Posters and Presentations

Presentation to the West Virginia Land and Mineral Owners Association's 2017 Annual Meeting

May 10-11, 2017 in Parkersburg, West Virginia, USA

Overview of the Rogersville shale in West Virginia

Philip A. Dinterman

The Marcellus and Utica-Point Pleasant currently dominate shale gas production in the Appalachian Basin. While the Middle Cambrian (~500 million years old) Rogersville Shale is not a current gas play, does the Rogersville have the potential to be a productive play in West Virginia? The Rogersville is an organic-rich dark shale mixed with siltstone and carbonates. It is relatively deep in West Virginia, approximately 10,000 to 17,000 feet below land surface, which is about 7,000 to 9,000 feet below the Marcellus and about 5,000 feet below the Utica-Point Pleasant. Deposition is limited to within the Rome Trough, an extensional graben (down-dropped block) part of an interior rift system (pulling apart) formed during the opening of the Iapetus Ocean. Several wells have been completed in Kentucky where the Rogersville is shallower (5,000 to 10,0000 feet deep). It ranges in thickness from 0 to over 1,000 feet, but is not organic rich throughout its entire thickness. The presentation discusses how the Rogersville differs from the Marcellus and Utica-Point Pleasant, why it has potential for development, and some of the reasons it has not been developed as a gas play yet.
PDF of presentation ''slides''              (Download the presentation PDF, 5.6 MB - Large)

Posters Accompanying the 2017 Annual Meeting of the Eastern Section, American Association of Petroleum Geologists (ESAAPG)

September 25 to 27, 2017 in Morgantown, West Virginia, USA

Trenton/Point Pleasant/Utica core from Wood County, WV. The Sandhill Well, Power Oil Company Well #9634 (API #4710700351)

Jessica Pierson Moore

This poster accompanied core from the Sandhill Well, Power Oil Company's Well #9634 (API #4710700351) in the Trenton/Point Pleasant/Utica from Wood County, West Virginia during the core exhibit/workshop at the 2017 ESAAPG meeting. The section of core presented at the meeting was taken immediately above and below the Trenton/Point Pleasant contact.

Drilled in 1955 near the crest of the Burning Springs anticline in Wood County, WV, by the Hope Natural Gas Company in conjunction with the South Penn, Manufacturers Light and Heat, and Columbian Carbon Gas companies, this core represents the first well in West Virginia to penetrate the entire Paleozoic section from the ''Coal Measures to the Precambrian.'' Nearly 2,870 feet of the well was cored, mostly from the basal Cambrian and Ordovician sections. The core samples were split amongst researchers from ten different institutions and initial results were presented in West Virginia Geological Survey Report of Investigations 18, A Symposium on the Sandhill Deep Well, Wood County, West Virginia (Woodward, 1959).

In 2013, the Ordovician section of this core experienced renewed interest due to its location near the active Utica/Point Pleasant shale gas drilling fairway. Over the following four years, several researchers described and analyzed this portion of the core, including representatives from CoreLab and Chesapeake Energy. Results of these investigations are shown on this poster and include whole-rock pyrograms, source rock analyses, x-ray diffraction results, and vitrinite reflection reports.
PDF of poster behind core exhibit              (Download the poster PDF, 1.7 MB)

Presentation to the 2015 West Virginia Energy Summit at Stonewall Resort

October 27, 2015

Shale Hydrocarbon Resources of West Virginia

Michael E. Hohn, Jessica Pierson Moore, and Susan E. Pool

Remaining recoverable and original in-place resource estimates for the Marcellus and Utica plays with a glimpse at the Rogersville Shale and horizontal well activity. Presented at the 2015 West Virginia Energy Summit at Stonewall Resort, an annual meeting of energy experts sponsored by the West Virginia Governor's Office, the Department of Commerce, and the Southern States Energy Board. This talk was also presented to Reserves Estimation Unconventionals - REU Houston - in 2016.
15 page ''slide'' presentation (Download the PDF PDF, 1.4 MB)

Poster Presented at the Eastern Section, American Association of Petroleum Geologist's (ES-AAPG), 44th Annual Meeting

