March 2022 Outcrop by The Rocky Mountain Association of Geologists

OUTCROP Newsletter of the Rocky Mountain Association of Geologists

Volume 71 • No. 3 • March 2022

The Rocky Mountain Association of Geologists

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OUTCROP | March 2022

Vol. 71, No. 3 | www.rmag.org

OUTCROP The Rocky Mountain Association of Geologists

1999 Broadway • Suite 730 • 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.

2022 OFFICERS AND BOARD OF DIRECTORS PRESIDENT

2nd VICE PRESIDENT-ELECT

Rob Diedrich rdiedrich75@gmail.com

Matt Bauer matthew.w.bauer.pg@gmail.com

PRESIDENT-ELECT

SECRETARY

Ben Burke bburke158@gmail.com

Sandra Labrum slabrum@slb.com

1st VICE PRESIDENT

TREASURER

Courtney Beck Antolik courtneyantolik14@gmail.com

Mike Tischer mtischer@gmail.com

1st VICE PRESIDENT-ELECT

TREASURER ELECT

Ron Parker parkero@gmail.com

Anna Phelps aphelps@sm-energy.com

2nd VICE PRESIDENT

COUNSELOR

Mark Millard millardm@gmail.com

Jeff May jmay.kcrossen@gmail.com

RMAG STAFF EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Bridget Crowther bcrowther@rmag.org OPERATIONS MANAGER

Kathy Mitchell-Garton kmitchellgarton@rmag.org CO-EDITORS

Courtney Beck Antolik courtneyantolik14@gmail.com Nate LaFontaine nlafontaine@sm-energy.com Wylie Walker wylie.walker@gmail.com CONTRIBUTING EDITORS

Elijah Adeniyi elijahadeniyi@montana.edu

ADVERTISING INFORMATION

Rates and sizes can be found on page 34. 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 720-672-9898. Ad copy, signed contract and payment must be received before advertising insertion. Contact the RMAG office for details. DEADLINES: Ad submissions are the 1st of every month for the following month’s publication. The Outcrop is a monthly publication of the Rocky Mountain Association of Geologists

Danielle Robinson danielle.robinson@dvn.com

WEDNESDAY NOON LUNCHEON RESERVATIONS

RMAG Office: 720-672-9898 Fax: 323-352-0046 staff@rmag.org or www.rmag.org

DESIGN/LAYOUT: Nate Silva | nate@nate-silva.com

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Outcrop | March 2022 OUTCROP

S E-R OCK

2022 RMAG FIELD TRIPS Tentative Schedule

Behind the Scenes at the Denver Museum of Nature & Science | March 19 Trip leader: James Hagadorn

Sold Out - See website for wait list

CEMEX Niobrara Quarry Virtual Tour | April, Date TBD | Online via Zoom

-TH

Trip leaders: Brown Hawkins & Steve Sonnenberg

Unconventional Reservoirs of the Southern Denver Basin | May, Date TBD | Pueblo, CO Trip leader: Jeff May

San Juan River Raft Trip | June 14-17 | Bluff, UT Trip leader: Gary Gianniny, Fort Lewis on the Water (FLOW)

Leadville Bike Tour | July 9 | Leadville, CO Trip leader: Fred Mark

Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument & Clare Quarry Fossil Collecting | August, Date TBD | Florissant, CO Trip leader: Monument Visitor Center Staff

Picketwire Dinosaur Trackways | October 22-23 | La Junta, CO Trip leaders: Martin Lockley & Bruce Schumacher Trip run in conjunction with Dinosaur Ridge

More to be added! Stay tuned... Rocky Mountain Association of Geologists e: staff@rmag.org | p: 720.672.9898 | w: www.rmag.org

OUTCROP Newsletter of the Rocky Mountain Association of Geologists

CONTENTS FEATURES 6 2022 RMAG Summit Sponsorship Packet 16 Lead Story: Geology Field Camps– Looking Forward to the Future while Retaining our Roots

DEPARTMENTS 10 RMAG February 2022 Board of Directors meeting 12 President’s Letter 24 Hybrid Lunch Talk: Clayton Schultz 28 Hybrid Lunch Talk: Alexa Socianu 26 In The Pipeline

ASSOCIATION NEWS 2 RMAG Summit Sponsors 4 On The Rocks: Behind the Scenes at the Denver Museum of Nature & Science 11 2022 RMAG Field Trips 13 RMAG Hybrid Short Course Series: Geochemistry Skills for Basin and Petroleum System Assessment, A 3 Course Series

COVER PHOTO

15 RMAG Powder River Basin Symposium

Outcrops of the Nugget Sandstone and Gypsum Springs Formation. Derby Dome, WY.

