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March 1993 -- HOUSTON GEOLOGICAL SOCIETY BULLETIN Volume 35 Number 7 72 70 172 + I64 156 148 140 124 70 116 . y , lyl , 2 r 5y3 , ;y 5y,u;. 0 100 200 X0 400 500 600 700 800 Urn. 161 156 132 It's Bass Tourney Time! (See page 27) * * * HGS Jobs Hotline (713) 785-9729 * * * IN THIS ISSUE. .. - A petroleum virus? ............................................. Page - Permo-Carboniferous to Early Triassic basins in South Australia. ............................................ Page 12 - Back to basics in field development ............................. Page 18 - Impact of environmental legislation on the petroleum industry. ..................................... Page 32 - From the HGS files ... notes and anecdotes from the past .......... Page 42 AND MORE! See Centerfold for March Calendar and Geoevents.

HGS Bulletin Volume 35 No.7 (March 1993)

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Page 1: HGS Bulletin Volume 35 No.7 (March 1993)

March 1993

--

HOUSTON GEOLOGICAL SOCIETY

BULLETIN

Volume 35

Number 7

72 70 172 + I 6 4 156 148 140 124 7 0 116

.

y , lyl , 2 r 5y3 , ;y 5y,u;.

0 100 200 X0 4 0 0 5 0 0 6 0 0 700 8 0 0 Urn.

161 156 132

It's Bass Tourney Time! (See page 27)

* * * HGS Jobs Hotline (713) 785-9729 * * * IN THIS ISSUE. .. - A petroleum virus? ............................................. Page - Permo-Carboniferous to Early Triassic basins

in South Australia. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 12 - Back to basics in field development . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 18 - Impact of environmental legislation

on the petroleum industry. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 32 - From the HGS files ... notes and anecdotes from the past . . . . . . . . . . Page 42 AND MORE!

See Centerfold for March Calendar and Geoevents.

Page 2: HGS Bulletin Volume 35 No.7 (March 1993)

m I I L u ( w- m ~ u . * l l NowExclusive 2D/3D Seismic Surveys

Page 3: HGS Bulletin Volume 35 No.7 (March 1993)

HOUSTON GEOLOGICAL SOCIETY 7171 Harwin. Suite 314 Houston. Texas 77036-21 90

(71 3) 785-6402

. EXECUTIVE BOARD . President . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Patrick T . (Pat) Gordon. Consultant President-Elect . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .John M . Biancardi. Vicksburg Production Vice President . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Dwight (Clint) Moore. Anadarko Petroleum Secretary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Jeannie Fisher Mallick. Pohlman & Assoc . Treasurer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Steve Brachman. Live Oak Consulting Treasurer-Elect . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Ann Ayers Martin. Tertiary Trend Exploration Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Susan M . van Gelder. Consultant Editor-Elect . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Wm . Feathergail (Feather) Wilson. Consultant Executive Committeeman ('93) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Wil l iam R . (Bil l) Dupre'. University of Houston Executive Comm~tteeman ('93) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Pinar Yilmaz. Exxon Production Research Executive Cornm~tteeman ('94) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Jeffrey W . (Jeff) Lund. Ashland Exploration Executive Cornm~tteeman ('94) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . James A . (Jim) Ragsdale. Agip Petroleum

. COMMITTEE CHAIRMEN . Academic Liaison . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . John Chronic. Consultant Advertising . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Bruce Falkenstein. Amoco Production Arrangements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Douglas B . (Doug) Selvius. BHP Petroleum Awards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Daniel J . (Dan) Bonnet. Houston Energy & Development Ballot . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Steven H . (Steve) Shirley. UNOCAL Computer Applications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Mark Hodson. Consultant Continuing Education . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Frank Huber. BHP Petroleum (Americas) Inc . Directory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . NancyT.Benthien.MarathonOi1 Entertainment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Mar t in J . Oldani. Apache Corp, Environmental and Engineering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Robert B . (Bob) Rieser. The Bourdeau Group Exhib~ts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . GeraldA.Cooley.PetCons&Assoc.

. Explorer Scouts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . E . Dan Helton. Natural Gas Pipeline Co Fleld Trips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Paul W . Britt. Texplore. lnc . Finance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . David A . Fontaine. Consultant Historical . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . David B.Shephard.Amoco International Explorat~onists . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Thomas A . (Thorn) Tucker. Marathon Oil Library . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Evelyn Wilie Moody. Consultant Membersh~p . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Michael H . (Mike) Deming. Amoco Nominations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Cyrus (Cy) Strong,, Consultant North American Explorationists . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Charles E . (Chuck) Buzby IV. Amoco Office Management . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Gerald A . Cooley. PetCons & Assoc . Personnel Placement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . L . G . (Joe) Eubanks. Preston Oil Co . Poster Sessions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . John Preston. Tourmaline Exploration Co . Publications . New . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Wil l iam A . Hill. ARC0 Oil & Gas Publication Sales . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Thomas T . (Tom) Mather. Columbia Gas Public Relations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Deborah K . (Debra) Sacrey. Consultant Remembrances . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B i l l C . Burkman. Consultant Research . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Phil Poder. Consultant Technical Programs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Dwigh t (Clint) Moore Anadarko Petroleum Transportation

. SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVES . GCAGS Representatwe . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Patrick T . (Pat) Gordon. Consultant GCAGS Alternate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . John M . Biancardi, Vicksburg Production Co . Advisor. Museum of Natural Science . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Morgan J . Davis, Jr.. Consulting Geologist AAPG Delegate Foreman . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Jeffrey W . (Jeff) Lund. Ashland Exploration AAPG-DPA Representative . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Daniel L . (Dan) Smith. Texas Meridian Resources AAPG Grouplnsurance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Barbara Bremsteller Engineering Council of Houston Representative . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Claudia P . Ludwig. Consultant

. SCHOLARSHIP . . Memorial Scholarsh~p Board (Graduate) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Daniel L (Dan) Smith. Texas Meridian Resources

HGS Foundation (Undergraduate) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Hugh W . Hardy. Emeritus

. HOUSTON GEOLOGICAL AUXILIARY . President . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Mrs -J im(Gwinn)Lewis

. President-Elect . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Mrs Jon (Joyce) Champeny First Vice Pres~dent (Social) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Mrs . David (Lois) Matuszak Second Vice Pres~dent (Membership) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Mrs. George (Shirley) Gordon Third Vice Pres~dent (HGS Rep.) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Mrs . Martha Lou Broussard Secretary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Mrs.Andre(Ann)Bout t le Treasurer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Mrs.Leslie(Dianne)White Historian . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Mrs.Robert(Geri)Pace Parliarnentar~an . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Mrs-Theresa Baker GeoWives Pres~dent . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Ms. Susan McKinley (Mrs . Allan B . Scardina)

The BULLETIN HOUSTON GEOLOGICAL SOCIETY (ISSN 0018~6686) IS published monthly except July i n d August by the Houston Geo log~ca l Society 7171 Harwin S u ~ t r 314 Houston Trx. is 7 1036 S u b s ( r p t 1 o n t o t h e B U L L E T l N H 0 U S T O N GEOLOGICALSOCIETY IS lncludrd In mernbershipdues(518 OOannu~~llyI Subscr ip t~on pr lce for non rnembws w l thn the < ontiquaus U S is $ 2 5 00 per year and $46 00 per year for those auts~de t h e cont~guous U S S~ng le <copy prtcr 1s $3 00 Second Cldss Postage paid a t Houston Texas

POSTMASTER: Send address changes to BULLETIN HOUSTON GEOLOGICAL SOCIETY 7171 Harwrn . S u ~ t e 314 . Houston. TX 77036~2190 . ..

1 Bulletm Houston G e o l o q ~ r ~ ~ l So rw ty Mnr i h 1993

Page 4: HGS Bulletin Volume 35 No.7 (March 1993)

BULLETIN HOUSTON GEOLOGICAL SOCIETY

Vol. 35, No. 7

BULLETIN COMMITTEE EDITOR:

Sue van Gelder, 466-3348 Consulting Geologist

EDITOR ELECT: Lynne D. Feldkamp, 497-0503

Robert M. Sneider Explor. ASSOCIATE EDITORS: Business of Geology

Dwight (Clint) Moore, 874-8730 Anadarko Petroleum

Computer Mark W. Hodson, 568-5009

Editorial Sandi M. Barber, 723-1480

Consultant Donna Davis, 981-4345

Consultant Mary J o Klosterman, 591-5273

Exxon Exploration Co. Larry Levy, 432-0008

LSL Resources James A. (Jim) Ragsdale, 688-6281

Agip Petroleum Environmental

Dean Ayres, 729-7157 HISD

Events David C. Callaway, 268-2114

Aquila Energy Exploration Review

Bill Eisenhardt, 774-6669 Consulting Geologist

International Hugh Hay-Roe, 358-5871

Consultant Technical Articles

William H. Roberts, 465-2228 Hydrexco Company

J o Ann Locklin, 954-6262 Texaco

Nelson C . Steenland. 666-0266 Geophystcist

Manuscripts, inquiries, or suggestions should be directed to Editor, c,'o HGS Bullettn, 7171 Harwin, Suite 314, Houston, TX 77036. Deadline for copy is six weeks prior to pubhcation. All copy must be typewritten and double-spaced on standard white paper. Line drawlngs and other illustrations must be photo~ready. If prepared on a word processor, please send a copy of the com- puter disc, preferably in either Pagemaker, V e n ~ tura or ASCII format, along wtth a hard copy of the text.

Photographs submitted for publication are welcome, but cannot be returned.

ADVERTISING COMMITTEE

Please call 785-6402

March 1993

CONTENTS DEPARTMENTS

President's Comments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Letters to the Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Conversationcorner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Society Meetings

General: Dinner "Seismic and Exploratory Drilling Evaluation of Strike-Slip Basins of The Southern Bering Shelf, Alaska and The Russian Far East", Dan M. Worrall . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

General: Luncheon . . . . . "The Alaskan North Slope and ANWR", Harrison L. Townes 8

International Explorationists "Sequence Stratigraphic Framework of Neogene Strata

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . in Offshore Nigeria", Dr. Jory A. Pacht . l o

Environmental/Engineering Geologists "Environmental Drilling, Past and Present",

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . FrankSmith 14

North American Explorationists "Petroleum Potential of East Central Nevada", Douglas P. Hazlett . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Memorial Scholarship Fund. .9

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Remembrances 9

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . OnTheMove 9

PRICE SCHEDULE- MARCH MEETINGS (Non-members: add $2.00 to the meal price) See Meetings abstracts for times.

HGS D~nner Meetlng. Mar. 8 . . . . . . . . . . Post Oak Doubletree Inn $20.00

HGS lnternalional Explorat~on~sts Dtnner Meet~ng, Mar. 15

. . . . . . . . . . Post Oak Doubletree Inn $21.00

HGS North American Explorat~onists Dinner Meetlng, Mar. 16

. . . . . . . . . . Post Oak Doubletree Inn $20.00

HGS iuncheon, Mar 31 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Houston Club $15.00

RESERVATIONS POLICY Reservdtlons a re made by callmy the H G S o f k e

1785 6402) At the meetlng, names a re checked against

the reservatlori list Those wlth reservations w~ll be sold t ~ c k e t s ~ m m e d ~ a t e l y . Those without reservations will b e asked t o wait for available seats , and a $5 surcharge will be added t o the price of the ticket. All who d o not honor their reservations will be billed for the price of the meal. Ii a reservation cannot be kept. please cancel or send someone In your place

T h e Houston Geological Socle!y o f i~ce IS

Iocdted dl 7171 Harwin, Suite 314, Houston, T e x a s 77036. T h e telephone number IS (713) 785-6402; FAX (713) 785-0553.

Bu l l e t~n Houston Geological Soclety March 1993 2

Page 5: HGS Bulletin Volume 35 No.7 (March 1993)

Contents Continued International Explorationists. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

International Brief - "South Australia - Part I1 - T h e Permo-Carboniferous T o Early Triassic Basins", George Tappan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . EnvironmentalIEngineering Geologists .14

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . North American Explorationists .16

North American Explorationists Feature - "Developing a n d Extending Oil and G a s Fields Without Use of Computers, Remote Sensing, Seismic and

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Non-Conventional Methods", Charles E. Mear .18

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Calendar and Geo-Events, Dave Callaway. .28

Commit teeNews . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30

Personnel Placement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Continuing Education/Environmental-Engineering .30

Business of Geology - . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . "It's Not Business a s Usual Anymore", C. W. Brown, J r . .32

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Houston Geological Auxiliary. .40

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . "Voices From The Past", Long Range Advisory Committee. .42

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Exploration Activity Review, Bill Eisenhardt .52

COVER ILLUSTRATION: Alaska will be featured at both our luncheon and dinner meetings this month. Map courtesy of Harrison L. Townes.

HAVE YOU EVER MADE A RESERVATION AND NOT SHOWN?

Several years ago the HGS Board adopted a policy of billing those who made reservations for an HGS dinner or luncheon event but did not show. Since the reservation list is used to guarantee the number of attendees to an event, the HGS must pay for that minimum number even if fewer people are served. Those who make reservations and do not cancel by the published cancellation time will be billed. For Luncheon and Dinner events, cancellation time is usually noon on the prior business day. Cancelling after that time, yet before the event, does not assure that you will not be billed.

For those who are billed and do not pay, please be aware that the next time you attend an HGS lunch or dinner event, the treasurer or representative will ask to discuss the reasons prohibiting payment. Continued non-payment of billing will result in loss of membership privileges.

-

3 Bu l l e t~n Houston Geolog~cal Soc~ety March 1993

Page 6: HGS Bulletin Volume 35 No.7 (March 1993)

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I n-7 LET'S CELEBRATE!

SPRING KICKOFF Friday, April 2,1993

HGS TENNIS TOURNAMENT WESTSIDE TENNIS CLUB

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Send check, along with name, phone no. and rank (A, A- or B) to the PTS Laboratories. Mail to: 4342 W. 12th, Houston, TX 77055, Attention: Mike Walker

With Questions Call: (71 3) 680-229 1

Bulletin Houston G ~ o l o q l c a l Soctety M a r c h 1993 4

Page 7: HGS Bulletin Volume 35 No.7 (March 1993)

L

PRESIDENT'S COMMENTS

There seems to be plenty of geologists and geophysicists who are stillbeing laid off or reluctantly taking early retirement. Most of those that I havemet appear to have a positive, even entrepreneurial, attitude. One geophysicistI talked to is already looking for potential clients before his last day is gone athis old company. Another tOQkthe early retirement package, got with otherretirees (geologist, engineer, landman), pooled their resources, and invested insmall producing wells. They hope to enhance their equity using today'sadvanced technology. Already they own ten oil wells and have no debts.

The majors who are leaving the States for foreign shores may be doing therest of us a favor. Are big discoveries still hidden amongst the old shallow wellsin our producing basins? Many think so. Rumors abound of a potential big onein the relatively mature Cook Inlet of Alaska. Is the Texas Gulf Coast dead too?No way! In the past five years, I've heard of at least one significant discoveryeach, in the Wilcox, Yegua, Vicksburg, and Frio. And that with the lowest 5-year average rig count in decades. There's more to be found folks. Just gottawork a little harder.

Maybe some new discoveries are hidden right there in some old well log inyour files. Could the original well sitter have passed up a good one? The HGS istrying to help you find out. Jointly with the New Orleans Geological Society, wehave just published an invaluable (and cheap) addition to your library,"Productive Low Resistivity Well Logs of the Gulf of Mexico." Thanks to allwho contributed to this volume. Special thanks to HGS Vice President ClintMoore, Editor-in-chief, and to Glen Shelton (NOGS) and Bill Hill (HGS),committee chairman.

It's always nice to be able to work together well with o,ther organizations.So why not invite your favorite doodlebugger to come out next Monday nightwhen we host the Geophysical Society of Houston and listen to Dan Worralltalk about some basins of the Bering Shelf in Alaska and Russia. Maybe he'll tellus where to find a giant! If he doesn't, try the end of the month when HarrisonTownes, AAPG President, will tell us about ANWR. Invite your Sierra Clubfriends to that one. If the aforementioned geology talks sound a little cold toyou, don't dispair. Check out this month's Bulletin for hot talks on Nigeria andNevada.

Hopefully by the end of this month you should have received this year'sissue of the HGS-GSH Directory. I have found the '92 Directory most helpful inmy networking efforts. Only costs about $3 of your annual dues to get it.Special thanks go to the HGS and GSH editors, Nancy Benthien and RoyClark. They have made a special effort this year to double-check the companynames, addresses, and phone numbers for accuracy and completeness. Will thecompanies ever quit buying each other and changing names? If you do note anerror or omission, please call the HGS office before January 1, 1994.

Whether or not you are going to the AAPG Convention in New Orleansnext month, please take the time to congratulate the following HGS memberswho will be receiving awards: Bob Berg at A&M, Sidney Powers Award; RayLewis in Schulenburg, and Bob Megill, Honorary Membership; Paul Strunk inCorpus Christi, Distinguished Service; and Kevin Biddle, Robert H. DottMemorial Award. If you are aware of other members who might deserve suchrecognition, please let Dan Bonnet, HGS Awards Chairman, know about it.

Hope to see you at one of the meetings...Now if I can only find that old E-log, stashed away in my file cabinet, that's gonna make me a millionaire. Or wasit the credenza....

;1//~Pat Gordon

5 Bulletin Houston Geological Society, March 1993

Page 8: HGS Bulletin Volume 35 No.7 (March 1993)

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR CONVERSA TION CORNER

TIME FOR A GSH-HGS MERGER? A PETROLEUM VIRUS? To the Editor: Much effort has been expended on petroleum origin,

The HGS and the GSH have served their respective members for decades, through good times and bad. For most of that time, the tasks performed by petroleum geologists and geophysicists were clearly defined, with minimal overlap. We each had our own jobs to do, and we each reported to our respective geological or geophysical manager. In recent years, however, the distinction between geologists and geophysicists has become increasingly blur- red. Today, more often than not, we are members of the same teams, work at the same workstations, and report to the same individual. The rise of sequence stratigraphy and seismic facies analysis has served to further reduce the gap between us. This is not to say that there are no differences between geologists and geophysicists, differences in train- ing, in outlook, in specific responsibilities. But are these differences any greater or more significant than those found within our respective professions? Perhaps it is time to focus on the things we have in common rather than those which set us apart. Perhaps it is also time to examine the role of our respective societies and ask how they can best serve us in the future. These societies, like our industry, face growing economic difficulties in the years ahead. How should our local societies respond? Perhaps it is time to seriously consider a merger of our local geological and geophysical societies. It may be a union whose time has come.

but none has been directed to the contribution of viruses: No work has been done. and it is not known whether anv viruses exist in subsurface pore waters.

Researchers have come to regard the world ocean a s a soup of dissolved organic matter (DOM) or remains of cyano-bacteria, heterotrophic bacteria, etc., killed by viruses, and of the viruses themselves (and other stuff). Bacterial cells infected with viruses are converted into virus particles plus dissolved and particulate debris. Sea water contains about lo8 to 1011 viruses per liter. The viruses are small enough to be considered dissolved. The whole idea is revolutionary; no such ideas were held as recently as 10-20 years ago (ref.: J . Fuhrman, p. 316-383 in P. G. Falkowski and A. D. Woodhead, eds., 1992, Primary productivity and biogeochemical cycles in the sea: N. Y., Plenum).

Some suspect that the carboxvlic acids of subsurface pore waters result from thermal catalytic degradation of kerogen (Sept. 1992 AAPG, p. 1403). If we hypothesize that these odd organic materials originate in viral lysing of bacterial cells, there are no data to use in testing the hypothesis, since viruses have not been sought.

A search for information on the highest temperature at which viruses are known to lvse bacterial cell walls proved unrewarding. As a working hypothesis, it is reasonable to presume that if bacteria can stand it, viruses can too.

If viruses are found to be absent from d e e ~ subsurface Deet Schumacher pore waters, then the bacteria in pore waters are the only

living organisms in the biosphere with no predators (parasites). If they are found, then our understanding of the To the Editor: origins of petroleum, asphalt, and related products will

I am sure that you have gotten a lot of mail about the improve dramatically. January '93 cover, but I had to write anyway. The photo is nothing like the description. First, it is a photo of the SE end Thomas C. Williams of East Bourland Mountain; all of the units visible are "Ouachita Fold Belt" (Tesnus, Caballos, Maravillas, and Woods Hollow Fms). Second, the Sierra Del Norte is not visible from this position. Third, the Del Nortes are composed of Cretaceous units, which last time I checked, were older than 50 MY. Fourth, the Caballos was named by C. L. Baker and W. F. Bowman for exposures on Horse Mountain.

Sincerely, Craig Brooks

To the Editor:

I very much appreciate your using the photo that I had submitted of the Ouachita Fold Belt on the front cover of the January 1993 issue of the HGS Bulletin. Everything that you printed was precisely right.

Have a great '93.

Sincerelv.

