april 2015 outcrop

Volume 64 • No. 4 • April 2015

OUTCROPNewsletter of the Rocky Mountain Association of Geologists

OUTCROP | April 2015 2 Vol. 64, No. 4 | www.rmag.org

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Vol. 64, No. 4 | www.rmag.org 3 OUTCROP | April 2015

Vol. 64, No. 4 | www.rmag.org 3 Outcrop | April 2015

OUTCROPThe Rocky Mountain Association of Geologists

The Rocky Mountain Association of Geologists (RMAG) is a nonprofit organization whose purposes are to promote interest in geology and allied sciences and their practical application, to foster scientific research and to encourage

fellowship and cooperation among its members. The Outcrop is a monthly publication of the RMAG.

910 16th Street • Suite 1214 • Denver, CO 80202 • 303-573-8621

PRESIDENTMarv [email protected]

PRESIDENT-ELECTJohn Ladd

[email protected]

TREASURER-ELECTTom Sperr

[email protected]

2nd VICE PRESIDENTChris Eisinger

[email protected]

1st VICE PRESIDENTMel Klinger

[email protected]

SECRETARYStephanie B. Gaswirth

[email protected]

1st YEAR COUNSELORJane Estes-Jackson

[email protected]

TREASURERPaul Lillis

[email protected]

2nd YEAR COUNSELOR Terri Olson

[email protected]

EXECUTIVE DIRECTORCarrie Veatch, MA

[email protected]

MEMBERSHIP & EVENTS MANAGER

Hannah [email protected]

PROJECTS SPECIALISTEmily Tompkins Lewis

[email protected]

ACCOUNTANTCarol Dalton

[email protected]

MANAGING EDITORWill Duggins

[email protected]

ASSOCIATE EDITORSHolly Sell

[email protected]

Greg [email protected]

Cheryl [email protected]

Andre [email protected]

DESIGN/PRODUCTIONNate Silva

[email protected]

2015 OFFICERS AND BOARD OF DIRECTORS RMAG STAFF

WEDNESDAY NOON LUNCHEON RESERVATIONS

RMAG Office: 303-573-8621 | Fax: 303-476-2241 | [email protected] or www.rmag.org

The Outcrop is a monthly publication of the Rocky Mountain Association of Geologists

ADVERTISING INFORMATION

Rates and sizes can be found on page 17. Advertising rates apply to either black and white or color ads. Submit color ads in RGB color to be compatible with web format. Borders are recommended for advertisements that comprise less than one half page. Digital files must be PC compatible submitted in png, jpg, tif, pdf or eps formats at a minimum of 300 dpi. If you have any questions, please call the RMAG office at 303-573-8621.

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DEADLINES: Ad submissions are the 1st of every month for the following month’s publication.

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OUTCROPNewsletter of the Rocky Mountain Association of Geologists

FEATURES

28 Lead Story: Where It All Began: Induced Seismicity and Colorado

ASSOCIATION NEWS

2 RMAG 2015 Summit Sponsors

33 RMAG Symposium - Hot Plays

34 RMAG Foundation

35 RMAG Night at the Zoo

37 RMAG Short Course

38 RMAG & AAPG ACE Events

39 2015 Award of Excellence for Teaching of Earth Science

40 RMAG Annual Golf Tournament

DEPARTMENTS

6 RMAG February 2015 Board of Directors Meeting

10 President’s Letter

18 RMAG Luncheon Programs: Speaker – Jeremy Boak

21 RMAG Luncheon Programs: Speaker – Daniel A. Krygowski

24 Welcome New RMAG Members!

27 In The Pipeline

41 Advertiser Index

41 Calendar

COVER PHOTOThe Baker’s Bridge Unconformity approximately 15 miles north of Durango, CO.

Silicified McCracken Member Sandstone of the Upper Devonian Elbert Formation lies on 1.7 Ma Precambrian Baker’s Bridge Granite. The unconformity represents 1.2 - 1.3 billion years’ missing time.

Photo Copyright © Carl F. Brink 2015

CONTENTS

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The February meeting of the RMAG Board of Directors was held on February 18, 2015 at 4 p.m. Treasurer Paul Lillis reported that RMAG had an-other solid month financially, with numbers from Summit Sponsorships, RMAG luncheons, and gener-al fund contributions exceeding expectations. Speak-ing of the luncheons, RMAG hosted another sold-out event in February at Maggiano’s, with speaker Paul Lillis. Make sure you sign up in advance for these

popular luncheons so you don’t get turned away! In publication news, The Mountain Geologist and

Outcrop are utilizing a new web host, so please take a look if you haven’t already; the Outcrop is now online back through 2013, so you can reread articles you enjoyed or perhaps read them for the first time. The recent 3D Seismic Symposium was a success, and the 2016 Symposium is already in the planning stages. If you have ideas, suggestions, or would like to help make the 2016 symposium a notable event, please contact Carrie Veatch ([email protected]) or Chris Eisinger ([email protected]).

Registration is open for the 2015 AAPG ACE meeting in Denver, May 31-June3. The adult-only special event on June 2 at the Denver Zoo featuring Scott Sampson will provide an opportunity to buy a copy of his new book: How to Raise a Wild Child: The Art and Science of Falling in Love with Nature.