25 RMAG Golf Tournament Arrowhead Golf Club 35 Call For Papers for The Mountain Geologist

32 Member Corner: Meet Alexandra Racosky 34 Outcrop Advertising Rates 34 Welcome New RMAG Members! 36 Advertiser Index 36 Calendar

Vol. 71, No. 3 | www.rmag.org

OUTCROP | March 2022

RMAG Summit Sponsorship

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Rocky Mountain Association of Geologists 1999 Broadway, Suite 730 Denver, CO 80202 Phone: 800.970.7624 | email: staff@rmag.org

November 30, 2021 Geoscience Community: RMAG could not exist without the very generous support of our Summit Sponsors, and we greatly appreciate all the companies that contributed as Summit Sponsors in 2021. The second year of a pandemic was not what any of us hoped for but, as we learn to live with the new reality, RMAG has continued to meet both the needs of our members and the greater geoscience community as well as honor our sponsors’ commitment to RMAG. We have hosted dozens of virtual events which included short courses, workshops, Members in Transition talks, monthly online luncheons, virtual trivia, and a virtual field trip. Slowly over the course of the year, we have been able to add back so many of our outdoor events, from the Annual Golf Tournament to six On the Rocks field trips across the region. With the assistance of the RMAG Foundation, we provided student memberships and professional development reimbursements to assist our geologic community. Your sponsorship dollars also supported our excellent publications including the monthly Outcrop newsletter, the quarterly Mountain Geologist journal, and special publications such as Subsurface Cross Sections of Southern Rocky Mountain Basins. We recognized your financial commitment with website and publication advertising as well as through social media before each online event. With a LinkedIn group of over 2600 members, we made our sponsors visible to the geoscience community for both virtual and in person events. We are in the process of planning for our upcoming year, and we need your help to continue our programs. 2022 will be an exciting year for RMAG as we celebrate our 100th anniversary with special events and publications to honor our association’s rich history. Summit Sponsor company names and logos will be prominently featured at all RMAG events, and while we plan to host more in person gatherings, we also will continue to hold online events which have been very popular with our membership. If you are already a Summit Sponsor, we look forward to your continued support in 2022. If you are not a sponsor, please look at the many free benefits included with the sponsorship levels. Please feel free to contact our staff with questions about sponsorship by email: staff@rmag.org or by phone at 800-970-7624. We and the staff of RMAG wish you all a successful and prosperous 2022 and look forward to seeing you at our events.

Rob Diedrich

Bridget Crowther

2022 RMAG President

RMAG Executive Director

Vol. 71, No. 3 | www.rmag.org

OUTCROP | March 2022

2022 RMAG Summit Sponsorship Platinum, Gold, & Silver Sponsors

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OUTCROP | March 2022

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2022 RMAG Summit Sponsorship All sponsor benefit event tickets follow RMAG event registration deadlines. All benefits end 12 months after registration.

RMAG 2022 2 Summit Sponsorship Opportunities Platinum Sponsor Gold Sponsor Silver Sponsor

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RMAG events are subject to change. Cancellation or rescheduling of events does not give sponsor right to refund. Summit Sponsors will receive benefits at any new events added into the RMAG schedule.

email: staff@rmag.org

Thank you for your generous support!

phone: 720.672.9898

1999 Suite 730 Denver, CO, 80202 Vol. 71,Broadway, No. 3 | www.rmag.org

fax: 323.352.0046

web: www.rmag.org

follow: @rmagdenver OUTCROP | March 2022

RMAG FEBRUARY 2022 BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING By Sandra Labrum, Secretary slabrum@slb.com

excited to announce that the March luncheon will be in person as well as online. The committee is also planning on a short course for the spring so keep an eye out for that. The Membership Committee wrapped up the application process for the mentorship program in February so will soon have a kickoff event for the mentors and mentees. The committee has also finalized a new mission statement which will be announced soon. The Publications Committee is continuing to do great work bringing us a full slate of articles to celebrate the 100th anniversary of RMAG. If you would like to write an article for the Mountain Geologist please reach out. Educational Outreach is continuing to support our local educators and student by making geoscience accessible through the assembly of fossil and sample kits. On the Rocks, is finalizing the list and dates for the field trips for the year. The first event is On The Rocks: Behind the Scenes Tour of the Denver Museum of Nature and Science on March 19th. Finally, Diversity and Inclusion committee is continuing to work on increasing the diversity in RMAG members and increasing the visibility of RMAG at events that we typically haven’t participated in. I hope you all have a fantastic month and can join us as we return to in person events. Until next time!

Hi everyone! I hope you are staying warm this snowy spring. I love this time of year because I am one of those winter loving people and will take all the snowy days I can. I also hope you had a great Valentine’s day (especially the chocolate that went on sale on February 15th!). The January Board of Directors meeting took place February 16th, 2022 at 4pm via Microsoft Teams. All board members were present. During the staff update Bridget gave us something to look forward to in warmer weather; the RMAG Golf tournament is officially on this year set for June 7. The Finance committee then provided an overview of the financials for January. RMAG had a net operating gain due to our very generous Summit sponsors (we couldn’t do it without you!) There will be a brief financial overview before the March luncheon if you would like more details. The Continuing Education Committee is

Well Log Digitizing • Petrophysics Petra® Projects • Mud Log Evaluation Bill Donovan

