The Visiting Committee of the Bureau of Economic Geology convened August 11 at the Bureau for a very productive annual meeting. Key leaders from industry, government, foundations, and nongovernmental organizations gathered in a roundtable setting to participate in discussion about world issues that impact the Bureau, and to share innovative ideas concerning areas of research and engagement that the organization might consider pursuing. Among Visiting Committee ideas that have come to fruition over the years are the Tight Oil Resource Assessment research consortium, now pursuing research into the layered tight oil plays of the Permian Basin, and Texas Through Time, an impressive upcoming Bureau publication that takes a comprehensive look at the geology of Texas and its influence on the state.
This year’s meeting also included a wide range of presentations on current Bureau activities, including its broad hydrology studies, the Advanced Energy Consortium’s latest breakthroughs in nanotechnology applications, an update on the TexNet statewide earthquake-monitoring program, and future plans for the multidisciplinary Shale Production and Reserve Study.
The mission of the Visiting Committee is to provide vital counsel and advice to the director and staff of the Bureau about research programs and opportunities, strategic directions, and other significant issues. Its members are drawn from the leadership of state agencies with which the Bureau works closely, companies with mutual research interests, financial supporters, environmental research organizations, and other key stakeholders.
Visiting Committee of the Bureau of Economic Geology, 2016