Registration for the RMAG Spring short-course,

RMAG FEBRUARY 2015 BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING

By Stephanie Gaswirth, [email protected]

» CONTINUED ON PAGE 8

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“Seismic Interpretation for Explorationists,” taught by Bruce Trudgill on April 16, 2015 is also open. We are aware that the downturn in oil prices has meant economic hardship for some of our members, there-fore RMAG will be offering a special discounted rate to both students and those who are currently unem-ployed for the spring short-course. If you are interest-ed in taking advantage of the discounted rate, please call the RMAG office for details.

Enjoy the last few weeks of winter, and all of the fun upcoming RMAG events!

» CONTINUED FROM PAGE 6

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THE 800 POUND GORILLA – UPDATED

As I have watched the news unfold at the beginning of March, with my column dead-line looming, I abandoned the draft I had started. That sub-ject, the strategic plan, can wait. The biggest issue facing RMAG and its members, the majority

employed in energy industry activities, continues to be the stress of low oil prices. Some of you have lost jobs; oth-ers are concerned with bud-get cuts or for their jobs and students nearing graduation are concerned about their abil-ity to get jobs and sustain a ca-reer. Last month I covered some

of the background. Since then I have had a number of people ask for advice.

THE PROBLEMNot much has changed over

a month as you can see from the EIA spot price chart; except that the price has leveled for a few weeks in the $50 to $60 per bar-rel range. Unfortunately though, there is still more negative news than positive regarding the near

PRESIDENT’S LETTER

By Marv Brittenham

Career Paths… and the 800 pound gorilla


STUDENT PICK

AWARDSJoin us at the RMAG

May Luncheon where the Student

Pick Awards will be handed out.

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PRESIDENT’S LETTER

May PTTC Workshops

GeoGraphix Training: An Overview and Refresher Course Tuesday, May 19, 2015, 8:30 am – 5 pm, Colorado School of Mines, Berthoud Hall Rm. 201 Fee: $250, includes food at breaks, workbook, and PDH certificate. Instructor: Fred Poland, Littleton, CO This full-day hands-on computer training course is designed for the person who has had some past experience with GeoGraphix and would like to get some basic training in the functionality of the newest version. It may also serve as a demo for those considering the purchase of GeoGraphix. GESxplorer and PRIZM modules will be utilized. New users will acquire tips and tricks to create projects, maps and cross sections, employ zone manager, perform multi-well log analysis, and more

PETRA – Intermediate Mapping Thursday, May 21, 2015, 8:30 am – 5:00 pm Colorado School of Mines, Berthoud Hall room 201 Fee: $250, includes food at breaks, workbook, and PDH certificate. Limit 20 people Instructor: Jewel Wellborn, Hydrocarbon Exploration & Development, Inc. The Intermediate Mapping class is designed for those participants who have completed the Petra Introductory course and are ready to advance their use of mapping features, gridding, and computational options available in the PETRA Map module. Workflows using contouring algorithms, gird to grid manipulations, computations, residual and curvature processes will be discussed. Map options such as directional well posting, drainage radii, rose diagram and lineament analysis, dip and strike calculation and presentation, 3D visualization, and posting of engineering data may be offered as class participants request. A discussion of overlay options and management may also be reviewed. (This class is designed with professional Geoscientist in mind).

PETRA – Intermediate Cross-sections Friday, May 22, 2015, 8:30 am – 5:00 pm Colorado School of Mines, Berthoud Hall room 201 Fee: $250, includes food at breaks, workbook, and PDH certificate. Limit 20 people Instructor: Jewel Wellborn, Hydrocarbon Exploration & Development, Inc. The Intermediate Cross Section class is for those participants who have completed the Petra Introductory course and are familiar with the basic uses of the Petra Cross Section Module. Workflows designed for detailed structure and stratigraphic analysis, correlations, fault placement, color fill and log displays will be discussed. Raster log review, maintenance, ad display options will be covered. Exercises using the Raster Correlation tool, Log Correlation Module, Directional Well Module and the Slip Log option will be used. (This class is designed with the Professional Geoscientist in mind).

Come Join PTTC at the AAPG Convention – http://ace.aapg.org/2015

Carbonate Depositional Systems and Seismic Sequence Stratigraphy Saturday and Sunday, May 30-31, 2015, 8:30 am – 5 pm, Denver Athletic Club, Petroleum Room Fee: $600, course notes, lunch and PDH certificate (16 hrs) Instructors: Dr. John Humphrey and Dr. Rick Sarg

Confessions of a Frac Engineer: 200 Field Studies Prove our Frac Jobs are Not Optimized Thursday June 4, 2015, 8:30 am – 5:00 pm Denver Athletic Club, Petroleum Room Fee: $300, course notes, lunch and PDH certificate (16 hrs) Instructor: Mike Vincent, Fracwell, LLC

Class Descriptions and Register Online: www.pttcrockies.org For more information, contact Mary Carr, 303.273.3107, [email protected]

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PResident’s LetteR

future. Crude oil stocks in early March indicate a million barrel per day oversupply as shown in the U.S. Crude Oil Stocks chart. Although that may mean that re-finers and traders think crude at $50 is now a good buy implying support for a $50 floor, oversup-ply and a glut in crude stocks is more likely a harbinger of fur-ther erosion of the price.

We all know the energy in-dustry is cyclical from history. Some of us have experienced it. Others have at least the benefit of the historical knowledge. Un-fortunately it only becomes real when you experience it. Many young geologists haven’t. Long cycles tend to be a decade or more. The last cycle as seen on

the EIA spot price chart, late 1998 to early 2010, was be-low $80 per barrel for seven-teen months. That was mostly related to the recession while this is a more fundamental oversupply situation. I can’t tell you how deep or long this cycle will be. My best advice is to be knowledgeable yourself and make your own judgment. It’s not hard in the modern world to follow the news or to get the relevant data.

