SEP/OCT 2023 • ISSUE 5 • VOL 50
THE MAGAZINE OF CANADIAN ENERGY GEOSCIENTISTS
Reservoir cegageos.ca
In This Issue
SEP/OCT 2023
2
2023 Awards Nominations
2
2023 Sweat the Subsurface Road Race and Fun Run
6
Petrophysics in the Green Economy – Part 8: Non-Metallic Minerals: Products We Still Need
14 Geology in Motion - Geoscience in Early Education - Tips and Tricks
CONFERENCES
UPCOMING EVENTS
PAGE 11
PAGE 18
GUSSOW CONFERENCE
EETIG SAVE THE DATE
PAGES 12
EVENTS INFORMATION
PAGES 20
EDUCATION COURSES
CRETACEOUS SOFT SEDIMENT DEFORMATION, ALBERTA Exposures of Campanian channel sandstone beds of the Dinosaur Park Formation in Dinosaur Provincial Park, near Brooks, Alberta show folding and shearing. These deformed sediments are interpreted to be part of a 15 m slump block that collapsed into an adjacent river channel prior to deposition of the overlying dipping beds. Numerous fragments of ironstone litter the foreground. Scale bar is 8 cm in length. Photo by: Jon Noad
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FROM THE EDITOR SARAH SCHULTZ, TECHNICAL EDITOR FOR THE RESERVOIR
WELCOME TO THE SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER ISSUE OF THE CEGA RESERVOIR! I hope you all enjoyed the summer and got the opportunity to go visit some outcrops (or at the very least you got to go check out a beach to witness modern depositional processes).
In this issue we have the continuation of our regular articles: • E.R. Crain’s Part 8 of the Petrophysics in the Green Economy series • Geology in Motion – Geoscience in Early Education – Tips and Tricks Thank you to everyone who attended CEGA events over the summer! We have some great up and coming events this fall and winter that will hopefully pique your interests. Please refer to the CEGA website for up-to-date information on upcoming division talks, conferences, and technical webinars. Registration for the 2023 Gussow Conference in Banff this October is open. We hope to see many of you there taking in the technical presentations and networking events. We look forward to continuing to receive your manuscripts for our remaining 2023 Reservoir Editions!
Sarah Schultz
PUBLICATIONS INFORMATION The RESERVOIR is published 6 times per year by the Canadian Energy Geoscience Association. The purpose of the RESERVOIR is to publicize the Society’s many activities and to promote the geosciences. We look for both technical and non-technical material to publish. The contents of this publication may not be reproduced either in part or in full without the consent of the publisher. No official endorsement or sponsorship by the CEGA is implied
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for any advertisement, insert, or article that appears in the RESERVOIR unless otherwise noted. All submitted materials are reviewed by the editor. We reserve the right to edit all submissions, including letters to the Editor. Submissions must include your name, address, and membership number (if applicable). The material contained in this publication is intended for informational use only. While reasonable care has been taken, authors and the CEGA make no guarantees that any of the equations, schematics, or
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RESERVOIR ISSUE 5 • SEP/OCT 2023
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Petrophysics in the Green Economy
PART 8
NON-METALLIC MINERALS:
PRODUCTS WE STILL NEED E.R. CRAIN, P.ENG.
INTRODUCTION This article covers the petrophysical analysis of economically significant non-metallic sedimentary minerals such as halite, gypsum, trona, and sulphur. Non-metallic minerals may be encountered while drilling for oil and gas, possibly causing some confusion as to the true effective porosity. A characteristic of these minerals is their low density, very high resistivity, and very low gamma ray response. These minerals can be mistaken for porous hydrocarbon zones. Some have near zero neutron porosity response, but others have water of hydration with a corresponding specific neutron response.
Potash minerals (sylvite, carnallite, langbeinite, polyhalite, kainite) and coal analysis are covered in previous articles by the author. Halite, gypsum, and trona occur as relatively pure bedded minerals, thick enough to be resolved by well logs. These can be identified by their specific mineral properties using lithology triggers. Alternatively, the mineral properties can be used in 2- or 3-mineral models, simultaneous equations, or multimineral probabilistic models. In sulphur-bearing rocks, lithology triggers will not work, and the more sophisticated methods must be used. Crossplots, shown below, may also be helpful in confirming or eliminating possibilities.
