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Energy and Mineral Resources
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Subsurface Visualization
- Subsurface visualization is uses all available data and technology
to get a better understanding of what the upper 4-5 km of the earth's crust
looks like and how it works. Since all of the major economic mineral
deposits are located in this zone, locating and identifying gas and oil
reservoirs and ore deposits is one aspect of this brach of science. Others
are visualizing the movement of contaminent plumes or the migration of
hydrocarbons. The rise of the Internet has provided an entirely new way for
earth scientists to gather data, and advances in computer and software make
it easier and easier to manipulate and view these data. Making students at
all levels aware of the importance of the Internet and teaching them how to
exploit this resource to understand the earth's upper crust is one of the
primary goals of this laboratory.
More Details...
Research Grants
Department of Energy, $750,000, 1/1/98 - 12/31/01, Visualization
of Fractures in Hydrocarbon Reservoirs, $250,000 MTU cost share,
J. R. Wood.
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Seismic Petrophysics
- Reflection seismic data is often used not only to map structures, but
to identify the lithology and fluids present in a formation. The
geophysicist processes data to retain 'true' amplitudes and to remove
artifacts of acquisition and previous processing steps, then uses
features of the seismic data called attributes to help in identifying
rock types. Some of the identification is purely statistically based,
relying on correlations between observations in wells and the character
of the seismic wavelet.
Our research emphasizes the physical cause of
the correlation, and is directed toward improving the usefulness of
seismic reflection data by developing more-robust techniques of
predicting lithology based on attributes. We are currently supported
by the Dept. of Energy and work with high-end computing software
packages provided by Schlumberger-GeoQuest, Mercury International
Technology, Andrews Scott Pickford, and Flagship Geosciences.
More Details...
Research Grants
Dept of Energy, $927,121, 10/1998 - 9/2001,
Calibration of Seismic Attributes for Reservoir Characterization,
W. D. Pennington
Massachusetts Institute of Technology, $15,301, 6/1998 - 11/1999,
Borehole Seismic Source Evaluation, Traverse City Test Facility,
W. D. Pennington
Society of Exploration Geophysicists, $8000, 6/1999 - 12/1999,
Earthquake Seismology in K-12 Schools,
W. D. Pennington
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Stratigraphy and Basin Analysis
- Research in the areas of Stratigraphy and Basin Analysis emphasizes
the evolution of sedimentary basins. Data collected in the field
and from core and well-logs are used to reconstruct sea-level,
tectonic, and climate change. Computer models are used to
investigate the thermal histories of basins, and sediment
transport in fluvial, deltaic, and nearshore marine systems.
Research Grants
National Science Foundation, $428,132, 7/15/99 - 7/15/02, Geology of
Utah's National Parks and Monuments: Education Materials for Earth
Science Courses, J. Huntoon (lead PI) , G. Bluth, W. Kennedy,
F. Erickson.
National Science Foundation, $41,000, 9/1/98 - 8/31/99, Geology of Utah's
National Parks and Monuments, J. Huntoon, G. Bluth, W. Kennedy, F. Erickson.
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Geochemistry and Ore Deposits
- Geochemistry is used in the study of metallic ore deposits, geothermal
energy resources, petroleum energy resources, and the environment.
The application of geochemical data include a wide spectrum of studies
including characterization of the chemical composition of earth
materials, exploration for undiscovered resources, mobility of chemical
components in the environment, and development of an understanding of
earth processes. Geochemical data often require extensive graphical
and statistical analysis via computer.
The study of ore deposits often requires the integration of a wide
variety of geoscience data such as field and drill core observations,
mineral and rock distribution, petrography, structure, and
geochemistry. These data are organized in digital databases which
are analyzed to develop exploration and genetic models of ore deposits.
Research has included the study of hydrothermal gold deposits in
Finland, Michigan, and selected localities in the western U.S.;
native copper and copper sulfide deposits in the western
Upper Peninsula of Michigan; iron deposits in the western Upper
Peninsula of Michigan; and titanium and iron enriched gabbro
intrusions of Finland.
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Faculty Information
Theodore J. Bornhorst PG Department Chair & Professor of Economic and
Engineering Geology
Ph.D., University of New Mexico
Economic geology, geochemistry (mineral deposits
and environmental),geology of the Lake Superior region,
statistical analysis of geosecience data.
