hgs bulletin volume 13 no.2 (october 1970) · the ist, 2nd and 3rd choice of speaker for those...

BULLETIN

HOUSTON GEOLOGICAL SOCIETY

Houston, Texas

HOUSTON GEOLOGICAL SOCIETY

1970-1971 OFFICERS

President . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Robert L . Musslewhite . . . . . . . . . . . . 225-0881 1st Vice President . . . . . . . . . . . . . McInnis S . Newby . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 224-5251 2nd Vice President . . . . . . . . . . . . . . John J . Amoruso . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 228-5863 Secretary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Charles L . Hicks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 621-9550 Treasurer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Curtis W . Burgess. Jr . . . . . . . . . . . . . 224-8631

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEEMEN James C . Barker . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 224-9261 Ben J . Sorrel1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 224-51 11 Harold E . Voigt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 224-51 11 Alvin R . Winzeler . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 227-4371 Fred M . Schall. Jr . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 222-9481

COMMITTEE CHAIRMEN Finance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Royce E . Schneider . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 224-5111 Distribution & Publications . . . . . . Sabin W . Marshall . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 227-6321 Awards & Loans . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . James Ragsdale . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 748-1266 Research & Study . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Dick Hohlt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 222-0081 HGS Membership . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . JohnRead . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 223-1130 Personnel Placement . . . . . . . . . . . . C . R . Noll, Jr . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 227-4371 Remembrance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . EdLipp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 222-6285 Public Relations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . David W . Rapp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 223-0367 Ente~tainment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . R . W . Jackson, Jr . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 225-0881 A.A.P.G. Membership . . . . . . . . . . . R . C . Mason . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 222-8153 Ballot . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Irving I . Snider . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 228-0815 Advertising . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . W . C . Hooper . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 225-2161 Exhibits G.C.A.G.S.

& A.A.P.G. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Reece L . Berry ................... 664-3401 Transportation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A . F . Christensen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 748-2800 Library . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Arthur W . Ball ................... 228-3254 Boy Scouts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A1 H . Wadsworth. Jr . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 227-8151

SPECIAL COMMITTEES Academic Liaison . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A1 C . Raasch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 221-5864 Oceanographic Liaison .......... Harold Geis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 225-1396 Advisor to Museum of

Natural Science . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Edd R . Turner. Jr ................. 228-9361 Special Publications for

Geology of Deltas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Martha Shirley Broussard . . . . . . . . 665-4428 A.A.P.G. Continuing

Education Co-ordinator . . . . . . . . Dan J . Hartmann . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 227-4371

REPRESENTATIVES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . G.C.A.G.S. Representative . . . . . . . Kenneth R Johnson 228-8121

Alternate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Fred L . Smith . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 225-5757 A.A.P.G. Group Insurance . . . . . . . John Bremsteller . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 774-3188 General Chairman of 1971

A.A.P.G. Convention . . . . . . . . . . Edd R . Turner. Jr . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 228-9361 Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Forrest J . Fiedler . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 227-4371

T H E B U L L E T I N

THE BULLETIN OF THE HOUSTON GEOLOGICAL SOCIETY Office-234 Esperson Be.--Hourton. Texas 77002-CA 3-9309

Subscription Price $3.00 per ywr

- - -

THIS MONTH

1 EDITOR - FORREST J. FIEDLER - 227-4371 1

LuoociaM E d i h In Manorim . . . . . . . . . . E h r d G. Lipp, Cmvn Central .. . . . . . . . . . . . 222-6285 Nm. of S d n i r . . . . . . Craig C. Lrchy, Pan M m n . . . . . . . . . . . . . 227-4371 Distaff Side . . . . . . . . . . . Mn. Hol H. (Sally) B+w.. . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . 686.6494 Gw Sciomu Notm . . . . . hmm G . Ward, hdc Call0 Arcc. . . . . . . . . . . 227-6266 Spsial Fsahrnr . . . . . . . Edvmrd H. Rbimkr , Tan-.. . . .. . . . . . . . . . 729-3142 lhn. of Inknrt . . . . .. . . Wiltiom G . Elilott . .. . . . . .. .. . . . . .. . . . . .. . . TI-3861

Published monthly, September to June by CARDINAL PRINTING AND L ~ E R SERVICE, INC.

VOLUME 13 NUMBER2

MEETING NOTICE

There will be only one meeting of the Houston Geological Society during themonth of October due to the Gulf Coast Association of Geological Societies' conven-

tion in Shreveport, October 28-30th.

REGULAREVENING MEETING

TIME: Monday, October. 12, 1970Cocktail Hour - 5 P.M., Dinner at 6 P.M.

PLACE: HoustonClub, 10th Floor of the HoustonClub Building.

SUBJECT: "Continental Drift in Space and Time".

SPEAKER: Dr. Robert S. Dietz, Oceanographer (Marine Geologist), Environ-mental Science Services Administration (ESSA), Miami, Florida.

Our next meeting wi II be the regular evening meeting, No v em b e r 9th at theHouston Club. Details of the meeting will be published in the November Bulletin.

BIOGRAPHY - Dr. Robert S. Dietz is a geological oceanographer with ESSA's Atlantic

Oceanographic laboratories at Miami, Florida. He received his Ph.D. from Scripps in1941 and has previously worked with the Navy Electronics laboratory, the Office ofNaval Research, and the U. S. Coast and Geodetic Survey.

2

Among his extensive contributions to the scientific literature concerning the continental margins and the deep ocean floor i s the book, Seven Miles Down, co-authored with Jacques Piccard. Dr. Dietz i s a member of Phi Beta Kappa, Sigma Xi, Geological Society of America, American Society of Limnology and Oceanography, AIPG, AGI, and many other related societies. He i s the co-originator of the concept of sea floor spreading, having coined this term in 1961.

ABSTRACT ---------

CONTINENTAL DRIFT IN SPACE AND TIME

Robert S. Dietz

ESSA, Atlantic Oceanographic & Meteorological Labs, 901 Sou th M i a m i Avenue, Miami, Florida, 331 30

Computerized matching of 1,000-fm isobaths h a resulted i n asatisfying confinental drift reconstruction of Pangaea, complemented by a closing of the Atlantic and Indian r i f t oceans as of -200 m.y. (mid-Triassic). A series of maps i s offered which displays the drift dispersion of the continents at the end of the Triassic, Jurassic, Cretaceous, and Cenozoic. Paleomagnetics (both polar and reversal methods) are used as guides as well as some assumed rules o f sea floor spreading and plate tectonics. Absolute geographic coordinates are inferred by using the Walvis "hot spot" as a non-drifting fix.

Sizeable overlaps and underlaps remain in the Pangaea reconstruction which must be o b v i a t e d before i t i s acceptable. A case i n point i s the Bahama platform, which overlaps onto Africa when the North Atlantic i s closed. This projection from the North American craton appears to have been laid down on oceanic crust i n a small "window1' opened with the init ial b r e a k u p of Laurasia. Shallow-water carbonates were subse- quently d e p o s i t e d on the subsiding clastic in f i l l after i t was stranded on the North American plate by further drifting.

Detailed understanding of the mechanics breakup and of the mismatches are of much interest for off-shore o i l exploration.