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HALITE – ANHYDRITE MODEL Halite or Rock Salt (NaCl) occurs in vast beds of sedimentary evaporite minerals that result from the drying up of enclosed lakes and oceans. Salt beds may be hundreds of metres thick and underlie broad areas. In the United States and Canada, extensive underground beds extend from the Appalachian Basin of western New York through parts of Ontario and under much of the Michigan Basin. Other deposits are in Ohio, Kansas, New Mexico, Nova Scotia, Alberta, and Saskatchewan. Much of Europe into North Africa and western Asia are underlain by salt beds. In most cases, other evaporites, such as anhydrite (CaSO4) and potash minerals, may be mixed or interbedded with the salt.
Salt domes are masses of salt that have been squeezed up from underlying salt beds by the weight of the overlying rock, coming closer to or breaching the surface. Some domes are gypsum, not halite, but are still called “salt domes” because gypsum is technically a salt, although it is not very soluble and tastes terrible. Salt domes may contain anhydrite, gypsum, and native sulphur, in addition to halite. They are common along the Gulf coasts of Texas and Louisiana and are often associated with petroleum deposits. Germany, Spain, the Netherlands, Romania and Iran also have salt domes. Salt glaciers exist in arid Iran where the salt has broken through the surface at high elevation and flows downhill.
When exposed to water, anhydrite readily transforms to gypsum, (CaSO4·2H2O) by the absorption of water. This transformation is reversible, with gypsum forming anhydrite by heating to around 200 °C (400 °F) under normal atmospheric conditions.
FIGURES 1 and 2: Sonic-Neutron (left) and Density-Neutron (right) crossplot charts for determination of lithology and porosity
Halite is used to preserve and flavour food and is essential for life. Industrial products are caustic soda and chlorine. Salt is used in many industrial processes including the manufacture of polyvinyl chloride, plastics, paper pulp, and many other products. Of the annual global production of around 200 million tonnes, about 6% is used for human consumption. Salt can be derived from subsurface mining, solution mining, and evaporation of seawater. Some mines produce a million tons a year or more. Abandoned solution mines can be used for storage of natural gas as they are virtually leak proof. Specialized radial acoustic surveys are used to map the 3-D geometry of the cavern to assess its volume and potential risks.
HALITE – ANHYDRITE EXAMPLE Visual Analysis Rules: Halite
gamma ray = near zero, resistivity = very high, density = 2030 (2.03 g/cc), PE = 4.7, DTC = 200 (67 us/ft), neutron = near 0.0
Anhydrite: gamma ray = near zero, resistivity = very high, density = 2970 (2.97 g/cc), PE = 5.0, DTC = 164 (50 us/ft), neutron = near 0.0 These pure mineral values will vary by a small amount due to occluded water and other mineral inclusions. Figure 4 (on the next page) illustrates the two common methods for analyzing salt beds:
GYPSUM MODEL Gypsum (CaSO4·2H2O) is deposited from lake and sea water, as well as in hot springs, from volcanic vapors, and sulphate solutions in veins. It is often interbedded with the minerals halite, anhydrite, and sulphur-bearing limestone. When exposed to water, anhydrite readily transforms to gypsum by the absorption of water. When gypsum is heated in air it loses water and converts first to calcium sulphate hemihydrate, (bassanite), often simply called “plaster” and, if heated further, to anhydrous calcium sulphate (anhydrite). It is used as a fertilizer, and as the main constituent in many forms of plaster, blackboard chalk, and wallboard. A fine-grained version of gypsum is known as alabaster, used in sculpture. Gypsum is moderately water-soluble (2.0–2.5 g/l at 25 °C compared to 360 g/l for halite) and, in contrast to most other salts, it exhibits retrograde solubility, becoming less soluble at higher temperatures.
FIGURE 3: Sonic-Density crossplot chart for determination of lithology and porosity.
A breached gypsum dome on Melville Island (Barrow Dome) in the Canadian High Arctic was the subject of a native sulphur exploration program in 1969. The sulphur was limited to the erosional remnants preserved on the surface. The author was project manager, and a minor oil discovery was made at shallow depths on the south side of the dome. Gypsum is produced from open pit mines throughout Europe, South Asia, Indonesia, Brazil, Canada, and USA. Some is produced as a by-product of smokestack scrubbers at coal fired power plants.
