OUTCROP Newsletter of the Rocky Mountain Association of Geologists
Volume 63 • No. 9 • September 2014
PTTC Fall Workshops PTTC Fall Symposium Environmental Innovation in Colorado Oil and Gas Production
Thursday, September 18, 2014, 8:30 am – 5 pm, Colorado School of Mines, Ben Parker Student Center Ballroom AB Fee: $275, Professionals and $125, Students: includes lunch, class notes, and PDH certificate Limit: 100 persons PTTC and the Colorado School of Mines are hosting a one-day conference focusing on Colorado upstream oil and gas environmental best practices and innovation. The purpose of the conference is to bring together, key players in the industry, to share information and experiences on these topics and to encourage further progress in environmental stewardship. Confirmed speakers represent Colorado regulatory agencies, leading Colorado oil and gas producers, PTTC and Mines professionals and technical consultants. For further information, contact L Peter Galusky, Jr at 719-339-6791 or lpg@texerra.com or Mary Carr at 303-273-3107 or mcarr@mines.edu . Please join us! Confirmed Speakers and Topics: Kevin Rein: CO Division of Water Resources: Key Issues and Priorities - Water supply Garry Kaufman: CO Air Pollution Control Division: Key Issues and Priorities - Air Charles Johnson: Solid Water, CO Hazardous Mat and Waste Division: Key Issues and Priorities – Waste Terri Hogue: CSM-ConocoPhillips Center for a Sustainable West: Mission and Aims of the Center for a Sustainable West Mary Carr: Dir. PTTC Colorado School of Mines: PTTC: A History of Service to Industry Peter Galusky: Envir Eng, Texerra LLC: Optimizing Oil & Gas Field Water Management using Simulation Software Korby Braken: HSE, Anadarko: An Overview of Anadarko's Best Environmental Practices Gary Lawson: Environmental Manager, Whiting: The Use of Technology as a Best Management Practice in Whiting Petroleum Gretchen Kohler; Senior Staff, WPX: WPX Energy’s Water Management Program in the Piceance Basin Beth Aldridge: Niobrara Environmental Coordinator, ConocoPhillips: Environmental Innovation in ConocoPhillips Niobrara Operations George Iwaszek; Managing Consultant Trinity Consultants: Web-based Tools to Manage Air Compliance Gilbert Barth: Senior Project Hydrol., SS Papadopulos & Ass., Inc: Analysis and Groundwater Modeling to Anticipate Changes in Groundwater Contribution to Streamflow
How to Find Bypassed Pay in Old Wells Using DST Data Monday-Wednesday, Oct. 6-8, 2014, 8:30 AM-5:00 PM Colorado School of Mines, Ben Parker Student Center Ballroom A Fee: $700; Includes: refreshments, workbook, and PDH certificate Instructor: Hugh W. Reid
Confessions of a Frac Engineer: 200 Field Studies Prove our Frac Jobs are Not Optimized Tuesday November 4, 2014, 8:30 am – 5:00 pm Colorado School of Mines, Ben Parker Student Center Ballroom B Fee: $250 (includes snacks, PDH cert, and workbook) Instructor: Mike Vincent, Fracwell, LLC
Class Descriptions and Register Online: www.pttcrockies.org For more information, contact Mary Carr, 303.273.3107, mcarr@mines.edu
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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.
2014 Officers and Board of Directors RMAG Staff
Executive Director Carrie Veatch, MA cveatch@rmag.org Membership & Events Manager Hannah Rogers hrogers@rmag.org Projects Specialist Emily Tompkins etompkins@rmag.org
President – Matt Silverman MSilverman@bayless-cos.com
Treasurer – Reed Johnson rdjohnson@resoluteenergy.com
President-Elect – Marv Brittenham, brittmh@aol.com
Treasurer Elect – Paul Lillis plillis@usgs.gov
1st Vice-President – Michael Dolan mdolan@digforenergy.com
Counselor (2 Year) – Laura L. Wray laura.wray@wpxenergy.com
2nd Vice-President – Michelle Bishop mbishop@indra.com
Counselor (1 Year) – Terri Olson Terri_Olson@eogresources.com
Secretary – Nick Nelson nnelson@samson.com
Accountant Carol Dalton cdalton@rmag.org
Managing Editor
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RMAG July Board of Directors Meeting By Nick Nelson, Secretary (nnelson@samson.com) This month’s board meeting was held on July 16th, 2014. The meeting was just a few days before the RMSAAPG convention, so I was expecting this to be one of the most hectic meetings yet. However, due to the months of hard work by the RMS-AAPG planning committee, there were no significant issues that needed to be discussed during the board meeting. We received the last minute updates on the registration and sponsorship numbers and then we moved on to other matters. Overall, the organization financials are still looking good. Now that we are starting the latter half of the year when meetings are few and far between the income each month is going to start coming down from the highs seen earlier this year. This happens every year and is expected. The yearly budget shows this and we are still looking very good on the year over year growth that we all like to see. The publications committee is still pushing hard with new and soon to be released publications. Be sure to get your copy of the Big Red Book Structure/Tectonics CD. I have purchased my copy and have already begun to use the data. The ease of use is outstanding because the information is in shape file format. Be sure to go to www.RMAG.org to purchase your copy today. Also keep
an eye out for new publications, such as the Colorado Oil and Gas Fields CD. If it is not available by the time this Outcrop is published it will be soon afterwards so be sure to check the website. It is now time for me to remind you that geologists must get outside every now and then to interact with rocks. If it has been longer than 10 days since you spent time at an outcrop you need to get out there and look at some rocks. I think this month you should pair your favorite beverage with a nice aeolian environment, you can choose your favorite for both. My choice will be a moderately priced box of red wine and a nice inter-dune facies. Have fun, and be safe.
»
Call for Papers AAPG is putting together a publication for the Memoir Series on Imaging of Unconventional Reservoir Pore Systems. This will build on papers from technical sessions at URTeC with the same theme. The deadline for manuscripts is Dec. 1, 2014. For more information, contact the editors: Terri Olson at tmolson8550@gmail. com or Matt Honarpour at bhpbilliton.com.
»
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Vol. 63, No.9
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September 2014
OUTCROP Newsletter of the Rocky Mountain Association of Geologists
CONTENTS Features
4 Call for Papers 17 Lead Story: Meet the Assistant Editors for The Mountain Geologist 24 AAPG-RMS Field Trip #3 28 Fun Was Had By All (RMS-AAPG Denver, Colorado Meeting)
Association News
7 RMAG 2014 Summit Sponsors 9 The Outcrop Needs YOU! 14 RMAG On-the-Rocks Field Trip 18 Welcome Reception for NAPE Rockies 20 Sporting Clay Tournament RMAG 2014 Sponsorship Opportunities 21 Second Annual RMAG Sporting Clay Tournament 23 Rockbusters Ball – A Night out on the Town 25 SAVE THE DATE! Bakken Petroleum System Core Workshop (Sold Out!!)
30 RMAG Monthly Luncheon Sponsor Commitment Form 31 Thank You to 2013 Foundation Donors 34 Submit a Manuscript to The Mountain Geologist 35 Connect with RMAG Online! 38 21st Annual 3D Seismic Symposium Call for Papers 39 Tectonic GIS Data from the Geological Atlas of the Rocky Mountain Region 41 RMAG Foundation Scholarship Awards 2014 45 Oil & Gas Fields of Colorado 2014 Order Form
Departments
4 RMAG July Board
of Directors Meeting 6 President's Column 32 In the Pipeline 36 In Memoriam
COVER PHOTO Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper, photo courtesy of Colorado Governor's office. Please see Matt Silverman’s President Column, page 6.
