January 1981 BULLETIN HOUSTON GEOLOGICAL SOCIETY iumber 5 HGS JANUARY. CALENDAR January 12,1981 (Dinner Memting) Galleria Plaza Hot01 Robert Evans (AAPG Distinguished Lecturer) Mobil Energy Minerals, Dallas, Texas "Potential of the Evaporitic Environment asA Source of Petroleum" Socid Perio6-5:30 PM, Dinner and Meeting-6:30 PM Reservations (telephone only, 771-8315) must be made or cancelled by noon Friday, January 9, 1981. January 28,1981 (-heon Meeting) Galleria Plaza Hotel H. William Menard. Director U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, Virginia "The Degree of Advancement of A National Petroleum Inventory" Social Per;& 7 1:30 AM, Luncheon and Meeting- f 2.00 Noon Reservations (telephone only, 771-8315) must be made or cancelled by noon Monday, January 26, 1981.
Transcript
January 1981
BULLETIN
HOUSTON GEOLOGICAL SOCIETY
iumber 5
HGS JANUARY. CALENDAR
January 12,1981 (Dinner Memting) Galleria Plaza Hot01
Robert Evans (AAPG Distinguished Lecturer) Mobil Energy Minerals, Dallas, Texas "Potential of the Evaporitic Environment asA Source of Petroleum" Socid Perio6-5:30 PM, Dinner and Meeting-6:30 PM Reservations (telephone only, 771-8315) must be made or cancelled by noon Friday, January 9, 1981.
January 28,1981 (-heon Meeting) Galleria Plaza Hotel
H. William Menard. Director U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, Virginia "The Degree of Advancement of A National Petroleum Inventory" Social Per;& 7 1:30 AM, Luncheon and Meeting- f 2.00 Noon Reservations (telephone only, 771-8315) must be made or cancelled by noon Monday, January 26, 1981.
h
HOUSTON GEOLOGICAL SOCIETY 6916 ASHCROFT
HOUSTON, TEXAS 77081 771 -831 5
EXECUTIVE BOARD
Chester A. Baird, Dow Chemical USA 978-3810 William F. Bishop, Tenneco Oil Company 757-3443
President First Vice President S#olwl V h PmMent w r y Trwsurer Ekscutiw Committeeman k u t i v e Committeeman E#Cutive Committeeman Exmutlw, Committeeman Part Resident
pGgy J. Rice, conocd I&. 965-2923 Matthew W. Daura, Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line Corp. 871 -8000
Gerald A. Cooley, Phillips Petroleum Company 669-3650 Robert W. Bybee, Exxon Company USA 656-5434
Wendell L. Lewis, Independent Geologist 659-2476 James A. Ragsdale, Blocker Exploration Company 977-2030
Tommy M. Thompson, Highland Resources Inc. 2234901 Jeffey V. Morris, Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line Corp. 871 -2502
COMMllTEE CHAIRMEN
Louise Durham, Consultant 497-8790 Fred Baker, Great Western Drilling Company 961 -41 62 Jerry A. Watson, W. L. Tidwell & Associates 977-8625
Don P. Keith, Arco Oil & Gas Company 965-61 65 Jerry Sides, Shannon Oil & Gas Company 939-9600
Oregory K. Burns, Cities Service Company 850-61 93 Kenneth D. Wubb, Transco Exploration Company 871 -8000
Robert S. Harvill, Exxon Company USA 680-5462 Thomas Hesemenn, Woodward-Clyde Engineering Consuttants 688-91 1 1
Evelyn M. Ettor, Southland Royalty' Company 629-8390 Jim McMurrey, Transco Exploration Company 871 -8000 Arthur R. Troell, Franks Petroleum Company 464-8552
Andrew W. Hampf, Davis Brothers 224-8224 Robert J. Moses, First City National Bank 658-6654
0. Lyle Amt in 681 -21 94 Evelyn Wilie Moody, Consultant 6544072
John H. Hefner, Exxon C o m ~ n y USA 965-7427 Jvfkry V. Morris, Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line Corp. 871 -2502
Richard Mcleod, Gutf Oil Exploration & Production Company 754-1 247 Willism F. Bishop, Tenneco Oil Company 757-3443
David Levin. Gulf Oil Exploration & Production Company 754-791 5 Alicia Majkowski, Longhorn Oil and Gas Company 777-0777
Walter A. Boyd, Jr., Columbia Gas Development Corp. 626-8090 Phillip T. Fowler, Texas Gulf Oil & Gas Corp. 658-981 1
Peggy J. Rice, Conoco Inc. 965-2923 David M. Eggleston, Geomap Peppard-Souder 972-101 8
SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVES
Adviser, Museum of Natural Science Morgan J. Davis, Jr., Pennzoil Producing Company 236-7505 GCAGS Representative GCAGS Alternate AAPG Delegate Chairman AAPG Group Insurance Memorial Scholarship Board
Pre+ident Plrsident-Elect First Vi-President Second Vice-PredeRsrrt Third Vice-President s . c m w Treasurer Historian
M a y V. Morris. Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line Corp. 871 -2502 Chester A. Baird, Dow Chemical USA 978-3810
Merton M. "Ouie" Osborne, Trunkline Gas Company 523-1 181 John Bremsteller, lnsurance Consultant 668-0610
Robert J. S c h m k 497-441 1
HOUSTON GEOLOGICAL AUXILIARY OFFICERS
Mrs. Andrew (Norman Jean) Bacho 494-9247 Mrs. Claude (Nancy) Rmt 467-1693
Mrs. Jim (Margery) Ambrow 497-3413 Mrs. David (Glady) Sheridan 492-8638 Mrs. Ben (June) Bwngiorno 494-1 701
Mrs. Russell (Mary Lou) Seward 789-7596
PRESIDENT'S COMMENTS SOCIETY CALENDAR FOR FEBRUARY February 9, 1981 HGS Evening Meeting (joint with
I hope that everyone came through the holidays in good shape. If you suffer from the post-holiday blues, why not come Marriott West Loop HAPL)
out to the HGS meetings this month and learn while Jay Medley
commtserating Mobil Producing Texas & New Mexico, Inc.
If any of your cohorts should happen to mention that they "Statfjord Norwegian North Sea"
had not recelved their Bulletin this month, you mightask them February 19 & 20, 1981 Continuing Education if they have patd their dues. Dues became delinquent on Exxon Building Rex Pilger, Convenor November 15 and members are dropped from the roll in Auditorium January. The Origin of the Gulf of Mexico and
Th~s clear, cold, crisp day in November and last week's the Early Opening of the Central
reports of a foot of snow in the Alpine area has me hoping that North Atlantic Ocean: A Symposium
those hardy hikers from Houston will encounter better February 25, 1981 HGS Luncheon Meeting
weather than that on their trek through The Solitario. The W. H. Roberts Ill
details on the HGS Spring Field trips are in this month's "Atypical Fields"
Bulletin. Both are designed to offer the professional geologists (NOTE: Advance tickets wi l l be required for the February 9
of the Gulf Coast opportunities to see rock types, facies, and Joint Meeting with HAPL. See form in February Bulletin.)
structure that can only be imagined when looking at electric logs and maps. You owe i t to yourself, after looking at 1 or 2 inch to the hundred foot scale logs, togoout and see what a 50 foot sand really looks like. You should be forewarned that notices of the Central Arkansas and Central Utah trips will be sent to the other geological societies in Texas. Those who have an inclination toward participating in these events should make reservations early - as both trips are limited as to number of participants.