TRADE READJUSTMENT ALLOWANCES (TRA) UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFIT FOR STUDY IN THE D'EPARTMENT OF GEOSCIENCES AT THE UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON

Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) is available to workers who lose their jobs or whose hours of work and wages are reduced as a result of increased imports. TAA includes a variety of benefits and reemployment services to help unemployed workers prepare for and obtain suitable employment. One of these services is training. Weekly training trade readjustment allowances (TRA) may be payable to eligible workers following their exhaustion of unemployment benefits. Usually, TRA benefits will be paid only if an individual is enrolled in an approved training program.

To be eligible for TAA benefits and reemployment

Bill ~ a l i L ' Continued on page 40

Bulletin Houston Geological Soc~ety. March 1993 6

Page 9: HGS Bulletin Volume 35 No.7 (March 1993)

3 Outsourcing .=. (a= Consider MICRO-STRAT for your Gulf of Mexico and Interna tional Projects

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7 Bulletin Houston Geological Society, March 1993

Page 10: HGS Bulletin Volume 35 No.7 (March 1993)

MEETINGSHGS/GSH JOINT DINNER MEETING-MARCH 8, 1993Social Period, 5:30 p.m.Dinner and Meeting, 6:30 p.m.Post Oak Doubletree Inn

DAN M. WORRALL-Biographical SketchDan M. Worrall is

Chief Geologist for theOnshore Exploration Divi-sion of Shell Western Eand P, Inc., and has workedfor Shell since 1978. Pre-vious assignments withShell have included DistrictExploration Manager of theDeepwater Division in NewOrleans, Manager of Geol-ogy Research, and a varietyof assignments in explo-ration and research, prin-cipally involving structuralgeology of the Gulf of

Mexico Basin and Alaska. He graduated from Rice Univers-ity in 1972 with a B.A. in geology, and earned mastersdegrees from Northwestern University and the Universityof Wyoming before receiving a Ph.D. in geology from theUniversity of Texas at Austin.

SEISMIC AND EXPLORATORY DRILLINGEVALUATION OF STRIKE-SLIP BASINS OF

THE SOUTHERN BERING SHELF,ALASKA AND THE RUSSIAN FAR EAST

In the early and middle 1980's, the basins of thesouthern BeringShelfwere covered by densegridsof highquality marine seismic.datain preparation for U.S. Federallease sales. These data cover large portions of a submarinewrench faultsystem that stretches some 1400km from theAlaska Peninsula to the Russian Far East. Associatedexploratory activity included the drilling of 20 wells in theU.S. sector of the Shelf. Although the economic resultsweredisappointing,these data present the rare opportunityof detailed imaging of the deep structural geometryof strike-slip basins, and show the extreme structural and strati-graphic sensitivity of the basins of the northern Pacificregion to changes in Pacific plate motion.

The southern edge of the Bering Shelf was an activemargin until early Tertiary time, when the collision andobduction of an arc/trench complex in the Olyutorskyregionof the Russian Far East caused the subduction zoneto abruptlymigratesouthward to its present positionintheAleutian Trench. Drilling results show that regional strike-slip and related basin formation all along the southernBeringShelfbegan at 43 Ma, concurrent with a change inKula/Pacific plate motion. The first structures to form werea regionally extensive zone of subaerially exposed enechelon folds oriented 300 to an incipient right-lateral shearzone that formed parallel to and 200 km inboard of the oldactive margin.These early foldswere in most places soonabruptly replaced by a network of right-lateral strike-slip

L Bulletin Houston Geological Society, March 1993

faults. Basins (Navarin, Anadyr, St. George) and upliftsformed between various right- and left-stepping fault pairs.Basin subsidence was initially very rapid and led to localdeep marine anoxic conditions (and local source rockdeposition) by late Eocene time. Strike-slip activity con-tinued, waning through Pliocene time, with a strong regionalpulse inLate Oligocene- EarlyMiocenetime.Thispulsewasresponsible for renewed folding, uplift, local erosion andsand deposition throughout the region.

The deep geometry and kinematic evolution of thesebasins is unlike the hypothetical "rhomb graben" modelcommonly cited in the literature for strike-slip basins.Seismic data show that the floor of the 13 km-deep NavarinBasinisanundulatingsurface between twopairsof right-slipfaults; large, basin-framing normal faults are not observed.Shallower basins (North Aleutian, Amak) have similargeometry but have formed adjacent to single strike-slipfaults.

Numerous exploratory wells drilled in the 1980's wereunsuccessful in finding economic hydrocarbons in the U.S.sector. Geologic reasons for the lack of success includeinadequate reservoir development on structure and lack ofoil charge in Navarin Basin and inadequate oil charge intraps in and around St. George Basin. Although oil and gasaccumulations have been discovered in en echelon foldsin Russia's Anadyr Basin, production has not been estab-lished.

HGS LUNCHEON MEETING-MARCH 31, 1993Social Period, 11 :30 a.m.Luncheon and Meeting, 12:00 p.m.The Houston ClubHARRISON L. TOWNES-Biographical Sketch

Harrison L. Townesgraduated from T.c.u. in.1952,and after workingforvarious companies, be-came an independent pet-roleum geologist in 1967.He formed Toklan OilCorporation in 1971, re-tired asBoard Chairmanofthat company in 1989,andthen returned to the inde-pendent practice of petro-leum geology. He is a pastPresident of the OklahomaIndependent PetroleumAssociation, a former

Director of the Independent Petroleum Association ofAmerica, and is a founding member of the OklahomaChapter of the Nature Conservancy. Mr. Townes is current-1yPresident of the American Association of PetroleumGeologists.

THE ALASKAN NORTH SLOPE AND ANWR

Alaska is a large state and now contains 30% of totalU.S. oil reserves. The Prudhoe Bay discovery in 1968 found12 billionbarrels of recoverable oil, the largest field in NorthAmerica. Production is from a combination structural!

8

Page 11: HGS Bulletin Volume 35 No.7 (March 1993)

stratigraphic trap. The well-developed, thick pay zones in the subsurface were a surprise since these same rocks are hard and tight in outcrops. Other large fields have been found on the North Slope, which can be considered a world class producing province.

The 1002 Coastal Plain portion of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (AN,WR) has been set aside as an area of excellent petroleum potential since its geographic and geologic position makes it an integral part of the North Slope Province. Various governmental studies indicate numerous large undrilled structures in the 1002 area, which is only 8% of ANWR. The decision to open the 1002 area for drilling, however, will be a political one since various environmental groups oppose this. The argument that not enough potential reserves underlie the 1002 area to justify drilling is not logical.

HGS will host a poster session by area university geoscience students preceding the April 12th dinner meeting at the Post Oak Doubletree. The posters can be viewed during social hour beginning at 5:30. This is an excellent opportunity to meet the students and review some of their recent research projects.

IT'S A DEAL LCT has recently opened an office in the U.K. to better

support clients in Europe, Africa, and the Middle East regions. The Manager of LCT Ltd. is Richard Horscroft, former Manager of the Intera Gravity and Magnetics Group.

LOOKING TO HIRE A GEOSCIENTIST?

HOUSTON GEOLOGICAL SOCIETY PERSONNEL PLACEMENT COMMITTEE

Specializing in placing Geologists. Hydrogeologists, Geophysicists and Geotechnical professionals in full time, contract and consulting positions.

Gulf Coast. Domestic U.S., and International expertise available.

HGS JOBS HOTLINE (713) 785-9729-telephone system allows prospective employers to anonymously search for candidates with specific experience and expertise.

FOR MORE PLEASE INFORMATION CONTACT

HOUSTON GEOLOGICAL SOCIETY

(713) 785-6402

ON THE MOVE David J. Kinzelman was recently appointed General

Manager of Unocal's Permian Basin Business Unit, Midland, Texas. Formerly, Regional Vice-President of the South- western Region, Midland.

Larry L. Jones , President of Spartan Petroleum Corporation, with headquarters in Houston, is the recipient of the "1992 Distinguished Alumni Award", granted by the Department of Geology, University of Nebraska at Lincoln, for service and contribution to the Department.

Walter A. Boyd, Jr., chief reservoir geologist, has retired from Columbia Gas Transmission Corp. after more than 34 years of service.

Susan A. Szlosek has recently joined Pennzoil Company in Houston, Texas, as an Advanced Hydrogeolo- gist in the Fuels Marketing Division of their environmental department (ESHA). Prior to joining Pennzoil, she was a hydrogeologist with Fugro-McClelland Environmental, Inc., in Houston.

G a y C. Helm, Independent Geologist, is now "semi9'- retired and has moved to Canyon Lake, Texas. Formerly, Vice-President of Exploration for Equitable Energy, Inc. You can reach Gay at 870 Skyline Dr., Canyon Lake, Texas 78133, (210) 964-4130.

Santa Fe Energy Resources, Inc., has appointed T o m McCarroll to the position of General Manager in Yangon, Union of Myanmar. Formerly, Manager, Business Development, Houston.

REMEMBRANCES Harry Kilian died December 16, 85 years old,

Consultant. Douglas J. Maier, died January 10, 1992.

L

Wayne A. Ross died November 12, 72 years old, Consultant.

SPOUSES O F MEMBERS Marilyn Harrison died December 2, wife of Clyde. Joyce Hardy died December 29, wife of Hugh. Dr. Rudy R. Schwarzer , husband of Teresa.

BILL BURKMAN

HGS GRADUATE MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP FUND

The HGS Graduate Memorial Scholarship Fund grate- fully acknowledges the following donors ($100-$499) and contributors (to $100) during recent months:

Donors Ralph R. McLeod S. W. Marshall

Brian E. O'Brien Contr ibutors

M. W. Daura Edward McFarlan, Jr. W. Dean Grafton Dietmar H. Schumacher

9 Bulletin Houston Geological Society. March 1993

Page 12: HGS Bulletin Volume 35 No.7 (March 1993)

INTERNA TIONALEXPLORATIONISTS

HGS INTERNATIONAL GROUPDINNER MEETING-MARCH 15,1993Pos~ Oak Doubletree InnSocial hour, 5:30 p.m., Dinner, 6:30 p.m.Technical Presentation, 7:30 p.m.*DR.JORY A. PACHT-Biographical Sketch

Dr. Pacht receivedhisB.S. in geologyfrom OhioUniversity in 1973. Heworked as a wellsitegeolo-gist with Sentry Engineer-ing for a year and a half,then completed his M.S.degree in 1976at Universityof Wyoming. Dr. Pacht re-ceived his Ph.D. in geologyin 1980 from Ohio StateUniversity. During his finalyear of study he served asAssistant Professor at KentState University. In 1980he joined the staff of the

Exploration Research Group of ARCO Oil and Gas Com-pany, where he served ~s a Senior Research Geologist. Dr.Pacht left ARCO and joined RPI International in 1988 as aSenior Scientist. He was sent to TGS where he worked assequence stratigraphic consultant. He joined TGS in 1990.Dr. Pacht has written over 70outside and in-house researchpapers and abstracts. He won the "Excellence of Presenta-tion" Award from the ,Gulf Coast Society of EconomicPaleontologists and Mineralogists (1990)and the Best PaperAward from the Houston Geological Society (1990). Hereceived Honorable Mention for best paper at the Society ofExploration Geophysicists N~tional Meeting (1989)and wasrunner-up for the American Association of PetroleumGeologists Matson Award (1991). *Presenting

DR. DAVID J. HALL-Biographical SketchDr. Hall received his

B.S. degree in geology fromBeloit College in 1965.From 1965 through 1970he was a graduate fellow atthe University of Mass-achusetts from which hereceived both his M.S. ingeology and his Ph.D. ingeology and geophysics.Dr. Hall was a professor atBucknell University andchaired the Earth SciencesDepartment at Adrian Col-lege before joining Gulf Oilin 1974. At Gulf he was

successively Director of U.S. Exploration Interpretation,Director of Continental Margins Research and Director ofRegional Geophysics. Leaving Gulf in 1982, Dr. Hall wasManager of Geophysics at International Oil and GasCorporation (subsidiary of Pre ussag AG) until 1987 andChief Geophysicist at Total Minatome (U.S. subsidiary ofParis-based Total CFP) until 1991.when he joined TGS. Dr.Hall has broad experience in both domestic and inter-national geophysics including 2-D and 3-D seismic interpre-tation, regional tectonics, gravity/magnetics interpretationand seismic acquisition and processing. He has publishedmore than 30 papers and brings an in-depth knowledge ofcurrent geophysical technology and its practical use toTGS.

DIGITS FOR MAPS, SEISMIC & TEXT,J!:II:

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SCANNING AND VECTORIZING HARDCOPY SEISMIC LINES. (MASERA-LYNXSystems)

ForfurtherInformation,pleasecontactMASERAinTulsa--918-496-7777(RickFritz,RonHart,JohnShelton),orMasera-LynxInHouston..713-589.8186(HarryNarans,JesseGuinn),or NewOrleans--504-893-7820(BobWeissmann).

l

Bulletin Houlton Geological Soclaty, March 1993 10

Page 13: HGS Bulletin Volume 35 No.7 (March 1993)

SEQUENCE STRATIGRAPHIC FRAMEWORK OF NEOGENE STRATA IN OFFSHORE NIGERIA

The western portion of the Nigeriancontinental margin is underlain by continental and transitional crust. It exhibits stable to moderately unstable progradation and is charac- terized by a well-developed shelf-slope break. Systems tracts are srmilar to those described by Vail for stable progradational margins.

In contrast, strata off the central portion of the Nigerian coast, in the vicinity of the Niger Delta, a re underlain by oceanic crust. Systems tracts are similar to those in Neogene strata of the offshore Gulf of Mexico. The continental margin exhibits highly unstable progradation. Large growth faults, toe-thrusts and well-developed shale diapirs are present. T h e shelfjslope break is commonly not well-developed. Instead, a ramp is usually observed. In some places, this ramp is cut by large growth faults that define the shelf margin.

Lowstand basin floor fans in both areas are defined by a well-developed upper reflection. This reflection downlaps along the sequence boundary or abuts against the down- thrown side of a growth fault surface. The lowstand slope fan contains channel complexes characterized by chaotic bedding with small bright spots and less common large channels, which exhibit concave-u~ward reflections. Most

INTERNATIONAL EXPLORATIONISTS COMMITTEE MEMBERS 1992-1993 Chairperson:

. . . . . . . . . . . . Thom Tucker, Marathon Oil 629-6600

Technical Program: Lyle Baie, Consultant. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 739-8000

Hotel Arrangements: Harold Davis,

Anadarko. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 874-8785 A!V Arrangements:

. . . . . . . Shah Alam, Consultant with C G G 530-3376 Finances & Tickets:

Ed Loomis, Amoco Egypt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ,556-3079

Announcements and Company Representative contacts: . . . . . . . Wynn Gajkowski, Total Minatome 739-3034

Directory: Herb Duey, Consultant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 531-0950 Please contact your company representative or

call HGS for ticket reservations at 785-6402.

of the slope fan systems tract is comprised of discontinuous to semi-continuous subparallel reflections. In the western portron of the study area, slope fan deposits commonly pinch out at or near the shelf margin. Sand-rich facies (suggested by amplitude anomalies) a re developed immedi- ately downdip of major canyon cuts and deposition occurred largely from p o ~ n t sources. In contrast, contemporaneous shallow-watel fdcies are developed in slope fan systems tracts off the ~.entral portion of the Nigerian coast. Deposi- tion occurred along a line source.

Large ;ln?p!itude anomalies in the lowstand prograding wedge sugyes: well-developed sheet sands are present off both westerr: <inti central portions of the coast. These sands are present in i ~ o t h shallow-water (interpreted as delta front facies) and deepwater deposits (interpreted as shingled tu r td i t e s ) . T!w transgressive and highstand systems tracts are usually vel y thin.

Different exploration strategies are appropriate for each systems tract off both thewesternandcentral portions of the Nigeri,lri coast. The best plays off the central portion of the Nigerian coast are probably structural traps (this includes updip pinchouts) whereas hydrocarbons may occur in both structural and stratigraphic traps along the west coast of Nigeria.

COMMITTEE MEETINGS H G S International Explorationists Committee dinner

meetings will be on the third MONDAY night of each month at Post Oak Doubletree Inn in the Galleria area startrng with a 5:30 p.m. social hour, 6:30 p.m. dinner and 7:30 p.m. technical presentation.

CROSBIE-MACOMBER Paleonloloplcnl Laboralory, Inc.

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Compulerlzed data lorma! "CHECKLIST" Qraphlc Rmngr Chad Depldlq:

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Slrlplop Daplcllng: Ralallvs AbundancmmlSamplr SandlShale Rnlloa PlanklldBenllrlc Rallom

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GEOCHEMICAL EXPLORATIONISTS ANNOUNCE NEW OFFICERS

The Association of Petroleum Geochemical Explo- rationists (APGE) has announced its new officers for 1993. Dietmar (Deet) Schumacher, a geologic advisor with Pennzoil (Houston) has been elected to serve as President. Other new officers are Vice-president Jere B. Jay of A R C 0 (Dallas), Secretary Kate Weissenberger of Conoco (Ponca City), and Treasurer Paul B. Trost of Waste-Technology Services (Denver).

The APGE, founded in 1984, is a non-profit scientific organization dedicated to the development and advance- ment of surface and near-surface petroleum exploration technology. The Association sponsors technical programs and short courses, a s well a s publishing an annual Bulletin. APGE chapters exist in Denver, Dallas, Oklahoma City, and Houston. Additional information about APGE activities or membership is available f rom Linda Groth (303/986- 3039) or Deet Schumacher (7131546-4028).

11 Bullet~n Houston Geolog~cal Soc~erv March 1993

Page 14: HGS Bulletin Volume 35 No.7 (March 1993)

INTERNA TIONA L BRIEF

SOUTH AUSTRALIA Part I1 - The Permo-Carboniferous To Early Triassic Basins*

by George Tappan

Three basins in the north and northeast of South Australia, the Cooper, Pedirka, and Arckaringa basins, overlie early Paleozoic basins. The Nadda and Berri basins, of the same age, share a common border with Victoria and New South Wales in the Renmark Trough area to the southeast.

COOPER BASIN The Cooper Basin, Australia's largest onshore petro-

leum province, covers more than 130,000 sq km in South Australia and Queensland. About 50,000 sq km is in South Australia, and 36,541 sq km of that is under license in PELs 5 & 6. It is an intracratonic basin formed on the eroded surface of the Paleozoic Warburton Basin, and disconform- ably overlain by part of the widespread Eromanga Basin.

The basin consists of three major troughs, the Patcha- warra, Nappamerri, and Tenappera troughs, separated by the Gidgealpa-Merrimelia-Innamincka, and Murteree struc- tural highs associated with reactivation of thrusting in the underlying Warburton basin. The troughs contain as much as 2500 m of Permo-Carboniferous to Early Triassic non- marine sediments overlain by 1300m of Jurassic to Tertiary sediments of the Eromanga Basin. Widespread compres- sional folding and regional uplift and erosion during Early- Middle Triassic provided structures and the setting for stratigraphic traps within the basin.

Early basin fi l l consists of terrestrial and subaqueous fluvio-glacial deposits overlain by proglacial outwash, fluvio- deltaic sandstones with peat swamp and floodplain facies, and several intervals of lacustrine shale. U~lift and erosion at the end of the early Permian resulted in removal of some or all of this section from basement highs.

Late Permian fluvio-deltaic and flood plain clastics and coals were deposited over the unconformable surface, and similar conditions persisted through the early Triassic.

The principal source rocks are Permian coals and shales, which have a predominance of Type 111 kerogens, derived from plant material. The high thermal gradient of the Nappamerri trough, at 40-50°C/km, and the cooler, but thick Patchawarra trough account for the predominance of gas. Wet condensate-rich gas is found in the updip and outer regions of the basin.

Numerous fluvial sandstones with excellent reservoir characteristics occur throughout the Permian section, as do intra-formation shales and coals. Two thick lacustrine units form regional seals and source beds.

The first exploratory well, Innamincka- 1, was drilled by Delhi Petroleum in 1959 on the seismically defined Innamincka Dome. Gas was discovered at Gidgealpa-2 in

*Reprinted with permission lrom Internoliono1 Exploration Newsletter, December 21, 1992.

1963, and oil at Tirrawarra-1 in 1970. There are now 66 gas and 37 oil fields producing from the Cooper and overlying Eromanga basins. Remaining reserves are estimated at 2861 Bcf sales gas, 79 MM bbls LPG, 47 MM bbls condensate, and 48.4 MM bbls crude oil.

Exploration in the Cooper Basin is ongoing. Anticlines and faulted anticlines are proven exploration targets, but potential for discoveries in stratigraphic and sub- unconformity traps is still high, and pinchout plays along the margins of the basin have been commercially successful. The Cooper Basin is currently covered by PELs 5 & 6. Santos, the operator, is not required to relinquish any area until total relinquishment in 1999.

PEDIRKA BASIN Pedirka is an intracratonic Permo-Carboniferous basin

covering about 150,000 sq km in northern South Australia and southern Nourthern Territory. It may also extend into Queensland. About 27,000 sq km of i t are in South Australia. The basin was formed on the deformed surface of the southeastern Amadeus and western Warburton basins, and received sediments during a tectonically quiet period following a final northwest-southeast compressional phase in mid-Late Carboniferous time. The sediments were upiift- ed and eroded during late-Early to Late Permian compres- sion. The preserved section extends through the mid-Early

Bulletin Houston Geological Society, March 1993

Page 15: HGS Bulletin Volume 35 No.7 (March 1993)

Permian, and is unconformably overlain by 2500 m of Triassic to Late Cretaceous sediments of the Simpson and Eromanga basins. A final, Early to mid-Tertiary compres- sional period created additional anticlinal closures.