40 RMAG Luncheon Programs 44 September New Members 46 Advertisers Index 46 Calendar of Events
Volume 63 • No. 9 • September 2014 OUTCROP
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President’s Column By Matt Silverman
Beer & Bernoulli: A Geologist in the Capitol The Great Seal of the State of Colorado includes words and symbols you might expect: snow-capped mountains, a Latin phrase suggesting Nothing Without Providence, and 1876, the year of statehood. But it also contains a couple of unlikely tools that reflect the importance of geology in the Centennial State’s heritage: a rock pick and miner’s sledge hammer, similar to the RMAG seal. So it’s altogether fitting that Colorado has the first governor in the nation’s history who was previously a professional geologist, John Hickenlooper. And he’s also the only former commercial beer-maker to become governor since Samuel Adams in Massachusetts in 1793. Hick’s path from the oil fields to Denver’s mayor’s office to Colorado’s gold-domed capitol has been welldocumented (including an early effort I wrote for the Outcrop when he was almost ready to open the Wynkoop Brewing Company in the late Eighties). Now 62, he grew up in Pennsylvania and attended Wesleyan University in Connecticut where he majored in English. “I crashed a class in land-use planning taught by a USGS geologist,” he explained. “It was so pragmatic and real, I checked out geology.” After making up undergraduate deficiencies in calculus, physics and chemistry, John spent two summers doing his thesis field work in the high Absarokas, north of Yellowstone. “It took me four years to get my Master’s but it was worth every minute. Didn’t take long for me to love the idea of working in the most beautiful places in the world and getting paid for it.” Hick received his M.A. in Geology from Wesleyan in 1981. He moved to Colorado that year, working as a Rockies exploration geologist for Buckhorn Petroleum. In the great oil patch recession of 1986, John was laid off,
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like so many of us. Instead of going into consulting or one of the other forms of underemployment that were readily available then, he opened the state’s first brewpub in 1988, renovating an old warehouse in Denver’s historic (but then underappreciated, occasionally dangerous) LoDo district. It was a frothy success that grew into a collection of restaurants and brewpubs in older Denver neighborhoods and elsewhere around the state and country. “I went from one liquid with dissolved gas to another,” he’s joked often. In 2003, he ran for mayor of Denver, highlighting his entrepreneurial spirit and now-famous quirkiness as a campaign strategy, along with the revitalization of downtown Denver, in which he had played a key private sector role. It was his first election and his first public office, he served for eight years. Time magazine named Hickenlooper one of the country’s five best big-city mayors just two years after his election. John parlayed his success in handling a budget crisis, streamlining city services and attracting the 2008 Democratic National Convention to Denver into a successful run for the governor’s office in 2010. Widely Continued on page 8 »
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President's Column Continued from page 6
perceived as a pro-business Democrat, Hickenlooper has presided over a generally healthy state economy, one whose job growth rocketed from 40th in the country when he took office to fourth in 2013. Peter Dea, President and CEO of Cirque Resources, says, “Since our days in the mid-1980s, collaborating as editors of The Mountain Geologist (he was Chief Editor of course!), I’ve always admired John's innate ability and desire to bring diverse stakeholders together in a variety of situations, to seek balanced solutions to complex issues for the overall good. Fast forward to his political career. This is a unique and refreshing quality he brings to Colorado and as a role model for leaders across the nation.� On a hot July morning in the Capitol’s Executive Chambers, the governor looked back on his careers in petroleum exploration, brewing and government. He was in shirtsleeves and khakis, at a conference table under a huge John Fielder photograph of the Last Dollar Ranch and the Sneffels Range. John said, “I use geological metaphors all the time. Remember Bernoulli’s equation,
pushing fluid through a pipe? The more corroded or rough the pipe, the more turbulent the flow. Same in public policy: people become upset and I try to address that roughness.â€? “My job is to smooth out the rough spots in the pipe so the fluids – the reforms we need – can flow through with less turbulence. Laminar flow.â€? “Like geologists,â€? he added, “policy makers have to have a long timeframe. Draw conclusions and make decisions from limited facts predict.â€? Anticipating a 2014 ballot crowded with referendum issues related to drilling, he said, “Surface rights and mineral rights are competing interests and both have standing. Somebody will say it’s not fair to drill near my house and somebody else will say it’s not fair to prevent development of my minerals. But the ballot issues don’t belong in the state’s constitution. That’s using a five-pound hammer for openheart surgery.â€? On August 4th, Hickenlooper, along with U.S. Rep. Jared Polis, announced the creation of a citizens’ group Continued on page 10 Âť
Unconventionals Update GTW
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Nov. 17-19, 2014 – Golden, Colorado
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Participants will learn how to be successful in utilizing the Three Forks in a stacked-pay, pad-drilling strategy when producing various Bakken members. Attendees will learn how to apply 3D seismic and seismic attributes, use geochemistry and geochemical information to map sweet spots and to predict fracture behavior (including fluid behavior in the fractures, including fracture interference YJGP KPĆ’NN FTKNNKPI 5GUUKQPU YKNN CNUQ KPENWFG PGY Ć’PFKPIU KP GOGTIKPI RNC[U UWEJ as the Mancos.
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Vol. 63, No.9
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September 2014
The Outcrop Needs YOU! We need articles and photos for the Outcrop! Have you attended a great lecture or read an interesting new geology or energy book? Have you attended a class or gone on a field trip that would interest the membership? Have you learned a new technique or found some great public domain software? Share your research so we can grow together. We are looking for articles about the new water laws, basin modeling on the “cheap,� new geologic trails or programs, legislative concerns, new technology. Please be sure to include a phone number and make sure our emails are whitelisted. We have had a few submissions that we wished to run but we could not reach the submitters by email and had no other contact information.
Send in your article or photo today!
Please submit your ideas or articles and photos to: Kristine Peterson k.peterson@laramidegeo.com
Will Duggins will.duggins@i-og.net
Greg Guyer Greg.Guyer@halliburton.com
Holly Sell holly.sell@yahoo.com
Andre Scheinwald aschein33001@gmail.com
Cheryl Whitney cwhitney@alumni.nmt.edu
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President's Column Continued from page 8
Hickenlooper is up for re-election this November, facing a stiff challenge from retired banker and former two-term Congressman Bob Beauprez, a Republican who lost a previous race for Governor in 2006. “I still miss being a geologist,” Hickenlooper said, “and I miss being a restaurateur. But being Governor – that’s the best job in Colorado.” On November 4th, we’ll know if he’ll still be doing it next year. »
designed to propose regulations to minimize argument over drilling setbacks and other issues that were destined for Colorado’s November ballot. He asked “everyone to pull down four ballot initiatives on this topic." As this issue went to press, two referenda aimed at stricter oil and gas controls, as well as two industrysupported initiatives, would all be withdrawn. "This is the way we do things in Colorado,” he said. “We work through our differences and difficulties. Maybe no one is perfectly happy, but it serves all parties." Hick has a reputation as a moderate, and he’s criticized by people on both ends of the political spectrum. He’s been attacked from the right for his positions on gun control (more) and capital punishment (less). And he’s been pilloried (“Governor Frackenlooper”) from the left for his opposition to legalized marijuana and his support of oil and gas development and hydraulic fracturing. “Politics is a contact sport,” he acknowledged, “but both sides must be more reasonable.”