PRESIDENT'S CORNER

The commi ttee chairmen positions have been f i l led for this administrative year.

I would l ike to take this o p p o r t u n i t y to thank each one o f you for accepting these

assignments. The officers and executive comm i t t eem en o f the Society are looking

forward to working with you i n conducting the various functions of the Society.

I would also l ike to urge the individual members to contact the chairman o f the

committee i n which he has an interest and volunteer your service. The new members are

particularly invited to participate on these committees. These activities provide the

opportunity for becoming acquainted with a larger segment of your fellow geologists.

In order for a society as large as ours to best serve its membership, many members are

required to give much o f their time, energy, and talent to keep the various committees

functioning effectively and e f f i c i e n t l y . The committee chairmen are listed on the

inside cover o f this Bulletin.

By the time that this Bulletin reaches your desk, you wi l l have received the final

announcements and registration information for the G.C. A. G.S. and S. E.P.M. meet-

ing to be held in Shreveport, Louisiana, October 28 through 30, 1970. The theme for

this convention is "Exploration Concepts for the Seventies." The technical programs

w i l l present excellent papers relative to this theme. Each HGS member i n a super-

visory or managerial position is urged to allow as many members o f his organization to

attend this meeting as possible.

-- Robert L. Musslewhite

COMMITTEE REPORTS

TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE

World Petroleum Congress - Moscow (June, 1971)

As of September 14th we have 69 persons interested i n a possible charter or group fare flight to either Amsterdam or Moscow.

I f you might be interested i n going to Europe (for the convention or not) and have not returned the questionnaire attached to our September Bulletin, please do so immediately!

-- Arthur Christensen Chairman

A.A.P. G. CONTINUING EDUCATION CO-ORDINATOR

HGS Continuing Education Program

An effort i s being made to evaluate the Continuing Education Program to date, and listed below are the courses which have been presented thru the 1969-1970 season.

LISTINGS OF CONTINUING EDUCATION PROGRAMS SINCE 1966.

No. per Year Date - Subject Lecturer

1 1966-May SANDSTONES: Applied Subsurface Stratigraphy E. H. Rainwater

1 1966-Sept. Applied Techniques i n Subsurface Geology J. C. Crowell

2 1967-Feb. Economics for O i l and Gas Exploration George Hardin

1 1967-Sept. Geomorphology (Unconformi ty

Traps) Rudolf Martin

2 1968-Jan. SANDSTONE: Stratigraphy, and Depositional Environments Daniel A. Busch

3 1968-May Computer Processing and Faci es Mapping James Forgotson

1 1968-Oct. Petroleum Evolution Donald R. Baker

2 1969-Feb. Geophysics for Exploration Mar. Geologists Milton Dobrin

1 1 969-Sept. Stratigraphic Principles and Practices Robert J. Weimer

2 1970-Feb. Reservoir Engineering and Petroleum Economics for Geologists Frank W. Cole

3 1970-May Log Interpretation and Application Guy Towle

From this listing i t i s apparent that the subiects of Sand Geometry, Stratigraphy and Relation to Production (economics) have been well covered. Most of the subjects were taken from the AAPG Continuing Education Program.

To better coordinate the currently available subjects to present needs of the HGS membership, a list of topics i s given at the end of this article. That list includes nine courses available from AAPG, and several which could be planned a n d presented by local talent.

To determine the amount of interest in each topic listed, a card i s enclosed i n this bulletin by which you can indicate your I st, 2nd and 3rd choice of topics, and the Ist, 2nd and 3rd choice of speaker for those having more than one listed. Since the committee wi l l rely heavily on the response via the cards i n selecting the talks, we urge you to f i l l out the card and return i t as soon as possible. The course number and speaker number on the list below corresponds to the number on the card. There i s also space t6 indicate your willingness to assist i n arranging the courses.

CONTINUING EDUCATION COURSES

These topics are available for presentation to the Houston Geological Society.

Course No. Subject

Studies of Recent Sediments and their Depositional Environments

Application of Sedimentary Principles for Delineation of Drilling Prospects i n Reef Carbonates

Elements of Geophysical Exploration

Lecturer

D. E. Feray

J. M. Andrichuk

R. L. Geyer

Techniques of Mapping and Interpretation of Air Photo Fracture Patterns for Delineation of Structure L. H. Lattman

Prospect Analysis and Evaluation of Un- dri I led Acreage J. J. Arps

Integration of Exploration Techniques R. P. Jacobson

Salt Dome Geology and Tectonics G. D. O'Brien (England)

Environmental Geology (A) Earth Resources University of Texas

(B) Man as a Geological Pgent short courses

(C) Conservation-Management (Case History)

Abnormal Pressures - Undercompacted Shales of the Gvlf Coast Area

(A) Origin of (0) Methods of Measurement (C) Case Histories

Petroleum Hydrogeology

Seminar (or Seminars) on Major Fields: Each field to be presented by an individual following a standardized outline

Carbonates - Applied Subsurface Strati- graphy Significance and Methods of Reconstructing Poleo-Deposi tional Environments

Abnormal Pressure Study Group Members

P. A. Didkey (a) J. D. Hann (b) G. A. Hi l l (c)

Southeast Texas (a) South Texas (b)

East Texas (c)

J. F. Harris (a) J. A. Peterson (b)

L. C. Pray (c)

-- Dan Hartmann C hairman

NEWS OF OTHER SOCIETIES

The month o f September afforded a relative dirth o f activities in the geological sciences, as the academic community returned to campus affairs and the professional societies regrouped for another c a l e n d a r year. However, t h e r e are a few items of possible interest to Society members i n October.

In a recent text of written testimony submitted to the Bureau o f Land Manage- ment of the Department o f the Interior, A.A.P.G. President William H. Curry, Jr., stressed a point which we should a l l strive to make public knowledge. Curry pointed out that Santa Barbara o i l exploration and the associated spills are in no way analogous to offshore Texas and Louisiana operations. The marked difference i n the two geological provinces defies analogous operational hazards i n the Gul f Coast. I f the public canbe made aware ofthis common geological knowledge, i tmay serveto improve public opinion towards our own offshore exploration efforts.

This summer, the Oil Information Committee completed its 13th annual Petroleum Institute for Educators. Certificates and three hours o f college credit were presented to 73 science and social studies teachers for the course held June 1-21. The teachers were introduced to a cross-section o f o i l industry operations, including geological and geophysical exploration. The list o f firms, individuals, and committees responsible for the success of the program i s too lengthy for mention here, but our appreciation must go to O.I.C. for their recognition o f the need for such a program and its continued success- ful implementation.

"Canned Talks":

Available from A. A. P. G. i s a series o f presentations designed to carry the science o f geology to the general public. Titles of the presentations include;

1 . Geology - For Human Needs

2. Geology - American Style

3. Geology from the Air

4. The Water Beneath Us

5. Development of the Earth and Its Resources

6. Percentage Depletion

Resum& of these presentations or the entire paper can be obtained from A. A. P. G . Headquarters together with sets of slides to use for illustration. These talks afford our members an excel lent opportunity to enlighten c iv ic groups and other interested gather- ings as to the part which geologists must play in striving to attain equilibrium i n our present and future economic and environmental growth.