September 20-22, 2015 in Indianapolis, Indiana

Evaluation of Potential Stacked Shale-Gas Reservoirs Across Northern and North-Central West Virginia

Jessica P. Moore¹, Susan E. Pool¹, Philip A. Dinterman¹, J. Eric Lewis¹, and Ray Boswell^2
1West Virginia Geological and Economic Survey, ²National Energy Technology Laboratory

Three shale-gas units underlying northern and north-central West Virginia create opportunity for one horizontal well pad to produce from multiple zones. The Upper Ordovician Utica/Point Pleasant, Middle Devonian Marcellus, and Upper Devonian Burket/Geneseo Shales yield significant quantities of hydrocarbons in this area, and comparison of individual reservoir characteristics enables construction of fairway maps for each play.
One panel, 84 by 48 inches              (Download the poster PDF, 7.3 MB - large)

Posters Accompanying the 2017 Annual Meeting of the Eastern Section, American Association of Petroleum Geologists (ESAAPG)

September 25 to 27, 2017 in Morgantown, West Virginia, USA

Salina F-4 Salt from Marshall County, WV. PPG Industries Brine Well #36 (API #4705100674)

Philip A. Dinterman

This poster accompanied the core from PPG Industries Brine Well #36 (API #4705100674) from the Salina F-4 Salt in Marshall County, West Virginia during the core exhibit/workshop at the 2017 ESAAPG meeting. It offers a rare glimpse of the Salina F-4 salt unit, a target of solution-mining activities since World War II. The core, drilled in 1980, was recently analyzed as part of a study of potential candidates for subsurface storage of natural gas liquids. Results of the Appalachian Storage Hub study, conducted by researchers from the state geological surveys of Ohio, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia, were released to the public on September 1, 2017 and are included on the WVGES web site here.

The large-diameter core has not been slabbed and features many examples of fracturing and structural deformation. This poster includes a graphic log with descriptions, full elemental geochemistry, and a complete set of photographs for the core.
PDF of poster behind core exhibit              (Download the poster PDF, 5.8 MB - Large)

Poster Presented at the Geological Society of America's (GSA) Northeastern Section Annual Meeting

March 23-25, 2014 in Lancaster, Pennsylvania

Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs. Vol. 46, No. 2

The Shifting Landscape of Marcellus Shale Development in West Virginia

Philip A. Dinterman, Susan E. Pool, Jessica Pierson Moore, J. Eric Lewis, and Jennifer L. Luczko

West Virginia, known historically as a coal producing state, has recently experienced a dramatic increase in natural gas production from the Marcellus Shale. Since 2005, over 2100 Marcellus wells have been drilled in the state. A number of vertical wells penetrated and produced from the Marcellus Shale before 2005, but use of the technical combination of horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing of wells created a rapid escalation of shale gas drilling in the Appalachian basin. Projections for future production continue to increase. The West Virginia Geological and Economic Survey continuously updates a database for all oil and gas activity in West Virginia while conducting geological research. Current research includes the examination of the geological controls on the Marcellus Shale as well as a volumetric resource assessment of Marcellus potential in the State.
One page 84 by 42 inches             (Download the poster PDF, 10.4MB - large)

Presentation to the American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG) Annual Convention and Exhibition

May 19-22, 2013 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania,

A Preliminary Geology-Based Natural Gas Resource Assessment of the Marcellus Shale for West Virginia

Susan E. Pool, Ray Boswell, J. Eric Lewis, Eric, Jonathan P. Mathews

An overview of work detailed in 2013, Pool, Susan E., A Preliminary Natural Gas Resource Assessment of the Marcellus Shale for West Virginia using Basic Geologic Data and GIS, West Virginia Geological and Economic Survey, Open File Report OF 1305, 67 p., (PDF, ~4 MB), the study provides a conservative estimate of Marcellus Play original in-place resources for West Virginia. This presentation outlines study methodology and includes statewide maps for in-place volumes, volume of shale, total organic carbon, level of organic maturity, pressure, temperature, and thickness. This talk was also presented to the Appalachian Geological Society in the Fall of 2013.

