Información del Plan Docente

4.1. Methodological overview

The methodology followed in this course is oriented towards the achievement of the learning objectives. A wide range of teaching and learning tasks are implemented, such as theory sessions, laboratory sessions and fieldwork.

4.2. Learning tasks

This course is organized as follows:

• Theory sessions (25 hours). These sessions are dedicated to reinforce stratigraphic, sedimentological and Basin Analysis basic knowledge, but also to acquire new strategies related to the study of sedimentary, non-renewable energy resources, and geological processes controlling their genesis.
• Laboratory sessions (15 h). 8 two-hour sessions. These sessions complement theory sessions.
• Fieldwork. (10% of the final mark). 3 field trips related to the study of sedimentary, non-renewable resources in Aragon. A brief test will be answered after each field trip.  
  1. Coal deposits associated to transitional sedimentary environments (2 trips/days)
  2. Serrablo Natural Gas storage (1 trip/day).
• Assessment tasks.
  • Students must present two reports:
    • i) One related with the possibilities of exploitation and use of sedimentary deposits at a given area (30% of the mark) including the possibilities of mining sedimentary deposits at a given area.
    • ii) A bibliographic pair work focused on an oil basin using PowerPoint for oral presentation (30% of the final mark) including the petroleum system and geological factors controlling the existence of the oil field.
  • Short answer questions about field work.
  • Exam (3 hours). Written exam focussed on theoretical and practice lectures (30 % of the final mark; a minimum mark of 4 is necessary for passing the exam).
• Autonomous work and study

4.3. Syllabus

This course will address the following topics:

Lectures

1. Introduction to fossil resources. Renewable and non-renewable energy resources. Organic matter in sediments: production, accumulation and conservation. Controlling factors.
2. Natural resources associated to sedimentary environments.
3. Coal. Definitions. The origin of coal. Mires. Main controls on mire development. Types of mires.
4. Sedimentary environments as organic matter producers. Continental, transitional and marine environments.
5. Coal components. Coal at macroscopical and microscopical scale. Maceral groups. Coal lithotypes and microlithotypes.
6. Coalification of organic matter. Controlling factors: T, P and time. Rank, components, and coal types. Characteristics of coal for industrial uses.
7. Coal mining methods. Most common uses of coal and worldwide coal resources. Coal in Spain
8. Coal and environment.
9. Oil and natural gas. Physical and chemical properties. Composition of natural hydrocarbons. Main hydrocarbon families.
10. Origin and evolution of oil and natural gas. Transformations during the diagenesis and catagenesis. Kerogen: types and evolution. From kerogen to oil.
11. The source rock and oil migration. Identification and evaluation of the source rock. Primary and secondary migration.
12. The trap rock: petrophysical properties. Types of trap rocks.
13. The seal rock: geological and petrophysical properties. Effectiveness of sealing.
14. Oil traps. Types: stratigraphic, structural, mixed and hydrodynamic traps. Oil fields.
15. Interest of Oil Geology.

Practice sessions

1. Physical properties of sedimentary particles considering their potential interest for Applied Geology.
2. Research and prospecting of natural resources associated to sedimentary environments.
3. Evaluation and prospecting of coal deposits.
4. Evaluation of the potential interest of hydrocarbon reserves.

Fieldwork

• Trips 1 and 2. Coal deposits associated to transitional sedimentary environments: the Escucha Formation.
  • Main lithological and sedimentological features.
  • Mine restoration.
• Trip 3. Serrablo natural gas storage: Visit to ENAGAS facilities in Sabiñánigo (Huesca).
  • The gas field and the geological context.
  • Example of gas geological storage.

4.4. Course planning and calendar

Further information concerning the timetable, classroom, office hours, assessment dates and other details regarding this course will be provided on the first day of class or please refer to the Faculty of Sciences website (https://ciencias.unizar.es; https://cienciastierra.unizar.es) and Moodle.