The earliest Permo-Carboniferous sediments a re of fluvio-glacial, and glacio-lacustrine origin. These are overlain by a floodplain environment with meandering river systems and extensive coal swamps. Several coal-rich shales appear to b e both oil- and gas-prone, but in some areas geothermal gradients may have been too low for generation of significant quantities of hydrocarbons.

Sandstone reservoirs of excellent quality are developed locally throughout the section a s glacial outwash, and channel and point bar sands. Intraformational seals a re also present, and Triassic and Jurassic rocks provide a regional seal over the eastern part of the basin.

Ten exploratory wells were drilled between 1960 and 1988 without success. A reinterpretationof theseismic data by Santos suggests that five of the pre-1985 wells were outside closure at all objectives, one of the 1985 wells had no independent fault closure, and another had little closure. Two licenses, PEL 42 and PEL 48, covering more or less 3600 sq km, are currently in force. No field work has been done in either license area.

ARCKARINGA BASIN The Permo-Carboniferous Arckaringa Basin covers

about 80,000 s q km, entirely within South Australia. It comprises a central platform with thin Permian cover, and several depressions o n the perimeter that contain a s much a s 1300m of Permo-Carboniferous sediments. The Permian may be missing from some areas on the platform. The basin borders o n the Gawler Craton to the south, and uncon- formably overlies a s much a s 800m of early Paleozoic and Precambrian sediments and metasediments. The Permian is overlain by 300m of Late Jurassic to Early Cretaceous Eromanga Basin material.

The ear-liest sediments are a Late Carboniferous-Early Permian glacial sequence consisting of diamictite, rhythm- ically bedded sandstone, and a laminated marine mudstone facies at the top. T l ~ i s is overlain by a homogeneous marine shale with minor siltstones, sandstones, and lacustrine alternations. The marine interval was succeeded by a return to deltaic and fluvio-lacustrine conditions with intermittent coal swamps.

The marine and lacustrine units of the middle and upper section have high T O C values, suggksting that they could be good oil-prone source rocks at depth. However, in many areas, depth of burial has never been sufficient for hydrocarbon generation. Permian sediments are most likely t o be thermally mature in the deeper parts of the surround- ing troughs. The best reservoir rocks, with porosities up to 13.5'h, a re in the lower, glacigene sequence. Simple domes and faulted anticlines are potential traps. Both the Permian marine shale. and a shale in the overlying Eromanga Basin form regional seals.

Delhi Petroleum began exploration with an aeromagne- tic survey in the 1960s. The first wildcat, Cootanoorina-1, was drilled by the South Australia Department of Mines and Energy in 1967. It found a trace of gas and bituminous material in f h e early Paleozoic carbonate-siliciclastic sequence, but no indications of hydrocarbons in the Per- mian. T o date , 4 oil wells and 12 stratigraphic tests have been drilled without commercial success. PEL 44, o n which

no exploration has been done, is likely to be relinquished soon.

RENMARK TROUGH AREA The Early Permian Nadda Basin and Early Cretacceous

Berri Basin span 9500sq km of eastern South Australia and extend into Victoria and New South Wales. They uncon- formably overlie middle or early Paleozoic, and possibly Precambrian sediments. They are overlain by the Tertiary Murray Basin.

The Early Permian is a glacio-marine sequence consist- ing of diamictite, shale, siltstone, sandstone, and some conglorneratic and carbonaceous intervals. It is uncon- formably overlain by an Aptian-Albian sequence beginning with a non-marine fluvial sandstone with minor coals, grading upward to marine barrier sands. A claystone and siltstone member representing peak marine transgression was followed by a return to fluvio-lacustrine conditions consisting of claystone, siltstone, and minor interbeds of highly lithic sandstone.

Geologists, Geophysicists, Petroleum Engineers and Oil Field Personnel interested in working overseas. Gulf Coast andfor Niger Delta experience is an added advantage.

Scnd your resume with sala~y history and

rcfcrencc to

Petropros International Inc., 6666 Harwin DI-ive Suite 400 Houston, Tcxas 77036 TEL: 7 13 974-7676 FAX: 713 974-2923 Aun: Overscas Recruitnlcnt Division

(Only short listed applicants woirld be contacted)

Permian sandstones and conglomerates have good to excellent porosities, and the largely unconsolidated Aptian sands have a s much a s 30% porosity, and two darcy permeability. he middle marine Cretaceous shales are the most likely source rocks, but may not be mature enough for hydrocarbon generation. Both the Permian Nadda and Cretaceous Berri basins may be thermally immature, but little is known of the 1500m of underlying Devonian sediments which may have unsuspected source potential.

Continued on page 48

13 Bullerfn Houston Geologra l Society Marrh 1993

Page 16: HGS Bulletin Volume 35 No.7 (March 1993)

ENVIRONMENTALIENGINEERING GEOLOGISTS

HGS ENVIRONMENTAL/ENGINEERlNG COMMITTEE LUNCH & DINNER MEETINGS-MARCH 10,1993

Topic (same at both luncheon and dinner): Environmental Drilling, Past and Present

Presented by: Frank Smith, Mgr. of Drilling Services, PSI

I

LUNCHEON: Place: Houston Community College

Lecture Room 221, San Jacinto Bldg. 1300 Holman at San Jacinto (Cafeteria available on 3rd floor)

Time: Social - 11:30 a.m. Program - 12 Noon

DINNER: Place: Italian Market and Cafe

2615 Ella Blvd. (Located behind NW Memorial Hospital just south of 610 North Loop)

Time: Social - 5:45 p.m. Program - 6:30 p.m.

Note: A $1.00 surcharge will be charged by the restaurant even if you don't order food o r drink.

The Career Change Networking Group will meet briefly after the dinner meeting, then again at 7:OOon March 29. The meeting will be held a t the Harris County Library (Fairbanks Branch) o n N. Gessner (north of Hwy. 290); call Bob Rieser for directions if needed.

1 CONTINUING EDUCATION SHORT COURSE

ENVIRONMENTAL/ENGINEERlNG GEOLOGISTS

Title: Hazardous Waste Storage in Geologic Re- positories - Problems, Benefits and Regula- tions

Location: Paul Revere Middle School Auditorium 10502 Briar Forest (just west of Beltway 8)

Date: Monday, March 22, 1993

Time: 6:30 - 9:30 p.m.

Speaker: H. C . Clark, Ph.D. Professor of Geology, Rice University

Course Description: The discussion will focus on the geology of hazardous

waste storage in salt domes and the regulatory framework regarding geologic repositories. Through a geologic per- spective, Dr. Clark will present a review of salt dome problems and the rules and regulations governing salt dome

storage of hazardous waste. The permitting process for salt domes and the new salt dome regulations written by the Texas Water Commission (TWC) last spring will be dis- cussed. The process of obtaining permits from the T W C is particularly important to geology professionals in the environmental industry. The short course will wrap up with a case history of a recent proposal to store hazardous waste in a salt dome near Houston. Plans for the evening include contributions from geologists and attorneys involved in the T W C hearing regarding this proposed hazardous waste storage facility.

Biographical Sketch: H. C . Clark received his B.S. in Geology and Geo-

physics from the University of Oklahoma and M.S. and Ph.D. in Geophysics from Stanford University. He taught geology and geophysics at Rice University for more than twenty years before retiring to consult, mainly on environ- mental matters, and devote time to farming activities. Dr. Clark still teaches engineering geology at Rice University.

Registration Cost: $10.00 Free for unemployed and underemployed H G S mem-

bers. Please pre-register by mailing a check made payable to the Houston Geological Society to the H G S office.

For further information call Nancy Boschetto at 579- 8999 (8a.m. to 5 p.m.) or Zubair Haq at 495-9828 (12 noon t o 12 midnight).

FUTURE AWG TOPIC Tuesday, March 9, 1993

6:00 - 8:00 PM

EMILY L. STOUDT Senior Carbonate Scientist

Texaco ,E&P Technology Dept. Secretary-Treasurer, SEPM

Presents

"PURSUING CARBONATES DOWN UNDER: AUSTRALIA"

Talk will start promptly at 7:00 PM Open to the p ~ ~ b l i c

The Morningside Thai Restaurant 6710 Morningside Dr. (at Holcombe)

Dinner Meeting Call Anglia Sweet at 556-7067 for RSVP

ASSOCIATION FOR WOMEN GEOSCENTISTS

8u' le l ln Houscan Geological Socwy. March 1993 14

Page 17: HGS Bulletin Volume 35 No.7 (March 1993)

HOUSTON GEOLOGlCAL SOCIETY ENVIRONMENTAUENGINEERING FIELD TRlP

Reauthorization Act of 1986 are the federal regulations dealing with the cleanup of uncontrolled

"Su~erfund Sites of Harris Countv" May 8,1993

The Houston Geological Society's Environmental1 Engineering Committee is sponsoring a day-long field trip to several of the Superfund sites existing in and near the Houston metropolitan area. The Superfund sites are industrial locations which have been placed on the National Priority List

hazardous wastes on abandoned sites. Both acts are commonly known as the "Superfund law.

DANUEK A ) I Hazardous

Waste Area I

I \vvr W W b

The field trip is being conducted in conjunction with the publication of a technical guidebook on the Superfund sites in the Harris, Montgomery, Chambers and Galveston Counties of Texas by the Houston Geological Society. Focus of the field trip will be on both the geologiclhydrogeologic characteristics of the Superfund sites and on the remediation designs for cleanup or containment of hazardous wastes.

under CERCLA (Comprehensive _r

Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act of 1980). CERCLA and the SARA

The field trip will be held from 8:00 a.m. to 500 p.m. on Saturday, May 8, 1993. Registration is limited to 45 participants, based on available transportation. Pre-registration is mandatory, and a fee of $40.00 is requested to cover transportation, lunch, refreshments and field trip guidebook materials.

For more information or to register, please contact Paul Britt, Texplore, Inc. at (713)341-1800 Extension 34.

HOUSTON GEOLOGICAL SOCIETY FIELD TRlP ENVIRONMENTAUENGINEERING COMMITTEE

SUPERFUND SITES OF HARRIS COUNTY May 8, 1993

R E G I S T R A T I O N F O R M

Address:

Work Phone: Home Phone:

Enclose check for $40.00 payable to HOUSTON GEOLOGICAL SOCIETY, and return this form to: Paul Britt, Texplore, Inc., P.O. Box 450, Richmond, Texas 77406

Information on starting point of trip and logistics will be corresponded upon registration

15 Bulletin Houston Geological Society. March 1993

Page 18: HGS Bulletin Volume 35 No.7 (March 1993)

NORTH AMERICANEXPLORATIONISTS

HGS NORTH AMERICANEXPLORATIONISTS GROUP DINNERMEETING-MARCH 16, 1993Social Period, 5:30 p.m.,Dinner and Meeting, 6:30 p.m.Post Oak Doubletree InnDOUGLAS P. HAZLETT*-Biographical Sketch

Douglas P. Hazlett iscurrently a Senior Explo-ration Geologist forAnadarko Petroleum Corp-oration in Houston, TX.He received his B.S. ingeology from VirginiaPoly-technic Institute & StateUniversity (1981). He hasworked for Anadarko since1984 in U.S. onshore ex-ploration and has exper-ience in areas that includethe Hugoton Embayment,Basin and Range, WillistonBasin and the Wichita

Mountain Front of the Anadarko Basin. Doug has publishedseveral abstracts/articles on the petroleum geology andpotential of areas in Nevada as well as the Miocene toRecent volcanic and tectonic history of portions of north-eastern California.

JAMES B. HERSCH-;-Co-AuthorJames B. Hersch is currently a Staff ExplOration

Geologist for Anadarko International Company where hehas worked a variety of exploration assignments. Prior tojoining Anadarko's international group, Jim worked as aprospect geologist concentrating on offshore Gulf ofMexico, the Mississippi Salt Basin and the Basin and Range.He graduated from Appalachian State University with aB.A. in geology in 1974.He completed his M.S. in geology atthe University of Tennessee in 1978 with a thesis in oregenesis.

*Speaker

PETROLEUM POTENTIAL OFEAST CENTRAL NEVADA

The Basin and Range Province of east central Nevada,despite its vast size and over forty years of exploration,produces oil from only Railroad and Pine Valleys. Oilproduction has exceeded 36 MMBO from nine fields. Fourfields produce predominantly from Paleozoic fractured andkarsted carbonates subcropping beneath Tertiary valley-fillsequences. Prolific Grant Canyon Field of Railroad Valleyhas produced over 17 MMBO from Upper Devoniandolostones. The Paleozoic fields may be characterized as

Bulletin Houston Geological Society, March 1993

l

hanging-wall structures above high- or low-angle Miocene oryounger listric normal faults associated with Basin andRange taphrogeny. Five fields produce predominantly fromfractured Oligocene acidic ashflow tuffs or Oligocenesandstones. The lar"gest, Trap Springs Field in RailroadValley, has produced over 11MMBO. Tertiary fields fall intotwo overall trap styles. The most significant style, as typifiedby Trap Springs and Eagle Springs fields, is preferentialreservoir preservation in a downdropped fault block. Thesecond trap style is an updip stratigraphic pinchout drapedacross a structural nose, and accounts for less than 6MMBO.

Produced oils have been typed and correlated to eitherthe Mississippian Chainman marine shales or Early TertiarySheep Pass lacustrine shales. Due to complex tectonic,stratigraphic and thermal histories, source rock maturityvaries rapidly; adjacent areas may have Chainman shalethermal maturities as measured. by vitrinite reflectanceranging from less than 0.3% Ro to greater than 2.5% Ro.Consequently, basin modeling should be an integral part ofexploration strategies.

All production found to date lies within, or directlybeneath the Tertiary, with the possible exception of Black-burn Field in Pine Valley. This may be due to the lack ofregional reservoir sealing rocks. The most likely Paleozoicseals are the Chainman and Pilot shales. However, theseshales are silica- and carbonate-rich, respectively. Thismineralogy may cause each unit to be susceptible tofracturing during severe Basin and Range extension.Formation Microscanner, drill stem test and formationwater chemistry data may be used to suggest the Paleozoicsection is a regional common aquifer and has no internalseals. Tertiary rocks, on the other hand, must containsealing lithologies. HOlf'ever, the environments of depositionof these alluvial, lacustrine and volcanic rocks are local innature and preclude development ofregionalseallithologies.Effective reservoir seals may be the most elusive element ofsuccessful exploration m eastern Nevada.

rgNIVE~S[NI.

~I~..

~.

>t~~.

~~ModernStructuralAnalysisforthePracticingGeologist

A Field-OrientedShortCourse

May 1-9, 1993

For more information and a brochure, call

(702) 784-4046 or toll free, 1-800-233-8928

Presentedby theMackaySchoolof Minesand theDivisionof ContinuingEducationwiththeassistanceof theNevadaSectionof theAmerican

Instituteof ProfessionalGeologists.

16

Page 19: HGS Bulletin Volume 35 No.7 (March 1993)

The ASErM log, our newest technology, isspecifically designed to analyze texturallyaltered sidewall cores, archived core samples,thin-bedded reservoirs, and drilling-mudcontaminated samples.

An ASET analysis of unconsolidated core

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Petroconsultants'NewReport:

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presents a comprehensivepicture of the undrilled exploration potential of this mature areaToordercontact: '.froton,u/fllnf, '"-MarketingDivision- P.O.Box152- 1258Perly,Gsneva- Switzerland

Tel.+41227211892- Fax+41227211894- Telex413541PETRCH

17 Bulletin Houston Geologicsi Society, Meroh 1993

Page 20: HGS Bulletin Volume 35 No.7 (March 1993)

NORTH AMERICAN FEATURE

DEVELOPING A N D EXTENDING OIL A N D GAS FIELDS WITHOUT USE OF COMPUTERS,

REMOTE SENSING, SEISMIC, A N D NON-CONVENTIONAL METHODS*

Charles E. Mear, Cross Timbers Oil Co. Ft. Worth, Texas

ABSTRACT At Cross Timbers Oil Company geologists and engin-

eers working together are extending stratigraphic oil and gas fields by using basic geological and reservoir engineering data. They utilize subsurface information and well per- formance data, reconcile conflicting information and use multiple working hypotheses in order to develop realistic reservoir models. Field extensions are then drilled, all without benefit of computers, seismic and remote sensing. Development of a Hunton gas field in Oklahoma and a Strawn sandstone oil field in Texas are described.

INTRODUCTION In December 1952, Wallace Pratt published a paper in

the AAPG titled, "Toward A Philosophy of Oil-Finding." In it he stated: "Where oil is found, in the final analysis, is in the minds of men. The undiscovered oil field exists only as an idea in the mind of some oil-finder." (Pratt, 1952, p. 2236)

The author would add to this by saying that extensions to producing fields are found in the minds of geologists and engineers who work as a team.

Most of the geologists who work either as independents or for non-major oil companies do not have access to sophisticated seismic data, remote sensing information and computer-derived maps; but some continue to extend fields and develop significant new reserves. They manage to do this by using only subsurface geological and engineering data. They have to overcome incorrect log analyses, avoid miscorrelations of the reservoirs due to use of wrong geological models and wrong scale logs, and avoid disastrous completion techniques used by previous operators. These errors are overcome by rational thinking.

Following are descriptions of two stratigraphically- controlled oil and gas fields that were extended by Cross Timbers personnel, using only basic geological and engin- eering concepts:

HUNTON GAS FIELD, SOONER TREND OF OKLAHOMA

In Major County, Oklahoma (Figure I), Cross Timbers Oil Co. is developing a large classic stratigraphic trap within

*Reprinted with permission from Transactions, Southwest Section American Association of Petroleum Geologists; Publication SWS 92-90; 1992; Editors: David W. Crornwell, Mounir T. Moussa, LOUIS J. Mazzullo.

Figure 1. Regional tectonic setting of Haskell County, Texas and Major County, Oklahoma.

Hunton Group carbonates (Silurian-Devonian) at a depth of 8000 feet. Regional dip at the Hunton level is monoclinal at a rate of less than two degrees (Figure 2). Devonian age Woodford Shale unconformably overlies the Hunton which is 250 feet thick and is truncated in the updip direction. The Woodford Shale is both a source and a seal for hydro- carbons in the Hunton. The area of interest is in the western part of the Sooner Trend, a large stratigraphic oil field in Mississippian limestones and cherts. Many of the wells have drilled into the Devonian carbonates, furnishing abundant subsurface control.

During a regional study of the Hunton in 1987, the author determined that a zone of porosity about 40 feet thick in Hunton dolomite subcrops updip beneath the Woodford and grades laterally into dense carbonates. Covering much of three townships, the porosity zone, informally called the Hunton "C" Zone, forms a simple stratigraphic trap (Figure 2).

One well, the Ferguson No. 1 Reese (Figure 2), was completed from the zone in the 1960's near the updip edge of the pay. Completion records show that the well was fractured and produced dry gas at a significant rate. Production records show that it produced about one BCF.

1 Bullet~n Houston Geolog~cal Soc~ety. March 1993 18

Page 21: HGS Bulletin Volume 35 No.7 (March 1993)

Figure 2. Structure map of the Hunton "C" producing zone showing lateral pinch-out of porosity and up-dip truncation. Hunton "C" producers are circled. Each section is one mile square.

Log analysis indicates that the pay zone has 10 to 12 percent porosity, and producing characteristics indicate that the zone has low permeability. Log analysis also indicates that the producing zone has gas on water, but apparently little or no water was produced.

By 1987 several wells had also been drilled through the zone downdip from this well. All have the same log signature as the original gas well. Most of the wells completed from the Hunton "C" were perforated in the uppermost part of the zone above the a~warent water level. The zone was acidized . . or lightly fractured and commingled with the overlying Mississippian carbonate pay which produces oil, gas and water, and which had been fractured with large quantities of fresh water. In manv cases the Hunton ~ roduced at very low rates after commingling. Based on the iesults of these wells, the zone did not appear to be economically attractive.

Although the gamma ray log readings through the Hunton pay zone do not change at the zone of decreased resistivity that calculates wet, the density porosity decreases and the neutron porosity increases (Figure 3). The indicated water level dips about 350 feet across the area and is parallel to the top and bottom of the pay. As a result of these observations during the 1987study, it was concluded by the geologist and engineering team at Cross Timbers that the apparent water level was due to a change in the rock composition and that the zone probably would not produce water throughout the area.

Based on recommendations from the geological and engineering personnel, Cross Timbers' management agreed to drill two wells to test the entire zone. Two wells were drilled,

and the entire zone was artifically fractured with non- reactive agents (Figure 3). Both completions resulted in commercial dry gas wells. Additional wells have been drilled and completed by Cross Timbers, and others are planned. A core taken through the zone has verified that the zone has low permeability and that the decrease in resistivity is due to rock properties, not to the presence of free water. Further, it shows that exposure of the zone to water from either frac, or by commingling with the overlying Mississippian, results in severe damage to the reservoir and that the zone should be artifically fractured with non-reactive fluids. As a result of observation and deduction a large commercial Hunton "C" gas field is under development in a simple, largely overlook- ed stratigraphic trap.