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September 2014
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Vol. 63, No.9
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RMAG On-the-Rocks Field Trip
Summary and Logistical Information Volcanic History of the Gunnison Basin
Leader: Allen Stork, Western State Colorado University Saturday, September 20 & Sunday 21 Make this your trip for Colorado fall color! The last On-the-Rocks field trip of the 2014 season will include spectacular geology and awesome scenery. Geology The Upper Gunnison Basin was formed by the interplay between the 30 m.a. old West Elk Volcano and the large ash-flow sheets that make up the northern slopes of the San Juan Mountains. On Saturday, the field trip will first look at gravels deposited when the West Elk Volcano disrupted the paleodrainages off of the Laramide Rockies. We will then loop south to tour the well-exposed Cochetopa Caldera, the northern end of the La Garita Caldera, and the tuffs erupted from the San Luis Caldera cycle. The day will finish by looking at the 20 m.a. Nine-Mile Hill Volcano and a spectacular overview of the West Elk Volcano and Upper Gunnison Basin. For those able to stay through Sunday morning, there will be an optional portion of the field trip that will go into the heart of the West Elk Volcano up Red Creek. On the drive up, we will look at the debris flows that make up the majority of West Elk Volcano. We will end up at about 12,000 feet elevation, and after a short (<1/4 mile) climb, have a spectacular view into the center of the volcano and of the Gunnison Laccolith Cluster to the north. This is a relatively rough gravel road and high clearance vehicles are recommended. This optional portion of the field trip will end at 1 pm on Sunday.
Inner Strength. At WPX Energy, we’re driven by our desire to be excellent operators. We’re recognized as an industry leader by regulators, the community and our peers. We take pride in doing things right – recycling water and running rigs on natural gas to help protect air quality. Our natural strength comes from our can-do attitude. We ,+1&+2 ))6 Ɯ+! 4 60 1, * (" ,2/ 20&+"00 0 #"/Ǿ 01/,+$"/ +! *,/" "ƛ& &"+1ǽ We’re WPX.
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© 2013 WPX Energy
Continued on page 16 »
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RMAG On-the-Rocks Field Trip Continued from page 14
Logistics The trip will begin and end in the Hurst Hall parking lot on the campus of Western State (the W.) in Gunnison, CO. Click here for a link to the campus map: http://www.western.edu/sites/default/files/page/docs/2014_ WESTERN_STATE_COLORADO_UNIVERSITY_CAMPUS_MAP_web.pdf The Saturday trip will start at 8 am and end at 5 pm. The Sunday trip will start at 8 am and end at 1 pm. The trip will be on gravel roads and high clearance vehicles are recommended. If you do not have such a vehicle, it is likely that you will be able to ride with someone who does, or with the trip leader in a university vehicle. Coordinate with Sandra Mark regarding travel (contact info below). There will be a few short (<1/4 mile) hikes over easy terrain. Most of the stops have decent parking but we should strive to keep the number of vehicles low; 30 participants. Camping, Lodging, Restaurants in Gunnison Gunnison is a 3.5 – 4 hour drive from the Denver metro area, so lodging or camping for one or two nights must be arranged and paid for by individual participants. Camping Elk Creek Campground at the Curecanti National Recreation Area (Blue Mesa Reservoir) will be the meeting place for those interested in camping. Here is a link to the Curecanti website: http://www.nps.gov/cure/index.htm The group campgrounds will be closed for the season, so we were not able to reserve the site for our group. The ranger assured us that there would be plenty of spaces available in the campground, and we might even “have it to ourselves.” Those camping might want to share a site with other participants, thus sharing the cost and conviviality. Lodging The Gunnison Chamber of Commerce website lists the area lodging options: http://gunnison-co.com/index.php?pid=lodging There is a range of chain hotels and “mom & pop” motels from which to choose. The Holiday Inn Express is within walking distance of the Hurst Hall meeting place for the field trip, but is pricier than most of the motels in town. Restaurants The Gunnison Chamber of Commerce website lists dining options: http://gunnison-co.com/index.php?pid=dine Not listed in the link above, but highly recommended for breakfast is the huevos rancheros at W Cafe (on N. Main) http://thewcafe.com/. Get there early or you'll have a long wait, as it is favored by Western students. Also recommended for breakfast or lunch is the Gunnisack Cowboy Bistro, just up the street from The W Cafe. Other recommendations include: Mario's for pizza, Double Dragon for Chinese (both on W. Tomichi), and Garlic Mike's on N Hwy 135. Contact Info Please contact Sandra Mark for logistical questions: sandra@themarkfarm. com or 303.810.7827. » Vol. 63, No.9
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LEAD STORY
Meet the Assistant Editors for The Mountain Geologist The Mountain Geologist has seven Assistant Editors, all experienced, professional geologists. These often unsung but dedicated volunteers work hard and frequently with short turn-arounds. They copy edit submitted papers for adherence to the RMAG “Author Style Guide” and participate in many aspects of manuscript evaluation and production. They often participate in the monthly RMAG Publications Committee meetings. The Rocky Mountain Association of Geologists is deeply appreciate of their time and efforts toward the quarterly publication of The Mountain Geologist.
Nance Petroleum (SMEnergy) and taught earth science courses in Montana, and has worked as an exploration geologist for Shell Oil Co., Houston, and as a geologist and geoengineering specialist for iReservoir.com, Colorado. She recently has changed course but remains as industry geoscientist. Ann started with The Mountain Geologist in May 2012.
Mel (Melissa) Klinger is a structural and petroleum geologist, currently running her own company, Eureka Geological Consulting, LLC (www. eurekageologicalconsulting. com). She has a B. Sci. from University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire and a M. Sci. from University of Idaho (Moscow), both in geology. Mel began her professional career working with Devon Energy Corp. specializing in the Permian Basin. Upon moving to Denver, she worked for Cimarex Energy, and later with Fidelity Exploration and Production Company in their Exploration and New Ventures group. She then went out on her own, forming Eureka Geological Consulting, LLC. Mel has been volunteering with The Mountain Geologist since February 2011.
George Dunne, Ph.D. earned both B.A. and M.Sci. (igneous petrology) degrees from San Jose State University, California. He received his Ph.D. from Rice University in 1972, doing research under Clark Burchfiel on a structural geology problem in the Mojave Desert. He then taught in the Geological Sciences Department, California State University, Northridge from 1972 – 2005, serving twice as Department Chair, and retiring from full professorship in 2005. While at Cal State Northridge, George taught field methods, structure, summer field camp, and cordilleran Tectonics courses. He has peer reviewed papers for Tectonics, GSA Bulletin, and Geology; and has done research in the Sierra Nevada and eastern California desert ranges, publishing recently on Jurassic paleogeography of the Sierran magmatic arc. George moved to the Denver area in 2009, and he joined The Mountain Geologist editorial staff in October 2012.
Ann Vasko is a structural geologist with experience in reservoir characterization and petrophysics of conventional and unconventional resources. She graduated from University of Southern California with a B.Sci. in Geology and Petroleum E n g i n e e r i n g i n 19 8 0 a n d received her M.Sci. in Geology and Plant and Soil Science from Montana State University (Bozeman) in 1982. Ann has worked for
William R. (Dick) Keefer, Ph.D. is a retired geologist from the U.S. Geological Survey. He received his B.A. and graduate degrees (M.A., Ph.D.) at the University of Wyoming. Dick began his career with the USGS while still a student in the late 1940s. For more than 30 years he was involved in geologic mapping and structural and stratigraphic studies mainly in Wyoming sedimentary basins. His work included
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Continued on page 19 »
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Welcome Reception for NAPE Rockies Brought to you by RMAG
NAPE Rockies Join us Wednesday, December 10th, 2014 3:00 pm - 5:00 pm At the Colorado Convention Center
Sponsorship Opportunities Available Contact RMAG Office
visit: www.rmag.org
Vol. 63, No.9
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email: staff@rmag.org
September 2014
Lead Story
Continued from page 17
mapping projects in the Little Belt Mountains in Montana and Yellowstone National Park, as well as administrative assignments in Washington, D.C. In Denver , he held the position of regional geologist of the USGS Central Region for a number of years. Results of his field investigations are published in some 100 papers and maps. Upon retiring from the USGS, Dick spent several years with Mitchell Energy Corporation as an exploration geologist. He was then re-employed part time by the USGS to participate in the Yucca Mountain, Nevada, radioactive waste project and in tight-gas-sand studies in the Wind River and Bighorn Basins. For 10 years Dick served as editor of reports prepared for publication by scientists of the Central Energy Resources Science Center. Dick has been an Assistant Editor for The Mountain Geologist since March 2013.