GYPSUM EXAMPLE Visual Analysis rules: Halite: gamma ray = near zero, resistivity = very high, density = 2030 (2.03 g/cc), PE = 4.7, DTC = 200 (67 us/ft), neutron = near 0.0 Anhydrite: gamma ray = near zero, resistivity = very high, density = 2970 (2.97 g/cc), PE = 5.0, DTC = 164 (50 us/ft), neutron = near 0.0 Gypsum gamma ray = near zero, resistivity = very high, density = 2235 (2.35 g/cc), PE = 4.0, DTC = 173 (52 us/ft), neutron = 0.49
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FIGURE 4: This example shows a very short portion of a log analysis of a salt with interbedded anhydrite. The top 20 metres uses a calcite-dolomite-anhydrite model with a PE-density-neutron 3-mineral model. A haliteanhydrite 2-mineral model could have been used in the salt in the lower portion of the image. However, results were determined using lithology triggers instead, giving sharper definition to the bed boundaries. Porosity in the salt is assumed to be zero so no hydrocarbons are present. Note the low gamma ray, high resistivity, and near zero neutron porosity. Density is near 3.0 g/cc in anhydrite and near 2.0 g/cc in salt.
These pure mineral values will vary by a small amount due to occluded water and other mineral inclusions. Log analysis parameters for gypsum are somewhat similar to coal but PE of coal is less than 1.0 and gypsum is near 4.0.
TRONA MODEL Trona (Na2CO3•NaHCO3•2H2O) is an evaporite mineral formed in seasonal lakes, now buried under more recent sediments, some as deep as 1500 metres. Trona is found at Owens Lake and Searles Lake in California, the Green River Formation of Wyoming and Utah, the Makgadikgadi Pans in Botswana, and in the Nile Valley in Egypt. Kenya, Turkey, and China are also home to significant trona resources. Most trona is recovered by subsurface mining, but small amounts are produced from brine wells, and by solution mining. A related carbonate mineral, nahcolite, has the composition of sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO3).
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It is mined in conjunction with or separately from Trona in some areas.
carbonate). China produces nearly 50% of the world’s supply, using both methods.
Trona is the primary source of sodium carbonate (Na2CO3) in the United States and to a lesser extent elsewhere. Sodium carbonate is also known as “soda ash” and is rare in nature. It has many domestic and industrial uses, such as manufacturing glass, chemicals, paper, detergents, and textiles. It is also used to condition water, remove sulphur from flue gases, lignite coals, natural gas, and liquid hydrocarbons, and as a food additive.
Many trona deposits are composed of multiple thin beds interspersed with marl or clay. Logs may have difficulty resolving beds less than 1 to 2 metres thick.
When trona is heated to 500°C, both water and CO2 are driven off. This is followed by recrystallization from aqueous solution leaving sodium carbonate suitable for delivery to industrial customers. The USA has a vast reserve of trona, so it uses the heating of trona to produce about 25% of the world’s supply. The alternate method of production is known as the Solvay process. It produces sodium carbonate in large quantities from halite (sodium chloride) and limestone (calcium
TRONA EXAMPLE Visual Analysis rules: Marl / Clay: g amma ray = 50 -100, resistivity = low, density = 2300+/- (2.30 g/ cc), PE = 3.5, DTC = 328 (100 us/ ft), neutron = 0.30 - 0.40 Trona: gamma ray = near zero, resistivity = high, density = 2080 (2.08 g/cc), PE = 0.7, DTC = 213 (65 us/ft), neutron = 0.35 These pure mineral values will vary by a small amount due to occluded water and other mineral inclusions.
FIGURE 5: Gypsum example from western Kansas (image courtesy KGS). Porosity scale is -10 to 30 percent with backup from 40 to 70 percent. Gypsum is recognized by its low gamma-ray value, very high neutron porosity exceeding 60% (due to the hydrogen contained in its water of crystallization) and density of 2.35 g/cc. The gypsum beds of the Blaine Formation are obvious on the example log section, and can be distinguished immediately from anhydrite, which has a neutron porosity of near zero and a heavy density of 2.98. An anhydrite bed is located at a depth of 1055 feet.
FIGURE 6: An ancient log from the Green River Formation, Wyoming, contains beds of trona. The properties of this mineral are sufficiently different from the surrounding marl formation that logs clearly locate the trona beds. The beds of trona are indicated by black shading. Marl is indicated by high gamma-ray and high sonic travel time, trona by low gamma-ray and lower sonic. Neutron for both is near 0.35 to 0.40, helping to eliminate other possible minerals in the clean intervals. Modern density-neutron and high-resolution resistivity logs would materially improve the visual interpretation.
