying weaknesses seen in various approaches and presentations over the years?

Data Screening and QC: While we have never consciously given ‘bad data’ to trick contestants, the information collected when a prospect is appraised cannot always be taken at face value and given equal weighting. Information from lab and other reports should be checked for internal consistency and against possible field analogues. You should not be fearful of highlighting numbers that somehow do not feel right and recommending further data acquisition strategies to reconcile.

Data Limitations: Even perfectly good data is constrained by its resolution. Simply because a seismic reflector shows lateral continuity, you cannot assume geological homogeneity (and in the reservoir section this is a critical consideration). The realities of acquiring and analyzing core, log and well test data present challenges when upscaling to create a reservoir model. Have the confidence to recommend further sampling and data acquisition to reduce uncertainties before or during the field development. Look for field analogues that might help you fill in some of the gaps in the data,

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FIELD Challenge presentation in progress.

but be careful to always reference the source.

Reservoir Heterogeneities: These are one of the biggest hurdles to optimizing how many wells are drilled, where they are landed and understanding sweep efficiencies during production. Have a clear picture of your depositional setting and how reservoir thickness, quality and lateral extent might be further impacted by post depositional diagenetic and structural changes. What can be helpful in understanding the risks and what can you do during the production phase to identify and alleviate potential problems or identify issues with sweep efficiency?

Geomechanics: Well construction and completion are critical high budget items in any development and costs increase with overpressured

zones, sloughing shales and either tight or, conversely, unconsolidated reservoirs. Predictions of mechanical rock properties, and the cost impact, are an essential part of any development plan and many teams seem to overlook the significance and budget impact. Talk about mud systems, completion strings, stimulation strategies and their estimated costs.

Sensitivity Testing: Reservoir simulators are powerful tools. They allow multi-scenario options to be compared and trade-offs made. Frequently we see a single minded approach using ‘most likely’ input parameters with little analysis of the riskier assumptions that are being made and therefore constituting the weak links of the development strategy. Recovery factors, for example, tend to be

EAGE NEWSLETTER STUDENTS ISSUE 2 2017

EAGE UPDATE/HERE AND THERE

assumed rather than more comprehensively analyzing the variables (technical and economic). This will impact sweep efficiency and recovery optimization.

Corporate Social Responsibility: Failing to assure sustainable development by keeping ‘onside’ with the local communities, environmental groups, local and regulatory authorities and a whole range of different stakeholders and interested parties can be the downfall of what would otherwise be a technically successful project. Teams should think hard not just about the technical pitfalls but also the environmental, commercial, operational and political risks of any venture.

Verification: Once a project is sanctioned and the development work starts, what additional data acquisition is recommended to assure that the initial assumptions (as to the reservoir’s character and behaviour) are indeed correct and that production will proceed as intended.

Planning for the End Game: In some cases it seems that relatively little thought goes into the cost of abandonment and the conceptualizing of innovative plans and actions, which could be used to either defer or otherwise minimize the social, economic and environmental impacts at the end of the field’s life.

Euro students make most of EUGEN meeting in Croatia

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ore than 100 people from 14 different countries were in Croatia recently to take part in geological field trips, cultural and scientific exchange and creating connections all over Europe.

EUGEN (EUropean GEosciences students Network) was established in 1995 to organize annual meetings in Europe for geoscience students from all over the world. The idea of EUGEN arose from a national meeting of German geology students. The very first meeting in 1996 held in

Do not be seduced by the Software: While the introduction of the big industry software packages like Petrel and Eclipse has brought university programs forward in leaps and bounds, and has been of huge value in preparing people for their first jobs, there are some downsides to this evolution. Firstly, don’t fall into the trap of thinking you can only do what a big commercial packages let you do. You should be a scientist, not a technician. Some industry gurus fear that exploration and production successes are perhaps declining because we are all doing the same things, blindly following the same paradigms, workflows and analyses that the software feeds us. Be prepared to code to delve into problems; even Excel will let you do a good investigation. And do not think you must do everything that the big commercial packages let you do.

We are already looking forward to again meeting the best of our student community at next year’s finals in EAGE Copenhagen 2018.! Go to https://students.eage.org/en/ laurie-dake-challenge for more information, team up with your friends and all be winners!

Editor’s note: A longer version of this article appeared in the October 2017 issue of First Break.

EAGE NEWSLETTER STUDENTS ISSUE 2 2017

the Black Forest region of southwest Germany turned out to be an instant success attended by about 120 earth science-related students from 18 universities representing nine European nations met.

