OUTCROP
Newsletter of the Rocky Mountain Association of Geologists
OUTCROP
Newsletter
of the Rocky Mountain Association of Geologists
730 17th Street, B1, Denver, CO 80202 • 720-672-9898
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.
2025 OFFICERS AND BOARD OF DIRECTORS RMAG STAFF
PRESIDENT
Matthew Bauer matthew.w.bauer.pg@gmail.com
PRESIDENT-ELECT Sandra Labrum slabrum@slb.com
1st VICE PRESIDENT
Nate La Fontaine nlafontaine@sm-energy.com
1st VICE PRESIDENT-ELECT Rachael Czechowskyj sea2stars@gmail.com
2nd VICE PRESIDENT Ali Sloan ali@sloanmail.com
2nd VICE PRESIDENT-ELECT Lisa Wolff lwolff@bayless-cos.com
SECRETARY Drew Scherer latirongeo@gmail.com
TREASURER
Astrid Makowitz astridmakowitz@gmail.com
TREASURER-ELECT
Walter Nelson wnelson@integratedenergyresources.com
COUNSELOR
John Benton jbenton@haitechinc.com
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The Outcrop is a monthly publication of the Rocky Mountain Association of Geologists
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EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
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LEAD EDITOR
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CONTRIBUTING EDITORS
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COVER PHOTO Geology Train in Precambrian Basement at Rock Tunnel. Photo by Peter Barkmann
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October 30, 2024
Geoscience Community:
We sincerely appreciate the support every Summit Sponsor and Event Sponsor provided over the past year. Your contributions are vital to the success of the Rocky Mountain Association of Geologists (RMAG).
In 2024, the RMAG was proud to host a dynamic lineup of events, including the CCS Workshop, which provided an in-depth look at advancements in carbon capture and storage. Members explored the beauty and geological wonders of the Colorado Rockies with ten diverse field trips and shared our passion for geoscience with students across the region through classroom visits and community festivals. Additionally, we fostered connections among members through monthly lunches, coffees, happy hours, and our annual Golf Tournament.
Looking ahead to 2025, we are excited about new opportunities for RMAG. Your sponsorship will help RMAG realize a robust calendar of continuing education opportunities, an exciting season of field trips, high-impact short courses, and a dynamic lineup of luncheon speakers. In April 2025, we look forward to the North American Helium & Hydrogen Conference, building on the success of our 2023 North American Helium Conference. Your sponsorship empowers RMAG members to impact the next generation at outreach events throughout the community and provides invaluable networking opportunities for the geoscience community. Furthermore, your financial support plays a crucial role in our publication efforts, which include the monthly Outcrop newsletter and the quarterly Mountain Geologist journal.
In recognition of your financial commitment to supporting geoscience in the region we recognize our sponsors through in-person signage, advertising on our website, publications, and social media promotions leading up to each event. With a LinkedIn group of almost 3,000 members, we ensure our sponsors are visible to the geoscience community for both virtual and in-person events.
Thank you to our current Summit Sponsors; we look forward to your continued support in 2025. For those considering sponsoring, we encourage you to explore the many benefits included at each sponsorship level and consider how you can promote geoscience in the Rockies. If an annual sponsorship doesn’t suit your company’s needs or if you wish to sponsor a specific event, please inquire about our single-event sponsorship opportunities. Feel free to reach out to our staff with any questions about sponsorship at bcrowther@rmag.org or by phone at 720- 672-9898 ext. 102.
On behalf of the RMAG staff, volunteers, and myself thank you all for your continued support, and we look forward to connecting with you in 2025.
Sincerely,
Matthew Bauer
Bridget Crowther 2025 RMAG President RMAG Executive Director
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730 17th Street, B1 Denver, CO 80202
By Drew Scherer, Secretary flatirongeo@gmail.com
Welcome to the February 2025 edition of The Outcrop, your go-to source for all things RMAG! We are diving into the new year with enthusiasm, fresh ideas, and plenty to share from our first official 2025 Board meeting, held via Zoom on January 15th. All but two board members were present at the January meeting, and we are already off to a fantastic start.
Bridget kicked things off with an office update, highlighting the great turnout at the December Luncheon, the incredible end-of-year donations (thank you for your generosity!), and a membership boost of 19 people through December, what an amazing way to wrap up 2024! Financially, we weathered some December stock market turbulence but remain in a solid position thanks to strong gains earlier in Q3 and Q4. Cheers to keeping RMAG financially healthy as we tackle the year ahead!
Exciting things are already in motion for 2025.