I have been through a few national elections now but I can't remember ever being as elated after one as I was on November 5th. It is hard to believe that only 52% of the electorate thought it important enough to go to the polls.
Chet Baird President
CONTINUING EDUCATION PROGRAMS
2/19-20/81 The Origin of the Gulf of Mexico and the Early Opening of the Central North Atlantic Ocean: ASymposium. Convened by Rex - Pilger, Louisiana State university
Ten papers on the geology, geophysics, and paleomagnetism of the Gulf of Mexico Region wil l be presented February 19 & 20 in the Exxon Building Auditorium. 2/21 -23/81 Quachita Mountains Field Trip. George Viele, University of Missouri, will conduct a field trip in association with the symposium February 21 -23. For additional information contact Jerry Moore, Dow Chemical Oil and Gas Div. 3/19-201'81 Atlantic Symposium
An overview of current activity, recent work, and new ideas on the Atlantic continental margin will be presented ina series of papers by distinguished speakersfrom the USGS and industry. 4/16-17/81 Clark Burchfiel: Geology of the Overthrust Belt and Tectonic Evolution of Western North America 5/14-15/81 Offshore Gulf of Mexico Field Studies
Abstracts for papers to be presented in this program should be forwarded to Butch Wilson, Southland Royalty, before March 1, 1981.
BASEMENT ROCK SAMPLES WANTED
Yes, we are again looking for samplesfrom basement rock wells almost anywhere in the United States. The studies of Flawn and Muehlberger and his cohorts have provided a good rock distribution map. With the additional wells drilled in the last fifteen years we hope to construct a Precambrian geologic map using detailed petrography and isotopic dating. While the benefits of such a map might not be universally hailed, i t is fairly clear it isn't going to really hurt anything. If you have basement samples or know of basement rock wells please contact:
CORE CHIPS Rodger E. Denison Suite 61 6, One Energy Square Dallas, Texas 75206
In return you wil l receive a description of the sample and the possibility that i t will be used for isotopic dating.
1981 AAPG CONVENTION SAN FRANCISCO-MAY 31-JUNE 3 POST CONVENTION TRIP (HAWAII) JUNE 4 - JUNE 11
We have reserved Group Space for HGS members planning to fly to San Francisco for the 1981 annual meeting. A listing of flight timesanddateswill be published in February. Also, details of the post convention geological field trip to Hawaii wil l be announced.
PRICE SCHEDULE-HGS MEETINGS
Galleria Plaza Hotel Dinner ...................................... $16.00
Galleria Plaza Hotel Luncheon ................................... $12.50
RESERVATIONS (771 -831 5) Please make reservations for the Monday evening meeting by the preceding Friday noon, and for the Wednesday noon meeting by the preceding Monday noon.
1 Houston Geolog~cal Soc~ety Bulletin. January 1981
EVENING MEETING-JANUARY 12, 1981
ROBERT EVANS-Biographical SketchRobert Evans was born in
Tidworth, England. Hereceived a B.S. in geology(1962 and a Certificate inEducation (1963) from theUniversity of Nottingham.In 1965 he received his
M.S. in geology from Dal-housie University, and in1972 he received his Ph.D.
in geology from the Universityof Kansas.
From 1963 to 1969, Dr.Evans worked for NovaScotia Research Found-
ation, Manitoba MinesBranch, and TexasGulf Sulphur (summer employment). Hehas been associated with Mobil since 1969, when he went to
work as a research geologist for Mobil Field ResearchLaboratory, where he was involved with projects on platetectonics, evaporites, carbonates, and geochemistry. In 1976he became a geological specialist for Mobil Exploration andProducing Services, and from 1979 to the present he has beeninvolved in regional studies of uranium occurrence for MobilEnergy Minerals Special Projects.
Dr. Evans has many publications to his credit, includingseveral on evaporites. He and D. W. Kirkland were co-editors ofa volume on Marine Evaporites, published in 1973 by Dowden,Hutchinson and Ross.
POTENTIAL OF THE EVAPORITIC ENVIRONMENTAS A SOURCE OF PETROLEUM (Abstract)
Examination of modern saline lakes, solar evaporationponds, and lagoons shows that the evaporitic environment canbe very productive of organic matter. Few species survive inthe brines, but those that do commonly are present in greatprofusion. In a marine evaporitic embayment, the flow ofsurface currents is persistently toward regions of highestsalinity, so that a continual supply and concentration ofnutrients exist. Prolific growth of phytoplankton may be similarto that in areas of upwelling in modern oceans.
Only carbonates precipitate in the "mesosaline" part (4-12% salinity) of such an evaporitic environment, and no greatdilution of organic matter by clastic or biogenic sedimentsoccurs. Because stratification of brine may occur and reducingconditions may be associated with the bottom waters, much ofthe organic matter can be preserved. Maturation may producea rich carbonate source rock, commonly unrecognized in thegeologic column.
In the Middle East, mesosaline conditions occurred manytimes from the Triassic to the Cretaceous; they may beresponsible for the vast reserves of petroleum in the area.Evaporitic conditions may also have played a part in thepetroleum productivity of many other areas, including theMichigan and Paradox basins.(NOTE: This paper was co-authored with Douglas W Kirkland,Mobil Research and Development Corp.)
LIGNITE RESOURCES IN EAST-CENTRALTEXAS GUIDEBOOI<,by J. E. Johnston, III and J. L. Jobling,published 1979 by the Houston GeologicalSociety
Lignite is again becoming an important energy mineral inTexas, as it was more than fifty years ago. This field tripguidebook and the accompanying sketches and descriptionscan be useful in gaining an understanding of a major lignitetrend in Texas. The deposits considered are from the CalvertBluff formation of the Wilcox Group, Paleocene-Eocene. Rocksof this group in downdip locations are familiar to manypetroleum geologists.
The discussion and field stops appear to be well orientedtoward developing an exploration strategy; the majoremphasis is on the environments of lignite deposition and onmethods of predicting lignite occurence.
The text opens with an overview of lignite occurence inTexas and a general discussion of lignite depositionalenvironments, of which the fluvial seems most significant. Onthe basis of regional mapping of sand amounts and ligniteisopleths, a depositional interpretation is presented for a six-county area containing the field stops. It is concluded that inthe fluvial environments, the net sa nd amounts and the ligniteamounts have an inverse relationship.
This and other methods are incorporated into anexploration model in which sand measurements from coretests can be used to explore for lignite. In part, these methodsare similar to ones used in petroleum exploration.
As a field trip guidebook, this paper presents detailedinformation on locating outcrops and understanding thestratigraphic sequence associated with the lignite beingproduced at a nearby mine. The stops (railroad cuts) arelocated on a topographic map, and the authors' interpretationsof the outcrops are shown in sketches. While permission tovisit the mine (and perhaps local guidance to the currentexposures) would be needed, the guidebook appears sufficientto undertake an independent tour of the remainder of the trip.