32-page ''slide'' presentation              (Download the PDF PDF, 1.8 MB)

Posters Presented at the Geological Society of America's (GSA) Annual Meeting

October 9-12, 2022 in Denver, Colorado

Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs. Vol. 54, No. 5

Development of Predictive Tools to Identify Critical Mineral Enrichment in High-Alumina Underclays of the Appalachian and Illinois Basins, USA

Bethany A. Royce, Sarah R. Brown, Gary W. Daft, Philip A. Dinterman, and Jessica P. Moore

The USGS Earth Mapping Resources Initiative (Earth MRI) works to identify mineralized areas or deposits across the United States that may host critical minerals. Aluminum-rich clays associated with coal horizons have the potential to be low-grade, large-volume, critical mineral resources. Past studies show that alumina is routinely 20-40% in these clay layers, and preliminary geochemical data indicate that some clay layers host anomalously high (>300 ppm) rare earth element (REE) concentrations. However, understanding of the distribution of metals in varying lithologies and stratigraphic positions is limited by data density and a lack of modern geochemical data. As part of a multi-year study, a stratigraphic and spatially representative set of underclay samples were collected from eight states in the Appalachian and Illinois basins, geochemically analyzed by the USGS, and then processed with Orange, an open-source machine learning and statistical analysis software. Using Orange, Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and cross-plots were created to determine the elements that correlate with higher REE values. The trends indicate that in these samples higher REE totals (>375 ppm) have strong positive correlations with several elements, including Al, P, Th, and Sr, and weakly positive correlations to several others. Higher total REEs were inversely correlated with Mg. These initial results were then compared with handheld X-Ray Fluorescence (hhXRF) measurements and used to inform the sampling strategy for a second round of sample collection. As a final step, results from each round of sampling will be compared to determine if the screening exercise resulted in higher overall REE totals using the major elemental associations. If successful, this workflow can enable quick-look or field-level selection of samples using the hhXRF and development of a semi-quantitative predictive tool to help locate potential REE deposits.

One page 90 by 42 inches             (Download the poster PDF, 6.1 MB)

Posters Presented at the Geological Society of America's (GSA) Joint North-Central-Southeastern Section Annual Meeting

April 7-8, 2022 in Cincinnati, Ohio

Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs. Vol. 54, No. 4

Pores aren't the only gaps: Examining the Gordon Sandstone in the Jacksonburg-Stringtown Field, West Virginia using new permeability and XRF data

Bethany A. Royce, Jessica P. Moore, Ronald R. McDowell, and Philip A. Dinterman

The Midwest Regional Carbon Initiative (MRCI) is evaluating opportunities for utilization of CO2, including enhanced oil recovery (EOR), in legacy oil fields across the Appalachian and Illinois basins. Although legacy oil fields have previously been characterized under various regional studies, many datasets for the wells have limited availability and are underrepresented in the region. Estimates of permeability, necessary for the construction of CO2 injection models, are especially underrepresented; publicly accessible permeability measurements are available for approximately 5% of the fields included in the MRCI oil and gas fields’ database. Detailed mineralogical data, which can help to identify subtle lithologic changes and characterize preferential flow pathways, are even more uncommon. To help increase data density in the legacy oil fields of West Virginia, newly donated continuous cores from the Devonian Gordon sandstone in the Jacksonburg-Stringtown oil field are being analyzed using X-ray Fluorescence (XRF) and a permeameter to obtain closely spaced composition measurements and permeability. Resulting work will improve characterization of heterogeneous reservoirs and allow stakeholders of various backgrounds to evaluate future opportunities in the Jacksonburg-Stringtown oil field.

One page 90 by 42 inches             (Download the poster PDF, 4.5 MB)

Poster Presented at the 2019 Annual Meeting of the Eastern Section, American Association of Petroleum Geologists (ESAAPG)

October 12 - 16, 2019 in Columbus, Ohio, USA

Silurian Tuscarora Sandstone in western West Virginia: Will It Work as a Geothermal Reservoir Rock?