Since then, the EUGEN meeting has happened every year, always in a different part of Europe. The last meetings were held in Italy, 2013, Slovenia, 2014, Poland, 2015, and Belgium, 2016. Next year EUGEN will be hosted in Austria in August 2018.

Mixed job prospects for geoscientists in Australia

Mining operations in Australia.

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mployment prospects for professionals in Australia’s exploration and mining industry slowed in the last recorded quarter, but not so much in other industry sectors, according to the Australian Institute of Geoscientists’ (AIG) latest employment survey.

Geoscientist employment in Australia increased marginally in the June quarter compared to the previous three months, AIG stated. The latest survey found the unemployment rate for Australia’s geoscientists was 11.3 % at 30 June, down from 12.1% at the end of March. However, the underemployment rate increased from 18.3% at 30 March to 19% at 30 June.

Australia’s self-employed geoscientists, independent contractors and consultants

continue to face difficult times with only half able to secure one quarter of their desired workload, according to AIG, noting that unemployment in mineral and energy resource exploration was 14.2%, compared with 6.9% in mineral and energy resource mining and production.

AIG said that the unemployment rate amongst geoscientists working in other fields, such as environmental geoscience, groundwater resource management, engineering geology, education and agriculture, was 4%.’

Western Australia, the only state to experience an increase, recorded the highest unemployment at 12.3%, while South Australia registered the lowest unemployment rate at 4.2 %, the quarter’s leading improvement.

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HERE AND THERE/CALENDAR

Biking tour for the ages

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eologists know there’s no better place to see Earth’s history laid bare than on the Colorado Plateau. Two professors at Prescott College, Arizona Kurt Refsnider and Kaitlyn Boyle make the subject come alive for their students in a novel way— from the seat of a bicycle.

Every other fall the two lecturers, who are themselves competitive mountain bikers, offer ‘Geology Through Bikepacking’ a course where students take mountain bike trips across the Plateau and into Colorado. Pedalling 25-40 miles a day, and carrying their own supplies, they learn first-hand how the region’s landscapes came to be.

The course starts with the 1.7-billion-year-

old story of continent building amid igneous and metamorphic rocks in Arizona’s Bradshaw Mountains. There, the geologists have to navigate steep trails and loose old rocks.

Their journey continues up to Flagstaff, with its relatively youthful volcanic peaks and slippery cinder trails. Then to the Grand Canyon’s North Rim, exploring ancient marine limestones and visiting welcome springs on the Kaibab Plateau.

Trails in Utah’s Canyon lands present the riders with colourful, sedimentary layers of Triassic and Jurassic age, cut by the Green and Colorado rivers. The cycling scholars grind on into the mountains of southern Colorado amid autumn colours and high peaks scoured by ice-age glaciers.

Kurt Refsnider and Kaitlyn Boyle.

They finish with an exhilarating, 12-mile descent leaving everyone with aching legs— along with academic accomplishment and a distinct physical appreciation for the region’s astounding geology.

Indonesian students star at earth science Olympiad

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Indonesian medallists at the 11th International Earth Science Olympiad.

our Indonesian students won seven medals at the 11th International Earth Science Olympiad (IESO) event, attended by 29 countries on 22-29 August 2017 at the Centre International de Valbonne, Cote d’Azur, France.

IESO includes knowledge competitions on geosphere (geology and geophysics), hydrosphere (hydrology and oceanography), atmosphere (meteorology and climatology) and astronomy.

For the Earth System Project (ESP) competition, Rifki Andika, a student from Depok won a gold

medal, with bronze going to Fransiskus L Santoso (Jakarta). In the International Team Field Investigation (ITFI) competition, Rifki returned to the podium to receive a silver medal. In the individual competition, Rifki and Franciskus took home the silver medal. Alse Nabilah (Yogyakarta) and Fadly Aulia (Bandar Lampung) won bronze medals.

The competitors are alumni of the National Science Olympiad (OSN) programme involving training and selection through four stages of coaching in Yogyakarta and Bandung.

EAGE Students Event Calendar October 2017 02-06 Oct VIII Geophysics Week – UFBA Student Chapter

Salvador, Brazil

17 Oct

SLT Asia Pacific

Beijing, China

18-19 Oct SLT Asia Pacific

Beijing, China

November 2017 Nov

SLT Africa

tba, Jordan

20 Nov

Regional Geo-Quiz (APGCE 2017)

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

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March 2018 7 Mar 13th Middle East Geosciences Conference and Exhibition

Bahrain, Bahrain

12 Mar

Geo-Quiz Online

Online

June 2018 11-14 June 80th EAGE Conference & Exhibition 2018 Copenhagen, Denmark

EAGE NEWSLETTER STUDENTS ISSUE 2 2017