The introductory discussion, summarized above, isexcellent. The short bibliography (11 items) indicates that thesenior author did his master's thesis onTexas lignite and is co-author of a paper on that subject.Raymond Todd
AAPG ANNUAL CONVENTION
Housing and Advance Registration is now open for the1981 AAPG ANNUAL CONVENTION, to be held in SanFrancisco, from May 31-June 3. The theme of the meeting is"Energy Bridges to the Future." Approximately 500 papers willbe presented in technical sessions. The annual meeting ofAAPG's Divisions-SEPM, EMD and DPA will be held inconjunction with the meeting.
During the meeting, the services of an EmploymentInterviews Center will be available to facilitate arranginginterviews between applicants and potential employers. If youare interested in this service contact: Calvin T. Colson or
James W. Langman, Committee Co-Chairmen, Natural GasCorp. of California, One Market Plaza, Suite 3001, SanFrancisco, CA. 95105 (415)495-4971.
2
NOON MEETING-JANUARY 28, 1981
H. WILLIAM MENARD-Biographical Sketch
H. William Menard re-ceived his B.S. in geologyin 1943 and his M.S. in1974 from the CaliforniaInstitute of Technology. Hereceived his Ph.D. ingeology from Harvard Uni-versity in 1949.
From 1949 to 1955, Dr.Menard was a marine geo-logist at the Navy Elec-tronics Laboratory, SanDiego. He joined the ScrippsInstitute of Oceanography,San Diego, as a professor ofgeology, a position held
until he became Director, U.S. Geological Survey, in April1978. From 1949 to 1977, he participated in 20 deep-seaoceanographic expeditions in many areas of the Pacific andacross the Atlantic. During 1953-56, he was involved inunderwater mapping off the coast of California; he made morethan 1,000 aqua-lung dives for geological purposes. Hisscientific studies resulted in 100 scientific papers, includingfour books.
In 1965-66, Dr. Menard was a technical advisor in theOffice of Science and Technology, Executive Office of thePresident, responsible for marine and earth sciences. He hasserved on many committees of the National Academy ofSciences concerned with natural resources and with thedevelopment of offshore oil.
Honors include election to the National Academy ofSciences, American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and theCalifornia Academy of Sciences; a Guggenheim Fellowship;an Overseas Fellowship from Churchill College, CambridgeUniversity; the Shepard Medal of the Society of EconomicPaleontologists and Mineralogists; and the DistinguishedAlumnus Medal of the California Institute of Technology-Professional affiliations include GSA, AGU, and AAPG. He is aRegistered Geologist, State of California.
THE DEGREEOFADVANCEMENTOFANATIONALPETROLEUM INVENTORY (Abstract)
Does the United States contain vast amounts ofundiscovered oil and gas or not? The Nation needs an answerto that question. Hubbert has shown that, in a certain volumeof densely drilled sedimentary rock, the quantity of petroleumdiscovered per search effort has declined exponentially. Thusthe prospect for discovering large fields by conventionaltargeting on structures within that volume of rock ispredictably small. However, the analysis does not apply evento giant fields in the frontier regions of the OCS, Alaska, andthe overthrust belts. There, if anywhere, geological analogysuggests great promise.
The analysis also does not apply to gas fields underneaththe volume of rock analyzed by Hubbert. Moreover, the numberof small fields found within the densely drilled volume isactually increasing per search effort. Thus there is nonumerical basis for determining the ultimate yield from smalloil fields anywhere in the United States.
It is possible that we do not even know how muchpetroleum lies in giant traps between structures if mostdrilling has been confined to structures. One outlandishexplanation for the fact that industry has done no better than acomputer drilling randomly is that there is no advantage inknowing where the structures are.
All this ignorance highlights the necessity for a rapidinventory of the Nation's petroleum resources. Variousproposals for making an effective inventory are brieflypresented without advocacy.
GCAGS CONVENTION AWARDS
The following papers have been selected as winners ofthe1980 Best Paper Awards at the 1980 GCAGS/GCS-SEPMConvention, October 16 - 17, 1980, in Lafayette, Louisiana.
GCAGS Best PapersFirst Best Paper Award and A. I. Levorsen Award (E. A.Mancini)
Regional Stratigraphy of Upper Jurassic SmackoverCarbonates of Southwest Alabama
Mancini, Ernest A. (Speaker), and Benson, D. Joe,Department of Geology and Geography, Universityof Alabama, University, Alabama
Second Best Paper AwardLouisiana Tuscaloosa versus Southeast Texas Woodbine
Third Best Paper AwardExploration Ramifications of Subsurface Fluid Migrationsin the Lake Borgne - Valentine Area of SoutheasternLouisiana
Gatenby, Glen, Union Oil Company of Canada,Calgary
GCS - SEPM Best PapersFirst Best Paper Award
Depositional Systems and Lignite Prospecting Models:Wilcox and Meridian Sandstone (Eocene) of NorthernMississippi
Cleaves, Arthur W., Mississippi Mineral ResourcesInstitute, Oxford, Mississippi
Second Best Paper AwardThe Atchafalaya Delta - Louisiana's New ProgradingCoast
Van Heerden, Ivar, H., Department of MarineSciences and the Coastal Studies Institute, LSU,Baton Rouge, LouisianaRoberts, Harry H., Department of Marine Sciencesand the Coastal Studies Institute, LSU, Baton Rouge,Louisiana
Third Best Paper AwardThe Biostratigraphic Significance of Fossil MolluskanLarvae
Hansen, Thor, University of Texas at Austin, Texas
GCAGS CONVENTION JUDGES
HGS wishes to express thanks the following geologistswho served on the awards committee as judges at the GCAGSAnnual Convention in Lafayette this year:
Donald Dagen Gus BakerRobert Pledger Jerry WatsonRobert Aaker W. M. WilsonSteve Ogier Robert CirkleDouglas Harrington
Reilly FluellenAllen PetersonGlenn HatcherSteve GreenCharles Johnson
3 Houston Geological Society Bulletin, January 1981
HGS FIELD TRIP
EVERYTHING YOU EVER WANTED TO KNOW ABOUT CLASTIC ENVIRONMENTS BUT WERE AFRAID TO ASK
The Houston Geological Society wil l hosta seven-day field trip to Utah leaving Houston Friday evening, April 24 and returning Saturday evening, May 2,1981. The trip providesan opportunity to examine all types of clastic sedimentary facies in the high desert country. The first three days wil l be spent observing and discussing the geology between Salt Lake City and Moab. Numerous stops along the way wil l allow detailed study of Cretaceous Age sedimentary structure and lithology of facies and transitional environments, including alluvial fan- braided stream deposits, "Gilbert-type" and "Niger-type" deltaic sediments, interbedded lacustrine coals, shales and limestones wi th associated fauna, lagoonal-swampy environments and aeolian sands. The Book Cliffs offer an exceptional sequence of shoreline sands. paludal coals and carbonaceous shales interspersed with channel sands and delta-plain sands and shales. A stop atop the San Rafael Swell provides an overview of the structural features of the area, and a tour through Arches National Monument provides a look at Jurassic formations carved into spectacular features - a result of uplift and erosion.
