About Us: North Texas, Bend Arch project
Exploring north Texas
Need to get a well back on production
Need to get a well back on production
Need to get a well back on production
Need to get a well back on production
Need to get a well back on production
Thinking about that darn well
Need to get a well back on production
Thinking about that darn well
About Us: Heading to west Africa
Involved in International New Venture Projects
At Goh Exp we know when to act and when to wait for opportunity
At train station, heading to airport, and next adventure
At train station, heading to airport, and next adventure
At Goh Exp we know when to act and when to wait for opportunity
At train station, heading to airport, and next adventure
At Goh Exp we know when to act and when to wait for opportunity
At Goh Exp we know when to act and when to wait for opportunity
At Goh Exp we know when to act and when to wait for opportunity
About Us: Nevada geothermal project
Nevada Field Work
Nevada Office Work
Nevada Field Work
Hydrothermal fluids percolated up to the ancient Lake Lahontan floor and precipitated limestone mounds. These resist erosion and can be seen along fractures or faults. They indicate potential geothermal resources at depth.
Nevada Field Work
Nevada Office Work
Nevada Field Work
Fracture porosity and permeability resulting form extensional tectonics of the Basin and Range Province. Hydrothermal fluids have altered the rock indicating potential geothermal resource at depth.
Nevada Office Work
Nevada Office Work
Nevada Office Work
It is more fun and adventuresome in the field, but in the office the field data needs to be analyzed and mapped .
Career Information
Introductory Letter for Robert A. Wiener
POSITIONS
Oil, Gas, and Geothermal Exploration and Production Consultant in Geophysics and Geology. Project Management Consultant at Technical and Executive Levels.
EXPERIENCE SUMMARY
I am an independent geophysicist/geologist who works through my company, Goh Exploration, Inc. I am a highly trained and experienced petroleum and geothermal exploration and development problem solver associated with commercial discoveries throughout the USA and internationally. Since 2006, I have included work on geothermal energy exploration projects I work at technical, project management, and senior management levels.
My specialty is creating geologically sound seismic interpretations that integrate the appropriate geophysical data with the available well, subsurface, and engineering information. The goal of this work is to reduce risk and generate drillable prospects that find commercial quantities of oil and gas or geothermal energy (heat). This can be done on a regional scale for new venture exploration, on a local scale for prospect generation, and at the borehole level to model reservoir properties.
My major oil company experience was with Cities Service Company and Conoco, Inc. I began as a trainee at Cities, worked as an explorationist on new venture projects (US East Coast and International) and as a Region Geophysicist on Western Gulf of Mexico lease sales. For Conoco I worked as a Senior Geophysicist and lived in Egypt and Norway. While at these companies I contributed to projects that lead to significant lease acquisitions, the drilling of key exploration wells, and commercial discoveries.
For most of my career I have been an independent technical and management consultant. This gives me broad experience in dealing with significant exploration projects (Angola, Thailand, China, Congo, Egypt, Sudan, Kenya, Yemen, Gulf of Mexico, US Onshore, Colombia, Philippines, Suriname, Equatorial Guinea, Niger) and different company cultures (US and Foreign: Family, Privately Held, and large Independents). Also I work with small groups to generate and sell prospects. I have served as an expert witness. My experience as a major company employee and as an independent consultant allows me to quickly adapt to diverse work settings, foster a spirit of teamwork, and drive entrepreneurial approaches to implementing the client’s exploration and development goals.
PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS
I a member of the American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG) and its House of Delegates, the Society of Exploration Geophysics (SEG), the Houston Geological Society (HGS), Geophysical Society of Houston (GSH), Society of Independent Professional Earth Scientists (SIPES), and Geothermal Rising.
COMMUNITY SERVICE
Active with the City of Hedwig Village City Council and Planning & Zoning Commission, Boy Scout Troop 673, the Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Society, and National Society of the Sons of the American Revolution (SAR).
REFERENCES
References, full chronological resume, and experience addendum available upon request
Robert (Bob) A. Wiener
2023 Talk at GeoGulf23 on shelf margin collapses
Geopressured-Geothermal Depocenters
Geopressured-Geothermal Depocenters
Geopressured-Geothermal Depocenters
Geopressured-Geothermal Depocenters
Geopressured-Geothermal Depocenters
As a result of the middle Miocene shelf margin collapse that created the Planulina embayment, massive amounts of sand were carried onto the outer continental slope. Where sand transport was blocked by salt features, sand rich geopressured-geothermal depocenters formed. They are good targets for geothermal energy development.