KNOX-BAYLOR TROUGH EXAMPLE In the Knox-Baylor of North Texas (Figure I), Cross

Timbers is actively developing several oil fields producing from Strawn age sandstones. These fields were found and largely developed in the 1950's and 60's by small indepen- dent oil companies. The wells were later sold to a larger independent oil company then bought by Cross Timbers in 1989.

The Strawn oil accumulations are in narrow, elongate, superposed, deep-water marine sandstone bars (Gunn 1979) that contain glauconite, clay and some calcareous cement. Ranging up to 50 feet thick, the bars appear to be compound, with shale interbeds present in some areas. Porosity ranges up to 20% and permeability is high.

19 Bul le t~n Houston Geolog~cal Soclety. March 1993

Page 22: HGS Bulletin Volume 35 No.7 (March 1993)

Figure 3. Wireline logs of a Hunton "C" producing well. The measurements are typical of wells throughout the extent of the pay zone.

Cross Timbers is now extending and redrilling the Herrin Burson Sand, Upper Field (Cloud and Oates lease). The field was discov&ed in 1960 by the Fletcher Oil and Gas Drilling Corporation No. 1 Oates. Fletcher drilled four south- west step-outs, fracturing the pay in each with 3000 gallons of oil and 3000 to 6000 pounds of sand, probably to overcome drilling damage. At least some of the fracture treatments appear to have communicated with the under- lying "B" water sand, causing premature abandonment.

Fletcher then sold the wells to another o ~ e r a t o r who drilled one additional southwest step-out (Figure 4). As shown on this map, the pay was identified by this operator a s the "B" sandstone. but both "A" and "B" sandstone tons were used in making the map. The map shows an easterly trend to the reservoir, and does not explain the two dry holes high on the structure. Wells to the north and south were not included on the map although they penetrate and produce from the Burson.

As the result of a regional study of the Strawn producing zones, it became apparent that the "A" Sand- stone was the major producing sand in the trend and that oil production from the "B" is limited to small areas at the apex of southwesterly trending bars that range up to 50 feet in thickness. The "A" Sand also ranges up to 50 feet in thickness in the South Weinert Field, but consists of two beds separated by 10-15 feet of shale in the North Herrin Field immediately north of the Herrin Burson Sand Upper Field. It was postulated that the "A" Sandstone should also range up to 50 feet in thickness on the Cloud Lease. Figure 4. Subsurface structure map of the Herrin Burson

After making several cross-sections using 1 inch = 100 Sand, Upper Field made by unknown in 1984. Data points are foot logs (Figure 5) and remapping the field, it was a mixture of "A" and "B" sandstones.

Bullet~n Houston Geologtcal Society, March 1993 20

Page 23: HGS Bulletin Volume 35 No.7 (March 1993)

FLETCHEI) OK J GAS FLETC)(LII oc GAS wlr QL a. S ~ I I I O E. clad 02-A F. 0. korn 0 4 4 &I) 8s

HERRIN BURSON SD.. UP= FYLD HASKELL C O W . TEXAS

--ST uu 'A' & 'B' SANDSTONE .1DM. m s CORRELATION e u m o u r + r n

Figure 5. Correlation of Strawn "A" and "9" sandstone beds from South Weinert to Herrin Burson Sand, Upper Fields.

Bul le t~n Houston Geolog~r:~l Soc~ety. M.$rrh 1993

Page 24: HGS Bulletin Volume 35 No.7 (March 1993)

Oil C. Gas Companies and Environmental

16 ASHCROFT OUSTON, TEXAS 77081

713 / 771-3875 FAX 713 / 771-8203

FOUR STAR PRINTING CO. HAS PROUDLY BEEN

TYPESETTING, PRINTING, BINDING 6 MAILING

THE HOUSTON GEOLOGICAL SOCIETY BULLETIN

ALONG WITH THEIR OTHER PRINTING FOR THE PAST TEN YEARS.

L Bullet~n Houston Geolog~cal Soclety. March 1993

Page 25: HGS Bulletin Volume 35 No.7 (March 1993)

Figure 6. Structural section across the depositional strike in the Herrin Burson Sand, Upper Field, made after the Cross Timbers No. 6 Cloud " A well was drilled. Section shows the relationship of the "A" and "B" sandstone beds.

4

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Page 26: HGS Bulletin Volume 35 No.7 (March 1993)

determined that the "A" Sandstone should have a north- south trend, and additional drilling was recommended. Engineering analysis indicated that the abandoned wells had not drilled much of the oil in place and that significant amounts of oil remained to be produced. Based on the geological and engineering analyses, the Cloud 6-A well was drilled, using high quality mud. The well came in high, at the center of the bar, and made a water-free commercial oil well (Figure 6). The 7-A and 8-A Cloud wells were then drilled and completed as commercial producers (Figure 7). A comprehensive program is now planned for future development.

Figure 7. Burson Sand, Upper Field structure inap at the top of the "A" Sandstone.

CONSULTING GEOLOGIST U.S. AND INTERNATIONAL

13 105 NORTHWEST FRWY., SUITE 760 HOUSTON, TEXAS 77040 OFF (713) 939-8243

Bulletin Houston Geolog~cal Society, March 1993 24

CONCLUSION The process of extending fields through observation

and deduction is nothing new but appears to be used less than in the past. The author had never worked either the Knox-Baylor Trough or the Sooner Trend before Cross Timbers acquired interests there. Thus he didn't have preconceived ideas about the geology of the areas and wasn't handicapped by a little knowledge about the traps, reservoirs or reserves. This helped immensely.

None of the effort could have succeeded without the help of intelligent engineers and without enlightened man- agement to provide financing.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS The writer is grateful to Steffen E. Palko of Cross

Timbers Oil Company for permission to publish this paper. Keith Hutton provided the engineering support at Cross Timbers for the development programs in the two fields, and his contribution is gratefully acknowledged. Jerry Parks drafted the illustrations, and Toni Kisielewski provided the secretarial support.

REFERENCES Gunn, R. D., 1979, Desmoinesian depositional systems in

the Knox-Baylor Trough, in Tulsa Geological Society Special Publication No. 1, Pennsylvanian sandstones of the Mid Continent, p. 221-234.

Pratt, W. E., 1952, Toward a philosophy of oil-finding, AAPG Bulletin, v. 36, p. 2231-2236.

db r E ~ O ~ O Y ww Do watopment

Corporaiton

A Subaldlary of PUBLIC SERVICE ENTERPRISE OROUP INCORPORATED

OIL AND GAS EXPLORA TlON & PRODUCTION

James 8. Gresham VP Exploratlon

Thomas M. Deeter Mgr. Onshore (Meroaotc) Exploratlon

James D. McCulIou~h Mgr. Offrhore Ex~loriatlon

Michael S. Young Mgr. Onshore (Gulf Coaat) Exploratlon

- - - -- . -- 1000 Loulrlana, Sulte 2800 Hourton, Texas 77002 (713)750-7300

i

Page 27: HGS Bulletin Volume 35 No.7 (March 1993)

N.E. ASIA: A TECTONIC ATLAS

In recognition of the demand for a com- prehensive overview and a geological and geophysical foundation to basin evaluation in the region INTERA has pre- pared a regional plate tectonic synthe- sis of the North East Asian continental margin. This atlas outlines the tectonic evolution ofthe region through time. Full recognition has been given to the vari- ous interpretations (sometimes contra- dictory) based on available structural data and the consequent implications on palaeo-tectonics.

Published geological and geophysical data, together with the latest evolution- ary concepts have been utilised in as- sessment of the tectono-stratigraphic development of the region. Individual basins have been investigated to high- lighttheir known and anticipated hydro- carbon potential. The areas covered by INTERA's North East Asian investigation are highlighted on the adjacent map.

Thissynthesis allows the explorationist to quickly assess and compare the his- tory and habitat of potential hydrocar- bon-bearing basins in Far East Russia.

A STUDY COVERING OVER 30 BASINS IN FAR EAST RUSSIA

@ nASlNS COVERED BV N T E R l R E W T S

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For further information on technical content and costs please contact:

Caroline Neuman, Malachy Mulhall, lntera Information Technologies lntera Information Technologies Suite 100,10200 Richmond Avenue Highlands Farm, Greys Road Houston, Texas 77042, USA Henley-on-Tharnes, Oxfordshire RG9 4PS, Telephone (713) 784 5800 Telephone (0491) 575989 Telex 848776 Fax 713) 781 1806 Fax (0491) 576557

25 Bulletm Houston G e o l o q ~ r ~ ~ l Soc~ety March 1993

Page 28: HGS Bulletin Volume 35 No.7 (March 1993)

THE 'uJ HOUSTON GEOLOGICAL SOCIETY kc'

PROUDLY PRESENTS THE NEW

NORTH AMERICAN EXPLORATIONIST B GROUP

MONTHLY DINNER MEETING Tbesday, March 16th, 1993

At Doubletree Hotel - Post Oak

Featured Speaker:

Mr. Doug Hazlett , Anadarko Petroleum

Presentation :

" Petroleum Potential of East Central Nevada " B Call Margaret at HGS 785-6402 for Reservations

Chairman: Chuck Buxby-Amoco, Vice-chairman: James Cearley-Chevron

Come Experience The Renewed Excitement

Of

NORTH AMERICAN EXPLORATION 9

B u l l e t ~ n Hous ton G e o l o g ~ r a l S o r ~ e t y . March 1993

Page 29: HGS Bulletin Volume 35 No.7 (March 1993)

F I F T H A N N U A L

G S H / H G S B A S S T O U R N A M E N T

GET YOUR

PARTNER

NOW !

WHEN :

WHERE :

IT'S SPRING LUNKER TIME AGAIN ! ! !

SPONSORS

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PARK) SAME GREAT PLACE!

IMMEDIATELY ! ! ! CALL 409-625-4712

PRIZES: FIRST PLACE: TOTAL WEIGHT BASS SECOND PLACE: TOTAL WEIGHT BASS THIRD PLACE: TOTAL WEIGHT BASS ~rtificial FIRST PLACE: BIG BASS (WEIGHT) L u r e s SECOND PLACE: BIG BASS (WEIGHT) ONLY ! THIRD PLACE: BIG BASS (WEIGHT)

..............................................

FIRST PLACE: HEAVIEST CATFISH FIRST PLACE : HEAVIEST CRAPIE L i v e FIRST PLACE: HEAVIEST BREAM Bait FIRST PLACE: HEAVIEST STRIPER O.K. !

--------------------------________________________________________---------------------------------------

GSH/HGS BASS TOURNAMENT REGISTRATION FORM

NAME : PARTNER S NAME :

ADDRESS :

PHONE : (HOME) (WORK)

Enclose your check of $40.00/contestant payable to Geophysical Society of Houston (GSH) Bass Tournament. MAIL TO: JOE ALCAMO

4055 CHAPEL SQ. DRIVE SPRING, TEXAS 77388

2 7 Bullel ln Houslon Geologi;.,l S o r ~ t y . Mdrrh 1993

Page 30: HGS Bulletin Volume 35 No.7 (March 1993)

March CALENDAR of EVENTS Wednesday

3

Sundav Mondav Tuesdav Thursday Friday

4 5

Saturday

6

HGA Bridge Briar Club

I - AAPG School, "Fractal Geometry", Mar. 3-6 - -

+ 4- SIPES Annual Meeting. San Antonio, Mar. 17-19 -*

11 SPWLA Westside

Luncheon Radisson Suite Hotel

HGS/GSH DINNER MEETING

Dan Worrall Post Oak Doubletree

HGS ENVIR/ENG Committee Meetings Luncheon - Houston Community College Dinner - Italian Mkt.

AWG Dinner Emily Stoudt

Morningside Thai SIPES Luncheon

Sam Flarity Petroleum Club

18 16 HGS N O R M AMERICAN

DINNER MEETING Doug Hazlett

Post Oak Doubletree

SPWLA Galleria Luncheon Marriott Galleria

15 HGS INTN'L EXPL DINNER MEETING

Joty Pacht Post Oak Doubletree GSH Noon Luncheon

H.E.S.S.

SPWLA Greenspoint Luncheon

Baroid Cafeteria

HGS/GSH Bass Tournament

Toledo Bend March 20 & 21

Geowives Luncheon

4 4 AAPG/SVG Intn'l Congress. Caracas, Mar. 14-17 -

HGS/GSH Bass Tournament

Toledo Bend March 20 & 2 1 -

HGA Bridge Briar Club

GSH Short Course Ekxon Auditorium

SPWLA Downtown HGS ENVIR/ENG Short Course Paul Revere

Middle School 6:30-9:30

Luncheon Metro Racquet Club

HGS LUNCHEON Hanison Townes

Houston Club - HGS Field Trip, "Big Bend," Mar. 31-Apr. 4 -

Page 31: HGS Bulletin Volume 35 No.7 (March 1993)

GEO-EVENTS HGS MARCH EVENTS

MEETINGS MARCH 8, 1993 (Dinner Meeting) "Seismic and Exploratory Drilling Evaluation of Strike-Slip Basins o f t he Southern Bering Shelf, Alaska and the Russian Far East" Dan Worrall (see page 8) Pos t Oak Doubletree Inn, 2001 Pos t Oak Blvd. Social Period 530 p.m., Dinner a n d Meeting 6:30 p.m. Reservations by name only, telephone 785-6402. Must b e made or cancelled by noon Friday, March 5.

MARCH 10, 1993 (Luncheon/Dinner Meeting) H G S ENVIRONMENTAL/ENGINEERlNG GEOLOGISTS "Environmental Drilling, Pas t and Present" Frank Smith (see page 14) Luncheon: Hous ton Community College, Room 151, 1300 Holman, 12:OO noon. Dinner: Italian Market & Cafe, 2615 Ella Blvd. 6:30 p.m. (Buy your own dinner)

MARCH 15, 1993 (Dinner Meeting) H G S INTERNATIONAL EXPLORATIONISTS "Sequence Stratigraphic Framework of Neogene St ra ta in Offshore Nigeria" Jory Pacht (see page 10) Pos t Oak Doubletree Inn, 2001 Pos t Oak Blvd. Soclal Period 5:30 p . m , Dinner a n d Meeting 6:30p.m. Reservarions hy name only, telephone 785-6402. Must be made o r cancelled by noon Monday, March 12.

OTHER HGA Bridge, Briar Club, Timmons & Westheimer, 10:OO

a.m. - 2:30 p.m.. Mar. 3 AWG Dinner, Emily Stoudt , "Pursuing Carbonates Down

Under: Australia". Morningside Thai Restaurant, 6710 Morning- side Drive, 6:00-8:00 p .m. , (If attending call Anglia Sweet 556-7067) Mar. 9.

SPWLA Westside Luncheon, Radisson Suite Hotel, 10655 Katy Frwy. 11.30 a .m. , Mar. 11.

SIPES Luncheon, S a m Flarity, "3-D Presentation of Geo- logical Structures o n a PC", Petroleum Club, 11:30a.m., Mar. 11.

G S H Noon Luncheon, H.E.S.S.. 3121 Buffalo Speedway, 11:30 a .m. . Mar. 15.

SPE Gulf Coas t Meeting & Exhibition, Mar. 15-17. SPWLA Galleria Luncheon, Marriott Galleria, 1750 West

Loop South , 11:30 a .m. , Mar. 16. Geowives Luncheon, "Interior Design and You", Home of

Suzanne Womac-k, 803 Thornbrook, 11:30 a .m. , Mar. 17. SPWLA Greenspoint Luncheon, Baroid Cafeteria, 3000

North Sam Htruston Parkway East, 12 Noon, Mar. 18.

MARCH 16, 1993 (Dinner Meeting) H G S NORTH AMERICAN EXPLORATIONISTS "Petroleum Potential of East Central Nevada" Doug Hazlett (see page 16) Post O a k Doubletree Inn, 2001 Pos t Oak Blvd. Social Per-iod 530 p.m., Dinner a n d Meeting 6:30 p.m. Reservations by name only, telephone 785-6402. Must be made or cancelled by noon Monday, March 15.

MARCH 31, 1993 (Luncheon Meeting) "The Alaska North Slope a n d ANWR" Harrison Townes (see page 8) Houston Cluh, 811 Rusk Social Period 11:30p.m., Dinner a n d Meeting 12:OO Noon. Reservations by name only, telephone 785-6402. Must be made o r cancelled by noon Monday, March 29.

EVENTS SPWLA Downtown Luncheon, Metropolitian Racquet

Club, O n e Allen Center, 11:30 a .m. , Mar. 23. HGA Bridge, Briar Club, Timmons & Westheimer, 10:OO

a.m. - 2:30 p.m., Mar. 24.

AROUND THE COUNTRY SlPES Annual Meeting, San Antonio, Mar. 17-19. AAPG/SEG International Congress, Caracas, Venezuela,

Mar. 14-17.

S C H O O L S AND FIELD TRIPS AAPG School, "Fractal Geometry, Mdr 3-6. G S H Shor t Course , Dr. David Monk, "Seismic Resolution".

Exxon Auditorium, 800 Bell St., 1:OO-5:00 p.m., Mar. 24.

SEMINARS, COURSES, AND ENTERTAINMENT 5th Annual HGS/GSH Bass Tournament, Toledo Bend

(Frontier Park), Mar. 20-2 1. H G S Field Trip, "Geo-Rafting Expedition: The Big Bend of

the Rio Grande", Mar. 31-Apr. 4.

FUTURE HGS MEETINGS AND EVENTS (April)

APRIL 12, 1993 (Dinner Meeting) Pos t Oak Doubletree Inn

APRIL 19, 1993 (Dinner Meeting) INTERNATIONAL EXPLORATIONISTS Post Oak Doubletree Inn

APRIL 20, 1993 (Dinner Meeting) NORTH AMERICAN EXPLORATIONISTS Post Oak Doubletree Inn

APRIL 21, 1993 (Luncheon Meeting) Houston Club, 811 Rusk

Page 32: HGS Bulletin Volume 35 No.7 (March 1993)

COMMITTEE NEWS

PERSONNEL PLACEMENT COMMITTEE Hopefully, by now all HGS members are aware o f the

HGS Jobs Hotline (713) 785-9729. 1 would like to especially thank Susan van Gelder (Editor of the Bulletin) for keeping the Hotline number in front of the membership by placing it on the cover of Bulletin.

The Personnel Placement Committee has made a few changes. The most significant is that the Committee no longer keeps resumes on file. The only way to have your resume sent to a prospective employer is to follow to the letter the instructions on the recorded message of the Hotline. Please do not fax or mail your resume to the HGS office, as it will not get to the proper people in time to respond to the job request you are interested in.

For the 1992 year the Placement Committee received 83 requests for personnel, which is a 2200 decline over the 107 requests that were received in 1991 and a 49"0 decline over the 165 requests that were received in 1990.

Are you doing everything possible to enhance your chances of finding employment through the HGS Jobs Hotline?

ARE YOU: 1. Calling the Hotline every 2-3 days. 2. Submitting a cover letter along with your resume.

This is your chance to help sell yourself to the prospective employer and show that you are qualifi- ed for the position. If you don't have all the qualifications that are beingsought, try to show that the experience you have is similar to what is being requested.

3. Rearranging and expanding your resume in those areas of interest for the prospective employer. It greatly increases your chances of being considered if the prospective employer can quickly see on the upper portion cf the first page that you are qualified for the position.

By implementing the above-mentioned suggestions and continued persistence you may greatly increase your chances of benefiting from the HGS Jobs Hotline. GOOD HUNTING.

* SEE CEC SHORT COURSE AD, PAGE 23 *

CAREER OPTIONS EFFORTS CONTINUE The Continuing Education, Environmental. Personnel

Placement committees have been working on programs to aid geoscientists in finding gainful employment during the 1992-1993 year. The Career Options Seminar was one program that combined all three committees' input. Two of the speakers submitted further information of interest to the Society at large. The first is from Gail Corrigan and concerns organizations that one should belong to or at least

know about if one works in the environmental field. The second is from Hank Bauerlein and is a written version of his speech that I believe could reach a wider audience and perhaps be of help.

FRANK HUBER Chair, Continuing Education Committee

WATER ENVIRONMENT ASSOCIATION O F TEXAS

(formerly Texas Water Pollution Control Association)

CONTACT PERSON: President Warren Davis at 4763583

President-Elect Julie Clifford at 488-41 15

COST: VARIOUS Membership Categor~es - $25.. yr to $195; yr

MEETING: Monthly dinner meetings at H.E.S.S. Building

3 131 Buffalo Speedway 3rd Thursday of every month

TEXAS HAZARDOUS WASTE MANAGEMENT SOCIETY

CONTACT PERSON: Membership Chairman - Lisha Vigo at 861-5891

COST: $30.'yr - Student $10..'yr

PLACE: Monthly dinner meetings

4th Thursday of every month

AIR A N D WASTE MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATION CONTACT PERSON:

Membership Chair - Carolyn Wright at 850-9990

COST: $10/yr

MEETING: Monthly meeting at Rice University at the Alumni Center

2nd Tuesday of every month

WASTE A N D WASTEWATER ASSOCIATION (Regular membership includes membership in

Texas Water Utilities Association)

CONTACT PERSON: President-elect Larry Bagwill at 671-4246

COST: $25:'yr Student $15;yr

MEETING: Monthly dinner meeting at VARIOUS locations

3rd Thursday of every month

ENGINEERING COUNCIL O F HOUSTON CONTACT PERSON:

Environmental Chair John Reed at 780~2316

COST: None; name placed on membership roster

MEETING: Meetings scheduled by notifying member by fax or mail

Page 33: HGS Bulletin Volume 35 No.7 (March 1993)

NOTES FROM A SURVIVOR "I'm Hank Bauerlein. a financial nlanner with IDS/

American Express. I asked for a few minutes in this seminar to relate my experiences in making a transition to a career outside of my background and experience as an exploration geologist.