The last four invigorating days wil l be spent with Hatch River Expeditions rafting down the Cololado River between Moab and Lake Powell. Numerous hikes UD side canvons during the day and three nights camping along the river.will allow ample time to observe the structures and sedimentary features which are well-displayed along the canyon walls. We will see facies changes in the Permian Cutter Formation from fluvial arkosic sandstones to sublittoral marine deposits. The facies are welldefined by sedimentary structures. Gulf Coast geologists will be interested in the many anticlinal structures related to salt movement. Meander Anticline isa salt structure which closely parallels the river. Indian dwellings and art, wildlife, fossils and exciting rapids are added inducements.
The trip will be lead by Dr. J. Keith Rigby, Geology Professor at B.Y.U. The cost is $925; this includes the round trip plane fare between Houston and Salt Lake City, "ground transportation", lodging, lunches, guidebooksand the raft trip. Hatch provides all meals during the river run. The trip will be limited to 25 people. A deposit of $200 wil l be required by February 1 5 with the balance due by March 1 5. Please make checks payable to the Houston Geological Society and mail to:
Kim Pilkington Arco Oil & Gas Company
P. 0 . Box 1346 Houston, TX 77001
Phone: (71 3) 965-6349 Details for flight times and additional information will be
provided upon registering or by calling the Field Trip Coordinator. The trip will be educational and stimulating - in short, worth every penny!
HGS FIELD TRIP OUACHITA MOUNTAIN AND ARKANSAS VALLEY February 20 through February 24, 1981
February 20. Arrive at Little Rock, Ark. Stay at Holiday Inn, North Little Rock
Houston Gc~oloyccal 5ocfrtv t l t i l l ~ t i n Jnnu,,ry 1981
February 21 : 7:30 a.m. Leave on bus tour of parts of Eastern Ouachita Mountains and Arkansas Valley ending at the Frontier Inn, Dardanelle, Arkansas.
February 2 2 7:30 a.m. Leave on bus tour of Central Ouachita Mountains ending at Mountain Harbor Resort, Arkansas.
February 23: 7:30 a.m. Leave for bus tour of parts of the south side of the Ouachita Mountains ending at Holiday Inn, North Little Rock.
Limit: 4 0 People Cost: $320/person*
Arkansas Valley & Frontal Ouachita: The progression southward of alluvial and deltaic to
thicker slope and basinal sequences in the Atoka Formation, and, in part, other Pennsylvanian rocks. Large folds, growth faults, and major thrust faults are present.
Eastern & Central Ouachita Mountains: Emphasis on the intensely deformed deep-water Early
Ordovician through Early Pennsylvanian formations in the eastern and central Ouachita Mountains. Examples of submarine fan, wildflysch, and pelagic deposits; large low to high angle thrust faults (in part, folded); associated milky quartz veins; inverted structures; and serpentine masses. Discussion of models applicable to Ouachita Mountain subduction and deposition; including origin of melange-like intervals.
Southern Ouachita Mountains: Examination of the thick deep water Carboniferous rocks
derived mostly from eastern and southern sources in thrust faulted and medially deformed southern Ouachita Mountains. Comments on Cretaceous overlap, weathering, drape structures, and surfaces of planation.
Presentations: 1. "Correlation and deposit ion of the Middle
Pennsylvanian Atoka Formation in the Arkansas Valley." Boyd R. Haley
2. "Sedimentary facies in the Palezoic Formations of the Ouachita Mountains." Charles G. Stone and Boyd R. Haley
* Includes transportation, guidebook, lodging, and lunch only.
Reservations must be in by February 1, 1981. Field Trip Coordinator:
Jerry P. Moore (71 3) 978-3800 Dow Chemical U.S.A.
P. 0 . Box 4322 Houston, TX 77210
ASSOCIATION OF WOMEN GEOSCIENTISTS- HOUSTON CHAPTER
AWG will hold a High School Career Night for its January meetlng at Otto's El-El-Q, 5502 Memorial on Wednesday, January 14, at 6 p.m. Dinner will cost $5/person for an Otto's luncheon plate plus one beverage.
Here is a chance for earth science professionals to talk with b ~ g h school girls, who are interested in pursuing a career In iht? ear:l> sciences. Dinner wil l be followed by a panel d~scussion on careers in the geosciences.
ALASKA GLACIER POSES FUTURE THREAT TO SHIPPING LANES
Columbia Glacier in south-central Alaska appears to be unstable and on the verge of a drastic retreat that over the next several years could release many large icebergs into the important oil shipping lanes of Prince William Sound near Port Valdez, according to a U.S. Geological Survey, report.
The USGS report predicts that the glacier's rate of retreat will accelerate during the next two to three years. As a result, the annual discharge of icebergs wil l increase to a peak of about 20 to 27 million tons per day during the period 1982 to 1985, or about six to eight times the discharge during 1978.
Dr. H. William Menard, director of the USGS, emphasized that at this point the glacier does not pose an immediate hazard in terms of the next several weeks. "Our concern is great enough, however, that we are issuing a formal hazard watch to state and federal officials to allow as much time as possible for planning and preparation. At the same time, the USGS wi l l continue its glacier monitoring program to provide as much advance warning of changing conditions as possible."
Under federal law, the USGS is responsible for notifying appropriate federal, state, and local authorities concerning geologic-related hazards and for providing information as necessary to ensure timely and effective warning of potential danger.
Because an increased flow of large icebergs could become a problem to tankers transporting oil from the southern terminal of theTrans-Alaska Pipeline at Port Valdez, about 1 10 miles east of Anchorage, the USGS has been monitoring the 425-square-mile glacier since 1974. The program has been intensified in recent years to determine the probable rate of retreat and rate of discharge of the resulting icebergs. During 1979, tankers carried over 1 million barrels of oil a day through Prince William Sound from the pipeline terminal for consumption in the lower 48 states.
Dr. Mark F. Meier, chief of the USGS glaciology program, Tacoma, Wash., and senior author of the report, said, "Giveor take a year, we expect Columbia Glacier to have retreated about 5 miles by 1986. Thiswill releaseabout locubic milesof ice, some of which will be discharged into the narrow Valdez Arm of Prince William Sound in sufficient size to be of concern to shipping.
"The most rapid breakup or calving of the glacial front to produce icebergs wil l occur in the late summer of each year," Meier said. "With continued intensive observations and monitoring of the glacier, we should be able to refine our predictions and provide more timely information and warning to the state of Alaska, U.S. Coast Guard, Department of Energy, and other concerned agencies.
"Columbia Glacier is both unique and potentially unstable because it is the last glacier in North America that still extends out over and fills a deep fiord.'' the USGS spokesman explained. "Although the tip of the glacier now rests on shoals in shallow water, much of the bulk of the glacier actually occupies a deep channel with a base up to 2,000 feet below sea level.
"The immediate danger is that once the front of the glacier retreats from the shoals into the deeper water of the fiord, the rate of breakup and retreat wil l increase drastically," Meier said. "We now expect this accelerated retreat and breakup to take place during the next two to three years, perhaps beginning with this summer's calving season.
"As the glacier retreats at a speed of a mile or more per year, as much as 50 cubic miles of icebergs could be discharged into Prince William Sound over the next 30 to 50 years," Meier said.
