Fall is fast upon us, and Bob Fousek,
FMR, Inc., is in the final planning stages of our
44th annual field trip. This economic geology
field trip, titled “Locating, Permitting, and
Operation of Construction Aggregate Mining
Operations in Alabama”, is based in Auburn
and will deal exclusively with construction
aggregate. Bob is planning on examining the
roles that market, transportation, geology,
physical characteristics of the stone, and the
public perception of mining play in locating,
permitting, and operating a quarry in Alabama.
Day 1 (November 30th) will include stops at a
greenfield site currently being permitted, a
tour of the National Center for Asphalt Technology
(NCAT) laboratories at Auburn University,
and a visit to the NCAT test track
where asphalt designs are developed and
tested. On Day 2 (December 1st), we will
visit a recently opened quarry to examine the
geology and plant operations, and then we’ll
see a quarry that has experienced some waterrelated
problems and discuss ongoing resolutions
of those issues. Without readily available
and reasonably priced construction aggregates,
the cost of asphalt and concrete used in the
construction of residential and commercial
buildings, streets and highways increases substantially.
The trip promises to be a provocative
one and we’re expecting it to fill up fast,
so don’t wait until the last minute to sign up!
Remember that participation in the trip will be
worth 15 professional development units for
geologists licensed to practice in Alabama.
The Southeastern Section of the Geological Society of America is having its 57th Annual Meeting in Charlotte, North Carolina, April 10-11, 2008. There will be Pre- and Post-meeting Field Trips along with the usual technical sessions. The abstract deadline is January 15th. On Friday, November 16, 2007 there will be an Alabama State Oil and Gas Seminar from 8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. (see advertisement this newsletter). The Geological Survey of Alabama is conducting a broad range of research programs on the carbon storage potential of coalbed methane reservoirs in the Black Warrior Basin, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy through the Southeastern Regional Carbon Sequestration Partnership (SECARB). These programs range from capacity assessment to computer modeling and pilot well testing. An Alabama Geological Society workshop covering this research is being planned tentatively for February or March 2008. Topics to be addressed during this workshop include geology of the Pottsville Formation (numerous cores will be available), coalbed methane reservoir properties, computer simulations, and the SECARB Black Warrior field test. The 2008 International Coalbed & Shale Gas Symposium is scheduled for May 19-23, 2008. The conference will be held at the Bryant Conference Center on the University of Alabama campus and will feature papers on topics from around the globe, including geology, reservoir engineering, reservoir simulation, and carbon storage. This conference continues the tradition of the highly successful Coalbed Methane Symposium series, which has been active since 1987. The addition of shale reservoirs to the agenda will highlight the increased shale-gas activity in the southeastern United States. The Gulf Coast Association of Geological Societies has started a new “Maps in Schools” program through a donation to each member society. We have bought 50 USGS maps - “A Tapestry of Time and Terrain” - and laminated, matted, and framed 20 of them for Alabama schools. We recently used these at the “Fossils of the Back Belt Science Teachers Workshop” at the University of West Alabama, where each teacher was given a paper copy of the map and an accompanying pamphlet. One of the matted and framed maps was presented to Department of Geological Sciences and another was awarded to a teacher at the workshop (see article in this newsletter). We are hoping to expand this program by offering them to other schools in the state, and we want to hear from you if you know of a school that could use one. We buy the maps in large quantities for only about four dollars each but laminating and matting them raises the cost to $75. We are very proud that Dr. Rona Donahoe, University of Alabama Department of Geosciences, was presented the Outstanding Educator Award at the Gulf Coast Association of Geological Society (GCAGS) Annual Convention on October 21st, 2007. Please read more about Dr. Donahoe and her prestigious award in this newsletter (p. 12). Now is a good time for students to begin thinking about applying for the John G. Newton and John S. Winefordner Scholarships. These scholarships are worth from $500 to $1,500 and are intended to defray the costs associated with research. Last year we were able to give two $1,500 awards to two very deserving students. You can anticipate a late February, 2008 deadline for the applications, so please keep an eye opened for the flyer that will be forthcoming. Please take a minute to look over our financial statement by Treasurer Lewis Dean in this newsletter. The Alabama Geological Society is financially successful due to fortyfour years of dedicated service by our many members. Hope to see many of you on the field trip! |