April 2012 Outcrop by The Rocky Mountain Association of Geologists

OUTCROP Newsletter of the Rocky Mountain Association of Geologists

Volume 61 • No. 4 • April 2012

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April 2012

OUTCROP Newsletter of the Rocky Mountain Association of Geologists

CONTENTS Features

6 Lead Story: About the AAPG Search and Discovery Website 9 AAPG Awards Nominations

Teaching of Earth Science 14 Summit Sponsorship Sign Up Today

20 Colorado Geological Survey Unveils New Website and Facebook Page

15 Summit Sponsors

20 ATTENTION Geologists, Earth Science Professors and Graduate Students, Publish Your Paper in The Mountain Geologist

28 The Outcrop Needs YOU!

association news

10 President's Column

11 RMAG Foundation Sponsors the Excellence in Teaching of Earth Science Award

24 2012 RMAG Golf Tournament at Fossil Trace

Departments 4 RMAG February Board of Directors Meeting 16 New Members

COVER PHOTO

18 Luncheon Programs

View south of the Virgin River and The Watchman in Zion National Park in Utah. The Watchman and most other prominent rocks in the park are Jurassic eolian Navajo Sandstone in a section with three subunits that has an aggregate maximum thickness of approximately 2,900 feet. Photo by Peter J. Varney.

21 In the Pipeline 26 Advertisers Index 26 Calendar of Events

13 2012 Award of Excellence for

Volume 61 • No. 4 • April 2012 OUTCROP

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RMAG February Board of Directors Meeting By Kimberley Alanis, Secretary (Kimberley.Alanis@qepres.com)

time. The number of subscriptions in January increased from last year. The meeting included the approval of a couple motions, including the decision to not participate with COGA this year because the date is too close to other events RMAG is already participating in. This meeting was a little longer than last, but was still short and sweet. The AAPG Distinguished Lecture held at 4:00 p.m. on February 15th featuring Joe Macquaker was a sellout. Dr. Macquaker described shales by bringing back memories of Greek mythology, relating shales to “Pandora’s Box.” He gave an interesting and fascinating lecture. We had 708 people sign up for the 3-D Seismic Symposium, “Reflection on Resources,” which was held on March 2, 2012. Thank you to all attendees. Unfortunately, I was unable to make this event, but I heard there were some excellent presentations. Also, I hope everyone had a great time at the 2012 Geoland Ski Day on March 9th at Breckenridge. RMAG is once more off to a great start. Please continue to support and attend the upcoming events! The March Board of Director’s meeting was held on Wednesday, March 21th, at the University Building conference room on the 11th floor. The April meeting will be held April 18th at the same location.

CONTACTÊUS

The Board of Directors meeting was held on February 14, 2012 in the RMAG office board room. The meeting started out with a review of January’s income and expenses. I’m happy to report that we have increased our income dramatically from this time last year. The increase is largely due to the sponsorship “Summit” program. We also brought in more income than expected from the Source Rocks 101 short course. Our expenses are down from last year, as well. We plan to stay on this track and are on a sound financial path for 2012. To continue with another positive, our membership is up from last month. We currently have 2,978 members. The new website has made it easier for members to renew their membership. The Continuing Education Committee reported that they have lunch talks scheduled through August. Just a reminder, RMAG has decided to move the luncheon talks from the Marriott City Center to the Sheraton Hotel starting in June, in order to keep the cost to our members down. We can look forward to the fall short course with a horizontal fracture theme. The Publications Committee reported from their meeting in January (as of the BOD meeting the February meeting had not been held). The committee decided to forego selling the Outcrop via Kindle because of cost and

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The Rocky Mountain Association of Geologists 910 16th Street • Suite 1125 • Denver, CO 80202 • 303-573-8621 The Rocky Mountain Association of Geologists (RMAG) is a nonprofit organization whose purposes are to promote interest in geology and allied sciences and their practical application, to foster scientific research and to encourage fellowship and cooperation among its members. The Outcrop is a monthly publication of the RMAG.