January’s talk drew a great crowd, and luncheon speakers are confirmed all the way through May. The Continuing Education team is also hard at work prepping for the Hydrogen-Helium Conference coming up on April 9–10. Abstract acceptances have gone out, and a big thank-you goes to everyone contributing to this impactful event! Beyond that, the team is planning short courses, career fairs, and other events to help members sharpen their technical and professional skills. Meanwhile, the Membership Committee is gearing up for the Rockbusters Ball on January 31st and is working to fill the spring and summer calendar with family-friendly events.
RENEW YOUR
The Publications team has exciting articles in the works for both The Outcrop and The Mountain Geologist, with the latter slated for release in late February. On the outreach side, the Geoscience Outreach team has an impressive lineup of events scheduled from now through fall, offering plenty of volunteer opportunities, so keep an eye on our emails and website for updates. And last but certainly not least, the On the Rocks Committee has some fantastic summer field trips in the pipeline. They are also adding a special focus on tailoring trips to mid-career members and exploring options for family-friendly field experiences. We are thrilled about everything the year has in store and cannot wait to see you at one of our events soon. Thank you for kicking off 2025 with The Outcrop, emails, and our website for more updates. See
PRESIDENT’S LETTER
By Matthew Bauer
Dear Fellow Members,
I’ve had the privilege of meeting many geologists along my journey. Hopefully I met a few more of you at The Rockbusters Ball. For those I haven’t yet met let me give you a glimpse of my story. I grew up on a small cattle farm south of Kansas City. As a kid, I remember gazing at Pennsylvanian carbonates full of crinoids, mollusks, and bryozoan fossils – right in the middle of a landlocked state. Playing with rocks sparked an awe of our natural world and instead of “growing up” I made a career of it. Over two decades later I’ve worked in environmental, hydrogeology, petroleum, hydrogen, wind energy, and mining. Over the last decade I’ve been focused on the intersection of computing and the earth sciences. Getting there didn’t happen in a vacuum.
Like many of you, I’ve had incredible educators who shaped my journey. Early inspirations like Karl Mayo come to mind, as well as the late Richard Gentile, who always challenged me with higher expectations. Tina Niemi and Charles Spencer introduced me to the power of merging math with geoscience, while James Murowchick showed me the magic of mineralogy and the value of having multifaceted hobbies. I owe much of my mindset to Raymond Coveney, who taught me to embrace diversity of thought, and Steve Sonnenberg, who sparked my curiosity about regional-scale processes. Matt Hall and Evan Bianco for hosting all
those hackathons—accelerating my own python and scientific computing journey. My educators include too many others to name, but their impact is profound.
Had fantastic applied mentors along that road too. Brian Guillette; still one of the most proactive bosses I’ve ever had. Dave Lipson and Mike Gefell for taking the time to inspire an interest of multiphase flow and sharing a passion of doing it well. Clay Harwell for reminding everyone that you can have fun at work while building a strong network. Michael Harty, Didi Ooi, Zane Jobe, and Thomas Martin for sharing all the fun hours tinkering with code, learning to dop it better, and sharing it with others. Ken Scott, Grant Eidson, & Luis Castillo taught me how to think big and embrace challenges. And, of course, all of my colleagues—good, bad, and even the downright ugly—who reminded me that the high road isn’t always easy, but it gives you the best view in the end.
Our professional paths, like the ones we walk here at RMAG, will have phases of smooth sailing, and phases where we’re paving the way as we go. That’s why we’re here: to help make the road easier for young geologists and build community for those of us with a few more miles on our tires. But to do that, I need your help.
I’ve been working to give back by supporting the next generation of geoscientists. This winter, I visited Javier Tellez and Wade Aubin at Colorado Mesa University, where I volunteered to teach a Python course. While there, the Grand Junction Geological Society and RMAG co-hosted a joint happy hour that was a big hit. I’d love to replicate that in other parts of the Rockies— teaching applied data science to students and hosting a gathering to chat about rocks over a cold drink. If you work with a local geoscience department, please reach out to help schedule a course or even just a casual happy hour for all of us geologists to mingle. You can email me directly at matthew.w.bauer.pg@gmail.com
Stay Curious & Be Good to People, Matthew W. Bauer, PG
The valuation of oil and gas properties is one of the most important skills within the energy sector. This course aims to introduce individuals to a basic workflow that will allow them to take raw data and develop an opinion of value for oil and gas acreage. The focus will be on-shore U.S. unconventional resources.