My history is probably similar to each of yours. I spent 25 years in Texas Coast exploration with a variety of companies and also as a self-employed consultant and prospect generator -and I was successful probably just like you are in your current work. However, in the summer of 1991 when the area gas price dropped below the level that it was almost 20 years ago, I decided it was time for me to look outside the petroleum industry for a career. The securities area was one I had been interested in and of which I felt I had a certain understanding.

What I want to do today is relate some of my experience in moving into a new career when over 50.

Step One: Choose a direction. Go with your interests - the expertise will follow.

Step two: Be aware of age discrimination. It is real. After all, companies are early retiring people in their 50's - they don't want to hire someone who could be drawing a pension in 5 years. Look for employment where your status will be as a self-employed contractor, consultant, salesman, etc. One large brokerage house said that I did not meet the "personality profile" results of a personality exam and that the results were "legally correlatable." In other words, a legal excuse not to hire. Don't get depressed if you are told no - it may have nothing to do with your qualities. Look at industries with a high turnover: only a few make it, but they're always looking.

Step Three: Be ready to learn - and enjoy it! I had to do a lot of studying - more than at any time since grad school. I had to pass my NASD series 7 and my State Security License and State Insurance licenses. I learn continuously at work.

Step Four: Be ready to work from 8a.m. to 10p.m., six days a week for a few years until you've established your business.

Step Five: Be ready to support yourself for about a year. Be sure that your family supports your expenditure of time and money.

MYSELF I've found that not only do I enjoy my work - but that I

am pretty good at it too. And my gray hair is an asset rather than a liabilitv. You'll find also. that if vou move outside the petroleum industry, that you will succeed in what you do, so make sure it's something that you will enjoy doing. BUT be ready to make your own "breaks" or luck. As 1 was being turned down by yet another security firm because of "wrong personality profile," I asked "who do you know that is hiring?'They suggested several firms including IDS. I called IDS and they told me that they were having an open house that next week to meet with prospective employees.

Finally, remember that most of these jobs want immediate results - you are always on the verge of being let go if you don't produce.

Thanks and good luck."

HANK BAUERLEIN IDS Financial Services

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Page 34: HGS Bulletin Volume 35 No.7 (March 1993)

BUSINESS OF GEOLOGY

IT'S NOT BUSINESS AS USUAL ANYMORE*

by C. W. Brown, Jr., SPE, Oxy U.S.A. Inc.

Summary In 20 years, a complex body of environmental laws,

regulations, and decisions has been established in the U.S. Basic knowledge of environmental laws, regulations, and management techniques is now necessary for design, construction, and operations of oil field facilities. Environ- mental permits are on the critical path and could significantly affect project viability or the cost of doing business. In California and many other states, resource development projects face complex and vol~minous environmental regulations. Because of these permitting obstacles and the competition for the available permits, early environmental planning is necessary if a project is to be successful and if costs and future liabilities are to be minimized. This paper reviews eight Federal environmental laws, significant events that affect our daily business, and the reasons why environ- mental management must be integrated in our "business as usual" work decisions to minimize future (hidden) liabilities.

Introduction Line managers and operating personnel are responsible

for environmental protection in a company's operations. To carry out this responsiblity effectively, these personnel must have a good working knowledge of all environmental laws, regulations, and policies that apply to their activities. Eight federal laws may affect our daily oil field operations in the U.S.

Most of these laws provide civil and criminal penalties for noncompliance. If you ignarf the taw, you risk personal fines and possibly a prison term. Therefore, what you don't know will most likely end up hurting you and your company. This paper discusses several examples of the possible monetary consequences when a cleanup remedy is imposed by outside parties.

Any waste generation or discharge of contaminants into the environment has the potential for future liability. Environmental management programs reduce the potential for undesirable surprises and minimize this hidden liability. These environmental programs consist of assessments, waste minimization, record keeping, documentation, and up-to-date training. These programs are briefly reviewed.

The assessment program will help ensure that person- nel at each operating facility know and are meeting their obligations and responsibilities under the law. If you are responsible for environmental protection, it is in everyone's interest for you to do a good job.

*Reprinted with permission from Journal of Petroleum Technology, May 1992 Copyright 1992 Society of Petroleum Engineers.

Important Environmental Statutes Most corporations' environmental policies charge line

managers with the responsibility for environmental per- formance of their activities. The policies also state that every employee is expected to carry out the spirit and the letter of these policies. Knowledge of environmental laws and regulations is necessary for line managers and engineers who conrol the operations and installations. In some cases state requirements can be even more restrictive than Federal regulations.

Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) of 1976.

RCRA regulates the management of hazardous waste from its generation to final disposal. Two of the statute's nine subtitles create significant regulatory programs. Sub- title C authorizes a comprehensive federal program to regulate hazardous wastes. Subtitle D addresses the dis- posal of nonhazardous solid waste. "Solid waste" is defined broadly to include garbage, refuse, and other discarded materials. It includes solid, liquid, and gaseous materials.

Sec. 3001 requires the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to set criteria for identifying the characteris- tics of hazardous waste. In Code of Federal Regulations 40 (CFR) Parts 260 and 261 (1980), the EPA specifies wastes identified as hazardous and has set general "characteristics" (corrosivity, reactivity, ignitability, and toxicity) by which other solid wastes would be judged as hazardous.

The 1980 amendments to RCRA exempt wastes for oil, gas, and geothermal E&P activities from Subtitle C hazardous waste requirements. The exemption is specifi- cally for drilling mud, produced waters, and other wastes associated with E&P operations. In July 1988. the EPA issued a regulatory determination concluding that the wastes should retain the exemption from Subtitle C regulation and should continue to be regulated by state agencies using Subtitle D authorities. Whenever any Subtitle C waste is mixed with Subtitle D waste, regardless of whether the waste loses its hazardous nature or character- istics, it is governed by Subtitle C.

The EPA and individual states can bring several types of enforcement or corrective actions under RCRA, including administrative orders and civil and criminal penalties. If a person or company violates Subtitle C of RCRA, the EPA either can order compliance immediately or within a specific time period or can seek injunctive relief against the violator through a civil action filed in a U.S. District Court. Any person who violates any requirement of Subtitle C is liable for a civil penalty of up to $25,000 for each day of violation, regardless of whether the person has been served with a

Bulletin Houston Geological Society, March 1993 3 2

Page 35: HGS Bulletin Volume 35 No.7 (March 1993)

compliance order. People subject to RCRA cannot rely on the EPA to tell them when they are in violation, then take the required corrective action, and thus avoid a penalty. RCRA also imposes criminal liability of up to $50,000, 2 years of imprisonment, or both for persons who "knowingly" commit c e r t a ~ n violators, including anyone transporting hazardous waste without a manifest.

Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) of 1980.

CERCLA (also known a s Superfund) authorizes the federal government to clean up toxic contaminants at closed and abandoned hazardous waste dumps or sites where the owner/operator is unable or unwilling to perform such a cleanup where there is a release or threatened release of hazardous or toxic substances. It allows the government to recover the cost of this cleanup and other "response costs" by suing the parties who may have contributed the hazardous or toxic materials. CERCLA also covers operating facilities with an imminent or potential discharge that could adversely affect the environment. In certain cases, cleanup may be funded by taxes on chemicals and hazardous wastes.

In most "Superfund site" cases, potentially responsible parties try to locate all parties who contribute waste to the site. CEFCLA funds (Superfund) are used in cases where emergency a c t ~ o n s are deemed necessary or where the potentially responsible parties fail to take appropriate action. The EPA has successfully exercised the "joint and several liabilitv" urovisions of the law. If the EPA can identifv - . only one individual or company that contributed hazardous material to a site, that party may be held liable for the entire cleanup cost . I t will then be that party's responsiblity to locate other potentially responsible parties to share the cost of studies andlor remedial action. Because of the board definition of hazardous or toxic material (remember the mixture rule under RCRA), the waste generator can be held liable for the hazardous waste site if the site goes bankrupt. Therefore, y o ~ 1 should know where your waste goes because the waste generator's financial responsibility could be proportioned to the generator's ability to pay (deep pockets).

Superfund Secs. 102 and 103 require the reporting of the release of hazardous substances into the environment unless the release occurs in accordance with a permit. CERCLA's Reportable Quantities List (40 CFR, Sec. 302.4) currently names more than 700 chemicals and gives a reportable quantity for each. Any release of a chemical in excess of the reportable quantity must be reported to the Natl. Response Center and, under the recently adopted Emergency Planning and Community Right to Know Act, must be reported to the s ta te Office of Emergency Services and to the local emergency planning committee established under that act.

Title I11 Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act (SARA) of 1986.

The Emergency Planning and Community Right to Know Act of 1986 is a stand-alone portion of the 1986 reauthorization of CERCLA. It requires four separate but related programs designed to inform local communities about hazardous chemicals produced o r used at facilities and about releases o f these chemicals to the environment.

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Nothing in SARA supersedes or amends the CEFCLA Secs. 102 and 103 reporting program. Because of such disasters a s Bhopal and problems in West Virginia, this program was developed to provide a federallstate infra- structure to ensure that releases will be responded to better and that potential disasters can be averted better.

The'four major programs required by this act are (I) emergency planning, (2) emergency release notification, (3) community right to know and hazardous chemical reporting requirements, and (4) toxic chemical release reporting/ emissions inventory. Any release of a reportable quantity triggers the same reporting requirements a s in CERCLA. The list of extremely hazardous substances with both a reportable quantity and a threshold planning quantity can be found in 40 C F C Part 300, Appendix D.

Clean Water ACT (CWA) of 1977. In 1972, Congress enacted the first significant federal

Water Pollution Control Act. This act , which addresses federal water pollution control and requires Natl. Pollutant Discharge Elimination System discharge permits, was modi- fied significantly in 1977 to deal with toxic water pollutants. It was renamed the CWA. This act has been amended several times; the most recent is the Water Quality Act of 1987

The CWA generally controls discharges of effluent from point sources into waters of the U.S. Five main elements in the act are ( I ) a permit program, (2) a system of minimum national effluent standards for each industry (3) water quality standards, (4) provisions for such special problems as oil spills and toxic chemicals, and (5) a construction grant program for publicly owned treatment works.

3 3 B u l l ~ t i n Houston Grologtr,il S a i ~ t y M a r c h 1993

Page 36: HGS Bulletin Volume 35 No.7 (March 1993)

The National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System imposes precise and detailed discharge requirements: nu- merical limits on discharges based on technology-based guidelines and water quality standards, compliance sched- ules for construction of new pollution control equipment, and monitoring and reporting requirements.

Sec. 311 prohibits discharges of oil o r hazardous substances in "quantities a s may be harmful" into U.S. waters. This section requires immediate notice to the appropriate Federal agency of any spill of a reportable quantity. The discharge itself carries criminal penalties. Sec. 311 provides for cleanup of the spill and imposes liability for the cost of removing the discharge. It also requires the preparation of spill prevention, control, and countermea- sure plans.

Oil discharges are defined as harmful when they cause a sheen, sludge, or emulsion in the receiving water or upon adjoining shorelines (40 CRF, Sec. 110.3, 1980). Hazardous substances are treated differently. About 300 substances have been designated a s hazardous by 40 CFR, Sec. 116 (1980). Note that this designation differs from that of the RCRA hazardous wastes.

Each hazardous substance has a "reportable quantity" defined by 40 CFR, Sec. 117 (1980). Discharge of more than the reportable quantity of oil or any of the hazardous substances requires notification of the EPA. The Natl. Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permits for storm- water runoff that may come into contact with contaminated material, including machinery and trucks, are now required.

A statutory immunity from criminal prosecution is available for the person in charge who notifies the €PA as

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required by Sec. 311. There is n o immunity from civil penalties that may be attached. Failure to notify is punish- able by a fine of up to $10,000 and imprisonment for up to 1 year. The maximum civil penalty is $5,000 for "ordinary negligence," but up to $250,000 can be imposed for "willful negligence or willful misconduct."

Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA). Enacted in 1974 and most recently amended in 1986,

the SDWA mandates that the EPA must establish regula- tions to protect human health from contaminants in drinking water or potential drinking water supplies. The legislation authorizes national drinking water standards and a joint federal/state system for ensuring compliance with those standards. Maximum contaminant levels and treatment techniques ensure the quality of public drinking water supplies.

Part C of Title XIV authorizes establishment of a permit program and two resource planning programs designed to prevent contamination of underground sources of drinking water: the Underground Injection Control Permit Program, the Sole Source Aquifer Program, and the Wellhead Pro- tection Proqram. -

Owners and operators of underground injection wells must obtain permits or be authorized by the rule under the Underground Injection Control Program to operate the wells. The permit applicant must prove to the state or federal permitting authority that the underground injection will not endanger drinking water sources.

An aquifer identified a s the sole or principal source of drinking water for an area may be designated a "sole-source aquifer" under Sec. 1424 (e) of the SDWA. No commitment of Federal financial assistance may be made for any project that may contaminate a sole-source aquifer s o a s to create a significant public health hazard.

The 1986 amendments to the SDWA established a Wellhead Protection Program that the states may use to protect public drinking wells and springs " . . . within their jurisdiction from contaminants which may have any adverse effects on the health of persons . . ." The EPA ~ s s u e d guidance on the procedures for determinating wellhead protection areas in June 1987. States have the option of using this guidance.

Clean Air Act (CAA). Under this act , the EPA establishes air quality stand-

ards, the Natl. Ambient Air Quality Standards, in terms of allowable, health-based concentrations of designated pollu- tants. The states are to achieve these standards through State Implementation Plans. The EPA also directly sets two types of national emission standards: New Source Per- formance Standards and Natl. Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants. The EPA has also developed special programs for prevention of significant deterioration in clean air areas and for stringent controls in nonattainnient areas.

Emission offsets are required if a proposed source will have emissions exceeding the new source review levels for nonattainment areas. Emission offsets from existing sources in the area must be obtained. In these cases, the source must obtain enforceable agreements to reduce emissions either from other sources in the nonattainment areas or

Bulletin Houston G~ologlra l Sorrrty Mach 1993

Page 37: HGS Bulletin Volume 35 No.7 (March 1993)

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Page 38: HGS Bulletin Volume 35 No.7 (March 1993)

from its own facilities within the nonattainment areas to emit levels less than those permitted by the State Implementation Plan before applying for the permit.

In Nov. 1990,700 pages of detailed new amendments to the CAA were signed into law. The new amendements required creation of 75 major rules over the next two years. Tradition command and control regulations are phased out with market-based incentives or other innovative strategies. The act addresses several problems encountered in the 25-year history of the CAA. The 1990 amendments made several significant changes to the Natl. Ambient Air Quality Standards and revised the nonattainment programs. The impact of the 1990 CAA amendements on the oil industry will not become clear until well into the 1990's.

Natl. Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969. The NEPA requires all federal agencies to use a

systematic, interdisciplinary approach to protect the human environment and to ensure the integrated use of the natural and social sciences in any planning and decision-making processes that may affect the environment. The NEPA requires preparation of a detailed environmental impact statement on any major federal action that may have a significant impact on the environment or any adverse environmental effects that cannot be avoided or mitisated. - Included in the report are alternatives to the proposed action, the relationship between short-term uses and long- term productivity of the environment, and any reversible and irretrievable commitment of resources involved in the project.

In 1979, the Council of Environmental Quality published regulations that established a uniform basis for implement- ing procedural provisions of the NEPA.

Endangered Species Act (ESA) As amended, the ESA establishes a national policy

designed to protect and conserve threatened and endanger- ed species and ecosystems on which they depend. The act is administered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Natl. Marine Fisheries Service. The "taking" of an en- dangered species, which includes harassment or forcing it to alter its natural habits, is specifically prohibited.

Sec . 7 of the related Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act, governing interagency cooperation, requires federal agencies to consult fol ~nally with the Natl. Marine Fisheries Service and the Fish and Wildlife Service when there is reason to believe that the species that is listed (or proposed to be listed) as endangered or threatened may be affected by a proposed action. Agencies must ensure that proposed actions are not likely to jeopardize the continued existence of threatened or endangered species and/or result in adverse modification or destruction of their critical habitant.

Significant Environmental Events. Certain "significant environmental events" have polar-

ized public attitudes regarding protection of the environ- ment and have caused major environmental legislation. The three most famous were the 1969 oil spill offshore Santa Barbara, CA; the Love Canal (NY) hazardous waste disposal site; and the 1989 Exxon Valdez tanker spill offshore Alaska. These events and others have been very costly to the oil industry in terms of cleanup costs and annual compliance costs. These significant environmental events and their impact on our industry are described below.

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The following statements were made in the Aug. 7. 1988, New York Times

1. "Last February, a Federal judge ruled that the Occidental Chemical Corporation, which acquiredHooker, is responsible for the cleanup costs, estimated to be around $250 million.

2. Among its legacies, Love Canal will likely endure a s a national symbol of failure to exercise a sense of concern for future generations, said Dr. David Axelrod, Cornmis- sioner of the Sta te Health Department.

L o ~ l e Canal, a neighborhood built a top 21,800 tons of chemical waste depositedin a ditch, was in the first group of sites on the Superfund list; today there a r e over 1,000other priority sites nationwide, a n d about 25,000others classified as potential sites. "

Also, the Aug. 2, 1988, USA TODAY reported, "At its worst, Love Canalsymbolized the USA's hazardous waste disposal problem. To its credit, it led to the Federal Superfund law a n d a national effort to address the hazard- ous waste problem. "

The nature and use of Love Canal property a s a chemical waste disposal location were better than many disposal melthods used by industry at the time. The site would conform to current (1980) federal RCRA regulations. Hooker warned the Niagara Falls Board of Education and its administrative officers that chemical wastes had been buried in the Love Canal. I t documented the warnings in the recorded deed, which was secured by threat of condem-

Page 39: HGS Bulletin Volume 35 No.7 (March 1993)

nation by the board, anci i r : Ieiter-s to dnd appearances before the school board. Hooker warned that the area was not suitable for construction. The public was informed of Hooker's warnings through articles appearing in iocal and area newspapers.

The lesson here is that this industry is considered by many as having "deep pockets" for providing the funds to clean up waste disposal sites, many of which result from the actions of the general population and local government, including school boards. Also waste generators or the companies that purchase them are responsible for their waste from the "cradle to the grave."

On Jan. 2, 1988, about 1 million gal of diesel fuel from the Ashland Oil Co.facility in Pennsylvania was spilled when an aboveground storage tank collapsed. The spilled diesel

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fuel found its way into the Monongahela and Ohio rivers. As a result, 15 municipal water intakes were shut down, water supplies to more than 2.7-million residents were disrupted, schools and businesses were closed, and thousands of fish and waterfowl died.

Ashland reported that, "while insurance will cover the bulk of claims, all said extra personnel and some litigation expenses are adding up to a million or two a month-pre- tax. So far, 3,849 individual claims have been filed against the company totaling $18 million and 2,495 claims for $8 million have been paid. The rest are processes."

The EPA stated in a Jan. 15, 1988, memorandum that "Ashland's Spill Prevention Control and Countermeasures plan ... does not adequatly address spill prevention and

control specific to the facility." This major spill caused a detailed review of the Spill Prevention Control and Counter- measures regulation. On May 13, 1988, an EPA interim report made 19 recommendations for strengthening the EPA's regulation of aboveground storage tanks. Some of the proposals that affect our operations include a national survey of all aboveground tanks, including design, con- struction, and spill history; increased fedral inspections of spill prevention plans; development of a formal penalty policy; employee training programs; increased secondary containment; and increased contingency planning require- ments.

During April 1988, about 9,400 bbl of San Joaquin Valley crude oil spilled from a storage tank at Shell oil Co.'s Martinez refinery in California and drained into a nearby marsh and eventually into San Francisco Bay. This major oil spill was the result of "a day-to-day practice that apparently deviated from the established procedure [spill prevention]." According to the Oil Spill Intelligence Report TM, Shell's cleanup and punitive costs will exceed several million dollars.

These two major oil spills are excellent reminders for companies to review all spill prevention plans and to update them as necessary not only to respond to the increased inspection activity but also to ensure that we have adequate plans for protection of the environment.

