OUTCROP
Newsletter of the Rocky Mountain Association of Geologists
OUTCROP
Newsletter of the Rocky Mountain Association of Geologists
730 17th Street, B1, Denver, CO 80202 • 720-672-9898
The Rocky Mountain Association of Geologists (RMAG) is a nonprofit organization whose purposes are to promote interest in geology and allied sciences and their practical application, to foster scientific research and to encourage fellowship and cooperation among its members. The Outcrop is a monthly publication of the RMAG.
2024 OFFICERS AND BOARD OF DIRECTORS RMAG STAFF
PRESIDENT Mike Tischer mtischer@gmail.com
PRESIDENT-ELECT Matt Bauer matthew.w.bauer.pg@gmail.com
1st VICE PRESIDENT Lisa Wolff lwolff@bayless-cos.com
1st VICE PRESIDENT-ELECT Nate La Fontaine nlafontaine@sm-energy.com
2nd VICE PRESIDENT Jason Eleson jason@geointegraconsulting.com
2nd VICE PRESIDENT-ELECT Ali Sloan ali@sloanmail.com
SECRETARY Drew Scherer flatirongeo@gmail.com
TREASURER
Holly Lindsey hrlindsey@bafatoy.com
TREASURER-ELECT
Astrid Makowitz astridmakowitz@gmail.com
COUNSELOR
Steve Crouch scrouch@whiteeagleexploration.com
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The Outcrop is a monthly publication of the Rocky Mountain Association of Geologists
DESIGN/LAYOUT: Nate Silva | n8silva.com
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Bridget Crowther bcrowther@rmag.org
LEAD EDITOR
Nate LaFontaine nlafontaine@sm-energy.com
CONTRIBUTING EDITORS
Elijah Adeniyi elijahadeniyi@montana.edu
Marlee Cloos marlee.cloos@bpx.com
Danielle Robinson danielle.robinson@dvn.com
RMAG CODE OF CONDUCT
RMAG promotes, provides, and expects professional behavior in every engagement that members and non-members have with the organization and each other. This includes respectful and inclusive interactions free of harassment, intimidation, and discrimination during both online and in-person events, as well as any content delivered by invited speakers and instructors. Oral, written or electronic communications that contain offensive comments or demeaning images related to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, or appearance are not appropriate in any venue or media. RMAG reminds members of the diversity and mission statements found on our website. Please direct any questions to staff@rmag.org
Pliocene Servilleta Basalt
Photo credit: Danielle Robinson
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FIELD TRIPS
COMMUNITY CONTACTS IN 2024YOUR SUMMIT SPONSORSHIP DOLLARS SUPPORTED: 1,200 1,200 8,000 8,000 5,000 4,000 23 13 10
October 30, 2024
Geoscience Community:
We sincerely appreciate the support every Summit Sponsor and Event Sponsor provided over the past year. Your contributions are vital to the success of the Rocky Mountain Association of Geologists (RMAG).
In 2024, the RMAG was proud to host a dynamic lineup of events, including the CCS Workshop, which provided an in-depth look at advancements in carbon capture and storage. Members explored the beauty and geological wonders of the Colorado Rockies with ten diverse field trips and shared our passion for geoscience with students across the region through classroom visits and community festivals. Additionally, we fostered connections among members through monthly lunches, coffees, happy hours, and our annual Golf Tournament.
Looking ahead to 2025, we are excited about new opportunities for RMAG. Your sponsorship will help RMAG realize a robust calendar of continuing education opportunities, an exciting season of field trips, high-impact short courses, and a dynamic lineup of luncheon speakers. In April 2025, we look forward to the North American Helium & Hydrogen Conference, building on the success of our 2023 North American Helium Conference. Your sponsorship empowers RMAG members to impact the next generation at outreach events throughout the community and provides invaluable networking opportunities for the geoscience community. Furthermore, your financial support plays a crucial role in our publication efforts, which include the monthly Outcrop newsletter and the quarterly Mountain Geologist journal.
In recognition of your financial commitment to supporting geoscience in the region we recognize our sponsors through in-person signage, advertising on our website, publications, and social media promotions leading up to each event. With a LinkedIn group of almost 3,000 members, we ensure our sponsors are visible to the geoscience community for both virtual and in-person events.
