Introduction
Geology 1
G. Bertotti
0-introduction This course
The overall goal:
Make good predictions of the subsurface
2
0-introduction Predictions: statements on space/time domains which you do not
know
For instance, you need to decide:
The trace of a tunnel
http://ourworldheritages.com/2011/05/channel-tunnel/
The tunnel under the English Channel
The Gotthard base tunnel
3
0-introduction
Decide on boring for
geothermal energy
http://delftaardwarmteproject.nl/symposium_
downloads/GMG07%20Douglas%20Gilding%2
0-%20De%20warmte%20onder%20Delft.pdf
The Delft Aardwarmte Project
And, obviously,
hydrocarbons
4
The essence of prediction making:
0-introduction
You start from data points and use a bridge (=process) to go in an unknown region
What will be the value of T at t3?
temperatur
This depends on
e
? 1) The data points you have
2) The process you envisage (the
t1 t2 t3 time describing equation)
What kind of behaviour do you
expect in the case of the cooling of
a magma chamber?
Yellowstone caldera
5
0-introduction Visualizing the essence of prediction
A physical process
which tells you in which
direction to move
good control data points
A geologist does this for the subsurface
6
0-introduction Tricky because the subsurface is of difficult access
Direct methods such as
boreholes give excellent but
very limited information
An indirect technique is seismics : provides “blurred” images of the subsurface
7
Seismics: very powerful tool to acquire (2D and 3D) images of the subsurface
0-introduction
Vibrator
(source)
Geophones
(receivers) •the source generates sonic waves
•waves through geologic bodies
with different physical properties.
•At interfaces energy is reflected
and refracted
•geophones (receivers) receive
and record the signal bouncing
back
Bed 1
lower velocity
higher velocity
Bed 2
8
The same reflection on different receivers
0-introduction
source receiver
Different reflections on the same receiver
source receiver
9
Following processing, stronger or weaker horizons are traced which roughly
0-introduction correspond to changes in physical properties
Bed 1
lower velocity
higher velocity
Bed 2
Reflections provide information on the geometry of the horizons and on
their spatial organization
Reflections can be laterally (dis)continuous, they can be strong or weak,
they can be organized in spatial patterns
These features do reflect the organization of the rocks producing the
reflections (reflectors)
10
0-introduction
What you get
The image is however not the reality:
• only bundles of layers are visible (few 10s m)
• possible artifacts
• Section is in time and needs to be depth-converted
11
0-introduction
Back to the seismic data
A warming up exercise
12
Your road map
0-introduction
1) Make a line drawing indicating the position of
• Well developed reflections (bedding)
• surfaces interrupting the lateral continuity of reflections (faults, for instance)
• Surfaces separating domains with very different patterns (unconformities)
2) Define domains with different reflection patterns
3) Make a history of the section
4) Answer applied questions:
• Where do you expect to have rocks with the highest degree of fracturing?
• where are the rocks which have reached the highest temperatures?
• Fluid flow
Legend for your exercise
reflections Most fractured domain
faults domains
unconformities Hottest rocks
13
0-introduction
Legend for your exercise
reflections Most fractured domain
faults domains
unconformities Hottest rocks
14
0-introduction
The course General Geology
Most of the processes we are interested in can be grouped in
1. horizontal and vertical movements (tectonics)
2. erosion, transport and deposition processes
15
Our road map
0-introduction
Part 1: the materials rocks structure of the Earth
Part 2 The horizontal movements
accommodation space plate tectonics
vertical movements
Part 3: The infill erosion
sedimentary cycle transport
sedimentation
Part 4: the integrated analysis areas of shortening
settings
areas of extension
16
Sources of figures
http://www.dierengedrag.be/?page_id=107
http://www.abovetopsecret.com/forum/thread672665/pg688
http://shop.p-plus.nl/artikel.php?IK=2014
http://petroplayground.com/video-center/
http://www.kijkmagazine.nl/nieuws/supervulkaan-yellowstone-groter-dan-gedacht/
http://www.searchforbiblicaltruth.com/misc/resteyes/chinabridges.php
http://sarjeevansainbhi.webs.com/apps/photos/photo?photoid=136219434