INSTRUCTOR: NICO KERNAN
RAILS THROUGH THE ROCKS
Tracking the Idea for a Train Ride Through Colorado Geology: A Tribute to Dr. Rob Benson
BY PETER BARKMANN • Colorado Geological Survey
THIS STORY REALLY STARTS BACK
IN 1880 when General Palmer drove rails through the wilderness to reach silver mines in the lofty Southern Rocky Mountains. Narrow gauge tracks left the broad San Luis Valley on their way to Silverton, piercing the heart of a Laramide uplift partially concealed by Oligocene volcanics. Precious metal mining drove the need for transportation through this rugged region. From 1880 to the 1960s this winding narrow gauge rail line, known as the San Juan Extension of the Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad (shortened as the “Rio Grande”), carried goods and materials into the thriving mining communities and eventually the booming San Juan Basin oil and gas fields (Figure 1). It survived as the last remnant of a vast network of narrow-gauge routes that once formed the vital transportation heart of Colorado. As with the other pokey and high maintenance rail lines, the Rio Grande finally realized it could not compete with trucks which now travel the same basic route over much faster, publicly funded highways. In 1969 the railroad petitioned the Interstate Commerce Commission to allow it to abandon the entire route from Antonito to Farmington via Durango-leaving just the line from Durango to
Silverton remnant. D&RGW eventually prevailed. Rail enthusiasts in New Mexico and Colorado banded together to try to save the line for its historic, scenic and economic attributes. Many ideas were tossed about including trying to convince the National Park Service to acquire and operate the line. What eventually evolved was a joint purchase by the states of Colorado and New Mexico of the 64 miles between Antonito and Chama. After all, the line over this segment snakes across the state line 11 times as it makes its way up out of the San Luis Valley, over the Tusas Mountains and down into the Chama Basin. This segment became the Cumbres and Toltec Scenic Railroad (C&TSRR, or “Cumbres and Toltec for short). Rails were pulled up from the remainder of the San Juan Extension from Chama to Durango and Farmington. The Cumbres and Toltec Scenic Railroad is maintained and operated as a living museum, stressing that operations and upkeep follow historic guidelines (Figure 2). A joint railroad commission oversees operation and maintenance of the rail line. Tourists ride the rails on trains originating from both ends, Antonito and Chama, daily from May through October. The Friends of Cumbres and Toltec Scenic Railroad (Friends) is a volunteer organization that works on a
FIGURE 1: The Denver and Rio Grande Railroad’s system spanned much of Colorado’s high country in the late 19th century with a network of narrow gauge and standard gauge lines. The San Juan Extension follows the Colorado-New Mexico state line just above the map title and logo.
variety of restoration projects on rolling stock and historic features all along the railway. It also staffs each train trip with docents that explain many aspects of the railroad and route.
One fateful day an imaginative and enthusiastic geologist took a ride on the train. Dr. Rob Benson taught geology at Adams State University in Alamosa with a passion for the San Luis Valley region (Figure 3). Rob was captured by the varied geologic features and sweeping scenery. Like many geologists, Rob
rode through a bumpy career early on, but finally settled on a dream job in a dream setting. After earning bachelor’s and master’s degrees in geology, Rob started working in the minerals industry, which brought him to Colorado. When mining didn’t work out, Rob worked summers for the Colorado Geological Survey on an abandoned mine inventory and went on to earn his doctorate from the Colorado School of Mines. On this fateful train ride, Rob, who was a very congenial and outgoing geologist, fell into a conversation
FIGURE 2: Cumbres and Toltec Scenic Railroad trains are pulled by coal-fired steam engines just as done into the 1960s.
FIGURE 3: Geology Train is the brainchild of Dr. Rob Benson of Adams State University, on the left, and Rich Muth of the Friends of Cumbres and Toltec Scenic Railroad docent program, on the right. Before departure from Antonito passengers are introduced to geo-docents and given an overview of the ride about to begin. Photo by Rick Kelley.
with one of the Friends docents. This particular docent, Rich Muth, was as equally enthusiastic and knowledgeable about the railroad as Rob was about geology along the scenic route. Rob marveled at the spectacular geologic features that rolled by at the leisurely pace. Knowing the geologic setting, Rob was overwhelmed at the exposures and views of so many geological features all along the way. He shared his excitement with Rich as Rich shared his passion for the railroad. Inspiration hit both as to what a unique opportunity this historic rail line presented to educate interested people about in the regions fascinating geology. The Geology Train was born. Rob recruited a team of other interested geologists to help as “geo-docents” on what would become a very popular annual event.
A ride on the Cumbres and Toltec Geology Train treats a rider to a varied snapshot of many aspects of Colorado and New Mexico geology (Figure 4) with glimpses of rocks ranging in age from Proterozoic to Pliocene along with a variety of Quaternary features (Figure 5). This unique opportunity had previously been recognized with a field trip and road log by Burroughs and Butler (1971) in the New Mexico Geological Society 1971 guidebook of the San Luis Basin. Kelley and others (2023) built on this earlier geologic log with a detailed geologic booklet that riders receive on board soon after the train’s departure describing the geology along the route.