Ronald R. McDowell, J. Eric Lewis, Gary W. Daft, Philip A. Dinterman, Sarah R. Brown, and Jessica P. Moore

Exposures of the Silurian Tuscarora Sandstone in the Fold and Thrust Belt of eastern West Virginia suggest the unit should be a low-permeability reservoir rock because of deformation and associated heavy silica cementation. Therefore, the choice of the Tuscarora as the target reservoir for a geothermal energy project in north-central West Virginia generated a great deal of scientific interest . . . and some surprise. At the proposed geothermal well location on the West Virginia University campus in Morgantown, WV, the Tuscarora is approximately 10,000 feet (3,000 m) below surface, lies on the eastern margin of the Rome Trough, and is approximately 300 feet (90 m) thick. Thin sections and drill core from Kanawha, Clay, Harrison, and Preston counties were examined with the intent of estimating ''visual'' porosity and searching for features that might contribute or detract from permeability. Petrographic analysis yielded rare instances of ''visual'' porosity as high as 25%; typical porosity estimates were 1-2% or less. Not readily apparent in most of the thin sections was extensive silica overgrowth and cementation expected based on experience with exposures of Tuscarora in eastern West Virginia. Air-injection-permeability sampling on nearby well Preston 119 concentrated primarily on observed fractures but also included matrix and unusual features (such as bioturbation and stylolites) encountered in the core. Fracture lengths, widths, and orientations were measured and recorded together with permeability. Fracture permeabilities as high as a Darcy were observed; the sandstone matrix was typically ''tight'' with less than 1-2 mD of permeability. Whether or not higher observed fracture permeabilities are present and accessible at the proposed well site remains to be seen. However, large, open voids associated with vertical and oblique fractures in the Preston 119 core suggest that rock with properties amenable to geothermal fluid circulation may be present in the Tuscarora.
PDF of poster      (Download PDF, 5MB)

Poster Presented at the 2019 Annual Meeting of the American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG)

May 19 - 20, 2019 in San Antonio, Texas, USA

An Overview of the Midwest Regional Carbon Sequestration Partnership (MRCSP) Petroleum Fields 2019 Database

J. Eric Lewis, Kristin Carter, Philip A. Dinterman, William Harrison, Cristian Medina, Jessica P. Moore, Richard Ortt, Brian Slater, Michael Solis, and Thomas Sparks

For nearly 20 years, the Midwest Regional Carbon Sequestration Partnership (MRCSP) has collected geologic reservoir data throughout the Appalachian and Michigan basins to analyze and optimize the potential for carbon dioxide (CO₂) storage. This process includes a new emphasis on enhanced oil recovery (EOR) using CO₂, and the subsequent addition of attributes such as oil gravity and minimum miscibility pressure. To date, this massive compilation contains more than 4,000 petroleum fields. Multiple resources were used for data accumulation, quality control, and geospatial updates to fields across the region. These resources included the Tertiary Oil Recovery Information System (TORIS), historical oil and gas records, previously published information, and statistical analysis. The resulting work will enable stakeholders from various backgrounds to evaluate opportunities on a regional, and/or field-specific, basis.
PDF of poster      (Download PDF, 7MB)

Poster Presented at the 2018 Annual Meeting of the Eastern Section, American Association of Petroleum Geologists (ESAAPG)

October 7 - 11, 2018 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA

From the Tuscarora Sandstone to the Bubbles in Your Beverage: Naturally-Occurring CO2 in the Indian Creek Field, Kanawha County, WV

Jessica Pierson Moore, Philip A. Dinterman, Ronald R. McDowell, Joel R. Sminchak, and Gary W. Daft

The Tuscarora Sandstone in the Indian Creek field in Kanawha County, West Virginia produces commercial volumes of food-grade carbon dioxide (CO₂) as a constituent of the natural gas stream. Commercial production of naturally occurring CO₂ in the Appalachian basin is unique to the Indian Creek field, providing a natural laboratory for the effects of potential carbon storage and a unique opportunity to examine an analog for long-term carbon storage. Because the mechanisms of this CO₂ generation and trapping are not fully understood, researchers examined thin sections, well logs, drilling and completion reports, and core from wells inside the Indian Creek field and compared these data to wells from nearby fields that do not produce significant amounts of CO₂ in gas accumulations. The resulting geologic cross-sections and isopach maps of the Tuscarora were augmented with Computed Tomography (CT) scans of the cores to assess potential fracture networks and migration pathways. Pores in thin sections of Tuscarora taken from a well drilled inside the field exhibit thin, incomplete, linings of calcite that appear to be an early cement partially dissolved by later pore fluids to produce CO₂. A second possibility for CO₂ generation is suggested by the presence of pores lined with framboidal pyrite typically associated with bacterial degradation of organic matter such as hydrocarbons. Thin sections from core reveal bedding-parallel stylolites, often filled with heavy minerals and/or clays, as well as thick quartz overgrowths, and sutured grain contacts. Sediments in this core are burrowed; the burrows are backfilled with very fine to silt-sized quartz. Porosity is fracture-enhanced and contained within burrows rather than the matrix.
PDF of poster      (Download Panel 1 of 2 PDF, 6.24 MB; Download Panel 2 of 2 PDF, 2.1 MB)

