What's New

Among all the difficulties and challenges that the oil and gas industry is facing right now, the most important problem yet to solve is the low oil price situation. In order to sustain commercial operation for both conventional and unconventional resources, the most powerful weapon is the innovation and breakthrough of technology.

On October 17-19, 2016 in Shanghai China, Shanghai United Institute for Unconventional Resources, Shanghai Energy Economy Committee of SEA, and the Coordinating Committee for Geoscience Programmes in East and Southeast Asia jointly held “ECF2016 Oil & Gas Tech Innovation Award” during Energy China Forum (ECF) 2016 6th Asia-Pacific Shale Gas Summit. The Award included 5 nominations for Environment & Energy Conservation, Stimulation & EOR Technology, Cost Reduction & Efficiency Technology, Exploration & Production Technology and Intelligent & Information Technology. After a careful selection and evaluation by the ECF Expert Group, three projects in total were awarded.

During November 17-20 2016, National Institute of Industrial Science and Technology (AIST) of Japan, Department of Groundwater Resources (DGR) of Thailand and Korea Institute of Geoscience and Mineral Resources (KIGAM) of Republic of Korea co-organized two(2) important meetings in Chiang Mai Thailand on Geothermal. The first, a workshop on “Opportunities and Benefits of Geothermal Use” was held on 17^th November where best practices of direct use were presented by experts from around the world.

The Workshop on Marine Geoscience and Geohazards Reduction and Prevention for ASEAN Member States was held at Guangzhou, People’s Republic of China, 26-30 September 2016. The workshop was sponsored by the China Geological Survey (CGS), Ministry of Land and Resources (MLR), P.R. China, and organized by Guangzhou Marine Geological Survey and Qingdao Institute of Marine Geology, both entities of the CGS. A total of 88 participants; 35 from CCOP member countries, 2 from CCOPTS and 51 China participants attended the workshop. The CCOP ASEAN member countries that were represented include Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam.

On August 26 2016, Chinese delegation composed of Institute of Karst Geology (IKG) and Institute of Hydrogeology and Environmental Geology (IHEG) has a discussion with CCOP on the cooperation in the field of Karst Geology in Bangkok Thailand. There, CCOP agreed to support IKG/IHEG to conduct international cooperation with CCOP member countries in the field of hydrogeology and environmental geology.

Later, during 14-16 November 2016, China Geological Survey and other geoscience organizations launched the scientific plan on “Resources and Environment Effects of Global Karst Dynamic System” in Guilin, China. This ceremony was attended by participants from UNESCO, IUGS, CCOPTS Director, representative from ASEAN member states and hydrogeologist from around the world.

Under the series of regular training courses provided by KIGAM/ISGeo in collaboration with CCOP for member countries, the KIGAM/ISGeo training course on Landslide and Slope Stability was conducted from October 31 to November 18,2016 in the International School for Geoscience Resources of KIGAM, Daejeon, Korea, with total 25 participants including 13 participants from CCOP Member Countries.

Aiming to foster professionals from all over the world in the field of landslide hazard related researches well as to enhance the capabilities of the cooperating countries/organizations with Korea/KIGAM, this 3-weeks training course provided participants with an introduction to key aspects of landslide and slope stability. The contents of this course comprised a general overview on mechanics of landslide, monitoring and early warning of landslide and analysis of rock slope stability. Also the course was held in conjunction with The Korean Society of Engineering Geology (KSEG) 2016 Fall Conference, special session on landslide prediction and early warning. Total 7 instructors were involved in the course.

The CCOP-VIETADAPT-SEADPRI Workshop on "Geoscience supporting risk management, water and food security" was held on 30^th of October 2016, at the Berkeley Hotel Pratunam, Bangkok, Thailand, in conjunction with the 50th CCOP Annual Session. The half-day afternoon workshop aims to presents the results of some ongoing projects that have assessed such risksas the anthropogenic impact on natural resources (i.e. water) and agriculture (i.e. soils) from that of climate change. The applied modelling and assessments and methodologies are explained in the presentations – with the aim to trigger constructive discussions. The goal of the workshop is to identify possibilities for geosciences to support South and South-East Asian societies in safeguarding water and food resources.

The CCOP- ASEAN Seamless Geology Project Meeting was held simultaneously with the 52^nd CCOP Annual Session (31 Oct-3 Nov 2016), on the 2^nd of Nov 2016 (9am-12.15pm), at Jubilee Ballroom A, 11^th Floor, Berkeley Hotel, Bangkok. The meeting was chaired by Dr Yasukuni Okubo from the Geological Survey of Japan AIST. The CCOP- ASEAN Seamless Geology Project was initiated in 2013 with the goals of standardization of the geological legend, compilation of 1:1 million seamless geology maps and to be operated by the web-GIS system.

The 67^th CCOP Steering Committee Meeting was held at the Berkeley Hotel Pratunam, Bangkok, Thailand on 4-5 November 2016.  The Meeting was attended by 48 delegates from the following Member Countries (MC):  CAMBODIA, CHINA, INDONESIA, JAPAN, REPUBLIC OF KOREA, LAO PDR, MALAYSIA, MYANMAR, THAILAND, PHILIPPINES and VIETNAM.  Also present were Ms. Franca Schwarz, Chairperson of the CCOP Advisory Group, Dr. Yoshihiko Shimazaki, CCOP Honorary Adviser, and the Director and staff of the CCOP Technical Secretariat (CCOP TS). The Pacific Community in the Pacific Islands and Territories (SPC) attended as Observer.

The 52nd Annual Session of the Coordinating Committee for Geoscience Programmes in East and Southeast Asia (CCOP) was held at the Berkeley Hotel Pratunam, Bangkok, Thailand on 31 October – 3 November 2016.  It was organized by the Department of Mineral Resources, Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, Thailand and co-organized by the Department of Groundwater Resources, Department of Marine and Coastal resources, Department of Primary Industries and Mines and Department of Mineral Fuels with the CCOP Technical Secretariat (CCOP TS). The Session was attended by 332 delegates from the following Member Countries: CAMBODIA, CHINA, INDONESIA, JAPAN, REPUBLIC OF KOREA, LAO PDR, MALAYSIA, MYANMAR, PHILIPPINES, THAILAND and VIETNAM.  MONGOLIA  attended as an observer.  From the Cooperating Countries, CANADA, DENMARK, FINLAND, GERMANY, THE NETHERLANDS, NORWAY and UNITED KINGDOM were in attendance. From the Cooperating Organizations, EuroGeoSurveys (EGS) and Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) attended the session.  Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC) Geoscience Division (formerly SOPAC) attended as an observer organization.  Also present at the Meeting were the Honorary Advisers of CCOP and the staff of the CCOP Technical Secretariat (CCOP TS).

In celebration of the 50th year anniversary of the founding of CCOP, its Technical Secretariat in collaboration with the CCOP Member Countries, the Cooperating Countries and Organizations as well as the Honorary Advisers, is pleased to announced that the CCOP Golden Jubilee Book has already been printed, and is now ready for distribution at the upcoming 52nd CCOP Annual Session of CCOP on 30 October to 3 November 2016 at the BerkeleyHotel Pratunam, Bangkok, Thailand.

To download its pdf file, see the publication page at CCOP website, in particular this link, http://ccop.asia/publication-details/83