Heading west the line begins in the San Luis Valley, one of the many half-graben basins of the Rio Grande Rift system. Antonito, Colorado sits on the west edge of the rift where Pliocene basalt flows tilt gently to the east. Its route to the west presents many views of rift-related volcanic features and rocks ranging in age from 3 to 27 million years. On most days clear skies allow sweeping views to the east of uplifted Proterozoic rocks and Paleozoic strata of the Sangre de Cristo Range on the far side of the rift. For the first 20 miles of the trip the rift floor generally dips to the east more steeply than the gradual 1.4% average climb of the rails. This sets up a traverse into progressively older rocks exposed along the gradual climb into the Tusas Mountains. (Figure 6) This range is part of the Laramide Brazos Uplift forming the northeast edge of the Chama Basin. Oligocene volcanic rocks partially conceal the Laramide features. Once over Cumbres Pass,
FIGURE 4: The Cumbres and Toltec Scenic Railroad 64mile route climbs out of the San Luis Valley graben of the Rio Grande Rift heading west to cross the Tusas Mountains before dropping into the San Juan Basin. Along the way it slices its way into a Laramide uplift cored by Proterozoic gneiss and granite that has been buried by Oligocene volcanic rocks. Structural deformation of Mesozoic strata hint at the boundary between the Laramide uplift and basin hidden by the cover.
the rock age-progression into the Laramide basin reverses as the route encounters progressively younger strata from Jurassic to Cretaceous strata preserved at the edge of the Chama Basin.
Widespread volcanism across the region marked the transition from Laramide compressive deformation to Neogene uplift and extension. For much of the Oligocene, volcanism in the area poured out lavas varying in composition from mafic to felsic as part of the vast San Juan Volcanic Field. Volcanic activity peaked with the development of many large felsic caldera complexes. These “super volcanoes” produced widespread and voluminous welded ash-flow tuffs. As a whole, this caldera complex forms what is considered by many to be the largest cluster of super volcanoes recognized in the world. Starting about 37 million years ago at Mount Princeton further to the north, the felsic caldera phase of volcanism hit this area between 23 and 28 million years ago.
Gradually climbing from milepost 304 to 308, the railroad passes through 28 to 29 million-year-old ash-flow tuffs that exploded from the Platoro Caldera about 30 miles to the north (Figure 7). These sheets of welded rhyolite tuff overlie thousands of feet of intermediate volcanic flows, breccias, and lahar deposits that make up the pre-caldera Conejos Formation. Evidence points to a rugged landscape punctuated by stratovolcanoes that stood for very short geologic times before being inundated by the explosive ash flow tuffs from the calderas.
Rock Tunnel at milepost 315 proves to be a highlight of the geologic trip (Figure 8). Here the rails drive through 1.7-billion-year-old Proterozoic gneiss intruded by 1.4-billion-year-old granite. Train riders witness how this irregular bedrock high in the heart
FIGURE 5: Along the route riders see a variety of strata and volcanic rocks exposed as the route leaves the Rio Grande Rift and crosses the Laramide Brazos Uplift.
FIGURE 6: Two cross sections illustrate the interpretive subsurface geology based on surface exposures along the route of the Cumbres and Toltec Scenic Railroad. Both are 4 X vertical exaggerations. The upper section is a traditional cross section drawn along a straight line between endpoints near Chama on the west and Antonito on the east. It also shows topographic relief along the section. The second is drawn along the railroad grade from east to west in ascending mileage from left to right and reads for west-bound trains. Because it follows the railroad grade, it is almost twice as long and shows only the grade of the route. It also distorts sense of dip where the route doubles back, as at Lava Tank. Notable features in the landscape visible from the train are included as transparency above the track.
of the Laramide Brazos Uplift was buried by volcanic rocks at the start of the Oligocene volcanic outpouring. The tunnel also marks a transition from the high desert landscape, characterized by lava capped mesas and deep V-shaped canyons, to an alpine setting. From here to the top of Cumbres Pass the topography exhibits open, U-shaped valleys marked by abundant evidence of glacial and periglacial processes. As the vistas open to the alpine landscape, the tracks plow across moraines, landslides, and outwash plains. We sense that the ice sheet that once covered this southern end of the Rocky Mountains left quite recently.
Once over Cumbres Pass, at 10,015 feet MSL, a 4% grade descent takes the train down into the Wolf Creek valley. Here, the Conejos Formation contains a heterogeneous mix of consolidated volcanic rocks and relatively unconsolidated ash beds locally capped by the younger welded tuffs. This makes for stunning scenery but also lends itself to large areas of instability, particularly as the glaciers retreated about 18,000 years ago. In this setting the rails traverse several large-scale landslide complexes. One of these is laid out before viewers as the train rounds Windy Point at the start of
FIGURE 7: Roadcuts expose Oligocene volcaniclastic beds and welded tuffs sourced from the Platoro Caldera about 30 miles to the north.
