AIPG-TX News - AIPG-TX

An Update: Nuclear Power & Uranium Markets, Ownership & Uranium One

This is a brief update produced by Henry Wise (President-AIPG Texas Section) and Michael D. Campbell (VP-Eastern Texas-AIPG-Texas Section) since the 2017 Annual Report from the Chair, Uranium (Nuclear and Rare Earth) Committee of the Energy Mineral Division (AAPG) was released April 1, 2017. Some 99 nuclear power plants in the U.S. remain in operation, a few are scheduled for retirement, two new reactors are being built in Georgia. Japan is slowly upgrading and re-starting its fleet of nuclear power plants after Fukushima. China is rapidly building some 25 new plants and hundreds more are planned, along with financially underwriting the [...]

By Editor|2025-08-04T18:48:32-05:00November 27th, 2017|AIPG-TX News|

Environmental Issues & the Railroad Commission of Texas

The stewardship of natural resources and the environment is an important part of the Railroad Commission of Texas’ (RRC) mission. On the evening of November 8, 2017, Mr. Peter Fisher and Mr. Peter Pope discussed the environmental issues and regulations related to activities under the jurisdiction of the RRC, with a focus on regulation of oil and gas exploration and production activities, as well as such related topics as reclamation, remediation, the EPA hydraulic fracturing study, and seismicity, among other topics during their presentation during the Houston Geological Society Environmental & Engineering Dinner Meeting & Seminar. The HGS announcement (here). [...]

By Editor|2025-08-04T18:50:06-05:00November 12th, 2017|AIPG-TX News|

AIPG-TX Arranges Deal for Members with Midwest Geosciences Group for Continuing Education

The Texas Section of the American Institute of Professional Geologists and Midwest GeoSciences Group have partnered to provide discounted continuing education webinars to AIPG-TX members on important topics such as groundwater and karst, hydrogeology, soil and rock mechanics, seismic hazards, Google Earth PRO, engineering geology, drones, geologic issues with risk assessment, environmental site characterization and remediation, and geologic resource management. Hydrogeologic and geotechnical webinars available 24/7 via prices reduced for AIPG-TX members. See upcoming webinars.

By Editor|2025-08-04T18:52:10-05:00October 16th, 2017|AIPG-TX News|

Michael D. Campbell, AIPG-TX VP, Eastern Texas & I2M Team Publishes Paper on Gold & Silver Mining Potential in N. Vietnam

Members of the the I2M Natural Resources Group, led by Michael D. Campbell, I2M's EVP and Chief Geologist and Chief Hydrogeologist, just published a paper on the mining potential in the mountains southwest of Hanoi, Vietnam in the Đồi Bù District, Hòa Bình Region (here). The area was visited during January, 2014. The key conclusions of the assessment were that subject area has not been explored in any detail for many decades. The Chinese (pre-1900s), and then later the French (pre-1960s), conducted basic reconnaissance and produced the early maps of the area. During the 1960s and 1970s, the USSR [...]

By Editor|2025-08-04T18:54:15-05:00October 12th, 2017|AIPG-TX News|

The SMU Geothermal Lab is hosting our 9th international energy conference, Power Plays: Drilling into Geothermal Energy Applications

SMU Power Plays Conference January 10-11, 2018 on the SMU Campus in Dallas, Texas The SMU Geothermal Lab is hosting our 9th international energy conference, Power Plays: Drilling into Geothermal Energy Applications, January 10-11, 2018 on the SMU campus in Dallas, Texas. Power Plays will advance the understanding of geothermal resources in conjunction with waste-heat and direct-use applications, providing attendees with strategies for developing clean energy. Join others with expertise in field operations, project development, technology, finance, engineering, and resource assessment from the geothermal, oil & gas, and renewable energy sectors to explore economic solutions for geothermal energy at the 2018 SMU Power [...]