September 29 - October 2:

The Department of Interior i s holding a National Environmental Pollution Con- ference and Exposition on the above dates. Hopefully, geologists wi l l be well rep- resented. For i n f o r m a t i on, write Office of S e c r e t a r y , Department of Interior, Washington, D. C. 20240.

October 16-1 7:

The American Institute of Professional Geologists i s holding its annual meeting at Oklahoma City. For information, contact A. F. Brunton, A. I.P.G., Box 836, Golden Colorado 80402.

October 21 -23:

The West Texas Geological Society i s holding a fal l symposium on thechikuahua tectonic belt. For information, contact Eugene Greenwood, West Texas Geological Society, Box 1595, Midland, 79701.

October 22-23:

The University o f Missouri at Rolla wi l l present an international symposium on "Alaska - Its Mineral Potentials and Climatic Challenges. " The topic and presents- tions wi l l incorporate e n v i r o n m e n t a l challenges, mineral potentials, exploratory development progress, ecological and c o n s e r v a t i o n problems. Interested persons should contact the Centennial Events Office UMR.

-- Craig C. Barclay Associate Editor

ITEMS OF INTEREST

GOVERNOR'S CONFERENCE

ON

GOALS FOR TEXAS IN THE COASTAL ZONE AND THE SEA

Eorly in 1970 Governor Preston Smith appointed twenty prominent Texas leaders to an Advisory Committee for the purpose of planning a c o n f e r e n c e to develop the elements of an essential ocean p r o g rom for the State of Texas. Through the personal efforts of the Governor, his stoff, the Advisory Committee and the Seo Grant Progrom of Texas ABM University, a conference was held on September loth and 1 lth, 1970, i n Houston, Texas.

The goo1 of this conference, as outlined by the Advisory Committee, was to define Texos' interests, responsibilities and problems in the coastal and marine resources field and to recommend goals ond possible action programs. From this charge come the theme of the conference, "Goals for Texas in the Coostal Zone and the Sea".

There were more than 300 scientists, engineers, educators, attorneys and busi- nessmen who attended his conference by a special invitation from the Governor. There were olso a number of State legislators, or their representatives, in ottendance and a number of observers from Alaska, Florida, Louisiana and other states.

The conference was e x c e p t i o n o l l y well organized into f i v e sessions with a generol session to summarize eoch of the specific sessions.

The sessions covered the following subjects:

SESSION I: Coostol Zone Development

SESSION 11: Natural Resources - Fisheries

SESSION Ill: Naturol Resources - Minerals

SESSION IV: Science, Engineering, Education

SESSION V: Coastal Zone Management

Each session had two keynote speakers, who spoke on the general subiect, and a panel of representatives from that field to comment on the specific problems they were experiencing. Severol H. G.S. members were involved in the program. Dr. Thomas D. Barrow, o member of the Governor's Advisory Committee, wos the general chairman for the Fridoy sessions. Mr. Edd R. Turner, Jr., was one of the keynote speakers of the session on minerols. At the end of each session questions and suggestions were solicited from the audience.

Many of the problems presented by the keynoten and panelists were of an environmental and e c o I o g i c a I nature. The question of dredging of shell i n the inland bays and its effect on the oyster and fishing industry was presented. The subject of pollution of streams and of the sea by o i l spills was discussed. There were problems of hurricane protection, adequate insurance for damage from hurricanes, water resources and alter- ation of the shore line brought out. The solution to these many problems was not re- solved in this conference.

Mosteveryone who attended agreed with Dr. Peter T. Flawn that the coastal zone of Texas i s changing and wi l l change rapidly in the next decade. In order to prevent chaos i n this development i t i s evident that a state planning agency i s needed. I t was the general concensus of opinion that a state agency wi l l be estabtished to plan this development and coordinate the efforts of the legislature and other agencies that are involved.

-- Roby Clark -- Jim Wheeler

SHORT COURSE ANNOUNCEMENT

Ashortcourse i n geologic applications ofgamma-ray spectrometry i s being offered December 14-18, 1970, by the geology department of Rice University. The course wi l l deal in detail with theoretical, practical, and economic aspects of the application of gamma-ray spectrometry to exploration, r e c o n n a i s s a n c e surveying, and laboratory analysis. New and recent developments in equipment and system design, as well as preliminary test results from several promising systems, wi l l be described and their operation demonstrated. Earth scientists concerned with terrain analysis and its economic and o p e r a t i o n a l planning and who hold a Bachelor's degree i n engineering, science, or equivalent are invited to enroll. Enrollment deadline i s November20. For further information and application forms, write to: Dr. John A. S. Adams, Depcrt- ment of Geology, Rice University, P. 0. Box 1892, Houston, Texas 77001 . Phone: (713) 528-4141, Ext. 443.

D A T E B O O K

October 12, 1970 - Houston Geological Society Regular Evening Meeting, 5 P.M., Houston Club, 10th Floor, Houston Club Building.

Subject: "Continental Drift i n Space and Time". Speaker: Dr. Robert S. Dietz

October 16-17, 1970 - American Institute of Professional Geologists, Annual Meeting at Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.

October 21-23, 1970 - The West Texas Geological Society, Fall Symposium.

Subject: "The Chikuahua Tectonic Belt".

October 22-23, 1970 - University of Missouri at Rolla, International Symposium.

Subject: "Alaska - Its Mineral Potentials and Climatic Challenges. "

October 28-30, 1970 - Gu I f Coast Asso c i a t i o n of Geological Societies, Annual Meeting at Shreveport.

November 5, 1970 - The Houston Geological Society Auxiliary Sherry Party at River Oaks.

November 9, 1970 - Houston Geological Society Regular Evening Meeting. (Subject to be announced).

November 18, 1970 - Houston Geological Society Special Noon Meeting at the Rice Hotel. (Subject to be announced. )

PROFESSIONAL DIRECTORY Space for Professional Cards of Members

JOSEPH L. ADLER Geologist & Geophysicist

1964 W. Gray Ave. 529-0120

Houston, Texas 77019

JOHN L. BIBLE BIBLE GEOPHYSICAL CO., INC.

Gravity-Magnetic Surveys l nterpretations

236 Esperson Bldg. 222-6266 Houston, Texas 77002

HARRIS H. ALLEN

R. P. AKKERMAN Geologist EXPLORATION Engineer

Review of Subsurface Data

3425 Bradford Place 668-4327


ORVAL L. BRACE

LESLIE BOWLING Oil and Gas Consultant

1417 National Bank of Commerce Bldg. 522-0432

New Orleans, Louisiana

Houston, Texas 77002 I

Oil and Gas Consultant 609 San Jacinto Bldg.