Geologist • Petroleum Engineer • PE

(720) 351-7470 donovan@petroleum-eng.com

OUTCROP | March 2022

Vol. 71, No. 3 | www.rmag.org

A Special Issue: Call for100 papers To commemorate years for… of RMAG, The for •papers for… Mountain Geologist will publish a special issue this summer. Call for papers for… • Seeking historical overview papers that illustrate a century of advances in the subdisciplines of A Special Issue: Topics av pers for… Rockies geoscience (or in Rockies study areas). • To commemorate 100 years of RMAG, The • Stratig

al Issue: Topics available within: tecton Mountain Geologist will publish a special issue A Special Issue:• Stratigraphy, mining, structur Topics a this summer. paleo ommemorate 100 years of RMAG, The For more info o Call for papers for… • Seeking historical • To commemorate 100 years of RMAG, The • Strat overview papers that illustrate geoch untain Geologist will publish a special issue tectonics, hydrogeology, Mountain Geologist will publish a special issue tecto a century of advances in the subdisciplines of and m this summer. summer. paleontology, geophysics,paleo org https://www.rmag.org/p Rockies geoscience (or in Rockies • Manu • Seeking historical overviewstudy papersareas). that illustrate geoc king historical overview papers that illustrate geochemistry, petroleum geom a century of advances in the subdisciplines of and • Mane in Rockies study areas). Formore! more info or ideas, ntury of advances in the subdisciplinesRockies of geoscience and(ormany Topics available within: kies geoscience (or in Rockies study areas). • Manuscripts due June 1,ideas, 202 For more info or https://www.rmag.org/publicatio A Special Issue: Topics available within: e• 100 years of RMAG, mining, structure and https://www.rmag.org/publicat To commemorate 100 years The of RMAG, The • Stratigraphy, • Stratigraphy, mining, structure and For more info or ideas, email: mgeditor@rma Geologistawill publish issue a special issue tectonics, hydrogeology, gistMountain will publish special tectonics, hydrogeology, this summer. paleontology, geophysics, organic paleontology, geophysics, https://www.rmag.org/publications/the-mountain-geol • Seeking historical overview papers that illustrate geochemistry, petroleum geology, organic a century ofpapers advances in the subdisciplines and many more! petroleum geology, overview that illustrate of geochemistry, Rockies geoscience (or in Rockies study areas). • Manuscripts due June 1, 2022. nces in the subdisciplines of and many more! For more info ideas, email: mgeditor@rmag.org ce (or in Rockies study areas). • or Manuscripts due June 1, 2022. https://www.rmag.org/publications/the-mountain-geologist/

For more info or ideas, email: mgeditor@rmag.org https://www.rmag.org/publications/the-mountain-geologist/

Vol. 71, No. 3 | www.rmag.org

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PRESIDENT’S LETTER By Rob Diedrich

The Atlas That Changed RMAG

What is it about geologists and maps? I can’t help noticing the variety of maps I’ve seen on the walls of geo-colleagues during Zoom calls. One of my associates has a replica of William Smith’s 1815 geologic map of the British Islands framed on his office wall and easily seen over his shoulder during our online chats. This is The Map that Changed the World, according to Simon Winchester’s 2001 book, and is considered to be “the first true geological map of anywhere in the world.” For geologists, a map tells a story. We visualize the contours on topographic maps three-dimensionally as hills, mountains and valleys springing out of a flat piece of paper. We become detectives piecing together clues about an area’s geologic history when we overlay surface formations onto topographic maps, creating a geologic map. Most of us developed our mapping skills during geology field camps. I have fond memories of mapping the Paleozoic section near Molas Pass. Some of our mapping areas were riddled with test pits dug by miners looking for silver and gold. These pits were often located in areas of mineralization associated with faulting, providing clues to look for possible offsets in the strata and a fault line to sketch on our maps. Thinking about the science and art of map

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Vol. 71, No. 3 | www.rmag.org

RMAG Hybrid Short Course Series

Geochemistry Skills for Basin and Petroleum Systems Assessment: A 3 Course Series April 5, 13, 19 8am-12pm (MDT) daily April 5: Stages of Petroleum Formation April 13: Determining Petroleum Charge April 19: Timing and Extent of Petroleum Formation Instructor: Mike Lewan Register for series or individual classes. Attend in-person or online. Registration and details at www.rmag.org. In-person (series/single class) Online (series/single class) RMAG members $200/$75 RMAG Members: $100/$40 Non-members: $250/$100 Non-members: $125/$60 Students: $100/$35 Students: $50/$20 Vol. 71, No. 3 |

Rocky Mountain Association of Geologists e: staff@rmag.org | p: 720.672.9898 | w: www.rmag.org www.rmag.org 13 OUTCROP

| March 2022

PRESIDENT’S LETTER It may be a bit of a stretch to say that ‘The Big Red Book’ is The Atlas that Changed RMAG, but it can be argued that it is our association’s most seminal publication. It’s been a best seller and has had a significant financial impact on RMAG in more ways than one. For those details and other interesting facts, watch for the Centennial Series article by Jane Estes-Jackson in next month’s Outcrop. Coincidentally, as we celebrate RMAG’s 100th anniversary we also celebrate the 50th anniversary of The Geologic Atlas of the Rocky Mountain Region. The Big Red Book has long been out of print, but it was digitized in 2006 and the maps were converted to GIS shape files a few years later. In addition to the map collection, the volume contains chapters on physical, historical and economic geology and a fascinating discussion on pioneer geologists of the American West including historic photographs. The digital Book Red Book is available for sale on the RMAG website with a member price of only $50. Why not consider adding this volume to your collection to commemorate the publication’s historic 50 years!