her M. Sci.in Environmental Management at American Public University. Sabrina joined The Mountain Geologist editorial staff in March 2014. Ro n ald L. Parke r h a s ten years experience as a hydrogeological consultant in ground water contaminant remediation in New England, as well as seven years of teaching Mineralogy, Hydrogeology, Geochemistry, Sedimentology and Intro courses at Earlham College, Richmond, Indiana. He now analyzes borehole image data for Task Fronterra Geoscience, Denver, working with major and smaller independent oil and gas companies. Ron has a B.A. in geology from Colgate University (Hamilton, NY), an M.Sci. in Geology from the University of Vermont (Burlington, Vt.) and did doctoral work in uranium hydrogeochemistry at Texas A&M (College Station, TX). Ron joined The Mountain Geologist editorial staff in May 2014. Âť
Christopher Dorion is a geologist with seven years industry experience with Schlumberger Software, Denver. He works as a support geoscientist focusing on GeoFrame software and Petrel E&P software platform training and consulting in the domains of geology, geophysics, geomodeling, and uncertainty analysis. Chris earned his Bachelors degree in Petroleum Geology from Western State Colorado University. In addition to the traditional Assistant Editor duties, Chris focuses on the production aspects of The Mountain Geologist, as well as on figures and illustrations. Chris joined The Mountain Geologist editorial staff March 2014.
LOCATION weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll lease it, permit it, gather it and sell it
S a b r i n a Tr a s k h a s a background in structural geology and has worked at the State of Alaska Department of Geological/ Geophysical Surveys and ARCO Alaska (now ConocoPhilips). She has a B. Sci. in Geology (focusing on structure) from Washington State University and did graduate work in the Department of Geology & Geophysics at the University of Alaska, Fairbanks, before her current Denver employment at WPX Energy. At WPX, she is working in unconventional plays such as the Bakken/Williston Basin. Sabrina is currently pursuing OUTCROP
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Lunch at noon Shooting starts at 1pm
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September 2014 303-573-8621 | staff@rmag.org
Second Annual RMAG Sporting Clay Tournament The second annual RMAG Sporting Clay Tournament will be held at Kiowa Creek Sporting Club on Thursday, September 25. All RMAG members and non-members, are welcome to join the fun. It does not matter if you are a novice shooting a shotgun, or an experienced shooter. Typically, a 12 gauge or a 20 gauge shotgun is used. If you do not own a shotgun, you can rent one for the event from Kiowa Creek Sporting Club. You will shoot 100 rounds, so bring four boxes of 7 ½ or 8 shot shells, or you can buy the ammunition at the event. For those of you that are not familiar with sporting clay shooting, it is commonly described as golf with guns. At the RMAG event, the shooting teams will be composed of four shooters that will shoot at ten different stations. At each station, each person on the team takes a turn shooting at five pairs of thrown targets that are called birds. The targets are made of biodegradable clay and painted a bright orange color. When hit dead center, they can resemble a firework exploding with orange chips spreading in all directions. These targets may be thrown on report, when the shooter says “Pull” one bird is thrown, when the shotgun is fired the second bird is thrown. At select stations, the targets are thrown as a true pair, at these stations when the shooter says “Pull," two birds are launched from two different throwers at the same time. Novice shooters may break a total of 20 birds, while very experience shooters may break 90 birds. A bird is considered broken if even one small chip is broken off the bird when you shoot. You will not need to know how to operate the throwers or how to keep score, RMAG volunteers will be there to help out. After each team member has taken a turn shooting at five pairs, the team OUTCROP
walks to the next station and repeats the process. Some stations throw the birds close together and close to the shooter. At other stations, the birds may be thrown far apart and farther away from the shooter. By the time you have finished all ten stations, you will have shot at every combination you can think of. Like a golf tournament, the event will start with a “shotgun” start. Each team will be assigned a station to start on, and each team will begin shooting at the same time. It will take about two hours for your team to complete the
Continued on page 22 »
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Second Annual RMAG Sporting Clay Tournament
Wealth Planning Services
Continued from page 21
course. Even though we keep score and prizes are awarded, the event is more social than competitive. There are good opportunities to visit with colleagues before, during and after the event. Give yourself an hour to get to Kiowa Creek from downtown Denver. Registrants will be sent a map with driving directions. Lunch will be provided at 12:00, the event begins at 1:00 with a group safety meeting so that everyone understands how to safely load, shoot and carry your shotgun. Cash prizes will be awarded for three different flights, so even if your team has average or beginner shooters you still have a chance to win. We look forward to seeing you at this RMAG event. »
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AAPG-RMS Field Trip #3
Ancestral Rockies to the Western Interior Seaway: Geology and Petroleum Implications of the Morrison, Colorado Area Young Professionals and the Red Rocks - Morrison Area By Ron W. Pritchett, July 27, 2014 On Saturday, July 19th, seventeen young professionals toured outcrops between Highway 285 and Interstate 70 west of Denver. Trip Leader was Donna S. Anderson, Ph.D, who titled the trip: "Ancestral Rockies to the Western Interior Seaway: Geology and Petroleum Implications of the Morrison, CO area" (Figure 1 - Field Guide Cover). The trip included a charter bus and driver, box lunch, 5 stops at key outcrop in the Red Rocks, Dinosaur Ridge and Turkey Creek areas, and return to the I-70 "Woolly Mammoth" parking lot and Colorado Convention Center. AAPG-RMS Field Trip Director Ron Parker planned logistics for the trip; RMAG 2014 On the Rocks Field Trip Chair Ron Pritchett assisted on the trip. Par ticipants were shown sites of geologic controversies made famous over decades of study by numerous geologists who have interpreted the structure and succession of Paleozoic-to-Cretaceous age rocks exposed near the mountain front.
Figure 1. Cover of AAPG-RMS Trip #3 Field Guide showing five stops for the one-day field trip to famous exposures between Turkey Creek, Morrison, and Interstate 70 between Green Mountain and South Table Mountain.