228-9329 Houston, Texas 77002

Geologist

2206 1st National Life Bldg. 228-5404

JOY J. ANNELER Consulting Geophysicist

and Geologist 7054 Hendon

227-526 1 Houston, Texas 77036 I

R. BREWER & CO.,

INCORPORATED

Consultants

A. I. BARTOW

Geophysical Consultant

2315 Watts Road

Phone: 668-3306

C. D. CANTRELL, JR. Consulting Geologist & Engineer

508 C & I Building Main & McKinney

Houston, Texas 77002 (713) 225-3754

I

BELL & MURPHY AND ASSOCIATES l ncorporated

Consulting Geophysicists DALLAS CORPUS CHRIST1 FT. WORTH DENVER HOUSTON TAIWAN

GEORGE H. CLARK Petroleum Geologist

404 First City National Bank 223-1 187

Houston, Texas


Geology Paleontology Valuations JACK COLLE & ASSOCIATES Consulting Geologists & Paleontologists

817 C & I Building Houston, Texas 77002

Area Code (713) 227-6266 Jack Colle J. G. Ward Res.: 622-9555 Res.: 497-729f

MORGAN J. DAVIS ASSOCIATES Petroleum Consultants and Geologists

1300 blain-Suite 709 Houston, Texas 77002

MORGAN J. DAVIS EDWARD D. PRESSLER 713-227-7209 713-222-2032

RALPH E. DAVIS ASSOCIATES, INC.

Consultants

Petroleum and Natural Gas

500 Jefferson Building-Suite 2031

Houston, Texas 77002 713-224-7576

DYNAMIC EXPLORATION CO. Gravity and Magnetometer Surveys and Interpretation

Suite 135,6101 Southwest Freeway Houston, Texas 77027

Phone: A.C. 713-666-0266 C. T. Austin E L. B~shop

EVARD P. ELLISON Geologist

1214 Americana Building 225-6285


ERNEST A. ELWOOD, JR.

Prudential Drilling Company

1880 Post Oak Tower


PAUL FARREN


3eodata Building 667-3317

5603 S. Rice Ave. (77036)

H. J. GRUY & ASSOCIATES, INC. Petroleum Consultants

420 Southwest Tower 2501 Cedar Sprtngs Rd.

Houston, Texas 77002 Dallas, Texas 75201

222-0376 (214) 742-1421

HENRY G. GUEST

Geologist

Well Log Consultant

'214 Swift 77025 665-5157

MICHEL T. HALBOUTY

Consulting Geologist Petroleum Engineer

Independent Producer and Operator The Michel T. Halbouty Bldg.

i l l 1 Westheimer 622-1130 Houston, Texas 77027

THOMAS 0 . HALL

Geophysical Consultant 622-8680 Office

621-1870 Residence 5515 Cranbrook Rd.


HILLORD HINSON Consulting Geologist

228-9455 2138 Bank of the Southwest Bldg.


CHARLES JACOBUS

Drafting and Lettering

Home (evenings) 785-4824

KEPLINGER AND ASSOCIATES Petroleum Eng~neers and Geologists

1436 Americana Bldg. Houston, Texas 77002

227-3127 229 Kennedy Bldg.

Tulsa, Oklahoma 74103 587-5591

GENTRY KIDD and

SHIRLEY L. MASON Geologists

813 Esperson Bldg. 227-8231

L. A. KlMES Exploration Consultant

9 183 Katy Road Geology Geophysic:

464-2951

A. L. Ladner Apache Exploration Co., Inc.

Geophysical Consultant 2 & I Building 222-9649


ORVILLE G. LUNDSTROM Nutter & Lundstrom

Geologists 889 Houston ~ l u ' b Building

Houston, Texas 77002 227-0252

JOHN D. MARR Petroleum Exploration Consultant

Geophysics, Geology Seismic Data: Acquisition, Processing

and Interpretation 726 Chamber of Commerce Bldg.

225-4922

GEORGE N. MAY & ASSOCIATES Consulting Geologists and Paleontologists

Building 36, Heyrnann Oil Center P. 0 . Box 51858 Oil Center Station

Lafayette, Louisiana 70501 234-3379

W. B. McCARTER C. E. McCARTER

Independents 2522 Hazard

523-5733 529-1881 Houston, Texas 77019

R. B. MITCHELL

Geologist

2801 First City National Bank Bldg.



JOHN C. MYERS Consultant in Oil, Gas and Sulphur

1207 Bank of the Southwest Bldg.

225-4133 225-4559


I. K. NICHOLS Gulf Coast Exploration Geologist

C.P.G. No. 932 41 St111 Forest Dr . Houston, Texas 77024

Phone: 782-4970

KENNETH DALE OWEN

Geologist

Esperson Building


ROLAND B. PAXSON Consulting Geologist

Oil and Sulphur 3524 Sunset Blvd. 668-9196


RAYMOND D. REYNOLDS Geologist

436 Bankers Mortgage Bldg. Houston, Texas 77001

227-7633

A. L. SELlG 1907 Bank of the Southwest Bldg.


FRED L. SMITH, JR. Consulting Geologist

Paleontologist 1014 C 81 I Building

Houston, Texas 77002 468-7300 225-5757

H. C. SPOOR, JR. HARRY KlLlAN

Geologists

2130 Chamber of Commerce Bldg.

iouston, Texas 77002 224-0588

D. C. STALLWORTH D . C. STALLWORTH CO.

Geological, Petroleum & 59 Meaaznine

Civil Engineering Drafting Chamber of Commerce Bldg.

Volumetric Planimetry Houston, Texas 77002

Phone: 223-7343

CRAMON STANTON Geologist

2229 Chamber of Commerce Bldg. Houston, Texas 77002

224-2759

S. BROOKS STEWART

Geophysical Consultant 320 Bankers Mortgage Bldg.

222-7718


HAROLD VANCE Petroleum Investment Counselor Petroleum Evaluation Engineer

227-3949 1429 Bank of the Southwest Bldg.



GENE VAN DYKE 1 WOODHAM CONSULTING CO. Van Dyke Oil Company 1 Geological-Geophysical Consultants

Southwest Tower

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Bill Woodham-H. R. Warren

1200C & I Building

227-4138

MERLIN J. VERRET Geologist

Suite 401 Magnolia Life Bldg. Lake Charles, Louisiana Phone: 477-436-9575

LEBEN DRILLING INC. STANLEY WAHL Exploration Manager

333 Park Avenue Building-Suite 217 Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73102

(405) 232-8516

J. C. WALTER, JR. Geologist and Petroleum Engineer

242 Main Bldg. 222-2431


Home Phone: 785-2030

JAMES A. WHEELER Geologist

C.P.G. No. 109 926 Americana Bldg.-223-1618


JAMES hl. WILSON


246 Main Bldg.

URANIUM IN TEXAS

By D. Hoye Eargle

Con tents

Page

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20

2 1

2 1

22

2 2

26

27

l l lustrations

Fol lows Page

2. Map showing uranium mineralization, prospects, and mines i n the South Texas Coastal Plain------------------------------- 23

3. Map showing the Karnes and Live Oak uranium districts---------------- 24

1 / URANIUM IN TEXAS-

by D. Hoye Eargle

NOTE: O f s p e c i a I interest i n the following p a p e r , is the section on uranium of the South Texas C o o s t a I Plain. A two-day f ield trip to this area w i l l be sponsored next spring, April 1 and 2, following the AAPG convention in Houston. Visits w i l l be made to mines located i n the Karnes and Live Oak districts. Several stops w i l l be made enroute along significant Tertiary outcrops. Also a stop wi l l be made along the northern flank o f ~escadi td dome, one of the largest domal structures i n Texas.

An o v e r n i g h t stop wi l l be made i n Laredo, with opportunity to visit Mexico.

