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

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

Now to BP and Arctic Russia

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

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

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

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

Parking garage Library Balcones Fault Geology in the News

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

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

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

US Oil & Gas developments may contaminate drinking water Fracking of “Tight” Reservoirs Can Present a Serious Problem

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

Natural lineation of events

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

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

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

Sticks and stones Copper Age Bronze Age: World World Empires: last 7000 years Stone Age Flood plain empires Farming Bronze tools weapons Iron Age Iron & coal Age Iron, coal, oil Age Archeological Ages Iron & steel tools & weapons Hill country empires Families, clans, & tribes Hunters & Gatherers Now back to the geological processes of weathering & erosion

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

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

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

Water!!! Abrasion by Falling Rain Flowing Streams and Rivers

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Mediterranean Sea Rocks of the Iberian continental crust Geosyncline Example: Gulf of Valencia I b e r i a n l a n d Gulf of Valencia geosyncline River debris river debris More about geosynclines in general

Example of a Geosyncline: Gulf of Mexico 1. Integration of the debris of several rivers M o d e r n S e d i m e n t A c c u m u l a t i o n s Swamp Muds Shallow water Sands Deep water Muds 2. Accumulation of thick layers of debris

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Ground surface Drinking water reservoir Oil or Gas reservoir Drill hole Undetected fracture Well cement failure Government study underway with results expected in 2012 No contamination found yet Fracking Fluids Back to Iberia: a Brief Review

Natural lineation of events