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making brings me to my RMAG Centennial anecdote for this month. Perhaps the largest and most industrious undertaking in our association’s history was the 1972 publication of The Geologic Atlas of the Rocky Mountain Region, much better known as ‘The Big Red Book.’ And why is it affectionately called ‘The Big Red Book?’ Well, it is RED, and it is BIG, measuring 22 inches long, 18 inches wide, and nearly 2 inches thick. It weighs 14 pounds! The volume, which took six years to assemble, contains 53 papers, countless cross-sections and stratigraphic columns of the Rocky Mountain Region. Most amazing is its collection of beautifully illustrated regional paleographic maps for the major geologic time periods. Today, global paleographic maps are readily available online, however when I began my career as a petroleum geologist in the early 1980’s, I consulted the maps in The Big Red Book often to identify facies trends and to better understand the regional geology of my project areas. Indeed, The Big Red Book has been a requisite reference for Rocky Mountain geoscientists across multiple disciplines and professions for the last half century.

OUTCROP | March 2022

Vol. 71, No. 3 | www.rmag.org

Rocky Mountain Association of Geologists

Powder River Basin Symposium & Core Workshop Sept. 14-15, 2022 • Sheraton Denver West

Call for Papers The RMAG is soliciting papers for presentation at their Fall Symposium, which will focus on the geology and petroleum development of the Powder River Basin. Talks will be 20 minutes long, with 10 minutes for questions. We will consider papers on any producing formation in the basin but with an intention to focus on the Niobrara, Turner, Frontier, and Mowry. We are also looking for companies and organizations that would be willing to exhibit core from the basin. Cores will be exhibited on the afternoon of the 15th, and core presenters will be given the opportunity to present a paper on their evaluation of the core during the morning oral session. Please submit your abstract and a short biographical sketch through the RMAG website or send them to the RMAG Office at staff@rmag.org.

Abstract submission deadline: May 1, 2022 Rocky Mountain Association of Geologists e: staff@rmag.org | p: 720.672.9898 | w: www.rmag.org Vol. 71, No. 3 | www.rmag.org

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LEAD STORY

GEOLOGY FIELD CAMPS Looking Forward to the Future while Retaining our Roots

he University of Missouri Geology Field Camp was founded in 1911 by Edwin B. (E.B.) Branson, at the time a brand-new Associate Professor in Geology at the University of Missouri. Prof. Branson, a paleontologist, had undertaken extensive field work around Wyoming’s Wind River Ranges during his dissertation work. Prof. Branson realized that part of Wyoming would be an ideal setting to teach field skills to geology students, and, upon his hiring at MU, he set out to make his dream into reality. What started as white canvas tents dispersed along the shores of the Popo Agie River in Sinks Canyon and nearby areas in the early years, would evolve into a field station of log buildings built by students and staff during the 1930s and 1940s. The site would eventually be named the University of Missouri Branson Field Laboratory, a name carved onto a wooden sign that still welcomes students, staff, and visitors to the longest continuously running geology field camp in the US (Photos 1-5). From its inception, Branson Field Laboratory has always been open to undergraduate geology students from outside of the University of Missouri, its educational mission extending beyond taking care of native Mizzou students. Geoscientists, traditionally, have always recognized the importance of fieldbased training in the education of their students. By

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the time pedagogists got around to extolling the virtues of “hands-on” and “experiential” learning, geoscientists had been quietly at it for the better part of a century. Earth science, our community recognized, cannot be quite divorced from some degree of exposure to learning on said Earth. For many decades the curriculum at the University of Missouri geology field camp remained rather traditional, focused on emphasizing fundamental principles at the core of our discipline that, arguably, remain relevant nowadays. Students would complete basic sedimentology and stratigraphy projects. There was surveying with plane table and alidade. There was basic geologic mapping. There was basic metamorphic geology, a sprinkle of ore and economic geology, and, in time, a dash of structural analysis. Student projects were all carefully threaded together, however, to emphasize that elusive learning objective critical to our profession: evaluating subsurface geology and three-dimensional visualization. We are all aware that, in the second half of the last century, many US geoscientists were employed in the oil and gas industry. Geology and oil were intrinsically linked, at least in North America, and, in the minds of many outside of our profession, they remain so. But in the late 90s and early 2000s things started to change. Geoscience students were now

By Miriam Barquero-Molina, barqueromolinam@missouri.edu

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PHOTO 1: A group of geologists traversing the

high Wind River Mountains, 1911.

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finding employment in the environmental industry, working on environmental remediation, hydrogeology, renewable energies, planning, and many other diverse fields. Such a change in employment and career prospects for geology students drove significant curricular changes in many field camps across our nation, and even saw the appearance of discipline-specific (i.e., geoPHOTO 2: En route to field camp; 1929. physics or hydrogeology) field camp-like experiences. We, as a geoscience community, of new learning experiences in shallow subsurface realized the need to tailor our field camps geophysics, and surface and groundwater hydrogeto better serve our student population and the deology during the last two weeks of camp. The new mands of the workforce they were about to enter. The University of Missouri field camp was, of curriculum was designed to expose students to probcourse, no stranger to this change. A faculty-led curlems and problem-solving approaches very similar to ricular re-design in 2005 garnered national recogthose they would be confronted with as professionnition and culminated with the award of a National als in the very near future. New curricular learning Science Foundation (NSF) grant that led the creation CONTINUED ON PAGE 19

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LEAD STORY

PHOTO 3:

Construction of the “Alcova Cabin”; 1931.

