January 2023 meeting: Bob Krantz – The Geologic and Fluid Evolution of the Paradox Basin

SPEAKER: Bob Krantz (speaker bio below)

TITLE: The Geologic and Fluid Evolution of the Paradox Basin

ABSTRACT:

The Paradox Basin of southeastern Utah and southwestern Colorado has had a long and complex history. In 2017 a team based at the University of Arizona, along with faculty and students from New Mexico Institute of Technology and Fort Lewis College began a four year project to characterize the geologic and fluid evolution of the basin. Specific investigations included structural and tectonic elements, especially faults and fractures, ore deposits, modern and ancient hydrologic systems, diagenesis and alteration, basin modeling, and geochronology. Our ultimate goal was a integrated history of fluid-rock interactions. This presentation will review a preliminary synthesis of significant geologic and fluid events, divided into 10 major episodes. The history is represented by the evolution of a basin cross section, with tectonic movements, structures, fluids, and other phenomena, along with burial history, paleo-geography, and new geochronology, especially for faults. One significant project outcome is the significance of the Laramide in the Paradox Basin. Perhaps under-appreciated, Laramide age events include significant tectonic and fluid episodes. New data and ideas also help to constrain the “unknown” basin burial and uplift history during much of Cenozoic time. Much work remains to be done, and we may have generated more questions than answers.

DATE: Thursday, January 19, 2023

LOCATION & TIME:

• 5:30-6:30 PM – Happy Hour at the Wall of Time Atrium in Sitter Family Hall, Fort Lewis College Campus
• 6:30-8:00 PM – Talk and Raffle in Sitter Family Hall Rm 710

ZOOM LINK: https://fortlewis.zoom.us/j/99917767909

COST: $20/person. You can use this page to pay online or RSVP to pay at door.

SPEAKER BIO: Bob holds a BS in geology from the University of Utah, and MS and PhD in geology from the University of Arizona. After grad school Bob completed a post-doc fellowship at the Universite de Rennes, France, before joining the research lab at ARCO. While still at ARCO, Bob transferred to international exploration, mostly in Latin America, and then to production with ARCO Alaska. After the merger with Phillips Petroleum, Bob became a structural geology advisor for Alaska exploration and production. With the subsequent merger with Conoco, Bob moved to Houston and joined the ConocoPhillips subsurface technology group, working on global E&P problems. In 2011 Bob became an adjunct professor in the Geosciences Department at the University of Arizona. Bob joined the Geosciences Department at Fort Lewis College as an affiliate faculty in 2019. After retiring from ConocoPhillips in 2016, Bob formed a consultancy, GeoStructure LLC. Bob’s interests include structural geology, especially faults and fractures and their impacts on subsurface fluids, tectonics and integrated geologic histories, 3D geologic interpretation and the development of spatial cognitive skills, and geologic education.