August 2015 Outcrop by The Rocky Mountain Association of Geologists

OUTCROP Newsletter of the Rocky Mountain Association of Geologists

Volume 64 • No. 8 • August 2015

The Rocky Mountain Association of Geologists

2015 Summit Sponsors E x clus ive Lu nc he o n Sp o nso r

G o ld Sp o nso rs

Student Sponsor

Silver Sponsors GEOMARK

Bronze Sponsors

OUTCROP | August 2015

Vol. 64, No. 8 | www.rmag.org

OUTCROP The Rocky Mountain Association of Geologists

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

2015 OFFICERS AND BOARD OF DIRECTORS

RMAG STAFF

PRESIDENT

SECRETARY

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Marv Brittenham president@rmag.org

Stephanie B. Gaswirth sgaswirth@usgs.gov

Carrie Veatch, MA cveatch@rmag.org

PRESIDENT-ELECT

1st YEAR COUNSELOR

John Ladd john.ladd@discoverynr.com

Jane Estes-Jackson Jane.Estes-Jackson@mcelvain.com

MEMBERSHIP & EVENTS MANAGER

TREASURER-ELECT

TREASURER

Tom Sperr tsperr@bayless-cos.com

Paul Lillis plillis@usgs.gov

2nd VICE PRESIDENT

2nd YEAR COUNSELOR

Chris Eisinger chris.eisinger@state.co.us

Terri Olson tmolson8550@gmail.com

1st VICE PRESIDENT

Mel Klinger melklinger@eurekageologicalconsulting.com

Hannah Rogers hrogers@rmag.org PROJECTS SPECIALIST

Emily Tompkins Lewis etompkins@rmag.org ACCOUNTANT

Carol Dalton cdalton@rmag.org MANAGING EDITOR

Will Duggins will.duggins@i-og.net

ADVERTISING INFORMATION

ASSOCIATE EDITORS

Rates and sizes can be found on page 47. 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.

Holly Sell holly.sell@yahoo.com Greg Guyer Greg.Guyer@halliburton.com

Ad copy, signed contract and payment must be received before advertising insertion. Contact the RMAG office for details.

Cheryl Fountain cwhitney@alumni.nmt.edu

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

Andre Scheinwald aschein33001@gmail.com

WEDNESDAY NOON LUNCHEON RESERVATIONS

RMAG Office: 303-573-8621 | Fax: 303-476-2241 | staff@rmag.org or www.rmag.org

DESIGN/PRODUCTION

Nate Silva nate@nate-silva.com

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

Vol. 64, No. 8 | www.rmag.org

3 3

Outcrop | August 2015 OUTCROP

“Producers will work hard to improve efficiency and lower costs” Daniel Yergin, Who will Rule the Oil Market?, New York Times Op-Ed Online, Jan 23, 2015

DIG CAN HELP

Geochemistry for Energy digforenergy.com

OUTCROP | August 2015

303.531.2030

Vol. 64, No. 8 | www.rmag.org

OUTCROP Newsletter of the Rocky Mountain Association of Geologists

CONTENTS FEATURES

47 Advertiser Index

38 RMAG On The Rocks Field Trips

47 Outcrop Advertising Rates

40 Lead Story: New compilation of breccia pipe distribution in northwestern Arizona

ASSOCIATION NEWS

DEPARTMENTS 6 RMAG June 2015 Board of Directors Meeting 8 President’s Letter 12 Welcome New RMAG Members 14 In the Pipeline 26 Mineral of the Month: Elbaite 32 RMAG Luncheon Programs: Lane Douglas 34 RMAG Luncheon Programs: Louis J. Mazzullo 45 Calendar

2 RMAG 2015 Summit Sponsors 18 Rocky Mountain Section 2015 Awardees 25 3D Seismic Symposium 29 Open Letter to DERL Members – Past and Present 31 RMAG Fall Symposium Core Workshop 33 RMAG Hot Plays Fall Symposium 35 RMAG Rockbusters Ball

COVER PHOTO Upper Fish Creek Falls. Steamboat Springs, CO. Photo by: Kathleen Perniciaro If you would like a photo on the cover please send your photos to will.duggins@i-og.net!

44 RMAG Summer Industry Happy Hour 45 RMAG Foundation 46 RMAG Sporting Clay Tournament

Vol. 64, No. 8 | www.rmag.org

OUTCROP | August 2015

RMAG JUNE 2015 BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING By Stephanie Gaswirth, Secretary sgaswirth@usgs.gov

The June meeting of the RMAG Board of Directors was held on June 24, 2015 at 5 p.m. at the home of RMAG 2nd year Counselor Terri Olson. We had a very exciting pre-meeting hail storm and tornado warning that kept many of us stranded in our cars outside of Terri’s home in Denver (see accompanying photo). Treasurer Paul Lillis reported a quiet and uneventful financial month for RMAG. The 2015 RMAG golf tournament at Arrowhead Golf Course on June 17 was a fun-filled, successful day. Please visit the RMAG blog for a recap of the event, many fun pictures from the beautiful day, and a list of all the winners. Other upcoming RMAG events include the monthly luncheons, On the Rocks fieldtrips in August, September, and October, and the Sporting Clay Tournament in September. Information for all these activities can be found on the RMAG website. Also, don’t forget the August networking Happy Hour, to be held at Maggiano’s on August 20 from 4-6 p.m.! Registration for the Fall 2015 Hot Plays Symposium on October 8, 2015 at the Denver City Center Marriott opens in July; be sure to reserve your spot today. On behalf of the RMAG Board, we all hope you are enjoying your summer and we look forward to seeing many of you at our upcoming events.

Inches of hail and a river flowing down the street in front of Terri’s house at our June RMAG board meeting.

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OUTCROP | August 2015

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Vol. 64, No. 8 | www.rmag.org

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Headquartered in Denver, Colorado, QEP Resources, Inc. (NYSE: QEP) is an S&P 500 Index member company. Learn more at www.qepres.com.

Vol. 64, No. 8 | www.rmag.org

OUTCROP | August 2015

PRESIDENT’S LETTER By Marv Brittenham

Passing the Torch – Y.P.s & O.P.s It’s time for a definition of Y.P., which is “Young Professional” and O.P., which is “Old Professional.” For this article I’d like to add the M.P.s, “Mature Professionals” to cover the obvious gap

Y.P. Marv Brittenham 1978

nor Great Western a rocky mountain operator

between the two and a large important component of the leadership equation. We’re all aware of the bimodal distribution of professional geologists with a large segment of Y.P.s (20s to mid-30s), a broad range of M.P.s (mid-30s to 60) and a significant segment of O.P.s approaching or over retirement age. This has been a historically repeated trend for Passing the Torch in Petroleum Geoscience.

For the next two months we’ll discuss Passing the Torch in geoscience leadership from two different perspectives. I say we, because I have arranged for a guest, yes a Y.P., to write the September President’s letter. I confess, I’m copying a mentor from 30 years ago, Jim Rogers, who in true O.P. role, delegated his Outcrop column to me for a month.

EXPERIENCE PERSPECTIVE & QUALITY

We’re all geoscientists with a significant amount of education and training. In the 70’s we would capsulize our professional bio as: B.S. and M.S Geology from University of Montana and five year post grad from Texaco Inc. University for instance. The point is we all start out as Young Professionals. Most of us have had that early company

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OIL & G

303-39 info@gw www.gw

Vol. 64, No. 8 | www.rmag.org

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President’s Letter

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training career track as well. The differences in experience lies in the quality of the education and training experiences and the perspective gained from experience.