Poster Presented at the Geological Society of America's 2017 Annual Meeting

October 22-25, 2017 in Seattle, Washington, USA

Cross Sections from the Midwest Regional Carbon Sequestration Partnership: Visualizing Subsurface Carbon Storage Opportunities across the Central and Eastern United States

Philip A. Dinterman, Jessica Pierson Moore, J. Eric Lewis, Stephen F. Greb, Kenneth G. Miller, William J. Schmelz

The Midwest Regional Carbon Sequestration Partnership (MRCSP) is a fourteen-year-old collaboration among ten states studying carbon capture, utilization, and storage, including carbon storage in deep saline aquifers and enhanced recovery of oil and natural gas via CO₂ floods. The West Virginia Geological and Economic Survey (WVGES) is working with other MRCSP partners to update the existing database of petroleum fields in the region and construct a set of regional geologic cross sections illustrating subsurface opportunities for CO₂ enhanced oil recovery in depleted oil fields, enhanced gas recovery in organic-rich shales, and CO₂ storage in deep saline aquifers. When combined with results from other areas of MRCSP research, these cross-sections enable policy makers, researchers, and other constituent groups to visualize and determine viable options for mitigating CO₂ point sources.
PDF of poster              (Download the poster PDF, 8 MB - Large)

Poster Presented at the Eastern Section, American Association of Petroleum Geologist's (ES-AAPG), 45th Annual Meeting

September 24-28, 2016 in Lexington, Kentucky

Development of Quick-Look Maps for CO₂-EOR Opportunities in the Appalachian and Michigan Basins

Eric Lewis, Jessica P. Moore, Philip Dinterman, Michael E. Hohn, Ronald McDowell, and Susan Pool

The West Virginia Geological and Economic Survey has a method to design "quick-look" maps illustrating state-specific opportunities for additional oil recovery in legacy oil fields via carbon dioxide enhanced oil recovery (CO₂-EOR). These maps contain a variety of field-specific data, including CO₂ storage capacity, residual oil in place, and oil gravity. This work is part of the comprehensive characterization of carbon capture utilization and storage for the Midwest Regional Carbon Sequestration Partnership.
Two panels/pages              (Download the poster PDF, 8.7 MB - Large)

Poster Presented at the American Association of Petroleum Geologist's (AAPG) Annual Convention and Exhibition

May 19-22, 2013 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Assessing Suitability of Depleted Fields for Enhanced Oil Recovery in West Virginia

Jessica P. Moore, Philip A. Dinterman, J. Eric Lewis, Jennifer L. Luczko, and Susan E. Pool

Oil production has been a part of West Virginia's economy since 1860. Cumulative statewide oil production rates peaked at 16 million barrels in 1900 and began a steady decline that led to eventual abandonment of many early fields. Of the remaining active fields, several continue to be economically viable today due to secondary recovery water floods and are the focus of examination for potential tertiary recovery via CO2 floods. As part of an effort led by the Midwestern Regional Carbon Sequestration Partnership (MRCSP) to identify potential carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS) opportunities, the West Virginia Geological and Economic Survey is examining reservoir parameters in an attempt to establish a suitability ranking system for WV oil fields. Key characteristics were derived from existing sources and several fields were identified as potential targets for more detailed characterization. Many of West Virginia's coal-fired power plants are situated within 20 miles of EOR suitable fields and would be readily-available sources of CO2 if the cost of retrofitting the plants became economically viable.
Three panels, each 84 by 42 inches:
(Download Panel 1 PDF, 17.0MB - large!), (Download Panel 2 PDF, 10.5MB - large), (Download Panel 3 PDF, 1.4MB)

