VOLUME 26 NO 2 uMARCH 2016 …/~/media/shared/documents/... · 2017-03-30 · Burlington House,...

GEOSCIENTISTThe Fellowship Magazine of the Geological Society of London UK / Overseas where sold to individuals: £3.95

HardstoftBritain’s first oilfield

GEOSCIENTISTVOLUME 26 NO 2 uMARCH 2016 uWWW.GEOLSOC.ORG.UK/GEOSCIENTIST

The Fellowship Magazine of the Geological Society of London UK / Overseas where sold to individuals: £3.95

SEE BOOKS AND ARTS, P23

READER OFFER!

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PARIS ACCORD Mike Daly on the implicationsfor oil – Online

HOLMES’S GONGS Cherry Lewis on ArthurHolmes’s eleven medals

VOTE! VOTE! VOTE!A record 17 peoplestanding in Council election

15-17 November 2016

ExCeL, London

Petroleum Geoscience Collaboration ShowcaseCall for Papers

CONVENORS:

University of Aberdeen

James Churchill BG Group

Jonathan Craig ENI

Neil Grant ConocoPhilips

BG Group

Jenny Omma Rocktype

Douglas Paton University of Leeds

Simone Silcock Statoil

Ian Sharp University of Bergen

Helen Smyth Halliburton-Landmark

Tom Weight Statoil

The PESGB, Petroleum Group and AAPG (European Region) are co-organising the Petroleum Geoscience Collaboration Showcase (PGCS) as part of PETEX 2016. The PGCS showcases the business challenges addressed by collaborative research projects, enables researchers to demonstrate societal and economic

a forum for post-doctoral, PhD and MSc presentations.

The showcase provides an excellent opportunity for industry and academia to meet, get inspired and demonstrate the value of collaborative applied research. There will be ample opportunity for graduates and potential future employers to connect. This year the PGCS will also include extended poster sessions at which applicant’s research will be displayed within the main events hall for all attendees to view.

We encourage joint presentations by industrial sponsors and student/post-doc/academic researchers. This is intended to frame the industrial problem before the technical results are reported and/or to conclude by showing the applied,

also welcome overview presentations from the principal investigators of major Joint Industry Projects (JIPS).

Abstracts should be no more than 2 sides of A4 and can include a colour diagram. Please email paper and poster contributions

Prizes will be awarded for the best oral and poster presentations, which includes the recipients’ attendance at the Petroleum Group’s annual dinner.

For further information on abstract submission please contact:

The Geological Society, Burlington House, Piccadilly, London W1J 0BG

+44 (0)20 7434 9944

SUGGESTED THEMES INCLUDE:

Petroleum systems

Stratigraphy and sedimentology

Reservoir geology and engineering

Structural geology and basin evolution

Geophysical imaging and interpretation

Unconventional energy and carbon sequestration

Analogue and numerical modelling

Novel techniques and applications

Environmental impacts of petroleum activities

Case histories of joint industry - academia research and knowledge transfer

WWW.GEOLSOC.ORG.UK/GEOSCIENTIST | MARCH 2016 | 03

FEATURES

18 Holmes’s Medals Cherry Lewis on the occasionally bizarre tales behindthe award of 11 medals to Arthur Holmes

05 Welcome Ted Nield on why you should do your dutyand exercise your democratic rights

06 Society news What your Society is doing at homeand abroad, in London and the regions

21 Letters We welcome your views

22 Books and arts Four new books reviewed by TedNield, Douglas Palmer and David Norbury

24 People Geoscientists in the news and on the move

28 Soapbox Paul Wright urges the Society to takeChartership forward - and start examining

27 Calendar Society activities this month

29 Crossword Win a special publication of your choice

REGULARS

GEOSCIENTIST CONTENTS

2412

18 21

IN THIS ISSUE...

ON THE COVER: 12 Jonathan Craig, Jon Gluyas,Cameron Laing and Philip Schofield commemorate Britain’s first onshore oil well,ahead of a major conference

COP21 and the ParisAgreement - Mike Daly

explores the implications of the‘Paris Agreement’ for the future

of the hydrocarbon industry

NLINESPECIAL


NOBODY WILL EVER DEPRIVE THEPEOPLE OF THE RIGHT TO VOTE EXCEPT THEPEOPLE THEMSELVES, AND THE ONLY WAYTHEY COULD DO THIS IS BY NOT VOTING

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larger part of thismagazine than usual for aMarch issue is taken upwith the statements ofcandidates in the current

Council Elections. This is because arecord number of people – 17 – havedecided to stand, competing for amere seven available places amongthe Trustees. They are all to becommended for their public spirit;that they should outnumber theavailable places by such a margin isa cause for great celebration.

What does it mean? It means thatmore Fellows than ever wish to takean active part in the business of theSociety, and are prepared to give uptheir time in order to do so. It meansalso that something has changed.People do not volunteer for duty ifthey are not excited by the prospect;if they think that their membershipof Council will make no difference; ifthey think that one voice will neverprevail against that oppressiveorthodoxy we call the status quo. Itmeans they wish to participate inchange, and see a chance that itmight happen.

This magazine may be ownedfinancially by the Society but itremains independent of it –spiritually, it is owned by, and owesits responsibility to, not ‘the Society’but the Fellowship as a whole. And

Vote, for a change!FROM THE EDITOR’S DESK:

GEOSCIENTIST WELCOME

Ait is on behalf of the Fellowship –which is sovereign in all matters –that these 17 are standing. It nowfalls to the Fellowship to respondby taking just a small portion of itstime to consider their statements –and vote.

Franklin D Roosevelt once said:“Nobody will ever deprive thepeople of the right to vote exceptthe people themselves, and theonly way they could do this is bynot voting”. Generally, theproportion of people voting inSociety elections does not riseabove 10%. Compared with otherlearned and professional bodies (orcome to that, any Building Society)this is not a low figure – it isprobably on the high side ofaverage. But this year is different.This year a wider cross-section ofthe Fellowship has decided tostand. It behooves the Fellowshipnow to return a result that is basedupon the widest possible section ofthe electorate.

It is easier than ever to registeryour vote. All you have to dowhen you receive your email fromERS, is go online and log in – noneed even for a second class stamp.Please take a few minutes to readthe hustings pieces, and vote with afew clicks of your mouse. It’s theleast you can do.

DR TED NIELD, EDITOR - [email protected] @TedNield @geoscientistmag

Geoscientist is theFellowship magazine ofthe Geological Societyof London

The Geological Society,Burlington House, Piccadilly,London W1J 0BGT +44 (0)20 7434 9944F +44 (0)20 7439 8975E [email protected](Not for Editorial - Pleasecontact the Editor)

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EDITORDr Ted NieldE [email protected]

EDITORIAL BOARDDr Sue Bowler Mr Steve BranchDr Robin CocksProf. Tony HarrisDr Howard Falcon-Lang Dr Jonathan Turner Dr Jan Zalasiewicz

Trustees of theGeological Society of LondonProf David Manning(President); Mrs Natalyn Ala(Secretary, ProfessionalMatters); Mr RickBrassington; Mr MalcolmBrown (Presidentdesignate); Miss Liv Carroll; Dr Nigel Cassidy; Dr AngelaCoe; Mr Jim Coppard; MrsJane Dottridge; Mr ChrisEccles (Vice president);Dr Marie Edmonds(Secretary, Science);Mr Graham Goffey(Treasurer); Mrs TriciaHenton; Mr David Hopkins;Mr David Jones (Vice pres-ident); Dr JenniferMcKinley; Prof DavidNorbury; Dr Colin North(Secretary, Publications);Prof Christine Peirce;Dr Katherine Royse;Mr Keith Seymour; Dr Lucy Slater; Mr MichaelYoung (Secretary, Foreign &External Affairs)

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The Geological Society of Londonaccepts no responsibility for the viewsexpressed in any article in thispublication. All views expressed, exceptwhere explicitly stated otherwise,represent those of the author, and notThe Geological Society of London. Allrights reserved. No paragraph of thispublication may be reproduced, copiedor transmitted save with writtenpermission. Users registered withCopyright Clearance Center: the Journalis registered with CCC, 27 CongressStreet, Salem, MA 01970, USA. 0961-5628/02/$15.00. Every effort has beenmade to trace copyright holders ofmaterial in this publication. If any rights have beenomitted, the publishers offer theirapologies.

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06 | MARCH 2016 | WWW.GEOLSOC.ORG.UK/GEOSCIENTIST

Fellowship Election

VOTE! VOTE! VOTE!

The names of applicants for Fellowship, dueto be elected on 6 April 2016, are nowpublished online. To view this FellowshipElection list please visit www.geolsoc.org.uk/fellowship_elections.

Henceforth, names for election will no longerbe published in Geoscientist. Editor

What your society is doingat home and abroad, in London and the regions

GEOSCIENTIST SOCIETY NEWS

Fellowship Renewals

Visit our new careers webpages at www.geolsoc.org.uk/careers, writes

Judi Lakin

This interactive guide to geoscience careers pathways and study optionsgives essential information for school students, teachersand parents; undergraduate and postgraduate universitystudents, and working professionals. Up-to-date adviceand resources are organised into four sections:n What is geoscience? - What does a geologist do?What do all the specialisms involve?n School - What to study at school. Tips for UCASpersonal statements.n University - What do university studentsactually do? Plus postgraduate choices and CVadvice.n Careers - Updated Careers profiles. Careerdevelopment; diversity and equal opportunities;career breaks.

Careers web pages

FUTURE MEETINGSDates for meetings of Council and Ordinary GeneralMeetings until June 2017 will be as follows: u Council/OGMs:

2016: 6 April, 22 June, 20 September, 24 November; 2017: 1 February, 4 April.

The October issue of Geoscientist invited Fellows to

nominate new members of Council to succeed those

retiring at the Annual General Meeting on 8 June 2016.

Seventeen nominations have been received for the sevenplaces. It is important that Council is representative of theviews and diversity of all the Fellowship so Fellows areurged to participate in this preliminary ballot which willdetermine the list for the formal vote at the Annual GeneralMeeting.

The process for the election of members of Council is setout at section 6 of the Bye-laws and for the election ofOfficers at clause 9.2.

Time to renew your Fellowship, writes Stephanie Jones.

Every year at this time we remind Fellows to renew their Fellowship for thecurrent year, or face being struck off – with the subsequent

inconvenience of having to re-apply. For the Society,late payment results each year in additional costs

and administration. In this economic climate wemust ensure that optimum use is made of Societyresources and we rely on the support of Fellowsto achieve this. Time is running out for you torenew your Fellowship. To ensure that youcontinue to support and belong to your

professional body, please renew today, preferablyonline via the web site; or you can call Burlington

House and ask for the Fellowship Department.

SOCIETYNEWS

Sarah Fray, Executive Secretary, urges all Fellows tocast their votes for Council. The total number of Fellows voting in 2015 was 982 froman electorate of around 11,500. This year we have arecord 17 nominations for Council, which is anunprecedented number of people coming forward,numbers which will be the envy of very many similarorganisations. Please do vote.

Council holds a critical role in the Society, providingstrategy, oversight and decision-making – its mandate todo this comes from you, the Fellowship, through yourvote. Voting is your opportunity to influence the strategicdirection of the organisation and our breadth of activitiesand ambitions. With such a strong field of candidatesfrom different areas of the geosciences there are verystrong reasons for wanting to support the selection ofnew Council members. The candidates have committed

to give a considerableamount of their timeand energy to serveand support theSociety if elected – soplease, give a very littleof your time to vote.