SULPHUR MODEL The element Sulphur is a non-metallic element, and, like halite, it is essential for life. In its native form, sulphur is a yellow crystalline solid. In sedimentary rocks, it is synthesized by anaerobic bacteria acting on sulphate minerals such as gypsum in salt domes. Significant deposits in salt domes occur along the Gulf of Mexico, and in evaporites in eastern Europe and western Asia. Salt domes are associated with traps for oil accumulation, so in drilling for oil considerable sulphur was discovered in the same wells. In salt domes, the sulphur is usually a physical mixture with limestone, forming up to 50+% of the bulk volume of the rock. Some water filled porosity may be present. More complex mineral mixtures may also complicate the scene. Elemental sulphur can also be found near hot springs and volcanic regions in many parts of the world, especially along the Pacific Ring of Fire; such volcanic deposits are currently mined in Indonesia, Chile, and Japan. Salt dome sulphur was mined by the Frasch process, in which superheated water was pumped into a native sulphur deposit to melt the sulphur, and then compressed air returned the
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FIGURE 7: Density-neutron overlay in sulphur-bearing rock. Diagonal crosshatch sulphur zone, bricks = limestone, xxxx’s = anhydrite.
99.5% pure melted product to the surface. The melting point of sulphur is 115°C so considerable energy was expended in heating the sulphur zone. Throughout the 20th century this procedure produced elemental sulphur that required no further purification. Due to a limited number of such sulphur deposits and the high cost of working them, this process for mining sulphur has not been employed in a major way anywhere in the world since 2002. Today, sulphur is produced mostly from petroleum, natural gas, and related fossil resources, from which it is obtained mainly as hydrogen sulphide (H2S). Known as an organosulphur compound, it can be upgraded to produce near pure sulphur, resulting in the large yellow blocks of sulphur seen beside gas processing plants. The sulphur is shipped from here by truck or train to the many industrial firms that use it. If the use of fossil fuels is reduced over the next several decades, as government mandates insist, sulphur from this source will also decrease – we may end up using the Frash process again or maybe there is a cheap way to pull sulphur out of gypsum (CaSO4.2H2O). Elemental sulphur is used mainly as a precursor to other chemicals. Approximately 85% is converted to sulphuric acid (H2SO4). The principal use for the acid is the extraction
of phosphate ores for the production of fertilizer. Other applications include oil refining, wastewater processing, and mineral extraction. Sulphur itself is used in the manufacture of cellophane, rayon, medicines, and insecticides. Sulphates are used as a bleach for paper, as a component of Portland cement, and as fertilizer. The petrophysical analysis of logs for sulphur exploitation is no longer common, but we still need to be able to recognize it. Sulphur looks a lot like porosity on sonic and density logs, and with the high resistivity, it can be mistaken for a hydrocarbon zone based on standard visual analysis rules. There are some rules below that might help avoid this problem. Quantitative methods reduce the risk of misinterpretation. Three-mineral simultaneous equation model with calcite, sulphur, and water will work, using sonic, density, and neutron data. If another mineral is present, such as anhydrite or gypsum, lithology triggers or a fourth equation using the PE curve can be added. By using the characteristic mineral and water properties in the response equations for the limestone-sulphur case, we get: 1: Vsulphur = (PHID - PHIN) / 0.40 OR 2: Vsulphur = (PHIS - PHIN) / 0.53
Where: PHID = density porosity on a limestone scale (fractional) PHIN = neutron porosity on a limestone scale (fractional) PHIS = sonic porosity on a limestone scale (fractional)
SULPHUR EXAMPLE The above equations lead to some simple visual rules for a calcite-sulphur mixture: 1. PHIN = actual water filled porosity 2. P HID = PHIN = Limestone, with no sulphur, with water or oil depending on resistivity 3. PHID > PHIN = limestone, with sulphur 4. P HID << PHIN = anhydrite, no porosity, no sulphur
REFERENCES 1. D efining Evaporite Deposits with Electrical Well Logs R. P. Alger and E. R. Crain, Trans Northern Ohio Geological Society Second Symposium on Salt, Cleveland, 966 2. L og Evaluation of Non-Metallic Minerals M.P. Tixier and R.P. Alger, SWSC, 1967, Geophysics Vol 35 #1, 1970
A PERSONAL NOTE M.P. Tixier and R.P. Alger were the senior log interpretation wizards in Schlumberger during the 1950's and 1960's. They taught the SWSC in-house log interpretation school in Houston. I attended in October 1963 and was amazed by their skill and knowledge. Some of it stuck; as I write this, I celebrate my 60th anniversary working with and writing about the many and varied uses for well logs. This series on Petrophysics in the Green Economy is dedicated to their memory as we continue to find even more new uses.