The EPA's June 1988 report to Congress was a major victory for the oil and gas industry. The EPA found that existing state and federal regulations under the CWA and SDWA are generally adequate to manage oil and gas E&P wastes. According to the EPA, the regulation of oil and gas drilling and production wastes as hazardous under Subtitle C of RCRA is unnecessary and impractical. It said that strict regulations could reduce U.S. oil production by 22% by the year 2000 and cost consumers $10 billionlyr. However, the report states that certain gaps do exist in the state and federal regulations and that enforcement of existing regu- lations in some states is inadequate. As a result, the EPA plans to fill the regulatory gaps by (1) developing regulations for states under the nonhazardous waste authorities pro- vided by RCRA and improving existing federal and regu- latory programs under the CWA and SCWA for surface- water discharges and underground injection; (2) working with states to encourage changes in their regulations and enforcement to improve their programs where necessary; and (3) working with Congress to develop any additional statutory authority that may be required.

In Dec. 1990, the Interstate Oil Compact Commission published its initial report to help the states and the EPA improve E&P waste management programs. The EPA has agreed that this report will be useful for developing effective regulations, guidelines, and/or standards for state-level management of oil and gas production waste.

Hidden Liabilities In 1986, the pages of federal environmental regulations

increased more than ever (20%). The 1986 total ot 8,500 pages was growing at the rate of 10,000 pages/yr, according to R. Lyn Arscott, general manager of health, environment, and loss prevention for Chevron Corp. These regulations asked about $100 billion/yr in 1990 to the costs of products, government, and industry in the U.S. Pending or new legislation could push the cost past $150 billion/yr by the end of the decade. Virtually all the environmental statutes

Page 40: HGS Bulletin Volume 35 No.7 (March 1993)

provide sanctions for noncompliance. These can include civil penalties, criminal fines, and revocations. There is a growing trend toward criminal prosecution. Environmental laws apply to all people. Purposeful failure to investigate or deliberate ignorance has been interpreted a s knowledge for purpose of criminal liability. Therefore, what you don't know will most likely end up hurting you.

Environmental Management Most oil companies have gone through major changes

and significant staff reductions. Companies seem to expect employees to d o more work with fewer people. Each company wants to become the lowest-cost producer to remain competitive and to increase profit margins. How- ever, being the lowest-cost producer does not mean pro- ducing at no cost. Our society expects and demands environmentally responsible petroleum operations.

To protect the environment, API members have pledged to manage their businesses according to Guiding Principles for Environmentally Responsible Petroleum Operations (see the Appendix).

Environmental management, education, and training a re the best tools to protect the environment while reducing exposure to long-term liability. Three key programs will reduce legal exposure and surprises: waste minimization environmental assessment (audit), and environmental com- pliance training.

This paper only lists the benefits of these programs. Refer to the General References for detads.

Waste Minimization. Waste reduction is the only way to reduce some of the

escalating costs of the current waste management system. A ton of hazardous waste that once cost $10 to manage can now cost $500. According to a recent EPA study of 28 firms that have undertaken waste reduction measures, 54% found that their investment paid for itself in less than a year, 21n0 found that it took 1 to 2 years, and only 7% found it took more than 4 years. To cut waste, don't waste, perform waste audits, d o better process design, improve your housekeeping (don't spill), reuse chemicals when possible, recycle waste where applicable, reduce waste volume by dewatering, and minimize the mixing of hazardous and nonhazardous waste.

Environmental Assessments (Audits). Assessment programs help in organizing and managing

effective environmental prorams. They provide benefits relating to financial planning, Securities and Exchange Commission reporting, personnel development, public and employee relations, expansion planning, legislative and regulatory strategy, and evaluation of acquisitions and divestitures. They also reduce the risk of liability by avoiding civil and criminal liability for noncompliance.

Environmental Compliance Training. Environmental compliance training should be provided

to all employees routinely by qualified instructors and affirmed by senior management. A compliance manual should be prepared to facilitate environmental protection. This manual should contain all documents essential to managing the facility's environmental programs: (1) copies

of laws, regulations, permits, corporate policy statements, and other guidelines applicable to the business of the facility or the division; (2) copies of important correspondence related to the environmental program; and (3) records of monitoring and inspection activities.

It is necessary to stress the continued monitoring and documentation of E&P waste to prove that this large- volume, low-toxicity waste should continue to be exempt from RCRA Subtitle C .

Conclusions Good environmental management programs have

several advantages. They: - Benefit everyone. - Help protect the environment. - Make managers' jobs easier. - Even save money, although it may not be apparent in the

short term. Are mandatory

- Reduce company's liablity exposure. - Sharpen our competitive edge. - Correct operational problems before they become com-

pliance problems. The oil business in the 1990's will not be "business as

usual." However, with properly managed environmental programs, I believe that we will not only survive but also make money. If you are responsible for environmental protection, it is in everyone's interest for you to do a good job.

General References APIEnuironmental Guidance Document, API, Washington.

D C (Jan. 1989). Arbuckle, J. D. et al.: Environmental Law Handbook, ninth

edition. Government Inst. Inc. (May 1987) EPA/IOCC Study of S ta t e Regulations of Oil a n d Gas ,

Exploration a n d Production Waste, Interstate Oil Compact Commission, New York City (Dec. 1990).

Friedman, F . B.: Practical Guide to Environmental Management, third edition. Environmental Law Inst., Occidental Petroleum Corp. (Aug. 1991).

Hall, R. M. J r . and Case , D. R.: All About Environmental Auditing, Federal Publications Inc. (1987)

The McKenae Companies McKenae Mehane Corporation McKenae Petroleum Company McKenae Production Company

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Page 41: HGS Bulletin Volume 35 No.7 (March 1993)

Acknowledgment I thank T. M. Dominguez of Oxy U.S.A. Inc

Appendix -- Guiding Principles for Environmentally Responsible Petroleum Operations

1. To recognize and to respond to community concerns about our I -au materials, products, and operations.

2. To operate our plants and facilities and to handle our raw materidis and products in a manner that protects the environment m d the safety and health of our employees and the public.

3. To mdke safety, health, and environmental con- siderations a priority in our planning and in our development of new products and processes.

4. To advise promptly the appropriate officials, em- ployees, and customers and the public of information on significant industry related safety, health, and environmental hazards, and to recommend protective measures.

5. To counsel customers, transporters, and others in the safe use. transportation, and disposal of our raw materials, products, and waste materials.

6. To develop and produce natural resources eco- nomically and to conserve those resources by using energy efficiently.

7. T o extend knowledge by conducting or supporting research on the safety, health, and environmental effects of our raw materials, products, processes, and waste materials.

8. T o commit to reduce overall emissions and waste generation.

9. T o work with others to resolve problems created by handling and disposal of hazardous substances from our operations.

10. To part ic~pate with government and others in creating responsible laws, regulations, and standards to safeguard the community, workplace, and environment.

11. To promote these principles and practices by sharing experiences and offering assistance to others who produce, handle, use, transport, or dispose of similar raw materials, petroleum products, and wastes.

This papcJr is SPE 23456. Distinguished Author Series articles are general, descriptive presentations that sum- marize the state of the art in an area of technology by describing rec-ent developments for readers who are not specialists in the topics discussed and are written by individuals recognized experts In the area, these ar t~cles provide key referenctl\ to more d e f ~ n ~ t ~ v e work and present s p e c ~ f ~ c de ta~ l s onlb to dlustrate the technology Purpose T o mform the general readership of recent advances in various areas of petroleum eng~neering. A softbound anthology, SPE Distinguished Author Series: Dec. 1961-Dec. 1983 is avail- able from SPE's Book Order Dept.

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Page 42: HGS Bulletin Volume 35 No.7 (March 1993)

HOUSTON GEOLOGICAL A UXlLIA R Y

Wasn't the February Lucky 'N Love party great? Co- chairmen Jeanette Coon and Hjordis Hawkins labored endlessly to see that we all had a super time. How can we thank them ... dozens of roses? ... a winning sweepstakes ticket? ... a trip to blue Hawaii? ... They deserve it all ... and more! Thanks and well done, Hjordis and Jeanette, and your great committee!

Now, girls, let's get right down to the HEART of the matter and call a SPADE a SPADE! Those two TRUMPS, Joy Payne and Geneva Quigley, have planned a special Auxiliary Games Day party on, what else, April Fool's Day. What better way to celebrate April 1st than to bring a friend, join in a bridge game, and top it off with a delicious buffet at the Briar Club, 10:OO A.M.! (Briar Club is located at the corner of Westheimer and Timmons.)

What! You're not an expert? Well, there'll be other games, too, and bridge from beginning to progressive with prizes galore. Fees are $12.00 for HGA members and $12.50 for guests, a ridiculously (what else can you expect on April Fool's Day?) low price for all that fun, food and fellowship.

To be a TRUMP, put on your DIAMONDS (real or faux); and, if you put your HEART into it, you can surely make it. NO FOOLIN'!!!

GWlNN LEWIS, President

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HGA MEMBERSHIP FORM

(Your Name) (Spouse's Name)

Address

Zip

Home Telephone

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(Dues are $15 per year, check payable to Houston Geological Auxiliary)

Send to: Mrs. Shirley Gordon HGA Membership Chairman 3110 Briar Court Sugar Land, TX 77478

TRAITAA, Continued from page 6.

services, your group must be certified; that is, the Depart- ment of Labor must determine that increased imports contribute importantly to decreased sales or production and to work separations in your company or subdivision. Any group of three or more can petition for this consideration.

A recently unemployed petroleum geologist was approved by the Texas Dislocated Workers Office for TRA benefits to support the students' retraining through the completion of a M.S. Degree in Geosciences with a concentration in hydrogeology at the University of Houston under the advisement of Dr. Regina Capuano. Each case must be considered individually for acceptance by the Texas Dislocated Workers Office. The acceptance of this students' program, however, suggests that a similar course of study would be acceptable if submitted by others eligible for TRA benefits.

An M.S. with a concentration in hydrogeology should include the following: A. 24 hours of graduate course work including at the

minimum the following hydrogeology related courses: 1. Hydrogeology GEOL 6366 2. Advanced Hydrogeology GEOL 6397 3. Hydrochemistry GEOL 6345 4. Fluvial Hydrogeology GEOL 6368 5. Geochemistry I GEOL 6341

B. Completion of a masters thesis on a hydrogeology topic. For further information regarding hydrogeology at the

University of Houston contact: Dr. Capuano, Department of Geosciences, Univeristy of Houston, Houston, TX

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Page 43: HGS Bulletin Volume 35 No.7 (March 1993)

HGS GUEST NIGHT FRIDAY, J U N E 11, 1993

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REGISTRATION FORM FOR HGS GUEST NIGHT EVENT Enclose check payable to HOUSTON GEOLOGICAL SOCIETY.

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4 1 B u l l e t ~ n Houston Gealoglcal Society. March 1993

Page 44: HGS Bulletin Volume 35 No.7 (March 1993)

HISTORICAL FEATURE

VOICES FROM T H E PAST A Fifty-Year History

of the Houston Geological Society

Compiled by the Long Range Advisory Committee

[Editor's note: The Houston Geological Society has been assembling in Houston for over a hay century. In 1992, the Long Range PIanning Committee dug through the old files of the Society in a n attempt to quantify its history. Graphs a n d charts can certainly describe thegrowth of the Society, but the humorous a n d colorful text contained in these direct quotes gives us a much better sense of our roots.]

"During the early twenties (1920-22) a group of geolo- gists met daily at Mrs. Allen's Cafeteria, on Fannin Street, in Houston, where the two front tables were reserved for the g o u p . Inasmuch as this group met at this particular place almost every day, it was decided that it would be feasible to have a regular meeting place at regular specified intervals ..."

Carleton D. Speed, J r . published in the Houston Post April 19, 1939

"In the summer of 1923, at the invitation of Mr. D. C . Barton of the Rycade Oil Corporation, the geologists of Houston began meeting for lunch at the University Club on the first Friday of each month.

In September 1923, the matter of holding the annual meeting of the American Association of Petroleum Geolo- gists was brought up, and it was determined to ask the Executive Committee of the AAPG to hold the annual meeting in Houston in March 1924. The Houston Geological Society was then organized with Mr. J . R. Suman, President, and Mr. David Donoghue, Secretary-Treasurer ...

A program of technical papers and entertainment was prepared, the likes of which the AAPG had never known before or since.

While the Houston Geological Society was organized primarily for the purpose of putting over this meeting, it was determined not to disband, but to continue to meet and have all the geologists in town at lunch on the first Friday of each month ..."

Donald Donoghue First SecITreasurer of the H G S July 3, 1925

[NOTE: The original Constitution of the H G S was signed on April 1, 1925, and consisted of a two-page document. Dues were $2.00 per year!]

"The organization at that time was composed of rather a limited number of geologists because there were not very many in Houston. But the original membership was made

up of quite a number of men that were then or have since become quite prominent in that particular field ...

The meetings were at the beginning held at the University Club rooms across from the Second National Bank Building over what is now Liggett's Drug Store. There were no attempts made then to have any kind of formal program, and the meetings were mostly for the purpose of exchanging ideas, swapping stories, and what not ...

The Society rocked along that way with meetings being held at various places after the University Club moved their quarters. ..

[After the discovery of Conroe Field,] we put on a 'Welcome to Houston' meeting. That was in the Lamar basement, at which there were between 75 and 100 attend[ing]. That was the largest group of geologists we had ever had together for a local luncheon. After that 'Welcome to Houston' meeting there was a pronounced increase in our membership rolls and the membership soon increased to about 150.

We had been having programs with our luncheon, one or two a month, until about '33 when Bowman was President. He got ambitious and dug up a speaker for almost every week and that practice has been followed more or less ever since!"

John Vetter from 'Resume of Houston

Geological Society' April 7, 1939

"As the Society grew larger the programs became more definitely of a scientific nature and the duties of the officers became more specific and exacting ...

Beginning with the year 1933 it became the custom to have a weekly speaker, and in some instances the program was held at night and usually at the Houston Public Library in order to give more time to discussion after presentation of the paper. During the past several years the Houston Geological Society has become the largest local society in existence until at present there are some three hundred fifteen ... members deriving benefit from this society in one form or another.

Study groups were initiated in 1938, while Mr. Perry Olcott was president. Some eighteen subjects, including surface geology, subsurface geology, paleontology, strati- graphy, sedimentation, paleogeography, exploitation geology, aerial geology (photos), surveying, evaluation, statistics, economics, topography, electrical well surveying,

B u l l r t ~ n Houston G r o l o g ~ r A Society M ~ l r i tr 1993 42

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and several specialized subjects [were investigated]."

Carleton D. Speed, Jr. published in the Houston Post April 19, 1939

[NOTE: The HGS is a scientific and educational society and does not commonly participate in lobbying efforts. But in 1927, the lower Mississippi River valley was devastated by severe flooding.. . ]

"To the Honorable Herbert Hoover, Secretary of Commerce Washington, D.C.

My dear Mr. Hoover, Occasional visits to Louisiana and Texas have interest-

ed me in certain geological problems presented by the delta of the Mississippi River. In speaking of these problems with some geological friends in Texas, I pointed out how little was really known about the delta, and how desirable a systematic study of its features and geological history was. These comments wwe made long before the recent flood ...

I have today received from Houston a resolution passed by the Houston Geological Society addressed to yourself with the request that I forward the same to you for your consideration ...

There is n o doubt in my mind that the problem of flood control is very largely a geological one ... It is quite certain that at least parts of the delta have in the past subsided, and it is probable that they are sinking now. If this be so, it is futile to plan for flood control on the assumption of a stable, unchanging hypsometric relation of sea and land ... I most heartily endorse the resolution adopted by the Houston

Geological Society. Their action is, from my point of view, a fine example of good citizenship, in that it is an effort to bring to the attention of the U.S. Government a phase of a great public question concerning which they have more know- ledge and a sounder opinion than any one else.

I have the honor to be, Sir,

Your most obedient servant [Dr.] Andrew C. Lawson November 14, 1927"

"To the Honorable Herbert Hoover; and the various Agencies entrusted with the problem of the flood control of the Mississippi:

We, the geologists of Houston, Texas, associated together as the Houston Geological Society, as geologists and public minded citizens having considerable knowledge of the Lower Mississippi area, wish to state our beliefs ...

1. A complete suite of topographic maps of the entire area subject to flood should be made for a present record ... 2. A Study of the Geology of River Activities [is needed]. The tendency of the Mississippi to meander, change its course, to erode, and to deposit, vitally affects the problem of the control of the river ... Although geologists and engineers have made qualitative studies, no adequate quantitative data are available. 3. A Geologic Study of the behavior of the Delta [is needed]. The evidence points to serious subsidence within 30 years of large areas in many parishes of the lower Delta, but ... accurate bench marks and records are lacking.. .

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B u l l m n Houston Geolog~cal Soclety March 1993

Page 46: HGS Bulletin Volume 35 No.7 (March 1993)

4. A Study of the geological effects of man's activities [is "Last year the Houston Geological Society started a necessarvl. .. movement to standardize the names of salt domes and oil

We offer the above suggestions and the Exhibit attach- ed in the hope that they will merit and receive your attention, and we stand ready to cooperate in the further consideration of the subject, if it is desired."

The Houston Geological Society

By: Frank W. DeWolf, President

November, 1927

[NOTE: Unfortunately, this warning was not heeded until after a second major flood in 1937. In 1941 the benchmark "Geological Investigation of the Mississippi Valley" was commenced as a joint project of the Mississippi River Commission and the Louisiana State University.]

[NOTE: In its early years, the HGS made significant contributions to the enormous task of naming all newly discovered geological formations and structures. This work continued through the fifties.]

"On October 20th, [I9321 upon motion by Mr. Pratt, the Houston Geological Society voted to appoint a committee ... to co-operate with a similar committee of the San Antonio Geological Society regarding geologic nomen- clature in the Upper Tertiary of the Texas Gulf Coast ...

It was, therefore, jointly agreed between the two committees to report back to their respective societies the following recommendation for the nomenclature of this series of beds ...

Beaumont Formation [definition] ... Lissie Formation [definition] ... Goliad Formation [definition] ... Lagarto Formation [definition] ...

If we secure the approval of the San Antonio Society, we will immediately pass the recommendations on. .. to the U.S.G.S.

J. Brian Eby, Chairman Tertiary Nomenclature

Committee"

and gas fields in the Gulf Coast area to eliminate the confusion arising from the use of two or more names for the same field. A standing committee on nomenclature was appointed. The San Antonio Geological Society was advised of our action, and committees from both societies establish- ed a boundary line between the areas which each was to control.

The names of fields and domes in our area were selected by mail ballot, submitted to the Gulf Coast Oil Scouts Association for approval, and finally adopted ...

[Partial List] STANDARDIZED OBSOLETE NAMES COUNTY NAME(S) Raccoon Bend Austin-Waller Ives Creek ... Barbers Hill Chambers Mount Belview. .. Lost Lake Chambers Cove ... Orchard Fort Bend Moore's Field.. . Esperson Liberty Sheeks ...

[NOTE: Some things never change! Dues were still only $2.00 when the following item was included in the minutes.]

"...It is recommended that the members be more prompt in payment of their dues. The Secretary-Treasurer has the duties of this office to perform in addition to his duties with his company, and I particularly wish to urge you to pay these promptly upon the receipt of your notice ..."

W. F. Bowman, President Minutes, 1935

[NOTE: These days, we may arrange for group airfare to a national meeting, but it was done with more style in the early years.]

"The matter of a special train from Houston to the Chicago meeting of the AAPG was discussed. Mr. Thompson stated a representative from Santa Fe had promised that they would run a special train for the exclusive benefit of members to the convention at Chicago. It was pointed out that other railroads would likely do the same, but Mr. Bell suggested that the Santa Fe would be the logical train to use for the reason that it would run from Houston via Dallas, Fort Worth, Oklahoma City and Wichita, Kansas, and would thus be able to pick up special cars with our members from Corpus Christi, San Angelo, Midland, San Antonio, Dallas, Fort Worth, Oklahoma City, and Wichita. This would make a full group of AAPG members and would thus be a more congenial group for a trip. It was agreed that we would unofficially sponsor the Santa Fe Special ..."

Olin G. Bell, Secretary Minutes, 1940

"During these years the train trips to the national conventions got to be rather prominent social affairs ...

As soon as these trains pulled out of the Houston station, they were declared (unofficially) to have crossed the Texas border insofar as card games were concerned. The odor of strong drink soon permeated the air and the party

Bulletin Houston Geo log~ca l Socfety March 1993 44

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was on! After dinner, in the Lounge Car, bank nights were held, where cash prizes were drawn. A piano was placed aboard these trains and plenty of singing and dancing kept the crowd well entertained during most of the night.

On the trip to Los Angeles in 1947, there was a 12 hour lay-over at the Grand Canyon. During this lay-over some of the members went by mule down into the Canyon. Others took bus trips along the rim. It was here that the Dallas crowd conceived the idea of stealing the piano, and - except for a little slip up in plans - would have succeeded. We shudder to think what would have happened had that $5,000.00 grand piano disappeared!"

W. F. Bowman, Historian from 'The Houston Geological

Society During 1946- 1949'

[NOTE: The HGS began its scholarship program in the forties.]

"Mr. Thompson [president, 1939.491 suggested that several of the local sections of the AAPG ... had adopted a system of taking under their sponsorship a school giving good courses in geology and offering one or more prizes each year for students ... We agreed that we would adopt A&M College due to its proximity to Houston ..."

