Geology Insights and Exploration: Winter 2011 Sessions at University of Texas

1. University of Texas, Life Long Learning SAGE: Winter 2011 Vagabonds tramping geology in Iberia, France, UK, & Germany Don Beaumont, Sandi Phillips, & Rocky Romero Sessions 1 and 2 Iberian Peninsula Portugal and Spain Civilization exists by geologic consent, subject to change without notice. Will Durant

2. Geology in the News Humans left Africa earlier than once thought Austin American Statesman, January 28, 2011 It might have been like this 125,000 years ago to eastern Arabia rather than 100,000 years ago into Palestine Suggests new route directly from East Africa to Arabia rather than up the Nile River and then through the Sinai.

3. Now to BP and Arctic Russia

4. BP to spend billions exploring for oil & gas in the Kara Sea of Arctic Russia

5. Kara Sea Now to Western Europe and Iberia From last week North Sea

6. Senior University Georgetown Winter 2011 Vagabonds tramping geology Don Beaumont, Sandi Phillips, & Rocky Romero Session 2 Geology in the News Iberian Peninsula Portugal and Spain

7. Geology in the News Georgetown County parking garage closed: structurally unsafe

8. Balcones Fault Parking garage Geology in the News Library

9. Only recent technological advances in horizontal and deep drilling have opened the Bakken field to economically recoverable production since its first oil extractions in 1951. The estimated recoverable reserves of crude oil from Bakken shale exceed the proven crude reserves of Ecuador estimated recoverable reserves of at least 4 billion barrels. Additionally, north of the border in Canada, there is an estimated 1.3 billion barrels of recoverable reserves. http://www.oilshalegas.com/bakkenshale.html

10. Using a geology-based assessment methodology, the U.S. Geological Survey estimated mean undiscovered volumes of 3.65 billion barrels of oil, 1.85 trillion cubic feet of associated/dissolved natural gas, and 148 million barrels of natural gas liquids in the Bakken Formation of the Williston Basin Province, Montana and North Dakota. http://pubs.usgs.gov/fs/2008/3021/pdf/FS08-3021_508.pdf

11. Geology in the News The Potential Gas Committee suggested that America's technically recoverable natural gas resources totaled 1,836 Tcf with fully one-third accounted for by natural gas resources found in shale

12. Geology in the News US Oil & Gas developments may contaminate drinking water Fracking of “Tight” Reservoirs Can Present a Serious Problem

13. Back to Iberia Ground surface Drinking water reservoir Drill hole Government study underway with results expected in 2012 Undetected fracture Well cement failure No contamination found yet Oil or Gas reservoir

14. Natural lineation of events

15. Appalachian age mountains Alpine (“recent”) age mountains Why is this important to human history? Different age mountains contain different ores

16. Ores for the Bronze Age Iron for the early Iron Age Coal for the later Iron Age “World-class wheat, iron, & coal resources! A quick look at the ages of human history Mineral Resources Iberia

17. The Ages of Human History Iron, Coal, Oil & Uranium Iron, Coal, Petroleum, & Uranium Age 1950 to Present Iron, Coal, & Oil Age 1900 to 1950 AD Iron & Coal Age 2 1830 to 1900 AD Iron, Coal, & Oil Iron & Coal Iron & Coal: Industrial Age 1700 to 1830 AD Iron & Coal: Renaissance 1450 to 1700 AD Iron & Coal: Middle Ages 470 to 1450 AD How does the look in a time line? Iron Age 2 Rome to 470 AD 750 BCE Iron Age 1 Greece 1400 to 750 BCE Bronze Age 3300 to 1400 BCE Iron Copper, tin, arsenic, & zinc Copper Age 3300 to 3000 BCE Stone Age (end of Ice Age) 70,000 to 3300 BCE Flint & Obsidian