The study was conducted by a team of 12 USGS glaciologists and included observations of all 52 calving glaciers in Alaska. To construct a mathematical model for predicting the future discharge of icebergs from a calving glacier, the scientists had to first determine the future positions of the glacial front, the rate of ice flow to the front, and the effects of such parameters as changing channel geometry on the rate of calving. The model was completed in midJune and wil l be subjected to continual refinement as new data are received and predictions refined. The calving model, the first of its kind, is expected to have important transfer value to the study of glacier retreat and iceberg formation in other parts of the world.
"The model shows that, once the glacier has retreated from the shoals, no reversal of the accelerated retreat is likely," the USGS spokesman said. "Even unusually heavy snowfalls or cold weather are only likely to slow by a year or two the retreat process. Until now, icebergs have not been a major problem to shipping in Prince William Sound, but they could be a much more serious problem for many years to come," Meier concluded.
Copies of the 60-page report, "Predicted Timing of the Disintegration of the Lower Reach of Columbia Glacier, Alaska," by Mark F. Meier and others, published as USGS Open-File Report No. 80-582, may be purchased from the Open-File Services Section, Branch of Distribution, US . Geological Survey, P.O. Box 25425, Federal Center, Denver, Colo. 80225. Prices are $7.50 for each paper copy and $3.50 for each microfiche copy. Orders must include report number and check or money order payable to the U.S. Geological Survey.
PROFESSIONAL AND ORGANIZATIONAL NEWS JAMES 0. LEWIS APPOINTED 1982 GCAGS CONVENTION CHAIRMAN
James 0 . Lewis, a past President of HGS, has been appointed General Chairman of the GCAGS Convention to be held in Houston in October, 1982. He had previously served as Vice Chairman of the last GCAGS Convention held in Houston in 1973.
As the General Chairman, Jim will soon be filling the various convention committee posts and wi l l be seeking the help of HGS members in making this convention another Houston success.
The North Texas Geological Society has elected the following officers for 1980-81 . President Secretary Stan Rugeley Pat F. Nelson 702 Petroleum Bldg. Gunn Oil Co. Wichita Falls, Tx. 76301 723 First Wichita Natl. Bldg. 81 7-723-9993 Wichita, Falls, Tx. 76301
81 7-723-5585 Vice President Treasurer Gordon T. West. Jr. Clifton D. Nabors The West Company Kadane Oil Company Box 1675 Box 1740 Wichita Falls, Tx. 76307 Wichita Falls, Tx. 76307 81 7-723-21 77 81 7-723-7391
5 Houston Geologxal Soc~ety Bul le t~n Javuarv 1981
GEOLOGIC CAREERS: OUTLOOK FOR THE FUTURE
DR. H. W. MENARD, DIR. USGS Forecasting is at best a chancy business, and any
speculation about the career prospects for earth scientists of the oncoming generation must contend wi th all the factors influencing the outlook for the scientific professions i n general, plus some special ones as well. There are the general influences: the demographic waves set in motion by the Post- World War II baby boom and its subsequent collapse; the post- Sputnik revival of public interest i n the physical sciences; the influx of extraordinary numbers of young people into institutions of higher education during the past 3 decades and the relatively recent entry of encouraging numbers of women into what had been overwhelmingly a male province.
Then there are the factors that are of special concern to the earth scientist: the strong thrust to get on w i th developing our own energy resources as a secure source of supply; the recognition that there is something that can be done to forestall or reduce losses of life and property caused by geologic hazards; and the realization that the earth sciences have important contributions to make i n reducing the damage caused by human activity to the nation's land, water, and air resources. Largely obscured by these more easily recognized concerns is the fact that w e shall also have to deal w i th some hard problems relating to the availability of a number of non- fuel minerals before the end of the present Century. Although generally unrecognized at the moment, the search for answers to our hard-rock mineral problems wi l l claim the time and talents of a large segment of earth scientists i n the future.
Despite the complexities introduced by these diverse influences some tentative conclusions may be drawn about the outlook for earth scientists over the next three or four decades.
First, it should be apparent mar m e eaucarlonal rlela IS
unlikely for many years to be the large market for professional talent that i t was during the 1960's and early 1970's. PhD's in the earth sciences are notably healthy and devoted to their work, and large numbers of them were taken aboard the nation's educational institutions during a relatively short period of time. Most of them are likely to be busily a t work i n their laboratories and classrooms until the end of the present century. Thus, the large population of earth scientists in academia (1 1,000 out of a total of 63,000 in 1978)' is not descriptive of the relatively limited number of opportunities imposed by the loading-up of tenured personnel over a period of a few years. Vacancies of course w i l l continue to appear throughout the next two or three decades, but not on the scale suggested by normal attrition rates. The outlook wi l l brighten perceptably in the initial years of the 21 st century.
The private sector, which employs some 38,000 earth scientists, presents qulte a different picture. The growing difficulty in finding commercial-sized oil and gas deposits onshore in the United States coupled wi th the need to know a great deal more than we do about the geology of our cont~nental margins sets a continuing strong demand for scientists in those disciplines whose skills can contribute to more effective discovery and recovery of our steadily diminishing population of oil and gas accumulations.
Onshore, in the traditional oil-producing provinces of the contiguous 48 states, the volume of oil and gas discovered in the future wil l be a function of the discovery of very large numbers of very small shallow flelds, and relatively few
obscure, deep giants in contrast to the past, where about 58% of all oil discovered had been contributed by giant fields. A study I made some years ago wi th an associate, George Sharman, demonstrated that the contribution of geology and geophysics to finding the giant fields was dissipated by the social system that controls exploration. The plusses and minusses balanced. At least, I believe that explains the fact that a computer model programmed to search randomly for giant oil fields in the sedimentary rock of the contiguous United States yielded results that were about the same as the petroleum industry experience.*
The limitations imposed by the social systems are not vanishing, and there wil l be fewer giants in ourfuture,at least i n the historic oi l patch, and there w i l l not even be the past proportion of fields wi th as much as 1 0 million barrels of oil equivalent. Instead, we can expect most of our prospects to yeild less than 1 million barrels of oil equivalentand topresent targets of less than 1 km2 at the surface. Finding them wi l l demand geologic detective work of the highest order-and a lot of i t .
The same can be said for the obscure, deep giants-which certainly wil l not be found by random drilling.
More earth scientists-and new earth science-will also be needed for the task of discovering non-fuel minerals. Virtually all surface expressions have been found and exloited, and discovery at depth is even more difficult than locating oil and gas. Finding the hidden deposits of the future wil l require not only high order of intelligence and skill, but the variety of conceptual approaches that is available only from large numbers of persons engaged in the search.
A subgroup of the private sector deserving of special attention is the growing number of independent consultants identified neither wi th private companies nor wi th the government, and whose status as free agents makes them useful to both. While all kinds of earth scientists are represented, those educated as engineering geologists appear to be particularly wel l situated to deal wi th the genre of problems that arises out of the interaction between human activities and the environment. Many of the problemsare new, at least in the magnitude of their consequences, and all are complex. Some are unique to the point of demanding specialized skill and experience not readily available in either government or industry. It is here also that government and private companies are most frequently at odds, and demands by sach party for independent professional assessments are most likely to be generated. I have yet to see references to "forensic geology," but there is clearly a place of growing importance for the non-aligned expert as the give and take between government and industry probes the limits that wi l l be applied to our activities by the land, air, and water resources at our disposal.