2012 Officers and Board of Directors Co-Editors Kristine Peterson k.peterson@laramidegeo.com Holly Sell hsell@nobleenergyinc.com Catherine Campbell ccampbell@bayless-cos.com

President – Pete Varney pete.varney@alumni.mines.edu

Treasurer – Larry Rasmussen larryr@whiting.com

President-Elect – Debra Higley-Feldman higley@usgs.gov

Treasurer Elect – Mike Kozimko mkozimko@yatespetroleum.com

Counselor (1 Year) – Mark D. Sonnenfeld sonnenfeld@whiting.com 1/2 Page 1/3 Page 1/6 Page Counselor (2 Year) – John Ladd 2nd Vice-President – Greg Anderson Vertical Vertical john.ladd@fmr.com ganderson@samson.com

1st Vice-President – Paul Lillis Page Full plillis@usgs.gov 2/3 Page

Secretary – Kimberly Alanis Kimberley.alanis@qepres.com

Horizontal

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The Outcrop is a monthly publication of the Rocky Mountain Association of Geologists 910 16th Street, Suite 1125 • Denver, CO 80202

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LEAD STORY

About the AAPG Search and Discovery Website By Don Stone

discovery. Anybody can view this site, you don’t have to be a member of AAPG, and there is no charge to view the presentations archived there. Many excellent papers are available for viewing, each with abstracts and fullcolor slides. This is a good place to peruse some of the

I wonder how many RMAG members have checked out AAPG’s Search and Discovery website. The site is accessed using searchanddiscovery.com or from the AAPG.org home page by clicking on the “AAPG site short cuts” ribbon, scrolling down and clicking on search and Vol. 61, No. 4

April 2012

Lead Story

latest geologic ideas and regional reviews. But up until now, there has been no narration included with the slide presentations. I was introduced to the site because sometime after I gave a paper at the June, 2010 AAPG Sectional meeting in Durango, Colorado, entitled Kinematic analysis using profile and time-slice animations of 3-D seismic volumes with three examples from the Rocky Mountain foreland province, I received an invitation from AAPGâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Search and Discovery to place my presentation on their website. I responded that I was willing to do this but I would have to get permission from Anadarko Petroleum to release the animations made from their 3D seismic surveys of the Salt Creek and Sussex oil fields before posting my presentation on the site, (I had already received permission from True Oil Company to use the Red Wing Creek animations.) I indicated that I would pursue this quest for release from Anadarko, and perhaps AAPG could make inquiries also. It took over a year to locate the right person at Anadarko because the geophysicist who produced the original animations and the manager who had approved their release for the Durango convention had apparently now moved to other venues. Finally, I found the right person at Anadarko who generously granted the required permission and the standard AAPG release form was signed and returned to Mary Kay Grosvald, Administrative Editor of Search and Discovery at AAPG. Then the fun began. I was determined to find a way to attach narration to the program because without this, it seemed to me that the value of the presentation would be seriously diminished. PowerPoint 2010

Continued on page 8 Âť

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Lead Story

Continued from page 7

it to an appropriate place on the slide. The audio is started simply by left-clicking this icon. In the case of the animations or videos, the audio is started automatically with each animation or video by clicking the slide (as instructed on the slides in my

Although preparation of a multi-media presentation takes more time and effort to prepare than the standard static slide show, certainly adding an oral discussion to the slides and movies enhances the value of the contribution.

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Search and Discovery presentation). It takes a minute or more before the animations or videos start because of the time required to load them. Patience is required. As noted in the instructions on the introductory page, a yellow ribbon will appear across the top of the screen when the first video (slide 7) is clicked. Click “options” near the right end of the ribbon and then “trust this host one time only” and all the animations and videos will be enabled.

There have been difficulties experienced by some viewers (myself included) where some of the movies don’t work and an error message appears. Explanations for this result are hard to run down and beyond my expertise but might be related to the pdf conversion, slow internet speed, out-of date software, or some other interference. Perhaps after time, some computer whiz will suggest a solution to these glitches. If you haven’t yet visited the AAPG Search and Discovery website, I urge you to give it a try. Many good presentations are archived there. I am told that my contribution is the first multimedia presentation posted on the site so maybe it will stimulate more submissions of this kind. Although preparation of a multimedia presentation takes more time and effort to prepare than the standard static slide show, certainly adding an oral discussion to the slides and movies enhances the value of the contribution. I am grateful for the complimentary email recently received from my long-time friend and current AAPG President-elect, Ted Beaumont: “It is the best geological article I have seen on the internet. It will serve as a model of what the internet offers our science for publications and of course the content by itself will be useful to a lot of people.”