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We are thrilled to have you visit the new CEGA website. We have worked hard to build a modern online platform that will enhance member experience, streamline communications, and provide easy access to member only resources. We will be continuing to develop areas of our website in the coming months and will work diligently to ensure all member resources are transferred over to our new site by the end of 2023.
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2023 UPCOMING EVENTS INFORMATION
SEPTEMBER September 13th
September 18th
Wednesday| 12:00-1:00pm MST
Monday| 11:30-1:00pm MST
International Technical Division
Technical Luncheon
Focus on China: The Geology and Reservoir Characteristics of Giant-Size Oil and Gas Fields which Produce from China’s Precambrian (Archaen) Basement
Electrons and Fuels for Secure Energy
Speaker: Tako Koning Location: C SPG Conference room, +15 level, 540-5 ave SW, Calgary AB
Speaker: Scott Tinker | University of Texas at Austin Location: C algary Petroleum Club, Devonian Room 319 5 Ave SW, Calgary, AB T2P 0L5
September 21st
Online Only
Thursday | 12:00-1:00pm MST
September 15th Friday | 7:30pm MST
Paleontology Technical Division Maritimes to Mars? Stromatolites may be Everywhere Even Out of this World Brief Speaker: Leslie Eliuk, Retired Geologist
GeoWomen Empowering Potential: Embracing Confidence and Joy in Geoscience and Engineering Speaker: J olene Hermanson, Professional Geoscientist & Certified Coach, Life & Health Coach for Women in Geoscience & Engineering- Jolene Hermanson Coaching
Location: B108, Mount Royal University
September 15
th
October 19th
Online Only
Thursday | 12:00-1:00pm MST
Friday | 7:30pm MST
GeoWomen
Paleontology Technical Division
Value-Based Geoscience- Influencing How and Where We Work
Lend Us Your Ear: Using Auditory Region Morphology to Resolve the Evolutionary Relationships of Camels Main Speaker: Selina Robson, University of Calgary Location: B108, Mount Royal University
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Speaker: D eb Shewfelt, Co-President & Sr. Geoscientist, RESPEC
2023 UPCOMING EVENTS INFORMATION
OCTOBER October 4th
Online + In Person
October 20th
Wednesday | 12:00-1:00pm MST
Friday | 7:30pm MST
BASS Technical Division
Paleontology Technical Division
Constraining spatio-temporal evolution of complex basin fill using advanced chronostratigraphic methods: deep-water deposits of the Upper Nanaimo Group, British Columbia
Reconstructing forests in deep time: palaeoclimate and palaeoecology of early Cenozoic forests in Canada’s High Arctic
Speaker: Danny Coutts Location: C SPG Conference room, +15 level, 540-5 ave SW, Calgary AB
Main Speaker: Dr. Christopher K. West, Curator of Palaeobotany at the Royal Tyrrell Museum of Palaeontology Location: B108, Mount Royal University
October 11th Wednesday | 12:00-1:00pm MST
International Technical Division Re-Discovery Towards Development: The Advancement of the Pilar Gold-Silver Project in Mexico Speaker: Brodie Sutherland Location: C SPG Conference room, +15 level, 540-5 ave SW, Calgary AB
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RESERVOIR ISSUE 5 • SEP/OCT 2023
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GEOLOGY IN MOTION
GEOSCIENCE IN EARLY EDUCATION - TIPS AND TRICKS Dallin Laycock, Paul M Bremner, Erin Pemberton, Sean Fletcher, Rich Mackenzie
INTRODUCTION Geology, with its captivating mysteries, profound impact on our planet, and diverse application holds immense potential to inspire the next generation of scientists. Anyone spending even a short amount of time with children knows that they are naturally interested in geologic topics such as dinosaurs, planets, volcanoes, mountains, and beaches. Children routinely pick up their favorite rocks wherever they go or could explain to you in excruciating detail the traits of their favourite dinosaur. With such natural interest in the topic, it is interesting that fewer young people are choosing geology as a career, evidenced by declining university enrollments and degrees awarded (Figure 1, Keane 2022). Is there something in between childhood and university that is turning kids away from geosciences?
Traditional classroom curriculums rely heavily on rote memorization, and topics or media types that fundamentally fail to inspire. Learning about the layers of the earth, the rock cycle, and mineral identification kits might provide foundational knowledge, but these rarely spark imagination and get kids excited to learn more. While it might be difficult to alter traditional curriculums on this topic, it is possible to connect with learners on a smaller scale and still inspire young people to retain and foster their curiosity about geosciences.