EXPERIENCE QUALITY

The quality of our geoscience experience is highly dependent on our own choices, which University, which initial employment (training) and what professional organizations. If you’re a student or a Y.P. you have choices that are very important to your career. Find what you like and dedicate yourself to that end. I’ve found in my career that a key component of success is adopting mentors who can also be advocates along the way. If you’re a M.P. remember there’s always more to learn! In a University it can be a professor or a grad student. For me it was James A. Peterson, the only petroleum experienced professor then at U.M. He had been a stratigrapher for Shell; so in Petroleum Geology we tracked the process of finding and developing Aneth Field in Utah. It was a low tech 60’s version of the Imperial Barrel contest. I was hooked on Petroleum Geology from that point on! He was also my thesis adviser, followed my career and was a lifelong friend and advocate. It was difficult to get a job in 1970 and I have no doubt his mentorship played a big part in landing a job at Texaco and fast tracking through some very exciting jobs as a Y.P.

John Snyder and Marv Brittenham 1982 Absaroka/Bighorn portable seismic stratigraphic training. I learned early on that I could truly contribute. That led to a position in the first Pathfinders team, where we mapped those regional plays in more detail and ranked them. In that process I attended my first AAPG Annual Meeting and was intrigued by hydrocarbon generation models presented by Welte and Tissot. I followed up with a conference in Canada and eventually devised a hydrocarbon basin generation 2d model that, although created by hand on graph paper, looked much like the basin/system generation models in use today. We incorporated those models into our Pathfinding efforts which was recognized by the corporate office. They offered to put me on world-wide tour to present the methodology. Fate intervened when the Division management argued I should be on the management track, so at the ripe age of 28 as a Y.P. I became the Casper District Geologist. Chuck Spencer was one of the geologists who mentored me while at Texaco. He was also a District Geologist; but with 15 years more experience. So, I could depend on him for much needed advice! He and Ben Law were, even then, developing their theories on Basin Center Gas. Two years ago at the Rockbusters Ball he was honored and we sat at the

EXPERIENCE PERSPECTIVE

Applied geosciences have changed substantially recently and continue to change rapidly in response to the shale gale. This isn’t unique! In the 70’s it was sequence stratigraphy, petroleum systems modeling, seismic stratigraphy, etc. The point is, because you’re a Y.P. you bring some new perspective to the table. You can learn a lot in your early career; but you have much to give as well. In my early experience at Texaco in Denver I learned a lot of fundamental applied geology from some great mentors in the Casper District. When I was 27, I worked with Jim Urlaub on the first Texaco Atlas of Western U.S. Plays. He was an M.P. with vast knowledge of the Division and I was a Y.P. with OUTCROP | August 2015

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President’s Letter

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opportunity for a late July update as things have changed! WTI spot price had been stable for a month in June; around $60. Politics often override fundamentals and the announcement of the potential for an Iran sanctions lift has sent prices down where WTI is $50 and futures are in the $40s! Where are we headed? My headlights don’t reach that far. Don’t miss the networking opportunity the 20th this month at Maggianno’s. Get there early for a free drink! Check the RMAG.org website for details. I promise not to tell stories (unless provoked)! RMAG is The Best Place for Rockies Geoscience.

table with him. He took me aside, congratulated me on my career and said “in my view your most influential contribution at Texaco was the petroleum systems model.” I replied that my learning from that experience was that young geologists have much to contribute and that a big part of my career success is that I try to listen and learn. One of my career success experiences was associating with engineers as mentors, starting with John Snyder with the founding of SOCO in the late 70’s. In fact my best successes came working for and with engineers in multi-discipline team environments. I also gained my early knowledge of land management from the V.P. Land at Snyder Oil, Maynard Robertson. My advice to geologists is to keep an open mind and seek out mentors from other professions. Because of their historical perspective you’ll find that one attribute of O.Ps is story-telling, as I’m sure you can tell by the content of this O.P. centric article. But the message here is – geologists at any career stage can contribute significantly, each in their own way. All are important as we pass the torch to the new generation.

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OUTCROP | August 2015

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OUTCROP | August 2015

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WELCOME NEW RMAG MEMBERS!

Gabriel Aguilar

is a Geologist at Emerald Oil Inc. in Denver, CO.

Brad Barrie

is a Manager of Business Development at Sinopec Canada in Calgary, AB.

Daniel Bassett

is a Geologist at SM Energy in Denver, CO.

Ron Broadhead lives in Socorro, NM.

Errin Bryner

is a Business Development Manager at DESCO Environmental Consultants in Magnolia, TX.

John Casiano

works at Abraxas in San Antonio, TX.

Andrew Christiano

is a student at Fort Hays State University in Hays, KS.

Hang Deng

is a Graduate Research Assistant at Colorado School of Mines in Austin, TX.

Lester Garrett

lives in Highlands Ranch, CO.

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Vol. 64, No. 8 | www.rmag.org

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IN THE PIPELINE

RMAG Luncheon. Speaker Lane Douglas. “The Science of Land for the Geologist.” Location: Maggiano’s Little Italy, Downtown Denver.

PTTC Short Course. Instructor: Mike Vincent. “Optimizing Fracs (and Refracs!) In a Low Price Environment.” Location: CSM, Golden, CO.

AUGUST 6-7, 2015

AUGUST 11-12, 2015

SPE Annual Golf Tournament. The Ridge at Castle Pines North, CO.

RPSEA Onshore Technology Workshop & Field Trip. Interactive Workshop Focusing on Environmental Issues Facing Shale Gas Developers in the Rocky Mountain Region. Denver, CO. Register at www.rpsea.org

AUGUST 8, 2015 RMAG On the Rocks Field Trip. South Park.

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AUGUST 19, 2015

AUGUST 10-12, 2015

AUGUST 5, 2015

PTTC Rockies Short Course. “Beyond Resistivity.” Location: CSM, Golden, CO AUGUST 19-21, 2015 NAPE Summer. Houston, TX. AUGUST 20, 2015 RMAG Summer Industry Happy Hour. AUGUST 26, 2015 Oilfield Christian Fellowship. For reservations, RSVP to OCF-DenverChapter@ pxd.com or 303-675-2602.

Vol. 64, No. 8 | www.rmag.org

PTTC Presents: One-Day Workshops to Improve Your Skills Beyond Resistivity

Wednesday, August 19, 2015, 8:30 am – 5 pm, Colorado School of Mines, Ben Parker Student Center, Berthoud Hall 243 Fee: $250, includes food at breaks, class notes, and PDH certificate Instructor: Dr. Dan Krygowski, Discovery Group

The course assumes a basic understanding of common openhole logging measurements and their interpretation, and uses that working knowledge to consider the determination of formation fluid content through the equations which describe water saturation and water content (Archie’s equation and bulk volume water). The course illustrates how graphical methods that we once used to quickly determine fluid saturation and moveability (Pickett, Hingle, and Buckles plots) can now be used to determine calculation parameters for the equations, leaving the arithmetic to the hardware while the user concentrates on the interpretation of the data. Exercises provide the means to put the information shared here into practice.