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LEAD STORY

PHOTO 4: Dr. Branson (far right) and his students sharing a meal at camp; 1931

experiences necessitated new equipment and technology that would enable faculty and students to collect, process, manipulate and interpret field data. A meritorious funding proposal, and the NSF funding that followed, made these critical curricular upgrades possible for the MU field camp, as the cost of such an investment could not have been borne either by the camp or its host Department. Tight budgets and money woes are, of course, par for the course for geoscience field programs all around. Many of us who teach “experiential” geoscience, or good old-school field geology for the old timers among us, have come to realize, however, that the most important aspect of our field camps is not what we do, but how we do what we do. Undoubtedly our students benefit from learning basic field geology techniques, and from exposure to new instrumentation, software, and technologies. But the true gains come in how the thinking and problem-solving are done. Geoscience field camps generally emphasize collaborative work, where groups of student peers, who may have known each other for just a few days, are tasked with working through problems together. Collaborative work, as we know, is integral to the profession of geoscience, yet rarely found in many

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university classrooms. Collaborative work is hard, for both instructors and students, and, for the latter, getting harder, as, if we are to believe our social science colleagues, younger generations become progressively more unaccustomed to, and even vaguely threatened by, close social interactions. Yet, if we are to again trust social scientists, we know that collaborative work serves to grow cooperative and leadership skills, enhances patience and empathy, and quite frankly, generally leads to better quality of work, because of diverse skillsets and perspectives (Photo 6). Collaborative work is, of course, critical to problem-solving. Those of us in education know that human brains love the safety of “procedural” problem-solving. We find solace in knowing that following a set of highly scripted steps will lead us to find the answer to a question, or the solution to a problem. Yet the types of problems our students will be solving in the future will be diverse and wide-ranging and most will necessitate a unique approach in their solving. Groups that bring together diverse training, skills, backgrounds, and approaches will, of course, be best positioned to successfully tackle them.

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LEAD STORY us in the business know there is a reason for such fond remembrances. What we do goes beyond teaching our students problem-solving skills, or to think critically, or how to work in groups. Field camps help our students develop leadership skills and grow when outside their comfort zones. Field camps teach students about resilience. Field camps are, ultimately, a human growth experience. While there is no doubt to any reasonable mind that geoscientists should, and undoubtedly will, play a leading role when it comes to immediate challenges facing humankind, we find ourselves as outcasts in the STEM community. Geoscience programs are on the chopping block at many academic institutions and facing downsizing, low enrollments, and faculty attrition in many others. The very survival of our discipline, at least in the academic setting, where geoscientists of the future need to be trained, is very much at stake. If economic and existential uncertainties were

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Collaborative work in our field camps is, without a doubt, hard as nails. Students return from the field and then need to reconcile several different perspectives into a shared product under the pressure of a looming deadline. And the field camp demands do not stop there. Many programs are based in relatively remote locations, that take students away from certain creature comforts and limit connectivity to the outside world. Our collective human escape valve, the ubiquitous smartphone, now has the usefulness of a brick. And, of course, we must consider the likely high-level of physical demand that many field programs bring along. How can field camps possibly be a good time? As it happens, it seems that they are. When surveyed, many geoscience students highlight a field camp or similar course as the most valuable learning experience in their careers. Although timing (most of these classes tend to occur towards the end of their degrees) may have something to do with it, those of

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PHOTO 5: The Welcome Sign for the University of Missouri Branson Field Laboratory

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Vol. 71, No. 3 | www.rmag.org

Mallard Exploration is a Denver-based upstream Oil & Gas Exploration and Production company focused on the DJ Basin of Colorado. We are building a successful business with strong ethics, hard work and industry-leading technology.

Vol. 71, No. 3 | www.rmag.org

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LEAD STORY

PHOTO 6: Group photo of students at Field Camp

not enough, 2020 gifted us all with a new blow to the future viability of our traditional field camps: a global pandemic. Some field camp programs scrambled to find virtual alternatives to their curricula. Some, like the University of Missouri’s, had no choice but to be cancelled altogether. Yet, as the pandemic continued, geoscience programs across the country developed plans that would allow them to re-open their field programs in 2021 in a safe manner for students and staff. And so, we did. The University of Missouri’s field camp reopened its doors for native (Mizzou) students only. Slight modifications in curriculum and staffing allowed our field camp to run as a “social pod” that minimized exposure to Coronavirus and risk of infection for all. We proved, to ourselves and our campus administration, that there is a path forward. We have thus witnessed how many geoscience programs remain committed to safely re-opening their field camps in a post-pandemic world.

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However, the future of our field camps cannot exclusively depend on the will and doggedness of their sponsor programs, directors, and teaching faculty. Do we, as a geoscience community, think that our field camps should continue to be a critical, and valued, learning and life experience for those training in our discipline? Decades of budget cuts, administrative pressures, heightened demands on the tenured process for our faculty (to name a select few) have collided with a global pandemic to imperil the survivability of many geoscience field camps. We could interpret this as the fight for the role that field education should, or perhaps should not, have in our geoscience programs. Maybe there is an argument to be made that, without the experience our field programs provide, tomorrow we will be fighting for the relevance of our science for our society. Or, conceivably, we already are. We have our work cut out for us.