By Editor|2025-08-04T18:56:17-05:00October 1st, 2017|AIPG-TX News|

The Wise Report

Due to Hurricane Harvey, the Texas Board of Professional Geoscientists (TBPG) has implemented the following for PG licenses, GIT certifications, and Geoscience Firm registrations in a Governor-designated disaster county that were scheduled to expire between August 31, 2017 and November 30, 2017 shall expire on December 31, 2017. Licenses that would have expired, but haven't because of this emergency provision will not appear in a public license search. TBPG will have a list of impacted licensees available as a supplemental license search. Late renewal fee. Normally if a license is renewed 60 days or more after it is expired, [...]

By Editor|2025-08-04T18:57:27-05:00September 30th, 2017|AIPG-TX News|

AAPG Total Solar Eclipse Seminar & K-T Boundary/Impact Crater Field Trip Guide, Casper, Wyoming – August 18-22, 2017

This Seminar and Field-Trip Guide was compiled by Doug Cook who gathered the materials discussed during this Seminar and Field Trip. The primary objective of the seminar was to observe the total solar eclipse that passed over the Casper, Wyoming area. Side field trips were also taken to observe impact craters and K-T boundary in outcrop. Jack Schmitt and Jim Reilly, whose tireless participation and enthusiasm in AAPG's Committee on Astrogeology, provided their professional perspectives and expertise on the subjects at hand. Kent Sundell, Casper College, and staff and students contributed to the organizing, guiding, and operations of the field [...]

By Editor|2025-12-07T11:23:10-06:00September 25th, 2017|AIPG-TX News|

The Wise Report

The Texas Board of Professional Geoscientists (TBPG) adopts amendments to 22 TAC §§851.10, 851.20, 851.23, 851.25, 851.30, 851.80, 851.157, and 851.203; adopts the repeal of §851.158; and adopts new rules §§851.158, 851.159, and 851.220 concerning the licensure and regulation of Professional Geoscientists. The amendments to §§851.10, 851.20, 851.23, 851.25, 851.30, 851.80, 851.157, and 851.203; the repeal of §851.158; and new rules §851.159 and §851.220 are adopted without changes to the proposed text as published in the July 7, 2017 issue of the Texas Register (42 TexReg 3549). New rule §851.158 is adopted with changes to the proposed text. The [...]

By Editor|2025-08-04T19:00:16-05:00September 23rd, 2017|AIPG-TX News|

FactSheet on Geoscience in Texas

Workforce in Texas 59,000: geoscience employees (non-federal/self-employed) in 20151 $103,500: average median geoscience employee salary1 270,000: jobs in extractive industries in 20152 80: academic geoscience departments3 Water in Texas 7.7 billion gallons/day: total groundwater withdrawal4 17 billion gallons/day: total surface water withdrawal4 4 billion gallons/day: public water supply withdrawal4 6.8 million gallons/day: irrigation water withdrawal4 680 million gallons/day: self-supplied industrial fresh water withdrawal4 90% of the population is served by public water supplies4 174 counties in 2015, and 11 counties in 2016, designated as primary natural disaster areas caused by drought5 275 USGS stream gages in Texas6 Energy and Minerals Production in Texas $4.8 [...]

By Editor|2025-08-04T19:02:26-05:00July 26th, 2017|AIPG-TX News|

Petrossian & Team Release TWDB Transborder Aquifers Report

Rima Petrossian, Ph.D., P.G., C.P.G., Manager of the Groundwater Technical Assistance Group of the Texas Water Development Board and her team just released: Texas Water Development Board Groundwater Management Report 17-01; TWDB Trans-Border Aquifers Report: A Summary of Aquifer Properties, Policies, and Planning Approaches for Texas, Surrounding States, and Mexico (here). Dr. Petrossian also serves as Vice President - Western Texas, of the American Institute of Professional Geologists. Groundwater in Texas is a valuable natural resource shared with eight national and international states: New Mexico, Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Louisiana, in the United States; and Tamaulipas, Nuevo León, Coahuila de Zaragoza, [...]

By Editor|2025-08-04T19:04:50-05:00July 22nd, 2017|AIPG-TX News|