2022 Talk given to SAGE, Lafayette, LA
Onshore Texas and Louisiana Geopressured-Geothermal Resources for Baseload Electrical Power Generation
By Robert A. Wiener, 2020
Geothermal Resources LLC and Goh Exploration, Inc
Abstract: A tremendous energy resource sits within and below the hydrocarbon producing zones of the northern Gulf of Mexico. This resource is geopressured-geothermal brine that can be produced for heat and solution gas to generate electricity in hybrid power plants. In 1975 the United States Geological Survey (USGS) assessed the geopressured-geothermal potential of the onshore Texas and Louisiana Gulf Coast by breaking it into six trends from the Eocene Wilcox to the Miocene and younger sediments. The 1978 USGS assessment indicates this area has the potential to produce from 23,000 to 240,000 megawatts of electricity for 30 years. In 1976 the Department of Energy (DOE) began its Geopressured-Geothermal Program with its Wells of Opportunity study of 13 wells. A 1 megawatt (mW) hybrid geopressured-geothermal pilot power plant with solution gas assistance was built to prove the viability of this energy source. Much of the basic research is done. Industry can now carry this energy play forward.
Because of global warming from greenhouse gas emissions, huge economic and societal disruptions are forecast. This has led to demands for carbon free energy. Geopressured-geothermal reservoirs have the potential to produce thousands of megawatts of carbon free base load electricity. (If I were an engineer, I would probably talk about wind turbines and solar panels, but these are not baseload.) As a geologist, I see conventional geothermal energy as a key part of the renewable energy transition. This is an economic and environmentally sound source of baseload electrical power. Geopressured-geothermal energy can be a significant factor in the transition away from fossil fuels. The development of electricity from geopressured-geothermal resources will provide geologists, geophysicists, reservoir engineer, and drillers with new opportunities. Basically, instead of drilling for isolated accumulations of oil and gas, a new energy business is forming that will drill for hot geopressured brine to convey heat to the surface for conversion into electricity.
Hybrid Geopressured-Geothermal Power Plant
I gave this talk at the March 23-25, 2022 Society of Applied Geoscientists and Engineers (SAGE) conference in Lafayette, Louisiana (https://sagetech.org/sage2022/).
The link below takes you to the slide set and talk.
2020 Zoom Talk to Houston Geological Society
Part 1: Global Exploration for Geothermal Resources Steve Getz and Bob Wiener review the basics of geothermal energy and our role as geologists to find where it can be economically produced now and where deeper future reserves can be found. Oil and gas exploration has had a long run since the 1973 Arab oil embargo and the 1978 Iranian Revolution. Scientific and social concerns now bring into question that drive for ever increasing hydrocarbon production. Yes, the decline curve will require consistent reserve replacement for many years, but industry concern is no longer peak oil, rather it is peak demand. Resource Base- all the heat in the Earth's crust beneath a specified area, referenced to local mean annual temperature. Accessible Resource Base- the thermal energy at depths shallow enough to be tapped by drilling using technology available at present or within the foreseeable future Resource- that part of the accessible resource base that is producible given reasonable assumptions about future economic and technology. Reserve- that part of the resource, which is identified and producible with existing technology and under present economic conditions It is important to know where in the world these geothermal resources and reserves exist.
Part 2: Steve Getz and Bob Wiener review the basics of geothermal energy and our role as geologists to find where it can be economically produced now and where deeper future reserves can be found. Oil and gas exploration has had a long run since the 1973 Arab oil embargo and the 1978 Iranian Revolution. Scientific and social concerns now bring into question that drive for ever increasing hydrocarbon production. Yes, the decline curve will require consistent reserve replacement for many years, but industry concern is no longer peak oil, rather it is peak demand. Resource Base- all the heat in the Earth's crust beneath a specified area, referenced to local mean annual temperature. Accessible Resource Base- the thermal energy at depths shallow enough to be tapped by drilling using technology available at present or within the foreseeable future Resource- that part of the accessible resource base that is producible given reasonable assumptions about future economic and technology. Reserve- that part of the resource, which is identified and producible with existing technology and under present economic conditions. It is important to know where in the world these geothermal resources and reserves exist.
Global Exploration for Geothermal Resources, 2020, Bob Wiener and Steve Getz
My associate, Steve Getz, and I gave this Zoom presentation to the Houston Geological Society on December 16, 2020. https://www.youtube.com/user/HGSGeoEducation. Below is a direct link. The figure above indicates how little geothermal is used. To explorers this shows how much potential is left to find and develop.
2017 talk given to Houston Geological Society
Shallow Ellenburger and Pennsylvanian Section Re-exploration
Speaker: Bob Wiener
Goh Exploration, Inc.
Abstract: Shallow Ellenburger and Pennsylvanian Section Re-exploration using Innovative Technology and Basic Geology
One of Texas’s older producing regions is the northern part of central Texas from the Muenster Arch to the Bend Arch (Fig. 1). This talk focuses on shallow, conventional oil plays across the area in the Ordovician Age Ellenburger Group and in the Pennsylvanian and Permian section. Since the 1920’s, this area has produced hundreds of millions of barrels of oil. Hopefully hundred-thousand to million barrel fields remain to be found.