Key Sites * An unconformity between Pre-cambrian gneisses/ schist/granite basement and Upper Pennsylvanian arkosic sandstone and conglomerates, recording a time-gap of more than 1.4 billion years at Red Rocks Park
of dinosaurs recorded in upper Jurassic Morrison finegrained rocks * Stacked sandstones of the upper Morrison Formation * Red paleosol marking upper Jurassic age sediments and higher-energy Lytle sandstones of lower Cretaceous age
* Accreted barform sandstones cutting into "sheetflood" arkosic sandstone and overbank brick-red micaceous sandy siltstone of upper Pennsylvanian age
Continued on page 26 Âť
* "Bronto Bulges" sediments deformed by the weight Vol. 63, No.9
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AAPG-RMS Field Trip #3 Continued from page 24
* Dakota Group sandstones and shales including the Plainview Ss., Skull Creek b i ot u r b a te d s a n d s to n e , volcanic clay time-marker beds, Kassler Ss. and "J" Ss. (Figure 2. Group and D. Anderson at the Alameda road cut-Dinosaur Ridge) * Lytle/Plainview/Skull Creek/J-Sand sedimentary stack at the Turkey Creek road cut (Highway 285) * Interpretations of structure along the mountain front and the possibility of "triangle zones" of deformation east of the outcrops to explain strike changes and anomalously thin Figure 2: Young Professionals group of AAPG-RMS Field Trip #3 with Leader Donna Anderson, intervals of valley sediments standing on east-dipping Kassler Sandstone, left of the whitish Skull Creek "Shale." at the outcrop. Special thanks Geologists can bring the gift of were challenged to observe the to E. J. Sterne (Ned) for contributions rock-record of changes through to structural interpretations along scalar description to understanding geologic time. Petroleum industry the Front Range of Colorado and the the Earth, and Donna Anderson provided such examples as subdevelopment in both conventional Golden Fault. duction zones in western North and unconventional reservoirs of * Oil-saturated sandstones in the the western U.S. has been guided J-Sand exposure at the Turkey Creek America that were large-scale drivers of structure, continental-to-marine by the models and predictive ideas stop, found together with roll-front strata, and rates of deposition. developed from outcrop exposures uranium deposits. At the outcrop scale, participants of Field Trip #3. The trip was a splendid opportunity to enjoy a sunny day in the big outdoors while networking Geologists can bring the gift and sharing experiences. Thanks of scalar description to Donna Anderson for sharing to understanding the Earth... her knowledge of stratigraphy and petroleum systems, and thanks for her generous leadership to help Geologists can bring the gift of scalar description to participants understand abundant understanding the Earth, and Donna Anderson provided information told by the rocks. All on such examples as subduction zones in western North the trip were challenged with the America that were large-scale drivers of structure, questions: "What do we know? What continental-to-marine strata, and rates of deposition. do we think we know? What do we not know?"Âť
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September 2014
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Fun Was Had By All – or – Technical Variety and Legacy Recognition Important at RMS-AAPG Denver, Colorado Meeting By Michael P. Dolan Year after year, cities in the Rocky Mountain region are offered the opportunity to host the Rocky Mountain Section-American Association of Petroleum Geologists (RMS-AAPG) meeting. Every year this meeting allows geologists to gather, network and share the technical expertise that has become the framework for a vibrant community in petroleum geology. RMS-AAPG, hosted by the Rocky Mountain Association of Geologists (RMAG), was pleased to welcome government, academic and industry geologists from around the Rocky Mountain region to Denver, Colorado under the topical show theme of “Cracking the Source”. This show always offers an important venue for recognizing deserving members of our technical community. With 750 registrants, attendees included geologists, students and spouses. All who came were able to share in an outstanding technical program with award and legacy recognition throughout this successful
meeting. The Robert J Weimer Lifetime contribution award, given to Dr. Lehi F. Hintze from BYU, highlights a full slate of awards that were presented to important contributors to our science. The Geo-Legends Theater offered still another opportunity to learn about or remind ourselves of what has become one of the most important legacies in petroleum geology, important contributors to oil and gas discoveries in the Rockies. The ability to listen to William J. Barrett at the Tuesday luncheon was another important opportunity to learn about this Rockies legacy from a top-notch explorer. The technical oral sessions conducted were outstanding. With a theme like “Cracking the Source," it was natural that the technical program coordinators bring in petroleum geochemists like Dr. Michael Lewan and Wally Dow. Both of these technical contributors presented extended talks in the plenary session on Monday morning. With Dr. Lewan fresh out of retirement and transitioning to Independent Consultant and Scientist Emeritus with the USGS, his talk entitled Critical Relationships between Vitrinite Reflectance and Petroleum Formation AS OUR TOUCH GETS LIGHTER… proved once again that the enthusiasm and passion for this work is truly the hallmark of an already great career in petroleum geochemistry. Wally Dow has shared in the contribution so many important technical topics, like the idea THE OPPORTUNITIES GROW LARGER. “petroleum system,” first developed at Amoco in the 1970s, expanding further with Les Magoon through 1994. The petroleum system idea is one of the most important exploration ideas added to the geological discussion over the years. Wally Dow’s talk at the RMSAAPG was no exception for innovative Our business is about more than exploration and production. It’s about improving the lives of those around us by thought. His talk entitled Natural and helping the communities in which we live and work grow and prosper. It’s about providing our employees with opportunities to make positive contributions and constantly challenging ourselves to ffi ind better solutions. It’s about Artificial Cracking of Oil Source Rocks continuously striving to be a better industry partner and leaving behind a legacy of sustainability wherever we can. and Unconventional Reservoirs turned Energizing the World, Bettering People’s Lives ®� out to be an important retrospective of current activity delivered from the keen www.nobleenergyinc.com introspection of the geochemist. The talk itself gave a concise interpretation Vol. 63, No.9
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Fun Was Had By All of many of the current plays that younger scientists The success of this show can only be attributed to and older veterans alike could benefit. This talk was a vibrant geological community in the Rocky Mountain highlighted by the announcement, after almost 50 years region, thanks to all who attended and contributed to in the petroleum industry, Wally Dow would retire within make this show a success. The community of geoscientists a week to a more relaxed life with wife Marlys and their exemplified its graciousness and Denver community children and grandchildren. spirit by donating over 300 Thanks for a great career, backpacks that were given as Statistics from the RMAG/RMS Wally! a registration gift at the show August Meeting in Denver: The theme of the show to a group that distributed highlighted the importance them to Denver Public School • On site registration – 108 of all components of the students right on time for the • On site spouse/guest registration – 9 petroleum system but had start of another school year. • On site student registration – 13 a special emphasis on Of course we would be remiss geochemistry as it relates not to mention the tireless • 66 exhibitors to organic rich source rocks volunteers and staff that did • 545 pre-registered attendees and shales in unconventional everything from reviewing the • 35 pre-registered student attendees and conventional petroleum technical program to filling systems. There were a wide those backpacks and printing • 40 pre-registered spouses/guests variety of technical topics the badges. Thanks of course discussed in the technical to the general chairs Cat sessions. One very important and well attended aspect of Campbell and Laura Johnson and the RMS president the technical program was the core viewing. Cores from Elmo Brown. Thanks to one and all, keep up the hard Bakken and Pronghorn intervals as well as the Sussex work. » Sandstone core from emerging tight oil play in the Powder River Basin. These core “posters” were heavily attended and viewed by most attendees. The poster session itself had many topics covered that are important to most Rocky Mountain geologists. Lively discussions surrounded those posters that highlighted topics as wide ranging as geothermal assessments to play analysis of the Cane Creek shale. Tuesday’s poster session was highlighted by Dr. Stephen Sonnenberg’s Elm Coulee Field, Williston Basin poster that featured enthusiastic technical discussions about an established field and an emerging development area throughout the poster viewing time. An effort is now underway by RMAG to capture and publish many of these great ideas to new source rock compendium. Another important note was that the position of the Exhibitor Hall between the posters and the talk kept all aspects of the show conducive to technical review and networking. OUTCROP
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RMAG MONTHLY LUNCHEON—Sponsor Commitment Form Deadline: The 1st of the Prior Month (i.e. June 1st for July Luncheon) RMAG holds monthly luncheons, typically the first Wednesday of each month. The RMAG luncheon program provides a professional format for networking, cultivating local/regional activity awareness and exposure to emerging exploration and technology.
