The North Dakota Geological Society will host Don Purvis, Regional Technical Manager for BJ Services Company, in a program next week at the North Dakota Heritage Center in Bismarck. Purvis will present a talktitled, “North Dakota: Boom to Bust to Boom. How Current Completion and Stimulation Practices Have Re-energized the Williston Basin,” on Tuesday at 7 p.m.

The program is free and open to the public, and will be followed by a reception in the Heritage Center lobby.

Purvis’s presentation will focus on modern oil and gas well completion techniques, formation fracturing techniques, including an easy-to-understand definition of fracking, as well as the chemicals used in the process. Purvis, who lives near Denver, Colo., is responsible for BJ Service’s engineering efforts in a nine-state region, including the Williston Basin. He has 32 years of engineering experience in the oil industry. His previous positions include engineering training manager, mid-continent technical manager, research scientist, and technical consultant. He has authored 12 technical papers, and several technical journal articles.

Purvis also holds two patents, including a method for stimulating horizontal wellbores in the Williston Basin. He earned an engineering degree from Oklahoma State University.

BJ Services Company is a major supplier of oilfield services, including fracturing, cementing, acidizing, coiled tubing and chemical services, headquartered in Houston, Texas.

The North Dakota Geological Society is a nonprofit association of geologists and other professionals working in the Earth Science area. Its goal is to increase the awareness of geology and earth science in the daily lives of people. They provide educational materials to schools, sponsor educational events, and have provided help or funding to many special projects throughout the state.

For more information, contact the North Dakota Geological Society president, Kris Roberts, at 701-328-5236 or email at kroberts@nd.gov.