Elections to Council

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Name Affiliation Award

Prof Susan Brantley

Prof John Underhill

Prof Jon Blundy

Dr Michael de Freitas

Prof Patience Cowie

Prof Monica Grady

Prof Liane Benning

Dr Henry Emeleus

Dr Richard Howarth

Mr Edmund Nickless

Dr Catherine Mével

Mr Paul Denton

Dr Mitchall D’Arcy

Dr Anja Schmidt

Dr Tracy Aze

Dr Craig Magee

Pennsylvania State University

Heriot-Watt University

University of Bristol

Imperial College

University of Bergen

Open University

University of Leeds & University of Potsdam

University of Durham

University College London

Retired

Institut de Physique du Globe de Paris

British Geological Survey

Imperial College

University of Leeds

University of Leeds

Imperial College

Wollaston Medal

Lyell Medal

Murchison Medal

William Smith Medal

Coke Medal

Coke Medal

Bigsby Medal

Prestwich Medal

Sue Tyler Friedman Medal

Distinguished Service Award

Distinguished Service Award

R H Worth Prize

Wollaston Fund

William Smith Fund

Lyell Fund

Murchison Fund

President’s Award winners will be announced at a later date. Awards will be presented at President’s Day, 8 June 2016.

The Society is delightedto announce the winnersof its medals and funds,and offers all its heartiestcongratulations

SocietyAwards

Name Expertise Sector

Mr Rick Brassington

Mr Malcolm Brown

Miss Liv Carroll

Dr Nigel Cassidy

Mr Chris Eccles

Dr Marie Edmonds

Mr Graham Goffey

Mrs Tricia Henton

Mr David Hopkins

Dr Jennifer McKinley

Professor David Norbury

Dr Colin North

Professor Christine Peirce

Dr Katherine Royse

Mr Keith Seymour

Mr Michael Young

Hydrogeology

Petroleum Geology

Mineral Exploration and Mining

Geophysics

Engineering Geology

Igneous Petrology, Volcanology, Geochemistry

Petroleum Geology

Environmental Geology

Extractive Industries

Geographical Information Science and Geostatistics

Engineering Geology

Sedimentology

Marine Geophysics

Environmental Geology

Hydrogeology

Geophysics

Industry

Industry

Industry

Academe

Industry

Academe

Industry

Retired

Industry

Academe

Industry

Academe

Academe

Government

Retired

Retired

Members of Council retiring at AGM, 8 June 2016

Mrs Natalyn Ala

Dr Angela Coe

Mr Jim Coppard

Mrs Jane Dottridge

Mr David Jones

Professor David Manning

Dr Lucy Slater

Hydrogeology

Sedimentology & Stratigraphy

Mineral Exploration

Hydrogeology

Hydrogeology

Mineralogy

Petroleum Geology/Geophysics

Industry

Academe

Industry

Industry

Government

Academe

Industry

CONTINUING MEMBERS OF COUNCIL 2016-2017Instructions for BallotingThis year we have commissioned ElectoralReform Services (ERS) to manage the ballotfor Council on behalf of the Society. ERS area highly respected independent organisationproviding balloting services and scrutinising.They undertake balloting activities for a widevariety of organisations including manyprofessional institutions, trade unions andcompanies.

VOTING ONLINEThis year Fellows will receive votinginformation direct from ERS by email. Theemail will include a unique user name andpassword to access their website, which willhost the election vote. Please follow ERS’sinstructions, which will be contained in theemail from them. If you have difficulties pleasecontact the Society. If you prefer a postal vote- please also contact the Society and we willask ERS to mail a voting pack directly to you.

ERS will post a postal ballot paper, and anenvelope for its return, directlyto Fellows who are unable tovote online. Please follow theinstructions provided with thevoting papers, and returnyour vote in the providedenvelope to ERS, not to theSociety.

Fellows should make theirmark against the names of

up to seven candidatesthey wish to serveas ordinarymembers ofCouncil. Papers

with marks againstmore than seven names

will be invalid.

NOTEFellows may only vote once, either online orby returning the postal ballot to ERS

Council elections are your opportunity tochoose who should serve on Council to bestrepresent the interests of all Fellows and toshape the future of the Society. Fellows areasked to make their choices having regard tothe areas of expertise among continuingmembers of Council, as shown in the table.Biographies of Council members are athttp://www.geolsoc.org.uk/biographies.

ELECTIONS TO COUNCIL // ELECTIONS TO COUNCIL // TO COUNCIL // ELECTIONS TO COUNCIL // ELECTIONS


➤Dr Jason CanningI am currently ChiefGeologist at BGGroup and havebeen working in thePetroleum Industryfor almost 20 years. Ihave been a fellow ofthe Society since1999 and aChartered Geologist

since 2015. I completed a BSc at OxfordBrookes (1993) and a have PhD from theUniversity of Birmingham (1997).

I am standing for Council to impact ourSociety in two ways. First, I think our Societycan play a stronger role in supporting theGeoscience profession. Low commodityprices mean that those members of oursociety who work in extractive industries faceincreased uncertainty and perhaps periods ofunemployment. One way we can help, is toencourage Fellows to get more out of theirContinuing Professional Development (CPD)records. Recording of CPD activity is animportant way of documenting our skills,capabilities and experience. I want to sharemy experience of managing such schemes inindustry.

Secondly, I want to improve links betweenindustry and academia. Specifically, I think Ican share my own experiences to help theSociety to encourage sharing of data betweenindustry and researchers, with the aim of theSociety becoming the forum for more regularinteraction between the two. I also believe theSociety can help to steer taught courses todeliver more of what industry requires.

I think focusing on these two areas will helpthe Geological Society to be a more inclusive,collaborative and supportive Society.

Proposer: Brian Mitchener

Supporters: Nicholas Pierpoint, Mark Houchen

➤Ms Teresa Ceraldi My enthusiasm andpassion for geologyhas been a key driverthroughout my lifepushing me to travelall over the world forstudies and work. Istudied Geology atUniversity of RomaTre Italy (BSc +MSc)

and then worked as a field geologist with theItalian Geological Survey. In 2003 I moved tothe US where I completed an MSc at Saint

SUPPORTING STATEMENTS FOR ELECTION CANDIDATES

Louis University and then I went to Texas A&Mas a Graduate Research Assistant.

I have been working as an ExplorationGeologist at BP for nine years in London on anumber of projects all across Africa. Duringthis time I maintained links to the academicworld by writing papers and presenting atconferences. I have been GSL fellow since2013, member of Petroleum Group Committeesince 2012 and then Secretary. During thistime I contributed to many initiatives, Iconvened the “Petroleum Geology of the WestAfrica Margin” Conference (2014) and I amcurrently editor of the relevant GSL SpecialPublication. If I am fortunate enough to beelected, I would like to inspire and motivatemore women to pursue degrees in Geoscienceor STEM subjects and to actively careers inScience and Technology. The continuousdemand for energy and innovation will requireaccess to the whole pool of talent the worldhas to offer going beyond barriers of gender,race and nationality. The GSL must continue tobe at the forefront of this process and I wouldlike contribute to it.

Proposer: Alastair Fraser

Supporters: Kitty Hall, Patrick Gomersall

➤Dr Richard CollierI am Senior Lecturer inTectonics andSedimentation andCo-Director of theInstitute of AppliedGeosciences at theUniversity of Leeds,and a Fellow of theGeological Society for25 years. Following my

first degree in London I worked in Conoco’sexploration department before completing myPhD in Leeds. Since then, academic researchquantifying tectono-sedimentary processes inactive rift basins has also been applied tohydrocarbon exploration and reservoir analysisproblems.

When Learning and Teaching Director inLeeds, our undergraduate courses were re-accredited by the Geological Society and weachieved the top discipline rating in the QualityAssurance Agency’s institutional audit ofteaching. This gives me the experience tocontribute to one forthcoming challenge facingour subject and the Society, the developmentof the new Teaching Excellence Framework,and the role the Society may be expected toplay as the professional, statutory andregulatory body (PSRB) facing the discipline.

I have run numerous field and class-basedcourses for oil industry clients and am keen topromote CPD activity across the sector. I amalso keen to help enhance student, public and

political perceptions of the discipline as, forexample, the energy sector responds to thenew environmental context.

Proposer: Simon Bottrell

Supporters: Bill McCaffrey, David Hodgson

➤Dr Sarah GordonAn understanding ofgeology is a criticalcomponent of manydecisions; whetherenvironmental,business, or societal.I’m lucky enough towork in both industryand academia,specialising in making

geology exciting and accessible to decisionmakers. I would be honoured to do this onbehalf of the Geological Society.

I’m currently the Managing Director of therisk management consultancy Satarla. Satarlaworks with clients from all industries, frommining and energy, to utilities, charities andfinance. I’m also an Honorary Visiting Lecturerin the Department of Earth Science andEngineering at Imperial College London. Priorto this I worked with the mining companyAnglo American, in both the exploration andsafety & sustainability teams. This broadbackground, coupled with my PhD inmeteoritics, allows me to explore manyaspects of the geological discipline.

I’ve been a Fellow of the Society for over 10years; I also work with the Science,Technology, Engineering and MathematicsNetwork; the Institute of Risk Management;and was named as one of the 100 GlobalInspirational Women in Mining 2015. I providetraining and advice on behalf of theseorganisations and would welcome theopportunity to make a contribution throughthe Council of the Geological Society.

Proposer: Michael Forrest

Supporters: Benedikt Steiner, Keenan Jennings

➤Mr Toby HopkinsI am putting myselfforward for Councilbecause I believe thatthe GeologicalSociety is a goodhome for geologistswho, like me, usetheir scientific abilitiesin other fields. Theprofessional

standards, knowledge and values espousedby the Geological Society can benefit peopleworking in a wide range of professions. I


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hope to ensure the Society grows andretains these members.

I have been a member of the GeologicalSociety since 2001 when I was nominated asa Junior Candidate Fellow. I graduated withan Earth Sciences degree from the Universityof Oxford in 2007 and have since worked ina number of roles within the nuclear industry,focusing on waste management,decommissioning and permitting, achievingChartered Scientist status. Through my workI have learnt the importance ofcommunicating complex scientificinformation to the public. The GeologicalSociety already does good work to engagethe wider public, and this is something Iwould hope to further.

As Chair of the Western Regional Group, Iwas responsible for coordinating thesociety's activities at a local scale. As a resultI have attended the Professional Committeefor the last three years, giving me practicalexperience of working within the Society'sstructures.

Proposer: Elisabeth Andrews

Supporters: Joshua Morland, Gemma Sherwood

➤Dr Stuart JonesI am a SeniorLecturer at DurhamUniversity, withresearch interests inclasticsedimentology,geopressure anddiagenesis. Icompleted a BSc(Hons) in Geology at

Aberystwyth University and followed on witha PhD in Sedimentology at the University ofReading. A brief excursion in to thehydrocarbon industry made me realise how Iwanted to be at the interface betweenacademic research and its application toindustry. Ever since, my research has beenfocused on subsurface and outcropsedimentological data for improved reservoirmodel development and reducing subsurfacerisk and uncertainty, working in closecollaboration with the hydrocarbon industry.

I am passionate about Earth Sciences andtrying to inspire and nurture the nextgeneration of geoscientists. As a pastrecipient of a STEMnet Science ambassadorof the year award for my Earth Scienceoutreach activities into schools and colleges,I feel that I can significantly contribute to theSociety’s knowledge exchange and widerengagement activities.

I have been a fellow of the GeologicalSociety for 25 years and have served assecretary of a Geological Society Specialist

Group: the British Sedimentological ResearchGroup during 2002-2005 and a member ofthe Awards Committee from 2008-2013.

Proposer: Mark Allen

Supporters: Lynne Frostick, Jon Gluyas

➤Ms Naomi Jordan I was excited to readSarah Fray’s vision inSeptember’sGeoscientist outliningwhere she hoped tosteer the Society, andI would like theopportunity to serveon Council to addressthe interests of the

membership as a whole, plus expand our workin public engagement. I can contributepractical knowledge and experience inoutreach and teaching across all ages, in theclassroom, during events, in the field andonline.