Thank you to our current Summit Sponsors; we look forward to your continued support in 2025. For those considering sponsoring, we encourage you to explore the many benefits included at each sponsorship level and consider how you can promote geoscience in the Rockies. If an annual sponsorship doesn’t suit your company’s needs or if you wish to sponsor a specific event, please inquire about our single-event sponsorship opportunities. Feel free to reach out to our staff with any questions about sponsorship at bcrowther@rmag.org or by phone at 720- 672-9898 ext. 102.
On behalf of the RMAG staff, volunteers, and myself thank you all for your continued support, and we look forward to connecting with you in 2025.
Sincerely,
Matthew Bauer
Bridget Crowther 2025 RMAG President RMAG Executive Director
RMAG 2025 SUMMIT SPONSORSHIP
All sponsor benefits event tickets follow RMAG event registration deadlines. All benefits end 12 months after registration.
RMAG 2024 ANNUAL SUMMIT SPONSOR OPPORTUNITIES
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Thank you for your generous support!
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RMAG OCTOBER 2024 BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING
By Drew Scherer, Secretary flatirongeo@gmail.com
Welcome to the November edition of The Outcrop! As the leaves fall and the air turns crip, we’re excited to bring you a rock-solid issue this month. The board met October 16. 2024 virtually with all but one board member present. Bridget reported that our Happy Hour at CODA in Golden was a hit and we are thrilled to welcome 16 new members to our community.
The finance committee kicked us off reporting positive net revenue for the month and good financial outlook. Continuing Education has a lineup of luncheon talks schedule for the rest of the year, and we just wrapped up a CCS workshop that was a monumental success. The membership committee is hard at work planning fun and family-friendly events for next spring and summer, and they are already gearing up for the annual Rockbuster’s Ball on December 12th.
In this issue, the publications committee brings you a lead article on CO2 Mineralization, and later a
December issue that will recap the CCS Workshop. The Mountain Geologist journal will have an article released in late November and a couple more to come in the January edition.
The geoscience outreach committee has been busy with events like the DCSD Elementary Resource Fair, Reading Partners Trivia Night, Dino Ridge Girl Scouts Day, and more. Upcoming volunteer opportunities include Parker Science Night on November 3rd and geology talks at Polaris Elementary School every Friday in November.
The OTR committee closed out the field season with fantastic trips to the Eagle Basin, San Juan Volcanics, and Fishers Peak State Park. They’re already brainstorming ideas for the 2025 field season now. Thank you for tuning into The Outcrop. We hope you’ll dig our November edition and join us again next month for more geological gems!
By Mike Tischer
Dear RMAG Members,
One more thing...
How has your fall been? Did you join thousands of people to see the leaves change in the high country? Did you spend late evenings looking at the sky to catch a glimpse of comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS or the northern lights? Fall is my favorite season. Every year, I look forward to its cooler temperatures that bring early morning chills while still providing warm afternoons and evenings. Seeing and feeling nature prepare for winter is fascinating to watch. That’s why I try to spend more time outdoors during the fall than at any other time of the year. It helps me prepare and get into the right mindset to welcome the
end of the year. Honestly, I don’t think I could live in any place that does not have seasons for that reason. But of course, fall is also a busy season for many folks at work and kids returning to school. Projects have to be kicked off or closed before the end of the year, budgets have to be finalized, and next year’s business plans have to be drafted, just to name a few activities that seem to come rolling in like a freight train after the summer months. RMAG is no different in that regard. As I write this, we just finished a marathon field trip season of 10 trips that was capped by 5 trips in 6 weeks during late August through early October. Our trip leaders also appreciate this
time of the year, as nobody wants to be out in the sun when it’s 90+ degrees. My personal highlight was our last trip of the season to Fishers Peak State Park, the newest member of Colorado’s state park system. I had the pleasure of driving down to Trinidad the day before with RMAG president emeritus and current field trip committee chair Rob Diedrich. It was a beautiful and warm October afternoon when we arrived and we got a chance to take a walk in nearby Trinidad Lake State Park and look at the worst day in Earth’s history, certainly for the dinosaurs (see image). You can look forward to Rob’s field trip report in one of the next Outcrops, it will be worth your time.
Other RMAG activities this fall included hosting the well-attended CCS workshop, membership surveys (more about that in next month’s Outcrop), educational outreach activities, and a plethora of our regular social events - luncheons, happy hours and
coffee talks. I hope many of you had a chance to take part in some of these offerings throughout the year. As our activities are winding down in anticipation of the holidays, I want to channel Steve Jobs and tell you about ‘one more thing’…
On December 12, we are holding our annual Rockbusters Ball at the Mines Museum of Earth Sciences in Golden. What better way to say goodbye to 2024 than to celebrate with your fellow RMAG colleagues surrounded by the stunning collections of minerals and rocks in the museum! Like in years before, we will have a silent auction, so please consider donating. Reach out to Bridget (staff@rmag.org) if you are interested.