Reservoir Engineering for Petroleum Professionals

Wednesday, September 9, 2015, 8:30 am – 5:00 pm Colorado School of Mines, Ben Parker Student Center, Ballroom A Fee: $250, includes food at breaks, workbook, and PDH certificate. Instructor: Dr. Luis Zerpa, PhD. Assistant Professor, Colorado School of Mines

This one day short course presents an overview of the fundamental concepts used in petroleum reservoir engineering. Starting with the definition and classification of petroleum reservoirs, and with the presentation of fundamental rock and fluid properties, the instructor will guide the participants in the application of engineering methods for estimation of initial fluid distribution in a reservoir and the estimation of initial volume of hydrocarbons in place. Additionally, this short course will include a brief introduction to unconventional reservoirs, and the application of engineering methods to the estimation of reserves of unconventional reservoirs. At the conclusion of the class participants will: • • • • • • • • • •

Define petroleum reservoirs (conventionals and unconventionals). Classify petroleum reservoirs (conventionals and unconventionals). Identify reservoir primary drive mechanisms. Apply volumetric method for estimation of reserves in petroleum reservoirs. Apply material balance method for estimation of reserves in petroleum reservoirs. Classify petroleum resources using up to date definition systems (SPE PRMS). Apply material balance methods to estimate reservoir performance and recovery. Apply engineering methods to estimate water influx from aquifer in natural water drive petroleum reservoirs. Apply decline curve analysis to estimate reservoir performance and recovery. Apply reservoir engineering methods to unconventional reservoirs.

Decline Curve Analysis and Economics – A Basic Introduction

Wednesday, September 23, 2015, 8:30 am – 5:00 pm Colorado School of Mines, Ben Parker Student Center, Ballroom C Fee: $250, includes food at breaks, workbook, and PDH certificate. Instructor: Dr. L. Peter Galusky, Jr. P.E. Principal Environmental Eng. Texerra LLC.

This one-day course will provide an overview and primer on the use of decline curve forecasting of oil and gas production and economics. The course may be useful to engineering and economic professionals needing a hands-on, practical understanding of decline curve analysis to make them more effective users of petroleum economics software. Following a review of basic mathematics (tailored to class needs), Microsoft Excel will be used to “build” decline curve models and to do mathematical and economic computations. Expected course outcomes include an understanding of the mathematical concepts of decline curve analysis and the use of these methods in forecasting oil and gas production and economics. This is a beginning-level course for entry-level professionals and those new to decline curve analysis. Students are encouraged (but not required) to bring laptop computers to class.

Class Descriptions and Register Online: www.pttcrockies.org

For more information, contact Mary Carr, 303.273.3107, mcarr@mines.edu 15 OUTCROP | August 2015

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WELCOME NEW RMAG MEMBERS!

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Thomas Goldman

is a student at Metro State University in Denver, CO.

Larry Goolsby

lives in Lakewood, CO.

Joseph Hartman

is a Professor at University of North Dakota in Grand Forks, ND.

Experience Integrity Professionalism

We, at Decollement, pride ourselves with some of the most experienced Geologists in the �ield. Our Geologists have on Experience average, ten years of Integrity experience. WeProfessionalism have been operational Experience Integrity Professionalism since 1979 in all of the Rocky Mountain basins. We have We, at Decollement, pride ourselves with some of the most assisted hundreds of clients thousands of wells. have on experienced Geologists in theon�ield. Our Geologists We, at Decollement, ourselves the most average, ten years ofpride experience. Wewith havesome beenof operational experienced in the Mountain �ield. Our basins. Geologists since 1979 inGeologists all of the Rocky Wehave haveon www.decollementconsulting.com | 303-578-6875 assisted of experience. clients on thousands wells. average, hundreds ten years of We have of been operational since 1979 in all of the Rocky Mountain basins. We have Décollement www.decollementconsulting.com | 303-578-6875 assisted hundreds of clients on thousands of wells.

Consulting

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Michael Harty

is a student at Colorado School of Mines in Golden, CO.

Mark Holland

works at Cimarex Energy Co in Evergreen, CO.

David Katz

is a Sr. Petrographer/Sedimentologist at Whiting Petroleum Corp, Whiting Oil and Gas in Denver, CO.

Todd Knause

is a Principal Scientist at Stanley Consultants in Centennial, CO.

David Lipson

works at Hydro Science Engineering in Arvada, CO.

James Macfarlane

works at Minard Run Oil Company in Bradford, PA.

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WELCOME NEW RMAG MEMBERS!

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Kirsten Salter

Michael Waechter

lives in Calgary, AB.

Paul MacKay

is a Sales Account Executive at DigitalGlobe in Westminster, CO.

is a Geologist at Gustavson Associates in Boulder, CO.

works at Devon Energy in Oklahoma City, OK.

is a Wellsite Manager, Americas at Chemostrat in Houston, TX.

is a Senior Geologist at ConocoPhillips in Houston, TX.

lives in Golden, CO.

is a Sr Geophysical Advisor at Vector Seismic Data Processing in Parker, CO.

Raymundo Martinez Ole Martinsen Works at Statoil in Fana, Norway.

Dawn Snyder Chad Taylor Jesse Taylor

Dallam Masterson

works at Remington in Loveland, CO.

Timothy McCutcheon

works at DigitalGlobe Company in Longmont, CO.

works at ConocoPhillips in Houston, TX.

works at Red Peak Resources in Casper, WY.

Kevin Thompson

Zachary Wallace

Stephen Whitney John Zupanic

is a student at University of Montana in Mizzoula, MT.

Richard Newhart

is a VP-Exploration in Denver, CO.

Philip Persson

is a student at Colorado School of Mines in Denver, CO.

Rose Pettiette

works at Sklar Exploration in Boulder, CO.

Anna Phelps

is a student at The University of Montana in Missoula, MT.

Thomas Rentkiewicz lives in Denver, CO.

Allison Richards

is a student at Metro State University in Denver, .

Vol. 64, No. 8 | www.rmag.org

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ROCKY MOUNTAIN SECTION 2015 AWARDEES

Rocky Mountain Section 2015 Awardees Presented at the Night at the Zoo Event, AAPG ACE

KES T

OSCIENCE L GE , LL RE

the host society earned 40% of the net proceeds and each non-hosting society in the Section received over $2000 from the 2014 meeting held in Denver. Even though no meetings are held in years when the AAPG Annual Convention and Exhibition is held within the Section, this year the Board of Directors approved a $1000 payment to each affiliated society in lieu of having a meeting. And speaking of meetings, the next annual meeting of the RMS-AAPG is scheduled for October 2-5, 2016 in Las Vegas, Nevada. This will be the largest meeting we have ever had since the Pacific Section will be co-hosting bringing in geoscientists from California to Alaska to add to our Rocky Mountain contingent. Be sure to mark your calendars! And finally, as it does every year, the RMS-AAPG has selected and honored certain members of the affiliated societies for their continued contributions to the profession. This year, the awards were presented at the Night at the Zoo, a special event held on the night of June 2nd sponsored by the RMAG and associated with the annual convention of the AAPG. Recipients included people from North Dakota, Wyoming, Colorado and Utah. The RMS-AAPG Board of Directors would like to thank the RMS-AAPG Foundation for not only financing these awards but also for supporting the local affiliates through their funding support of special projects, AAPG student societies and AAPG distinguished lecturers.