There is always prospect risk; even when re-exploring known, productive shallow oil areas. To reduce risk and improve the chance of commercial success it is important to take a fresh look at the geologic history of the area and to apply current and innovative technologies. The techniques discussed here as well as other readily available geophysical and geochemical techniques are applicable throughout this shallow oil play.
The data are over the southern portion the Gatewood Field, Cooke County, Texas (Fig. 1). One of the companies, e-Wave Operating, LLC, has allowed me to use part of their data to illustrate the types of innovative approaches an independent operator can take to improve their chance of success. This talk is an outgrowth of work I have done over the years for independent exploration and production companies, and for investors. This field has produced 11 MMBO from the Gatewood sand, which is a Pennsylvanian Strawn sand about 1500 feet below the surface (Fig. 4). After drilling attic Gatewood and the slightly deeper 1700’ Sand prospects based on subsurface mapping, the drilling program was paused. Sophisticated log data from the new wells, which includes high resolution Triple Combo logs and Rotary Sidewall Cores used for core analysis, thin sections, and solvent extractions, were reevaluated. Then, a commitment was made to purposefully explore for the sparsely drilled Ellenburger. On this part of the Muenster Arch the Ellenburger is about 2000 feet below the surface and about 3000 feet thick.
To get a look at the Ellenburger two 2-dimensional seismic lines were recorded and processed. A conventional vertical force source (VFS) of energy was used to acquire each seismic line as both compressional wave (P-wave) and vertical shear wave (SV-SV-wave) data (Fig. 2). This may be an exploration first. Please note that the SV-SV-wave from a VFS is not the converted P-SV-wave. In addition a Seismoelectric survey was recorded (Fig. 3). The shear wave data produced much higher frequencies, which will be useful in tracking Pennsylvanian and Permian clastic and carbonated plays. Interpretation of the P-wave and SV-SV-wave seismic data indicate a high probability of fractured Ellenburger and the Seismoelectric recordings indicate hydrocarbons in the section. The subsequently drilled e-Wave S #3 well was logged with a sophisticated logging program, including cross-dipole sonic and Stoneley wave fracture detection logs (Fig. 5). The logs verify the pre-drill interpretation.
Bob Wiener is a geoscientist with over 40 years of diverse exploration and production experience. He grew up in the bucolic coastal town of Narragansett, Rhode Island. After graduating from the University of Rhode Island with a BS Degree in Geology, he joined Cities Service Company in 1974, compliments of the Arab Oil Embargo. In 1978 he transferred to Houston to work for Cities Service International and later the Gulf of Mexico Region. After career changes and a stint overseas with Conoco, Bob and family returned to Houston in 1988. Upon his return he began his independent oil and gas consulting and prospect generating businesses, Goh Exploration, Inc.
Most of Bob’s clients are privately owned E&P companies and publicly traded independents. He works on both US and international projects to help define geological concepts upon which exploration plays are based and to apply appropriate geophysical technology to clarify the subsurface. His goal is to generate commercially successful prospects. Recently, he has become more active in the HGS (Co-Chair North American Group) and the AAPG (Geophysical Integration Committee). He is a member of the GSH, SEG, and is a Texas Registered Professional Geoscientist. In addition to his professional activities Bob is active in his community and is currently a Hedwig Village City Council Member.
Bob Wiener out on the Bend Arch northeast of Abilene, TX
New Venture International Exploration Project
I am looking for lease money
April 2019
To Those Seeking to Participate in an International Offshore Wildcat Exploration Play with very High Reward Potential:
We have identified a particularly exciting, geologically, and economically very attractive new venture exploration area in a proven hydrocarbon generating basin with giant fields on trend that has recently become even more attractive due to large, new discoveries on its conjugate margin.
This is an invitation to savvy investors seeking to put a high risk, very high reward international oil and gas exploration project in their prospect portfolio. This is a ground-floor opportunity generated by an experienced group of international explorationists and negotiators. In our studied opinion the economic model for this project makes it a risk worth taking.
Our guiding philosophy is Wallace Pratt’s famous 1951 quote: “Where oil is first found, in the final analysis, is in the minds of men”.
Our project identification group specializes in sourcing hitherto passed over or minimally regarded potentially high yield under explored prospects currently available by negotiation to savvy explorationists / investors. We invite you to join us in our forthcoming venture visualizing an initial minimum 250 MMBOE discovery with our first wildcat exploration well to be drilled in an estimated 5 years.
We seek to associate ourselves with one or more Lease Angels or Venture Capitalists searching for such and opportunity. We will respond timely to such indications of interest on a first come first serve basis.
Sincerely yours,
Robert A. Wiener, President and Explorationist
Steven L. Getz, President, Getz Exploration Consultants
This is the US's toughest ship. We will need a bigger one.