IT’S PERSONALMy concern and willingness

to give counsel is for the affected geoscientists, RMAG members or not. RMAG has some pro-grams in place and the board is considering further action.

Advice and strategies during a career transition are person-al and vary with your situa-tion. This month I’ll illiterate the top ten steps for survival and success in a career in the energy industry. Most of these are common to any career, but



How the RMAG supports job seekers:

- Search through resumes on the RMAG Job Board

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particularly those that are commodity-based and cy-clical by nature.

Generally students considering a career in the energy industry have foresight and could use of all the tips for their success and survival. Those of you who are employed in the industry are now experi-encing the stress factors. You have either planned well or will need to make adjustments.

1. Take care of yourself and your colleagues –keep a positive forward view; interact regularly with your family, colleagues, mentors, advisors; net-working is critical!

2. Conduct regular self assessments – is petroleum geoscience your passion; are your skill sets and your track record desirable and marketable; are you contributing to the team; are you indispensi-ble to your employer?

3. Plan for the best, prepare for the worst – build a one year rainy day fund; have a plan to cut expenses; contin-uously explore alternative em-ployment opportunities; keep your resume and contact list updated; use the social media.

4. Be patient – that’s difficult, but your career is not a ten sec-ond ¼ mile drag race, it’s a 24 hour endurance race; this price stress will abate, there are good times ahead.

5. Have an agenda for success in your career - if you’re laid off it’s important to re-establish a daily work routine; the job now is you!

6. Find a mentor – someone who can advocate for you, ad-vise you and help you through good and bad times.

7. Training and education – the basics, like job hunting skills come first; consider further educational opportunities,




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advanced degrees, busi-ness training.

8. Take control – to own your ca-reer you need to be more than a geologist; understand the business; develop your edu-cated view of the risks and op-portunities including the com-pany that employ’s you.

9. Be flexible – employer, sala-ry, job, location, even a dif-ferent career; even if only to buy some time to get back on track.

10. Consider transitioning to an-other career – those answers to step 2, if not positive may indicate that you need a ma-jor change.

Next month I’ll expand on these ten points. I would appre-ciate any feedback. If you have questions I’m available at [email protected] and at most RMAG events.

UPCOMINGMay 31st though June 3rd

we have the honor of hosting the 2015 AAPG ACE meeting. This is an excellent international venue for networking with an incred-ible technical program. Be sure to treat yourself to A Night at the Zoo and Dr. Scott Sampson’s lec-ture hosted by RMAG Tuesday evening June 2nd. It will be a fun night! If you haven’t registered for AAPG ACE, now is the time!

Feel free to contact me if you have any ideas to make RMAG better. We want to be The Best Place for Rockies Geoscience.

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What is this?

To find out, attend the On-the-Rocks Field Trip on May 16, 2015. Space is limited; go to the RMAG website to register now. Look for a feature article in the next issue of the Outcrop.

What is this?

To find out, attend the On-the-Rocks Field Trip on May 16, 2015. Space is limited; go to the RMAG website to register now. Look for a feature article in the next issue of the Outcrop.

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RMAG LUNCHEON PROGRAMS

Speaker: Jeremy Boak — April 1, 2015

Oil shale is the Rodney Dangerfield of the petro-leum family. Starting with its name, myths surround-ing oil shale and production of shale oil from it are legion. This talk will address some of these common myths, talk about oil shale projects, prospects, tech-nology, barriers and concerns in the Western United States and the world, and offer a cautious prognosis

for future progress in developing this multi-trillion barrel resource. In addition, the talk will discuss what we know and don’t know about the formation of the richest source rock in the world, the Eocene Green River Formation, and what these rocks may be able to tell us about the formation of organic rich sources

Oil shale and shale oil: Some myth busting, some crosscutting ideas, and the state of oil shale development in the world

By Jeremy Boak, Director, Center for Oil Shale Technology and Research, Colorado School of Mines, Golden CO


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Jeremy Boak is the Director of the Center for Oil Shale Technology and Research (COSTAR) at the Colorado School of Mines (CSM), Co-Chair of the Oil Shale Symposium, 2006-2014, and a member of the Board of San Leon Energy. Before CSM, he was a project manager in environmental and nuclear materials management at Los Alamos National Laboratory, and project manager for the U. S. Department of Energy (DOE) for performance assessment of Yucca Mountain in Nevada. Boak also served as the DOE’s representative to the Performance Assessment Advisory Group of the Radioactive Waste Management Committee of the OECD’s International Energy Agency. Prior to working for DOE, Boak was an exploration geologist at ARCO Oil and Gas, Inc., in Anchorage, Denver, and Bakersfield. Dr Boak received his doctorate in Geological Sciences from Harvard University in 1983, for work on some of the oldest shale on earth, the 3.8 billion year old Isua supracrustal suite, West Greenland. He received MS degrees from Harvard and the University of Washington, and his undergraduate degree from Harvard, all in Geological Sciences.

rocks beyond the confines of this complex lacustrine system. Draw-ing on the work of the Center for Oil Shale Technology and Research over the past seven years, the talk will highlight mineral and chemical evolution of the Green River Forma-tion, primarily in Colorado.