Posters Presented at the Geological Society of America's (GSA) Joint Northeastern-Southeastern Section Annual Meeting

March 17-19, 2023 in Reston, Virginia

Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs. Vol. 55, No. 2

Pteridichnites biseriatus Abundance Zone - 25 Years On

Ronald R. McDowell, Paula J. Hunt, Mary Sue Burns, Katharine Lee Avary, and James Q. Briton

Twenty-five years of reconnaissance mapping along the West Virginia-Virginia border has confirmed the presence of a trace fossil abundance zone based on the ichnofossil Pteridichnites biseriatus near the base of the Upper Devonian Brallier Formation. The abundance zone has been traced from Grant and Hardy counties, west to Randolph and south through Pendleton, Pocahontas, and Greenbrier counties, West Virginia and east into Rockingham County, Virginia. In addition, recent fossil discoveries by the authors confirm the maker of this unusual trace as an as yet unidentified ophiuroid (brittle starfish).

One page 42 by 22 inches             (Download the poster PDF, 11.4 MB - large)

Poster Presented at the Geological Society of America's (GSA) Annual Meeting

October 9-12, 2022 in Denver, Colorado

Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs. Vol. 54, No. 5

Seamless Bedrock Mapping in the Greenbrier Valley Karst System of Southeastern West Virginia

J. Wayne Perkins, John K. Tudek, Shadya S. El-Ashkar, Derek L. Spurgeon, Philip Dinterman, and Sarah E. Gooding

With the U.S. Geological Survey’s (USGS) goal to establish a seamless nationwide geologic map through the U.S. Geo-Framework Initiative, the West Virginia Geological and Economic Survey (WVGES) has undertaken a project to integrate current bedrock geologic mapping with adjacent areas recently mapped by USGS geologists under the FEDMAP program into a seamless, high resolution geologic map of southeastern West Virginia. With a particular focus on the Greenbrier Valley Karst System, WVGES is working to create a geologic map that differentiates the individual carbonate units of the Mississippian-age Greenbrier Group from Central Pocahontas County, WV through the southern end of Greenbrier County, WV. The primary goal of this mapping is to map the Greenbrier Group at formational level and to further define areas of karst development within the units.

One page 90 by 42 inches             (Download the poster PDF, 5.06 MB - large)

Poster Presented at the Southeastern Section, Geological Society of America's (SE-GSA), 66th Annual Meeting

March 30-31, 2017 in Richmond, Virginia, USA

Developing a Karst Map for West Virginia

HOHN, Michael E., MCCREERY, Samantha, MOORE, Jessica Pierson, and DINTERMAN, Philip A.

Regulatory agencies increasingly consider karst terrain when issuing environmental permits. The state Legislature tasked the West Virginia Geological and Economic Survey (WVGES) with developing a map showing areas of potential karst. Soluble rock units, including portions of the Greenbrier and Helderberg limestones, occur near or at the surface in the eastern and southeastern parts of the state. Using a digitized map of the Geology of West Virginia at 1:250,000 scale, WVGES geologists created a map showing where thick carbonate units crop out, and overlaid locations of publically-known caves as well as information from various karst-related datasets. Where available, modern WVGES maps at a scale of 1:24,000 created with funding from the National Park Service and the US Geological Survey STATEMAP program were invaluable in developing the map. While useful at its present scale, the statewide karst map can be refined further with completion of 1:24,000 scale mapping of quadrangles with karst terrain, observation of surface karst features from LidAR data, and hydrological studies.
One panel, 90 by 42 inches              (Download the poster PDF, 8.7 MB - Large)

Posters Presented at the Geological Society of America's (GSA) Annual Meeting

November 1-4, 2015 in Baltimore, MD

Bedrock Geology of the New River Gorge National River, West Virginia: Mapping Ten Quadrangles in the New River Gorge for the National Park Service

Paula J. Hunt, Gayle H. (Scott) McColloch, Jane S. McColloch, and Bascombe Mitch Blake Jr.