Leaders o f the trip w i l l be D. Hoye Eargle, USGS, author o f this paper and recognized expert on Texas uranium deposits; Al ice Weeks, Temple University; George Hinds, Photogravity Company, Inc. , and James Vause, Humble Oil 8 Refining Company.

The f ield trip should be very informative, as well as a lot o f fun. For further information, contact George Hinds, 402 Adair Center Bui Iding South, 6440 Hi l lcroft, Houston, Texas 77036 (Phone - 771 -1 248).

Introduction

Producers of f o s s i l fuels i n the United States have been charged with the res- ponsibility of providing the Nation with energy ma t e r i a I s, the demand for'which is constantly increasing and the sources for which are nonrenewable. Lately, however, the development o f nuclear reactors that use fissionable uranium for the generation o f electric power has made uranium c o m p e t i t i v e i n several respects with fossil fuels. Consequently petroleum and uranium-mining companies have i n some instances joined forces i n exploration for uranium and i n the development and mining of uranium deposits. In other instances they are competing. A familiar pattern has been the organization o f branches for exploration for uranium or other minerals within the structure of the petroleum c o m p a n y . Today, therefore, some companies are i n both the mining and the petroleum business and are meeting with varied success.

Texas, at first considered a petroleum state a I mos t exclusively, came into the uranium picture rather late, but now ranks high among other states i n the Nation i n its uranium p o t e n t i a l . In spite o f the great activity carried on i n the Coastal Plain i n recent years i n land acquisition and i n exploration, muchof the State remains relatively poorly explored, and the State's potential for uranium production only can be guessed.

Let us look at the f ive geographic areas of Texas where at least some uranium has been found (Butler, Finch, and Twenhofel, 1962), summarize the nature o f the uranium

1/ Publication authorized by the Director, U. S. Geological S~~rvey. Paper presented - a t International Mining Days, E l Paso, Texas, November 18, 1969; the information contained herein applied at that time.

mineralization in the areas, and consider briefly their potential for uranium production (fig. 1):

1 . The Trans-Pecos 2. The Panhandle 3. The Red River region 4. The Llano uplift 5. The South Texas Coastal Plain

100 MILES ou

Figure 1. -- Map showing five geographic divisions of Texas in which uranium has been found.

bod

The Trans-Pecos

Because most of the uranium discovered prior to the middle 1950's was i n the arid western United States, much of the earliest exploration for uronium was in that part of Texas that lies west of the Pecos River (fig. 1). The igneous rocks and tuffs of the Big Bend and the complicated faults andstructures of the entire Trans-Pecos were considered most favorable for uranium, and they were at least superficially explored. For several reasons, however, very l i t t le drilling was done in the region, and to this date very l i t t le ore has been found there. In the Trans-Pecos the following geologic occurrences of uranium have been found:

20

1. Yellow efflorescent secondary uranium mineral and vesicle-filling hydrous uranium oxide in a welded tuff or flow i n outcrops in the walls of Quinn Canyon i n the Van HornCreekvalley, a few miles north of the Rio Grande i n Presidio County (fig. 1) (Eargle, 1956). Subsequent drilling of this site and some underground work reportedly have not revealed further concentrations of uranium, and the prospect i s now inactive. Some radioactivity has been found along faults i n the region, but exploration has been scant.

2. In the western part of the Hueco M o u n t a i n s (fig. l), spectacular but thin f i Ims of yellow uranium oxide occur i n caliche-cemented talus on the slopes of hi l I s of dense, shaly Permian limestone and i n Permian and lower Paleozoic shales containing some organic matter; also i n caliche-cemented sinkhole-filling rubbly debris in Permian limestones.

3. Several occurrences of radioactivity associated with intrusive rocks; such as in the Franklin Mountains and the Big Bend (fig. 1) (Hadfield, 1953; Stroud and Nye, 1957).

4 . Moderately radioactive Paleozoic black shales that contained some organic matter, in the Hueco M o u n t a i ns and outlying hills; shown by analysis to have l i t t le uranium content.

5. Some tuffaceous Tertiary sandstone and a fresh-water limestone i n Tertiary tuffs are radioactive.

ligh

the

What more dri l l ing and subsurface work on some of these prospects wi l l bring to i s certainly a matter of conjecture.

The Panhandle

Lying below the base of the caprock south and east of the scarp at the edge of High Plains and i n the Canadian River valley (fig. 1) are channel-filled sandstones

and conglomerates of T r i ass i c age that contain some ye1 low uranium oxide minerals along with spectacularly radioactive logs and other organic debris.

According to W. I. Finch (written commun., 1970), nearly 800 tons of uranium ore has been mined from the Triassic in Crosby and Garza Counties, where several prospects are considered significant. Other localities have been prospected in theCanadian River valley in 0 l d ham and B r i s c o e Counties. The Triassic, dipping beneath the Tertiary Ogallala Formation of the High Plains, contains anomalously radioactive beds (Grimes, 1961). The Triassic beneath the plains i s about 1,200 feet thick, and the overlying sediments are about 500 feet thick (Flawn, 1967). Some exploration of the subsurface Triassic has been done recently by drilling.

The Red River Region

Several localities showing radioactivity anomalies and uranium-bearing rock, a l i t t l e o f i t o f o r e g r a d e , havebeenfoundin theRed R i v e r region (fig. 1). The occurrences are similar to the early discovered sites on the Colorado Ploteau and are in beds of the same general age (Eargle and McKay, 1956). These are generally in

sand- and conglomerate-filled channels and i n carbonaceous sandstone i n outcrops of Permian redbeds. No one has yet succeeded in tracing mineralized rock underground from the rather meager surface o c c u r r en c es . The potential for production from this region seems to be low, and i f a Lisbon Valley or a Lucky Strike or Happy Jack mine i s there, i t has not been found.

The Llano Uplift

The Baringer Hi II deposit, now about 75 feet beneath the surface of Lake Buchanan (fig. 1. ), has produced considerable quantities of rare minerals, including some urani - ferous ones (Hess, 1908). Not far away, but on dry land, at least one other occurrence has been found in gneissic granite closely injected with pegmati tes. Limited exploration of this prospect has not developed a mine.

In the same region are some moderately radioactive Paleozoic black shales containing some thin phosphatic limestone beds, but analyses of these indicate no worth- while concentrations of uranium.

The potential of this area appears to be low, but here again r e I a t i v e I y l i t t le prospecting has been done.

The South Texas Coastal Plain

Uranium d i s c o v e r i e s in the Coastal Plain (fig. 2) followed most other Texas uranium discoveries, but the Coastal Plain i s the only part of the State in which economic deposits have been e xp l o i t ed to a great extent. Many admitted, after uranium was found here, that this region was the last place on earth where they would have looked for uranium, but i t has been found- here, i n the shadow of and even within o i l and gas fields (fig. 3). The early deposits were found in t u f f a c eous sandstone of the upper Eocene Whitsett Formation, which consists of beds of almost pure tuffs and some thin lignitic beds; but later deposits have been found i n 0 l i g o c en e ( ? ) , Miocene, and PI iocene formations.