The Rocky Mountain Section of the American Association of Petroleum Geologists (RMS-AAPG or Section) is a non-profit organization set up to support the 11 AAPG-affiliated societies in the Rocky Mountain area. The Section is headed by five Directors who this past year were: Sue Cluff (RMAG), President; Cat Campbell (RMAG), President-elect; Andy Hennes (MGA), Secretary-Treasurer; Julia Lemaster (WGA), Secretary/Treasurer-elect; and Elmo Brown (RMAG), Past President. At the end of the AAPG ACE meeting, Elmo Brown finished his five year term and all of the other Directors rotated up a position. Lynn George (WGA) will be the new Secretary/ Treasurer-elect. The Section’s main responsibility is to hold an annual meeting, hosted by one or more affiliate societies, where topics of regional interest are presented. Proceeds from this meeting are divided among the affiliated societies and the Section. For example,

Thomas E. Hoak, Ph.D. Consulting Geoscientist Kestrel Geoscience, LLC

Structural Geology Seismic Interpretation Magnetic and Gravity Interpretation Basin Analysis and Restoration Regional Desk Studies Integrated Exploration Prospect Generation Presentation Graphics

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Littleton, CO USA

Phone: (303) 933-5805 Cell: (720) 375-3015 kestrelco@comcast.net kestrelgeoscience.com

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Rocky Mountain Section 2015 Awardees Game” simulation, she allows interaction between students and people who actually make a living in the natural resource arena. After being selected for this award, Mrs. Bath moved on to be a nominee for the AAPG national Teacher of the Year Award which she won and was awarded at the All-Convention luncheon at this year’s convention. The RMS-AAPG is pleased to have had half of all of the national AAPG winners come from the section in the last 14 years. This is possible only because the local affiliated societies actively search for, select and provide highly qualified nominees from their areas; not only for this award but for all of the other awards listed below.

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2014 RMS-AAPG TEACHER OF THE YEAR AWARD Jacqueline D. Bath (Thunder Ridge High School, Highlands Ranch, CO)

The Teacher of the Year Award goes to a K-12 educator who excels in teaching natural resources in the earth sciences. The winner this year is Jacqueline D. (Jackie) Bath; a ninth grade earth environmental science and a 10th-12th grade geology instructor at Thunder Ridge High School in Highlands Ranch, Colorado. Having a geology background with experience in the oil and gas industry, Mrs. Bath has made her teaching of natural resources relevant through innovative teaching techniques combined with actual knowledge of what the resources are, what they are used for and how they are exploited. By bringing in professionals from industry, for example to run “The Oil

2015 RMS-AAPG OUTSTANDING YOUNG PROFESSIONAL AWARD Kassandra L. Sendziak (Anadarko Petroleum Company)

The Outstanding Young Professional Award is presented to a person with less than five years of experience who has made significant contributions to the industry through volunteering to AAPG, RMS-AAPG or RMS-AAPG affiliated society or by scientific achievement including publication, presentation, or other contributions to geology. This year, the first year this award has been presented, the awardee is Kassandra L. (Kassi) Sendziak, a geologist employed at Anadarko Petroleum in Denver. It has been noted that Ms. Sendziak is a take charge type of person that gets the job done, both at work and in her volunteering. She was selected for this award in recognition of her presentations at several AAPG ACE meetings in addition to her service to the AAPG and the RMS-AAPG by serving on organizing committees for the annual meetings.

»»CONTINUED ON PAGE 22

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Vol. 64, No. 8 | www.rmag.org

OUTCROP | August 2015

Rocky Mountain Section 2015 Awardees 2015 RMS-AAPG JOHN D. HAUN LANDMARK PUBLICATION AWARD

»»CONTINUED FROM PAGE 20

2015 RMS-AAPG DISTINGUISHED SERVICE AWARD

Leigh C. Price (deceased) and Julie A. LeFever (North Dakota Geological Survey) 1992, Does Bakken horizontal drilling imply a huge oil-reservoir base in fractured shales?, in J. W. Schmoker, E. B. Coalson, and C. A. Brown, eds., Geological Studies Relevant to Horizontal Drilling: Examples from Western North America: Denver, Colorado, Rocky Mountain Association of Geologists, p. 199-214.

Dr. Steven Schamel (GEOX Consulting, Inc.)

This award recognizes members who have distinguished themselves in singular and beneficial long-term service to the Rocky Mountain Section AAPG. Dr. Steven Schamel epitomizes what service is all about. He is presently ending his term as chair of the AAPG’s Sections Committee where he instituted a much better communication system which has lead to better collaboration between and improvement of the domestic sections within AAPG, including the Rocky Mountain Section. In addition to this AAPG position, he also chairs the Energy Minerals Division’s Oil Sands Committee. Prior to this particular volunteering stint, Dr. Schamel has served the Rocky Mountain Section and the profession in numerous capacities including serving as the President of the RMS-AAPG in 2006 2007. While in that position, he formalized numerous initiatives which have shaped the Section in a way where it is now more organized and has more continuity from year to year. In addition to his contributions to the AAPG and to the Section, Dr. Schamel was President of the Utah Geological Association from 2010 - 2011 and Chairman of the Society of Petroleum Engineers Salt Lake Petroleum Section from 2001 - 2002. As history shows, no matter the entity Dr. Schamel serves, he always strives to form a collaboration of stakeholders with an eye to increase the value of the association to its members.

OUTCROP | August 2015

This award, newly named after Dr. John D. Haun, longtime Rocky Mountain geologist and past president of the AAPG and AIPG, recognizes the authors or editors of a book, guidebook or other publication that over the past decade has had exceptional influence on developing new hydrocarbon plays or deeper understanding of fundamental geology within the Rocky Mountain region. As noted in the nomination, this article is “an exceptionally data-rich and well-reasoned paper published a decade before the shale gas and shale oil ‘boom’ started. Price and LeFever make the case for the exceptionally large, but at that time untested, oil potential of the Bakken Formation in the Williston Basin. With uncanny accuracy, they predict the essential characteristics of the Bakken shale oil play and the utility of horizontal wells. It took a full decade for fracture completion technology in horizontal wells to be developed and tested in the formation, thereby proving their prediction. To support their case, the authors draw comparison of the Bakken Formation with other

»»CONTINUED ON PAGE 24

Vol. 64, No. 8 | www.rmag.org

Upcoming Education Courses

10TH ANNUAL

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Fractured Reservoirs: From Geologic August 24-28, 2015 Concepts toReservoir Models - course plus field trip Casper, WY

Early-bird Rates Expire Soon: Modern Terrigenous Clastic September 8-15, 2015 Depositional Systems S. Carolina Geochemistry & Modeling of Unconventional September 13, 2015 Petroleum Systems (with AAPG ICE) Melbourne, Australia Complex Geology of the Spanish Pyrenees: September 14-18, 2015 Folding, Thrusting & Syntectonic Sedimentation Barcelona, Spain Lacustrine Basin Exploration September 20-27, 2015 Utah Sedimentology & Sequence Stratigraphic September 23-30, 2015 Response of Paralic Deposits Colorado/Utah Complex Carbonate Reservoirs Sept. 26-Oct. 2, 2015 Italy

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RQ Toolkit: Using Rock Data for Reservoir Quality Assessment

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Vol. 64, No. 8 | www.rmag.org

December 1-4, 2015 Houston, TX

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Education

OUTCROP | August 2015

Rocky Mountain Section 2015 Awardees

self-sourced, fractured shale reservoirs that at the time were producing oil commercially. Now it is the Bakken Shale that is the industry gold-standard, the model for shale resource play exploration globally.” 2015 ROBERT J. WEIMER LIFETIME CONTRIBUTIONS AWARD Donald F. Cardinal (Casper Log Library)

This award, the Section’s highest honor named after Dr. Robert J. Weimer, professor emeritus from the Colorado School of Mines, is presented in

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symposia, authoring numerous papers (more than 40), and editing several guidebooks. One such endeavor was the collaborative development of a stratigraphic model for the Minnelusa and Leo Formations published in both a WGA guidebook and in the AAPG Bulletin. He also was a lead geologist on the WGA stratigraphic committee which published the 2014 Wyoming Stratigraphic Nomenclature Chart with over 1300 pages of data. Another important contribution was his water data compilation published in 1984: Water Resistivities: Wyoming and a Portion of South Dakota. This publication, containing over 6500 values, remains one of the primary sources of Rw data in the area. And his contributions do not stop there. As an exploration geologist, Mr. Cardinal has discovered or participated in numerous discoveries in Wyoming, South Dakota and Colorado. A quote from another WGA member called him the “quintessential exploration geologist.”

recognition of exceptional lifetime contributions to the practice of the geosciences and/or petroleum geology in the region of the Rocky Mountains. Donald F. Cardinal, co-manager of the non-profit Casper Log Library, was selected for this award for his 50-plus years of service to the profession of petroleum geology. Mr. Cardinal has helped to develop many young exploration geologists in the Casper area primarily though his association with the Wyoming Geological Association (WGA). As noted by one long-time member, he has “had a hand in almost everything since I moved here in 1974.” Service has included organizing field trips, running

»»CONTINUED FROM PAGE 22

The RMS-AAPG would like to thank the honorees for all of their service to their profession and community and to all of the other volunteers and sponsors who make the RMS-AAPG one of the most robust and productive sections in the AAPG. For more information about the RMSAAPG, please visit our website at www.aapgrms.org.