Geologists are often invited to give presentations about geology to classrooms. This article delves into the realm of effective classroom geology presentations, focusing on the cognitive aspects of learning, the importance of visualization, leveraging mixed media, and provides tailored recommendations for different age groups, all with the aim of creating an engaging and transformative educational experience. Many of these same techniques can also be applied at home with your own children. When visiting a classroom, you likely only have about an hour to make an impression. With such little time, you must first acknowledge that you will not be able to teach them everything. The priority should be on engagement, not on quantity or import of material. Sure, the rock cycle and the geologic time scale are important to geoscience, but they might not be very engaging. The goal is to spark interest, inspire, and help young minds realize that earth science can be fun and there is much to discover. As they progress in their education, perhaps they will take a more serious interest in the geosciences down the road.
THE SCIENCE OF LEARNING: Understanding how children learn and retain information is crucial for designing effective classroom geology presentations. Active engagement, multisensory experiences, and meaningful connections facilitate deeper understanding and long-term retention (Sutherland et al. 2004, Aminov and S.Mirkhayitova, 2021). By actively involving students in the learning process, geologists can harness the innate curiosity and exploration tendencies of young minds. Visual representation plays a pivotal role in comprehending complex geological concepts, promoting the spark of discovery and fostering the need for deeper understanding. Encouraging children to create notes, sketches, and diagrams can enhance their ability to visualize geological phenomena in three dimensions.
FIGURE 1: Enrollment in U.S. higher education geoscience programs from 1987-2021. Adapted from Keane (2022).
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Encourage students to ask questions, seek answers through experimentation, research, and investigation, and to engage in scientific discourse. Observations, exploration, and self-discovery are more important than having the right answers. Facilitate open-ended discussions and group activities to promote collaboration and the exchange of ideas. Since geoscience can be a relatively interpretive science, targeting multiple working hypotheses, ideas, or answers can promote creativity and imagination which coupled with critical thinking are all important aspects of the science.
IDEAS AND RECOMMENDATIONS FOR DIFFERENT AGE GROUPS: A. EARLY CHILDHOOD (AGES 2-5): For the youngest geology enthusiasts, incorporate tactile elements, such as sand tables, rocks, and fossils to engage their senses. Utilize age-appropriate books and illustrations to introduce simple geological terms and encourage discussion about natural features like mountains, rivers, and beaches. At this age, kids are naturally very curious and not afraid to ask questions or make mistakes. This makes them natural scientists. Let them feel and manipulate sand, mud, and rocks. Don’t worry about identifying specific minerals or rock types. Ask them to make observations about the samples they are holding. Are they smooth or rough? What colors do they have? Are the individual grains large or small? The same or different?
FIGURE 2: A child holds some of the interesting samples of basalt they found. The children observed green minerals in the chunks of basalt. They also identified the “bubbles”, the dark color, and how “sharp” the samples were. All of these led to meaningful discussions about what these observations could mean.
At a recent school presentation to a kindergarten class, one of the co-authors helped the kids start a rock collection. He brought resealable freezer bags along with a large bin of rocks acquired from various locations. These were acquired the day before the presentation from the bank of the Bow River in Alberta, Canada, and from a quick trip to a landscaping store, where he bought a 200 lb bag of basalt landscaping rocks for $20. The instructions for starting a rock collection were simple: “Any rock that you like or find interesting is good enough for your rock collection. Take as many as you want.” With nearly 400 lb of rocks, acquired for a mere $20, the class was engaged, focused and ready to learn. He let the kids keep whatever rocks they wanted, as long as they made an observation about each one. All of the children started rifling through the rocks and made some keen observations. They noticed that the river rocks were FIGURE 3: A) Child on a hunt for dinosaur bones writes down some of his observations. smooth, while the lava rocks were rough. They pointed B) Picture of the notebook from panel A, which reads “Big Mountain. Rock Cliff. Steep edge out lines (veins), colors, fractures, and even identified for Dino Bones. Small Edge”. “bubbles” in the basalt. Eventually, one child noticed some green material in the lava rocks, which turned out to be Olivine (Figure 2). Before long these kindergarteners had identified dozens of occurrences of olivine in the igneous rocks. Each child went home with a new rock collection Elementary school children are also old enough to write down or sketch weighing down their backpack, with the mandate to their observations about a given rock sample. Making notes or drawing continue to pick up and keep any rock they come across and would like is a great way to encourage detailed observations. This is especially to add to their collection. This way, the kids went home thinking about useful if the students are allowed to take home their rock sample (see geoscience, looking for interesting rocks and honing their observational the previous section for ideas of where to find a large quantity of rocks skills even after the presentation had concluded. The best kind of samples for little or no money). The teacher might even be able to lead homework! a sketching or writing exercise after your visit has concluded.