E-MAIL
PROFILE
Jacqueline E. Huntoon Associate Professor of Geology
Ph.D.,
Pennsylvania State University
Sedimentology, stratigraphy, tectonics, petroleum
geology, basin analysis
E-MAIL
PROFILE
S. Douglas McDowell Professor of Geology
Ph.D., California
Institute of Technology
Metamorphic petrology, geothermal geology, clay mineralogy
E-MAIL
PROFILE
Wayne D. Pennington Professor of Geophysical Engineering
Ph.D., University of Wisconsin--Madison
Petroleum geophysics, well logging,
seismology, induced seismicity
E-MAIL
PROFILE
James R. Wood Jr. Professor of Geology
Ph.D., Johns Hopkins
University
Geochemistry, environmental geology, diagenesis, petroleum geology
E-MAIL
PROFILE
Charles T. Young, PE Associate Professor of Geophysical
Engineering
Ph.D., University of Wisconsin--Madison
Exploration geophysics,
electrical and electromagnetic geophysics, geophysical signal analysis, ground-penetrating
radar, environmental geophysics
E-MAIL
PROFILE
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Courses
GE4160 - Introduction to Subsurface GIS
GE4200 - Applied Geochemistry
GE4600 - Reflection Seismology
GE4610 - Formation Evaluation and Petroleum Engrg.
GE4750 - Structural Styles in Petroleum Engrg.
GE4760 - Engrg. Evaluation of Mineral Deposits
GE5110 - Sequence Stratigraphy
GE5120 - Basin Analysis
GE5130 - Geology of Utah's National Parks
GE5200 - Advanced Geochemistry
GE5210 - Advanced Applied Geochemistry
GE5220 - Aqueous Geochemistry
GE5450 - Potential Field Theory in Gravity and Magnetic Applications
GE5600 - Advanced Reflection Seismology
GE5610 - Quantitative Reservoir Characterization
GE5760 - Advanced Engrg. Evaluation of Mineral Deposits
GE5770 - Mineral Deposit Exploration Models
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Research/Publications
Bornhorst, T.J., Nurmi, P.A., and Kontoniemi, O., 1998, Geochemistry of gold
and associated elements in the Paleoproterozoic Osikonmaki gold deposit,
southeastern Finland: Geological Survey of Finland Special Paper 25, p.
81-90.
Bornhorst, T.J., 1997, Tectonic context of native copper deposits of the
North
American Midcontinent rift system: Geological Society of America Special
Paper,
312, p. 127-136.
Bornhorst, T.J., and Johnson, R.C., 1993, Geology of volcanic rocks in the
southern half of the Archean Ishpeming greenstone belt, Michigan:
U. S.Geological Survey Bulletin 1904-P, 13p.
Huntoon, J.E., Dolson, J., and Henry, B., 1994, Seals and migration pathways
in paleogeomorphically trapped petroleum occurrences: Permian White Rim
Sandstone, Tar-Sand Triangle area, Utah, in Dolson, J.C., Hendricks, M.L., and Wescott,
W.A. (Eds.) Unconformity-Related Hydrocarbons in Sedimentary Sequences: Rocky
Mountain Association of Geologists, p. 99-118.
Huntoon, J.E., Hansley, P.L., and Naeser, N.D., 1999, The search for a source
rock for the giant Tar Sand Triangle accumulation, southeastern Utah:
American Association of Petroleum Geologists Bulletin, v. 83, p. 467-495.
Kamola, D.L. and Huntoon, J.E., 1995, Repetitive stratal patterns in a
foreland basin sandstone and their possible tectonic significance: Geology, v. 23, n.
2, p. 177-180.
Pennington, Wayne D. (1997), Seismic petrophysics: an applied science=20
for reservoir geophysics, The Leading Edge, March, 241-244.
Pennington, Wayne D., and Terra E. Lutch (1997), Finding hydrocarbons in=20
the classroom using =93free=94 seismic interpretation software, The Leading=
ng=20
Edge July, 1051-1053.
Pennington, W. D. and D. P. Edwards (1994), Integrating well log data,=20
drilling data, and laboratory data for the determination of maximum=20
drawdown limits in the presence of weak sands, SPE 28453, Society of=20
Petroleum Engineers, proceedings, 69th Annual Technical Conference and=20
Exhibition, 937-945.
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Students
Tomas Benz
Terra Bulloch
William Everham
Bill Houston
Shawn Len
Stacy Saari
Albert Wyllie
Deyi Xie
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