Ok, I feel like I have been rambling on long enough. Most of you surely want to see what gems this month’s Outcrop offers. So go on then, turn the page and start reading. Enjoy!
The K-PG boundary at Trinidad Lake State Park. The boundary is easily identifiable within the Raton formation as a oneinch thick white to grey layer a few inches below the massive sandstone cliff.
CALL FOR ABSTRACTS
DEADLINE EXTENDED: NOVEMBER 11, 2024
The Rocky Mountain Association of Geologists is seeking oral presentations, for its 2025 North American Helium & Hydrogen Conference. We plan to cover a range of topics related to Helium & Hydrogen exploration and commercialization including (but not limited to):
Helium & Hydrogen - Exploration Methods
• Elemental Properties, Source, Migration, Entrapment
• Geophysical Methods
• Geochemical Methods
• Remote Techniques – Aeromagnetics, Gravity, and soil gas geochemistry
• Associated Gases such as Carbon Dioxide (CO2)
• Analogs
Helium & Hydrogen – Temporary Storage
• The geologic condition for temporary underground storage of gases
• How to monitor long term storage
• Geologic/Geophysical modeling for underground storage integrity, seal, etc.
Non-Hydrocarbon Commercialization
• Getting from the contingent resources to reserves
• Helium or Hydrogen produced with other gases such as CO2
• Purification: Wellsite methods and success stories (or failures)
• Value Chain Considerations
Play Characterizations and Case Studies in North America:
Western Sedimentary Basin:
• Albert, Saskatchewan, Montana, Dakotas Rockies Basins:
• Paradox Basin, Green River Basin, Holbrook US Craton Plays:
• Mid Continent Rift Zone, Anadarko Basin, DJ Basin, Kansas, Nebraska, Texas Permian Basin Eastern Basins and Plays:
• Quebec, Illinois Basin, Appalachia, Upper Michigan International Plays
Markets, Regulations, Financing
• The current state of the Helium and Hydrogen markets
• Helium and Hydrogen pricing in opaque markets
• Global and regional supply and demands
• Local, State, Regional, Federal regulations and Professional Standards: updates and changes.
For More information and to submit an abstract please visit: https://www.rmag.org/He_H_Abstracts Questions? Email heliumconference@rmag.org
DEADLINE EXTENDED: NOVEMBER 11, 2024
Turning CO2 into STONE
The Potential and Challenges of Carbon Sequestration via CO2 Mineralization in the Southern U.S.
BY JEAN-LUCIEN FONQUERGNE Research Associate, PRRC, New Mexico Tech
HUMANITY IS TURNING to innovative technologies to combat climate change through reducing atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) levels. Among these, CO2 mineralization for Carbon Capture and Sequestration (CCS) stands out as a promising solution. This process not only captures CO2 emissions from industrial sources or the atmosphere but also permanently stores them in solid minerals, preventing them from subsurface leakage and contributing to global warming. This article delves into the importance of CO2 mineralization, highlights its implementation on an industrial scale, explains its principles, contrasts it with other sequestration methods, outlines its advantages and challenges, and presents two recent projects, one in New Mexico, led by New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology (NMT), and one in Arizona, led by Arizona Geological Survey (AZGS), aiming to harness this technology for environmental sustainability.
WHY CO2 MINERALIZATION IS A NECESSITY
The concentration of CO2 in the atmosphere has surged to levels not seen in millions of years, primarily due to human activities such as fossil fuel combustion and deforestation. This increase in greenhouse gases is a major driver of climate change, leading to extreme weather events, rising sea levels, and loss of biodiversity. Thus, reducing atmospheric CO2 levels is crucial. CO2 mineralization offers a way to effectively remove it from the atmosphere for millennia. Data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Observatory (NOAA) shows that the atmospheric concentration of CO2 has increased by 50% since the onset of industrial times in the 18th century. Ice core samples from Earth’s last three glacial cycles reveal natural fluctuations in CO2 levels. However, since 1958, there has been a continuous and unprecedented rise in atmospheric CO2 levels. The historical increase in CO2 concentration in the
1: Evolution of CO2 concentration in the atmosphere. Data source Reconstruction from ice cores. Credit NOAA
FIGURE 2: Graphic showcasing in-situ carbon dioxide mineralization, occurring at depth around 1 to 3 kilometers (left, submitted by Ocean Networks Canada) and an ex-situ mineralization setting (right, Environ. Sci. Technol.2007, 41, 7, 2587–2593)
FIGURE
atmosphere, from 365 parts pr million (ppm) in 2002 to over 420 ppm, highlights the impact of human activities on climate change.