Olin G. Bell, Secretary Minutes, 1940

[NOTE: There were several lively entertainment events each year, including the always popular and well-attended dinner dances. However, there were also some notorious stag parties during the early years of the HGS. One such script is preserved in its entirety.]

"Wallace Thompson [president, 1939-19401 introduces Master of Ceremonies ... Said he had many applications for the job and decided to make the best trade he could for the Society. [Master of Ceremonies] finally out bid all the other applicants by agreeing to release log of Conroe-Wilcox well.

Master of Ceremonies [accompanying himself on the ukelele]: 'And is my face red? But not as red as another part of me was when we finished that well! At that, the only difference between me and the Gulf is that they knew when they had missed the boat and I wouldn't admit it ... Ah, but you haven't seen anything yet ... With great pleasure and pride Houston Geological Entertainments, Inc., presents Marilyn the Marvelous, in a dance copy- righted by the Louisiana Geophysical Division of The Texas Company, entitled 'the Drapes of Erath' ..."

Anonymous author February 23, 1940

[NOTE: Again, some things never change. Geologists of the forties worried about the same supply-and-demand issues which continue to plague us today.]

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"It has been argued that the reserves will, in time, become depleted, and that oil will increase in price. A few short years ago - in 1925 - there was a great hue and cry over the land that we were about to run out of petroleum. At that time it was estimated that our reserves were in the neighborhood of five billion barrels. People said we were going to play out of oil. Scarcity was impending! Let's see what happened. Since that date we have consumed eleven and one-half billion barrels of oil. Today we have approxi- mately seventeen and one-half billion barrels of oil in reserve in the ground and over five hundred million barrels of all oils in storage above ground.

Truly, we have not run out of petroleum. We are able today to obtain almost twice as many gallons of gasoline out of a barrel as we did in 1925. Incidentally, the consumer paid 29 cents a gallon for gasoline in 1920 and no tax. Today, he gets a far superior gasoline at 14% cents a gallon, not counting tax. Private enterprise and free competition did that ."

from "Market Demand Statute of Texas as it Relates to the Prevention of Actual Physi- cal Waste in Proration of Oil", an address to the HGS .

Ernest 0. Thompson October 1940

45 Bulletin Houston Geolog~cal Soc~ety . March 1993

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[NOTE: World War I1 had a significant effect on the HGS. Active enrollment dropped by thirty percent as members joined the armed forces or transferred to other locations. Research efforts and scholarships were suspended 'for the duration', and were replaced by wartime projects. The Society did, however, continue holding its technical meetings throughout the war years.]

"A committee ... was appointed by President Speed to represent the Houston Geological Society to work out plans with the local defense authorities whereby the Society or the geologists could assist in any way in the defense program."

Wayne Z. Burkhead, Secretary Minutes, 1941

"No speaker was available for [the March 6 luncheon meeting], so an open forum discussion was held on the 'Application of Geology and Geophysics to War and Post- War Problems of the Petroleum Industry' ... A nearly unanimous vote of approval for further meetings of this type was made by the members . . . A rough transcript of the ideas presented here is attached ...

Question: 'Will not loss of the East Indies and other foreign oil make such a demand on our oil that our reserves will not be adequate?' Duessen: 'Loss of foreign oil will present a transporta- tion problem rather than one of supply ... The estimate of reserves. especially in East Texas and West Texas, is on the low side.' Speed: 'If production in Texas is materially increased from the present rate, will this not have a serious effect on bottom-hole pressures?'

Duessen: 'True, only a very few fields in Texas can stand stepped-up production. Additional drilling and development is necessary to maintain an increased rate of production ... Question: 'Do certain classes of fields in the province furnish oil or gas of a kind which is especially essential to war time requirements? Judson: 'Napthenic crudes rather than paraffinic crudes are desirable for aviation gasoline ... Fifty-five percent of the napthenic crudes in Texas come from the Eocene ... Miocene crudes have a jump on Frio crudes in naptha ...' Question: 'What application of geological and geo physical technique can most efficiently meet the requirements indicated?' Bowman: A review by all geologists of their files for old prospect data should result in finding some new oil.' "

Wayne Z. Burkhead, Secretary Minutes, 1942

"Motion by Mr. Paul Weaver that the Secretary investigate the availability of a slide projector for the Society, bearing in mind its use in war work ... Motion seconded by Mr. George Buchanan that the Executive Committee be empowered to inve:tigate and possibly purchase ... [a] projector. Mr. Weaver expressed doubt as to whether or not the Houston Geological Society could obtain the necessary bulbs unless purchased on a war order ..."

Hillard W. Carey, Secretary Minutes, 1943

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Bu l l e t~n Houston Geoloy~cal Soc~ety March 1993 46

Page 49: HGS Bulletin Volume 35 No.7 (March 1993)

"Environment ""pa A n h i s '

"Mr. Sidney Judson, Chairman of the Defense Com- mittee, gave a report on the progress of the combined technical societies plans for participation in petroleum defense work in the Third Railroad Commission District. At the request of the 'black-out' committee, twenty-six members volunteered as observers in the oil fields of Harris and Montgomery Counties for the proposed two county black-out on the night of Monday, January 12, [1942]."

Wayne Z. Burkhead, Secretary Minutes, 1942

"Mr. Earl B. Noble [Vice President of the AAPG] announced that there would definitely be a convention in Denver this spring, but that it would be streamlined ... No entertainment program was contemplated."

Wayne Z. Burkhead, Secretary Minutes, 1942

Mr. Sidney Judson moved that a Military Service Committee of three members be appointed. The purpose of this committee would be to obtain information in order to advise members how and where to obtain commissions as technical officers in the army or navy ...

Mr. Sanders ... asked the Society to cooperate with [Claude] Haniill's office in volunteering services for polling Harris Countj, for Defense Bond buying ..."

Wayne 2. Burkhead, Secretary Minutes, 1942

"The principal speaker [at the October 8 luncheon meeting] was Dr. Roy R. Morse, head of the Exploration Department of the Shell Oil Company, Houston, Texas. His talk, illustrated by a map, was entitled 'Geological Highlights of China and their Relation to the War'. Particular emphasis was placed upon the rugged erosional and structural topographic features which have seriously impaired military progress for the Japanese.

C . D. Lockwood spoke briefly, stating in closing that he was leaving for the duration to act as assistant to Mr. Swanson in Washington, with the 0 .P .C ..."

William L. Horner, Secretary Minutes. 1942

"Members of the Houston Geological Society: Your Executive Committee feels that now with our

effort to return to normal peacetime activities we should reestablish some of the activities which were out of necessity temporarily abandoned during the war ... The Study Group Committee will plan and arrange for a series of study groups ... The Field Trips Committee will arrange for one or more appropriate field trips during the year ... The Publica- tion Committee will arrange to publish mimeographed copies of the Study Group Reports, Field Trip Booklets, and other papers ... The Personal Relations Committee . . . will probably have a part in the Society's activities for only one year. It is made up exclusively of returned servicemen with a view to offer advice and council to other returning service- men and young geologists just emerging from school in finding work or other assignments suitable for them and with helping these people to orient themselves in our postwar activities ..."

Olin G. Bell, President Letter to the membership, 1945

"The Student Award Plan ... was resumed with the 1945-46 school year. The only change ... was that two students from each department competed for the Student Awards (instead of the previous six students]. This was at

Continued on page 48

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47 Bulletin Hous ton Geological S o c ~ e t y M a r c h 1993

Page 50: HGS Bulletin Volume 35 No.7 (March 1993)

International Brief, continued from page 13. Large anticlinal structures have not been located

by the sparse seismic coverage to date. Much of the area is not yet well-explored. Fault and pinchout traps are likely exploration targets, and intraformational shales should provide good seals.

Petroleum exploration south of the Nadda and Berri basins began in the 1950s.

In 1961, South Australia Department of Mines and Energy commissioned an aeromagnetic survey, and follow-up refraction surveys in 1961-62 led to the drilling of Australian Oil and Gas Corporation's Loxton-1. Fifteen wells have been drilled to date without a commercial discovery. No work has been done since the last well, Cooltong-1, was drilled by International Mining in 1988, but an application cover- ing the area of interest has been lodged.

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Historical Feature, continued from page 4 7. the request of the departmental heads of the college because the enrollment in those departments was far below pre-war in number."

R. C. Bowles from 'History of Student

Awards of the Houston Geological Society'

May 7, 1946

"It was during this period that geophysical exploration in the Gulf of Mexico was under way ... This extension of the Salt Dome Province was, at least in the beginning, a problem for the geophysical members of the Society.

The independent geologist was almost completely barred from the Gulf of Mexico by the tremendous cost involved in explorations. As a result, the independent geologists, and geologists for the smaller companies ... had begun to devote a part of their attention to West Texas and other areas ... More of the attention of the oilmen was going back to the piercement type salt domes."

W. F. Bowman, Historian from 'The Houston Geological

Society During 1946-1949'

[NOTE: Again, nothing ever really changes. We geologists can still be an ornery and insular group of people . . . I

"Question was asked whether an apology was in order because [the Society of Exploration Geophysicists] was not included in regional meeting plans. Unanimous agreement that none was necessary.

Mr. [ O h ] Bell discussed at some length the purpose of the program for the aforementioned meeting. One of his chief concerns at the meeting was that there were only about fifteen members of the HGS in attendance. He told us in a nice way that he believed more members should have heard the excellent papers given that day."

R. R . Rieke, Secretary Minutes. 1948

[NOTE: As an educational society, the HGS continued to find new ways to promote the science of geology.]

B u l l e t ~ n Houston Geo log~ca l Socety . March 1993 48

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"Col. Olin G. Bell introduced the speaker of the day, Mr. R. H. Vines. Mr. Vines gave an excellent and persuasive discussion of a proposed memorial in the form of a Natural Science Museum ... Mr. Vines asked the Society to appoint a committee to assist with the phase of the work pertaining to Geology."

R. R. Rieke, Secretary Minutes, 1948

[NOTE: In 1948, a contest was sponsored to create an emblem for the Society. Mr. W. J. Osterhoudt, of the Gulf Oil Corporation, was granted ten years of HGS membership for his winning entry.]

"One day when reviewing 'The Slide Rule', the official publication of the Houston Engineers Club, Phil F. Martyn noticed that most of the technical and scientific societies of Houston had seals emblematic of their societies. It occurred to him that the Houston Geological Society was deficient in this respect, and ... he called it to the attention of President Childers.. .

Letters were sent out asking the members of the Houston Geological Society to submit designs which they considered appropriate for such an emblem and seal ...

Mr. Osterhoudt explains the emblem and seal of the Houston Geological Society in this way: 'The oil field derrick is an emblem of the success of the members of the Society. This derrick is firmly established upon the Gulf Coast Plains overlooking Galveston Bay to the southeast, through which passes much of the oil to the markets of the world. Beyond Galveston Bay is the Gulf of Mexico, a new province, which challenges geologists and geophysicists to almost unlimited new reserves. Under the oil field derrick is a cross-section of a typical Gulf Coast salt dome surrounded and overlain by sands and shales forming the different types of oil reservoirs. The words 'Houston Geological Society' are engraved upon a circle which is symbolical of the world, because our geologists come from, and travel to, all places on the earth in search of oils and other minerals. The five points of the design are symbolic of the star of the Lone Star State and are a pleasant reminder that we, the members of the Houston Geological Society, are privileged to live and to work in the State of Texas. The '1923'represents the year in which the Society was organized.' "

W. F. Bowman, Historian from 'The Houston Geological

Society During 1946-1949'

"[Mr. Osterhoudt accepted his award] with his usual good comments. He had a number of things to say about just why he had shown less oil around the salt dome, for iinstance, than some geologists would have, and how he felt about the region offshore in the Gulf of Mexico! His comments were very well received."

R. R. Rieke, Secretary Minutes, 1948

[NOTE: The issue of registration for geologists was first raised in the fifties.]

"The President then presented the proposed bill pro- viding for the state registration of geologists; this bill, patterned after that which established similar registration

for Professional Engineers, was prepared under the direction of Dr. Clyde Ikins and W. A. Clark, Jr. After hearing its provisions, the [HGS Executive] Committee decided to recommend to the incoming new officers that they push for introduction of the bill at the next session of the state legislature, that they poll the opinion of Society membership on the matter, and if favorable results are obtained, that they present it to other geological societies over Texas in order to enlist all possible support for its passage.

Some of the 'pros' advanced for the new bill were: (1) it would legalize the profession: (2) it would make for better public relations; and (3) it would serve as a protection against incapable amateur geologists. The 'cons' brought out: 1) that benefits of their bill; (2) that considerable expense is involved in the administration of such a bill: and (3) that it might only add to 'bureaucracy'in the state. Other committee members suggested that the registration of geologists might be incorporated with the present setup for engineers - the objection voiced to this was that the geologists' bill might thereby lose its identity."

Frank J. Gardner, Secretary Minutes, 1952-53

[NOTE: Dr. John H. Murrell spoke to the HGS in support of registration. Dr. Murrell was Vice President of DeGolyer and MacNaughton and past Chairman of the Texas State Board of Registration of Professional Engineers.]

"[Following the speech and discussion], a motion was made by John Todd [an] Independent, and simultaneously seconded by Shap Gray [an] Independent and Leonardon [of] Schlumberger, that 'The Houston Geological Society be made of record in favor of amending the Professional Engineer Law to include geologists and geophysicists in the State of Texas'. Discounting those who did not vote, approximately 170 were in favor and eight against the proposal." 4~

John L. P. Campbell, Secretary Minutes, 1954-54

[NOTE: The fifties was a boom period for the HGS, as it was for the country as a whole. The Society first doubled in size; then tripled. Dues increased to three dollars, and then to $4.50. By the sixties, dues had increased to $6.00, the price of the luncheon meetings was $2.05, and the dinner meetings cost $4.10. (Drinks were an additional seventy-five cents!) With all the basic formation names in place, the nomenclature committee turned its efforts towards pre- paring geologic highway road logs of the state of Texas. The HGS hosted the enormously popular and well-attended AAPG Annual Convention of 1953. The profits from this convention tripled the cash assets of the Society and were used to expand the scholarship program to include the University of Texas and Rice University.

By the late sixties, the Houston Geological Soiciety was easily recognized as the organization we know today. As we look back at the formative years of our Society, it is interesting to note that some of the issues which faced our early members are still with us today.]

49 Bulletin Houston Geological Society, March 1993

Page 52: HGS Bulletin Volume 35 No.7 (March 1993)

THE HOUSTON AND NEW ORLEANS

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Bullet in Houston Geolog~cal Soctety, March 1993 50

Page 53: HGS Bulletin Volume 35 No.7 (March 1993)

SEPM HIGHLIGHTS

OUTSTANDING PAPERS RECEIVE AWARDS

SEPM will honor the recipients of the awards for Outstanding Paper in the Journal of Sedimentary Petrology and in PALAIOS at the Society's Annual Meeting in New Orleans, April 1993. Andrew D. Miall (University of Toronto) will receive the award for his paper "Stratigraphic Sequences and Their Chronostratigraphic Correlation" in the Journal of Sedimentary Petrology, Volume 61, Number 4. Rodney Watkins (Milwaukee Public Museum) will receive the award for his paper "Guild Structure and Tiering in a High- Diversity Silurian Community, Milwaukee County, Wisconsin" in PALAIOS, Volume 6, Number 5.

Honorable mention was made of R. H. Lander (University of Illinois, Urbana, IL) and S. Bloch, S. Mehta and C. D. Atkinson (ARC0 Oil and Gas Company, Plano, TX) for their paper "Burial Diagenesis of Paleosols in the Giant Yacheng Gas Field, People's Republic of China" in the Journal of Sedimentary Petrology, Volume 61, Number 2. Honorable mention was made of Gerta Keller (Princeton University of the Negev, Beer Sheva, Israel) for their paper "Paleoenvironment of the eastern Tethys in the Early Paleocene" in PALAIOS, Volume 6, Number 5.

SOCIETY'S HIGHEST HONORS ANNOUNCED

SEPM will honor the recipients of the Twenhofel, Shepard, Moore and Pettijohn Medals and Honorary Membership at the Society's Annual Meeting in New Orleans, April 1993. Robert H. Dott (University of Wisconsin, Madison) will receive the William H. Twenhofel Medal, the Society's highest award for sustained excellence in outstanding contributions to sedimentary geology. William B. F. Ryan (Doherty Senior Scientist, Lamont Doherty Geological Observatory, Palisades, NY) will receive the Francis P. Shepard Medal for outstanding contributions to marine geology. Rueben J . Ross (Colorado School of Mines, Boulder) will receive the Raymond C. Moore Medal for a significant record of outstanding contributions in paleontology. Charles V. Campbell (Exxon Production Research Company, Florence, MT) will receive the Francis J . Pettijohn Medal for excellence in sedimentology. Charles Ross (Geostrat Consultants, Bellingham, WA) will receive Honorary Membership for excellence in professional achievements and extraordinary service to the Society.

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Byron F. Dyer

REGISTER NOW FOR TWO SHORT COURSES

"Modern and Ancient Deep-sea Fan Sedimentation" is the focus of a comprehensive three-day seminar sponsored by SEPM (Society for Sedimentary Geology) for geologists and geophysicists. It will be held Tuesday, April 20 through Thursday April 22,1993 in Houston, Texas. The instructors are C. Hans Nelson, U.S. Geological Survey - Menlo Park and Tor H. Nilsen, Independent Consultant.

"Paleokarst-Related Hydrocarbpn Reservoirs" is the focus of a one-day core workshop sponsored by SEPM (Society for Sedimentary Geology) on Sunday, April 25, 1993, in New Orleans. The workshop is to be held in conjunction with the AAPGISEPM Annual Meeting, although meeting registration is not required for workshop attendance.

The organizers of the core workshop are James Lee Wilson, Consultant, New Braunfels, TX; Mateu Esteban, ERICO, London, England: Donald Yuewicz, Exxon, Houston, TX; and Richard Fritz, Masera, Tulsa, OK.

SEPM is an international society of sedimentary geologists that promotes a synergistic approach to under- standing earth history through integration of physical, chemical and biological subdisciplines of earth sciences. Founded in 1926, it currently has over 5,000 members from academia, industry and government organizations.

5 1 Bu l l e t~n Houston Geolog~cal Soctety, March 1993

Page 54: HGS Bulletin Volume 35 No.7 (March 1993)

--

EXPLORATION ACTIVITY REVIEW

By Bill Eisenhardt Consultant, Geol. Representative-Geomap Co.

National Rig Count: January 23-794; Year Ago-686 Gulf of Mexico Rig Count: 105

(Domestic activity is reviewed quarterly and will next appear in April.)

INTERNATIONAL HIGHLIGHTS Provided by PETROCONSULTANTS, Foreign Scouting Division, Geneva, Switzerland

LATIN AMERICA Ecuador

In early December, unconfirmed reports indicated that the first of a five-well exploratory drilling program by Petroproduccion in an eastern portion of the Oriente Block was a significant oil discovery. Wildcat Ishpingo 1 I-eportedly encountered a 144' zone saturated with 18" API oil in the Maastrichtian Upper Napo "M-1" Sand. Located about 20 miles southwest of the Tiputini Minas 1 oil discovery, the projected 7050' wildcat was drilling ahead below 5000'.

Guyana In mid-December, a Guyana Hunt-led group was about

to spud the first wildcat since 1982 onshore Guyana. Turantsink 1, located in the Takutu Block (Takutu Gra- ben), 386 km (240 miles) SSW of Georgetown and 17 miles SSE of Home Oil's subcommercial oil discovery Karanambo 1, will be drilled to TD 3535 m (11,598'). Wildcat Karanambo 1, the most significant of four wells drilled to date in this Mesozoic rift basin, yielded 409 BOPD (42" API) from a 105 m (345') gross interval below 2726 m (8944') in the Lower Manari shales (Lower to Middle Jurassic) and the Apoteri fractured basalt (Upper Triassic).

Venezuela In early November, Lagoven announced that Bach-

aquero 2015 had discovered a new productive zone below the known reservoirs in the Bachaquero Field. The new- pool wildcat was drilled to TD 14,535', and tested 1,373 BOPD (44" API) and 4,095 MCFGPD from the Eocene Misoa Formation below 14,028'. Based on preliminary data, initial reserves of this new reservoir could be as high as 43 MBO. To date, only medium and heavy crudes have been produced between 2000-8000' in this area.

EUROPE Italy

Fiat-Rimi has made a gas discovery in the San Andrea concession, 11 miles southeast of Belluno and about 2 miles northeast of the 1991 San Antonio gas find in the southern Alps foothills. Wildcat Anzano 1 was drilled to TD 1407 m (4616'), with the new reservoir believed to be in intercalated sands within the Middle Miocene San Dona Marl Formation.

Norway (Offshore) Saga's 34/7-21 wildcat between Statfjord and Tordis

flowed 5,660 BOPD from the Jurassic. A sidetrack is currently being drilled as a first appraisal.