18. World Empires: last 7000 years Archeological Ages Now back to the geological processes of weathering & erosion Bronze Age: World Stone Age Copper Age 2000 5000 3000 1000 4000 1 4500 3500 3000 2500 1500 Iron Age Iron, coal, oil Age Iron & coal Age Hunters & Gatherers Families, clans, & tribes Farming Flood plain empires Hill country empires Sticks and stones Iron & steel tools & weapons Bronze tools weapons

19. Carving Landscapes The Destruction of the Continental Crust Geologic Processes Weathering & Erosion Weathering: the destruction of rocks which creates soil & rock debris

20. WEATHERING; What are the products of weathering Rock debris: Size classification; Boulders, cobbles, gravel, pebbles, sands, mud Composition; Quartz Sand (silica) Muds (clays: hydrous Al silicates) Solutions (mostly Ca, C, O) Weathering produces: sand & mud

21. WEATHERING: How is it done? Water!!! Sun Light Heating and Cooling Acids TIME TIME TIME

22. WEATHERING: How is it done? Water!!! Abrasion by Falling Rain Flowing Streams and Rivers

23. WEATHERING: How is it done? Water!!! Sun Light (radiation)

24. WEATHERING: How is it done? Water!!! Sun Light Heating and Cooling daily expansion and contraction

25. WEATHERING: How is it done? Water!!! Sun Light Heating and Cooling Acids Acid Rain (natural) Humic Acid (plant decay)

26. WEATHERING: How is it done? Water!!! Sun Light Heating and Cooling Acids GEOLOGIC TIME

27. Carving Landscapes Pyrenees Mountains of Spain Erosion: the geologic process of moving weathering debris to the oceans along the margins of the continents The principal function of streams & rivers: to deliver erosional debris to the ocean Let’s look at the rivers of Iberia

28. The Rivers of Iberia Ebro River drainage area Douro River drainage area Tagus River drainage area What are the rivers doing? Let’s use Central Texas as an example Guadiana River drainage area Guadalquivir River drainage area An example for our Williamson County

29. River Erosion in Williamson County Land surface 65 million years ago Present day Land surface Sedimentary rocks 145 to 65 million years old on continental crust (metamorphic in igneous rocks) Weathered debris moved by rivers to the Gulf of Mexico How does this large scale erosion affect human history? Continental Crust

30. How does this large scale erosion affect human history? Land surface 65 million years ago Present day Land surface Sedimentary rocks 145 to 65 million years old on continental crust (metamorphic in igneous rocks) Rocks moved by rivers to the Gulf of Mexico How does this play out in Iberia? Continental Crust Deeply buried ore & oil deposits are brought to or near the surface: Large volumes of the central continent are moved to the continental margins creating geosyncline deposits.

31. Mass Transfer by the Rivers of Iberia Ebro River drainage area Douro River drainage area Tagus River drainage area Guadiana River drainage area Remember the minerals that have been exposed by this river erosion in Iberia? Guadalquivir River drainage area

32. Ores Exposed by river erosion In addition to exposing ores, rivers carry erosional debris to the oceans Future Portugal Ores for the Bronze Age Why is that important? Mineral Resources Iberia Minerals for the Bronze Age Iron for the early Iron Age Coal for the later Iron Age

33. Mass Transfer by the Rivers of Iberia Moving debris from the center of Iberia to the Med & Atlantic Ebro River drainage area Douro River drainage area Debris to the Gulf of Valencia Gulf of Valencia geosyncline Debris split to the open Atlantic Mass Transfer Central continent being moved to the sea Tagus River drainage area Guadiana River drainage area What is a geosyncline? Debris to the Gulf of Cadiz Gulf of Cadiz geosyncline Guadalquivir River drainage area Results: center rises, west and east margins sink! Warping Iberia.