CO2 MINERALIZATION AT WORK: INDUSTRIAL SCALE EXAMPLES
Geological carbon dioxide storage via CO2 mineralization works, and the technology has been proven at scale. One of the most notable examples of CO2 mineralization in action is the Carbfix project at Hellisheidi geothermal power plant, Iceland. Carbfix captures CO2 emissions released from the nearby geothermal power plant and injects them into basalt rock formations, where the CO2 reacts with the rock to form stable carbonate minerals. This process turns the gas into solid stone within just a few years, showcasing an effective, economically viable
FIGURE 3: Maps highlighting the basalt distribution in Arizona (left, Thompson 2023) and New Mexico right, (Zimmerer 2024)
and permanent solution for CO2 storage.1 Since 2014, the Icelandic CCS operations have safely injected and stored more than 100,000 metric tons of CO2. Similar initiatives are emerging worldwide, demonstrating the feasibility and scalability of CO2 mineralization. These include projects that utilize different types of mineral formations and even industrial waste materials, such as mining waste, as repositories for carbon sequestration, expanding the potential applications of this technology.
PRINCIPLES OF CO2 MINERALIZATION
CCS via CO2 mineralization involves capturing CO2 emissions directly from the source or from the atmosphere and reacting it with naturally occurring minerals or industrial by-products. The fundamental principle behind CO2 mineralization involves reacting
1: Emilsdóttir, E. S. E. Modelling the economic costs and benefits of carbon capture and mineralization. A case study of the Carbfix site at Hellisheiði (Doctoral dissertation).
CO2 with metal oxides or silicates containing magnesium, calcium, or iron to form stable carbonate minerals such as magnesite (MgCO3), calcite (CaCO3), and siderite (FeCO3)2. These reactions create stable carbonate minerals, effectively locking away the CO2 for millennia.
The process is occurring naturally over geological timescales but the mineralization process can be accelerated through industrial processes to achieve rapid mineralization. Natural mineralization occurs when CO2 from the atmosphere reacts with magnesium and calcium-rich rocks, leading to the gradual formation of carbonate minerals, such as calcite. The natural
2: Lackner, K.S., et al. (1995). “Carbon Dioxide Disposal in Carbonate Minerals.” Energy, vol. 20, no. 11, pp. 1153–1170.
4: Student working on sample analysis at a laboratory in New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology
FIGURE
weathering process, however, is slow and cannot keep pace with the current rate of CO2 emissions.
IN-SITU VS. EX-SITU MINERALIZATION
To enhance the rate of CO2 mineralization, researchers have developed methods to artificially accelerate this process, either through direct mineral carbonation in-situ (within geological formations) or ex-situ (above ground) in laboratory and industrial settings. Acceleration techniques involve increasing the surface area of the reactant minerals, elevating temperatures, modifying CO2 solution geochemistry, and applying pressure to enhance CO2 solubility and reaction rates.
The In-situ mineralization method injects CO2
dissolved in water into ultramafic or basaltic rock formations where CO2 reacts with naturally occurring minerals to form carbonate minerals. The average depth for in-situ CCS via mineralization typically ranges between 1 to 3 kilometers (3,280 to 9,843 feet) below the Earth’s surface. It benefits from large storage capacities, high pressure and temperature and the geological stability of deep rock formations.
Ex-situ mineralization approach takes place at the surface and reacts CO2 with industrial waste materials or naturally occurring minerals in a controlled environment. This method allows for more precise control over the reaction conditions, such as temperature, pressure, and solution geochemistry, but requires additional energy for mineral extraction, grinding, and reaction condition optimization3
3: Sanna, A., et al. (2012). “A review of mineral carbonation technologies to sequester CO2.” Chemical Society Reviews, vol. 41, pp. 4079-4103.
