Texas Exchange Fieldtrip (U04041)

? Credit Points : 10 ? SCQF Level : 10 ? Acronym : GEO-4-TEXAS

The course is taught in two parts: Laboratory and lecture based teaching shared with U03579 (Carbonates) or U01779 (Hydrocarbon Reservoir Quality), and a week field course based entirely in the field. For the field component, students are based in El Paso and Carlsbad, New Mexico, USA where they will consider in detail the geology of the Sacremento Mountains and the Guadalupe Mountains (Delaware Basin). They will spend 6 full days in the field, taught by a combination of staff from the University of Edinburgh, University of Texas at Austin, and members of the hydrocarbon industry with long-standing expertise in the area.

Entry Requirements

? Pre-requisites : Either any one or more of U01724 Hydrocarbons, U01743 Sedimentology B. Other students may be admitted at the discretion of the Course Organiser.

? Costs : Airfare and most accommodation costs to be covered by industrial sponsorship. Students will cover their subsistence costs.

Subject Areas

Home subject area

Earth Science, (School of GeoSciences, Schedule N)

Other subject areas

Environmental Courses, (School of GeoSciences, Schedule N)

Delivery Information

? Normal year taken : 4th year

? Delivery Period : Semester 2 (Blocks 3-4)

? Contact Teaching Time : 40 hour(s) per week for 1 weeks

? Other Required Attendance : 3 hour(s) 30 minutes per week for 5 weeks

Summary of Intended Learning Outcomes

Learning outcomes are relevant to analysis of both outcrop and subsurface sedimentology, with an emphasis on reservoir quality:
1) High Resolution Sequence Stratigraphy from outcrop and seismic sections
2) Recognition of key bounding surfaces in field
3) Recognition of key carbonate facies
4) Recognition of early and late burial diagenetic features in the field
5) Basin analysis

In addition, those that take UO3579 (Carbonates) will have a strong background in the sedimentology and evolution of carbonate systems, as well as the dynamics of flow and diagenesis. They will be able to evaluate the role of carbonates within earth surface systems, as well as interactions with the atmosphere and biosphere. They will be able to assess the virtues of conflicting models of carbonate production.

Alternatively, those that take UO1779 (Hydrocarbon Reservoir Quality) will develop an understanding of how sandstone and carbonate reservoir porosity and permeability in the subsurface is influenced by sedimentological effects of grainsize and sorting, and then by effects of compaction, cementation and dissolution. This course is petrographically based, with reference to sedimentology and to geochemistry. This has important applications to petroleum exploration and production, and also helps to understand more about water aquifers.

Assessment Information

The fieldwork component of this course will be assessed by field notebook quality.

In addition, those that take UO3579 (Carbonates) will undergo continuous assessment - 50% Essay.

Alternatively, those that take UO1779 (Hydrocarbon Reservoir Quality) will write a critically argued essay, on the subject specified at the end of the course. You should use the digital library resources and paper publications held in the Library at KB. This should be no more than 2 sides of A4, including references and diagrams.