In addition to completing my PhD in LowerJurassic palaeoenvironments at ImperialCollege London, I teach hands-on science inan inner-city London primary school, tutor A-Level and undergraduate geology studentsand teach an adult geology class, along withsetting up a geology outreach business. Duringmy undergraduate time at the University ofLeeds, and my PhD I have worked with arange of organisations designing andimplementing outreach activities, including theNatural History Museum, Science Museum,British Geological Survey, Leeds MuseumServices, RockWatch, Lyme Regis FossilFestival and with both universities.

Though I only became a Fellow this year, Ilook forward to the opportunity to work withthe Society to improve communication, notonly at events, but through online resourcesaccessible to all, and to develop Sarah Fray’svision.

Proposer: Haydon Bailey

Supporters: Holger Kessler, Michael Howe

➤Dr Robert LarterThe Geological Societyhas an important rolein today’s world incommunicating thesocietal relevance ofour science,championing publicfunding for it, deliveringimpartial advice, andoffering professional

accreditation. I am a marine geophysicist at the British

Antarctic Survey (BAS). After graduating inGeology from Durham University, I gained anMSc in Petroleum Exploration Studies from theUniversity of Aberdeen. I then worked as aResearch Associate at the University ofBirmingham for several years while studying formy PhD in marine geophysics on a part-timebasis. During 28 years at BAS I have manageda range of science projects in fields rangingfrom subducting margins to ice sheet historyand dynamics. I have led eight research cruisesand mentored many early career scientists andstudents. I believe more can be done to involvestudents and early career scientists in theSociety, and that this is crucial to its long-termfuture.

I have been a Fellow since 1998 and wasSecretary and Treasurer of the Marine StudiesGroup from 1999 to 2004. I was a member ofthe working group that developed the Society’sstatement on climate change in 2010, and theaddendum to it in 2013.

Proposer: Philip Leat

Supporters: Colin Summerhayes, Neil Mitchell

➤Dr Daniel Le HeronI’m a sedimentarygeologist based inRoyal Holloway,University of London,where I’ve worked forthe last seven years. Iheld several short-term researchcontracts andpostdoctoral positions

before that, notably in Strasbourg, Cambridge,and Hannover. I’ve been a Fellow since Igraduated from Aberystwyth University, gaininga BSc in 2000 and a PhD in 2004.

I am passionate about training the nextgeneration of geologists - and in my current jobspend a considerable amount of teaching timein the field. I would like to see the fieldexperience restored to its rightful position at theheart of training for any geoscientist of anypersuasion. Our understanding of rocks underour feet - the extent of ore bodies, the depthand continuity of coal seams, the architectureof hydrocarbon reservoirs, the geometry ofsedimentary units identified as potentialrepositories for the storage of hazardous waste- draws heavily on inspiring, excellent andrelevant field experiences in our university days.Fieldwork has immense potential in continuingprofessional development across our fields, andI believe that the development of four-dimensional thinking through such experiencesis foundational.

I’ve just stepped down as a committeemember of the Petroleum Group, and asSecretary of the British Sedimentological



Research Group. I have served both for thelast four years. I’ve gained a lot frombelonging to the Geological Society already inmy career - great friendships, collaborationsand organising several conferences - andthat’s why I’m prepared to devote my time toCouncil, and working for the greater good ofour subject, and of the Society, if elected.

Proposer: David Hodgson

Supporters: Christopher Jackson, Gary Nichols

➤Mr Jack MatthewsI am a youngEdiacaran geologist,focusing on aspectsof palaeontology andstratigraphy;although my interestsalso extend togeoconservation andthe communicationof research. I have

been a Fellow since 2010, and am currently inthe process of completing my DPhil.

I make no attempt to hide the fact that othercandidates will likely have many more years’experience than I, and I am a great believer inthat quote of the Ex-President, H.H.Read “Thebest geologist is the one who has seen themost rocks”. However, our Society is oneopen to all ages. If it is to remain relevant to anew generation of early career geologist, ourCouncil must also be open and reflective ofour membership.

Having previously served as a Trustee of acharity, I am well versed in the financial andlegal responsibilities associated with the role.But the position is more than this; I want to beyour voice on the Council, ensuring your ideasand concerns are heard, and that the Societyis providing for the needs of the Fellowship,both current and future.

For a Council that’s closer to themembership, please consider supporting mycandidacy.

Proposer: Bruce Levell

Supporters: David Pyle, Anthony Watts

➤Mr Simon NealeI believe theGeological Society isthe keystone of thegeological professionin the UK, helpingindividuals to achievesuccess in theirprofessional careers.

If elected, I wouldsee the opportunity

to support the Society in achieving its aim of

serving science and profession as a privilege. Iwould wish to use the experience I have inhelping develop early career geoscientists tostrengthen the Societies outreach to thosepursuing a career in geoscience andsupporting our young geoscientists, helpingthem grow into the professionals they wish tobe. I believe this would help secure the futureof our profession and ensure a vibrantmembership of the Geological Society.

I am a hydrogeologist with 25 years’experience within the regulatory sphere atregional, national and international level. Igained a degree in Geology from UniversityCollege Cardiff in 1982 and a Masters inHydrogeology from University of Reading in1995. I am currently employed as FutureRegulation Manager at Natural ResourcesWales.

I became a Fellow in 2009, becomingChartered in 2013. I have served on thecommittee of the Society’s HydrogeologyGroup, most recently as Chair, where we havesought to provide a full and varied programmein support of our group’s interests.

Proposer: Adrian Butler

Supporters: Rob Low, Mike Price

➤Dr Sheila PeacockI am standing forCouncil because Ibelieve everyprofessional needs arespected society thatrepresents itsmembers and theirscience. I want topromote engagementwith decision makers,

particularly politicians, explaining the worldaround us in terms of earth science, to ensurethey understand the consequences of theirdecisions for geoscientists, users ofgeoscience and the future of the environment.

I am currently employed with a Ministry ofDefence contractor supporting seismologicalmonitoring of the Comprehensive Nuclear TestBan Treaty, having been a lecturer at theUniversity of Birmingham (Applied GeophysicsMSc 1991-2002), computerofficer/administrator (2002-4), and supportedprofessional accreditation of the University'sComputer Science courses. I was a researchfellow at the University of Reading (1987-1991), BSc Geophysics (Newcastle 1983),PhD (Edinburgh 1987), and CPhys MInstP. Ijoined the Geological Society in 1990. I am onthe committee of the British GeophysicalAssociation (1998-present), as secretary(2007-9), and representative on the committeefor the Geological Society bicentennialconference (2006-7). I was on the Council of

the Royal Astronomical Society (2013-15), thecommittee of AUT (now UCU) of BirminghamUniversity local association (1998-2005;honorary secretary 2000-2002), and now amworkplace health, safety and environment repin Prospect.

Proposer: David Bowers

Supporters: Mark Allen, Colin Sargent

➤Dr Chiara PetroneI am ResearcherLeader at The NaturalHistory Museum(NHM), with researchinterests in igneouspetrology,volcanology andgeochemistry. Icompleted my PhD atthe University of

Florence (Italy) followed by Post-Docs inJapan (Kyoto University) and at the CarnegieInstitution of Washington DC (USA). Then Imoved to the University of Cambridge as labmanager and I joined NHM four years ago.

My research focuses on the understandingthe dynamics of plumbing systems at activevolcanoes with a keen interest on thetimescales of pre-eruptive magmaticprocesses, in order to contribute enhancingvolcanic hazard assessments.

I am passionate about Earth Sciences, andI love communicating science to schools andto the public. My ambition is to inspire thenext generation of geoscientists and to raiseawareness on volcanic and natural hazards. Iam committee member of the Volcanic andMagmatic Study group (VMSG), a GeologicalSociety Specialist Group, and of the IAVCEICommission on Explosive Eruptions.

During my tenure on Council I would like tofocus on boosting the Society’s relevanceamong young geoscientists helping them toshape their future profession, to promote therelevance of Earth Sciences and awarenesson natural hazards among the wide public.

Proposer: Hilary Downes

Supporters: Sally Gibson, Andy Fleet

➤Mr Nicholas ReynoldsI am a Senior Geo-environmental andGeotechnicalengineer at a smallconsultancy inChester and havebeen employed atthis company forover 17 years. Ihave been a Fellow

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of the Geological Society from being anUndergraduate at Aberystwyth University,graduated with a Master’s degree from CardiffUniversity, and became a Chartered Geologistin 2009. I later became a Chartered Scientistin 2011.

I was elected the Secretary of theNorthwest Regional Group in 2012 and havebeen responsible for organising the lectureprogramme, fieldtrips and annual newslettersfor the region. Within the lecture programme,I have brought the Geological Society and theregional Geology Association groups togetherfor annual lectures. I have developed andintroduced a conference for A-level studentswhich was organised in conjunction withManchester University and ESTA, whichinvolved lecturers from across the regionpresenting revision lectures on difficult syllabussubjects.

I am very keen to serve on Council to bothincrease the profile of practicing environmentaland geotechnical consultants within theSociety. I am also very keen to improveregional support, and bring the Society to A-Level and Undergraduate students, as well asexternal organisations who explore theoutdoors such as Scouts and Guides.

Proposer: Paul Nathanail

Supporters: Laurance Donnelly, Edward Nield

➤Mr Toby StraussI am an economicgeologist with over20 years’ experiencein exploration andmining, principally inthe junior miningsector. I am today anindependentGeologicalConsultant. I have

been a Fellow of the Society since graduatingfrom Trinity College Dublin over 20 years ago,and am also a Chartered Geologist and EuroGeologist. On completion of an MSc inEconomic Geology at Rhodes University(1995), I moved to Finland working in mineralexploration for diamonds, gold and basemetals. In one of the previous cyclicaldownturns affecting the mining industry Icompleted a PhD on a Finnish gold deposit(2003), before returning to industry.

The mining industry is once again in a majorcyclical downturn, and again we face theprospect of losing many geoscientists to otherindustries. Many of these have a wealth ofexperience that as a profession we can illafford to lose. I firmly believe that theGeological Society has a principal role,particularly through Chartership and CPD, infacilitating the retention of these skills and their

transfer to future generations. As a member ofCouncil I intend to play an active role indelivering practices that help to achieve theseaims.

Proposer: Richard Herrington

Supporters: Graham Brown, John Wilton

➤Mr John TalbotAs an undergraduatecivil engineer in thelate 1960s, I had theextreme good fortuneto be introduced toand taught geologyapplied toengineering for allthree years of mydegree course, by

Professors Bill Dearman and DuncanMurchison, who instilled in me a lifelongpassion for geology. My first move ongraduating was to seek Fellowship of theSociety in 1970-71. Since then I have gainedan MSc in Geotechnical Engineering in 1981,followed by Chartered Engineer, Geologist,Environmentalist and Scientist. I am also aEuropean Engineer and Fellow of theInstitution of Civil Engineers.

My pre-retirement career was generally incivil engineering and specifically ingeotechnical engineering, when I providedtechnical and financial project managementand advice to a wide client base; in both thepublic and private sectors. I had technicalexpertise in all aspects of site investigations;the analysis, design and provision of advice onshallow and deep foundations, maritime andinland waterfront structures, highways, slopestability and earth dams in the UK, Europe,Africa and SE Asia.

Having been a scrutineer for over 20 years,and a reviewer and auditor for CharteredGeologist applications more recently, I wouldnow like to give back yet more to theprofession. Although I am currently Chairmanof both the Professional AccreditationCommittee on behalf of the Society’sProfessional Committee, and a Sub-committee to review our CPDrecording system on behalf of theChartership Committee, I am standingfor election in the hope that I couldmake a greater contribution to the affairsof the Society as a Council member.