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RMAG LUNCHEON PROGRAMS

Speaker: Daniel A. Krygowski — May 6, 2015

Graphical pattern recognition interpretive tech-niques have been part of petrophysics since quanti-tative interpretation began, as a way to quickly de-termine properties of interest with a minimum of calculations. When calculators and computers were introduced to petrophysics, the focus of the tech-niques changed from determining the quantities themselves to determining the parameters needed to calculate those quantities. As an example, Hin-gle plots (1959) and Pickett plots (1966, 1973), first used to quickly determine water saturation for a few points in a reservoir, can now instead be used to

determine the parameters needed in Archie’s water saturation equation(1942), so that the parameters and associated well log data can be used to calculate water saturation in much more detail and with more precision than before.

An extension of those graphical techniques is shown here, where Hingle, Pickett, and Buckles (1965) plots (Morris and Biggs, 1967) are displayed simultaneously. In this “gameboard” display in Ex-cel (© Microsoft), data is displayed on all the plots. The selection and modification of computational

Pattern Recognition in a Digital Age: A Gameboard Approach to Determining

Petrophysical ParametersDaniel A. Krygowski, Robert M. Cluff

The Discovery Group, Denver, CO, USA


Daniel A. Krygowski is a Senior Petrophysical Advisor at The Discovery Group, in Denver, Colorado, USA. In this role, he has worked petrophysical interpretation projects in a variety of international and US domestic locations. Currently he is spending the majority of his time providing and developing courses in basic and intermediate openhole petrophysics. The courses include the common instructor-led formats, as well as longer-term, lower intensity formats that allow participants to spend more time with the course material while delving deeper into areas of personal interest.

Since the late Cretaceous, Dan has taught the AAPG Basic Well Log Analysis course with Dr. George Asquith. In 2004, the AAPG published Basic Well Log Analysis, co-authored by Dan and George, with Steve Henderson and Neil Hurley, the second edition of George’s similarly-named book which was one of AAPG’s all-time best sellers.

Dan earned a BA in Physics from the State University of New York at Geneseo. He then earned MS and Ph.D. degrees in Geophysics from the Colorado School of Mines, where he focused on petrophysics under George R. (Dick) Pickett.

After completing his formal education, Dan worked for Cities Service Company (now part of Occidental Petroleum), Atlantic Richfield (now part of bp), Petrophysical Solutions, Landmark Graphics (a Halliburton company), and Chevron. At several of those companies, he held positions in petrophysics and petrophysical software development, with both technical and management responsibilities. He joined The Discovery Group in late 2006.

Dan has been active in the Denver Well Logging Society, serving two terms as Director, and terms as Vice-President Technology, and Vice-President Membership. Dan is a member of SPWLA, AAPG, SPE, SEG, DWLS, and RMAG.

www.rmag.org


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RMAG LuncHeon PRoGRAMs

parameters is immediately reflected all plots, lead-ing to a more coherent prediction of those parameters than from the same plots used independently.

The Pickett plot, with bulk volume water lines added as suggested by Greengold (1986), Hingle plots with additional bulk volume water lines, and Buckles plots (both linear and logarithmic scales) can predict in a common environment the following parameters: Matrix parameters to derive porosity from density or sonic logs, Archie porosity (cementation) exponent, m, saturation exponent, n, and water resistivity,Rw, and irreducible bulk volume water, BVWirr.

The display uses three common plots (Hingle, Pickett, and Buckles) not commonly displayed simul-taneously, adds bulk volume water lines to the Hin-gle plot, and has the plots linked so that changes made to the parameters displayed in one plot are reflected in the other plots and the computations derived from those plots.

By being able to change the values of any of the pa-rameters while seeing how those changes impact the other parameters and the calculated porosity, water saturation, and bulk volume water, the user can quick-ly try different interpretive scenarios and determine which results best honor all the data at hand.


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December 201448Vol. 63, No. 12 48

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Symposium

Hot PlaysOctober 8th




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Symposium


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Sloan Anderson is a Geologist for Devon Energy

in Oklahoma City, OK

Greg Camera is a US Land Manager for EPI

Group US in Denver, CO

Katharine Compton lives in Fort Collins, CO

Raymond Critser is an Operations Manager for Terra

Guidance, LLC in Oxford, MS

Nathan Cumella lives in Evregreen, CO

Kiyoto Futa is retired from USGS in Lakewood, CO

Wilson Groen is the President for TPA in Denver, CO

Christopher Guidry is the CP Exploration in Lafayette, LA

Korey Harvey lives in Bakersfield, CA

Pat Hearne is a Sr. Geological Tech for Samson

Resources in Denver, CO

Marcus Hinricher is a Geologist in Lakewood, CO


WELCOME NEW RMAG MEMBERS!

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Alissa James lives in Edmonton, AB

Kate Schwehr works for Sunburst Consulting,

Inc. in Billings, MT

John Sinclair is a Reservoir Engineer for Sinclair Petroleum Engineering in Cody, WY

F. Steadman is a Manager for Lyon Oil

Company, LLC in Parker, CO

Joe Teff works for Devon Energy

in Oklahoma City, OK

Olivia Turner is a Geologist for Anadarko

in Evergreen, CO

Brian Whitfield lives in Wheat Ridge, CO

Kelly Williams lives in Golden, CO

Umit Yildiz is a PhD Student at South Dakota School of Mines in Rapid City, SD

Kim Zielinski is an Applications Manager for

Anschutz Exploration in Denver, CO


WELCOME NEW RMAG MEMBERS!

