September 27–30, 2002, Bureau Director Scott Tinker, who holds the Allday Chair of Subsurface Geology in the Department of Geological Sciences, led a field trip to the Guadalupe Mountains for students in his graduate course, Development Geology. The 16 UT students joined 13 students of Dr. Paul Weimer's from the University of Colorado at Boulder. Dr. Tinker reports that it was a great trip with" Longhorns and Buffaloes interacting peacefully." 10/02/02

Bureau researchers Mark H. Holtz, Dr. Hongliu Zeng, Paul Knox, and Mike De Angelo were the presenters on September 27, 8:30 a.m., at the Friday seminar. The title of their talk was "Assigning Petrophysical Properties in Gas Reservoir 3-D Geocelluar Modeling, by Integrating Geophysics, Geology, and Reservoir Engineering." [Abstract] 09/25/02

Bureau employee and resident artist John Mercado participated in, and won, the 2002 UT Intramural Golf Singles Tournament held at Lions Municipal Golf Course on September 27. John shot a 76 to win the tournament which consisted of one round of play. His picture will be placed on the Intramural Wall of Fame at Gregory Gym. 10/10/02

PTTC/DOE Gulf of Mexico
Shallow Shelf Gas Resources Workshop

On September 26, 2002, the PTTC Texas Region sponsored a workshop titled "New Resources from Old Fields: Revitalizing Gas Exploration and Production in the Gulf of Mexico Shelf Province," taught by Bureau researchers Dr. Leslie J. Wood and Mark H. Holtz at the Bureau's new Houston Core Research facility. Workshop participants were given instruction on practical techniques to identify untapped gas compartments in GOM shelf fields and how to locate and define stratigraphic traps for exploitation. Bureau researcher Dallas Dunlap was responsible for computer support during the workshop. 10/02/02

Research Scientist Dr. Steve Ruppel has been awarded the AAPG Wallace E. Pratt Memorial Award for his paper titled "Contrasting Styles in Reservoir Development in Proximal and Distal Chert Facies: Devonian Thirtyone Formation, Texas," co-authored by Roger Barnaby and published in the AAPG Bulletin in January 2001. The Award is to honor and reward the author(s) of the best AAPG Bulletin article published each calendar year. [Details] 09/16/02

Bureau researchers
Dr. Steve Ruppel and
Dr. Bob Loucks were recently awarded a Department of Energy (DOE) contract for their proposal titled "Reviving Abandoned Reservoirs with High Pressure Air Injection: Application in a Fractured and Karsted Dolomite Reservoir." The project, which focuses on the University Lands Barnhart Ellenburger reservoir in West Texas, will combine state-of-the-art characterization and modeling of karst features and fractures with new advanced oil recovery technology and high pressure air injection to devise new strategies for recovering the large volume of oil that remains in this nearly abandoned oil field. [Details and Abstract] 09/16/02

Bureau researchers Dr. Charles Kerans and Dr. Fred Wang were the weekly seminar speakers on Friday, September 20, 2002. The title of their presentation was "Integrated Geologic and Geophysical Modeling of a Major Isolated Icehouse Carbonate Platform Reservoir SACROC Unit, Scurry County, Texas." [Abstract] 09/17/02

Dr. William L. Fisher, one of three recipients of the 2002 UT Presidential Citation, received his award during UTexas@119, the Anniversary Celebration commemorating the 119th birthday of The University of Texas at Austin. The celebration and award ceremony were held September 18, at 2:30 p.m. in the Jessen Auditorium, Homer Rainey Hall. 09/18/02

[link to UT announcement] 

PTTC Workshop
Reduce Your Well Failure Frequencies

The Wellbore Management Workshop was presented in Tyler, Texas, on September 17. This very successful workshop was developed by
Bob Kiker, PTTC Texas Region Permian Basin Program Manager, to assist Independent oil and gas operators in reducing well failures. The workshop included a discussion of wellbore problems, case studies, and action plans and programs that have been used successfully to reduce well failure frequencies. This workshop has been presented in Midland, Amarillo, and Artesia, New Mexico. These PowerPoint presentations can be purchased on CD-ROM by contacting Bob Kiker at pttcpb@marshill.com. 09/20/02

Senior Research Fellow F. Jerry Lucia presented "Young Carbonate Fabrics as Early Stages in the Development History of Permian Basin Reservoirs" at the monthly luncheon meeting of the Permian Basin SEPM in Midland, on September 17, 2002. [Abstract] 10/02/02

Research Scientist Dr. Michael Hudec spent a week in London, England, attending a Discussion Meeting jointly sponsored by the Tectonic Studies Group and the Petroleum Group titled "Oil and Gas in Compressional Belts." The Meeting was held at The Geological Society, Burlington House, Piccadilly, London. Mike presented "Changes in Location and Style of Deepwater Contraction in the Kwanza Basin, Angola." [Abstract] 09/06/02

Two seminars were held on Friday, September 13, 2002, in the Main Bureau Conference Room. At 8:30 a.m. Dr. Jonathan C. Brown from the University of Texas at Austin History Department presented "PEMEX and the Development of the Mexican Oil Industry." [Abstract] 09/12/02

"There's Gas in Them Thar Hills" was the title of the All Convention Lunch talk given by Dr. Scott W. Tinker at the Rocky Mountain Section AAPG, on Monday, September 9 in Laramie, Wyoming. [Abstract] 09/16/02

(left to right) General Chair Randi Martinsen,
Scott Tinker, and AAPG President Dan Smith

The Austin Geological Society held its monthly meeting on Monday, September 9, 2002, from 7:00 to 8:00p, at the Lower Colorado River Authority (LCRA)campus, Board Room, 1st Floor Hancock Building, Austin. Edward G. Miller, P. G, Vice Chairman, Texas Board of Professional Geoscientists, presented "The Texas Geoscience Practice Act: A Status Report." An audience participation session on continuing education requirements was the featured discussion topic. 09/06/02

ILRIS instrument, outcrops under investigation, and drilling platforms along the margin of the Caspian Sea.

From August 27 to September 5, Research Associate David Jennette teamed up with BP reservoir geologist Tony Reynolds for outcrop analysis and ILRIS scanning in the historic oil province of Baku, Azerbaijan. The digital outcrop data generated will provide rapidly accessible analog information for ongoing reservoir modeling. This information will also be used in the production of "virtual outcrop" experiences that can be simultaneously viewed by geoscientists, engineers, and drillers in BP's London and Baku offices. 09/06/02