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Conference Time
Last month's PESA News Resources was a great pleasure to read, why? Fraccing was spelled correctly that's why. If I see that feral 'k' one more time I'll scream. Of course PESA News Resources is always a brilliant read and last issue was no exception. For helping make that so I'd like to thank Rob Kirk for his series of seismic stratigraphy articles. I know that the team at Resolutions is always working to get the best into the pages for us but that series was a high point for me.
Conference activity is really heating up. The PESA Deal Day at APPEA is a must-attend for the seekers and the holders of tomorrow's premium acreage, CABS is coming up in July, and the QLD and WA committees are working very hard towards the successful outcomes of EABS IV and WABS 2013, and ASEG has its 2013 conference coming up in Melbourne.
Our PESA Basin Symposia are our headline effort. They are distinguished from the clutter of commercial conferences by the sterling quality of the technical input and content. They are organised by petroleum professionals for petroleum professionals to communicate the best and most interesting new techniques and new results.
EABS is being held September 11–14, 2012 at the Brisbane Conference and Exhibition Centre. For those who have not yet marked it in their calendars, please do. There are still opportunities for exhibitors and for sponsors to see and be seen at the best and most industry-focused geoscientific conference in 2012. The event will be preceded by a superb two-day short course. Queensland is seeing a huge burst of activity through CBM and this EABS is coming at a perfect time to capture a snapshot of this industry as it matures. There are a lot of emerging opportunities in the Cooper to be discussed as well and there is a big focus on case studies: some of the most valuable take-home content, I believe. There are planned sessions on frontiers as well as planned sessions on geothermal and CCS. The link to the conference website is on the PESA website and registration will be available shortly.
The organisation effort for WABS is impressive too. This conference will have an outlay of around $850,000 and the committee is on track to make this conference a huge success in 2013.
Of course, let's not forget the APPEA conference. OK, we try to pinch the good geology papers for the Basin Symposia, but it is our industry's biggest event and I hope to catch up with lots of our members at the PESA AGM on the Sunday before the APPEA conference. The PESA session of industry reviews will, of course, pull the crowds, as will the new acreage release: where the work will be for hard-working new ventures teams over the next few months. There are a lot of unconventional plays being talked about in sessions and posters.
QLD/NT branch held its AGM on 15 March, along with a technical talk on climate change. I hope the AGM was less controversial. The QLD/NT committee, and in particular the President, Sue Slater, has worked extremely hard under difficult circumstances this year and I will use this opportunity to thank Sue and the outgoing members of the QLD/NT committee.
The ACT branch hosted a highly successful four-day short course: Shale, CSG and Tight Gas Resource Assessment, presented by Jim Gouveia from Rose & Associates. Twenty two delegates attended the course held at Geoscience Australia's training room from 30 January to 2 February 2012 and were treated to the latest developments in unconventional gas exploration, development and resource assessment. This was a joint organisational effort with SA and was a great credit to all concerned.
In South Australia, the annual Hydrocarbon Industry Cricket Cup (HICCup) competition has concluded. The winners of the Terry Watts Trophy this year were the Santos Engineers who won only by run rate differential from the PESA team. See the article and photos later in this edition. PESA South Australia members are looking forward to welcoming interstate members to their beautiful city for the annual APPEA Conference in May.
PESA Vic/Tas branch held a summer social event with SPE and ASEG members at Federation Square next to the Yarra River in early February. The event was well attended and everyone enjoyed the good catch-up following the holiday break. The February technical talk by John Hughes discussed a very interesting question: "Why is the seismic industry accused of adversely impacting marine life when, after 40 years of marine exploration using airgun arrays, there is no evidence of this"? This is topical as I understand that seismic surveys planned in the Bight has attracted a spot of uninformed negative commentary. We really do have the facts to defend this crucial work and we need to get it out there every chance we get.
The NSW branch hosted a technical talk by a name familiar to readers of this page: Shalene McClure, our illustrious past president, enjoying just that little bit more PESA – time it seems. News from NSW is the new President is Max Williamson. Max is a long-standing committee member in NSW and brings a wealth of experience on PESA matters. More AGM news next issue.
One of the things we often have trouble with in PESA is corporate memory, so I'm indebted to Steve Mackie who unearthed a treasure trove of carefully organised PESA procedures and the like. I'm also motivated to get our lists of Distinguished Members and Meritorious Service awards up to date, so if you happen to be glancing at the membership page of our website and see someone missing please get in touch with me. Over the years many, many people have made PESA what it is today, and this work is still on-going. These people deserve our recognition and thanks so I urge members to send us a nomination for either or both of these prestigious awards. The nomination form is on the website membership section. I'm also making a list of our Distinguished Lecturers – they should get their names in lights too.
Speaking of DLs, we are in the early stages of cooking up an international DL tour in cooperation with ASEG for mid-year, details to follow. I'm looking forward to catching up at the AGM and APPEA drinks afterwards.
Cheers,
Gordon Wakelin-King
Federal President.