Stay in the Zone-

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Great Western a rocky mountain operator


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MARCH 31- APRIL 2, 2015

Hart DUG. Bakken and Niobrara.

Denver, CO.

APRIL 1, 2015

RMAG Luncheon. Speaker Jeremy Boak. “Oil Shale & Shale Oil, Some Myth Busting, Some Crosscutting Ideas, and the State of Oil Shale Development in the World.”

APRIL 10, 2015

DIPS Luncheon. For reservations, RSVP to [email protected] or 303-285-9136.

APRIL 15-17, 2015

NAPE East. Pittsburgh, PA.

APRIL 16, 2015

DWLS Spring Workshop. “Integrated Disciplines Using Petrophysics for Completions, Productions & Optimizations.” CSM, Golden, CO.

APRIL 16, 2015

RMAG Short Course. Speaker Bruce Trudgill. “Seismic Interpretation for Geoscientists.”

APRIL 21, 2015

DWLS Luncheon. Speaker Wes Ingram from Weatherford Labs. “Multi-Mineral Modeling Using New Core Scanning Technology.”

APRIL 22, 2015

Oilfield Christian Fellowship. For reservations, RSVP to [email protected] or 303-675-2602.

APRIL 28, 2015

RMS-SEPM Luncheon.

MAY 6, 2015

RMAG Luncheon. Speaker Daniel A. Krygowski. “Pattern Recognition in a Digital Age: A Gameboard Approach to Determining Petrophysical Parameters”

MAY 31 – JUNE 3, 2015

AAPG ACE Denver

JUNE 2, 2015

AAPG ACE & RMAG Night at the Zoo

IN THE PIPELINE

Sponsorship opportunities for

the annual RMAG Golf Tournament

are available! Visit www.rmag.org

to learn more.

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LEAD STORY

WHERE IT ALL BEGAN:Induced Seismicity and Colorado

By Bill Barnhart

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WHERE IT ALL BEGAN:

By Bill Barnhart Seismologists are buzzing in the United States. Not just over

the August earthquake in Napa Valley, nor over the next “Big One” that will shake Los Angeles, San Francisco, or Seattle. No, seismologists are buzzing about Colorado and Oklahoma because Colorado and Oklahoma are buzzing with earthquakes. As noted in a recent article in Outcrop, Oklahoma has become ground zero for earthquakes in the continental United States. Over 34 years from 1975 to 2009, Oklahoma experienced 45 earthquakes of magnitude (Mw) 3 or greater.


ON LEFT: A semi pump truck works at a header and storage tank at the Rangely Oil Field in Colorado. Scientists conducted a landmark experiment here from 1969-1974. Fluid was injected into a known fault, allowing researchers to monitor the magnitude of added pore fluid pressures. Photo by David Parsons/iStock.com

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From 2009 to 2015, there were 857 events of at least Mw3, with 500 of those occurring in 2014 alone. As I write this article on February 23rd, there have already been 129 such events in 2015. If these recent increases in seismicity do not convince you that something is amiss, then consider this: the vast majority of earthquakes happen along plate boundaries like the San An-dreas Fault in California. Oklahoma does not sit on a plate boundary, yet until the August Napa earthquake, Oklahoma was the most seismically active state in the continental U.S. for 2014.

In Colorado seismic activity has also in-creased since 2001, including the 2011 Mw5.3 earthquake near Trinidad (Barnhart et al., 2014; Rubinstein et al., 2014). The recent jump in earthquake numbers across the central U.S. is largely attributed to “induced seismicity”: earthquakes triggered by human activity (Ells-worth, 2013). An earthquake requires a specific set of ingredients to occur: a frictionally-locked

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December 201444Vol. 63, No. 12 44

June 21st On-the-Rocks Field Trip

»

Lario Oil & Gas CompanyEstablished 1927

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Proud sponsor of the Rocky Mountain Association of Geologists

created a sensational buzz in the scientific community and elsewhere is testimonial to excellent research conducted by Dr. Siddoway, her students and her collaborators. The members of the OTR field trip, on the longest day of the year, were able to catch a bit of that magic. As a final act of closure, the skies opened up as we drove back to collect our cars at the Visitor’s Center. Dime-sized hail pelted the group and made continued discussion, and even goodbyes, impossible. What started as a nice day with great potential turned into a highly memorable learning experience with impact.

References : Myrow, P.M., Taylor, J.F., Miller, J.F., Ethington, R.L., Ripperdan,

R.L., and Allen, J., 2003, Fallen Arches: Dispelling Myths Concerning Cambrian and Ordovician Paleogeography of the Rocky Mountain Region: Geological Society of America Bulletin, v. 115, no. 6, p. 695–713

Siddoway, C., Myrow, P., and Fitz-Díaz, E., 2013, Strata, Structures, and Enduring Enigmas: A 125th Anniversary Appraisal of Colorado Springs Geology, in Abbott, L.D., and Hancock, G.S., eds., Classic Concepts and New Directions: Exploring 125 Years of GSA Discoveries in the Rocky Mountain Region: Geological Society of America Field Guide 33, p. 331–356.