Proposer: Alex Carbray

Supporters: Elizabeth Walker, Bill Gaskarth

➤Dr Alexander WhittakerI am a seniorlecturer at ImperialCollege London.My researchcombines field,remote sensingand numericalmodellingapproaches toaddress how

tectonics and climate drive landscapeevolution over a range of scales. At ImperialI lecture structural geology and tectonics,and I co-ordinate the department’s fieldprogramme, leading excursions to theSpanish Pyrenees and the Apennines.

I read Natural Sciences at the Universityof Cambridge between 1998 and 2002,before moving to Edinburgh University to doa PhD in landscape dynamics and neo-tectonics. Following an Entente CordialeFellowship at Université Joseph Fourier,France, I moved to Imperial CollegeLondon. I was appointed a Lecturer in2010 and Senior Lecturer in 2014. I havebeen a fellow of the Society for seven yearsand I received the President’s Award in2009. I have subsequently served theSociety in a range of roles; currently I sit onthe research grants and Society awardscommittees.

The geosciences are central toaddressing many of the problems that weand the planet face in the coming years andthe Society has a vital role to play in leadingthese discussions and linking research withboth policy and practical applications. I ampassionate about making our membershipas diverse as possible and I am keen topromote engagement with the wider publicand policy makers who need to know whyour discipline matters.

Proposer: Gary Hampson

Supporters: Alastair Fraser, Philip Allen




n 1911, as the storm clouds of warwere gathering in Europe,Winston Churchill was appointedas First Lord of the Admiralty atthe age of 36, giving him effective

charge of the British Royal Navy and theBritish Grand Fleet. At this critical timein world history, Churchill made themomentous decision to change the fuelused to power the Royal Navy’s shipsfrom coal to oil.

It was a brave decision – at the time,Britain had almost unlimited supplies ofcoal, but no indigenous supplies of oilwhatsoever – and, in the opinion of mostknowledgeable experts at the time, littlechance that it ever would. Britain wouldhave to rely entirely on importingforeign oil supplies, mainly from hervast empire, with Burma (then part of‘British India’), Trinidad and, eventually,Persia supplying the ‘lion’s share’.Churchill’s decision was a mixed

blessing – it gave the ships greaterefficiency, speed and range, and helpedalleviate the chronic shortage ofmanpower by reducing the need for thathappy breed of men, known as ‘stokers’;but it left the Navy dangerouslydependent on foreign oil supplies.

WarWhen Britain eventually declared waron German in 1914, it soon became clearthat German submarines posed asignificant threat to those oil supplies, asU-boats repeatedly attacked and sanktankers bringing essential oil suppliesfrom the Indian Subcontinent, theMiddle East and the Caribbean. By1915, the British Government finallyrealized the scale of the threat and, insomething of a panic, commissioned acompany called S. Pearson and Sons toundertake a survey of potential oilresources in Britain. S. Pearson and

Jonathan Craig1,Jon Gluyas2,Cameron Laing3

and PhilipSchofield4*commemorateBritain’s first onshorewell, ahead of amajor conference

Above: What the Navy needs is more efficientships. British oil was Churchill’s big idea

I

HARDSTOFTBRITAIN’S FIRST OIL FIELD


IT WAS A BRAVE DECISION – AT THE TIME, BRITAIN HADALMOST UNLIMITED SUPPLIES OF COAL, BUT NO INDIGENOUSSUPPLIES OF OIL WHATSOEVER – AND, IN THE OPINION OFMOST EXPERTS ... LITTLE CHANCE THAT IT EVER WOULD

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Sons was owned by Lord Cowdray (S.Pearson became Lord Cowdray when heinherited the Cowdray Estate, nearMidhurst, West Sussex) and was heavilyinvolved in the oil industry in Mexicothrough Cowdray’s Mexican Eagle OilCompany.

Pearson staff identified three mainareas as having significant oil potential –the Lothians area in the Midland Valleyof Scotland, together with the PotteriesRegion of Staffordshire and theDerbyshire Coalfield, both of which in,what is now, the ‘East Midlands OilProvince’. Eventually, after muchdebate, it was decide that thegovernment would fund the drilling of11 exploration wells – seven inDerbyshire, two in Staffordshire and twoin Scotland – to evaluate the potential.

There is now little informationavailable to indicate why particulardrilling locations were selected, but it is

clear that the combination of suitablegeology, the location of surface anticlinesand the presence of oil seeps in nearbycoal mines – particularly in theDerbyshire Coalfield - were significantfactors.

First drillingThe first drilling location was on aprominent surface anticline in theCarboniferous Coal Measures atHardstoft, near Tibshelf in Derbyshire, onland belonging to the Chatsworth Estatethat was therefore (and, indeed, still is)owned by the Duke of Devonshire. In1915, Lord Cowdray visited the offices ofthe Chatsworth Estates to obtainadditional information about the localgeology from the estate records,particularly concerning the local coalmines, and also to negotiate rights to drillfor oil on the Duke’s land. It then tookthree and a half years to finalise the

contracts required to allow the drilling toproceed. (Perhaps they didn’t realisethere was a war on!) Eventually, on 10September 1918, an agreement wassigned with the Ministry of Munitionsunder which the drilling, supervised bystaff under contract to S. Pearson andSons, could begin.

At the time, Britain had absolutely noexperience of drilling oil & gas wells, orequipment with which to drill them, sothe derricks, all ancillary equipment andmore than 50 drillers were shipped overfrom the United States to undertake thetask.

The Hardstoft No.1 well waseventually spudded on 15 October 1918 -by which time, of course, the war wasvirtually over! The spudding-inceremony was attended by LordCowdray, the Marquess of Hartington(son of the Duke of Devonshire), togetherwith representatives of the government

Right:Oil and gasfields in theeast MidlandsOil Province(modified fromGluyas andHichens 2003)

Left:WinstonChurchill andthe BritishGrand Fleet,1914

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and the oil industry. We actually know quite a lot about

the equipment and the personnelinvolved in drilling Hardstoft No. 1,mainly from Chatsworth Estate records.It was drilled using the American cablesystem with the percussive tools thatwere standard at the time. An 85ft-hightubular steel derrick was constructed forhandling tools and casing, completewith a 30 horsepower steam-drivendrilling engine, powered by portablelocomotive-type boilers.

The tools consisted of a rope socket,sinker bar, jars and a chisel-shaped bit.The well was ‘drilled’ by raising anddropping the bit into the hole and usinga bailer with a self-shutting container tolift chippings out of the hole. Incomparison with modern rotary drillingtechniques, progress was painfully slow.The derrick and the associatedequipment was almost certainlysupplied by the Lucey ManufacturingCompany, who described themselves as‘Manufacturers of, and dealers in,Machinery & Tools for Rotary and CableDrilling Systems, Tools, Supplies andEquipment for Oil, Gas, Water Wells, PipeLines and Refineries’.

Lucey maintained a branch office inLondon at the time. The well-sitegeologist for Hardstoft No. 1 was MrEugene Law Ickes - a graduate of theUniversity of California. Mr RoderickCrandall from Stanford University wasin charge of the ‘technicaladministration’ and the DrillingSuperintendent was Victor L. Conaghan,from the U.S. Bureau of Mines. Ickeseventually returned to the United Statesin 1921 to work for the Standard OilCompany of California, while Crandallbecame a famous geologist in New Yorkand worked subsequently in Russia andBrazil.

Hardstoft DomeHardstoft No.1 was drilled on the crest ofthe Hardstoft Dome – a faulted NW-SEtrending anticline. It passed downthrough the Carboniferous CoalMeasures, through the underlyingMillstone Grit and Limestone shale andthen, on the night of 27 May 1919 at adepth of 3,070ft, it struck oil in the top ofthe Carboniferous Limestone - in whatsubsequently turned out to be a rathersmall tilted fault block. As drillingcontinued, a possible oil-water contactwas encountered at a depth of 3,112ft,indicating the presence of a c. 42ft oilcolumn.

The first oil flowed from the well on 7

Simplifiedgeological mapof the HardstoftDome, based onthe GeologicalSurvey of GreatBritain (England& Wales)1:63,360 scaleGeological MapSheet 112Chesterfield,1963. Locationmap modifiedfrom Gluyas &Bowman, 1997(from Craig etal., 2013)

Right:The HardstoftNo. 1 well,Tibshelf,Derbyshire

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Devonshire Mss., Chatsworth, Tibshelf/Hardstoft Oilwell papers

GEOSCIENTIST FEATURE

June 1919 and pictures of it appeared inthat weeks’ edition of The LondonIllustrated News. On 25 June, it wasannounced in the House of Commonsthat the well was flowing at theprodigious rate of 11 barrels a day!

Two more wells were drilled on theHardstoft anticline in the 1920s. Bothencountered numerous drillingproblems: No. 2 because it drilledthrough the main fault high up in thesection, and No. 3 because it drilledthrough some old mine workings, andencountered a gas-bearing sand at 400ft(only discovered when the drillerdropped a lighted match into the hole,causing an explosion) and finally, whenthe casing collapsed. No additional oilproduction was obtained from the twonew wells, but some gas was found insandstones within the shallower CoalMeasures succession - this was used forseveral years to power the site.

Hardstoft oil was light and of goodquality and, in fact, exceedingly ‘mature’.It was stored in a 12,000 barrel tank at thesite and was initially transported by roadto the nearby railway station at Pilsleyand then, via the Great Central Railway,to the Pumpherston Refinery in Scotland.Eventually, a 4,500ft gravity-fed pipelinewas laid directly from the well to PilsleyStation.

Between June 1919 and December1927, the Hardstoft well produced about20,000 barrels of oil at an average rate ofsix or seven barrels per day (b/d). It wasoriginally intended to ‘shoot’ the wellwith nitroglycerin to stimulateproduction, until it was pointed out thatthe transportation of nitroglycerine overpublic roads in England was illegal.

WaxingFor the first four years, the well flowedunder its own pressure, but was prone towaxing and silting. In 1921, theGovernment carried out a pump test thatmore than doubled the production from7 b/d to 14.6 b/d, but the pumping wasnot continued because, since thePetroleum Production Bill that was putbefore Parliament in 1917 had not beenapproved, the government was notauthorised to carry out commercial oilproduction.

The government had, in fact,originally used powers under the‘Defence of the Realm Act’ to take theland necessary for the drilling, but thisdid not entitle it to produce and marketthe oil. Consequently, when the ‘Defenceof the Realm Act’ was repealed at the endof the First World War, the Duke of

Devonshire served an injunction on theBritish Government and, on 23 March1923, took over the Hardstoft well, as hestill owned the mineral rights and theland on which it had been drilled.Production Licence 1 in the U.K.Petroleum Licensing system, in which theHardstoft Field is located, is still ownedby the Duke of Devonshire and it is stillthe only licence in the UK not owned bythe British Government.

A ‘pump-jack’ was installed in 1924,but between 1924 and 1927 the Hardstoftwell began to produce an increasingamount of water. At the time this wasthought to indicate that the well was‘watering-out’ as the bottom waterencroached. By 1927 the production rateat fallen to such a low level that it was nolonger worth selling the oil to the refinery,and the Chatsworth Estate instead usedthe unrefined oil to power a sawmill atnearby Hardwick Hall.

The well was put back into productionin 1938, when Britain again found itself atwar and in dire straits over the supply offoreign oil – having, apparently, learntabsolutely nothing from the situationduring the First World War; but that isanother, albeit equally fascinating story.