FIGURE 5: Geologic maps of New Mexico area of interest with basalt formations: Taos Plateau Volcanic Field (left, Bauer et al 2016) and Raton-Clayton volcanic field (right, NPS 2015)
FIGURE 6: Arizona study from L. Thompson: (A) A scoria cone mine at Sheep Hill, Flagstaff, AZ; (B) Scoria tailings pile showing coarse fraction sieved and discarded; (C) Bedded scoria and volcanic bombs showing variation in grain size of individual beds; (D) Scoria in hand sample showing variety of grain sizes, vesicularity, crystallinity, and degree of oxidation (red/purple) and alteration (brown). (https://www.netl.doe.gov/project-information?p=FE0032252)
CO2 MINERALIZATION COMPARED TO OTHER SEQUESTRATION METHODS
Sequestration methods either via CO2 mineralization, storage in saline aquifers, depleted oil and gas reservoirs, or un-mineable coal seam each have their own set of principles, advantages, and challenges. Understanding the differences between these methods is crucial for evaluating their effectiveness and suitability for large-scale deployment in CCS initiatives.
For example, un-mineable coal bed reservoirs are challenging for CCS due to swelling, which reduces permeability and complicates the injection process. In regards to saline aquifer and depleted oil and gas reservoirs, CO2 remains in its gaseous or supercritical form, requiring continuous monitoring to prevent leaks. In contrast, CO2 mineralization converts CO2 into solid minerals, eliminating the risk of its release back into the atmosphere. Therefore, CO2 mineralization stands out for its ability to offer a permanent solution to CO2 storage4
4: Herzog, H. J. (2001). “What Future for Carbon Capture and Sequestration?” Environmental Science & Technology, 35(7), 148A-153A.
CO2 MINERALIZATION CHALLENGES
However, the method faces different challenges that need to be overcome in order to further develop the technology at scale. Here are the main technical challenges faced by in-situ CCS via CO2 mineralization:
• Depth and permeability of suitable formations: Identifying and accessing suitable geological formations that are both rich in the necessary reactive minerals and have the appropriate porosity and permeability to allow for the widespread distribution and mineralization of injected CO25 is
challenging. The depth at which these formations are located can also pose significant technical issues: (1) shallow formations won’t have enough pressure and temperature for the mineralization process to occur and there will be risk of leakage; (2) deep formations require more energy to inject, increase capital expenses and can increase the risk of induced seismicity due to the injection. Finally, after several years of injection, the CO2 mineralized into the pore space of the storage formation will generally reduce the permeability and porosity of the formation, requiring the injection site to be relocated or deepened.
• Monitoring and Verification: Monitoring the
5: Sanna, A., Uibu, M., Caramanna, G., Kuusik, R., & Maroto-Valer, M. M. (2014). “A review of mineral carbonation technologies to sequester CO2”
FIGURE 7: Left: Unreacted powdered olivine- and pyroxene-phyric picritic basalt (sieved to <63 microns). Right: Reacted sample after 64 days at low intensity conditions (ambient temperature and pressure).
progress and verifying the effectiveness of in-situ mineralization processes are crucial for ensuring the long-term stability and security. Developing reliable monitoring technologies that can track the mineralization process deep underground and verify the permanence of CO2 storage is complex. These technologies must be able to detect changes in mineral composition, CO2 concentrations, and the physical properties of the underground formations over time. However, the technologies already exist and they are being tested and more developed every day. Current methods involve seismic survey or chemical tracking.
• Scale and Cost: Scaling up in-situ and ex-situ CO2 mineralization to levels that can significantly impact atmospheric CO2 concentrations involves substantial logistical, technical, and financial challenges. It requires the development of infrastructure and systems for CO2 capture, transport, injection, and/or surface mineralization complexes. Carbon cap, carbon tax, or incentives for project development would help advance CO2 mineralization as a viable and scalable CCS technology.
Current projects have not encountered significant technical issues related to loss of porosity or permeability, largely due to the low quantities and low injection rates involved. However, they are prepared for such challenges in the future given the large volumes of CO2 that must be sequestered to achieve net zero emissions. The key challenges are ensuring that wells can maintain sufficient injection rates and determining whether adequate storage capacity can be achieved before a well becomes plugged. Examples of potential solutions include drilling additional wells, horizontal drilling or fracturing the rock by injecting pressurized water with dissolved CO2
CO2 MINERALIZATION IN THE WESTERN U.S.: NEW MEXICO AND ARIZONA
Recent projects funded by the U.S. Department of Energy are exploring the potential of CO2 mineralization across the state of New Mexico and Arizona. These initiatives aim to identify statewide resources suitable for CO2 storage through mineralization, including basalt formations and mining wastes.