» CONTINUED FROM PAGE 20

Vol. 71, No. 3 | www.rmag.org

HYBRID LUNCH TALK Speaker: Clayton Schultz Date: March 2, 2022 | 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm

Controls on diagenesis of the Sappington Formation, Bridger Range, southwestern Montana Understanding the significance of facies, stratigraphic architecture, and faults on cement distribution Clayton Schultz, SM Energy architecture plays a secondary role as clinoform boundaries and stratigraphic surfaces compartmentalized fluid flow. Structural features are of local importance and depositional facies display little effect on the distribution of diagenetic minerals. Six dominant cement types were recognized in the Sappington Formation. Quartz and clay cements are the earliest recognized cements and formed on the surfaces of detrital grains during early diagenesis and are relatively minor phases (<5%vol). These are postdated by a series of carbonate cements that dominate the diagenetic mineral assemblage (upwards of >60% vol) and include two forms of dolomite, and two forms of calcite. Dolomite is the most abundant diagenetic

ABSTRACT: Diagenesis has a profound effect on the porosity and permeability of sediments, and it is necessary to integrate the depositional, stratigraphic, and structural frameworks together with the burial history to unravel the diagenetic history. This outcrop study from the late Devonian to early Mississippian Sappington Formation of southwestern Montana, USA, investigates the complex interplay of these different geologic factors and their controls on the distribution of diagenetic alterations. Our results suggest that the principal control on the distribution of diagenetic minerals is the thickness of the lower, middle, and upper Sappington shale members. The sedimentary

» CONTINUED ON PAGE 26

CLAYTON SCHULTZ is a Sr. Geologist at SM Energy in Denver, Colorado. He is currently a member of the Reservoir Characterization Team focused on the Midland Basin and has previously worked in an exploration role in the Gulf Coast and Mid-Continent. His research interests include clastic depositional systems, sequence stratigraphy, diagenesis, reservoir characterization, and the interplay between tectonics and sedimentation. Additionally, he is an associate editor of the Mountain Geologist, a co-coordinator of the Rocky Mountain Section IBA, and the treasurer-elect of the Rocky Mountain Section of AAPG. Clayton received a B.S. in Geological Science from the University of Idaho and a M.S. from the University of Montana. OUTCROP | March 2022

Vol. 71, No. 3 | www.rmag.org

RMAG Golf Tournament Arrowhead Golf Club June 7, 2022

13th hole @ Arrowhead ~ Photo by RMAG member Megan Cornellisen

2pm Shotgun | Grab & Go Lunch Starts @ 1pm Registration includes entry, 18 holes of golf, cart, lunch, dinner, & entry to win prizes Teams of 4 and individuals are invited to register! Member Team: $600 Member Individual: $150 Non-member Team: $700 Non-member Individual: $175 Registration open at www.rmag.org Rocky Mountain Association of Geologists e: staff@rmag.org | p: 720.672.9898 | w: www.rmag.org Vol. 71, No. 3 | www.rmag.org

OUTCROP | March 2022

HYBRID LUNCH TALK here – the first comprehensive diagenetic mod-

» CONTINUED FROM PAGE 24

mineral and is observed as zoned, euhedral to subhedral rhombs with a nearly stoichiometric core and a series of ferroan rims and as subhedral to anhedral ferroan rhombs without zonation. Calcite cements are most common as a rim on the outer extents of dolomite rhombs but also occur as a replacement of dolomite or detrital feldspar. The outcrop-based model presented

el of the Sappington Formation in SW-Montana, USA – can be used to guide hydrocarbon devel-

opment in tight hybrid plays, such as the Bakken

Formation in the Williston Basin, USA, and allows for the relationship between the depositional ar-

chitecture and the diagenetic alterations to be extended into the second and third dimensions.

IN THE PIPELINE

MARCH 2, 2022 RMAG Online Luncheon. Speaker: Clayton Schultz, SM Energy. “Controls on Diagenesis of the Sappington Formation, Bridger Range, Southwestern Montana: Understanding the Significance of Facies, Stratigraphic Architecture, and Faults on Cement Distribution.” Online or in-person. 12:00 PM-1:00 PM.

Brand.” Zoom meeting starting at 11:00 AM12:30 PM. Register at www.wogacolorado. org/event-listing.

MARCH 15, 2022 The Colorado Energy Foundation Webinar. “Advocacy for Nonprofit Organizations.” 2:00 PM-3:00 PM. See www.coga.org/events to register.

MARCH 3, 2022 COGA Colorado’s Oil and Gas Day at the Capitol. Zoom Webinar at 12:00 PM-1:00 PM. InPerson Reception later that evening.

DWLS Luncheon. Speaker: Robert Lieber, Corsair Petrophysics. “The Lyons Sandstone- A Case History of a Conventional Reservoir in an Unconventional Basin.”

MARCH 10, 2022

MARCH 29, 2022

DPC Energy Industry Happy Hour. Denver Athletic Club. 4:30 PM- 7:00 PM. DPC Members are free. Non-members $10.

RMS-SEPM Webinar. See rmssepm.org/events to register. APRIL 1, 2022

WOGA Virtual Lean-In. Speaker: Susan Morrice. “Strategically Developing Your Network and Personal

OUTCROP | March 2022

RMS-SEPM 2022 Scholarship Applications Deadline.