Siddoway, C, Shatford, S. and Contreras, A. A. 2013, ARMO Reactivation of Cambrian-Ordovician or Older Structures: Detrital Zircon Evidence from “Structureless” Sandstones of the Souther Front Range in Colorado Springs, GSA Abstracts with Programs, Vol. 45, No.7, p.887. https://gsa.confex.com/gsa/2013AM/webprogram/Paper226741.html

Siddoway, C. S. and G. E. Gehrels, 2014a, Basement-hosted sandstone injectites of Colorado: A Vestige of the Neoproterozoic Revealed Through Detrital Zircon Provenance Analysis, Lithosphere, doi:10.1130/L390.1

Siddoway, C. S. and G. E. Gehrels, 2014b, Cryogenian Sandstones in Colorado: A New Terrestrial Record for Laurentia (Rodinia) Revealed Through Detrital Zircon Provenance Analysis, GSA Abstracts with Programs, Vol. 46, No. 6, p.763, https://gsa.confex.com/gsa/2014AM/webprogram/Paper246788.html.

Sterne, E.J., 2006, Stacked, “Evolved” Triangle Zones along the Southeastern Flank of the Colorado Front Range: The Mountain Geologist, v. 43, p. 65–92.

Continued from page 43

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fault that slips to produce shaking-inducing seismic waves, and strains across that fault that would cause it to slip. Faults exist everywhere (even under this author’s home in Iowa), and all faults are strained. But faults in California are much more strained than faults in Oklahoma, which is why California is more commonly thought of as earthquake country.

The strength holding a fault tightly locked can be weakened if the fault is forced open. Clasp your hands together tightly. In this situation, a lot of shear strain is needed for your hands to slip past each oth-er (try sliding them and see). Now imagine a gar-den hose between your hands with the water turned on. The water forces your hands open, allowing them to slide past each other easily. This is the basic

mechanism behind induced seismicity. In recent years, the energy industry adopted

new techniques to stimulate oil and gas reservoirs through the large volume addition of fluids to the subsurface. One technique is hydraulic fracturing (“fracking”) which entails pumping large volumes of fluids into rock units to create fractures. The genera-tion of these fractures alone can be considered a type of earthquake. Fortunately, the vast majority of frack-ing-induced earthquakes are very small, impercepti-ble to a human standing right on top of the induced earthquake. A secondary process is likely the cul-prit behind larger, and potentially damaging, earth-quakes: wastewater disposal. During oil and gas re-covery, large volumes of fluids may be produced as



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a result of normal operations. These naturally and anthropogenically contaminated fluids are then se-questered in deep, porous geological units through injection by EPA-regulated disposal wells. In many locations, injection occurs in sedimentary units that are proximal to naturally occurring stressed faults in the continental crystalline basement. Over time, fault-weakening pore pressures induced by injection migrate into adjacent geological units, onto faults, and, potentially induce an earthquake. The largest suspected induced earthquake in the U.S. occurred in November 2011: an Mw5.6 in Oklahoma; the sec-ond largest induced earthquakes to date occurred in August 2011, an Mw5.3 event in the Raton gas basin near Trinidad, Colorado, and another Mw5.3 in Au-gust 1967 at the Rocky Mountain Arsenal. Numerous studies have attributed all of these earthquakes to wastewater injection.

While Oklahoma is currently ground zero for in-duced seismicity, Colorado is the birthplace of the

phenomenon in the U.S. Even though induced seis-micity has only recently entered the public lexicon, scientific understanding of the process originated in the 1960s and 1970s just outside of Denver and in the Rangeley Oil fields of northwest Colorado. Recent induced earthquakes outside of Trinidad and Gree-ley merely mark the return of a process that calls the Centennial State home, even though it never real-ly left.

Injection induced earthquakes were first

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Injection induced earthquakes were first recognized in the

1960s at the Rocky Mountain Arsenal, just west of the new Denver airport (Evans, 1966).

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With all the unconventional activity occurring across the globe, it is time to review what is driving the technical quality of the “Hot Plays” in the greater Rocky Mountain region. Please mark your calendars for what is sure to be the “HOTTEST” event of the Fall 2015 Technical Season. Geological, Geophysical, Geochemical, Petrophysical, and Structural technical drivers will be presented, describing what the RMAG membership has determineddetermined to be the Hottest Plays in the Rocky Mountains.

October 8th, 2015At the Denver City Center

Marriott

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THEE

DATE


presents: RMAG Fall Symposium

Hot Plays of the Rocky Mountain Region

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With all the unconventional activity occurring across the globe, it is time to review what is driving the technical quality of the “Hot Plays” in the greater Rocky Mountain region. Please mark your calendars for what is sure to be the “HOTTEST” event of the Fall 2015 Technical Season. Geological, Geophysical, Geochemical, Petrophysical, and Structural technical drivers will be presented, describing what the RMAG membership has determineddetermined to be the Hottest Plays in the Rocky Mountains.

October 8th, 2015At the Denver City Center

Marriott

SAVE

THEE

DATE


presents: RMAG Fall Symposium

Hot Plays of the Rocky Mountain Region

www.rmag.org


recognized in the 1960s at the Rocky Mountain Ar-senal, just west of the new Denver airport (Evans, 1966). In 1961, a well was drilled into fractured Pre-cambrian basement to dispose chemically contam-inated water, and injection began a year later. From 1962 to 1965, 710 earthquakes occurred, ranging in size from Mw0.7 to 5.0. In August 1967, 16 months after injection ceased, an M5.3 struck followed by an M5.2 three months later. This earthquake activity began shortly after the start of injection, decreased in frequency substantially during a yearlong hiatus in injection, resumed with resumed injection, then finally ceased altogether within two years of when the well was permanently shut down (Evans, 1966). The strong spatial and temporal correlation between the onset and cessation of fluid injection and earth-quakes provided the first indication that wastewater injection could induce earthquakes.