New Mexico and Arizona present promising locations for CO2 sequestration due to their extensive surficial basalt formations, numerous volcanic fields, and a variety of geological features such as alkaline scoria cones and lava flows. These geochemical and physical characteristics of these rocks suggest great potential for CO2 storage, but evaluating the full capacity of storage remains challenging. To fully assess the potential of these regions, further progress on the project is necessary, including detailed mineral analyses of samples and testing reaction rates. These steps will provide critical insights
April 18 to May 1, 2025
into the feasibility and effectiveness of CO2 mineralization in New Mexico and Arizona.
The New Mexico project focuses on several areas, including pre-screening potential sites to identify the most suitable locations for CO2 storage via mineralization. It involves in-depth investigations of the geological and hydrogeological properties of these sites, studying the reaction dynamics between CO2 and local minerals, and assessing the storage capacity through advanced simulation and economic analysis. A key component of the project is engaging with local communities and stakeholders, ensuring an open dialogue about the potential impacts and benefits of CO2 storage via mineralization, thereby fostering community involvement and support. As the project progresses, it will provide valuable insights into the feasibility, efficiency, and scalability of this technology in the state of New Mexico, potentially paving the way for its broader adoption.
The Arizona project, titled “Distributed Mafic Rock Resources for CO2 Mineralization in Arizona” will develop a Mafic Materials Resource Inventory (MMRI) for Arizona and integrate it with a systems design analysis to create a Direct Air Capture (DAC) to CO2 Mineralization (DACM) model for industrial application. DAC technology captures CO2 directly from the atmosphere by using chemical processes to bind CO2 molecules from the air, which are then concentrated, separated, and stored. The Arizona team will gather and analyze geological, physical, and chemical data from scoria and basalt deposits across several of Arizona’s volcanic fields and combine that data with reaction kinetics and rates for ex-situ mineralization in a laboratory, with the aim
of establishing benchmark conditions for ex-situ CO2 mineralization in these heterogenous materials. The data will be compiled into an ArcGIS geodatabase, which will be made publicly available through ArcGIS online in AZGS’s subsurface viewer. This database will support the development of the DACM model, which includes a technoeconomic and life-cycle analysis for using DAC to mineralize CO2 in scoria ex-situ.
CONCLUSION
CO2 mineralization for carbon sequestration is a promising tool to reach net zero. This technology offers a sustainable and permanent solution for reducing atmospheric CO2 levels by turning CO2 into solid minerals which permanently store the gas for millenia. Projects like Carbfix in Iceland and the ongoing research in New Mexico and Arizona highlight the practicality and potential of CO2 mineralization, both in-situ and ex-situ. While challenges remain, the advancements in this field are promising. As research continues and technologies improve, CO2 mineralization could become a cornerstone of global carbon management strategies, contributing significantly to our efforts to mitigate climate change and safeguard our planet for future generations.
We would like to thank Lisa Thompson, geologist at AZGS, and Dr. Sai Wang for their valuable contribution to this article.
This material is based upon work supported by the Department of Energy under Award Number DEFE0032257 and DE-FE0032252.
Speaker: Alex Zumberge
Date: December 4, 2024 | 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm
Innovative Subsurface Characterization and Recovery Techniques
Unlocking Uinta Basin Potential through Petrophysical and Geochemical Analyses
Presenter: Alex Zumberge, EVP of Operations GeoMark Research, Ltd.
The use of Tmax from programmed pyrolysis to understand maturity in the Uinta Basin is challenged by the high paraffin content of Uinta crude and the unique kinetic characteristics of its Type I kerogen. We address this challenge via the Delta Tmax method, which relies on pyrogram shape analysis before and after solvent extraction to detect the onset of the peak oil window. Additional petrophysical evaluation is then paired with the learnings from Delta Tmax and attributes
including total porosity, oil saturation, and water saturation are produced after closed retort thermal extraction. Lastly, the extracted retort oils are characterized to provide a geochemical baseline in which produced oils can be compared against for production allocation. This multi-faceted approach provides a multitude of datasets from a single sample and allows for a comprehensive and integrated subsurface characterization of target zones within the Uinta Basin.
ALEX ZUMBERGE has extensive lab experience in oil and rock extract analyses with emphasis on correlation tools like bulk organic properties, lipid biomarkers and carbon isotopes. He has over fifteen years’ experience in a lab environment doing experiments himself as well as overseeing general sample/project flow through each analysis phase. Alex completed his PhD in Organic Geochemistry at the University of California – Riverside where he specialized on sterane/hopane relationships through time from the Precambrian to the present. Currently, Alex oversees all operations (oil, rock and gas labs) at GeoMark Research as Executive Vice President of Operations.