HELIUM & HYDROGEN
Denver, Colorado ~ April 9-10, 2025
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the descent. Also visible is how the Oligocene volcanic cover now caps exposures of synorogenic Blanco Basin Formation in the Laramide Chama Basin, which in turn sits on an angular unconformity above steeply dipping Jurassic Morrison Formation and Cretaceous Dakota Group beds (Figure 9). Riders see that there is no doubt that this is the structural transition from the Laramide Brazos Uplift into the Chama Basin, sub-basin to the east of the greater San Juan Basin. As the train eases to a stop in Chama, passengers see mesas to the southwest capped by Mesaverde Group sandstone, telling them they are now in the Laramide basin. Rob Benson’s inspiration proved out. This past year marked the 14th year that the Geology Train has operated with it missing one year during the pandemic. Many runs have been sold out. There have even been repeat riders. Initially the special train was operated once in June, but its popularity prompted the railroad to add a second trip in September starting in
2021. What points to the power of Rob’s vision is that this trip appeals to a broad spectrum of people. An informal estimate puts the percentage of riders that are geologists by profession at less than 25%, if even that. This success is testimony to how many people simply want to know about our earth and what the landscape tells us. Rob Benson’s legacy lives on.
REFERENCES
Athearn, R.G., 1962, Rebel of the Rockies-A History of the Denver and Rion Grande Western Railroad: New Haven, Connecticut, Yale University Press, 395 p.
Burroughs, R.L. and Butler, A.P., 1971, Rail Log from Antonito, Colorado to Chama New Mexico, October 2, 1971, in James, H. L., Editor, Guidebook of the San Luis Basin, Colorado: New Mexico Geological Society, Twenty Second Field Conference-September 30-October 1-2, 1971 p. 43-69. Kelley, S., Barkmann, P., Benson, R., Lovekin, J., and Dunn, L. Geologic Road Log Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad, 2023: Socorro, New Mexico, New Mexico Bureau of Geology & Mineral Resources, 36 p. Kirkham, R.M., and Magee, A.W., 2020, Geologic History of the San Luis Valley, in Beeton, J.M., Saenz, C.N., and Waddell, B.J., The Geology, Ecology, and Human History of the San Luis Valley: Louisville Colorado, University Press of Colorado, p. 9-57. Lipman, P.W., Dungan, M.A., Brown, LL, and Deino, A., 1996, Recurrent eruption and subsidence of the Platoro caldera complex, southeastern San Juan volcanic field, Colorado-New tales from old tuffs: Geological Society of America Bulletin, v. 108, no. 8, p. 1,039-1,055.
FIGURE 8: Rock tunnel bores through Proterozoic gneiss and granite in the core of the Laramide Brazos Uplift high above Los Pinos Creek.
FIGURE 9: Eocene Blanco Basin Formation rests above an unconformity on tilted and faulted Jurassic Morrison Formation exposed in the canyon wall across Wolf Creek near Hamilton Point. This deformation hints at the Laramide boundary being concealed not far to the east beneath the Oligocene volcanic cover.
FIGURE 8
FIGURE 9
January 2024
February 2024
March 2024
Vote
Cover of 2024
July 2024
August 2024
Educational Museum, Surrey, UK
Boulder Canyon, Colorado: A landscape painting by Archibald Geikie, 1879
September 2024
Grand Tetons, Wyoming
Photo by Nathan LaFontaine
Painted Wall at the Black Canyon of the Gunnison
Photo by Bobby Schoen
Photo by Haslemere
Mined out vein of gilsonite from the Rainbow deposit, Uintah County, Utah
Photo by Riley Brinkerhoff
Colorado Ridge Map
Photo by Matthew Bauer
Museum of the Rockies Fieldwork
Photo by Anonymous
April 2024
Oblique aerial view looking southwest over the confluence of the Little Colorado River with the Colorado River in Marble Canyon
May 2024
View looking upstream from a point immediately above Deer Creek, approximately 200 feet above river level, and standing on Tapeats Sandstone
June 2024
Photo overlooking west over the Wet Mountains and the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, Colorado
October 2024
November 2024
December 2024
Lake San Cristobal, nestled in Colorado’s San Juan Mountains
Ryan Gall examining Flagstaff formation limestone
Photo by Anonymous
Pilocene Servilleta Basalt walls exposed in the Rio Grande Gorge near Taos, New Mexico
Photo by Danielle Robinson
Photo by Rob Diedrich
Photo by Benjamin Magnin
Photo by Gus Hobbs
Photo by Ted Grussing
HYBRID LUNCH TALK
Speaker: Eric Stautberg
Date: February 5, 2025 | 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm
An introduction to geothermal energy
And a case study on exploration for hot sedimentary aquifers on the Texas Gulf Coast
Presenter: Eric Stautberg, Colorado School of Mines