Vol. 64, No. 8 | www.rmag.org

03 03 March 3, 2016

22nd Annual RMAG & DGS 3D Seismic Symposium Vol. 64, No. 8 | www.rmag.org

OUTCROP | August 2015

MINERAL OF THE MONTH By Cheryl Fountain

ELBAITE

»»CONTINUED ON PAGE 27

This specimen of Elbaite was found in San Diego, California in the Himalaya Mine. (Photo by Ron Wolf, courtesy of Colorado School of Mines Geology Museum).

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Vol. 64, No. 8 | www.rmag.org

MINERAL OF THE MONTH: ELBAITE

»»CONTINUED FROM PAGE 26 CHEMICAL COMPOSITION:

Na(Li,Al)3Al6B3Si6O27(OH,F)4 It is an end member of Tourmaline (Roberts, 1974).

COLOR: Green, blue, red and yel-

low, and more rarely white and clear. It often forms the gradation of colors (Robers, 1974) that can be seen in the pictured specimen.

STREAK: No color LUSTER: Vitreous

CRYSTAL SYSTEM: Hexagonal

CRYSTAL HABIT: The mineral can

most commonly forms in prismatic crystals and can have a number of sides; three, six and nine being the most common. The crystals can be short or long and often are striated. Less commonly the mineral is in the form of thin tablets (Roberts, 1974).

»»CONTINUED ON PAGE 28

Sponsorship opportunities for the RMAG Fall Symposium are available!

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OUTCROP | August 2015

MINERAL OF THE MONTH: ELBAITE

»»CONTINUED FROM PAGE 27

SPECIFIC GRAVITY: 3.03-3.1 HARDNESS: 7

FRACTURE: Uneven to conchoidal

and brittle (Roberts, 1974).

FORMATION: Elbaite is formed al-

most exclusively in pegmatites, it commonly occurs with quartz, lepidolite and feldspar (Roberts, 1974).

LOCATIONS: California, Maine,

Connecticut, the Black Hills of South Dakota and Gunnison County in Colorado. The mineral is also found outside of the United States in Canada, Brazil, Germany, Switzerland, Nepal, South West Africa and Madagascar (Roberts, 1974).

FUN FACT: Elbaite is named after

the island Elba (off the coast of west Italy) which is where it was first found (Our Amazing Treasures, 2007).

References

OUR AMAZING TREASURES:

Elbaite. (2007, May 2). Retrieved July 3, 2015.

Roberts, W., & Rapp, G. (1974). Encyclopedia of minerals. New York: Van Nostrand Reinhold.

OUTCROP | August 2015

Vol. 64, No. 8 | www.rmag.org

LETTER

Open Letter to DERL Members – Past and Present Thirty-two years ago, in the critical 1980s downturn in our industry, a group of geologists, all RMAG members, met to discuss the possibility and necessity of starting a geological library. Some of those geologists are no longer with us, some are retired, and others are still active in the industry. They and other RMAG members and many volunteers worked countless hours to accomplish all the details necessary to start a non-profit company: the filing and registering of a non-profit 501(c)

(3) Colorado Corporation, soliciting funds for start-up expenses, contacting individuals and companies for data donations, renting storage units, contacting Gate City Moving, looking for appropriate office space, and hiring experienced personnel. And the Denver Earth Resources Library was born. I have been manager and executive director of the library for 30 years; I have seen us go through all kinds of challenges and we have always come through stronger

than before. Call me a dinosaur if you wish (I started working for Shell Oil in 1959), but I remember the day in this industry when ideas were mapped out on a napkin at lunch, and details were sealed with a hand shake. I know those days are gone forever, but this library was founded on that premise. We have been the recipient of gifts of data, money, furniture and fixtures, ideas, moral support, volunteers, and memberships. We have had

»»CONTINUED ON PAGE 30

DONATE NOW Please to contribute to the RMAG. Your RMAG contribution supports the calendar of 2015 of RMAG events, including short courses, symposia, social events, monthly luncheons, and more.

Click here to make a contribution online!

Vol. 64, No. 8 | www.rmag.org

OUTCROP | August 2015

LEtter

»»CONTINUED FROM PAGE 29

Lario Oil & Gas Company Established 1927

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individuals and companies use us, encourage us, and praise us for a job well done. Now that we are repeating the 1980s, we are losing members – members that have carried memberships with us for as long as the 30 years we have been in business. Friends and associates who we’ve known and worked with have regrettably had to cancel their memberships. I have full appreciation for everyone’s financial concerns and hardships because, of course, the library is experiencing the same thing, and we share your struggle. I want to take this opportunity to thank you, each and every one of you, for all your support over the years. I realize that you have to cut costs just as the library has had to do, and I hope that somehow we can all get through this downtown together. I wish I could thank each of you personally; but I hope this letter reaches most of you; and I hope you will soon be in a position to re-new your membership in the library. To those of you who plan to and can retain your association with us, I promise we will continue to serve you as we have served you in the past. Sincerely,

Kay Waller Manager and Executive Director

DENVER EARTH RESOURCES LIBRARY

Proud sponsor of the Rocky Mountain Association of Geologists OUTCROP | August 2015

Vol. 64, No. 8 | www.rmag.org

October

2015

9:00am -12:00pm Weatherford Laboratories Golden, CO

RMAG Fall Symposium Core Workshop Instructors: Stephen Nordeng, Steve Sonnenberg, Rob Sterling, Jim Emme, Sam Scott, David Katz Course Details Weatherford Laboratories Address: 16161 Table Mountain Parkway, Golden, CO 80403 Lunch will be provided following the course. Member Price: $150 Non-Member Price: $200 Student/unemployed rate: $75

Cores Three Forks: Stephan Nordeng, University of North Dakota, Three Forks Green River: Steve Sonnenberg, Colorado School of Mines Codell: Rob Sterling, Cirque Resources Niobrara Condensate: Jim Emme and Chip Oaks, Endeavor Corp.

(limited number available and must call the RMAG oďŹ&#x192;ce to register; students must have a copy of student ID)

Brown Dense Region: Sam Scott, Whiting Michigan Basin: David Katz, Whiting

Registration Opens August 10th at 8:00am

Vol. 64, No. 8 | www.rmag.org

RMAG Email: staďŹ&#x20AC;@rmag.org RMAG Phone:31 (303) 573-8621 RMAG Fax: (303) 476-2241

MAG

Core

OUTCROP | August Workshop E v e n t2015

RMAG LUNCHEON PROGRAMS Speaker: Lane Douglas — August 5, 2015

The Science of Land for the Geologist By Lane Douglas, CPL the area check to the saleable deal. The class shall be an interactive class which is designed to increase retention and make the class more entertaining. It shall use an imagined land decision process for every task that occurs between the geologist and the engineer.