B. ELEMENTARY SCHOOL (AGES 6-10):
Elementary school-aged children are naturally curious and eager to explore. Capitalize on this enthusiasm by incorporating experiments. For example, diet Cola and Mentos volcanoes are a great way to visualize volcanic eruptions. To take the lesson even further, make a second volcano out of baking soda and vinegar, and ask the students to compare the two “eruptions”. You can then use YouTube videos of a stratovolcano and a shield volcano to discuss the differences in eruption power, and compare them to your experiments.
Writing things down is an important tool for summarizing and internalizing information (Klein, 2000). Children can be prompted to write down observations, or summarize what they have learned, write a story incorporating geology, or make sketches. An example of this is shown in Figure 3, which shows a child writing notes while out searching for dinosaur fossils. He was given a notebook and prompted to write down his observations, citing the words of famed Mythbuster, Adam Savage: “Remember kids, the only difference between screwing around and science is writing it down.”
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FIGURE 5: Google Earth image of a small delta in the Northwest Territories. Teenagers can interpret the geologic history of the geomorphology shown here with a few basic lessons about meandering rivers and prograding deltas. The delta is located at 69°57’05”N 126°49’44”W. FIGURE 4: A) Children demonstrate the ”carpet tectonics“ exercise of pushing a rug against a wall to create a model of a fold and thrust belt. B) This exercise can be paired with outcrop images like the one shown, or with Google Earth images of fold and thrust belts to show real world examples of the geometries they created with the rug. This image is from Agios Pavlos, Greece.
There are other ways to engage the classroom with simple demonstrations. Most classrooms have a smooth tile floor. Using a small rug (either brought by you or supplied by the teacher), you can create a fold and thrust belt by asking the students to anchor one side of the rug, and push the other side of the rug (Figure 4a). Impact is highest with this exercise when accompanied by photos of similar looking folds, as well as satellite imagery of similar fold and thrust belts (Figure 4b).
C. MIDDLE SCHOOL (AGES 11-14): At this stage, students possess the cognitive capacity for more abstract thinking. Introduce them to geologic time scales and the concept of deep time. Use interactive digital resources, such as Google Earth to transport students to different geological epochs or explore the interior of the Earth. Encourage critical thinking by prompting them to analyze real-life geological events and phenomena. We have previously published this example of using Google Earth timelapse videos to demonstrate depositional processes in a way that youth can understand (Laycock et al. 2023). One middle school teacher reached out to us about using these videos in her classroom. She showed the class a video of a delta growing over time and another video
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of a river meandering. Then she showed them the image shown in Figure 5, and asked them to interpret what had happened. The class was able to quickly identify the processes that must have occurred, with a meandering river intersecting a coastline to build a new delta into the ocean. This is just one example of how technology is making geoscience more accessible to people of various ages, learning styles, and backgrounds. Similar exercises could be performed with a variety of topics using Google Earth (examples at Geology in Motion Youtube page. www.youtube.com/@geologyinmotion5396). Modern advances in technology have allowed geoscientists to create a wide variety of virtual tools that could be adapted to classroom settings, such as web apps for teaching geologic concepts (Hoxey and Taylor, 2022) and virtual field trips (Ortiz-Guerrero, 2022). Middle school aged children can also grasp concepts of deep time. This facilitates a variety of discussions. You can use a tape measure to visualize deep time, with each meter of the tape measure representing 1 billion years of Earth’s history. Using some pre-prepared materials, you can create an interactive experience and have students mark significant points in earth’s history, such as when the first living organisms appeared, when mass extinctions occurred, when supercontinents rifted apart, the beginning and end of dinosaurs, and the arrival of humans.
CONCLUSION:
BIBLIOGRAPHY AND SUGGESTED READINGS:
Many teaching opportunities are squandered by losing the interest of the audience, especially when the audience is composed of children. Avoid the need to teach only the basics in only a traditional format. These concepts can be learned in the classroom, or better yet, in university, after their interest is piqued. Your job is to inspire. Make it fun, cool, and exciting by leveraging interactive activities, mixed media, varied visualization techniques. By tailoring presentations to suit different age groups, geologists can improve how we connect with and engage young people. This becomes increasingly important as universities report dropping levels of interest in geology, energy, and mining (Keane, 2022). Geology should be able to attract more attention from young people, given that it is responsible for creating beautiful beaches, incredible canyons, volcanoes, mountains, preserving dinosaur fossils, and many other fascinating and enjoyable places and topics. Part of our role is to help others see past the more mundane parts of the science, and feel empowered to discover, delve into nature, and explore the unknown.