New importanceInterestingly, the story of the HardstoftField and its production history, nearly ahundred years after its discovery, hasnow assumed a new importance – muchmore than its meagre size would seem towarrant. This is because it is a key datapoint in the understanding of the tight oiland shale oil/shale gas play in theCarboniferous basins of NorthernEngland. The Limestone Shale,penetrated by the Hardstoft well, knowntoday as the Bowland Shale, is the mainshale gas and shale oil exploration targetin Northern England, while theequivalent of the Dinantian carbonatereservoir of the Hardstoft Field iscurrently undergoing a new phase ofexploration in the southern North Sea.Re-evaluation of the Hardstoft Field,using seismic data acquired by BP in themid-1980s and the available well logs,suggests that the field probably originallycontained only about 170,000 barrels ofoil in-place, of which some 29,000 barrelshave been produced.

The Hardstoft No.1 well still existstoday, along with the concrete base for thepump jack and the storage tank for the oilit produced carefully preserved andprotected by the owner of the ‘OilwellNursery’ – a Garden Centre and plantnursery on the outskirts of the village of

THE WELL WAS PUTBACK INTO PRODUCTION IN1938 - BRITAIN AGAIN IN DIRESTRAITS OVER OIL HAVING,APPARENTLY, LEARNTABSOLUTELY NOTHING

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Above: A) The Hardstoft No.1 well flowing oil (Wade 1928).B) The first flow oil from the Hardstoft N°1 well. C) Oilpouring from the baler just lifted from the Hardstoft N°1well. (B and C from The London Illustrated News, June14th 1919)


A

B

C

Tibshelf. In the United States, such animportant historical site would a‘National Monument’ – cherished,displayed and given the full protection ofthe law. In Britain, we rely on thegenerosity of a private individual topreserve what is, perhaps, our mostimportant oil industry historical site. Thefact that we do not take more care of, andmore interest in, the early history of theUK oil and gas industry really is adisgrace.

Conference Fortunately, the Geological Societyintends to celebrate the Centenary of theHardstoft Discovery – Britain’s first OilField – in May 2019. However, thecelebration will start rather sooner,during a special conference on ‘EuropeanOil & Gas Industry History’ at BurlingtonHouse on 3 and 4 March 2016, convenedby the Geological Society PetroleumGroup, the Geological Society History ofGeology Group (HOGG) and thePetroleum History Institute. A fieldtripto the ‘East Midlands Oil Province’

following the conference will include avisit to the Hardstoft No. 1 well site.Further details are available on theGeological Society website. u

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1 Brentnall, I. 1995. Britain’s first mainland oilwell at Tibshelf/Hardstoft. Ashfield Historian3(3), August 1995.

2 Craig, J., Gluyas, J., Laing, C. andSchofield, P. 2013. Hardstoft – Britain’s FirstOil Field. Oil-Industry History 14(1), 97-116.

3 Giffard, H.P.W. 1922. The Recent Search forOil in Great Britain. Transactions of theInstitute of Mining Engineers LXV, 1922-23,222-250.

4 Wade, A. 1928. The oil well and laterdevelopments at Hardstoft, Derbyshire.Journal of the Institute of PetroleumTechnologists 14, 357-387

FURTHER READING

* 1. Eni Upstream & Technical Services, Via Emilia 1, 20097 San Donato Milanese,Italy, [email protected]. 2. Department of Earth Science, DurhamUniversity, South Road, Durham DH1 3LE, U.K. 3. Laing Engineering and Training ServicesLtd., 63 Ness Circle, Ellon, Aberdeenshire,AB41 9BR, U.K. 4. Oilwell Nurseries, Chesterfield Rd.,Tibshelf, Alfreton, Derbyshire, DE55 5NP, U.K.


Operations in progress on the Hardstoft No. 3 well. Top).Setting up the rig and derrick; Middle). Hardstoft No. 3;Bottom) Casing flattered by water pressure, HardstoftNo. 3 (from Wade, 1928)

Correlation of Hardstoft No. 1, No. 2,and No. 3 wells (from Craig et al., 2013)

A


Annual oil production from the Hardstoft No. 1 well, 1920-1945 (from Craig et al.,2013 and based on data from Brentnall 1995)

Seismic line across the Hardstoft Dome and a re-evaluation of oil-in-place forthe Hardstoft Field (from Craig et al., 2013). Seismic line courtesy of the UKOnshore Geophysical Library; STOIIP calculation courtesy of ERC Equipoise Ltd

The site of the Hardstoft No. 1 well on the 18th July 2010. A. The well-head casing and associatedoil seep, Oilwell Nursery, Tibshelf. B. The concrete base for the well pump, Oilwell Nursery,

Tibshelf. C. The original oil storage tank at the Hardstoft well site, Oilwell Nursery, Tibshelf. D.Tibshelf village sign indicating “The site of Britain’s first inland oil well” (from Craig et al., 2013)

Cross section through the Hardstoft Dome showing the location of theHardstoft No.1 well (modified from Giffard, 1922)

B C D

THE 11 MEDALS OF ARTHUR HOLMES


aught up as I was in all theWilliam Smith celebrationslast year, it somewhat passedme by that September 2015also marked 50 years since the

death of Arthur Holmes (1890-1965).Many would agree that Holmes was oneof the great 20th Century geoscientists, andthe 11 medals awarded to him (recentlyon display in the library at EdinburghUniversity) are surely testament to this.Many of the medals are no longerawarded and it has been difficult to findout exactly why they were given; butknowing something about the individualafter whom the medal was named, andHolmes’s wide-ranging geologicalacumen, provides some insight.

1937 – Maurice Lugeon MedalMaurice Lugeon (1870-1953) was a Swissgeologist and the pioneer of nappetectonics. Holmes wrote extensively ontectonics and the structure of thecontinents.

1940 – Murchison Medal, GeologicalSociety of LondonFirst awarded in 1873, the MurchisonMedal is given to those who have made asignificant contribution to geology bymeans of a substantial body of research,and for contributions to hard rock studies.Holmes was eminently qualified toreceive this medal, writing the first bookson the methodology and nomenclature ofpetrology in the early 1920s. My heavilyannotated copy of the latter was onceowned by Noel Odell (1890-1987) who, in1924, was on the ill-fated Everestexpedition in which Mallory and Irvineperished during their summit attempt.

1946 – Sederholm Medal, GeologicalSociety of FinlandJohannes Sederholm (1863–1934) was apetrologist with a particular interest inthe Precambrian. In 1911 Holmes spentsix months doing fieldwork inMozambique. This experience was toinform his life’s research, for it was therehe recognised geology’s need for areliable timescale. It also triggered alifelong interest in the Precambrian andthe geology of Africa.

On his return, and two years before thediscovery of isotopes, Holmes pioneeredthe U/Pb technique for dating rocks,creating the first geological timescalebased on radiometric dates, and boldlystating that the age of the Earth shouldbe measured in billions, not millions, ofyears. His frequent correspondence withSederholm at this time provides afascinating insight into datingtechniques in the 1910s.

1951 – Orville A Derby Medal, Divisionde Geologia e Mineralogia, BrazilDerby (1851 – 1915) was once regardedas the leading geologist in SouthAmerica. The medal was created in 1951by the Brazilian Geological Survey tocommemorate the 100th anniversary ofhis birth (in New York), so Holmes wasthe first to receive it. Derby’s suicide in1915 caught everyone by surprise andthe Survey office realised they had norecent picture of him. Accordingly theysent some men to his hotel room; he wascleaned up, put in a chair, andphotographed – his eyes held open withmatchsticks, which were later removedin the touch-up process. The likeness ofDerby on the medal is from thatphotograph!

1955 – Foreign Member Academy ofSciences, Institute of FranceThe French Academy of Sciences wasfounded in 1666 by Louis XIV toencourage and protect the spirit ofFrench scientific research. Each year theAcademy distributes about 80 prizes, ofwhich this was one.

1956 – Penrose Medal, GeologicalSociety of AmericaThe Penrose Medal is the highest honourawarded by the Geological Society ofAmerica. It was established in 1927 byR.A.F. Penrose Jr, for ‘outstandingoriginal contributions or achievementsthat mark a major advance in the scienceof geology’ – Holmes fitted the billperfectly. He was a maverick, alwaysthinking outside the box and challengingconventional beliefs. For example,Kinglsey Dunham (Holmes’s first PhDstudent), remembered Holmes

C

Cherry Lewis* Holmes’s biographer, exploresthe curious tales surrounding the illustriousgeophysicist’s many awards

DERBY’S SUICIDECAUGHT EVERYONE BY

SURPRISE AND THE SURVEYREALISED THEY HAD NORECENT PICTURE. THEY

SENT SOME MEN TO HISHOTEL; HE WAS CLEANED

UP AND PHOTOGRAPHED –HIS EYES HELD OPEN WITH

MATCHSTICKS

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Above: Derby Medal, Obverse and Reverse

Left: Portrait of Derby’s corpse, on which the medaldesign is based. The matchsticks holding his eyelidsopen have been removed in retouching

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presenting a paper on Africa at theInternational Geological Congress, heldin London in 1948. To everyone’samazement, using a few dates obtainedfrom Mozambique granites, coupled withhis ability to see the ‘big picture’regarding successive orogenic events,Holmes turned African geology on itshead.

1956 – Wollaston Medal, GeologicalSociety of LondonThe Wollaston Medal is the senior medaland highest award of the GeologicalSociety. It is given to geologists who havehad a significant influence by means of asubstantial body of excellent research ineither or both 'pure' and 'applied' aspectsof the science.

Holmes is probably best rememberedfor his work on continental drift,proposing, in the late 1920s, convection inthe mantle as the mechanism that drivestectonic plates around the globe. At thetime, continental drift was highlycontroversial. The ‘anti’ camp was led byHolmes’s great friend, the physicistHarold Jeffreys (Lady Jeffreys told methey used to send each other dirtypostcards), who famously argued thatdrift was a physical impossibility.Holmes, however, was convinced it wasthe only theory that could explain – andunify – most geological phenomena.

1957 – Fourmarier Medal, RoyalAcademy of BelgiumPaul Fourmarier (1877 – 1970) was aBelgian authority on tectonics whospecialised in the study of fold structuresand cleavage.

1958 – Van Wetenschappen Medal,Royal Dutch Academy of SciencesThis ‘Medal of Science’ has beensuperseded by the Academy ProfessorPrize, awarded to researchers between 54and 59 years of age for exceptionalachievement throughout the course oftheir careers. The Prize is intended as alifetime achievement award.

1962 – Makdougall Brisbane Medal,Royal Society of EdinburghThis prize was founded in 1855 by SirThomas Makdougall Brisbane andawarded biennially, with preferencegiven to people working in Scotland. Itwas awarded to Holmes while he wasRegius Professor in Geology atEdinburgh University ‘in recognition ofyour pre-eminent contributions to thefundamental philosphy [sic] of the EarthSciences’.

1964 – The Vetlesen PrizeIntended to be the ‘Nobel Prize of theEarth Sciences’, the Vetlesen Prize wasawarded to Holmes for his ‘uniquelydistinguished achievement’ in thesciences resulting in a clearerunderstanding of the Earth, its history, orits relations to the universe.Characteristically both modest andforthright in his acceptance letter, Holmesexpressed his surprise at being selected‘for what must surely be the highestdistinction in the world for geologists.The surprise was all the greater because Ihave to confess that I had not evenknown there was such an award’.

Holmes shared the $25,000 prize withhis friend the Finnish geologist, Professor

Pentti Eskola. The award wasadministered by Columbia University’sLamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, but asHolmes was unable to travel to America toreceive (due to poor health), a luncheonparty was held in his honour at the RoyalSociety (Holmes became an FRS in 1942).After lunch Maurice Ewing (1906 – 1974)presented Holmes with the gold medal,which had been hastily shipped by airfrom America when, the day before, Ewinghad discovered it he had left it in his office!

In awarding the medal Ewingacknowledged how Holmes’s ‘papers,books and teaching had profoundlyinfluenced the thinking of every modernstudent of the Earth sciences’. Indeed,Holmes’s greatest legacy to us was hisglorious textbook, The Principles of PhysicalGeology, which so many 20th Centurygeologists grew up on. I have met peoplefrom all over the world who still cherishthis work and who tell me it is the reasonthey became geologists.

