The American Association of Petroleum Geologists will be holding an annual international convention at the Long Beach Convention Center April 1 through 4. More than 3,500 to 4,000 geologists are expected to attend.
The convention will host a competition involving 300 graduate and undergraduate students, with five Cal State Long Beach students competing. The grand prize is $20,000, which will go to the department of the winning school.
The competition, to be judged by a panel of geologists, will involve students examining data collected by oil companies and determining where oil is most likely to be found. Richard Behl, professor of geological science at CSULB and a member of the convention planning committee, gave his thoughts on why the competition is important for students.
“Geology in general is incredibly important,” Behl said. “The competition will give students the chance to analyze geological data and come up with results.”
The class that Behl teaches, called petroleum geology, is a hands-on course that gives students more experience in how to find petroleum and prepares them for the real world. Many of the students who take the class go on to get jobs in geology, according to Behl.
The convention is closed to the public and only those who pay a $400 registration fee can enter. Volunteers have their fees waved, but even students do not get a discounted price. Main attractions will include geology exhibits, educational speakers and product booths for geologists.
“It’s very expensive,” said Stan Finney, chairman of the department of geology. “But it’s a great experience for faculty and students.”
The importance of geology, particularly regarding petroleum, is tremendous in today’s world, according to Behl. This is especially true in Southern California, where gasoline, lubricants and other petroleum products are used at a high rate.
“In the past, oil use has been cyclic,” Behl said. “The use would fluctuate every 10 years or so. But lately, due to rising population growth, demands for all forms of energy has gone up, making the demand for geologists higher.”