The United States generates approximately 3.7 gigawatts (GWe) of geothermal electricity every year, however, this only accounts for 0.4% of the total power generated and consumed by the U.S. Consequently, exploring for and developing new geothermal resources to increase this percentage is of upmost importance. Geothermal resources for electrical power generation can be classified into three broad categories: conventional hydrothermal, enhanced geothermal systems (EGS), and hot sedimentary aquifer (HSA). These three categories differ in thermal energy and fluid type, with conventional hydrothermal being the hottest (>350⁰F) and typically vapor dominated, EGS systems have moderate temperature (300-350⁰F) and are usually dry rock, and hot
sedimentary aquifers are mostly classified into the low temperature category (200-300⁰F). The variability of these systems leads to different challenges and methodologies when exploring for and developing these resources. The passive margin of the Texas Gulf Coast is a basin that contains numerous hot sedimentary aquifers of varying age, lithology, and reservoir temperature. Identifying and classifying the different sedimentary geothermal play types that contain HSAs is a pivotal part of exploring for geothermal resources in this region. This presentation will discuss the different geothermal play types identified in south Texas through subsurface petrophysical and temperature mapping and provide an introduction to the different types of geothermal systems.
ERIC STAUTBERG is a Ph.D. candidate at Colorado School of Mines in the Department of Geology and Geological Engineering. His research is focused on identifying and characterizing low temperature geothermal play types on the Texas Gulf Coast for utility scale electrical power generation and direct use applications. Prior to being at Colorado School of Mines, he spent seven years working in oil and gas exploration at Anadarko Petroleum Corporation and Occidental Petroleum Corporation (Oxy) on the Gulf Coast and in the Permian Basin. At both Anadarko and Oxy, he was tasked with generating prospects and drilling horizontal exploration wells across the Gulf Coast and in the Permian Basin. In 2013 he completed a M.Sc. in Geological Sciences from the University of Texas at El Paso where he worked a field-based carbonate sedimentology and stratigraphy project in southern New Mexico and west Texas. He also has a B.Sc. in Geology from Texas A&M University and worked as a NAGT field intern at the U.S. Geological Survey. Eric is passionate about applying oil and gas exploration techniques to geothermal exploration in sedimentary basins.
HYBRID LUNCH TALK
Speaker: Jonathan McKenna
Date: March 5, 2025 | 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm
Optimizing Return on Investment and Estimated Ultimate Recovery through Advanced MicroSeismic Monitoring Techniques
Presenter: Jonathan McKenna, MicroSeismic
OBJECTIVE
Case studies are presented to evaluate Return On Investment (ROI) of fracture monitoring of hydraulic stimulation using geophysical methods. Time-dependent stress shadow
effects cause rotation of principal stress and reduction of stress anisotropy. Over time, stress returns to the virgin reservoir stress. Focal mechanisms are analyzed to evaluate the dynamically changing stress field and to identify fracture sets and faults reactivated in real time. Operators can take advantage of these time-dependent effects by properly repressurizing parent wells prior to treating child wells, avoiding wellbore-casing deformation by identifying and skipping stages that intersect fault planes, and modifying well spacing to maximize the number of wells per drilling spacing unit (DSU).
METHODS
Case histories presented include refracturing parent wells followed by offset child wells, wells treated in vicinity of active faulting, and situations where number of wells drilled per DSU are improved. ROI is calculated with consideration of monitoring costs and reported as improved revenue per well compared to local production type curves over the life of the well and calculated based on protected asset value per well when geohazards were detected and avoided.
D eta ile d a nd ac c ura te g eo lo gy at yo u r fin g ertip s in Pe tra , Ge o Grap h ix, A rc GIS , A cc u Map , ge o S C OU T an d o th er d ig ital ma p pin g a p plica tion s
We ste rn USA
Geol ogi cal Edge Set
Ene rgy Al te rnati ve s & Cri ti cal Mine ral s - USA
We ste rn Cana da Geol ogi cal Edge Set
Ene rgy Al te rnati ve s & Cri ti cal Mine ral s - Ca nada
Ea ste rn USA & Ea st ern Ca nada
Geol ogi cal Edge Set
Cent ral USA
Geol ogi cal Edge Set
Me xi co
Geol ogi cal Edge Set
Map la ye rs p rov ided in s ha pe file fo rma t fo r ea sy impor t into a ll ma ppin g app lic at ions .