The story of the discovery of uranium i n thecoastal Plain bears repeating. While making an airborne scintillation traverse for o i l i n the fal l of 1954, a pilot discovered several anomalies near Tordilla Hi l l (fig. 3), a prominent cuesta that points northward i n the western tip of KarnesCounty. Atabout the time of this discovery or shortly after, an amateur rockhound found the deposit at the foot of Tordilla Hi l l that became the Boso-Hackney mine (fig. 3).

Following the d i s c o v e r y the region was combed with all types of exploration equipment -- not only hand-carried c o u n te rs , but also sophisticated types such as scintillator-equipped airplanes, helicopters, and can.

The search was so thorough that nearly ol l i f not al l the surface anomalies now known in the region were l o c a t e d during this period. About a dozen of these were economic. The localities where significant deposits have been found extend from the northern part of Fayette County in e as t - c e n t r a l Texas to the southern part of Starr County, which borders on the Rio Grande (Eargle and Snider, 1956; Maxwell, 1962), but the principal deposits of near-surface ores, i n beds of late Eocene age, were in

Figure 2.--Map showing uranium mineralization, prospects, and mines in the South Texas Coastal Plain.

23

Figure 3. -- Map showing the Karnes and Live Oak uranium districts.

K a r n e s County, 9 to 12 m i l es southwest of Falls City, obout5Omiles southeast of Son Antonio, near the abandoned community center Deweesvi I le. Mines in the oxidized ore deposits of KarnesCounty extend from 3 miles east of Falls City to Tordilla Hil l . One d epos i t in northwestern Live Oak County was mined from beds of Oliogocene(?) age.

In 1958, Climax Moly- bdenum Co., o p e r a t i n g through i ts subsidiary the San Antonio Mining Co., b e g a n the stripping and mining of three ore bodies on their lease near Dewees- vi I le. The pits ranged from 20 to 40 feet i n depth, and some were more than 1,000 f e e t l o n g . A total of 100,000 tons of ore averaging about 0.20 percent U308 was mined andstock- piled to ful f i l l a contract with the A t o m i c Energy Commission.

In March 1960, Susque- honna-Western, I n c . , of D e n v e r, contracted with the A t o m i c Energy Com- mission to build a mil l and to supply more than 1-1/4 mil lion pounds o f refined U3O8 from this stockpiled o r e and from o r e to be mined f r om other localities i n the region. While building the mi I I and after- ward, this company opened and e x p l o i t e d mines i n Ka rnes and L i v e Oak C o u n t i e s and prospected many other properties.

Before the shallow deposits o f oxidized ore had been mined out, Susquehanna- Western, Inc., i n a program o f downdip exploration, discovered a downdip body o f unoxidized ore i n the sands t o n e that forms the crest o f Tordilla Hi l l . This bed lies

about 100 feet above the sandstone i n which most o f the shallow oxidized deposits had been found. Several a n o m a I i es indicating ore-grode radioactivity had been logged previously i n holes dri l led downdip by the U. S. Geological Survey i n the v ic in i ty o f Tordilla Hill, but subsequent closely spaced boring by Susquehanna-Western showed the ore body to be o ro l l front extending a long distance laterally, parallel to the surface

outcrop of the bed.

The discovery of this u n o x i d i z e d ore gave o tremendous boost to the uranium industry i n South Texas. Since the b e g i n n i n g o f the mine's development a p i t more than 2 miles long and as much as 130 feet deep has been e x c a v a t e d along the trend o f the rol l ore body. The p i t contains the Galen, Butler-Weddington, and Wedding- ton-Tenneco mines (fig. 3).

Mining of the downdip ore, i n progress since early 1964, i s continuing, following the trend to thesou t h wes t toward the s u r f a c e expression o f the economically important Fashing fault that has formed a trap for o i l and gas accumulation. In addition to Susquehanna-Western's mining, Ten n e c o is now mining on the lease o f the south- western part of the Weddington ore body (fig. 3). Since the discovery o f the downdip, easily milled, amenable ore, Susquehanna-Western has more than doubled the capacity o f the mi l l at Deweesville.

In 1966, Susquehanna-Western, Inc., e x p I o r e d an unoxidized deposit in calcareous sands o f the Oakvi l le Sandstone (middle Miocene) in Live Oak County, 3 miles northeast o f Oakville, about 30 miles south o f the Karnes deposits. The deposit lies near a strong surface r a d i o a c t i v i t y anomaly, reportedly found i n the middle 1950's by aerial surveying, along the well known Oakvi l le fault, where the fault forms the valley wall o f Sulphur Creek. The same fault forms the trap for the o i l o f the shallow Oakvi l le o i l f ield half a mile to the south o f the ore body o f the McLean mines (fig. 3). Removal o f overburden from the McLean mines began i n 1967, and one mine came into production late thot year. The mines are now inactive, but extensions are being explored. At the northeast end the McLean 2 mine abuts the property l ine o f Humble's Felder lease, an extensively explored but st i l l unmined deposit, and discoveries o f other deposits have been announced along this trend. A new mill, equal i n capacity to the one i n Karnes County, i s being bui l t to process the calcareous ores o f the Live Oak district.

Southward from the Live Oak district to the Rio Grande, exploration has been active, especially i n the Miocene Soledad Volcanic C o n g l o m e r a t e Member o f the Catahoula Tuff, the Oakvi l le Sandstone, and the Pliocene Goliad Sand.

The S o l e d a d , which crops out i n Duval and McMullen Counties (fig. 2), i s a sandstone and conglomerate enclosed by hundreds o f feet o f tuff and composed of volcanic debris that geologists believe was derived from the intense mlcanic activity i n western Texas and northern Mexico i n Miocene time. In fact, Frank Woodward,Jr., and R. A. Maxwell (oral commun., 1969), geologists who are familiar with the volcanic rocks of West Texas, say they can identify the specific stocks or flows from which these pebbles came. The rocks were t r a n s p o r t e d to this region, perhaps during the intense volcanic eruptions, by a stream whose valley lay generally 100 miles or more

25

to the north of the present Rio Grande.

The Goliad Sand has a high p e r c en t a g e of volcanic materials believed to be derived by erosion of the tuffs and r e I a t ed rocks of the upper Rio Grande Valley and deposited i n a climate considerably more arid than the present. In addition to the arid climate of deposition, a more recent (P!eistocene)period of aridity has produced a thick surficial caliche accumulation that obscures the character of the bedrock and inhibits surface mapping. The arid climate, however, associated with alkaline ground water, i s believed to have caused the release of uranium and other trace elements from the tuffs and transported them in solution to subsurfoce reducing e n v i r o n m en t s where precipitation of the uranium took place.

One of the principal occurrences of uranium i n South Texas i s the sti l l unmined body of ore in the sand of the Goliad that overlies sulfur-bearing caprock of Palangana salt dome i n central Duval County (fig. 2) (Weeks and Eargle, 1960). This ore i s 300 feet below the land surface and about 100 feet above the caprock. Hydrogen sulfide permeates the sand and i s believed to be the precipitant for the uranium that i s weakly disseminated i n the ground water circulating through the permeable sand.

Current Exploration

Current exploration in Texas i s chiefly by boring, core-sampling, and logging of bore holes. The logging has been mainly by induction-electrical and gamma-ray methods, but some other methods -- indicating eH, pH, and salinity or chlorinity -- have also been experimented with, i f not extensively used. Because many anomalies have been found along faults, one method of exploration has been io locate faults by photo-iriterpretation methods in which aerial photographs in color as well as i n black and white have been used. Some geochemical methods have also been tried, such as water and soil analyses, and analyses for trace elements, such,as mo I y b d enu m and seleniuln, which are known to be closely associated with uranium.