Vol. 71, No. 3 | www.rmag.org

CALL FOR PAPERS PETROLEUM HISTORY INSTITUTE

2022 ANNUAL SYMPOSIUM AND FIELD TRIP

The World of West Coast Petroleum

May 17-19, 2022

REGISTRATION AND EVENING RECEPTION Tuesday, May 17, 2022

PRESENTATIONS-ORAL AND POSTER – Wednesday, May 18, 2022 Proceedings to be published in the 2022 Volume of Oil-Industry History

FIELD TRIP – Thursday, May 19, 2022 HEADQUARTERS HOTEL – Montecito Inn, Santa Barbara, California www.montecitoinn.com or (800)-843-2017 or (805) 969-7854 For group Rate mention “Petroleum History Institute” REGISTRATION DETAILS TO FOLLOW ABSTRACTS BEING ACCEPTED Please send abstracts to: Dr. William Brice - wbrice@pitt.edu or call Marilyn Black – 814-677-3152 ext. 105; mblack@oilregion.org Vol. 71, No. 3 | www.rmag.org

OUTCROP | March 2022

HYBRID LUNCH TALK Speaker: Alexa Socianu Date: April 6, 2022 | 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm

Old Dog, New Tricks A Multiscale Re-Evaluation of the Sequence Stratigraphic Framework in the Emerging Mowry Shale Unconventional Play A. Socianu1,2, J. May1,3 1: Colorado School of Mines, Golden, CO | 2: PDC Energy, Denver, CO | 3: Geologic Consultant, Littleton, CO

controls on reservoir quality within a sequence stratigraphic framework helps in defining sweet spots and optimum horizontal targets. End-member facies in the PRB range from micro-crystalline quartz-rich mudstone, derived from intrabasinal biogenic silica, to bioturbated and ripple cross-laminated muddy siltstone. Intervening facies include siliceous mudstone with varying amounts of silt laminae and bioturbated silty mudstone. In the more proximal BHB, bioturbated muddy sandstone and ripple cross-laminated to hummocky cross-stratified sandstones occur. Gradational successions of these facies, with upward increasing detrital content and bioturbation, characterize most Mowry parasequences. Abrupt decreases in grain size, with bentonite and/or clay-rich

ABSTRACT The Mowry Shale is a prolific source rock in numerous Laramide basins, having expulsed large volumes of oil and gas into adjacent conventional reservoirs. Operators are now testing the Mowry as an unconventional reservoir in the Powder River Basin (PRB) and, to a lesser extent, the Bighorn Basin (BHB). During the Albian to Cenomanian, the Mowry seaway was separated from warmer southern waters of the Tethys Ocean. Cold, boreal waters yielded a hemipelagic mixture of clay, radiolaria, marine kerogen, and fish debris while volcanism to the west provided sporadic input of silica-rich ash. Terrigenous silt and sand delivered by high-energy events frequently punctuated this suspension fallout. An understanding of the multiscale heterogeneity and

» CONTINUED ON PAGE 30

ALEXA SOCIANU graduated with a B.A. from Northwestern University in 2011 with a double-major in Biology and Geology, along with a minor in Secondary Education. She graduated from the University of Wyoming in 2015 with her M.Sc. in Geology where she was advised by Dr. John Kaszuba and went on to continue her doctoral studies at Colorado School of Mines advised by Dr. Stephen Sonnenberg as part of the Mudrock and Tight Oil Consortium (MudTOC). Building upon her previous work, her doctoral research utilizes a multiscale, integrated approach to study the influence of rock type, thermal maturity, and sequence stratigraphy on core-, pore-, and basin-scale reservoir characteristics of the Mowry Shale with a goal of improving future Mowry Shale horizontal drilling efforts in Wyoming’s Powder River Basin. Beginning in 2017, Alexa worked for Centennial Resource Development as an Operations Geologist and later as a Development Geologist in the Permian Basin for three years while continuing her Mowry Shale research. She is currently a Development Geologist at PDC Energy for their Delaware Basin asset. OUTCROP | March 2022

Vol. 71, No. 3 | www.rmag.org

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OUTCROP | March 2022

HYBRID LUNCH TALK models and has important implications for defining and mapping the best lateral target. Core data demonstrate the middle Mowry HST hosts the highest organic content, hydrocarbon saturations, and proportion of biosiliceous facies. Higher maturity biosiliceous facies are nearly 25x more permeable than samples of the identical facies in the earliest oil window. We suggest the optimal horizontal target for Mowry production in the PRB is in the uppermost parasequence of this HST, where detrital silt content, moveable hydrocarbons, and mechanical properties are optimized. In this zone silt provides storage and permeability pathways, silica cement generates a brittle framework for hydraulic fracturing, and organic matter increases hydrocarbon saturation and matrix permeability.

» CONTINUED FROM PAGE 28

mudstone sitting directly on coarser grained parasequence tops, represent flooding surfaces. In the distal portions of the PRB, some parasequences transition to an apparent fining-upward pattern that actually reflects biosiliceous material with lower gamma response dominating the base of the package becoming clay-rich with higher gamma values at the top of the parasequence. Multiple parasequences stack to form upward coarsening regressive packages interpreted as highstand systems tracts (HSTs). At least three HSTs make up the Mowry Shale. They are variably capped by very thin inferred transgressive systems tracts and condensed sections. Our sequence stratigraphic interpretation is quite different from previous

OUTCROP | March 2022

Vol. 71, No. 3 | www.rmag.org

Confluence Resources is an upstream exploration and production company Confluence Resources is an confluenceresources.com upstream exploration and production company confluenceresources.com

Vol. 71, No. 3 | www.rmag.org

OUTCROP | March 2022

MEMBER CORNER

Meet Alexandra Racosky Mining Geologist, MSc—Resolution Copper WHAT DOES YOUR CURRENT JOB ENTAIL?