Holmes died the following year, inSeptember 1965. A month later the firstcomputer-generated reassembly of thecontinents 200 million years ago waspublished by Bullard, Everett and Smith(Phil. Trans. R. Soc. A258: 41−51). This‘Bullard fit’ supported recently-discoveredpalaeomagnetic data and finally confirmedthat continents do indeed move, andcelebrated by Douglas Palmer in theAugust 2015 issue of this magazine. u

* Cherry Lewis is author of The Dating Game:

One Man’s Search for the Age of the Earth

Above: Holmes receives the Vetlesen Prize from Maurice Ewing.Ewing arrived in London only to discover he had left the medal inhis office, and had to have it flown over from the States

Left: Holmes (centre) in Jura with European colleagues, 1 May1930. The picture features in the Principles as an example ofconcordant topography – the anticline forms a hill▼


READERS’LETTERS

Hubbert (1956): US Oil Production

US

oil

pro

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cti

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(bil

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n b

arr

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)

*https://www.eia.gov/dnav/pet/hist/Leafhandler.ashx?n=pet&s=mcrfpus1&f=a

4

3

2

1

0

1880 1900 1920 1940 1960 1980 2000 2020 2040 2060

US oil production*

Hubberts (1956)

High Estimate:

2008 bbl

Hubberts (1956)

Low Estimate:

1508 bbl

Time to move Chartership forwardSir, I was one of the earliest oilcompany chartered geologists – and Igot it when I had a proper job,sometime around 1990. I then spentthe thick end of 25 years day-rating,where being chartered was of zerovalue in getting, maintaining, orcompleting any work during thattime. On retirement, I cancelled mychartered membership – it waspointless when working, and apositive drain on funds for a wrinkly.I had a few (email) discussions withBill Gaskarth about continuingeducation during the years I wasconsulting. My pay was totallydependent on my performance: if Ididn’t perform, I didn’t get paid – justlike any other consultant. But I didget paid, so I learned - and used thatlearning on the job, just as it is in thereal world. In an attempt to help out, I checkedover a few young guys applying forchartered status – the mostimportant part of the review was whatthey said and how they said it, muchof the documentation required ofthem was of little use to any role theoil industry. I haven’t done that jobfor a few years, so I hope thesituation has changed with the morestructured approach now used.I realise that other industries needsome form of accreditation to allowpeople to progress in their careersand, God forbid, to appear in court.But if the Geological Society thinks

the Society, and its scheme, ismore important than the oilindustry, it is sadly mistaken. I can’t see a mad rush forchartership from the oilindustry ever happening; but in

the long term that risks a two-tier membership in what is still far

more a learned society than it is aprofessional body. If chartering canbe made to work for accountants, itsurely can be made to work to thebenefit of our more genial profession. Can we please start moving itforward, rather than heading for anIn/Out stand-off?

BILL WALBANK

Geoscientist welcomes readers’ letters. These are published aspromptly as possible in Geoscientist Online and a selectionprinted each month. Please submit your letter (300 words orfewer, by email only please) to [email protected] will be edited. For references cited in these letters,please see the full versions at www.geolsoc.org.uk/letters

Hubbert’s Peak ‘not even correct’Sir, Ragnarsdottir and Sverdrup in their article Limits to Growth Revisited (Geoscientist 25.9)stated “Hubbert (correctly!) predicted an exhaustion date for the oil and energy resources of theUnited States as 1970”. In fact the 1970 date refers to US liquid hydrocarbons (not other energyresources such as coal and uranium) and is Hubbert’s (1956) predicted peak production, notexhaustion, date. Furthermore, and notwithstanding the enormous respect which Hubbert deserves for his body ofwork, Hubbert’s (1956) prediction of US oil production is far from correct. The “peak resourcescommunity” cannot justifiably continue to use Hubbert’s (1956) prediction of future US oilproduction in support of their views.

RICHARD HILLIS

➤ Follow us on Twitter, search forGeoscientistmag or on Facebookwww.facebook.com/geolsoc

Hubbert’s Peak, apples andorangesSir, Hillis is correct to point outthat Hubbert (1956) waspredicting peak production, notexhaustion, of liquidhydrocarbons (and notother energy resources),but misses out that he wasconcerned with what werethen considered to beconventional sources. My understanding is thatproduction from potentialsources such as deepwater and fracking wereexcluded from his calculations.To include these unconventionalsources in a test of a Hubbert’spredictions seems a bit likecomparing apples and oranges.

DR ANTONY WYATT


The Planet Remade‘Geoengineering’ is aterm created toencompass humanactions taken to alterthe Earth’s climatedeliberately – i.e.,where altering theclimate is the point,rather than a side-effect. (We already

have enough of those.) Its coinage hasannoyed engineering geologists, but that’snot the half of it. I confess that the wholesubject, and most of those who profess it,rather give me the creeps.

On the whole, geoscientists and‘geoengineers’ do not mix. Folk whodream of brightening clouds, or loftingreflective aerosols into the stratosphere, orfloating billions of ping-pong balls on theoceans (yes, that’s a real one) tend (on thewhole) to come from disciplines allied tophysics and chemistry, and the ‘military-industrial complex’. Armed with the‘first-principles’ arrogance typical of thisbreed, they tend to march all over EarthSystem Science confident, one suspects,that it can all easily be sorted out now theyhave arrived. Or at least, that’s thecaricature. Professor Bill McGuire (UCL),calls them ‘the ‘Are You Feeling Lucky?’brigade’.

Most Geoscientist readers, I suspect,would concur. In a risk-averse age thathas lost its admiration for what Mortonrefers to (in Simon Schaffer’s phrase) as‘Promethean science’, with its grandiose1930s-style improving-on-nature ambition,no government or assemblage of them isever going to sanction ‘geoengineering’

until it’s really too late, and for all thereasons Morton cites in his analysis. Yet,he remains hopeful.

In the hands of a lesser writer, this bookcould have been merely an entertaininglitany of bonkers science fiction schemes,such as often make ‘GIANT UMBRELLASIN SPACE’ headlines from geoengineeringconferences. Instead, based upon deepengagement with the subject since theearly 1990s, he has produced a thoughtfuland thought-provoking analysis ofwhether deliberate climate modification isfeasible, whether it should be activelyconsidered and pursued alongsidemitigation (he believes it should), and apenetrating analysis of the politicalsituations in which it might be deployed,and to which it might in turn give rise.

Morton is well aware of the difficulties,but remains attracted to the possibility.He places geoengineering within thecontext of an ‘Anthropocene’ where (let’sface it) nothing outside the aisles of asupermarket is ‘100% natural’ any more.Indeed, he waxes lyrical about a timeperhaps not too distant whengeoengineering not only helps us regulatetemperature, precipitation, ocean pH andso on, but where the presence of our handson the levers will signify that a long-livedand false division between the ‘human’and the ‘natural’ has finally beenexpunged.

In the end, I feel his vision places toomuch confidence in science and thecapacities of societies and individuals tocope with being in control. But I comeaway with a better understanding ofwhere geoengineering ideas have comefrom and (perhaps) a slightly lessjaundiced view of those who cling tothem.

The book is full-on; I found myselfyearning for some change of pace, tone orregister. By the time one arrived, the bookwas almost over. It feels like beingcornered at a party by an intenseacquaintance: a party at which you mighthave had more fun with someone else, butfrom which you come away much betterinformed, still unconvinced, and not alittle sobered. Morton has written a verygood book about what I still believe is avery bad subject.

Reviewed by Ted Nield

The Invention of Nature When Charles Darwinwas hurriedly planningfor his voyage aboardHMS Beagle in 1831,one major concern was– his library. Space wasseverely limited; onlythe best and most up-to-date books woulddo.

As everyone knows, Charles Lyell'swas foremost among them, subsequentvolumes of his Principles even being sentposte restante to Darwin during thevoyage. There was also Daubeny onvolcanoes; and D’Aubuisson de Voisins’Traité de Géogosie. Adam Sedgwick,Darwin’s Cambridge tutor, had plenty ofadvice for the young tyro, and in themiddle of it he wrote (letter dated 18September 1831): “Humboldt’s PersonalNarrative you will of course get. He willat least show you the right spirit with wh.a man should set to work – …”

Alexander von Humboldt (1769-1859)is indeed the ‘lost hero’ described in thetitle of this brilliant survey of hisastonishing travels, work, influence (andinfluences). It is curious that thereputation of someone, described in hislifetime as ‘the most famous man in theworld after Napoleon’, has been soeclipsed. Perhaps he influenced too many,too profoundly. Perhaps they owed himso much it was embarrassing. Perhaps hewas too modern, now too much ‘part ofthe furniture’. Perhaps he was tooindependent. It is high time the English-speaking world remembered this Prussianaristocrat-scientist.

Although it may be too much tosuggest that the vulcanist Humboldtforeshadowed plate tectonics, hisachievements render such stretchesunnecessary. In seeing the living and non-living world as a single entity, he inventedthe ecological approach andforeshadowed the Gaia hypothesis. Heunderstood how human economicsinterfered (detrimentally) with naturalsystems; how agriculture and irrigationaffected hydrosphere and biosphere; howcolonial power led to ecologicaldepredation and economic disaster.

A fervent anti-imperialist, anti-slaverylibertarian, he even foresaw the effects ofindustrial emissions on the compositionand behaviour of the atmosphere. Inviewing Earth as a functioning whole,Humboldt really did ‘invent’ nature. Hisrange of influences, from Goethe andSimon Bolívar to Darwin, Haeckel, Muir,

THE INVENTION OF NATURE: THE ADVENTURESOF ALEXANDER VON HUMBOLDT, THE LOSTHERO OF SCIENCE by, Andrea Wulf. John Murray, 2015 List price: ££25.00 473pp hbk

Emerson and Thoreau, defies belief.Humboldt entertained many intense

intellectual friendships, but, as theysay, ‘never married’. The prurientreader will chafe at Wulf’s refusal to gofurther into this matter: but she is toomuch a historian to ask anachronisticquestions. Hard as it may be for us toconceive, I suspect that Humboldt’smind really was on higher things.Chimborazo, Cotopaxi had him intheir spell.

Reviewed by Ted Nield

BOOKS & ARTS have no Internet access? CALL THE

Library Bookshop 0207 432 0999 for

advice and to purchase publications[ ]

THE PLANET REMADE – HOW GEOENGINEERINGCOULD CHANGE THE WORLDby, OLIVER MORTON Granta Books 2015. ISBN 978 178378 095 2 (hbk)List price: £20.00 http://grantabooks.com/the-planet-remade


Miner Indiscretions As its title mightsuggest, this is not abook that should betaken too seriously.Rather, it is a hilariousaction-packedadventure, followingyoung Timothy’s earlygeological career. Atthe start, he is a young

graduate working on a modern deep goldmine in South Africa. However, he cannotcontrol his emotions; his unrequited loveleads to an assault on his competitor, anddismissal. In desperation he answers adubious advertisement at a mine and acompany no-one has heard of. Heprogresses unopposed through thehaphazard selection, securing a new jobexploring for gold in the dilapidatedYellow Snake Mine.

The tone in his new post is set onarrival as he falls into the office of themine manager, demolishing the officedoor. All is not as it seems in thisoperation, with all sorts of scurrilousbehaviour and scams. One of his firstquestions (about monthly tonnages andgold grades) elicits the response that theseare ‘variable’. The run-down mine is facedwith closure and all present are desperateto keep it open to save the tight-knitcommunity in the face of certainunemployment thereafter. Actuallyprospecting for more gold takes rather aback seat in the possible actions.