Following up on the Rocky Mountain Arsenal

earthquakes and the hypothesis that wastewater in-jection could lead to earthquakes, scientists from the U.S. Geological Survey conducted a landmark exper-iment in the Rangely oil fields of northwestern Col-orado from 1969-1974, appropriately named “An Experiment in Earthquake Control at Rangely, Colo-rado” (Raleigh et al., 1976). In this experiment, fluid was injected into a known fault, allowing research-ers to monitor the magnitude of added pore fluid pressures. As predicted, the experiment produced a series of small earthquakes that followed increased

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Paradox Valley in western Colorado is one of the most

famous loci of induced earthquakes globally.

2013-14RMAG FOUNDATION

SCHOLARSHIPS

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McKenna FundColorado College

CSU FundBolyard FundCU Boulder

CONTRIBUTIONS

CONTRIBUTIONS

Stone/Holberg FundStudying Rocky Mtn Structural Geology

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FosterStudying Rocky Mtn Geology

AAPG - Imperial BarrelRocky Mtn Section

AAPG Student LeadershipRocky Mtn Section

Friend of Dinosaur Ridge

Golden Pick AwardRMAG Guidebook contributionAAPG Sectional meetingRockbuster Ball awards

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Contibutions can be made at https://www.rmag.org/i4a/ams/publicLogin.cfm for RMAG membersRMAG Foundation | 910 16th Street Mall, Suite 1214 | Denver, CO 80202

Babcock FundRocky Mtn region Universities

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RMAG Student Summit sponsorCO Science Teacher of the YearCO State Science Fair winners

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Reconnecting Humanity & Nature in the 21st Century

PricesTicket: $75

Student Ticket: $50

Buses departing from and returning to the Hyatt will be provided

Conoco Zoo Gardens at the Denver Zoo

Registration will be handled through AAPG

Recipient of the AAPG Geosciences in the Media AwardSpeaker: Dr. Scott Sampson

Rewilding Revolution

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pore fluid pressure gradients. This experiment confirmed de-finitively that earthquakes could be induced through wastewater injection. (Imagine the headlines if such an experiment were to take place today: “Scientists trig-ger earthquakes…on purpose!”).

The Rangeley oil field exper-iment did not mark the end of induced seismicity in Colorado. Paradox Valley in western Colo-rado is one of the most famous loci of induced earthquakes globally. Here, natural salty run-off from the Paradox Valley salt formation is captured to prevent over salination of the Colorado River. Brines are then injected

through high-pressure wells into deeper geological units where they have led to substantial low magnitude seismicity since in-jection began in 1996. The larg-est earthquakes to date included an Mw4.3 in 2000 and an Mw3.9 in 2004. Paradox Valley is par-ticularly prudent because it re-minds us that induced seismicity can occur within many contexts, not just oil and gas exploration.

Induced seismicity has

now been identified in Colora-do, Oklahoma, California, Kan-sas, Arkansas, and Ohio. As this phenomenon proliferates throughout portions of the cen-tral U.S., it is useful to under-stand the sources of these earth-quakes and to recognize that the rudimentary science be-hind this process has been well understood since the 1960s and1970s from observations made throughout Colorado. Still, our understanding of induced seismicity remains rudimentary. Induced seismicity is a particu-larly enticing process for earth-quake scientists as these events can be thought of as small, con-trolled earthquake experiments. Lessons learned in such experi-ments could be invaluable to the Earth science community as a whole in elucidating the physics, mechanics, and ability to fore-cast the next natural “Big One” that will inevitably happen along a major plate boundary (and there will be more than one “Big One”). As the scientific commu-nity moves forward on induced seismicity, the lessons that have and that will continue to be learned in Colorado will help us gain a more complete under-standing of the specific factors that drive induced seismicity, including the complex interplay between existing faults, local

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» CONTINUED FROM PAGE 34 Induced seismicity has now been identified in Colorado, Oklahoma, California, Kansas,

Arkansas, and Ohio.


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This course is aimed at petroleum geologists and engineers seeking an introduction to the interpretation of seismic reflection data. The basic concepts of the seismic reflection

method will be addressed, but the course will focus on the practical geological interpretation of seismic reflection data, applying structural and stratigraphic concepts

to a number of seismic interpretation exercises.

Instructor: Bruce TrudgillAssociate Professor at the Colorado School of Mines

PhD in Structural Geology from Imperial College, London

Outline of Topics covered• The seismic reflection method: Advantages and Pitfalls• Key geophysical concepts for seismic interpretation• A geological approach to seismic interpretation• Methodologies for interpreting faults in seismic data• Rift systems: Seismic packages and evolution• Salt Systems: Key concepts and strategies• Fold and Thrust Systems and Foreland Basin:

interpretation strategies in structurally complex regions• Inverted Basins: rifting followed by shortening• Passive margins: large-scale evolution of linked systems

TeachingCurrently Professor Trudgill teaches both undergraduate and graduate classes at CSM in applied structural geology as well as field and seismic interpretation courses for industry through Nautilus.

ResearchProfessor Trudgill’s main research interests are in the evolution of geological structures through time and how this influences depositional systems. Currently he is working on both sub-surface and field-based projects from around the globe.

Registration Closes April 9th at 4:30 PM

April 16, 2015The RMAG and PTTC Present a 1-Day Short CourseHeld at New�eld Exploration 1001 17th Street #2000, Denver, CO 80202

Seismic Interpretation for Explorationists

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geology, hydrology, and the pore pres-sures exerted by wastewater injec-tion wells. These lessons in turn will better guide hazard and risk assess-ment in regions that are not prepared for earthquakes, ideally allowing sci-entists and policy makers to proper-ly balance the risks of a preventable catastrophe with the nation’s and world’s increasing energy needs.