Earth scientists in the public sector at all levels comprise about 13,000 individuals, and the outlook for this component is similar to that I have mentioned for education. Science-in- government enjoyed a large growth surge at about the same time as science-in-education, wi th essentially the same result: a relatively steady-state corps that is likely to endure into the next century. Within this limited prospect, however, certain modest growth areas may be discerned.
The Increasingly urgent search for minerals, both for energy and for material inputs to manufacturing establishesa continuing requirement for new knowledge about the interaction between mineral development and the human and physical environment. This is particularly true of remote areas
Housron u r u ~ u y ~ c a ~ s o c ~ e t y 8ulletln. January 1981 6
which have received relatively little attention from either science or industry until now, but which wi l l increasingly be the focus of mineral exploratory activity in the future. The outlook is good for scientists in government, in the mining industry, or acting as their own agents, who can contribute to the solutions of the many problems in this area.
At the downstream end of the production/distribution process the problems of disposing of noxious wastes get bigger and more complex every t ime w e look at them. W e have long grappled wi th the problems associated wi th radionuclides and some answers are beginning to appear, although much work remains to be done. We are only beginning to appreciate the dimensions of the problems presented by the disposal of toxic chemical wastes. Past practices wi l l have to be assessed. Standards must be developed to prevent such abuses in the future. The sharply conflicting interests at stake wi l l require that the scientific advice on which corrective action is based enjoys a reputation for objectivity and impartiality. The public sector is the logical source for such advice, but there is also a role to be played by the independent consultant.
Finally there is the recognition that a great deal can be done to mitigate the impacts upon life and property that may be caused by geologically related hazards. A good beginning has been made on acquiring a capability for predicting the timeing and magnitude of earthquakes and volcanic eruptions: many more lives were saved than lost because of the timely warnings issued by earth scientists of the eruption of Mount St. Helens last May 18. Exposure to riskcan be vatly reduced in earthquake-prone areas through land use designation, construction standards, and siting of facilities guided by a knowledge of the factors controlling seismic activity and its effects. Competent assessments of soil stability can preventor reduce future losses from land and mudslides. Again, expertise of these kinds is appropriately supplied by public sources.
Thus, the outlook for earth scientists is good, but not uniformly so. Much wi l l depend upon the care wi th which the entrants choose their specialties and fields, and on their ability to sense the character and magitude of the new demands that wi l l be made upon them and on our profession during the four decades that wi l l encompass their working careers.
REFERENCES U.S. Scientists and Engineers i n 1978, detailed statistical tables, NFS Pub 80-304, Natl Science Foundation, Washington DC, 1980.
Menard, H. W., and Sharman, G., Scientific Usesof Random Drilling Models, i n Science, Vol. 190, p. 337-343 Amer. Assoc. for the Advancement of Science, Washington, DC 1975.
EDITOR'S NOTE: Dr. H. William Menard is Director of the United States
Geological Survey. A biographical sketch for Dr. Menard is given wi th the January Noon Meeting announcement in this Issue.
DISTRIBUTION OF VOLCANIC SEDIMENTS I N THE GULF COASTAL PROVINCE - SIGNIFICANCE TO PETROLEUM GEOLOGY
Part 1 Bruce E. Hunter and David K. Davies
INTRODUCTION
Many geologists consider the Gulf Coastal Province to be a region of mature, relatively quartzose sediments, located on the trailing edge of the North American plate. Indeed i t is true that this Province has received large volumes of mature, quartzose sediment from the Rocky Mountains and Appalachians. However, i t is equally true that the Gulf Coastal Province contains strata rich i n volcanic debris. These strata indicate widespread, and nearly continuous volcanism dating from Late Cretaceous (Gulfian) time.
Sediments shed from Gulf Coast volcanic centers are rich in unstable components (feldspar, igneous rock fragments) and highly susceptible to alteration by diagenesis. Diagenesis of these sediments results i n the development of pore-fill clays and other cements that pose serious problems in terms of the design of mud and stimulation programs. Proximity of a well location to a Gulf Coast volcanic center. and prospective pay in zones characterized by volcanism, wi l l necessitate careful tailoring of well bore fluids to avoid formation damage. Therefore, recognition of the age, location, and composition of Gulf Coast volcanic centers is not only of purely academic significance.
This paper consists of a series of maps and tables which specify the locations of active volcanic centers, and the known distribution of volcanic detritus i n the Gulf Coastal Province, from the Cretaceous to the present day. In the maps we distinguish between source rocks(volcanic necks, stocks, sills, dikes and lava flows), and volcanic sediments (volcanic sands, tuffs, and bentonites). Additional literature searches, drilling and subsequent petrographic work wi l l doubtless lead to recognition of more volcanic centers and volcanic sediments i n the Gulf Coastal Province. Our maps are therefore to be considered as a base upon which Gulf Coast geologists can build. They also provide a guide for geologists concerned wi th the potential for damage in specific formations and locations.
DISTRIBUTION OF GULF COASTAL VOLCANISM Upper Cretaceous
The distribution of volcanic centers and sedimentsfor the Upper Cretaceous is presented i n Figure 1 and Table 1 . Woodbine-Eagleford volcanism, centered i n southwestern Arkansas, generated thick accumulations of volcaniclasticfan materials which covered parts of northeastern Texas, southern Oklahoma, and southern Arkansas. Erosive exposure of ultrabasic (peridotitic) vents near Murphreesboro, Arkansas suggest that a major volcanic center was located i n that region (Ross et al., 1929).
These volcaniclastic conglomerates, consisting of phonolitic and trachytic rock fragments set in a matrix of peridotic and phonolitic tuff, were deposited by braided stream and debris f low processes. Cobbles contained within these deposits occasionally reach 1 0 inches in diameter. Beds display a decrease in grain size and an increase in mixing of materials from different sources to the east and south, away from the Murphreesboro center. The coarse grain size, and lack of compositional mixing of volcaniclastic conglomerates near Nashville and Lockesburg, Arkansas may attest to the
7 Houston Geolog~cal Soc~ety Bul le t~n January 1981
Table 1. Volcanogenic rocks from Upper Cretaceous deposits in the Gulf Coastal Province.
