AAPG leads education and dialogue around how subsurface expertise can underpin future power generation at its recent Subsurface Energy to Power Workshop in Houston, Texas.
TULSA, Okla., Jan. 19, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — As global power and electricity needs skyrocket due to electrification, data center growth, and the adoption of AI-driven technology, scientists are working rapidly to expand grids and meet projected demand. BP suggests global electricity consumption could rise more than 40 percent by 2035 and double by 2050. Data center demand alone could nearly double by 2030, according to S&P Global.
To help drive solutions, AAPG recently hosted the Subsurface Energy to Power Workshop in Houston, Texas. The two-day workshop was designed to lead education and dialogue around how subsurface expertise can underpin future power and electricity growth, uniting geoscientists, drilling and subsurface engineers, technologists, operators, and energy industry CEOs in insightful, cross-disciplined discussion.
Uniting Leaders from Every Geoscience Arena
The program brought together experts from nearly every geoscience application, including geothermal, hydrogen, natural gas, lithium, uranium, and more, to explore how the energy industry can ensure secure and reliable power at scale.
“As electricity and power demand grow at an unprecedented pace, the role of geoscience has never been more critical,” said AAPG Executive Director Tom Wilker. “AAPG serves as a leading voice for geoscience, ensuring that subsurface science informs the solutions needed to deliver secure, reliable energy worldwide.”
Future development and infrastructure needs for energy and power will require a cross-disciplinary approach. Workshop speakers included leaders from oil field services, academia, government, major oil, geoscience, banking and finance, geothermal and renewable energy, energy data and analytics firms, and more. Companies represented included: Amazon Web Services, Equinor, Enverus, Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas, GeoPrime Energy, Geothermal Gradient, Renewable Energy Institute, Rystad Energy, SLB, University of Alabama, The University of Texas at Austin, and Woodside.
Fostering Cutting-Edge Thought Leadership
Discussions and panels spanned the lifecycle of electrical grid expansion or generation projects, incorporating technical geoscience at every turn. Resources like geothermal, natural gas, hydrogen, lithium, and emerging power pathways all depend on subsurface understanding.
“This workshop focused on the applied geoscience that underpins technologies such as geothermal energy, subsurface energy storage, lithium, and uranium. Just as importantly, it provided an educational forum to share best practices, case studies, and emerging research, helping equip geoscientists and engineers with the skills needed to support power systems,” says Susan Nash, director of education, research, and innovation at AAPG.
Workshop themes included:
- Rapid conversion to electricity for natural gas, geothermal, hydrogen, and lithium energy
- Project types and development
- Resource characterization and mapping for natural gas, geothermal, lithium, hydrogen, uranium, and sand
- Business and financing of energy projects
- Technology integration for geothermal, hydrogen generation, and conversion of oil and gas wells
- Land, legal, permits, tax credits, and other considerations
- Data centers and community-scale solutions and deployment strategies
- AI, environment, and water management
Having an energy-inclusive solution with a deep regard for water and the environment is a unique approach that AAPG is well-positioned to provide. Technical highlights from the workshop included a presentation from Kirsten Marcia, president and CEO of DEEP Earth Energy Production, which featured a hybrid geothermal and natural gas solution to generate energy in Saskatchewan; talks covering small modular nuclear, to which uranium in Texas will be key; and how AI can and will be used as a means of environmental protection in the future.
AAPG’s efforts to forge and lead credible, technically grounded conversations and education at the intersection of subsurface and power are underpinned by support from some of the most influential companies in the energy sector.
Thank you to the event sponsors: GSI Environmental, Halliburton, AAPG Foundation, AAPG Divisions, AIPG-TX, Altair, Barrell Energy, Petrabytes, and Rock Flow Dynamics.
AAPG plans to host similar cross-disciplinary workshops to guide industry thought leadership and solve global challenges, including Opportunities with Legacy Assets: AAPG’s Fourth Annual Orphan, Abandoned, Idle, and Marginal Wells Conference in February, and its AI and Machine Learning in Subsurface Workshop scheduled for summer 2026.
For more information on the Subsurface to Power Workshop or to sponsor AAPG events, webinars, or workshops, contact media@aapg.org.
About AAPG
Founded in 1917, the American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG) is one of the world’s largest geoscience communities, committed to advancing the understanding of the Earth and supporting the professionals who apply that knowledge across energy, environment, and public benefit. AAPG’s members work across every part of the subsurface, from oil and gas to geothermal, nuclear waste storage, CCUS, groundwater, mining, major infrastructure development, and more. Through technical research, education, global events, renowned publications such as the Bulletin, and student and early-career programs, AAPG helps build and sustain the workforce that makes modern energy systems possible and ensures the world has the geoscience expertise it needs for decades to come.
Media Contact: media@aapg.org
Nicole Braley
Head of Marketing & Member Engagement
American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG)
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