http://www.geosociety.org/meetings/2010/eventsLL.htm

Thomas Ahlbrandt (Michel T. Halbouty Lecturer):
The Global Petroleum Revolution: A New Era

Tuesday, 2 Nov., 12:15–1:15 p.m.

Why have the predicted global oil and natural gas shortages and demise of civilization by 2010 related to these vanishing supplies not occurred? Why is natural gas, thought to be a critical shortage a decade ago, now plentiful in the U.S. and globally so much so that gas prices are falling? There has been a global revolution in petroleum and engineering sciences to explain a new paradigm which has completely altered how and where we find and develop petroleum. Most hydrocarbons have remained in the source rock (where thermally mature), yet developing them relies on new technologies not available until the last decade. The conventional (or static) approach to exploration is rapidly changing to the dynamic (petroleum system) approach, and this transformation is the most profound shift in the petroleum business in a century. Molecular level studies of petroleum now abound requiring wholly new techniques and evaluation parameters to determine economic viability. This in turn requires new research and educational pathways, and conversely some geosciences research areas will likely atrophy in the light of a new set of paradigms. Are we really in the sunset of the petroleum age or a new era?

Thomas Ahlbrandt is currently vice president of exploration at Falcon Oil and Gas in Denver, Colorado, USA, for which he manages unconventional oil and natural gas exploration in Hungary and Australia. He previously served as CEO and chairman of the board at PetroHunter Energy Corporation, and was the World Energy Project chief for the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) in Denver.

While at the USGS, Ahlbrandt managed a group of 41 employees and led the 2000 USGS World Petroleum Assessment. The USGS assessment was the first of its kind to provide a rigorous geologic foundation for estimating undiscovered energy resources around the world. This analysis is summarized in American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG) Memoir 86, Global Resource Estimates from Total Petroleum Systems (2005).

In addition to 22 years with the USGS, Ahlbrandt has 21 years of industry experience in exploration and research with ExxonMobil, BP-Amoco, Amerada Hess, and several independents, including MRO Associates; he was a founding partner of Petrostrat Exploration. He received his B.A. (1969) and Ph.D. (1973) degrees in geology from the University of Wyoming. During his career, Ahlbrandt has discovered conventional and unconventional oil and gas resources domestically (Rocky Mountain region) and overseas.

Ahlbrandt also serves as vice chairman of the United Nations Committee Ad Hoc Group of Experts on the Supply of Fossil Fuels. A report prepared by this group to harmonize the classification of reserve and resource terminology for oil, natural gas, coal, and uranium was adopted by the U.N. in 2004.

Ahlbrandt's contributions to geology have been recognized with numerous industry and association awards, including the Meritorious Service Award of the Department of Interior (2006), the AAPG's Distinguished Lecturer (2002–2003) and Distinguished Service awards (2002), Outstanding Scientist by the Rocky Mountain Association of Geologists (1999), and Distinguished Alumnus of the University of Wyoming (2000). He served on the AAPG Executive Committee as chair of the House of Delegates and as a U.S. representative for the World Petroleum Council from 1997 to 2003.