LUNCHEON SPONSOR - $500 per luncheon Please Note Preferred Month:__________________________________________ Donated funds will go toward the overall cost of the luncheon. Benefits: Company will be recognized in up to 2 emails to the RMAG membership about the luncheon, company logo in PowerPoint presentation looping prior to RMAG monthly luncheon, verbal recognition of company at the luncheon, and company logo on RMAG’s luncheon section of website
LUNCHEON POWERPOINT SPONSOR - $100 per luncheon Please Note Preferred Month:___________________________________________ Company logo in PowerPoint presentation looping prior to RMAG monthly luncheon and company logo on RMAG’s luncheon section of website
CUSTOMIZED LUNCHEON POWERPOINT SLIDE - $125 per luncheon Please Note Preferred Month:___________________________________________ Customized slide in PowerPoint presentation looping prior to RMAG monthly luncheon and company logo on RMAG’s luncheon section of website
Please make checks payable to: RMAG Mail payment and a copy of this form to: RMAG, 910 16th Street Mall, Suite 1214, Denver, CO 80202 OR Pay by credit card VISA, MASTERCARD, AMERICAN EXPRESS, DISCOVER and email this form to staff@rmag.org Card #:
Exp. Date: ______________ _
Security Code: ___________Name on Card (Please Print): _________________________ _______ SPONSOR CONTACT INFORMATION: Contact Name: ___________________________ Company: ________________________________ Email: _________________________________________ Phone #: __________________________
Thank you for suppor�ng the RMAG! Vol. 63, No.9
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THANK YOU TO 2013 FOUNDATION DONORS The Trustees of the RMAG Foundation wish to thank and acknowledge the generous support of the Foundation’s donors in 2013. Over $53,000 was raised for student scholarships and the general fund which supports geologic endeavors within the Rocky Mountain scientific community at large. The Foundation awarded 7 scholarships in 2013 totaling $17,500 and an additional $17,000 was awarded to these deserving organizations:
AAPG Imperial Barrel Award- Rocky Mtn Section AAPG Student Leadership Conference- Rocky Mtn Section Friends of Dinosaur Ridge- Boys and Girl Scout days Morrison Natural History Museum- Inner City School attendance PTTC Futures in Energy- Rocky Mtn Section Colorado State Science Fair winners Golden Pick Award RMAG Guidebook Mineral sets for Denver Public Schools Colorado Science Teacher of the Year
Thank You all for your continued support! Abbot, William Bailey, RV Barrett, William Bell, Richard Blajszczak, Richard Bollenbacher, John Bortz, Louis Brittenham, Marvin Broten, Jim Brown, Charles "Elmo" Butler, Arthur Charbonneau, Roger Clifford C Clark Collinson, James Conti, Louis Coskey, Robert Covey, Curtis Crouch, Jane Crouch, Marshall Cygan, Norbert Desmond, Robert & Julia Enterline, Ted Eschner, Terence Estes-Jackson, Jane
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Flagg Diamond corp Freedom Energy Assoc Fullerton, Tom G & H Production Co Garcia, Carlos Gibbet Hill Foundation Gomez, Ernest Gregg, Clare Grose, Thomas Harris, Sherod Hayes, Kathryn Heath, Edward Hess, Paul Irwin, Patricia Jones, Evan Kamp, Carl Knappe, Roy Kovach, Paul Kreutzfeld, James Krey, Max Larson, Scott LJ Oil, Inc Lowell, James Mark, Anson
Mason, M.Ann McKenna, Donald J McKenna, Elizabeth Meckel, Lawrence Michael, Robert Moore, Clyde Munn, James Nelson, Forrest Obernolte, Rick O'Donnell, Richard Pasternak, Ira Peterson, David Polleys, John RMAG Golf Participants Reed, Don Reid, Chase Reynolds, Mitchell Richards, Gene Roberts, Kimberly Schumacher, Dietmar Selma, Janita Shreve, Mark Sidwell, E.R. Silverman, Matthew
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Single, Erwin Skeryanc, Anthony Smith, Gregg Smith, Marlis Smith, William Sonnenberg, Stephen Spelman, Allen Stark, Charles Stark, Philip Strachan, Stephen Sturdavant, Janien Sullivan, Steven Taylor, David Warme, John Wasson, Edward Wehrle, Paul Weiner, Kane West, Valary Wexford Resources Wiley, Bruce Willette, Donna Wray, Laura
www.rmag.org
In the Pipeline September 3, 2014 RMAG Luncheon. Speaker Murray W. Hitzman, “Induced Seismicity Potential of Energy Technologies.”
September 15-17, 2014 Hart DUG(Developing Unconventional Gas – Eagleford. San Antonio, TX.
September 6, 2014 RMAG On the Rocks Field Trip. Topic: Floods and Hydrology-Front Range.
September 16, 2014 DWLS Luncheon. Speaker John Priest. “ShortTime Span Petrophysical and Formation Properties Variation.”
September 10-11, 2014 RPSEA Onshore Production Conference and Field Trip. “Unconventional Hydrocarbon Reservoirs and Produced Water Management.” and “The Geology of Nine Mile Canyon and Produced Water Management in the Uinta Basin.” Utah Department of Natural Resources, Salt Lake City, UT.
September 18, 2014 PTTC Rockies Short Course. “Environmental Innovation in Colorado Oil and Gas Production, CSM, Golden, CO. September 20, 2014 RMAG On the Rocks Field Trip. “Volcanic History of the Gunnison Basin.”
September 12, 2014 DIPS Luncheon. Speaker Jeff Aldrich. “Petroleum Prospectivity of the Canning Basin, Australia.”
September 24, 2014 Oilfield Christian Fellowship Luncheon. 303-6752602.
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September 2014
In the Pipeline September 25, 2014 RMAG Clay Sporting Tournament. Kiowa Creek Sporting Club. See page 24 for more information.
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October 1, 2014 RMAG Luncheon. Speaker Michael Holmes, Digital Formation, Inc. “A comparison of petrophysical analytic sequesnt to describe both conventional and unconventional reservoirs.” October 14, 2014 DWLS Fall Workshop. Developments in Core Analysis, Kim Mosberger, 303-770-4235 or Reservations@dwls. spwla.org. Deadline for registrations is September 22, 2014. October 19-22, 2014 2014 GSA Annual Meeting. Vancouver, BC Canada at the Vancouver Convention Centre, http://community. geosociety.org/gsa2014/home/. Registration deadline: September 15, 2014. October 22, 2014 RMAG Pronghorn/Three Forks Core Workshop. See page 22 for more information.
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If you have any events that you would like to post in this column, please submit via email to Holly Sell at holly.sell@yahoo.com, or the RMAG office at staff@rmag.org.
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o t t ip r c s u n a M a it m Sub , peer-reviewed e lin n o y, rl e rt a u gists eologist is a q ociation of Geolo The Mountain G ss A in ta n u o M y ntain d by the Rock ors for The Mou it d E journal publishe . 0 0 2 2 t u o gy culation is ab or relate to geolo n o s since 1964. Cir cu fo t a th me manuscripts ns. Geologist welco gion and enviro re in ta n u o M y ist, please of the U.S. Rock ountain Geolog M e Th r fo t p ri nder anusc Guide” found u When writing a m le ty S r o th u “A te: wnloadable the RMAG websi n o t” refer to the do is g lo o e G The Mountain script according u n a m r u “Publications – yo te ri w is important to th authors and o b r fo e m www.rmag.org It ti n o visi 4. If e to mitigate re revised in 201 st la to this style guid s a w ” e id u ve uthor Style G s to the Executi ie ir u q editors. The “A in d n se uestions, please 2014. authors have q es published in su is to r fe re r o aol.com Editor at jtpetr@ ebsite ack Issues on the RMAG w le Index and B b ila va a is x mag. and inde eb page, www.r w A bibliography t is g lo o e G in tain e The Mounta dex to The Moun In d n (1964- 2009, se a y h p ra g umulative Biblio ntain Geologist, u o M e Th , org). See also, “C p o h is le B -2010” by Miche Geologist, 1999 . ntain , no. 3, p. 59-80 n DVD (The Mou o le July 2011, v. 48 b ila va a re a in e journal . 4; The Mounta o n Back issues of th , 2 2 v. , 5 8 9 e -2005 except 1 ilable through th va a ) 4 . Geologist 1964 o n , 2 2 v. . Some 010 with 1985, e RMAG website th Geologist 2006-2 n o e lin n o r o , 5. 3-573-8621 AG office for $1 M R RMAG office, 30 e th m o fr le s are availab back print issue
»
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September 2014
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In Memoriam: Clare Gregg and Donald I. Lawless Clare Gregg, January 12, 1928 to July 22, 2014. Clare was born in Grand Junction, CO and grew up in Swink, CO. He was a member of RMAG since the 1950s and his wife Germaine is still very active in the Rocky Mountain Association of Geologists Auxiliary. Clare held positions with a number of companies but may be best known as the geologist chosen by American Quasar to oversee the development of the Pineview Field on the Overthrust Belt.