HOW DID YOU END UP INVOLVED IN GEOSCIENCES?

As an underground geologist my role consists of mapping the geology and geotechnical properties of the rock for both lateral and shaft development, scanning rock faces, analyzing the scans, and producing daily reports. I also log core at the underground drill site and send daily updates to the team.

When I was a child, my father and Grandma would commonly take my brother and me to parks, nature preserves, and trails. My absolute favorite activity was hunting for crawfish and cool-looking rocks in the local creeks. With these outings my interest grew in everything science. I knew I wanted to study “science”, but I had no idea what I wanted to specialize in until I took an earth-space class in high school. I chose to study geology at Kutztown University of Pennsylvania, where I decided to focus my studies on ore deposit geology. I continued my education at Colorado State University, and eventually ended up landing a job as a geologist at Resolution Copper.

WHAT IS THE BEST CAREER LESSON YOU HAVE LEARNED SO FAR?

I’ve learned to never let anyone talk you out of your career aspirations and goals. Once a man tried to talk me out of working in the mining industry, because the work schedule and typical mining towns wouldn’t be good for the children, which he presumed I wanted to have. One time a teacher told me geology was boring, and that I should study something else. At the end of the day, you know what you want out of life. Don’t let anyone get in the way of your dreams and do what makes you happy.

WHAT WAS YOUR FIRST JOB?

In the Summer of 2014, I interned with Imerys at a wollastonite mine in Willsboro, NY. I assisted with surveying, blast sample collection, laboratory prep, drill core logging, and other operational tasks.

RMAG’s Ad Hoc Committee on Diversity and Inclusion is initiating a new feature in the Outcrop, 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 be featured in a future Member Corner, contact staff@rmag.org.

OUTCROP | March 2022

Vol. 71, No. 3 | www.rmag.org

Koda, Racosky’s 2-year-old puppy.

WHO INSPIRES YOU?

Alexandra Racosky standing on the No. 9 shaft Galloway, after the last blast was successfully completed, linking the surface to our deepest level at ~6,780ft below the surface.

WHAT IS THE MOST MEMORABLE EXPERIENCE YOU HAD WHEN YOU WERE LITTLE?

WHAT WOULD YOU DO (FOR A CAREER) IF YOU WERE NOT DOING THIS?

My Mother Kathy is the person who inspires me the most. While my father tried his best to get the kids out of the house, my mom was at home working towards her degree. I grew up watching her struggle to manage a full-time job while raising kids and attending college. Watching her work hard cultivated the work ethic I have today.

If I wasn’t in mining, I would most likely be teaching geology at a high school or college level. I got the chance to teach a couple of labs in college and I really enjoyed it. I also think I would really enjoy being a detective at the local precinct, but that could just be a result of listening to too many true crime podcasts.

Every summer the family would vacation at Bethany Beach, DE. To entertain the kids, my dad and Uncle would dig a giant hole in the sand and concoct a story about finding Dr. Louis Leakey’s treasure. They would hide quarters in the walls and bottom of the hole, leaving us entertained and digging for hours. We never came close to finding all the quarters, and to this day it makes me laugh thinking about how much money is still left buried in the sand. I fondly like to believe that this activity eventually led to my interest in geology and ultimately my career choice. Vol. 71, No. 3 | www.rmag.org

DO YOU HAVE ANY PETS?

My fiancé and I adopted a puppy named Koda! He just turned 2 on Valentine’s Day and is a 60lb. ball of energy who identifies as a 10lb. lap dog. 33

OUTCROP | March 2022

WELCOME NEW RMAG MEMBERS!

Dave Banko

lives in Denver, Colorado.

Megan Borel

is a Geologist at Discovery Natural Resources and lives in Lakewood, Colorado.

Eugene Cavanaugh

works at Sandia National Laboratories and lives in Edgewood, New Mexico.

Jackie Epperson

is Vice President North America at Cordax Evaluation Technologies and lives in Highlands Ranch, Colorado.

is Owner at Banko Petroleum Management and lives in Castle Rock, Colorado. is a PhD Candidate at University of Florida and lives in Gainesville, Florida. is Owner/Manager at Geocav Consulting, LLC and lives in Arvada, Colorado. lives in Blue Mound, Illinois.

Jim Gutoski

Jordan Renner

is a Geologist, Mineral Acquisitions at Cosmo Energy LLC and lives in Longmont, Colorado.

Scott Hampton

Vincent Rigatti works at Ovintiv.

Jason Heath

Michele Wiechman is a Geologist at Oxy, Inc and lives in Lakewood, Colorado.

Gary Lancaster

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ADVERTISER INDEX

•CGG �� 21

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•Confluence Resources �� 31

•LMKR Gverse Geographix �� 14

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CALENDAR – MARCH 2022 SUNDAY

MONDAY

TUESDAY

WEDNESDAY

2 RMAG Online Luncheon.

THURSDAY

FRIDAY

SATURDAY

COGA Colorado’s Oil and Gas Day at the Capitol.

DPC Energy Industry Happy Hour. WOGA Virtual Lean-In.

The Colorado Energy Foundation Webinar. DWLS Luncheon.

RMS-SEPM Webinar.

OUTCROP | March 2022

Vol. 71, No. 3 | www.rmag.org

March 2022 Outcrop

Articles inside

March President’s Letter