A thematic lecture entitled "The Oil and Gas Industry in the Next Decade: Developing New Scientific Trends and Technologies and the Role of AAPG" focused on non-traditional hydrocarbon sources and covered the following issues:
- New life in old fields - hydrocarbon reservoir management: traditional and unconventional hydrocarbon deposits.
- Advanced methods of exploration of traditional deposits.
- Non-traditional resources: gas in super-dense sandstones, depocentral-type gas fields.
- Future of the oil and gas industry: existing global reserves and existing needs, development of seismic exploration technologies and data interpretation.
Dr. Weimer said that if production (technology), science (resource exploration and evaluation) and legislation (subsoil licensing and environmental protection) are connected, there is a chance of success. In addition, he emphasized that revolutionary changes in the oil and gas industry were due to the efforts of the small, so-called independent oil and gas exploration and service companies that have paved the way for the commercial success, which is now being enjoyed by transnational and national oil companies. The lecturer touched upon the issues of cooperation with AAPG and the need for young people to become members of professional associations, which help in the education and career development of young professionals.