The eccentric locals and expats employdesperate scams, illegal schemes,subterfuges and downright lies to findescape-avenues for the mine. Timothyinitially struggles to reconcile hisprofessional standards with the activities

already taking place, but is sooninveigled into becoming involved indubious activities, even leading someof them. Quite what he would havemade of any sort of code of ethicsremains uncertain as such prosaicconsiderations are not entertained. Incarrying out these various illegalities,Timothy struggles through encounterswith African wildlife, consultants,riots, ghosts, floods, governmentofficials, explosions and a veryfrustrating sex life in his attempts tofind some actual gold.

This is an entertaining read. Ifound myself reading on to see howthe bizarre situations developed. Irelated to the misguided drivingforces and the ingenious approachesadopted to convince the outside worldthat the mine has a future. You willhave to read it to find out if they alllived happily ever after, but in doingso you are guaranteed to have a goodlaugh.

Reviewed by David Norbury

MINER INDISCRETIONS by JON ARDEMAN, 2013. Published privately. 340 ppsoftback. ISBN 1499304854List price: price £7.65, ebook £1.99www.facebook.com/miner.indiscretions

Map – Exploring theWorld

With the 2015bicentenary ofWilliam Smith’spioneeringgeological map of1815, maps havefound themselvesback in the‘Geoscience’news. By

coincidence, Phaidon Press havepublished this wonderful compendium,illustrated with over 300 maps, eachaccompanied by a 2500-word description.The emphasis is on the visualrepresentation of the maps following thelong standing Phaidon tradition of highquality reproduction.

There are ‘traditional’ maps of all kindsfrom a 2600 year old map of Babylon toSmith’s map, Heezen and Tharp’samazing ocean floor map (1977) and arecent (2014) geological map of theMartian surface. And then there are allsorts of other maps from those made byearly explorers, native peoples andgeographers, designers, artists to ITspecialists and their depictions of thecomplex networks of social media.

The sheer variety of maps defies theproduction of a simple definition and asJohn Hessler, cartographer in the Libraryof Congress, says in his perceptiveintroduction, ‘…a map is still somethingthat is best understood when seen as animage…rather than commented onverbally’. As Hessler adds: ‘this book putsthe emphasis back on the experience ofviewing rather than describing (a map)’.Perhaps the simplest criterion forrecognising a map is that ‘you’ll know onewhen you see it.’

Likewise, the function of maps isequally diverse and imaginative - if‘something’ exists, whether in fact orfantasy, then someone will have tried tomap it. Mapping seems to be a fairlyfundamental human activity resultingfrom our need to try to make sense of theworld around us.

The arrangement of the maps is neitherchronological nor straightforwardlythematic but intentionally thought-provoking, through the pairing ofcontrasting maps linked loosely bysubject, age, purpose, technique orappearance. Some of these pairings aremore stimulating than others but readerscan always ‘curate’, as is the fashion thesedays, their own pairings by flipping back

MAP - EXPLORING THE WORLD WORLD by ROSIE PICKLES & TIM COOKE (Eds) 2015.Published by Phaidon Press Ltd, 352pp (hbk) ISBN978-0-7148-6944-5List price: £39.95 www.phaidon.com

Geoscientist READER OFFER! - For a limited timeonly – get 35% off Map: Exploring the World at:www.phaidon.com/mapbook.

and forth through the book. However,a chronological survey of cartography,biographical notices of the mapmakers, along with a brief glossary,further reading and index are providedto help the reader navigate and explorethis wonderful world of maps.

Reviewed by Douglas Palmer

Would you like to receive a free book and write a review?Available titles are listed online, of which a small selection is shown below.

Contact the editor for further information [email protected]

u NEW! Geology & Archaeology - submergedlandscapes of the Continental Shelf by Harff et al.GSL Spec. ub #411 294pp hbk

u NEW! A revised correlation of Tertiary rocks in theBritish Isles and adjacent areas of NW Europe, byKing C., Edited by Gale A S and Barry T L. GSL SpecialReport #27 719pp sbk

u NEW! Geophysics, realism & Industry - howcommercial interests shaped geophysicalconceptions 1900-1960. By Aitor Anduaga. OxfordUniversity Press339pp, hbk.

u NEW! Sedimentary Basins and Crustal Processesat Continental Margins by Gibson G M et al (eds)2015 Geological Society Special Publication #413pphbk

u NEW! Rock Deformation from Field, Experimentsand Theory by D R Faulkner et al (eds) 2015Geological Society Special Publication #409 277pphbk

u NEW! Tertiary Deep-Marine Reservoirs of the NorthSea Region by T McKie et al (eds) 2015 GeologicalSociety Special Publication #403 407pp hbk

u Magnetic Susceptibility Application by A C Da Silvaet al (eds) 2015 Geological Society IUGS SpecialPublication #414 283pp hbk

Please contact [email protected] if you wouldlike to supply a review. You will be invited to keep thereview copy. See a full up-to-date list atwww.geolsoc.org.uk/reviews

BOOKS Available for review

uJenny Bennett took over as Chair ofthe Ussher Societyat the 2016 UssherSociety meeting inWeymouth, the first

female Chair of the Society. TheSociety, formed in 1962 to coverresearch into the geology of SWEngland, offers an annualfieldwork bursary of up to £500for full-time students to fund (orpart fund) fieldwork in the region.Eligibility for the fieldworkbursaries is now extended to allUssher Society Members.(Student applicants do not needto be Members). Closing date forapplications 1 May 2016. E:[email protected] or W:www.ussher.org.uk.

u Myint Win Bo PhD CGeol EurGeol CSci has beenappointed Presidentand Chief OperatingOfficer of

SARAFINCHIN ConsultingEngineers, Canada. Dr Bo is anEngineering Geologist,Hydrogeologist and GeotechnicalEngineer who is also active inteaching and research, workingwith Lakehead University andUniversity of Ottawa in Canada,and Swinburne University ofTechnology (Australia) as AdjunctProfessor in GeotechnicalEngineering.

u Liv Carroll Technical Director,Wardell Armstrong,member of Counciland (from June 2016)Professional

Secretary, has been named oneof ‘100 Global InspirationalWomen in Mining’ for a secondtime. She says: ‘I value being anambassador for the miningindustry; that I am female andchose the ‘road less travelled’perhaps makes me stand out

Northern exposures

The University of YorkPostgraduate Diploma in TheGeology of Yorkshire andNorthern England, launched2015, will be re-starting againin September 2016. This part-time course is conductedentirely online via distancelearning (with anintroductory residential weekfor field study) and lasts twoyears.

Dr Annette McGrath toldGeoscientist: ‘NorthernEngland as a whole preserves

almost 500 million years ofgeological history within anexceptional variety oflandscapes and classicgeological sites. Thisinnovative course willintroduce students to theregional geology of Yorkshireand Northern England, andthrough this understanding,they will acquire theknowledge and tools requiredwith which to interpret larger-scale Earth processes andstructures. Students will also

assess the area’s importancewith respect to currentcontroversies in the Earthsciences, while also reflectingupon the region's vital role inthe history of geology.

North Landing,Flamborough Head

CAROUSEL

All Fellows of the Society are

entitled to entries in this

column. Please email ted.nield

@geolsoc.org.uk, quoting your

Fellowship number.


PEOPLE NEWS

➤ If interested, E: [email protected] or T: 01904328482 for further details. Forupdated information aboutforthcoming Open Days: W:www.york.ac.uk/lifelon-glearning/postgraduate/

more, which has facilitated my openness andavailability to assist others.’ A CGeol with an MSc inMineral Project Appraisal, Liv advises listed andprivate exploration and operating companies, aswell as investment groups, off-takers and banks.

u Mike Rogersafter being made redundant by theInstitution of Civil Engineers (ICE),established CMNA in December 2015to support the training anddevelopment needs of busy

Professionals. Based in Leamington Spa, CMNAoffers a UK and global service. Mike can be

contacted on [email protected] or throughLinkedIn - https://uk.linkedin.com/in/mikecmna.

u Anastasios Stavrou (AECOM UK Ground Engineering) hasused the Distinguished Geologists’Memorial Trust (DGMT) grant to co-finance attendance at the ISRMEUROCK 2015 symposium in

Salzburg, Austria. Anastasios presented a paperbased on work from his part-time PhD (University ofLeeds) on the long-term stability of deepunderground excavations due to time-dependentrock mass strength degradation.


Geoscientists in the news and on themove in the UK, Europe and worldwide

The island of Arran off the westcoast of Scotland is certainlyhigh on the list of localities forgenerating an interest ingeology. Arran is also thelocality where the family of SirAndrew Crombie Ramsay (1814-91), the third Director of theGeological Survey, often spenttheir holidays, and whereRamsay cut his geological teeth.It is also the place whereRamsay’s geological careeralmost ended before it began.

Son of a manufacturingchemist and businessmanassociated with the dyeingindustry (who died himself in1827), Ramsay began hisworking life at the age of 13 tohelp support his mother andthree siblings. He spent 10uninspiring years working invarious unsuccessful businessenterprises. Meanwhile,Ramsay's interest in geologywas sparked off by John Nichol(1804-59) Professor of PracticalAstronomy at GlasgowUniversity, and greatly reinforcedin 1836 by a chance meeting onArran with Charles Lyell (1797 – 1895).

Unfortunateoverworking Ramsay's geological careerlooked ripe to set sail in 1839,when Nichol, one of the localconveners of the 1840 BritishAssociation meeting in Glasgow,recruited Ramsay to prepare amodel of the island of Arran,together with specimens of itsgeological formations; and toread his first scientific paper:'Notes taken during the Surveysfor the Construction of theGeological Model, Maps andSections of the Island of Arran'.Ramsay was also invited tomeet a party of the geologicalgreat and good due to travelover to Arran bysteamboat and trainand 'give them ageneral exposition ofArran geology'.

But, alas, reportsArchibald Geikie(1835 – 1924) inhis 1895 book,Memoirs ofAndrew Ramsay,Ramsay, who 'hadworked hard in makingall the preliminary preparations,and for some days before hadbeen up early and late, unluckilyoverslept himself, and was toolate for both steamboat andtrain.' The geological great andgood travelled on without him.

NetworkingBut although Ramsay missedthe boat on that occasion, hisgeological career flourishednonetheless. Ramsay's effortson Arran formed the basis of hisfirst book, The Geology of theIsland of Arran from OriginalSurvey, published in 1841. Andthe contacts he made at BritishAssociation meeting served tolaunch his career. After themeeting Roderick Murchison[1792 – 1871] invited Ramsay toaccompany him on field work inRussia. When that trip fellthrough, Murchison thenencouraged Henry De la Beche

[1796 – 1855], first Director ofthe Geological

Survey of GreatBritain, to offerRamsay anappointment as anAssistantGeologist.Ramsay startedwork with theSurvey in

Pembrokeshirein April 1841 at a

salary of 9s per day,and rose through the ranks tobecome, shortly after the deathof Murchison, the Survey'ssecond Director, the thirdDirector of the Geological Surveyof Great Britain. Along the wayhe became an acknowledged

expert in geomorphology, glacialphenomena and the geology ofNorth Wales. He was honouredwith many awards, medals,professorships. and received aknighthood shortly before hisretirement in 1881.

But in spite of his ultimatelysuccessful career, according toGeikie, oversleeping and missingthe boat to Arran remained forRamsay 'an untoward accidenthe never ceased to regret.' Withthat in mind, Ramsay's top tip toall the aspiring geologists underhis command must surely havebeen: don't forget to set thealarm clock!

Missing the BoatDISTANT THUNDER

IN MEMORIAM WWW.GEOLSOC.ORG.UK/OBITUARIES

THE SOCIETY NOTES WITH SADNESS THE PASSING OF:

In the interests of recording its Fellows' work for posterity, the Society publishes obituaries online, and in Geoscientist. The most recent additions to the listare in shown in bold. Fellows for whom no obituarist has yet been commissioned are marked with an asterisk (*). The symbol § indicates that biographicalmaterial has been lodged with the Society.

