2013 SEG Summer Research Workshop

Unconventional Resources:
The Role of Geophysics

2-6 June 2013
Omni William Penn Hotel
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA

Registration is now open!

The exploration of unconventional resources has reached a new era with a significantly increasing scale of production across continents in many countries. Effectively accessing, developing, and producing unconventional resources requires multidisciplinary efforts with novel technologies and a new way of thinking. Since the early stage in exploration of unconventional resources, geophysics has been playing a crucial role in play evaluation, reservoir characterization, drilling, completion and production. However, the effectiveness of the use of geophysical technologies varies and is still facing many challenges.

The objectives of this workshop are:

• Share the state of the art geophysical technologies in play evaluation, reservoir characterization, sweetspotting, drilling and completion, understanding and providing information for integrity of wellbore, reservoirs and seals, as well as practice in HSE.
• Discuss a way forward to understand today and tomorrow's technologies as well as their full value and potential in maximizing subsurface information of multi-disciplines with multi-scales.
• Probe common issues and solutions. An optional field trip on the Marcellus shale will be co-organized with the Penn State University to apprehend this workshop.

Workshop Process

1. The committee will review applications and papers to determine acceptance.
2. If you have been accepted you will be notified by mid April.
3. Once you have been accepted you will receive registration and housing information by e-mail.
4. Register and pay the fee to attend the workshop.
5. Make housing reservations with hotel.
6. Enjoy the workshop and make some great contacts.

• Registration: The registration fee will be set when the notification of acceptance is distributed.
• Hotel: Hotel rooms have been reserved at The Omni William Penn Hotel at a rate of USD $199 per night plus tax. To reserve your room, call 1-800-843-6664or and identify yourself as being with the SEG meeting to get the group rate. You may also make your reservation online here. Reservation requests must be made by 5 May 2013 in order to qualify for the group rate.

• Field Trip: A full day technical tour is scheduled for the last day of the workshop on Thursday, 6 June featuring exposures of the Marcellus Shale with quarry/outcrop stops and a core laboratory visit to see the varying lithology and associated geophysical logs on the weathered outcrops. Dr. Michael Arthur of Department of Geosciences at Penn State will lead the tour. The cost of the field trip is US$100 and includes lunch.

• Meeting Format: The meeting will comprise a selection of oral and poster presentations. Experience of previous workshops is that discussion sessions are lively and wide-ranging: the proportion of delegates that actively participate is always high.
• Location: The meeting will be held at The Omni William Penn Hotel in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA.
• Schedule:
  • Sunday, 2 June: Registration Check-In and Ice Breaker Reception
  • Monday, 3 June-Wednesday, 5 June: Three full day sessions with morning and afternoon sessions.
  • Thursday, 6 June: Optional field trip
• Acceptance: A presentation is not a requirement in order to be accepted for registration; however, direct participation is required by all attendees through discussion. This will be enforced at the workshop. If the number of applicants exceeds the capacity of the conference facilities, then preference will be given to presenters.

Visa information/invitation letter

Participants in the Unconventional Summer Research Workshop may generate an official invitation letter using the form below. This form will generate a letter which you can print and use in obtaining a visa.

For those whose company or organization is planning on sending more than one individual to the workshop, additional documentation may be required for scheduling an appointment with the local American embassy. If additional assistance is required, fill out a separate invitation letter for each individual requesting a visa using the form below. Each invitation letter has a unique reference number. Produce one cover letter listing all individuals requesting a visa. The letter must include the following information for each individual:

• name
• passport number
• date and place of birth
• nationality as it appears on the passport
• reference number from the invitation letter

Fax these forms together with the cover letter printed on the group's official stationery to +1.918.497.5557, attention Visa Letter Assistance.

Please note that this letter does not guarantee that you will be granted a visa, nor does it commit SEG to pay any expenses you may incur. It is the sole responsibility of the attendee to obtain the necessary paperwork for entry to the United States.
If you have any questions about this form or the letter it generates, please send us an e-mail.

Create my letter

Organizing Committee

Henri Houllevigue (Total), Chairman; Yongyi Li (Shell); Azra Tutuncu (Colorado School of Mines).

SEG Meeting Planner

Amy Watson