includes an audio option that works with an attached microphone. In my case I used my Logitech video microphone which is attached to the top of my monitor screen providing access to Skype (used mostly to stay in touch with my four daughters distributed around the country). It is a simple procedure to add an audio track to the static slides in PowerPoint 2010, but to add audio to the animations and videos requires special software. I used VideoPad (by NCH), a comprehensive video editing software program available online at a very reasonable cost. The learning curve, of course, requires time and patience. Eventually I learned how to attach an audio discussion to each of the animations and videos. For the profile animation of the Salt Creek structure (slide # 9) I needed to copy and paste it into PowerPoint to stretch it laterally and create a true -scale aspect ratio as the original animation was distorted by a large vertical exaggeration (a “non-geologic” image). In this case, I had to use the separate PowerPoint audio option because the audio option in VideoPad software would only work with the original, vertically exaggerated seismic profile animation. I should mention here that the AAPG webmaster converts all original PowerPoint presentations to the pdf format. In PowerPoint 2010, when you place an audio track on a slide, an icon appears on the slide. In creating your own presentation, you can click on this icon and drag

April 2012

AAPG Awards Nominations The RMAG Professional Awards Committee is seeking recommendations to present to AAPG for its 2013 Award Recipients for the following summarized categories. Please submit nominations to triciabeaver@ comcast.net by April 15, 2012. For complete award descriptions and nomination forms, go to http://www.aapg.org/business/honors_ awards/nominations/index.cfm.

Grover E. Murray Memorial Distinguished Educator Award – given in recognition of distinguished and outstanding contributions to geological education. Special Award – given to recognize individuals or organizations that do not qualify for one of the existing awards. Public Service Award – given to recognize contributions by members of AAPG to public affairs and to encourage geologists to take a more active part in such affairs.

Sidney Powers Memorial Award – given in recognition of distinguished and outstanding contributions to petroleum geology.

Pioneer Award – given to long-standing members who have contributed to AAPG and who have made meaningful and significant contributions to the science of geology.

Michel T. Halbouty Outstanding Leadership Award – given in recognition of outstanding and exceptional leadership in the petroleum geosciences.

Geosciences in the Media Award – given in recognition of notable journalistic achievement in any medium which contributes to public understanding of geology, energy resources, or the technology of oil and gas exploration.

Honorary Member Award – given to those who have distinguished themselves by their service and devotion to the science and profession of petroleum geology and to the AAPG.

Outstanding Explorer Award – given in recognition of distinguished and outstanding achievement in exploration for petroleum or mineral resources. Robert R. Berg Outstanding Research Award – given in recognition of a singular achievement in petroleum geoscience research. Distinguished Service Award – given to those who have distinguished themselves in singular and beneficial longterm service to AAPG.

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President’s Column By Pete Varney

April President's Soliloquy

A Barrel of Oil So, what do you do with a barrel of crude? Besides sell it, of course, which these days is an end in itself for those fortunate enough to find it. But, I’m serious here. You’ve found it, deposited the check, and you are on to another venture. The oil’s in the pipeline on its way to the refinery and ...then what? We have become incredibly efficient at turning natural organic compounds into CO2 and H2O, but are there other uses besides what the military calls POL – petroleum, oil and lubricants. Let’s take a look at that. Depending upon where it’s from, crude oil yields several refined products including liquid hydrocarbons such as gasoline and other fuels, various gaseous compounds as well as heavy oils, lubricants, bitumen and tars, carbon black and some amount of coke. The average barrel of crude yields just under three percent petrochemicals, according to the US Energy Information Adminstration (USEIA). Let’s focus on the petrochemicals for a minute and I’ll ask again, what do you do with a barrel of crude? But first, a short diversion.

A common gas, ethane, C2H6, can be rearranged to shed two carbons and become ethylene (ethene), C2H4. Chemists call this an alkene because it features a carbon to carbon double bond, H2C=CH2. Ethylene is found in nature as a plant, fruit and vegetable, by-product, but by far most of it is man-made. Refineries commonly use ethylene as a feedstock for polymerization and most of it becomes, you guessed it, polyethylene – a common plastic. If you go through a series of oxidation reactions, ethylene can become ethylene glycol, which is another useful product, particularly in the winter. These and many, many other manufactured compounds start with petrochemicals and here is where the story gets interesting. A gallon of gasoline, diesel fuel or what have you, will propel your car a certain distance. Mileage has increased largely because heavy-weight metallic components of your vehicle have been replaced with...lighter weight plastics. How about the tires? Artificial rubber. A tongue twister chemical called butadiene, it starts with butane, is the principle ingredient of artificial rubber. The addition of carbon black makes it, well, black.