The present activity i n the search for uranium i n Texas i s com p a r a b l e to the activity initiated by the discovery of a new petroleum province. Texas has had several such o i l discoveries. A l t h o ug h the value of uranium located may not compare with the value of petroleum produced in even one of the larger oi l fields, and the economic impact of the uranium i n d us t r y may be only a small fraction of the impact of the o i l industry in the same region (G. C. Hardin, Jr., written commun., 1968), nevertheless the recent surge of a c t i v i t y gave new life to the region when i t was experiencing a definite slump in petroleum production. The uranium industry has made good use of the technical help and knowledge of geologists and geophysicists, as well as that of the experienced land men and scouts formerly concerned solely with petroleum production, and i t has contributed to the Nation's supply of energy resources.

Uranium scouts report that in Texas at the present time 25 to 30 companies are lecsing for uranium, about 60 geologists are employed, and at least 40dr i l l rigs and 32 logging units are i n operation (Helmuth Schuenemann, Jr., written commun., 1968), Rumors of several new deposits not yet reported are extant. About a million acres are under lease, specifically for uranium, and about another million are under old leases for "oil, gas, or other minerals," where "other minerals" i s considered applicable to uranium.

Susquehanna-Western, Inc. reported that production for 1968 from their mil l at

Deweesvil le, 9 miles southwest of Falls City (fig. 3), was about 1.2 million pounds of U3Q1 near the design capacity of the mil l , and that their operating costs per pound were among the Nation's lowest. Presumably their 1969 production wi l l reach a similar figure, since the m i l l has been operating continuously.

The Atomic Energy Commission reported that 3,300,000 feet of hole was drilled i n exploration for uranium in Texas in 1968 and 6,440,000 feet in 1969 (Press release 538, February 6, 1970). Texas now ranks setond i n the Nation in exploration footage drilled: 21.6 percent of the Nation's footage was drilled in Texas. The Commission also reported that Texas contains 3,800,000 tons of ore averaging 0.18 percent U3Q, or about7,OOOcontained tons of U3Q. Texas i s fifth i n the Nation i n reserves, almost tying Colorado for fourth place.

References

Butler, A. P., Jr.; Finch, W. I.; and Twenhofel, W. S. (compilers), 1962, Epigenetic uranium in the United States, e x c l us i v e of Alaska and Hawaii: U. S. Geol. Survey Mineral Inv. Resource Map MR-21.

Eargle, D. H., 1956, Some uranium occurrences i n west Texas: Texas Univeristy Bur. Econ. Geology Rept. Inv. no. 27, 23 p.

Eargle, D. H., and McKay, E. J., 1956, Stratigraphic distribution of the uranium i n northern Texas and southern 0 k l a hom a : U.S. Geol. Survey Rept. TEI-620, p. 261 -265. (Report prepared for U. S. Atomic Energy Commission.)

Eargle, D. H., and Snider, J. L., 1956, A pe l im inar~ report on the stratigraphy of the uranium -bearing rocks of the Karnes County area, sou th-central Texaz: Texas Univ. Bur. Econ. Geology Rept. Inv. no. 30, 30 p.

Flawn, P. T., 1967, U r a n i um in Texas -- 1967: Texas Univ. Bur. Econ. Geology Geol. Circ. 67-1, 16 p.

Grimes, D. N., 1961, Wes t -eas t cross section showing aquifers of Garza County, Texas. Crosssection 6 i n Shallow f o r m a t i o n s and aquifers of the Wes t Texas area: West Tex. GeolrSoc. Pub. 61-45, [20] p.

Hadfield, J. P., Jr., 1953, Reconnaissance i n the w es t e r n part of the Trans-Pecos region of Texas: U. S. Atomic Energy Comm. Rept. RME-4021, 16p.

Hess, F. L., 1908, Minerals of the rare-earth metals at Baringer Hill, .Llano County, Tex.: U.S. Geol. Survey Bull. 340-D, p. 286-294.

Maxwell, R. A., 1962, Mineral resources of south Texas-- Region served through the Port of Corpus Christi: Texas Univ. Bur. Econ. Geology Rept. Inv. 43, 140 p.

Stroud, R. B., and Nye, T. S., 1957, Some o c c u r r e n c e s of uranium in southwest B rews te r C o u n t y , Big Bendarea, Texas: Natl. Western Min. Conf., 60th, Denver Cola., Feb. 7-9, 1957, Trans., v. 1, p. 155-159.

Weeks, A. D., and Eargle, D. H., 1960, Uranium at Pa I an g a n a salt dome, Duval County, Texas: Art. 24 i n U . S . G e o l . Survey Prof. Paper 400, Chap. B, - p. 848-B52.

Acknowledgement

The author gratefully acknowledges the assistance of Mrs. Beth Ogden Davis, who helped in the editing o f this manuscript and prepared the illustrations.

27

School bells have rung in the new semester by now so that geologist parents can relax a l i t t le after their frantic efforts at shopping, packing and transporting sons and daughters to their new school homes. Two o f the more exciting students are foreign

exchange students sponsored by Mary and Stewart Folk and by Polly and Edd Turner.

The Folk's new "daughter" from Paris, France, i s Miss Suzanne Matus, who w i l l be attending Memorial High School on the American Field Service program. This plan

places exchange students to l ive i n homes with American students of comparable ages, and the Folk's daughter Susan i s a senior at Memorial. Mary and Stewart have had a

most eventful year. Bath their sons received college degrees: B i l l a PhD in California

(bio-chemistry) and Hank and his wife a degree each at the U. of H. Considering that

Hank and his wife have a seven-year-old child, this i s a real accomplishment. They

are now at T h u n d e r b i r d School i n Phoenix, where he w i l l work toward a Masters i n foreign affairs. Younger son Bil l and his wife Martha have a new baby gi r l Jennifer Claire and a new job i n London, so they w i l l come through Houston i n October on the

way. The older daughter Maribel i s a f r e s h m a n at The University of Texcs. Could

unyone have had more excitement i n one year than Mary and Stewart?

The Turners are sponsoring 3 Swiss College student under the Institute for Inter-

national Education. Under this plan, he lives on campus and not i n a private home.

I t i s most f i t t ing that he i s working on a PhD in Geology at Rice University.

Captain Mack Thies, the son o f Catherine and Roland K. Thies, has returned from service overseas and w i l l be attending graduate school i n aeronautical engineering at

Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Dayton, Ohio.

My ears prick up now when I hear Dayton mentioned, since our daughter Ann T y r e e a n d h u s b a n d Walter, I l l and "The" grandson Walter, IV are l iving i n the

Kettering suburb o f Dayton after being graduated by the University o f Virginia this June.

Just guess who went to Charlottesville to hold the grandson during the commencement exercises when both his father and mother received Masters?

I t seems that geologists travel more than most other professional people. Anyway, I believe they enjoy the scenery more since they realize what kinds o f rock formations make the mountain peaks and lakes the way they are. Virginia and Harold Voigt have been to Japan to visit Expo '70, seeing also Tiawan, Manila, Hong Kong, and Honolulu.