De liv er ab le s inc lude : f orma tion limits , o utc ro ps, su bc rop e dge s , O &G fie ld s, st ruc tu ra l eleme nt s, re ef s, sh ore lin es , c ha nne ls, pro duc tion f airw a ys , s ha le ga s tr en ds, st ru ct ure con tou rs , iso pa chs , g en era l cult ure , r ene w able & no n-r en ew ab le ene rg y pr ojec ts , min era l dep os it s, mine s, Pet ra T he mat ic Ma p pro je ct s, G eoG ra phix G e oA tla s pro je c ts , Ar cG IS M XD a nd La y er f ile s, re giona l c ro ss -s ec tion s, an d full te ch nica l s upp ort .
For mo re inf orma tio n: Joe l H a rding at + 1 4 03 87 0 8 12 2 joe lha rding@ g eoe dg es .c om ww w.ge oe dge s.c om
RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS
A significant ROI can be obtained by proper evaluation of microseismic focal mechanisms. For successful refracturing parent wells and creating containment of immediate child well treatments resulting in increased production on parent well by 35% and eliminates production loss on child wells by 25% allowing for 100% ROI after producing for 1 month. Furthermore, skipping stages identified as being susceptible to wellbore casing deformation saves as much as $2M/well and monitoring costs are recouped by saving one well. An increase of one well per DSU increases production by nearly 30% which yields a 6-month ROI.
SIGNIFICANCE
Operators can take advantage of time-dependent stress shadow effects that can be quantified using advanced analytical techniques of microseismic focal mechanisms. Furthermore, geohazard avoidance is possible through real-time microseismic monitoring. In addition, maximizing number of wells per DSU increases production and allows operators to drill and complete their acreage correctly the first time through without the need for refracturing old parent wells and drilling child wells. These efficiencies lead to significant production gains and savings which are much more significant than microseismic monitoring costs.
JON McKENNA is a geological engineer at MicroSeismic, Inc. His work relies on microseismic measurements during hydraulic stimulation to quantify dynamic stress changes in the reservoir and develops accurate fracture models to simulate proppant placement and forecast production.
He holds a B.S. and a M.S. from the University of Georgia in Geology and Geophysics and a Ph.D. from the Colorado School of Mines in Geological Engineering.
He has over 20 years of engineering geology experience, has published over 50 journal articles or abstracts, and is the primary inventor of 3 U.S. patents.
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Meet Holly Lindsey
Endurance Energy Group
HOW DID YOU END UP INVOLVED IN THE GEOSCIENCES?
That’s a bit of an amusing story. My first semester as an undergraduate at Mines, I had declared my major as Physics. I wanted to help with the burgeoning hope of fusion energy. Unfortunately, I hadn’t had any calculus in high school, and I was learning that at 8 am every morning and then taking the Physics department-required Honors Physics 1 (calc based, of course) at 9 am. It didn’t take long for the department head to call me in and suggest I choose a different major. I thought about it, and remembering my joy at cracking open rocks I found in the backyard with my dad’s construction hammer and the happy hours spent with the geology kit I got for Christmas when I was 10 (my very own hammer!!) I picked Geological Engineering. I never looked back, and we still don’t have fusion power plants…
WHERE DID YOU GROW UP? WHAT WAS YOUR FIRST JOB? WHAT JOBS HAVE YOU HAD DURING YOUR CAREER?
RMAG’s Publications Committee is featuring a monthly Member Corner. We hope you’ll enjoy learning about the diverse community of Earth scientists and wide variety of geoscience disciplines that comprise our membership. If you would like to appear in an upcoming column, or if there is someone you would like to nominate, please contact staff@rmag.org
I am an Arvada native…born on Colfax (the original St Anthony’s) and educated all the way through my Master’s in Jefferson County. In fact, my first job at Orange Julius at the Westminster Mall in high school convinced me that yes, I wanted to go to college. My career has been a patchwork of cool opportunities and amazing experiences. I worked at the world’s lowest-grade operating uranium mine in the Red Desert in Wyoming as an undergraduate. I got to help set primacord and blasting gel in the floor of the mine and then blow it up, as well as ride in 175ton trucks and assay ore. After my bachelor’s degree, I worked for the National Park Service at Fossil Butte National Monument in Wyoming where I got
The total solar eclipse in Wyoming.
to prepare the lovely Eocene fish fossils from the Green River formation, teach tourists about geology, and help build the Park Service’s first solar vented latrine. That large black pipe you see coming out of all the little latrine buildings does an amazing job of reducing the stink- during the day at least! After finishing my master’s, I worked as a development geologist in both the offshore Gulf coast and onshore mid-continent.
HOW DO YOU BALANCE WORK & FAMILY?