Depending upon where it’s from, crude oil yields several refined products including liquid hydrocarbons such as gasoline and other fuels, various gaseous compounds as well as heavy oils, lubricants, bitumen and tars, carbon black and some amount of coke.

Vol. 61, No. 4

April 2012

President's Column

barrel of crude, a statistic from the USEIA again, just to get from point A to point B and have nothing much to show for it. It’s a conundrum, isn’t it. I’m not riding anyone’s bandwagon here, I’m just asking questions that need to be asked. At some time in the indefinite future, someone is going to ask “where did it all go”? Maybe they’ll be holding a plastic water bottle as they kick back on their Naugahyde upholstered chair with their synthetic-shoe-clad feet up on their Formica topped desk and contemplate statistics on their

plastic-housed smart phone type device. Maybe that water bottle, a ubiquitous throw-away today, will become priceless. That could put anybody down in the dumps. Literally. What do we do with a barrel of crude? A lot. Wise use of the resource will insure long-lasting benefits. By the way, if you have an idea on how to fly a jet plane without liquid hydrocarbons, let me know. I’ll buy stock in your company. These musings continue next month.

The point is that crude oil yields petrochemicals. Petrochemicals make modern life comfortable in more ways than you can imagine. This could become the syllogism: crude oil makes modern life comfortable. Few, particularly in the petroleum business, would argue with that idea. We could go further and suspect that modern life would be well-nigh impossible without the benefits brought to us by crude. It would be a crude existence indeed without petroleum. What would Mrs. America say if she could no longer buy nylon products. What would Mr. America say if he could no longer buy myriad plastic products that define “maleness” in today’s world. Where would we all be without laptops, cell phones and other “necessities” – don’t answer that question if you are over 50 years old. Try to imagine a world without petrochemical products of all kinds. Now ask yourself, given the utility of plastics, if we should be burning approximately three quarters of every

RMAG Foundation Sponsors the Excellence in Teaching of Earth Science Award

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candidate to compete for the AAPG Rocky Mountain Section, Teacher of the Year award. This award honors the best earth science teacher in the Front Range area from either an elementary or secondary school. If you are a teacher or know a of teacher who could be a candidate please contact the K-12 Public

Outreach Committee through the RMAG office at 910 16th Street, Suite 1125, Denver, CO 80202, by telephone at 303-573-8621, or email at RMAGdenver@aol.com to receive an application form. The application deadline this year is Friday, May 4, with the winner to be announced on or before May 18.

In 2000, the RMAG Foundation instituted an award to honor elementary or secondary school teachers who have promoted teaching of earth science to K-12 students. The winner receives a commemorative plaque and a $1000 cash award provided by the RMAG Foundation, and is recommended as the RMAG’s

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2012 Award of Excellence for Teaching of Earth Science Sponsored by the

Rocky Mountain Association of Geologists THE WINNER RECEIVES A Plaque and a $1000 Cash Award If you teach earth science in K-12 and think you qualify, contact the RMAG office at 303-573-8621 for an application. Deadline is May 4. Previous winners have used this award as a springboard to other national awards. The RMAG is a professional organization representing over 2000 earth scientists working in the Denver and Rocky Mountain area. In its capacity as the leading geologic organization in the Rocky Mountain area, each year the RMAG Foundation provides funding for an annual award presented to a teacher in recognition of his or her commendable efforts in introducing young minds to the earth sciences. Check out the RMAG website at www.rmag.org.

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SUMMIT SPONSORSHIP

Summit Sponsors support the entire RMAG calendar of events for 2012 and gain added recognition on our special â&#x20AC;&#x153;Summit Sponsorâ&#x20AC;? page on the RMAG website, in the Outcrop, and at our Monthly Luncheon Meetings. Please consider becoming a Summit Sponsor and get more bang out of your sponsorship buck, while helping your geological society provide the very best in symposia, short courses, prospect fairs, social events and so much more. Your sponsorship keeps our costs low and greatly enhances your visibility and reputation in the Rocky Mountain Oil and Gas Community. Thank you for your continued support!

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April 2012

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New Members

Welcome to New Active Members... Lawrence Griffin Lawrence is the Manager at LP Griffin Consulting located in Loveland, CO.