Donald “Don” I. Lawless, December 18, 1923 to July 28, 2014. Don, a geological engineer with a number of companies eventually became the President of Bishop Oil Company and later the Vice-president of NCRA Oil Company. During his career he participated in exploration efforts in Ghana, Libya, Egypt, Trinidad and Tobago and Prudhoe Bay. Don was a talented musician as well as a writer. Don flew 101 missions as a fighter pilot during World War II and wrote a book entitled, “A flying skull: the chronicle of a fighter pilot who fought in southern Europe during the Second World War” published in 1993. Don was a member of the Wounded Warriors and American Legion Post #32. Memorial contributions can be made to the Wounded Warriors, c/o Ahlberg Funeral Chapel, www. ahlbergfuneralchapel.com.
Photo from Discovery of Pineview Oil Filed, Joseph P.D. Hull, 1999, Mtn. Geologist, Vol.36, No.4, P. 208.
In Memoriam: Milt Childers Milt Childers (Milton O.) passed away April 26, 2014, in the Denver area. Milt was raised in the small coal mining town of Hanna, Wyoming, and served in the US Navy for four years, including service in Japan. Following an honorable discharge he enrolled at the University of Wyoming and was awarded both BS and MS degrees with honors in geology. He then went on to Princeton where he earned a PhD degree. Milt initially went to work for an independent oil and gas organization but he always maintained an interest in "hard mineral" exploration. For a short time he worked in exploration for a major mining company in Casper and then became Vice President - Exploration for a small uranium company in Vol. 63, No.9
Riverton, Wyoming. He was instrumental in establishing two small public exploration companies and was active at other times initiating independent projects. Milt enjoyed field work in searching for new deposits, writing and Continued »
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In Memoriam putting plays together. He also enjoyed travel, backpacking and fly fishing. In addition to uranium, his exploration work encompassed oil and gas, gold in Alaska, kaolin, and other industrial minerals projects. When coalbed methane was a hot item he participated in a large Lance Fm. methane play that also turned out to be a Niobrara oil and gas play. With co-author R.V. Bailey, Milt published Applied Mineral Exploration with Special Reference to Uranium, still a valued reference book in use by many explorationists. In recent years, Milt balanced exploration projects with work on a nearly completed earth history manuscript tentatively entitled "Severe Cooling Ahead." He was working on a manuscript which examines extensively researched evidence of ancient changes in the earth's climate and uses that research as a perspective on the widely accepted current view of anthropogenic climate change. Milt is survived by his wife Sharon, son Win, daughter Molly, 4 grandchildren, brothers, sister and many loving nieces and nephews. Prior to his passing, Milt made arrangements to donate his body to the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center in Aurora, CO. A celebration of life will be held in Denver on September 28. Memorial donations may be made to the Lewy Body Dementia Association, www.lbda.org.Milt was appreciated for his great sense of humor, his personal and professional generosity and his dedication to his profession. »
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Experience yIntegrity yProfessionalism
We, at Decollement, pride ourselves with some of the most ϐ Ǥ ǡ Ǥ ͳͻͻ Ǥ Ǥ Ǥ Ǥ ȁ ͵Ͳ͵ǦͷͺǦͺͷ
Décollement Consulting Inc.
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21ST Annual 3 D Seismic Symposium
CALL for Papers! Thursday, February 5, 2015 Colorado Convention Center Downtown Denver
Speaker forms due Monday, October 5, 2014
Contact Co-Chair: Mary Sue Purcell mary.purcell@wpxenergy.com Presented by Denver Geophysical Society & Rocky Mountain Association of Geologists
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Tectonic GIS Data from the Geological Atlas of the Rocky Mountain Region
*You will need to purchase a corporate license if youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re going to make this publication available on your companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s internal network to all employees.
Contact us at: 303-573-8621 * Email us: staff@rmag.org * Visit us at: www.rmag.org OUTCROP
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RMAG Luncheon Programs
Induced Seismicity Potential of Energy Technologies By Murray W. Hitzman, Dept. of Geology & Geological Engineering, Colorado School of Mines, Golden, CO, September 3rd
The factor that appears to have the most direct consequence in regard to induced seismicity is the net fluid balance (total balance of fluid introduced into or removed from the subsurface).
Earthquakes attributable to human activities—“induced seismic events” —have received heightened public attention in the United States over the past several years. Upon request from the U.S. Congress and the Department of Energy, the National Research Council was asked to assemble a committee of experts to examine the scale, scope, and consequences of seismicity induced during fluid injection and withdrawal associated with geothermal energy development, oil and gas development, and carbon capture and storage (CCS). The committee’s report, publicly released in June 2012, indicates that induced seismicity associated with fluid injection or withdrawal is caused in most cases by change in pore fluid pressure and/or change in stress in the subsurface in the presence of faults with specific properties and orientations and a critical state of stress in the rocks. The factor that appears to have the most direct consequence in regard to induced seismicity is the net fluid balance (total balance of fluid introduced into or removed from the subsurface). Energy technology projects that are designed to maintain a balance between the amount of fluid being injected and withdrawn, such as most oil and gas development projects, appear to produce fewer seismic events than projects that do not maintain fluid balance. Major findings from the study include: (1) as presently implemented, the process of hydraulic fracturing for shale gas recovery does not pose a high risk for inducing felt seismic events; (2) injection for disposal of waste water derived from energy technologies does pose some risk for induced seismicity, but very few events have been documented over the past several decades relative to the large number of disposal wells in operation; and (3) CCS, due to the large net volumes of injected fluids suggested for future large-scale carbon storage projects, may have potential for inducing larger seismic events. Continued on page 42 »
Outcrop Deadlines for the Outcrop advertising is the 1st of the month, the deadline for other content is the 5th of the month. Vol. 63, No.9
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RMAG Foundation Scholarship Awards 2014 The RMAG Foundation is pleased to announce the recipients of this year’s scholarship awards. The Foundation provides support to students and organizations to further the field of geology. More than 40 applicants vied for the 11 scholarships awarded this year that totaled $40,000. Additionally, all of the applicants will be given a 1 year membership to RMAG. Thank you to all of the generous donors that make this program possible and a big shout out to the RMAG Golf Tournament that raised $6,500 for the Foundation back in May. Recognition of these awards are planned for the Sept 3 rd RMAG luncheon. Scholarships Babcock Fund ($4,000 ea): Alexander Hamilton- MS Candidate, Colorado State University, Geology Marshal Tofte- MS Program, University of Wisconsin, Geology Bolyard Fund ($4,000 ea): Daniel Feucht- University of Colorado, PhD Candidate, Geophysics Colorado School of Mines Fund ($4,000 ea): Lauren Cross- MS Program, Geology Colorado State University Fund ($4,000 ea): Daniel Scott- MS program, Geology Stone-Hollberg Fund ($4,000 ea): Julian Stahl- MS Program, Montana State University, Geology Veterans Fund ($4,000 ea): Geno Castillo- MS Program, New Mexico Highlands University, Geology Amanda Henderson- MS Program, Brigham Young University, Geology Foster Fund ($2,500 ea): Shuvajit Bhattacharya- West Virginia University, Geology John Harper- Colorado School of Mines, Geology David Wheatly- University of Utah, Geology Norman H. Foster Memorial Scholarships are awarded yearly to students who are conducting creative research toward an advanced degree on a geological or geophysical topic in the Rocky Mountains, eastern Great Basin, or Williston Basin applied to petroleum geology. Norm Foster, a distinguished member of our profession and association, served as president of RMAG and AAPG, was responsible for a number of petroleum discoveries and fundamental publications on the occurrence of oil and gas, and was unfailingly enthusiastic about teaching and guiding young geologists. Three scholarships, each for $2,500, were awarded for 2014-2015 in memory of Norm. Thanks go to each member of the selection committee for their extended consideration of applications.