34. What is a Geosyncline? Answer: A thick (1000’s of feet) accumulation of debris in the ocean at the continental margin Debris brought to the ocean by rivers and spread along the coast by ocean currents

35. Geosyncline Example: Gulf of Valencia Iberian land River debris Mediterranean Sea Rocks of the Iberian continental crust river debris More about geosynclines in general Gulf of Valencia geosyncline

36. Example of a Geosyncline:Gulf of Mexico 1. Integration of the debris of several rivers Swamp Muds Shallow water Sands Modern Sediment Accumulations Deep water Muds 2. Accumulation of thick layers of debris

37. Subsurface Cross Sections Gulf of Mexico Geosyncline Austin Sun City New Orleans Now, Expulsion & Up-dip Migration of gas first, then oil, & finally gas Source Rocks Reservoir Rocks Gulf of Mexico Geosyncline Mature Source Rocks 2. Accumulation of thick layers of debris 3. Burial & Maturation of Source Rocks

38. Subsurface Cross Sections Gulf of Mexico Geosyncline New Orleans Sun City Source Rocks Finally, Trapping of Migrating Oil & Gas Gas Oil Gulf of Mexico Geosyncline Mature Source Rocks Gas 4. Expulsion & Up-dip Migration of gas first, then oil, & finally gas

39. Subsurface Cross Sections Gulf of Mexico Geosyncline New Orleans Muds in bays & swamps Sands at beach & shelf Sun City Sands & Muds mixed Deep water Muds Now a cross section of these sediments converted into Rocks Gulf of Mexico Geosyncline The Initial, Soft Sediments 5. Trapping of Migrating Oil & Gas

40. Subsurface Cross Sections Gulf of Mexico Geosyncline Sandstone reservoirs Shales Sandstone & Shales Source shales Star=Trap Gulf of Mexico Geosyncline Now a map of these sediments converted into Rocks 4. Trapping of Migrating Oil & Gas

41. 5. Trapping of Migrating Oil & Gas Lignite and Coal Reservoir Rocks Mixed Source & Reservoir Rocks Conclusion: Geosynclines are primary sites for the accumulation of oil & gas Limestones Source Rocks Back to Iberia and oil & gas there

42. Spain: Oil & Gas Drilling Drilling in the Gulf of Cadiz geosyncline Drilling in the Gulf of Valencia geosyncline

44. Spain: Oil & Gas Drilling How do geosynclines fit in the overall scheme of geological processes? Drilling in the Gulf of Cadiz geosyncline Drilling in the Gulf of Valencia geosyncline

45. Remember how erosion is destroying the continents and transporting the debris to the oceans! What is the geological process that moves the geosynclinal debris back onto the continents? Let’s look at North America as an example Reduce all the continents to below sea level If another process did not intervene, erosion would do this!!

46. University of Texas, Life Long Learning SAGE: Winter 2011 Vagabonds tramping geology in Iberia, France, UK, & Germany Don Beaumont, Sandi Phillips, & Rocky Romero Session 3 Iberian Peninsula Portugal and Spain Geology in the News

47. Only recent technological advances in horizontal and deep drilling have opened the Bakken field to economically recoverable production since its first oil extractions in 1951. The estimated recoverable reserves of crude oil from Bakken shale exceed the proven crude reserves of Ecuador estimated recoverable reserves of at least 4 billion barrels. Additionally, north of the border in Canada, there is an estimated 1.3 billion barrels of recoverable reserves. http://www.oilshalegas.com/bakkenshale.html

48. Using a geology-based assessment methodology, the U.S. Geological Survey estimated mean undiscovered volumes of 3.65 billion barrels of oil, 1.85 trillion cubic feet of associated/dissolved natural gas, and 148 million barrels of natural gas liquids in the Bakken Formation of the Williston Basin Province, Montana and North Dakota. http://pubs.usgs.gov/fs/2008/3021/pdf/FS08-3021_508.pdf

49. The Potential Gas Committee suggested that America's technically recoverable natural gas resources totaled 1,836 Tcf with fully one-third accounted for by natural gas resources found in shale

50. Geology in the News US Oil & Gas developments may contaminate drinking water Fracking of “Tight” Reservoirs can Present a Serious Problem with contamination of shallow water reservoirs used for drinking