SOUTH DAKOTA SCHOOL OF MINES & TECHNOLOGY

Mar. 28, 2007: Chapter Meeting

Chapter meeting announcements are located in the MI building.  Meeting notes will be placed here after we have met and conducted the business at hand.

Feb. 20-23, 2007: Membership Drive Week

New membership drive for AEG student chapter.  All interested students are encouraged to sign up for membership in the SDSM&T student chapter of AEG.  There is a $5 per year membership fee and each student member is also encouraged to join the Association of Environmental and Engineering Geologists (AEG) for an annual fee of $25.  We will have a meeting for all members, past and new, on Friday, Feb 23 at 3:30 PM prior to the geology Friday Seminar.  Web links for more information on AEG:

AEG Membership Form

Association of Environmental and Engineering Geologists

Rocky Mt. Section AEG

Jan 1 - Dec 31 2006: AEG temporarily suspended as Dr. Stetler (AEG faculty advisor) was on Sabbatical leave

Feb, 17-19, 2006:  Special Well Control Certification School

Three days of seminar and hands-on experience was provided to 14 students who successfully completed an International Association of Drilling Contractors (IADC) certification school on well control.  This school was sponsored by Wild Well Control, INC., and the SDSM&T student chapter of AEG.  Lecture materials were put to use by application to real well situations using computer-controlled well simulators.  Downhole pressure situations were presented and in real-time the students were required to use their knowledge to gain control over the well.  On the 3rd day each participant was given a lengthy and detailed exam prior to receiving a 2-year certificate in well control.

Nov. 28, 2005: Special Seminar

Glenn Shurtz of Wild Well Control, INC., spoke to a packed room of 38 students and faculty on well control technologies pioneered by his company.  The presentation included examples of well fires from around the world, including the Kuwait oil field fires in 1991, and the control methods utilized to regain well control.  Several of our students who are interested in careers in the oil industry were particularly interested by this timely presentation by Glenn.

Sept. 20, 2005 Meeting

Six student turned out for the 2nd meeting of AEG.  Officers were elected for the new year and activities for the fall semester were planned.  AEG will sponsor several raffles over the coming year with prizes such as fossil fish, gems, and agates.  Interested students will meet on Thursday, Sept. 22, to begin assembling mineral kits for the school presentations.

Sept. 10, 2005 Oil Field Trip

18 students along with Dr.'s Roggenthen and Stetler visited Continental Resources operations in Harding Co. SD.  The field has produced ~38 million barrels of oil since the 1st well was drilled in 1953.  For the past several years, this field has experienced an increase in production through the use of horizontal drilling.  The Ordovician Red River Fm., a producing formation consisting of several pay zones, will be penetrated by horizontal wells that extend over 5000' inside narrow, 7 to 10 foot thick, horizons.  Typical production increases for a well so drilled is from 30 bbls/day to over 250 bbls/day.  At current oil prices, 2 horizontal wells drilled from 1 site will be paid off in about 60 days.  Click here to see pictures from the rigs that were visited.

Fall 2005 Organization Meeting

An organizational meeting was held on Wednesday, August 31 2005.  Four students turned out for this meeting.  It was decided to find another more suitable meeting time.  We agreed that AEG would sponsor, in part, vehicle costs for the oil field trip to Harding Co. on Sept. 10.  Invitations would also be sought by the members to speak in public schools about geology and geological engineering as a career.