Dean Hewson Dean is currently employed at Ninyo and Moore located in Greenwood Village, CO.

Dennis Miller Dennis currently resides in Spring, TX.

Thomas Duncan Thomas is currently the Vice President at Macquarie Capital located in Houston, TX.

Alec Duncan Alec is a Senior Geologist at Anadarko Petroleum Corporation located in Denver, CO.

Thomas Wyche Thomas is a Senior Geologist at the Forrest Oil Corporation located in Denver, CO.

Phil Moir Phil is a Geologist that currently resides in Aurora, CO.

Joe Boler Joe is the Center Manager at WesternGeco located in Denver, CO.

“Never heard of ya!” Something you don’t want to hear when looking for clients or customers. Avoid this problem by participating in the 2012 Rocky Mountain Section Ͳ AAPG meeting as a sponsor or exhibitor.

Come join the experts in C j i th t i tight reservoir characterization and exploitation

Not only will you get your company’s name out in front of hundreds of active geoscientists, you will also be contributing to a great meeting you will also be contributing to a great meeting. Sponsorships begin at less than $1000 and both inside and outside exhibit space is available.

For more information, visit our website at www.rmsaapg2012.com

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April 2012

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Luncheon Program – April 4th “The Ancestral Rocky Mountains: A Globally Significant Example of Intraplate Deformation” By G. Randy Keller, College of Earth and Energy and Oklahoma Geological Survey University of Oklahoma, April 4, 2012

The core structures of the Ancestral Rocky Mountains have long been recognized as major tectonic features. However, recent studies provide new evidence of how significant these features are, how they have been affected by older features, and how they have controlled younger features. In addition, if one looks at the full distribution of late Paleozoic structures in the central portion of the United States, the true dimension of this deformation is impressive. This presentation will provide an overview of integrated geophysical and geological studies of Ancestral Rocky Mountain features from the Mississippi River westward to Utah and discuss some global comparisons.

In addition, if one looks at the full distribution of late Paleozoic structures in the central portion of the United States, the true dimension of this deformation is impressive.

LuNcHeoN ReseRv RvAT Rv vATioNs & iNfo foRMATio ioN Luncheons will be held at the Marriott City Center at California and 17th St. Please check the event listing in the lobby for the room. People gather at 11:30 a.m., lunch is served at 12:00 noon, and the speaker presentation begins at about 12:20 p.m. The price of the luncheon is $30.00. Checks should be made payable to RMAG. No reservation is required for the talk only and the cost is $5.00. Please make your reservation prior to 10:30 a.m. on the Monday before the luncheon. Please Note: If you make a reservation and do not attend the luncheon, you will be billed for the luncheon. Cancellations are not guaranteed after 10:30 a.m. the Monday before the talk. You may send someone in your stead.

Your attendance is welcomed and encouraged. Bring a guest or new member!

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Call 303-573-8621

April 2012

CALL FOR PAPERS: THE MOUNTAIN GEOLOGIST

ATTENTION Geologists, Earth Science Professors and Graduate Students Publish your Paper in The Mountain Geologist!

The Mountain Geologist is RMAGâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s peer-reviewed, quarterly journal. It focuses on the geology of the Rocky Mountain area of the United States and related topics from outside the Rocky Mountain area. We accept manuscripts from almost every subdiscipline in the geosciences, from authors in academia and industry. Share your ideas, experience and wisdom! The Mountain Geologist circulates to over 2200 members and about 200 university libraries and industrial associates. It has been published by RMAG since 1964. Please email manuscripts or suitability questions to Joyce Trygstad Nelson at jtpetr@aol.com or Mel Klinger mel.klinger@fidelityepco.com . Manuscripts must be written in accordance with The Mountain Geologist Authors Style Guide, available online at www.rmag.org.

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Colorado Geological Survey unveils new website and Facebook page

Please visit our new website. It is loaded with data and free goodies. For instance, 227 of our out-ofprint publications can be downloaded for free in PDF format. A newly-designed map server allows you to view several statewide maps of interest. Our online Niobrara tool allows the determination of depth to Please visit our new website. It is contains downloadable files of click on one of the Facebook icons Niobrara and thickness of the Pierre geologic shale at interest any point in the Denver Basin underlying the Denver basin loaded with data and free goodies. around the state. on the home page to see what's aquifers. A high-resolution image gallery quite complete) contains filesatofCGS. geologic For instance, 227 of our out-of-print There(not is free stuff for teachers and downloadable happening today We post publications can be foris free kids. All for of our past RockTalks newspast notes, historicalare notes, and “did interest around thedownloaded state. There stuff teachers and kids. are All of our RockTalks posted free in PDF format. A newly-designed posted online. you knows” daily. Let your children online.