United Kingdom (Offshore) Amoco has a promlslng gas dmovery In the Irish Sea a

short d~stance northeast of Morecambe F~eld Wddcat 113/29 1 flowed 22,000 MCFGPD f ~ c l n ri,e Sherwood Sandstone FUI ;her clr~ll~ng 1s la^, y r t I I I- year

AFRICA Egypt (Offshore)

Petrobel, an Agip/EGPC joint-venture, has discovered oil and gas at wildcat GM-HAA 1, located in the Ras Gharra development lease in the southern Gulf of Suez. Flow rate was 2,200 BOPD and 6,000 MCFGPD from a pay zone presumably in the Nubia Group.

Nigeria (Offshore) Chevron's Offe 1, located in OML 89 off Forcados on

the ~ i g e r Delta shelf, encountered two gas sands, report- edly between 1400-1800 m (4593-5905'). Shows are also reported from a deeper zone in appraisal Offe 2.

NEAR EAST Oman

In northern Oman, PDO discovered oil at wildcat Lobnah 1, located about 6 yi miles SSE of the Shibkah Field. TD was 1696 m (5565'). No test results have been disclosed so far, but the pay zone is presumably in the Cretaceous.

Saudi Arabia Saudi Aramco encountered undisclosed amounts of

gas in an onshore well drilled in the Midyan region on the northern Red Sea coastal plain. Except for a few offshore wells drilled between 1969 and 1971, no drilling appears to have been carried out along this coast.

FAR EAST Brunei (Offshore)

Shell reports a significant discovery at wildcat Enggang 1, drilled in coastal waters northeast of the Seria-Tali fields. The 3734 m (12,251') test flowed 2,250 BOPD and 18,400 MCFGPD from what appears to be separate zones at 1600 m and 3700 m (5250' and 12,140'), respectively, on the northern flank of the Seria-Tali anticline. Production at Seria-Tali is from Miocene to Pleistocene sandstones forming numerous stacked and block-faulted reservoirs at

Bulletin Houston Gealoqlcal Soclety M a r c h 1993 5 2

Page 55: HGS Bulletin Volume 35 No.7 (March 1993)

depths ranging from 150-2000 m (492-6562'). So far, the is in Block M-13, about 420 km (261 miles) from Yangon and northern flank of the structure has been water-bearing. 150 km (93 miles) off the coast.

Indonesia (Offshore) In the Makassar Strait (Kutei Basin), Total has made a

discovery at wildcat Nubi 1 in the Mahakam Delta Marine Block. A test run below 3500 m (11,484') flowed 1,651 BOPD, 58,300 MCFGPD and 1,192 BCPD, probably from a zone in the Kampung Baru Group (Upper to Middle Miocene), the main objective. Drillsite is 11 miles southeast of the Tunu oil/gas/condensate field.

Myanmar (Offshore) In December, Texaco made the first hydrocarbon

discovery on the Tenasserim Shelf in the Andaman Sea. Wildcat Yetagun 1 tested an aggregate of 75,000 MCFGPD and 1,800 BCPD (47.5" API) from four zones between 1950- 2195 m (6398-7202'), presumably in the Miocene. Location

AUSTRALIA South Australia

Santos' wildcat Coopers Creek 2, located in PEL 5 & 6 Merrimelia and about two miles WSW of Coopers Creek 1 (abandoned with gas shows in 1971), was suspended as a gas discovery. Drilled to TD 3155 m (10,352'), the new find tested an aggregate of 12,203 MCFGPD from two zones in the Permian Patchawarra Formation.

West Australia Anzoil has successfully completed wildcat Point

Torment 1 in OCA's EP-104 permit (Canning Basin). The new gas discovery tested 4,300 MCFGPD on a single DST, with further testing planned at a later date. Initial objective was an Upper Carboniferous sandstone.

Buying Oil & Gas A Golden Parachute for

Reserves Geologists?

Many geologists are currently frustrated by the lack of job opportunites in the energy business. Some savvy individuals have compensated for this business climate by purchasing and operating their own oil and gas production. This team-taught course will highlight the "pro's" and "con's" of owning your own working and royalty interests.

Your speakers will include: lim Gibbs, an independent geologist Patrick Gratton, an independent geologist Hiram Lucius, a landman with Shore Oil Bill Hamby, a consulting engineer John Preston, an independent geologist Feather Wilson, an environmentalist, and John Breed, an attorney.

These instructors will discuss their own personal experiences with: * Recognizing Profitable Situations * Avoiding Pitfalls * Buying and Selling * Getting Help When You Need It * Using R e s e ~ e Reports * Using Economics Reports

Course Focus: * Geological Aspects * Producing Properties * Workover Properties * Land and Legal Agreements * RRC Regulations * Environmental Considerations * Liabilities and Incorporation * Accounting and Tax Concerns

Date and Time: Saturday, April 17,1993 8:00 am to 4 90 pm Exxon Auditorium 800 Bell Street

Registration and Cost: $30 before April 12,1993 $40 at the door

Send check to: Houston Geological Society 7171 Harwin, #314 Houston, Texas 77036

Sponsored by the Continuing Education Committee of your Houston Geological Society

5 3 Bulletin Houston Geologfcal Society M a r c h 1993

Page 56: HGS Bulletin Volume 35 No.7 (March 1993)

"Support those who support our Society."

Geologist - Geophysicist - Engineer

place your business card here.

Send $1 13 with two cards and

you're advertising all year.

Te,~pkw-- h c

Paul W. Britt G e o l o g i s t

P.O. Drawer 450 (713) 341-1800 Richmond. Texas 77469 fax: efl. 55

T. WAYNE CAMPBELL PALEO-DATA, INC.

CONSULTING PALEONTOLOGIST AND GEOLOGIST

5319 FLEUR Ds LIS DRIVE NEW ORLEANS LOUISIANA 7012.

(W4) 4W3711

G E N E O S PETE C O K I N O S PETROLEUM AND GEOLOGICAL

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OU& Control Our Once or Yours Compet#twn Prices

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KALINEC & TILLEY Geophysics and Geojogy

3-D Seismic In terp icat ior ! (in-house)

Brhn J. Kslinrc - Ck&yxis Crrig W'. Tilk: - Geoiogra - C K 2713. sIPEs :m 6065 iblicro:~ Sum 3%! PhorrlFn (XI1 i i S 4 2 : O H o w . c T-z~ 7 0 9 ! Cumi.&rw 76:37230:

JOHN GREEN JOHN W. GREEN CO.

Geophysical Consult ing and Managemen1

I 827 Americana Building 81 ! Dallas Street Office: (713) 757-1 158 Houston. Tcxas 77002 Hornc: (713) 465-21 1

Bulletin Houston Geolog~cai Soc~ety. March 1993

CERTtF.ED PETROLEUM GEOLOG~ST AAPG CALIFORE. A RFGISTEHEO GEOLOGIST -IC

FETAOI FUM URAFTING

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JUNE H BRENAN

A PRINCIPLE ENERGY DEVELOPMENT

Michael J. Carroll Stalf Geoscientist

11 7W-6 Grant R d . Sulte 222 Cyprcls. Toxw 77429 (713) 370-7912

BOB DRAKE

4 PALE0 MARKETING. INC

DO.. K A T Y FWY. RVITC 19.-

WZA (8U.U E U N O T O N HOURTON. T X 77094 P a c ~ r o r n ~ ,713) 89.7-7490

Oltka (713) 558-1784 1713) 070-0590

M.L. "Newt" Feldman ConsuHlng Qeo(ogIs1

Translat~onr a! Ti-:hs - - 4 D ~ u m e n h . l.'awa~s i z r C;ntrac:s and Cimer Texts

C, ' 0

2. 8 7 C S Eacy Freeway A. slim 104

JAMES B BENNETT RANDALL SCHOll c.mPr m c r

Log analysis, cross sectio~~s, and mapping

P.0 Drawer 450 (713) 311-1000 Rtchmond. Texas 77469 fax: eo . 55

OUlSllNA TEXA

JACK Colt t

JACK COLLE & ASSOCIATES CONSULTING GiOLOGlST b PALtONldLOGlSl

91 I \VAlXFR SUIT1 311

HOUSTON IFXAS 7IW2

JACK COLLE J G WAPD

113 3288131 7 12 338 822 R F C R21-9555 RFS 457 7191

DRAWS INTERESTS, INC. JEFFREY J. DRAWS Ph D

Applied Carbonate Sedirnentology Regional Play Evaluation

Reservoir Descripl iof lodeling Facies and Porosity Evolution

h-House and Field Carbonale Seminas

4133 Temyson. Houston. Texas 77005

(713) 667-9844 (W) l(713) 667-5453 (H)

13105 N O R ~ T FRW. Sum 760 Housm~. TWS 77040 Om (713) 939-82J3

Raymond J. Forblsh Geologlcal Consultant

AmaocI~l.d Wllh: Inl.prml.d Fhld Studln: 1. J. Smdth 6 Company. Inc. Slruclure. Stral~graphy, 1331 Lamar. Suite 1340 Pelrophyslcs, Resewolr Houston. Texas 77010 Production Exp(oi1alion. Protect (713) 651.0551 Idanltficatian 6 Documenlal~on

TGS-CALIBRE GEOPHYSICAL COMPANY INTERPRETATION DIVISION

CONSULTING EIOSTRATIGRAPHY Domest~c and International

RASHEL ROSEN BERNARD SHAFFER FORAMINIFERA. CALPlONELLlDS NANNOFOSSILS 713 754-6789 71 3 7 W 7 M

a%%#: (SU) 888-4792 )tm: (5l2) 991-7450

Page 57: HGS Bulletin Volume 35 No.7 (March 1993)

"Support those who support our Society."

W. Kurt Hilarides P r e s i d e n t

12 10 f l a m b l e n R o a d S t ~ l t c 100 B u s : (713) 358-5365 Kirip,?,wxl. TX 77339 H o m e : (713) 354-4098

HOLMGREN Exploration R I ' r~durl ion. Im..

I)EkNIS A . IIO1,hlGREN

t ON5\ll.l l N f ~ f ~ l . O l . O ~ ~ l S T 011 ANl)(iAS FY1'1 ORATION

..,a L . .

SOUTHERN STATES PROFESSIONAL LOG ASSOCIATION, INC.

011 WALKER ST 350 St4 JACINTO B L W HOUSTON. TEUS 77002

BAROAR* KNOX (713) 2252175

l r r t i a r y T r e n i i Exploration. I nc !Fd, -. . 6217 " Fdloe 5t rcr t

I l oo r l on . TX 77005

Tr lcphone. 713-661-4294

R - E N E Fax: 713 666.2354 . r l P I O I A l l ( i h L ~ - -

I ANN AYZRS MARTIN

Tribcw Oil And Gas Cor~.

BURTON C. BOlvEN Presicknt

WILLIAM B, TIJIWER 1010 L m r #I580 ROBERT H. FORDE Houston, Tx, 77002 WILLIAM C , BISHOP (713) 650-3614

- -

-\ D A V I S E X P L O R A T I O N C O N S U L T I N G

Joseph R. Davis

P 0 B o x 7 7 4 8

D o l l o s . T e x a s 7 5 2 0 9

1142 The 603 Bulldin0 Corpus Chnsti. Texas 78473

R m OHOtJl' INSURANCE PROORAM

I 1013 RAN JAnNTO H1.IXI HOUSTON. T X 7700s

P.O. Box 441372 (713j407.7603 Hourlon. TX 77244.1372

HAROLD V. HILTON Cmtlfkd P n r A r n O o d w

CPO I)(Y

S~ I8 l l r l ns In Soulh Loulsl8n8 EXPLORATION-SEDIMENT ATION-PALE0

(504) 831-C874 (0) (504) 838-7943 (H)

JURASIN OIL AND GAS 433 METAIRIE RD. 1 117

METAIRIE. LOUISIANA 70005

JOHN M. JURASIN H o r n Preridenl 1349 Lakeshore Dr. C&. Pel. Geolqjisl 1 4284 MeUlrle. LA 70005

WILLIAM A. LAMONT GEOPHYSICAL CONSULTAN1

4923 MAPLE ST. BELLAIRE.TEXAS 77401 RES. 713668.0067

Tower Resources Corporation 421 N. Rodeo Dr., Suite 1577 Beverly Hills. California 90210 Tel(310) 822-3900 Fax (310) 8224460

TOWER RESOURCES

I. Phll Martin, Jr.

JACK E. COFPMAN PRESIDENT

SONORA PETROLEUM CORP 1 2 0 1 LOUISIANA SUITE 31m HOUSTON TEXAS 77032

PADGETT EXPLORATION

CARL M. PADGElT CONSULTING GEOPHYSICIST

10250 Bissonnet, Suite 326 Ofhce (713) 981-7026 Houston, TX 77036-7837 Res. (713) 87s-0440

Wiuahip Aaoaciatea. 9 ~ c .

STEVE H. HILL CONSULTING PETROLEUM GEOLOGIST

I I00 M I L A M BUILDING HOME: (7131 467 -4166 SUITE 3 4 6 0 AUTO: ( 7 1 3 ) 248 -3634 HOUSTON. T X 7 7 0 0 2 F A X : 171 3 ) 6 5 4 - 9 1 3 6

@ StrutiGruphics PALEONTOLOGICAL SERVICES

(713) 3633465 STEVE ROSE AND ASSOCIATES

FORAMINIFERA NANNOPLANKTON PALEOECOLOGY

1 FALLING STAR COURT THE WOODLANDS, TX 77381

UmC UMC PETROLEUM CORPORATION WI LOUI.IOLO SW~. I ~ O O XOU.~O~L T.I- noor

O I L A N D G A S E X P L O R A T I O N UMC P e t r o l e u m C o r p o r a t i o n i s seeking R l g h OUalitT. Hlgh P o t r n t i a l O p e n Acreage I d e a s In t h r G u l l C o a s t

.1-. cont=01. .ob.rl L. PIXOP .Irgloratlon Ypnom-r mr, MA- vuo

b s l n E n l w m Pm8p.d M.r*.tIng

Timothy J. Petta Ph.D Exploration Consulling

AlPG Cetiiication #7397

R M CONSULTANTS 332 So. Lynchburg Rd. Baytown, Texaa 77520

713-424-1777

OWNER ROBERT M A C K E

CONSULTING PETROLEUM G E O L 0 0 r n

E D W A R D McFARLAN. JR GEOLOGICAL C<lN\I1l 1 4 \ T

RESIDENCE Owl( t 10631 GAWAlN LANE 3 1 3 1 W hLAMhM5 \I 111 I31 HOUSTON. TEXAS 7024 HOUSTON. EXAS --us8 (7131 464-0jC)6 1 7 1 3 ) >29-4154

J . DAVID REEVES Consulting Geophysic~rt

1303 Emerald Green Blvd Houston. Texas 77094 (7 131 579-3550

LOYD TUTTLE

PALE0 CONTROL, INC.

M I C R O P A ~ O ~ ~ L O ~ Y

5625 N W CENTRAL OR SUITE 100

'IOUSTON T E X A S --a92 O F F L E - ' 3 690 1255 RESIDENCE '13 1166 -922

Cecil R. Rives PFTROl EVM CEOLOCIST

547 TI4RFE CORNERS HOUSTON. TI:XAS77024

7131461 -4203 FAX 7131467-1785

--

Bul ie t~n Houston Grologlcdl Sorlrty M a r c h 1993

Page 58: HGS Bulletin Volume 35 No.7 (March 1993)

"Support those who support our Society."

Agip Petroleum American Sequoia Exploration Ashland Exploration Co. Core Laboratories Core Service, Inc. Crosbie-Macomber David K. Davies EDC Edelman, Percival & Assoc. Exploration Data Service of Gulf Coast Mark R. Etheredge

ADVERTISERS Four Star Printing co. Geomap Gillring Oil Company Houston Log Assn. lntera lnformation Technologies Keystone Exploration LCT Lexco Data Systems LLOG Exploration Co. McKenzie Companies Masera Corp. (2 )

Micro-Strat Norcen Explorer, Inc. Omni Laboratories Paleo Control Paleo Data, Inc. Petroconsultants (2 ) Petroleum lnformation Petropros International Seitel, Inc. Texas Crude Univ. of Nevada, Reno

BARRY K VAN SANDT P E , A S A . M B A

VAN SANDT & ASSOCIATES, INC. Pclroleurn Engtneermg Consultants

ond Ftnoncml Anolyrlr

9525 Katy Freeway Swte 138 Of1 7131465 3792 Houston. Texas 77024 Res 7131467.7256

FLORIDA ALABAMA MlSSlSSlDPl

Office Telephone (205) Sl.2554 (305) 564-5976

PANHA-XDLE INDUSTRIES, INC. EXPLORATION PERMITTING . WELLSmlNG

Gbor~e M. Hidle, P.G. Post Office Box 11 663 General Mana~dr Ft Lauoerdale. FL 333391983

B.E.S.T. SECRETARIAL SERVICES 16350 Park 10 Place. Suite 100-6 Holrron.Tua 77084

Deanie K. BNW

7131579.2378 579-BEST Fax: 7131578.7644

CEOSTRAT CONSULTANI S Porneclzc and Inletnalrand

CHARLES A. ROSS MM Ihghland Dr. kllingham WA 9R2256410

(206) 7363040

Analysis of Depitional Sequences Environments of Deposition,

Palmmic Fmd Agc drtermmahnns and Rio+trati~raphic qmdics hrr

I'etroleum Explorstmn, Developmnt, and Rmervolr sNdies

Wmwlde Polical R~sk Wanagemen:

Bounoary Dtsputes. Secunty R~sks

Fred W. Kelly, Jr. Internabowl Pol~tlcal Anam Consultant

14434 Tmsted Oak Lane Phone: (713) 496-7654 Hamon. Texas 77079 CornpuSewe 70335,1214

W A R D H Y D R O D Y N A M I C S I N C .

GRANT S. WARD P e t r o l e u m H y d r o d y n a m i c C o n s u l t a n t

1 1 1 W e s t v i e w D r i v e K a l i s p e l l , M o n t a n a

5 9 9 0 1 - 3 3 6 8

( 4 0 6 ) 756-3762

Consulting Petroleum. Natural Gas 8 Geolog~cal Eng~neer

Harry E. Otell, Jr. Prestdent

Harry E Otell. Jr 8 Associates 5347 Oueensioch Houston. Texas 77096 (713) 723-6268

MANUEL ZEGARRA AND ASSOCIATES Geolog Geoph ics

EXPLORATION CON&LTANF~NTERNATIONAL Extensive Resident Experience in Peru, Venezuela - South America and U.S.A.

(US Dept. of Labor - Cert: TEC JOR4274762)

3233 Windchase' Blvd. t W 2 (71 3) 5890422 Houston, Texas 77082 Fax: (713) 782-1572

TGS-CALIBRE GEOPHYSICAL COMPANY ONSHORE DIVISION

333 CLAY SUITE 3900 MARV SAGER HOUSTON , TEXAS 77002 PHONE 713951-0853

BERT HOYT

FAX 713 739-7130 TERRY COLLINS

I AM LOOKNG FOR DRILLING PACKAGES FOR INYSTMENT BY ME OR MY INVESTORS.

Key acreage must almady be held, and a well ready to be drilled. GtI piospects only. Six well minimum Reld size.

$400.000 maxirrrun dry hole cost.

Please send prospect packages to: Sue Gordon

P.O. Box 2424 . Jackson Hole. WY 83001 (307) 739-91 51

A.D.Warren Focarnnlera and Nannofoss~ls I

64 19 Cam nt:o Cnlolan (6 191 454 3336 La Jo:la Cmlornia 92037 5809 F h X (61YJ 454-3337

WICKER GEOLOGICAL SERVICES, INC.

1527 SOUTH HEARTHSIDE (713) 341-8165 RICHMOND, TEXAS 77469

MITCHELL ENERGY & DEVELOPMENT CORP.

~~~~~~,~~~~ 77380

A EXPLORATION PRODUCTION GAS PROCESSING

JAMES W. ROACH r n R O L C U Y OCOL001ST

I Charles E. (Chuck) Konen lnternational Consultant

Petrophysics 1 Formation Evaluation

1671 9 Mandeville (71 3, 376-4638 S p r i n ~ . Texas 77379

JAVAN N. MEINWALD. PG Geosc~ence Consultant

3730 Brandywtne Drtve Ph (504) 8857168 Metame. LA 70002 FAX (504) 88571 68

Bullet~n Houston G~oloq~cel Soc~~ty. M a r c h 1993

Page 59: HGS Bulletin Volume 35 No.7 (March 1993)

T E X A S C R U D E AN INDEPENDENT OIL & GAS COMPANY SINCE 1941

ANNOUNCING THE RELOCATION OF THE TEXAS CRUDE COMPANIES

TO THE TEXAS CRUDE BULZDING AT 2803 BUFFALO SPEEDWAY, HOUSTON, TEXAS 77098

P. 0. BOX 56586, HOUSTON, TEXAS 77256-6586 TELEPHONE: 71 3-599-9900 ..............................

Peter J. Fluor, President & C.E.O. K. C. Weiner, Vice-president

Doug O'Brien, Exploration Manager A1 Curry, Operations Manager

Page 60: HGS Bulletin Volume 35 No.7 (March 1993)

Bulletin Houston Geological Society 71 71 HARWIN, SUITE 314

HOUSTON, TEXAS 77036-21 9 0

SECOND CLASS U.S. POSTAGE

PA1 D Houston, Texas

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