Lane’s presentation on the use of The Science of Land, will give us an introduction to the 12 skill areas of land, from real property law to ethics. We shall also learn about the 12 core functions of land, from the scout to the land promoter selling a deal. And finally we shall learn the 12 Products of Land, from

William “Lane” Douglas III is the CEO/Founder of Fidelity Land, LLC which he started in January 2008. Fidelity Land is a full service land personnel and land property brokerage firm that has employed numerous contract Landmen; served many clients and has given Lane a vehicle to achieve one of his major goals in life. That is, to leave a legacy of knowledge, by teaching and acting as mentor to countless Landmen. Lane was born in Lafayette, Louisiana after his parents moved there when his dad took a job as a District Landman. Lane attended the New Mexico Military Institute through High School and Junior College; returning to his roots at the University of Louisiana to earn his degree in Petroleum Land Management. His career spans more than 29 years covering 17 states, working for various major and independent oil & gas companies. He has also served his country for 22 years in the United States Army Reserve and has retired as a Major, having served in the first Desert Storm Operation. (Thank you for your service) Lane has also obtained his real estate license for Colorado and has managed to use those skills to better serve his clients and to further his knowledge of oil & gas land work. Lane still considers being married 26 years with four children and two grandkids his greatest accomplishment. Lane is happy to be of service to this organization and is available after his talk for conversations about doing business together. Lane’s presentation on the use of The Science of Land, will give us an introduction to the 12 skill areas of land, from real property law to ethics. We shall also learn about the 12 core functions of land, from the scout to the land promoter selling a deal. And finally we shall learn the 12 Products of Land, from the area check to the saleable deal. The class shall be an interactive class which is designed to increase retention and make the class more entertaining. It shall use an imagined land decision process for every task that occurs between the geologist and the engineer.

THE BOOK CLIFFS, UTAH: A CASE STUDY IN COASTAL SEQUENCE STRATIGRAPHY

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OUTCROP | August 2015

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Vol. 64, No. 8 | www.rmag.org

2015 RMAG Symposium October 8th

Hot Plays The Rocky Mountain Association of Geologists presents: the RMAG Fall Symposium

Hot Plays of the Rocky Mountain Region

October 8, 2015 at the Denver City Center Marriott Kick Oﬀ Speakers: Mark Sonnenfeld and Lyn Canter - Whiting How mobile is your total oil saturation? SARA analysis implications for bitumen viscosity and UV ﬂuorescence in Niobrara Marl and Bakken Shale, supported by FIB-SEM observations of kerogen, bitumen, and residual oil saturations within Niobrara Marls and Chalks.

Speaker: Howard Melcher - Liberty Oilﬁeld

The Impact of Geological and Completion Parameters on Production in the Denver-Julesburg Basin

Speaker: John Roesink - Jagged Peak Energy

Evolution of the Horizontal Niobrara Play in the Greater DJ Basin - Integrating Geoscience, Well Design, and Completions for Optimum Field Development

Keynote Speaker: David Hill - Encana

Speaker: Sam Scott - Whiting Petroleum Corp.

Standing Tall in North America

Speaker: Jim Emme - Endeavour International Corp. Piceance Basin Rim Niobrara Play, NW Colorado Liquids-Rich Pot-O'-Gold or Blarney Stone?

Speaker: Andrew Heger - Colorado School of Mines

Stratigraphic Variability and Reservoir Characterization of the Turner Sandstone, Powder River Basin

The Lower Smackover Brown Dense Play: What’s Hot and What’s Not

Speaker: Rob Sterling - Cirque Resources A Review of the Northern DJ Oil Resource Play

Speaker: Michael Tischer - Consulting Geologist What makes a play hot? The Tectonic Perspective.

Speaker: Mi Zhou - Schlumberger

Speaker: Preston Kerr - SM Energy

High resolution (near-well) structural analysis of lateral & vertical data, an integrated workﬂow – example from the Teapot Sandstone, Powder River Basin

Unlayering the Shannon Formation

Speaker: Randy Koepsell - Schlumberger

Layer Centric 3D Geologic Resolution to Predict Hydrolic Fracture Stimulation

Registration is open! Exhibitor Registration and Sponsorship Registration are open!

Please visit www.rmag.org for more information.

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 determined to be the Hottest Plays in the Rocky Mountains.

email: staﬀ@rmag.org

phone: 303.573.8621

Vol. No. 8 | www.rmag.org 91064, 16th Street #1214, Denver,

CO, 80202

fax: 303.476.2241 33

web: www.rmag.org

OUTCROP follow: @rmagdenver

| August 2015

RMAG LUNCHEON PROGRAMS Speaker: Louis J. Mazzullo — September 2, 2015

Developing Conventional Reservoirs Unconventionally By Louis J. Mazzullo, CPG, RG Petroleum Geological Advisor, Morrison, Colorado

Louis J. Mazzullo: President, Mazzullo Energy Corp., Midland, TX and Denver, Colorado area (2008-14) Geological Advisory Services to the Oil & Gas Industry Previously Senior Exploration Geologist, Brigham Oil & Gas (2007-2008) and Mediterranean Resources (both Austin, TX) (2006-2007); Petroleum Geological Consultant, Albuquerque, NM (1996-2006); Project Manager, GCL Environmental, Albuquerque, NM (1992-96); Geological Consultant, Midland, TX (1982-86; 198892); Geological Manager, Nearburg Producing Company, Midland, Texas (198688); Uranium Exploration & Development geologist and Project Manager, Phillips Petroleum Co. Albuquerque, NM OUTCROP | August 2015

(1979-1981); and Chief Geologist, Energy Resources Corp. Blanding, Utah (Uranium exploration and development) (1976-79). • Brooklyn College, CUNY - BS Cum Laude with Honors, Geology 1973 • State University NY, Stony Brook- MS Earth & Space Sciences, 1975 • University of Chicago- MS Geophysical Sciences, 1976 • Rocky Mountain Section AAPGPresident, 1999-2000 • Permian Basin Section-SEPM 1988-89, President • Various committees and field trip planning • West Texas Geological Society Member 1981- present • Various committees 34

a good sense of their projected performance. Many of the plays are statistically, rather than scientifically driven. The push to develop the unconventionals often created a void in the search for more proven, conventional reservoirs, drove up leasing costs wherever it was perceived there was even proximity to a hot play, and severely impaired the ability of smaller players to

energy independence. The economics of many of these plays, however, even during the period of high oil prices, were, in places, marginal to uneconomic, with notable exceptions. Part of the problem with developing economic resource plays is a lack of understanding of the geology and long-term decline characteristics of those reservoirs, as many of them had not been producing long enough to get

Activity in the oil patch over the last decade has focused more on the unconventional shale gas, shale oil, and other “resource”-type plays, to varying success, than on conventional, lower cost exploration and development. Improved frack technology, large shale resources, and higher oil prices had driven the push to develop these resources, and it paid off in providing our country with more

»»CONTINUED ON PAGE 36

• Dedicated Service Award, 1992-93 • AAPG Member 1977- present • Texas Professional Geologist #11358 • Wyoming Registered Geologist #PG-974 • Arizona Registered Geologist #26768 • AAPG Certified Petroleum Geologist #4693 • Levorsen Award Recipient, 1990 & 1999, Southwest Section AAPG • Cheney Science Award, 2005Southwest Section AAPG • Best Speaker Award, West Texas Geological Society 2011 Fall Symposium Author of many papers and presentations on carbonate and clastic petroleum and uranium reservoirs in the Permian, Williston, and San Juan Basins.