Betty and Don Gohagan are taking a fal l tr ip to Europe to see Ireland, Scotland, and the Scandinavian countries.

Heddie and Gilbert Rowe have returned from their trip to Alaska, as have Sarah and Buddy Bartow.

Earnestine and Otto Pixler drove their new Toyota to visit in Fremont and Marys-

vi l le, California, Enrnestine's "old home town". Then they r e t u r n e d by way o f Las Vegas and s t o p p e d by Lubbock to visit Otto's mother. Their daughter Kay Jones i s teaching English at Yates High School, so Earnestine i s helping to gather up attractive bullet in board and poster materials to give Kay's school room a dressed up appearance for the first few weeks of school.

Teeta and Sam Udden took their sons B i l l and Andy on a tr ip t h r o u g h several

western states. Son B i l l had the misfortune to break a toe a t the Grand Canyon, so he limped through Disneyland on a very painful foot.

Kathryn and Everett Stratton have a real dream vacation planned to Hawaii this fal l . After a f l ight to San Francisco, they w i l l unpack and settle themselves comfort- ably aboard ship and cruise to the various ports o f intereston the islandsfor fifteen days. What a restful way to travel without a l l that packing and unpacking.

Jean and Grant Steele went to Salt Lake Ci ty to help c e l e b r a t e her parents' golden wedding anniversary.

Gracechambers ruefully admits that she traveled as far as Sugarland this summer-- but just wait t i l l next year. Her herpetologist son i n Viet Nam has a python to bring home (caged o f course) to his mother when he returns next spring. He proudly warns her that a python c a n g r o w twelve feet i n length i n a year, so Grace and Jack are carefully considering the advantages and disadvantages o f the new pet.

Anita and Charles Weiner fe l l heir to the job o f managing some race horses for Charles' brother. We do hear the horses have won some races on the California tracks.

One of the more unusual celebrations o f the late summer was "Mattoon Day", a sort o f reunion o f former Mattoon r e s i d e n t s held at Dick and Beverly Ryan's. There

were at least f i f ty couples present and many more who could not make i t . Among the geologist couples who attended were Beth and Wade Turnbull, Mary Louise and Forest Rees, Tommy and Jim Lewark, Mary and T. P. Woodward, Sally and Hal Bybee, Bethel and John Hill, and Ruth and Jim Arrington. It was quite a reminiscence o f the "years that were" i n the Ill inois Basin o i l fields.

Imagine our s u r p r i s e t o s e e a picture o f Alene Williams among the group o f winners of Maverick automobiles i n the contest sponsored by Texaco Retailers in the Greater Houston area. The winning t icket was actually signed by John B., Jr., but the family decided to transfer o w n e r s h i p o f the shiny green car to son Frank who had just gotten out of the Air Force that day and needed the lucky car. The boys say they w i l l le t Alene drive i t occasionally since she i s real ly the person to whom Texaco handed the keys.

Our Geo-Wives - Newcomers group began the fa l l season with the first Couples Bridge games on September 5under the co-chairmen Mary Ann (Mrs. Robert) Mayse and Pat (Mrs. John H.) Hefner. So many attended the September party that the crowd required two homes. The host couples were the Ernest Youngs and the Wayne Rosses. Th i s event i s repeated each month, so a l l you newcomers who want to playmay cal l either Mary Ann or Pat.

Best w i shes go along to Tulsa with M a x i n e and Jess Roach, where he w i l l be directing exploration for the Terra Corporation. They w i l l be missed i n Houston.

Best wishes also for a speedy recovery from surgery for Marvel Speed.

After the great barbecue party for our husbands i n September, the next b ig event w i l l be the G.C.A. G.S. meeting i n Shreveport the last week in October and the first Auxiliary party i n November, a sherry party at River Oaks on the fifth. Let's a l l mark our calendars and be there.

-- Sally Bybee

T. Wayne Campbell John B. Dunlap. Jr.

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2200 Welch Avenue Houston, Texas 77019

Sidney Schafer 529-8789 Jack C. Weyand

Seicimogroph 5eruice Corporutiou A SUBSIDIARY OF RAYTHEON COMPANY

529 Capital Nat'l. Bank Bldg. Houston, Texas 77002

Robert B. Baum 222-9071

ELECTRIC AND WELL LOGGING

BAROID OlVlSlON NATIONAL LEA0 COMPANY Mud Analysis Logging

P.O. BOX 1675 524-6381

McCULLOUGH SERVICES Logging & Perforating

P.O. BOX 2575 672-2461

DRESSER ATLAS

Division of Dresser Industries, Inc. 1045 The Main Building Houston. Texas 77002

J. L. P. Campbell W. D. Bishop R. M. "Dusty" Rhodes R. C. Allen Ross B. Smith

SCHLUMBERGER WELL SERVICES 1512 Bank of the Southwest


H. Duane Babcock W. P. Gore J. C. (Rip) Connally E. H. Heider J. B. Blazek

225-1607

CORE ANALYSIS

CORE LABORATORIES, INC.

3615 Gulf Freeway

Core Analysis and Mud Logging

John E. Furen 223-4193

GEOPHYSICAL INSTRUMENTS

DRESSER SIE

P. 0. Box 2928, Houston, Texas 77001

R. L. McCelvey 782-7100 Manager, SIE Division Ex. 2702

OIL PRODUCERS

VAN DYKE OIL COMPANY

400 Southwest Tower


Gene Van Dyke 228-8 174

OIL FINANCING

BANK OF THE SOIITHWEST, N.A.

P. 0. Box 2629 Houston, Texas 77001

Frank McGonagill, Vice President CA 5-1551 Manager, Oil and Gas Department Ext. 481

DRILLING COMPANIES

BIG " 6 DRILLING COMPANY

1228 Bank of the Southwest


W. H. Smith, President CA 5-6576

- - -

OTIS RUSSELL DRILLING COMPANY

2916 7th Street

Bay City, Texas

Otis Russell CA 8-79 19

TRITON DRILLING COMPANY

P. 0. Box 22166 Houston 77027

SU 2-2250

Robert Briggs Roland Nelson

LOG LIBRARIES

REPRODUCTION COMPAN lES

CARDINAL PRINTING & LETTER SERVICE, INC.

234 Esperson Bldg. - Houston, Texas 77002

Mrs. Pollyann Howe

Mrs. Chic Adams i23-9309

HOUSTON BLUE PRINT & STATIONERY CO.

700 Walker CA 3-4358 1324 Travis CA 4-6036 3301 Richmond Ave. JA 9-4141

Houston, Texas

PETROLEUM INFORMATION

PETROLEUM INFORMATION CORPORATlON 204 1st National Life Bldg., Houston 228-9041

RINEHART OIL NEWS CO., Div. of P. I. 2301 Caroline St., Houston, 222-1385

Combined coverage of 47 of the 48 contiguous states of the U. S. and Western Canada, offering 755 individual products and services to the petroleum industry, from reporting services to computer programs.

(Production data on Texas and Louisiana)

hgs bulletin volume 13 no.2 (october 1970) · the ist, 2nd and 3rd choice of speaker for those...

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