Aminov, B., Mirkhayitova, S. (2021). Interactive Education Is a Guarantee of Quality. Eurasian Journal of History, Geography and Economics, Vol. 2, p. 20-23. Hoxey, A., Taylor, M. (2022). Google Earth Engine Cloud Computing Web Apps For Investigating And Teaching Fundamental Geologic And Geomorphic Concepts. Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs. Vol. 54, No. 5, 2022. Doi: 10.1130/ abs/2022AM-382031 Keane, C. (2022). Geoscience Enrollment and Degrees Continue to Decline through 2021. Written for the American Geosciences Institute. https://www.americangeosciences.org/ sites/default/files/DB-2022-010-Enrollments-Degrees-2021.pdf Klein, P. D. (2000). Elementary students’ strategies for writing-to-learn in science. Cognition and Instruction, Vol. 18, No. 3, p. 317- 348. Laycock, D., Fletcher, S., Bremner, P., Mackenzie, R., Pemberton, E. (2023). Geology in Motion: Accessing the Untapped Value of Satellite Imagery. CEGA Reservoir, March/April, 2023. p. 36-39. Ortiz-Guerrero, C. (2022). Development, Implementation, and Evaluation of ‘Rocks Really Rock!’- A Google Earth Electronic Field Trip Across Geologic Time. Geological Society of America Abstracts With Programs. Vol 54, No. 5, 2022. Doi: 10.1130/Abs/2022am-381284 Sutherland, R., Robertson, S., John, P. (2004). Interactive education: teaching and learning in the information age. Journal of Computer Assisted Learning, Vol. 20, No. 6, p. 410 - 412.
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The growing attention towards New Energy has underscored the significance of geoscience in areas such as geothermal resources, carbon sequestration, and exploration for lithium and helium. Deep reservoirs, like the Basal Cambrian, have gained prominence, sparking discussions about shared pore space for different geotechnical applications. To foster dialogue within the geo-community, CEGA is delighted to host the second Energy and Emerging Technology in Geoscience (EETiG) Symposium in February 2024. The EETiG 2024 Symposium will span two days and bring together representatives from the carbon capture and sequestration, geothermal, lithium, and helium industries. The central theme will revolve around exploring shared pore space from a holistic perspective. The event aims to develop a geological understanding of these deep reservoirs, discuss the nature of shared aquifers, explore how mature oil & gas fields can support the development of these resources, and consider the roles of industry and government in fostering their advancement.
Technical presentation and panel discussions will comprise four sessions: SESSION 1 – Deepening Our Geological Understanding explores the frontiers of geoscientific research, emphasizing advancements regional mapping, addressing biases in existing datasets, and unlocking the potential of unexplored areas beyond traditional oil and gas fields. This session delves into our current understanding of the WCSB stratigraphic framework and pushes the boundaries of exploration, showcasing innovative approaches, technologies, and interdisciplinary collaborations in the field of geoscience. SESSION 2 – Shared Aquifer Resources delves into the complex interplay between various industries reliant on shared aquifer systems. This session explores the challenges and opportunities associated with the coexistence of multiple sectors, including helium extraction, lithium brine production, water disposal practices, geothermal energy production, and carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS) initiatives.
SESSION 3 – New Energy in Mature Reservoirs: asks the question on how to rejuvenate mature and depleted hydrocarbon fields in the New Energy space. This session explores the transition from CO2 as an EOR mechanism to CO2 in permanent sequestration. It also seeks in identifying value propositions like remaining hydrocarbon, valuable noble gases, heat, and dissolved minerals while leveraging existing infrastructure and finally embracing co-current production possibilities. SESSION 4 – Harmonizing Policy, Regulation, and Innovation examines how collaborative research and innovation, effective industrial policy, and an appropriate regulatory/policy regime governing resource development can spur development and opportunities in New Energy. We invite you to join us on February 7-8, 2024, for engaging technical sessions and collaborative dialogue as we embark on Adventures in Pore Space. Together, we can unlock the potential of New Energy and pave the way for a sustainable and innovative future. Conference Co-Chairs: Matt Caddel and Darcy Reynolds
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