-- Rock Description Formation and/or Location - .. . -- .- Literature Source
Woodbine-Eaglefor<l Stages Conglomerates and sandstones composed of phonolitic Woodbine Formation - Lockesburg cuesta: W Arkansas Ross el a/ . . 1929 and trachytic rock fragments; phonolitic and peridotitic and S.E. Oklahoma; Red River bluff: N.E. Texas, Woodland, tuff (includes trachytic rock fra'gnents and pumice); Texas bentonite
Phonolitic and trachytic vents Nashville and Lockesburg, Arkansas Ross et d.. 1929 -. - . . . . --
Volcanic material in sandstone Dexter Formation - Denton and Tarrant Co.. Texas Sellards et a / . . 1932
Bentonite: thin lavers Lower Eagleford Clay - a l o n ~ strike from Travis Co. to Ross et al., 1929 Grayson CO., Texas
-. . . --
Bentonite Eutaw Formation - Aberdeen, Monroe Co., Mississippi Ross et 01.. 1929 - -. . - -- Sandstones with volcanic rock fragments from Camp Co., Texas; Webster Parish, Louis~ana; Monroe Murray, 1961 subsurface uplift; W. Tennessee
Austin Stage AlkAic igneous intrusions: sills and laccoliths; olivine S. central Texas in a band, along strike, from Val Verde Spencer, 1965, 1969; Sellards nephelinite, nepheline basalt, alkalic olivine basalt; to Williamson Counties et a / . . 1932 plugs; analcite phonolite
Volcanic cepters which have been altered to serpentine Near Austin, Texas; Thrall oil field; Lytton Springs oil field; Udden and Bybee, 1916; Sellards, and chlorite; submarine volcanic cones composed of Buchanan oil field; Pilot Knob 1932; Durham, 1955; Hill, 1890; sills, lava flows and volcanic mudflows Durham, 1949
Nepheline basanite Pilot Knob, Texas Barker and Young, 1977
Sandstones with volcanic rock fragments Tokio Formation - N.E. Texas; S.E. Oklahoma; S.W. Ross et a[.. 1929 Arkansas
Hypabyssal and extrusive phonolite, trachyte, Subsurface - from Hot Springs, Arkansas to W. central Ross et al., 1929
- analcimite and nephelinite-tuff - volcanic breccia Mississippi
Subsurface rock core - 2000 R of igneous and Union Producing Company's #1 Box Estate Well, Sundeen and Cook, 1977 volcaniclastic rocks a t a depth of 3600 ft: phonolite Humphreys Co.. Mississippi (K-Ar date = 78.3 ? 2.9 my.); porphyritic biotite analcimite (K-Ar date = 91.3 ? 3.4 m.y.)
Subsurface rock core - 1300 R of altered porphyritic Subsurface, St. Bernard Parish, Louisiana Braunstein and McMichael, 1976 mafic rocks at a depth of 7200 ft; radiometric date = 82 ? 8 m.y. -- Tuff and tuffaceous sediments Prothro and Rayburn salt domes, Bienville Parish, Ross et a[.. 1929
Louisiana - Tuffaceous sediments Mexico: Nuevo Leon; Tamaulipas; N.E. Puebla; E. San Murray. 1961
Luis Potosi; N. Veracruz
Bentonite S. Veracruz, Mexico Murray, 1961
Taylor Stage Sandstones with volcanic rock fragments W. Mississippi; S.W. Arkansas; S.E. Oklahoma Ross et al., 1929
Bentonite N. Louisiana Ross et a'l., 1929
Sedimentary rocks with volcanic rock fragments Pilot Knob; Thrall oil field; Lytton Springs oil field Ross et al.. 1929
.Va carm Stage Sedimentary rocks with volcanic rock fragments - Tri-state region of Arkansas. Mississippi -- and Louisiana Murray, 1961
Bentonite ~ - -
Louisiana; Bexar Co., Texas Ross et al.. 1929 -. .. -- -- --
Sandstone with volcanic rock fragments - subsurface Dimmit Co., Texas A. Jacka, personal communication, 1978
existence of further phonolitic and trachytic vents i n these regions. Thick accumulations of tuff i n Howard, Pike, and Sevier Counties, Arkansas, similarly suggest that a major volcanic complex existed in the Murphreesboro-NashviIle- Lockesburg area in Woodbine-Engleford time. Other Woodbine-Eagleford volcaniclastics, reported from central Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Tennessee may mark the locations of other volcanic centers (Ross et al., 1929).
Volcanic activity continued into Austin time as new centers developed in south central Texas. Volcanic activity in the Mississippi embayment shifted south to the Monroe Uplift and at least one vent was active in the region of the present Mississippi Delta. This Cretaceous vent in the Mississippi Delta was reported by Braunstein and McMichael, 1976, i nan area where geophysical data had indicated no igneous intrusions. A sample from this vent was dated radio- metrically at an age of 82 + 3.4 m.y Subsurface volcanic rocks from Humphreys County, Mississippi yield radiometric dates of 78 3 + 2 9 m.y and 91.3 2 3 4 rn y (Sundeen and Cook,
1977). Igneous rocks have high alkalic compositions and they form sills, laccoliths and lava flows. Volcaniclastic rocksfound in the vicinity of the vents were deposited as a complex of fluvial and debris f low sediments.
Volcanic centers remained at the same locations inTaylor t ime but activity had begun to subside. By the Navarro age most volcanic activity had stopped.
(Part 2 wil l appear in The February Bulletin.)
Editors Note: Bruce E. Hunter is a geologist w i th Exxon Company USA,
Houston. David K. Davies, Ph.D. is President of Davies. Almon and Associates, Inc., Houston. This paper appeared in Volume 29, 1979 of the GCAGS Transactions. It appears here wi th permission of the authors and wi th the permission of the GCAGS, President.
UPPER CRETACEOUS
i t o zmmt $ ~ o v + + % ! 'a?
WOODBINE - EACLEFORD 4( QeOb
'+c E
Sandstones and conglomaates containing rolcantc rock fragments
Tuff and tuffaceous rocks Volcanic necks, stocks. sills dikes and lava flows
Fig. 1 Distribution of Upper Cretaceous volcanogenic rocks in the Gulf Coastal Province.
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Geophysical Consulting
Offshore Gravity Data
0.0
THE GEOPHYSICAL DIRECTORY
THE OIL AND GAS DIRECTORY
HOUSTON, TEXAS 77019
PHONE 713 529-8789 2200 WELCH AVENUE
Cor~us Christi Houston
B
820 Bank & Trust-123 305 San Jacinto Bldg . Corpus Christi, Texas Houston, Texas
DOW CHEMICAL U.S.A. OIL 8 GAS DIVISION HOUSTON, TEXAS
400 WEST BELT SOUTH P 0 BOX 4322 (713 ) 978-2971
Midland, Texas - Walnut Creek, California Lafayet re, Louisiana - Denver, Colorado
L Y O N S P E T R O L E U M , I N C .
S H R E V E P O R T . L O U I S I A N A
G E N E H I L L I A R D DICK D A V E N P O R T
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G E N E HI1 L I A R D I l l T I M A B E N D R D T H
GEORGE M O R G A N
LAFAYETTE, L O U I S I A N A
JIM F A M E R O U G H M I K E R A D F O R D
D U A N E D U N G A N SCOTT D A N I E L
Brown and McKenzie 011 & Gas Explorat~on
Five Greenway Plaza East Suite 1704 Houston, Texas 77046
71 31626-3300
C. F. Brown, Jr. Michael McKenzie
Billy J. Neal Jerry Webb
Joel Paseman
Drilling and Production Data Logs and Maps Computerized Data Bases Engineering and Exploration Consultation Data in Microform Special Energy Publications Need current or historical exploration and production data or any of the above services? Turn to Petroleum lnformation - your full service information source.
When the bottom line is to get the job done, PI is the name to remember.