If you would like to contribute an obituary, please email [email protected] to be commissioned. You can read the guidance for authors atwww.geolsoc.org.uk/obituaries. To save yourself unnecessary work, please do not write anything until you have received a commissioning letter.

Deceased Fellows for whom no obituary is forthcoming have their names and dates recorded in a Roll of Honour at www.geolsoc.org.uk/obituaries.

Bishopp, David *Colley, H *Flood, Raymond Edward *

Gorsline, Donn *Grinly, David *Haddow, Douglas *

Kilpady, Sripadrao *

McNicholas, J B *Terris, Alexander P *

➤ AcknowledgementSources for this vignette include:The entry for Andrew Ramsay byDavid Oldroyd in the OxfordDictionary of National biography;Memoir of Sir Andrew CrombieRamsay by Archibald Geikie ,published by Macmillian and Co.1895; and Eminent livinggeologists, Sir Andrew C.Ramsay, Geological Magazine,vol 9 (1882), pp. 289 – 93(available for download at:https://archive.org/details/geologicalmagaz01woodgoog)

GEOSCIENTIST PEOPLE NEWS

*Nina Morgan is a geologist andscience writer based near Oxford.Her latest book, The Geology ofOxford Gravestones, is availablevia www.gravestonegeology.uk

As geologist and sciencewriter Nina Morgan*discovers, sweet dreamscan turn sour

THE COUNTRY THAT SHOOK A Project to raise money for Nepal

The 7.8 magnitude earthquake on 25th April 2015 had life changing consequences for almost everybody living in Nepal.

This project aims to raise money to support people who are rebuilding their lives following the quake.

For more information visit: www.thecountrythatshook.com/shop


Can’t find your meeting? VISIT

www.geolsoc.org.uk/listings

full, accurate, up-to-date[ ]ENDORSED TRAINING/CPD

COURSE DATE VENUE AND DETAILS

Pressures and Overpressure in the

Subsurface

Lapworth’s Logs

1-3 March

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Ikon Science Training Centre, Teddington. Fees: £1575 Ex Vat (10% discount offered toGeological Society Fellows)Tutor: Dr Phill Clegg, Global Training Manager, Ikon GeoPressure. See website forregistration.

‘Lapworth’s Logs’ is a series of e-courses involving practical exercises of increasingcomplexity. Contact: [email protected]. Lapworth’s Logs is produced byMichael de Freitas and Andrew Thompson.

DIARY OF MEETINGS MARCH 2016

MEETING DATE VENUE AND DETAILS

Disaster Mitigation Mission in Tajikistan

EGGS British Dam Society. Year of Water.

GeoCareers Fair 2016

South West Regional

European Oil and Gas Industry History

Conference

Petroleum Group; HOGG

Lyell Meeting 2016 – Palaeoinformatics

Geological Society, Palaeontographical

Society, Palaeontological Association,

Palaeontological Society,

Micropalaeontological Society

The Oil and Gas Quiz

Spinal Injuries Association

Research in Progress Meeting 2016

Metamorphic Studies Group

2 March

2 March

3-4 March

9 March

10 March

14-15March

Burlington House. Evening meeting 1730 for 1800. Speakers Ljiljana Spasic-Gril and DrMatthew Free – Arup. Contact: Jim Gelder [email protected]

Venue: Plymouth University, Roland Levinsky Bldg., Plymouth. Time: 1330 – 1600. Fordetails and registration, see website. Contact: [email protected]

Burlington House. Conference with field trip over weekend following. For details andregistration see website. Fees apply. Discounts for Fellows, HOGG, GSL AssociatedSociety members and Corporate Affiliates. Contact Laura Griffiths E:

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Burlington House. Fees apply. Free to members of certain sponsoring Societies. Seewebsite for details and registration. Contact: Naomi Newbold E:

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The Birmingham & Midland Institute. A one day meeting. See website for call forabstracts. Convener: Chris Jackson. E: [email protected]

Venue: Millennium Gloucester Hotel, London. Time: 1830-2330. Tables of 10 are£1,950. Contact Anna Saunders E: [email protected] W: www.spinal.co.uk/

Venue: BGS, Keyworth. See website for details. Fees not anticipated. Contact ClareWarren E: [email protected]


GEOSCIENTIST CALENDAR


GEOSCIENTIST SOAPBOX

Teaching skills

MY EXPERIENCEFROM UNIVERSITIESAND INDUSTRY IS THATMANY KEYGEOLOGICAL SKILLSARE NO LONGER BEINGTAUGHT EFFECTIVELYAT UNDERGRADUATELEVEL

Paul Wright

~

~

SOAPBOXCALLING!Soapbox is open to contributionsfrom all Fellows. You can alwayswrite a letter to the Editor, ofcourse: but perhaps you feel youneed more space?

If you can write it entertainingly in500 words, the Editor would liketo hear from you. Email yourpiece, and a self-portrait, toted.nield@geolsoc. org.uk.Copy can only be acceptedelectronically. No diagrams, tablesor other illustrations please.

Pictures should be of print quality – please take photographson the largest setting on yourcamera, with a plain background.

Precedence will always be givento more topical contributions.Any one contributor may notappear more often than once pervolume (once every 12 months).

Paul Wright*, asks: should the professional wing of theGeological Society be more ‘Professional’?

o me a key role of a professionalbody like the Society is to enshrineand ensure the highest professionalstandards; but this requires that theskills underpinning those

standards are being taught. What I judgefrom every conversation I have withcolleagues of my generation is thatsomething has gone wrong in the provisionof skills training in the UK.

I hear you reply that this is just some oldguy going on about how much better thingsused to be, but ask yourself: who actuallyensures these standards? Thecosy world of universityexaminers is long in needof an overhaul. Youwill reply, perhaps,that the Society’saccreditationsystem does this.Well-meaning asthat is, myexperience is that itis essentially a‘box-ticking’exercise.

My experience fromuniversities andindustry is that many keygeological skills are no longerbeing taught effectively atundergraduate level. The reasons for thisdecline are obvious: teaching skills requirestime, commitment and expertise. Mostdepartments struggle to cope with largerclass sizes, and reduce ‘skills-based’ teachingin favour of information-based teaching(providing 10 lectures and a piece ofcoursework is cheaper than resourcing 10lectures and 30 hours skills-based training ina lab). Many departments replace retiredstaff who taught skills by research-only staffor even by non-Earth-scientists who lack theappropriate skills.

Does it matter? With this decline in skillsprovision and with the ever-shrinkingnumber of geologists in universities, we willend up with a grossly under-skilledprofession. To draw an analogy with themedical profession (one which does setstandards and ensures they are met) if we do

nothing then before long we will see moreand more ‘geologists’ with the equivalent ofa basic ‘first aid’ qualification, very few GPs,few medical consultants who can diagnoseand prescribe treatment, and even fewersurgeons. The crux of my argument is thateven if few practising geologists today collecttheir own data, unless they understand howit was collected they cannot appreciate itslimitations and the uncertainties of itsinterpretation.

My suggestion is that, like some otherprofessional bodies, the Society set skills-

based exams. If a British graduate inEarth sciences (geology) wants to

be a practising geologist, theysit a Society accreditation

exam. Other professionalbodies manage similarschemes. The exam (orexams) would be skills-based, whereby thecandidates are givendata sets (rock - yes,real rock)! – thin-

sections, maps, seismicsections, geochemical

data, structural plots, andhopefully fossils, numerical

data (to demonstrate ability indata analysis and IT), to integrate,

and provide a coherent interpretation of,a geological problem. Planning andexecuting this system will not be easy, butthis graduate accreditation award couldbecome the Gold Standard in the profession,internationally. It would empower teachingstaff in universities to restore the provision ofkey skills, something I know mostdesperately want to do.

T

* Paul Wright is a former university academic and oiland gas industry scientist. He was awarded a GroverE Murray Distinguished Educator award in 2015 byAAPG and is 2016 SEPM Pettijohn Medalist for‘outstanding contributions in sedimentary geology’

➤ A longer version of Paul Wright’s article isavailable online. See also ‘Time to moveChartership forward’ Letters, p.21 Editor


The winner of the December/January

Crossword puzzle prize draw was

Dr Mark Cooper of Calgary.

All correct solutions will be placed in thedraw, and the winner’s name printed inthe May 2016 issue. The Editor’sdecision is final and no correspondencewill be entered into. Closing date -

March 18.

The competition is open to all Fellows,Candidate Fellows and Friends of theGeological Society who are not currentSociety employees, officers or trustees.This exclusion does not apply to officersof joint associations, specialist or regional groups.

Please return your completed crosswordto Burlington House, marking yourenvelope “Crossword”. Do not encloseany other matter with your solution.Overseas Fellows are encouraged toscan the signed form and email it as aPDF to [email protected]

Name ....................................................

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Membership number ...........................

Address for correspondence ..............

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Postcode ..............................................

SOLUTIONS DECEMBER/JANUARYACROSS:

7 Preselite 8 Cobra 10 Gondwana 11 Lacuna 12 Asia 13 Urgonian 15 Aquifer 17 Finches 20 Diameter 22 Tuba 25 Molten 26

Caucasus 27 Metre 28 limestone

DOWN:

1 Argon 2 Asides 3 Cleavage 4 Stratum 5 Volcanic 6 Truncated 9 Flag 14 Equinoxes 16 Immature 18 Intruded 19 Brachia 21 Tank 23 Bracts 24 Guano ('Omaha') The wrong clue for 24d was printed - apologies. Ed.

CROSSWORD NO.200 SET BY PLATYPUS

7 Study of trace fossils (9)

8 Great Lake after which aglaciation is named (5)

10 Impermanent, as in streams forinstance (9)

11 Flattened at the poles, like thespheroid Earth (6)

12 Standardised version of theHindustani language (4)

13 Includes the Onychophora,Hexapoda and Myriapoda (8)

15 ...Or more properly, 'asphalt' (7)

17 Metamorphic halo (7)

20 Subjected to electrolyticpassivation to raise thickness ofnatural oxide surface (8)

22 Elongated, continually growingfront tooth (4)

25 Zigzag between obstacles (6)

26 Imitation of texture ofmetamorphosed limestone,often using a feather (8)

27 Cryptocrystalline silica (5)

28 Ten billionths of a metre (9)

1 Natural pigment formed ofhydrated iron oxides (5)

2 Sharp-shooting soldier (6)

3 Height above OD (8)

4 Formerly hot and molten rock(7)

5 First step in crystallization (8)

6 Lower eminences surroundinga mightier mountain range (9)

9 Desert area in N & NW China(4)

14 Study of lakes (9)

16 To wave, Latinly (8)

18 Reverse fault, flatteningupwards from steeper regionsat depth (8)

19 Hard, like diamond (7)

21 Suess's acronymic term forMagnesium Silicate-dominatedcrust (4)

23 Opaque, fibrous, protective,outer layer of the eye (6)

24 Fluid injected into the lowerbowel via the fundament (5)

ACROSS DOWN

GEOSCIENTIST CROSSWORD

WIN A SPECIALPUBLICATION!

1 2 3 4 5 6

7 8

9

10 11

12 13

14

15 16 17 18

19

20

25 26

27 28

21 22 23

24

IF YOU HAVE A JOB VACANCY TO ADVERTISE CALL 01727 893 894

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for the Geological Society. Whether you are

searching for a new role, or in a managerial

position keen to advertise a new vacancy, you

will be able to access and use jobs.geolsoc.org.ukknowing it is tailored to a broad spectrum of

specialist earth science professions.

Managed by the Geological Society of London,

Geoscience Jobs is an essential resource for any

earth science professional looking for the next

step in their career.

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