Vol. 63, No. 8 OUTCROP
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RMAG Luncheon Programs
Continued from page 40
A Comparison of Petrophysical Analytic Sequence to Describe Both Conventional and Unconventional Reservoirs. By Michael Holmes, Digital Formation, Inc., October 1st
Using the technique of Corey (1954) continuous profiles of relative and effective permeabilities to both wetting and onwetting phases can be created.
Digital Formation has developed a series of petrophysical models to analyze reservoir properties. A demonstration of how the models can be combined into a comprehensive petrophysical reservoir evaluation will be presented. In addition to standard deterministic petrophysical analysis, the method includes information from: Rock Physics Modeling Create pseudo acoustic (both compressional and shear) curves, based on Gassmann and Kreif geophysical models. The model allows for the estimate of acoustic data where no (or limited) acoustic data exists. From this modeling, mechanical properties including brittle vs. ductile distinction can be made. Reference Holmes, SPWLA 2004, SEG 2005. Relative Permeability Modeling Procedures are available to estimate profiles of irreducible water saturation, which can be compared with the actual water saturation. Reference Holmes AAPG 2009. Using the technique of Corey (1954) continuous profiles of relative and effective permeabilities to both wetting and on-wetting phases can be created. Knowing viscosities of reservoir fluids water/oil or gas/water ratios can be determined as continuous curves. Petrophysical Analysis of Unconventional Reservoirs Methods for examination of the shale intervals independently of the clean formation are considered in addition to kerogen and total organic carbon
Luncheon Reservations & Information Luncheon will be held at the Marriott City Center at California and 17th St. Please check the event listing in the lobby for the room. Check-in/walk-in registration begins at 11:30 a.m., lunch is served at 12:00 noon, and the talk begins at 12:20 p.m. The luncheon price is $30.00. To listen only to the talk, walk-in price is $10.00. If you make a reservation and do not attend the luncheon, you will be billed for the luncheon. Online registration closes at 4:00 p.m. on the Thursday before the luncheon. Cancellations are not guaranteed after that time.
Your attendance is welcomed and encouraged. Bring a guest or new member!
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Call 303-573-8621, email staff@rmag.org, or register online.
September 2014
RMAG Luncheon Programs (TOC) content of the reservoir which is crucial to the overall assessment of the hydrocarbon potential. Quantitative calculations of free and adsorbed hydrocarbons need to be assessed for a complete analysis. We have developed a technique to identify small to very small volumes of “free shale porosity” not associated with TOC. Reference AAPG 2010, 2011, 2013. Fracture Analysis This procedure was developed to estimate the presence of fractures – both open and healed – from standard open hole logs. Anonymously rapid rates of change are attributed to fractures. If the trend is to higher porosity, open fractures are suggested. Alternatively if the trend is to lower porosity, healed or cemented fractures are indicated. For wells with image logs, we have observed fair to good correlations with imaged identified fractures. The presentation will show how these various models can be combined with standard analytic procedures to derive a full evaluation of reservoir potential: • Porosity, fluid saturation, shale volume, permeability • In-place and recoverable hydrocarbons
Quality Mudlogging Geologic Interpretation
• Free hydrocarbons in the shale fraction • TOC and adsorbed hydrocarbons • Profiles of relative and effective permeabilities to the fluid phases • Profile of water/hydrocarbon rations
Wellsite Geology | Geo-Steering | Coring Supervision Serving the Williston Basin and Rocky Mountain Region Joseph H. Large
• Brittle vs. ductile distinction Examples from unconventional oil and gas reservoirs of North America are presented. » OUTCROP
Horizontal Bakken, Mission Canyon, Red River, Dupero, Three Forks and Ratcliff formations President
www.rpmconsultinginc.com 1600 Broadway, Suite 1510, Denver, CO 80202 (Office) 303 595 7625 | (Fax) 303 595 7628
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September New Members
Welcome to New RMAG Members... Rachael Acks works for Core Lab.
Don French is a Manager for Ciannis Exploration, LLC .
Jeffrey Beunier works for Open Choke Capital Management, LLC.
Chris Gardner works for EOG Resources Inc.
Justin Birdwell is a Research Engineer for U.S. Geological Survey.
Julie Garvin is the President for Roxanna Oil Company.
Laurie Brandt is a Professional Geologist for Buckhorn Geotech, Inc.
David Gonzales is a Professor for Fort Lewis College.
Scott Crozier works for Great Divide Consulting, Inc.
William Hansen is a Consulting Geologist for Jireh Consulting Services.
Lisa Denke is an Oilfield 101 Instructor for EUCI.
Jerrold Lohr is a Consulting Geologist for SOG Resources.
Stephen Derksen works for Derksen Exploration Consulting.
Stephen Mack is a Petrophysicist for WFT.
Al Escobar is a Business Development Manager for Stratagraph, Inc. RMAG 2014 Ad2_Layout 1 2/4/14 2:49 PM Page 1
Herbert Mosca works for Vectra Oil and Gas. Stephen Perlman is an Exploration Manager for Flatirons Resources, LLC.
Newfield by the Numbers
Tyler Posey is a Well Site Geologist for Decollement.
A strong portfolio of 1.5 million net acres onshore
John Riggi is a P.G. for Conestoga-Rovers & Associates. Lauren Robinson works for Marathon Oil Company. Lisa Sanford is a ResSCAN Manager for ION Geophysical. Brad Stephenson works for Conestoga-Rovers & Associates. With a history in the Rockies that spans nine years, Newfield Exploration continues to grow, build and share—responsibly and sustainably. Key to our approach is maintaining a diversified portfolio of assets as we focus on driving advances in unconventional plays. It’s all done with an equal focus on people—our own family of employees and our communities. An entrepreneurial spirit, sense of empowerment and access to the best in technology—these
Rodney Tremblay is a Geologist for Tengasco, Inc. Lorraine Zarrow is a Geological Advisor for Roxanna Oil. »
are the hallmarks of Newfield. Join us. And grow with us.
www.newfield.com
Vol. 63, No.9
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September 2014
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Advertisers Index AAPG........................................... 8, 13
Geosteering.................................... 12
RBC................................................22
Bowler Petrophysics...................... 12
Great Western Oil & Gas.............43
RPM Geologic, LLC...................... 43
Bradsby Group................................ 22
Gustavson, John B.......................10
Rose & Associates....................... 32
Breckenridge Geophysical............ 10
Horizontal Solutions Intl.............. 27
Stoner Engineering, LLC.............. 15
Columbine Logging.........................27
Karo, James C.............................. 19
Summit Mudlogging Services..... 35
Daub & Associates........................ 36
Lario Oil & Gas Company............. 33
Tracker Resources....................... 29
Decollement Consulting, Inc.........37
MJ Systems.................................. 35
Weatherford Laboratories........... 11
The Discovery Group, Inc............... 33
Mazzullo Energy Corp.................. 12
Weber Law Firm, LLC..................... 6
Dolan Integration Group................ 16
Newfield Exploration................... 44
Whitehead, Neil H........................ 12
Donovan Brothers Inc.................... 35
Noble Energy.................................28
WPX Energy.................................. 14
Fluid Inclusion Technologies.........27
PTTC ................................................2
Septemb er 2014 SUNDAY
anuary MONDAY
1
1 TUESDAY
2
WEDNESDAY
THURSDAY
FRIDAY
RMAG 3 Luncheon
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5
6
10
11
12
13
RMAG On the Rocks Field Trip
Speaker: Murray W. Hitzman
7
8
9
RPSEA Onshore Production Conference & Field Trip
14
15
16
DWLS Luncheon
17
18
Hart DUG (Developing Unconventional Gas â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Eagleford
21
22
23
24 Oilfield
Christian Fellowship Luncheon
28
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Vol. 63, No.9
SATURDAY
DIPS Luncheon
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20
26
27
PTTC Rockies Short Course
25
RMAG Clay Sporting Tournament
RMAG On the Rocks Field Trip
30
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September 2014