Petroleum lnformation Corporation A S u b s ~ d ~ a r y of A . C N ~ e l s e n C o m p a n y
601 Jefferson Suite 3038 Houston, Texas 77002 (71 3) 972-2232
PEPPARD-SOUDERS (L ASSOCIATES--
GEOLOGY * ENGINEERING * GEOPHYSICS *
Dallas Denver Houston I idl land
qe~di~ia SERVICE INC. 5603 South Rice Avenue Houston. Texas 77081
C. J . Long Paul Farren
Telephone 666-1741 Telex 79-2777
Geologis ts , Geophys i s t s
Bill Sonne
INTERNATIONAL EXECUTIVE SEARCH CONSULTANTS
14760 Memorial Suite 301 Houston, Tx. 77079 Also Colorado Springs (303) 573-6398 Dick Troth
Resumes sent with consent
2001 Timerloch Place The Woodlands, Texas 77380 (71 3) 363-5500
A n Equa l Opportunity Employer
Llsted on the Anrerlcan Stock Exchangt,
Ticker Symbol. MNU
THE STONE OIL CORP. GULF COAST OIL & GAS EXPLORATION
3801 K / R B Y D R / V E , S U / T E 5 d 4 H O U S T O N , T E X A S 77098
KARL H. ARLETH 0. W. KIMMEY SAM G. OBOURN
(713) 5 2 6 - 8 7 3 4
NL B a d d Logging Systems duce drilling costs. Baroid offers a wide range of logging services that reduce drilling costs, increase drilling efficiency and minimize drilling hazards. Baroid Logging Systems include Mud Logging Service (MLS), Applied Drilling Technology (ADT), and Computerized Applied Drilling Technology (CADT).
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mud pit level drilling mud proper- ties - record of other data pertinent to drilling operations daily log of all data composite log of data on com- pletion of well all equipment housed either in a skid-mounted doghouse or trailer.
APPLIED DRILLING TECHNOLOGY provides all of the information obtained in Baroid's Mud Logging Service and adds the equipment and experienced personnel to make pore pressure and drilling efficiency recommendations including: pore pressure, frac gradients, running speeds, and hydraulics factors. Baroid's ADT, utilizing the latest instrumentation and automatic recording devices, detects and plots: "d" exponent (normalized drill- ing rate) * connection gas * casing fill-up during trips. pump pressure casing pressure mud weight and viscosity shale density shale fac- tor intercom with driller.
COMPUTERIZED APPLIED DRILLING TECHNOLOGY provides all of the information obtained in Baroid's MLS and ADT Services and utilizes an on board computer to monitor drilling and mud system param- eters, analyze and provide alarms on abnormal conditions, record data on tape for historcal records, dis- play data on CRT and print com- plete reports, perform complex cal- culations to derive pore pressures, ECD, delta chlorides, cuttings slip velocity, "what if" hydraulics, surge and swab pressures, and many other on line parameters and off line user programs.
Your Baroid Logging Systems representative can help you select the service best suited to your needs. NL BaroidINL Industries, Inc., P.O. Box 1675, Houston, ex as 77001. (713) 527-1 100.
SIERRA PRODUCTION COMPANY
1400 Capital National Bank Bldg. Houston, Texas 77002
Byron F. Dyer James P. Blackstone
GeoQuest International, Inc. EXPLORATION CONSULTANTS SEISMIC DATA PROCESSING
4605 Post Oak Place, Suite 130, Houston, Texas 77027 Telephone 71 31627-71 80 Telex: 91 0 881 4408
Affiliated with J . R Butler and Company and GeoQuest Exploration, Inc.
5825 Ch~mney Rock Road - P 0 Box 36269 Houston. Texas 77036 713666-2561
THANKS TO ALL OUR MANY CUSTOMERS AND FRIENDS, WE HAVE WORKED MORE THAN 28.000 JOBS SINCE 1955. MAKING US NUMERO UNO IN THE SOUTH TEXAS AREA.
IF IT HAS ANYTHING TO DO WITH "CORE OR WATER ANALYSIS", CORE SERVICE, INC., AND IT'S EMPLOYEES WILL CONTINUE TO STRIVE TO FURNISH UNEXCELLED SERVICE, EXPERIENCE AND DEPENDABILITY TO THE ENERGY INDUSTRY AT LESS COST.
Craig Ferris, PRES.
1437 South Main St. Tulsa, Okla. 74119
91 8 1 5853333
HOUSTON OIL & MINERALS, CORPORATION
a diversified natural resource company
1100 Louisiana Street. Houston, Texas 77002
AMERICAN PROSPECTORS, INC. 1220 SOUTHWEST TOWER HOUSTON, TEXAS 77002
(7 1 3) 650-045 1 1 Gary E. Morrison, Chairman Tom E. Purcell, President
Raymond C. Blakely Robert C. Pace
David A. Pustka
Jerry D. Sloane
Linda L. Smith
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CAREER OPTIONS . . . . .with our specialized approach, we are able to respond on a quant~tat~ve bas6 w~thout sacrlflclng the most demandmg parameters
CONFIDENTIALITY . . . . .we fully apprec~ate thls requ~rementi We exerclse a d~screet approach by quallfylng your interest prlor to presentations to companies ,,--,,
5251 Westheimer, Suite 380 Houston, Texas 77056
GeoQuest Exploration, Inc. SEISMIC DATA ACQUISITION
4605 Post Oak Place, Suite 130, Houston, Texas 77027 Telephone 71 31627-7180 Telex: 910 881 4408
Affiliated with J. R. Butler and Company and GeoQuest International. Inc.
HOUSTON GEOLOGICAL SOCIETY CONTINUING EDUCATION
Pre-registration Application
THE ORIGIN OF THE GULF OF MEXICO: A SYMPOSIUM
Convened By Rex Pilger
February 19-20,1981 Exxon Building Auditorium 1 -5 pm/8:30-12 am
Name
Company Phone
Preregistration Students $1 0 .00 Members $25.00
Registration at door: Students $1 5 .00 Members $30.00
MAlL CHECK TO: Houston Geological Society 691 6 Ashcroft Houston, Texas 77081
HOUSTON GEOLOGICAL SOCIETY CONTINUING EDUCATION
Pre-registration Application
ATLANTIC SYMPOSIUM
March 19-20, 1981 Exxon Building Auditorium 1-5 pm/8:30-12 am
Name
Company Phone
Address
Preregistration Students $10.00 Members $25.00
Registration at door: Students $1 5 .OO Members $30.00
MAlL CHECK TO: Houston Geological Society 691 6 Ashcroft Houston, Texas 77081
Houston Geolog~cal Sooety Bullet~n, January 1981
and Evaluation . Services
Conventional Core Analysis Sidewall Core Analysis
Special Core Analysis Reservoir Fluid Analysis Gas Analysis Hydrocarbon Source-Bed and
Geochemical Evaluation
Contact: M~lton Craft
t
Computerized and Conventional Hydourbon WeH Logging
Contact: Peter Rutledge i \
Engineering and Gedqpcal Consulting
Reservoir Engineering Studies Reservoir Simulation Studies Enhanced Recovery Processes Geological Services Reserve and Evaluation Studie Dri l l ing and Production Services Computing and Software Services
Matagonk Bramm3 Galveston High Island West Cameron East Cameron G d ble South Tnnbalier Breton Sound
South Tuxam Frio Centrd Texas Chalk S. L Texas Deep Frb S. L Taxas Dccp %ox East Texas Jurassic NorthLouLianaJwassic S. W. L a u m i s ~ F h S. E. Louisiana Mimcene we& Texm Elkn-