The impending arrival of my first child helped me to decide to give up seven-and-sevens offshore and pivot into a job with Landmark, where I managed a team doing field studies for Landmark clients. I worked at becoming certified in their geology software and began teaching it and doing customer support, as well as interfacing with the developers to help them make a better product. The greater flexibility of this role helped me to manage growing family responsibilities, and I realized that I love to help others solve the questions that face us as geoscientists every day. Even though my kids are now successfully launched, I’m still enjoying working in tech.
WHAT DOES YOUR CURRENT JOB ENTAIL?
I am currently with Endurance Energy Group, where I manage a development team and provide customer support for our analytics and mapping software. I am a certified Scrum Master, which suits
me well. Agile methodologies and practices apply to so many areas, and the training helped pull together many threads I have been weaving together throughout my whole career. I love to help others have success while I fade into the background, and to help our customers solve problems and answer questions, while leveraging internal and external data.
Dressed as Princess Fiona for the Invest in Kids fundraiser.
WHAT DO YOU LIKE TO DO WHEN YOU ARE NOT WORKING?
I love to take advantage of living in one of the most amazing places in the world by riding my bike in the summer and backcountry and lift-served skiing in the winter. When I can’t be doing those things, I am walking, hiking, or running outside…I know I should be lifting weights and working out, but I just don’t like to be inside if I am not working. I also like to cook, which should convince me to start working out, but no luck so far. I’ve also enjoyed volunteering for RMAG, the National Sports Center for the Disabled, and as a fundraiser for Invest in Kids.
WHAT IS ONE THING YOU WOULD LIKE TO CROSS OFF YOUR BUCKET LIST THIS YEAR?
I’d like to ride the Monarch Crest Trail (Monarch ski area to Poncha Springs), or Rollins Pass all the way to Winter Park. Who wants to come along?
ABOVE: Sandboarding at Great Sand Dunes National Monument, did not end well but after a year of PT I am as good as new.
Bike riding in White Ranch Park
BELOW:
production company confluenceresources.com
Confluence Resources is an upstream exploration and production company confluenceresources.com
Publish with…
Expanded geologic focus:
• Entire greater Rocky Mountain area of North America
• West Texas and New Mexico to northern British Columbia
• Great Plains and Mid-Continent region
Why contribute?
• Reach a broad industry and academic audience
• Quarterly peer-reviewed journal
• Permanent archiving includes AAPG Datapages
• Quick turn-around time
• Every subdiscipline in the geosciences
Email: mgeditor@rmag.org
https://www.rmag.org/publications/the-mountain-geologist/
Henry Williams from Alberta, Canada
Sierra James from Denver, Colorado
WELCOME NEW RMAG MEMBERS!
Ruth Mosch from Idaho Springs, Colorado
Richard Patterson with Running Wolf Technologies, LLC, Riverton, Wyoming
Edward Feragen with GeoSquestration LLC, Pagosa Spring, Colorado
Jessica Don from Arvada, Colorado
IN THE PIPELINE
FEBRUARY 5, 2025
RMAG Luncheon.
Speaker Eric Stautberg. Talk Title: “An Introduction to Geothermal Energy and a Case Study on Exploration for Hot Sedimentary Aquifers on the Texas Gulf Coast.” In Person or Online. Denver Earth Resources Library, 730 17th Street, B1, Denver.
WOGA Technical Lunch.
Speaker: Katerina Yared. “Unlocking New Energy Frontiers: How Oil and Gas Expertise Catalyzes Geothermal Development.” Dominion Plaza, 600 17th Street, Ste. 1400n, Denver. 11:00 AM- 12:30 PM.
FEBRUARY 13, 2025
WOGA Lean-In.
Speaker: Jamie McKinney. “Building Confidence: Believe in Yourself. Dominion Plaza, 600 17th Street, Ste. 1400n, Denver. 11:00 AM- 12:30 PM.
FEBRUARY 20, 2025
COGA Mardi Gras Ball. Denver Art Museum. 5:00 PM- 8:00 PM.
FEBRUARY 24, 2025
RMAG Short Course. Instructor: Nicholas Kernan. Course: Oil and Gas Property Valuation. 8:00 AM- 4:00PM. Denver Earth Resources Library, 730 17th Street, B1, Denver.
FEBRUARY 25, 2025
DPC Breakfast. State of the State: Colorado Regulatory Environment. 7:30 AM- 9:00 AM. Ovintiv, 370 17th Street, Ste. 1700, Denver. Contact: Becca Ness Causey, becca@ denverpetroleumclub.com
CALENDAR – FEBRUARY 2025
RMAG Short Course. DPC Breakfast.
RMAG Luncheon. WOGA Technical Lunch.
WOGA Lean-In. COGA Mardi Gras Ball.