Dear Colleagues,
On behalf of AAPG and the Organizing Committee, it is my pleasure and
honor to welcome you to the 2018 International Conference and Exhibition
(ICE) under the theme “Shaping the Future in a Changing Energy Landscape”
at the Cape Town International Convention Centre, South Africa. As the
theme implies this is a pivotal time in our industry and we will be discussing
our current realities, the challenges, and the opportunities that will drive our
industry into the future.
I am delighted to welcome you to Cape Town, a city
renowned not only for its unique geological and
geographical setting but also the exceptional warmth
and hospitality of its people. It is therefore not a
coincidence that Cape Town is having the singular
honor of being the first city in Africa to host the AAPG
ICE again after the outstanding success of Cape
Town 2008, which had more than 1,950 participants
in attendance.
From its formation in 1917 through today, the purpose
of AAPG has remained the same — foster scientific
research, advance the science of geology, promote
technology, and inspire professional conduct.
As the world’s premier professional geoscience
association, with more than 30,000 members in
129 countries, AAPG provides a unique platform for
formulating solutions to the key challenges facing
the energy industry through sharing the ideas that
drive innovations in our industry to solve not only the
challenges of today but those of tomorrow.
With the 2018 Cape Town ICE being co-located with Africa Oil Week at the
International Convention Centre, this meeting provides a unique opportunity
for geologists, geophysists, petrophysicists, and other petroleum industry
professionals from all over the world to not only to connect and share
knowledge, develop their skills, discover technology innovations, and
network with their peers, but to also meet with decision makers, top industry
executives, and decision makers.
The global energy landscape has changed significantly in the last decade,
and this trend is expected to continue. The impact of increased production
from unconventional oil has disrupted the traditional global oil and gas
demand and supply balance. In Africa, the era of world-class deep-water
discoveries in the Gulf of Guinea seems to have given way to huge gas
discoveries in East and Southern Africa. Thrown into the mix are renewables,
which are fast becoming a formidable source of energy. All these topics and
their impact on the future energy mix will be discussed at this conference.
From the hundreds of outstanding abstracts received, 494 exceptional
abstracts have been selected for oral and poster presentations. The
technical program is focused around 14 core themes:, History of Petroleum
E&P in Africa; Conventional Reservoirs; Unconventional Resources;
Exploration and Production in Mature Basins; New and Emerging Exploration
Basins; Deep-water Exploration and Production; Petroleum Systems, Basin
Modeling, and Risk; Tectonics, Basins, and Trap Formation; Integration of
Geophysics with Geology; Deriving Value from the Integration of Geoscience;
The Increasing Importance of Gas; Innovation and Technology; Business
and Regulatory Environment; and E&P and the
Environment We Live In.
An outstanding array of industry professionals from
all over the world will participate and share during
the sessions. There will be an executive plenary
titled, ‘Global Energy Supply and Demand: Where
Does the Road Lead’ as well as an Africa executive
plenary session on ‘Capitalizing on Africa’s
Success; Energy for Economic Prosperity.’ There
will be four special sessions of invited talks on the
History of Petroleum E&P in Africa; the Increasing
Importance of Gas; Business and Regulatory
Environment; and E&P and the Environment We
Live In. There will also be exciting and informative
field trips, short courses, and special programs for
students and young professionals to complement
this outstanding program.
An event of this magnitude is only possible due
to the dedication and tireless commitment of
the technical team, members of the Organizing
Committee, the AAPG staff, members of affiliate and sister organizations,
and the army of volunteers who have worked tirelessly to make this
conference a success. But above all we owe a debt of gratitude to the
companies who are not only participating and exhibiting but also providing
financial support and technical content for the presentations and have also
allowed their employees to be part of this extraordinary event.
On behalf of the Organizing Committee, welcome to Cape Town! Thank
you for joining us at the premiere geoscience conference of the year and
what promises to be a truly rewarding week. I encourage you to be active
participants — share freely and openly, ask questions, challenge thinking,
renew old relationships, and make new ones.
Sincerely,
Femi Esan
ICE 2018 General Chair
Principal Consultant, ROXOIL ENERGY