Vol. 64, No. 8 | www.rmag.org

OUTCROP | August 2015

RMAG Luncheon programs AS OUR TOUCH

»»CONTINUED FROM PAGE 34

Logs Since 1971

L OG S G S LO LOGS OVER 6 MILLION WELL LOGS

June 21st On-theCAMP Continued from S 43 F L O ORKpage F RocksW Field Trip E E R

DIU

be involved with conventional reservoirs in or out active resource/shale play areas. Development of conventional reservoirs in the United States had taken a back seat to the unconventional and resource plays, even many THEthough OPPORTUNITIES GROW opportunities always existed for new field, infill, and step-out development in old fields. As we are, at least temporarily, entrenched in another cycle of depressed oil prices, the need to hunker down with real science to develop lower-(finding) cost reserves is of paramount concern to many companies that are heavily invested in higher-cost shale and resource plays, and to smaller players who may now be able business is about more thanroom exploration andneed production. It’s about improving the lives of toOurhave the breathing they to acquire helping the communities in which we live and work grow and prosper. It’s about providing o acreage where they were previously pre-empted beopportunities to make positive contributions and constantly challenging ourselves to fﬁ ind better cause of artificially leasing costs on of sustainabilit continuously striving to be a inflated better industry partner and leavingbrought behind a legacy by shale plays. Now, more than ever, as vendor prices Energizing the World, Bette come down commensurate with oil prices, modern drilling and completion technologies can be applied

»»CONTINUED ON PAGE 37

FROM THE ARCTIC TO THE GULF OF MEXICO

CAR

BAKKEN

LOCATION we’ll lease it, permit it, gather it and sell it

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 theA year, NYwere able to catch a bit of that B L A W magic. NE As a final act of closure, the skies opened up as OatOthe DVisitor’s we drove back to collect ourW cars Center. FORD Dime-sized hail pelted the group and made continued discussion, and even goodbyes, impossible. What started F AYE as a nice day with great potential turned into a TTE highly memorable learning experience with impact. V

EAGLEFORD

LE L I V S E HAYN

MONTNEY ILL

References :

IVER R N HOR

DUVERN

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 OUTCROP | August 2015 of Cambrian36 Ordovician or Older Structures: Detrital Zircon Evidence from “Structureless” Sandstones of the Souther Front Range

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RMAG Luncheon programs An understanding of reservoir development and geometry is essential to the success of such plays, and so requires that we get back to the science of exploration, if we have the resources to work through the present downturn. Examples of such potential plays are presented for the Morrow of the Permian and Denver Basins, Cisco-Canyon of the Permian Basin, and the Madison of the Williston Basin.

»»CONTINUED FROM PAGE 36

to the conventional reservoirs, as a means of accelerating production from old fields and in step-out development. A number of conventional reservoirs in the Permian, Denver, and Williston Basins (and elsewhere) are amenable to step-out development and horizontal drilling, and would benefit by the extraction of bypassed reserves, and accelerated production of lower permeability reservoirs.

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230 Airport Rd. Unit D Heber City, Utah 84032

Ph (435)657-0586 Cell (435)640-1382 email: mbarber@summitmudlog.com www.summitmudlog.com

Neil H. Whitehead, III Consulting Geologist PhD

CPG-AIPG

PG WY

Rocky Mountain Basins Wellsite to Petroleum Systems ArcGIS 303-679-8573

fax 303-679-8574

31634 Black Widow Way

Vol. 64, No. 8 | www.rmag.org

OUTCROP

Conifer, CO

neil3@q.com 80433-9610

452015 OUTCROP | August

ON THE ROCKS

FIELD TRIPS REVIEW: May 16, 2015 On-the-Rocks Field Trip

Rockfalls and Landslides Along CO State Hwy 133, West Central Colorado: Landslide at MP 40.5 just west of McClure Pass. Failure of asphalt (note arcuate, displaced cracks) requires constant maintenance. Christopher Russell described a method of stabilizing the slide which will utilize a line of piles anchored in bedrock and tied back with braces into the slope. Photo by Vince Matthews.

High-Tech Monitoring & Extensive Mitigation Along the McClure Pass - Paonia Reservoir Corridor By Sandra Mark

Leader: Christopher Russell, Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) Thirteen lucky participants braved cool temperatures with intermittent rain and graupel to explore the geohazards along one of Coloradoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most notorious highways, State Highway 133. Leader Christopher Russell

cutcutcutu

OUTCROP | August 2015

is an outstanding spokesman for CDOT; he provided interesting information as he guided the group through the many rockfall and landslide zones, and described the technology being used to mitigate and correct the worst dangers to travel. The participants collectively voiced a much improved appreciation of what CDOT does. To read a detailed discussion of the features that were viewed on the field trip, see the feature article in the May 2015 issue of the Outcrop. 38

Vol. 64, No. 8 | www.rmag.org

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 19

Space-time Travel from the Ancestral Rockies to the Laramide and Beyond A Transect of the Colorado Front Range

Cretaceous Mesa Verde Formation near the Paonia Reservoir dam. A short distance east of this spot, large, perpetual rock falls have dictated extensive rock-spalling efforts (including blasting), installation of anchored mesh, and catchment trenching along the base of the roadcut. This work is underway and will continue throughout the summer. Photo by Sandra Mark.

Tertiary Wasatch Formation contains the Muddy Creek Landslide complex (shown in the background) during an especially wet interval on the trip. Christopher Russell stated that there are two kinds of landslides; ones that you can fix, and ones that you name. Muddy Creek is the latter sort. Photo by Sandra Mark.

Vol. 64, No. 8 | www.rmag.org

Ned Sterne and Bob Raynolds will lead a traverse across the Front Range from DIA to State Bridge. Attendees will have an opportunity to ponder the Arsenal well and a prestack depth migration of the Rocky Flats seismic line. From there, the group will cross the Front Range and dive into the thrust detachments of the Breccia Spoon Syncline where participants will begin to get a sense of what the guts of the range looked like where they havenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t been stripped to the basement. Upon exiting the Laramide Front Range at the Williams Range Thrust, the group can contemplate post-Laramide, Miocene-age thrusting. Finally, the trip will dive off the Ancestral Rockies-age Front Rangia Uplift and land in the Eagle Basin to savor the Paleozoic section of the Central Colorado Trough. Attendees are asked to bring their favorite conceptual baggage and see if the group can find ways to jettison some of the most superfluous burdens. This promises to be a lively and thought-provoking day! Attendees will be challenged to create a line of cross section through the various stops and there will no doubt be animated discussions and even disagreements along the way. But this trip promises to provide ideas, concepts, and observations that will stimulate and educate! OUTCROP | August 2015

LEAD STORY

New compilation of breccia pipe distribution in northwestern Arizona Credit: Arizona Geological Survey

Editors Note: I came across the Arizona Geological Survey’s press releases recently and wanted to share a sample of what the AZGS has to offer. The hyperlinks in the story below will take you to the AZGS data repository where you can access shapefiles and other date regarding breccia pipes. This is just one example of the publicly available data through the AZGS – their full press release list for 2015 can be found here (http:// www.azgs.az.gov/news_releases2015.shtml#jun24) —WILL DUGGINS

Tucson, Arizona. – The Arizona Geological Survey is releasing a new map compilation of known or suspected breccia pipe locations in northwestern Arizona: Partial database for breccia pipes and collapse features on the Colorado Plateau, northwestern Arizona. It appears from this work that the number of suspected breccia pipes is one to two orders of magnitude greater than previously recognized. The study raises the possibility that the higher concentration of breccia pipes is likely to extend across the entire region.