Expanded geologic focus:
Why contribute?
• Reach
• Quarterly
• Permanent
• Quick
• Every
Why contribute?
Expanded geologic focus:
• Entire greater Rocky Mountain area of North America
• West Texas and New Mexico to northern British Columbia
• Entire greater Rocky Mountain area of North America
• Reach a broad industry and academic audience
• Great Plains and Mid-Continent region
• West Texas and New Mexico to northern British Columbia
• Quarterly peer reviewed journal
• Great Plains and Mid-Continent region Why contribute?
• Permanent archiving includes AAPG Datapages
• Reach a broad industry and academic audience
• Quarterly peer-reviewed journal
• Quick turn around time
• Every subdiscipline in the geosciences
• Quick turn-around time
https://www.rmag.org/publications/the
• Permanent archiving includes AAPG Datapages
https://www.rmag.org/publications/the
• Every subdiscipline in the geosciences
Expanded geologic focus:
area of North America
• Entire greater Rocky Mountain area of North America
northern British Columbia region
• West Texas and New Mexico to northern British Columbia
• Great Plains and Mid Continent region
Email: mgeditor@rmag.org
https://www.rmag.org/publications/the -mountain-geologist/
Eagle Basin Field Trip
Evaporites, Turbidites and Stromatolites: A Whirlwind Tour of Eagle Basin Permo-Carboniferous Geology
SEPTEMBER 21, 2024
A photo-essay by Rob Diedrich and Ronald L. Parker
This fall, RMAG On the Rocks field trip participants embarked on an enlightening one-day tour of northwest Colorado’s Eagle Basin. The trip was spearheaded by John McLeod, an RMAG member from Tulsa, and was co-led by Dennis Gertenbach, a veteran field trip leader for RMAG and other geologic societies. Beginning in Dotsero, CO, we started in the middle of the elongate, NW-SE-oriented Eagle Basin, navigating a 63-mile loop along the Colorado River that approached the eastern edge of this Ancestral Rockies trough. Ending our tour in Wolcott, CO, we saw a diverse cross-section of late Paleozoic stratigraphy, sedimentology and structural geology revealed in the terrain exposed by Colorado River incision. We stopped to interrogate the rocks at ten distinct outcrops - all different and all amazing. A highlight was the visit to the ‘Stromatolite Garden,’ an outcrop of the Belden Formation where fist-sized algal heads popped like mushrooms out their encasing sediment. This site was originally ‘discovered’ during a 2021 RMAG fossil-hunting field trip - also
led by McLeod and Gertenbach.
The morning began with sunny skies, just another summer-like September day in Colorado. The forecast, however, called for a drastic change in the weather by afternoon, with rain, and even snow, as a possibility for our field trip. As we arrived at our lunchtime stop at the Sweetwater Fold, we shed layers in the early afternoon warmth. As we finished lunch under the sunny blue sky, ominous dark clouds were inflating to the south. Just as forecast, the weather quickly changed. The wind picked up, dark clouds rolled in, and the mercury plummeted. Fortunately, the anticipated storm was merciful. Precipitation held off until our final stop of the day, where it rained horizontally!
We were thrilled by the fascinating and diverse outcrops in this most beautiful part of sparsely-traveled Colorado. We all learned so much and are most grateful to our trip-leaders, John McLeod and Dennis Gertenbach, for organizing an unforgettable field experience to this corner of the Eagle Basin.
FIGURE 2: Trip co-leader John McLeod stands in front of outcrops of the Mississippian Leadville Limestone. Here, in the Eagle Basin, the Leadville displays profound evidence of the paleokarst observed across Laurentia during the Late Mississippian.
FIGURE 1: Colorado Geologic Map with Field Trip Stop Locations.
ON THE ROCKS: EAGLE BASIN
FIGURE 3: Trip participants scramble up a narrow draw on their way to the unique ‘stromatolite garden.’ The rocks exposed here are sediments from the Pennsylvanian Belden Formation.
FIGURE 4: Participants gather in the ‘Stromatolite Garden,’ an exposure of fist-sized algal heads that have been replaced with silica and preserved in their original bedding plane of growth. This outcrop was ‘discovered’ during a 2021 RMAG fossil-hunting field trip, also led by McLeod and Gertenbach. These stromatolites are unique in that each of the domal heads are comprised of hundreds of thin, elongate, digitate layers of cyanobacteria. Although they look like laterally-linked hemispheroids (LLH-type) stromatolites, they aren’t.