Colorado Geological Survey Unveils New Website and Facebook Page

map server allows you to view several The website is a work in progress, and teachers also know about this statewide maps of interest. Our online so check back often. One of the great resource. We would appreciate The website is a work in progress, so check back often. One of the things in progress is the posting of all Niobrara tool allows the determination things in progress is the posting of all any feedback or suggestions. 1:24,000 geologic maps in Colorado on the website for free download. AND, be sure and check out our of depth to Niobrara and thickness of 1:24,000 geologic maps in Colorado Website: http://geosur vey. Facebook page.atYou a Facebook member visit. Simplystate.co.us/Pages/CGSHome.aspx. click on one of the Facebook the Pierre shale anydon't pointhave in theto beon the website for freetodownload. Denver Basin thetoDenver AND, be suretoday and check Facebook page: http://www.facebook. icons on the underlying home page see what's happening at CGS.out Weour post news notes, historical notes, basin aquifers. A high-resolution Facebook page. You don't have to be com/pages/Colorado-Geologicaland “did you knows” daily. Let your children and teachers also know about this great resource. We image gallery (not quite complete) a Facebook member to visit. Simply Survey/362778650407517.

would appreciate any feedback or suggestions.

Website: http://geosurvey.state.co.us/Pages/CGSHome.aspx. Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Colorado-Geological-Survey/362778650407517.

ATTENTION Geologists, Earth Science Professors and Graduate Students, Publish Your Paper in The Mountain Geologist!

Vol. 61, No. 4

authors in academia and industry. Share your ideas, experience and wisdom! The Mountain Geologist circulates to over 2200 members and about 200 university libraries and industrial associates. It has been published by RMAG since 1964.

Please email manuscripts or suitability questions to Joyce Trygstad Nelson at jtpetr@aol.com . Manuscripts must be written in accordance with The Mountain Geologist Authors Style Guide, available online at www. rmag.org..

April 2012

The Mountain Geologist is RMAG’s peer-reviewed, quarterly journal. It focuses on the geology of the Rocky Mountain area of the United States and related topics from outside the Rocky Mountain area. We accept manuscripts from almost every subdiscipline in the geosciences, from

In the Pipeline April 4, 2012 RMAG Luncheon. “The Ancestral Rocky Mountains: A Globally Significant Example of Intraplate Deformation.” G. Randy Keller, College of Earth and Energy and Oklahoma Geological Survey University of Oklahoma.

Elgerd: aeglerd@directpetroleum.com or 303-2859136. April 15-18, 2012 SPWLA Spring Topical Conference. “Black Shale Petrophysics.” Pittsburgh, PA.

April 4-5, 2012 PTTC/Permian Basin CCUS Center Interactive Forum. “Putting the Business Elements Together for CO2 EOR Using Captured Carbon.” Golden, CO. Visit www.pttc.org.

April 17, 2012 DWLS Luncheon. Speaker Mark Kittridge from Ikon Science. “Rock Physics for Improved Interpretation of Reservoir Properties: Bringing Reservoir Petrophysics to Seismic Inversion.” For reservations, call Jennifer Bartell at 303-770-4235.

April 10, 2012 Desk and Derrick Luncheon. For reservations, please contact RSVP@deskandderrick.org.

April 22-26, 2012 AAPG Annual Convention and Exhibition. Long Beach, CA.

April 13, 2012 DIPS Luncheon. Speaker Tom Ahlbrandt. “Beetaloo Basin in Australia.” For reservations contact Anders

April 24, 2012 RMS-SEPM Luncheon. Speaker Ian Miller from the Denver Museum of Nature and Science. “The Snowmastodon Project: A Preserved Ice Age Fossil Ecosystem.” For reservations call 303-572-3550 or go to Luncheons@rmssepm.org. April 25, 2012 Oilfield Christian Fellowship Luncheon. To RSVP call Barb Burrell at 303-675-2602 or e-mail OCFDenverChapter@pxd.com. May 30-31, 2012 Bakken Tight Oil Congress 2012. Denver, Colorado. See page 17 for more information.