»»CONTINUED ON PAGE 40

OUTCROP | August 2015

Vol. 64, No. 8 | www.rmag.org

Lead Story

Click on image above to be brought to the Arizona Mining Review’s e-video magazine – Lee Allison, AZGS Director, interviewing Jon Spencer on the nature and scope of breccia pipes in northwestern Arizona. Released 24 June 2015.

This new map is accompanied by an Excel Workbook database with three datasets. The datasets are drawn from geologic maps produced by the U.S. Geological Survey and from mapping by geologic consultant and co-author Karen Wenrich. The datasets include point locations and comments on features identified as 1) breccia pipes, 2) collapse structures that might be breccia pipes, and 3) circular features that might be collapse features or breccia pipes. Some features occur in more than one dataset, so the total number of features is less than the 3,286 features comprising the three datasets. GIS data as ArcGIS shapefiles built from the three datasets are included with this publication. US Geological Survey geoscientists estimated that roughly 8% of breccia pipes contain some mineralization (Wenrich and Sutphin, 1988). A fraction of those are likely to host economic concentrations

»»CONTINUED FROM PAGE 41

Mineralized breccia pipes—pipe-like masses of broken rock—may contain high-grade uranium ore and variable amounts of copper, gold, silver, vanadium and other mineral ore. More than 71 mineralized breccia pipes have been discovered in the region, and as of 2010, nine of these pipes yielded more than 10,500 metric tons of uranium. Breccia pipes are vertical formations, typically a few tens to hundreds of feet across and hundreds to thousands of feet in vertical extent. The pipes formed more than 200 million years ago within Paleozoic and Triassic rocks over a broad area around Grand Canyon. The pipes formed as groundwater, flowing through Redwall Limestone dissolution breccias and along fracture zones, dissolved more limestone, causing collapse of overlying rocks and possibly creating sink holes. Vol. 64, No. 8 | www.rmag.org

»»CONTINUED ON PAGE 43

OUTCROP | August 2015

Lead Story

Cross sectional view of a breccia pipe (from Wenrich and Sutphin, 1988)

OUTCROP | August 2015

Vol. 64, No. 8 | www.rmag.org

Lead Story

»»CONTINUED FROM PAGE 41 of minerals.

In 2012, the U.S. Department of

the Interior withdrew from mining 1,006,545 acres of federal lands in

northern Arizona for a 20-year pe-

riod to prevent further exploration

or development of uranium on those lands. Withdrawal curtails new ex-

ploration of breccia pipes and limits

production to those pipes with valid existing mineral rights.

CITATIONS:

Spencer J.E., Wenrich, K. and Cole, T., 2015, Partial database for breccia pipes and collapse features on the Colorado Plateau, northwestern Arizona. Arizona Geological Survey Digital Information, DI-42, 5 p., 1 map plate, shapefiles, and Excel Workbook.

Lario Oil & Gas Company Established 1927

Wenrich, K.J. and Sutphin, H.B.,

WWW.LARIOOIL.COM

1988, Recognition of Breccia Pipes in Northern Arizona. Arizona Bureau of Geology and Mineral Technology, Fieldnotes, v18, #1, p1-5. CONTACT:

Michael Conway Arizona Geological Survey 416 W. Congress, Ste 100 Tucson, AZ 85701 520.209.4146 (office) 520.971.3688 (cell) Michael.Conway@ azgs.az.gov

Vol. 64, No. 8 | www.rmag.org

Proud sponsor of the Rocky Mountain Association of Geologists 43

OUTCROP | August 2015

Summer Industry Happy Hour

Presented by The Rocky Mountain Association of Geologists

CONNECT ENGAGE LINK EXPLORE NETWORK August 20, 2015

Maggiano’s Little Italy email: staﬀ@rmag.org

phone: 303.573.8621

OUTCROP | August 2015 910 16th Street #1214, Denver,

CO, 80202

fax: 303.476.2241 44

web: www.rmag.org

Vol. 64, No. 8 follow: @rmagdenver

| www.rmag.org

CALENDAR | AUGUST 2015 SUNDAY

MONDAY

TUESDAY

WEDNESDAY

THURSDAY

FRIDAY

SATURDAY

RMAG Luncheon. Speaker Lane Douglas.

SPE Annual Golf Tournament.

RMAG On the Rocks Field Trip.

PTTC Rockies Short Course.

RMAG Summer Industry Happy Hour.

RPSEA Onshore Technology Workshop & Field Trip. PTTC Short Course. Instructor: Mike Vincent.

NAPE Summer.

Oilfield Christian Fellowship.

RMAG FOUNDATION

2013-14 +

SCHOLARSHIPS CONTRIBUTIONS

McKenna Fund

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SCHOLARSHIPS CU Boulder

Rocky Mtn region Universities awarded to veterans attending Rocky Mtn Region Universities

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Foster

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CONTRIBUTIONS

mineral sets

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

Vol. 64, No. 8 | www.rmag.org

OUTCROP | August 2015

9/17/2015

The Rocky Mountain Association of Geologists

portin g

lay

ournament

At Kiowa Creek Sporting Club Registration & Sponsorship opens July 13, 2015 at 8:00am. RMAG Member Team of 5 RMAG Member Individual

$500 | Non-Member Team of 5 $100 | Non-Member Individual

rting Cl po

Prizes for individual high score and team 1st, 2nd and 3rd ďŹ&#x201A;ights. Includes: round of 100 sporting clays, lunch, and door prizes.

OUTCROP u|r nAugust 2015 ame

$625 $125

Does not include: ammunition (please bring enough ammo for 100 clays or you may purchase ammo at Kiowa Creek). You may also rent a gun for $20 onsite.

RMAG Email: staďŹ&#x20AC;@rmag.org RMAG Phone: (303) 573-8621 RMAG Fax: (303) 476-2241 46

Vol. 64, No. 8 | www.rmag.org

ADVERTISER INDEX • Lario Oil & Gas Company �� 30

• AAPG �� 23 • Alliance Insurance Agency �� 43 • Anschutz �� 28 • Breckenridge Geophysical �� 37 • Crown Geochemistry �� 22 • Décollement Consulting Inc. �� 16 • Devon �� 13 • DGS Golf Tournament �� 9 • Dolan Integration Group �� 4 • Donovan Brothers Incorporated �� 18 • Encana �� 27 • Enerplus �� 13 • Fluid Inclusion Technologies (FIT) �� 21 • Geomark �� 7 • Geosteering �� 14 • Great Western Oil & Gas Company �� 8 • Horizontal Solutions Intl. �� 11, 24 • iBall Instruments �� 21 • James C. Karo Associates Land Services �� 36 • Johnson Geo-Consulting, LLC �� 37 • Kestrel Geoscience, LLC �� 18

• Louis J. Mazzullo, LLC �� 22 • Milner Geology �� 11 • Mineral Appraiser, LLC �� 6 • MJ Systems �� 36 • Nautilus �� 20 • Neil H. Whitehead, III �� 37 • PTTC �� 15 • QEP Resources �� 7 • Samson Energy �� 17 • Sinclair Petroleum Engineering, Inc. �� 32 • SM Energy �� 29 • Stephens Production Company �� 30 • Stoner Engineering (SES) �� 19 • Tracker Resource Development LLC �� 28 • T-Rex Oil Inc. �� 18 • Weatherford Laboratories �� 43 • Whiting Petroleum Corporation �� 12 • William W. Little, Ph.D. �� 32

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OUTCROP | August 2015