The National Parks Service (NPS) contracted with WVGES to map bedrock geology in and around the New River Gorge National River park unit. The NPS protects over 53 miles (85 km) of the New River Gorge within the park boundary, and the map area includes ten United States Geological Survey 7½-minute topographic quadrangles. The area is known for its incredible scenery and abundant recreational opportunities, including hiking, cycling, rock climbing, hunting, fishing, and whitewater rafting. Four West Virginia State Parks (Hawks Nest, Babcock, Bluestone, Little Beaver) and the Army Corps of Engineers' Bluestone Lake and Dam are located in the map area, as is a large portion of the Boy Scouts of America's Summit Bechtel Reserve. The New River Gorge mapping project aids in defining the boundaries of paleovalleys filled with Mississippian and Pennsylvanian quartz-rich fluvial sands that became the Princeton, Pineville, Upper Raleigh, and Nuttall sandstones.
One panel, 90 by 42 inches              (Download the poster PDF, 4.2 MB)

Using Fossils to Aid in Bedrock Mapping: Examples from West Virginia

Ronald R. McDowell¹, Paula J. Hunt¹, Mary Sue Burns², Goldie McClure^2
1West Virginia Geological and Economic Survey, ²Pocahontas County High School, Dunmore, WV

The presence or absence of individual fossils or assemblages of fossils (both body fossils and ichnofossils - trace fossils) can be equally important during field mapping. The numbers and diversity of fossils are also important as an adjunct lithologic property to help differentiate and identify rock units while mapping Paleozoic siliciclastic and carbonate rocks in West Virginia. Fossil eveidence or lack thereof can be an indicator of a particular set of environmental conditions during deposition of individual stratigraphic units. For example, the shales and minor sandstones of the Devonian Brallier Formation are typically devoid of body fossils but contain a unique, easily recognizable trace fossil; similar strata of the overlying Devonian Foreknobs Formation are typically highly fossiliferous and contain a diverse and prolific assemblage of trace fossils; similar strata of overlying Devonian Hampshire Formation are typically barren except for rare plant fossils.
One panel, 90 by 42 inches              (Download the poster PDF, 14.5 MB)

Posters Presented at the Geological Society of America's (GSA) Northeastern Section Annual Meeting

March 23-25, 2014 in Lancaster, Pennsylvania

Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs. Vol. 46, No. 2, p.0

Surprises from the Devonian Foreknobs Formation of Eastern West Virginia

Ronald R. McDowell, Katharine Lee Avary, Jaana E. Hitzig, Jaen E. Sidney, and George N. Case

Unusual microfossils recently recovered from the Upper Devonian Foreknobs Formation (Greenland Gap Group) of eastern West Virginia suggest that the paleoenvironmental model for the unit may need revision or refinement. Rock samples from lowermost Foreknobs containing a combination of sedimentary material suggests paleoenvironments ranging from fluvial to brackish water lagoon to back-reef marine to normal marine shelf. While the assemblage probably represents a storm deposit, it indicates sedimentary "sampling" of Foreknobs depositional environments that are not preserved or not yet exposed in this part of the Appalachians.

One page 92 by 48 inches             (Download the poster PDF, 14MB - large!)

West Virginia Earthquakes: Crustal Adjustments along The Rome Trough or Something Else?

Ronald R. McDowell, J. Eric Lewis, and Philip A. Dinterman

Since 1966, there have been 33 instrumentally recorded earthquakes recognized in western West Virginia within or adjacent to the structural feature known as the Rome Trough. This structure is a fault-bounded graben involving basement rocks thought to be related to failed rifting of the North American plate during the Precambrian. Interestingly, 7 of the 11 "shallow" earthquakes occurred in Braxton County, WV in a single year (2010). We speculate that the "deeper" earthquakes are associated with isolated, recurrent fault movements in response to ancient crustal stresses within and along the margins of the Rome Trough. The "shallow" earthquakes recorded in Braxton County may reflect slip related to injection activity from a saltwater disposal well that injects at a depth of 1.7 km in close proximity to a recently discovered normal fault.
One page 92 by 48 inches             (Download the poster PDF, 14MB - large!)