If you have any events that you would like to post in this column, please submit via email to Holly Sell at hsell@nobleenergyinc. com or to the RMAG office at rmagdenver@aol.com for consideration.

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April 2012

UPCOMING

EDUCATION SCHEDULE Last Chance January 20, 2012 2:00 p.m., CST

E-Symposium: Eagle Ford Shale Prospecting with 3D Seismic Data within a Tectonic and Depositional System Framework. Online

February 13-17, 2012 Earlybird discount expires January 9th!

Winter Education Conference Houston, Texas

Short Courses Basic Well Log Analysis Austin, Texas

March 26-30, 2012

Practical Salt Tectonics Austin, Texas

March 28-30, 2012

April 21-22, 2012

Shale Gas Reservoir Assessment Long Beach, CA (with AAPG Annual Convention)

Field Seminars March 28-29, 2012

Field Safety Course for Field Trip Leaders Houston, Texas Deep-Water Siliciclastic Reservoirs Northern California

April 27-May 2, 2012

Clastic Reservoir Facies and Sequence Stratigraphic Analysis of Alluvial-Plain, Shoreface, Deltaic, and Shelf Depositional Systems Utah

April 28-May 4, 2012

E-Symposia February 9, 2012 2:00 p.m., CST

Seismic Reservoir Characterization of U.S. Shales: An Update Online

Registration and Information: 7ROO IUHH 8 6 DQG &DQDGD RU Â&#x2021; )D[ Â&#x2021; HPDLO HGXFDWH#DDSJ RUJ 'RZQORDG D UHJLVWUDWLRQ IRUP DW KWWS ZZZ DDSJ RUJ HGXFDWLRQ LQGH[ FIP

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2012 RMAG Golf Tournament

Location: Fossil Trace Golf Course City: Golden, Colorado Date: June 28th, 2012 Cost: $200.00 Per Player ONLY 240 Slots Available

Please register online at www.rmag.org Vol. 61, No. 4

April 2012

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Advertisers Index AAPG ................................... 7, 23

Horizontal Solutions Intl........ 25

Peterson Energy ........................4

Applied Geophysics...................2

I.H.S......................................... 27

RBC Wealth Management .... 25

Bakken Tight Oil .....................17

Innovative GeoTech...................4

RMS/AAPG ............................. 16

Banko Petroleum ................... 21

MJ Systems ...............................2

TGS .......................................... 12

Bowler Petrophysics .................2

Mazzullo Energy Corp. ........... 19

Vista GeoScience ................... 19

Canadian Discovery ............... 25

Neuralog ................................. 22

Whitehead, Neil H., III ...............2

Geosteering ...............................9

Pangean Resources ............... 11

WYOTEX Oil Company .............17

April 2012 SUNDAY

MONDAY

TUESDAY

WEDNESDAY

THURSDAY

RMAG 5 Luncheon Speaker: G. Randy Keller PTTC Interactive Forum

Desk & Derrick Luncheon

DWLS 18 Luncheon Speaker: Mark Kittridge SPWLA Spring Topical Conference

Vol. 61, No. 4

RMAG/ SEPM Luncheon Speaker: Ian Miller

SATURDAY

DIPS Luncheon

AAPG Annual Convention & Exhibition

FRIDAY

Oilfield Christian Fellowship Luncheon

April 2012

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The Outcrop Needs YOU! We need articles for the Outcrop.

Have you attended a great lecture or read an interesting new geology or energy book? Have you attended a class or gone on a field trip that would interest the membership? Have you learned a new technique or found some great public domain software? Share your research so we can grow together. We are looking for articles about the new water laws, basin modeling on the â&#x20AC;&#x153;cheap,â&#x20AC;? new geologic trails or programs, legislative concerns, new technology. Please submit your ideas or articles and photos to: Josh Robbins staff@rmag.org Kristine Peterson k.peterson@laramidegeo.com Cat Campbell Catherine.e.campbell@gmail.com Holly Sell HSell@nobleenergyinc.com Please be sure to include a phone number and make sure our emails are whitelisted. We have had a few submissions that we wished to run but we could not reach the submitters by email and had no other contact information.

Rocky Mountain Association of Geologists 910 16th Street, Suite 1125 Denver, CO 80202

Vol. 61, No. 4

April 2012