REFERENCESBarnhart, W.D., Benz, H.M., Hayes,

G.P., Rubinstein, J.L., Bergman, E., 2014. Seismological and geodet-ic constraints on the 2011 Mw5.3 Trinidad, Colorado earthquake and induced deformation in the Raton Basin. J. Geophys. Res. Sol-id Earth 119, 2014JB011227. doi:10.1002/2014JB011227

Ellsworth, W.L., 2013. Injection-In-duced Earthquakes. Science 341. doi:10.1126/science.1225942

Evans, D.M., 1966. The Denver Area Earthquakes and The Rocky Moun-tain Arsenal Disposal Well. Mt. Geol.

Raleigh, C.B., Healy, J.H., Brede-hoeft, J.D., 1976. An Experi-ment in Earthquake Control at Rangely, Colorado. Science 191, 1230–1237. doi:10.1126/science.191.4233.1230

Rubinstein, J.L., Ellsworth, W.L., Mc-Garr, A., Benz, H.M., 2014. The 2001–Present Induced Earthquake Sequence in the Raton Basin of Northern New Mexico and South-ern Colorado. Bull. Seismol. Soc. Am. doi:10.1785/0120140009

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The Bakken and Exshaw Petroleum Systems in the Williston and Southern Alberta Basins with an Emphasis on the Phronghorn Member and the Three Forks Formation

5/318 am - 12 pm

5/311 pm - 5 pm

Toward an Understanding of Denver’s Mountain Front Structure and Petroleum Potential

Unconventional Reservoirs and Stratigraphy of Southern Denver Basin: Graneros, Greenhorn, Carlile and Niobrara Formations

Laramide Basin Evolution and Drilling Activity in the North Park - Middle Park Basin, Colorado

4D Laramide Crustal Detachment and Thrust Tectonics, With Applications to Natural Fractures in Resource Plays

5/307:30 am - 6 pm

5/30, 7 am - 5/31, 5 pm

RMAG & AAPG ACE Events

Field Trips

Short Courses

For Pricing and Registration please visit ace.aapg.org/2015

6/47 am - 6 pm

5/30, 7 am - 5/31, 5 pm

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2015 Award of Excellence For

Teaching of Earth Science

Sponsored by the Rocky Mountain Association of Geologists

THE WINNER RECEIVES

A Plaque and a $1000 Cash Award

If you teach earth science in K-12 and think you qualify, contact the RMAG office at 303-573-8621 for an application. Deadline is May 1. Previous winners were also selected to receive the Teacher of the Year Award from the American Association of Petroleum Geologists at the national and regional level.

The RMAG is a professional organization representing over 2000 earth scientists working in the Denver and Rocky Mountain area. In its capacity as the leading geologic organization in the Rocky Mountain area, each year the RMAG Foundation provides funding for an annual award presented to a teacher in recognition of his or her commendable efforts in introducing young minds to the earth sciences.

Check out the RMAG website at www.rmag.org.

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• AAPG........................................................................................................ 7, 13• Alliance Insurance Agency .......................................................................... 27• Anschutz Exploration ................................................................................... 10• Breckenridge Exploration Co., LLC............................................................... 32• Crown Geochemistry ..................................................................................... 8• Daub & Associates, Inc. ................................................................................ 6• Décollement Consulting Inc......................................................................... 20• Devon ........................................................................................................... 19• Dolan Integration Group ................................................................................ 9• Donovan Brothers Inc. ................................................................................... 8• Encana ......................................................................................................... 16• Enerplus ....................................................................................................... 25• Fluid Inclusion Technologies ........................................................................ 22• GeoMark Research, LTD .............................................................................. 22• Geosteering, LLC.......................................................................................... 30• Great Western Oil & Gas Company ............................................................. 26• Horizontal Solutions Intl. ......................................................................... 8, 26• iBall Instruments.......................................................................................... 18• James C. Karo Associates ........................................................................... 30

• Johnson Geo-Consulting, LLC........................................................................ 8• Kestrel Geoscience, LLC ................................................................................ 6• Lario Oil & Gas Co. ...................................................................................... 15• Louis J. Mazzullo, LLC ................................................................................... 8• Mineral Appraiser, LLC .................................................................................. 6• MJ Systems ................................................................................................. 23• Nautilus ....................................................................................................... 36• Neil H. Whitehead III ..................................................................................... 6• OilField Geomechanics ................................................................................ 14• PTTC ............................................................................................................. 11• QEP Resources ............................................................................................. 19• Samson Energy ............................................................................................ 24• Sinclair Petroleum Engineering, Inc. ............................................................. 8• Stephens Production Co. ............................................................................. 38• Stoner Engineering, LLC ................................................................................ 4• Stratochem Services.................................................................................... 25• Tracker Resources ........................................................................................ 24• T-Rex Oil Inc. .................................................................................................. 6• William W. Little, Ph. D. ................................................................................ 8

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SUNDAY MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY

DWLS Luncheon

RMS-SEPM Luncheon

RMAG Luncheon

Oilfield Christian Fellowship

RMAG Short Course

DWLS Spring Workshop

DIPS Luncheon

Hart DUG. Bakken and Niobrara

NAPE East

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april 2015 outcrop

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