FIGURE 5: This is a photomicrograph of the small digitate growth structures that coalesce to form the domal stromatolites at the ‘Stromatolite Garden’. Note that the algal fingers grew on a carbonate substrate of ooids (or peloids) and preserve interdigitate sediment. Image provided by John McLeod.
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ON THE ROCKS: EAGLE BASIN
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FIGURE 6: A scenic fall image of the headwaters of the Colorado River. Structurally deformed sands and shales from the Belden Fm are seen on the far side of the valley.
FIGURE 7: This figure is a schematic cross-sectional comparison of the Eagle Basin with the coeval Paradox Basin from Utah (Blakey, 2009). Field trip participants were treated to exceptional outcrops of Late Paleozoic sedimentation in the Eagle Basin.
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ON THE ROCKS: EAGLE BASIN
FIGURE 8: Large balland-pillow structure from the sands and shales of the mid-Pennsylvanian Minturn Formation. This type of softsediment deformation results from rapid deposition of sand onto soft, water-saturated muds.
FIGURE 9: Field trip co-leader Dennis Gertenbach placing safety cones along a Minturn roadcut.
FIGURE 10: Nate Rogers stands in front of boulders from the mid-Pennsylvanian Eagle Valley Formation containing large crystals of gypsum. Evaporites are common in the Eagle Valley and are quarried in Gyspum, CO for wall board manufacturing.
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ON THE ROCKS: EAGLE BASIN
FIGURE 12:
In addition to Permo-Carboniferous outcrops, the trip also included ‘drive-bys’ of Mesozoic-aged rocks. Red beds of the Triassic Chinle Formation outcrop in the background.
FIGURE 11:
Field trip participants in front of a roadcut of organic-rich shales of the Cretaceous Mancos Shale, the youngest formation visited during our field trip. The light-colored bands are bentonites within the Mancos.
FIGURE 13: Pennsylvanianaged red beds outcrop behind John McLeod in an afternoon stop. The Minturn here consists of fluviodeltaic sediments shed off the Uncompaghre Uplift.
ON THE ROCKS: EAGLE BASIN
FIGURE 14:
A unique ‘burrow-type’ feature seen in the Minturn. But rather than a trace fossil, this feature is interpreted to be preserved evidence of groundwater sapping, formed when an unconsolidated reservoir experiences downward groundwater drainage through an underlying conduit. The best evidence for this is that internal layers, though pulled downward, are not destroyed.
FIGURE 15:
Our group picture was taken in front of the Sweetwater Fold, a recumbent fold mapped in Belden Formation sands and shales.
WELCOME NEW RMAG MEMBERS!
Christine Griffith with Texas A&M University from College Station, Texas
Amanda Monnette with Black & Veatch from Denver, Colorado
Ryan North with ISC Geoscience from Evergreen, Colorado
Sophia Palumbo is a student at New Mexico Tech from Denver, Colorado
Chris Cassle with Carbon America from Arvada, Colorado
Michael Hilmes with Carbon America from Arvada, Colorado
Earl White with Dolan Intergration Group from Westminster, Colorado
Matthew Bourbon with Petrotek Engineering Corporation from Broomfield, Colorado
Ceyhan Sahinkaya Akyol is a student at Colorado School of Mines from Golden, Colorado
Mark Grummon from Denver, Colorado
Jason Gumble with Kansas Geologic Survey from Lawerence, Kansas
Graeme Graigon with Rogii from Houton, Texas
Harold Rowe with Premier Corex from Houston, Texas
Christopher Laughrey with Stratum Reservoir with Evergreen, Colorado
William Little with W.W. Little Geological Consuling, LLC from Wellington, Utah
IN THE PIPELINE
NOVEMBER 6, 2024
RMAG November 2024 Lunch
Speaker: Mike Leibovitz, 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm. Denver Earth Resources Library, 730 17th Street B1, Denver, CO.
NOVEMBER 7, 2024
RMAG & GJGS Happy Hour
4:00 pm - 6:00 pm, Trail Life Brewing, 436 Main St., Grand Juction, CO.
NOVEMBER 19, 2024
RMAG Happy Hour Denver Beer Company - Olde Town Arvada 5768 Olde Wadsworth Blvd, Arvada, CO.
NOVEMBER 21, 2024
RMAG Coffee Hour 10:00 am - 11:00 am, 1675 Larimer St Unit D, Denver, CO.
