Core Description, Stratigraphic Correlation, and Mapping of

Pennsylvanian Strata in the Appalachians

The remaining laboratory sessions for the semester will be collected into a series of
exercises designed to demonstrate the process by which you can use data from a single
point (core hole, oil well, outcrop) to build an extended picture of a region using publicly
available data.

This project will develop over several labs each lab will expand upon the complexity of
the project until you have constructed lithostratigraphic cross sections and made isopach
maps of specific stratigraphic units. Each student, working independently, will produce
each of these materials.

At each stage in the project, students will be provided with the necessary data to complete
the exercise.

Part I: Core Description

A typical practice for understanding the geological framework for an area is to take
geological cores. Cores are taken with a drilling rig and represent a vertical section of
rock in a specific locality. This is a useful way to assess local geology in regions with
either limited rock exposure, or to assess conditions below the depth of the local erosion.

Rock doesn’t always look the same in drill core as it looks on outcrop. Drill core
provides a very detailed, but very localized picture of geologic conditions.

Your task is to provide a description of the drill core that has been provided by the
Consolidated Coal Company of Pittsburgh, PA.

Your description should include:

1. detailed lithologic descriptions (keeping in mind that there might not be much to
say about some sections) for all depths.
2. depth and thickness for specific lithologic units
3. sedimentary structures that are present (i.e. bedding details, lamination, crossbeds,
fossils, bioturbation, etc.), these can often be difficult to describe in core. NOTE:
the angle that crossbeds deviate from horizontal can be measured. This can often
be used to distinguish between terrestrial and marine deposits.
4. A graphic log similar to Figure 2.1 in Tucker.
5. A grain-size profile - used as a quick reference guide to lithology.

You should start with a written description very similar to the descriptions that you make
on outcrops. I have provided an example from some of my own work, and some blank
pages that will get you started.
Some rules about working with the core:

1. this is our only core so far, treat it gently, you have to work with it and your
fellow students also have to work with this data.

2. For core to be useful it has to remain in sequence – DO NOT REMOVE IT

FROM THE BOX – you should be able to produce a description without
disturbing it.

3. A damp cloth or rag can be used to highlight features that are not obvious when
the core is dry.
Part II: Correlation and Mapping

Introduction: once a geologist has an idea about the lithologies present in a region
(acquired from core holes, oil wells, outcrops, etc.), the next step is to extend that
knowledge away from that point. This can be accomplished by either doing more
fieldwork if the rock is available at Earth’s surface. If the rock is below local drainage,
then subsurface data must be employed.

Subsurface data is generally available from publicly available sources represented by

state geologic surveys or similar agencies. In our case, we have obtained 25 drill records
from the region around Morgantown, West Virginia. The records have been submitted to
the state by drill crews or provided by geologists. The records are often of great
variability in terms of detail and content. The lithologies described are all very similar to
those you described in core.

You will have several tasks to be completed over the next couple of weeks.

You will have to:

1) Create Strip Logs from the available data

2) Correlate the strip logs, identifying specific stratigraphic units or horizons
3) Make maps of the specific horizons (isopach, structure)

Materials: all available on CD

Location Map
Strip Log Template – you can get many copies of these
Core records/descriptions

Things you might need at some point:

Scissors
Tape
Colored Pencils

1) Creating Strip Logs

Enter ID, Elevation at the top of the log.

Decide on a suitable scale, its best to decide this after reviewing all the data to determine
the deepest core hole, this will allow you to decide upon a scale. This needs to balance
your ability to get the project finished against the amount of detail necessary to complete
the exercise.
There are typical colors to be used for specific lithologies.

These are:

Blue = Limestone
Green = Mudstone/Shale (marine)
Red = Mudstone/Shale (nonmarine)
Yellow = Sandstone
Orange = Siltstone
Black = Coal

A box with an X indicates missing section or surface materials.

You can modify these basic colors to indicate lithologies such as: “sandy shale”, “shaly
lime”, “limey shale”, “silty sand”.
You can include any extra symbols that may highlight specific features you think are
important. You can use your own discretion when determining what is important.

2) Correlation

Construct a lithostratigraphic cross section across your map area.

Lithostratigraphic cross sections can get rather large, so you may need more than one
large sheet of sketch paper.

Your cross section should display the salient stratigraphic units of your map area – in this
case coals, sandstones, and limestones.

To define a cross section, choose 4-6 core holes that extend N-S across the map area.
The core holes should be arranged in geographic order depending upon the orientation
that you choose (i.e. the easternmost [or northernmost] core hole will be farthest right on
your cross section). The position of the core holes should be scaled, so you need to
establish a horizontal scale for the cross section. Your vertical scale should already be
established by the scale of your strip logs.

The next step is to define a correlation datum. This datum should be a “marker bed”,
recall that a marker bed is a distinct stratigraphic unit that can be traced throughout your
field area. In this case, it seems that most of you have been using the Pittsburgh Coal as a
marker; you should continue to use that stratigraphic unit as your marker.

You should also construct an E-W cross section using topographic elevation as your
datum. Using surface elevation as a datum will allow you to delineate some geological
structure that may not be evident if you only look use stratigraphic markers for you
datum.
Once you have picked the logs, established a scale, and defined your datum you are ready
to construct your cross section.

Draw a line across your paper representing your correlation datum. If your datum is high
in the section, this line should be near the top of your paper, if your datum is low in the
section, this line should be near the bottom of your paper.

Establish the position of each log along your datum (measured as indicated by your
scale). Tape each log to the paper in proper position, hanging the log on your correlation
datum (i.e. the Pittsburgh Coal must be lined up with your correlation datum).

Now you are ready to sketch in the lithostratigraphic relationships for the region. You
should then connect up stratigraphically equivalent rock units. The best way to start this
is to connect the coal beds. These are the most recognizable units in the area. As with
contour maps, your stratigraphic contacts cannot cross each other. Your coal beds
establish distinct timelines, use these as guidelines for correlating the rest of the cross
section.

3) Making maps: after you have defined lithostratigraphic units on your cross sections
you need to identify the same units in the strip logs that were not used for the cross
section. You should record the stratigraphic thickness of each unit in each well.

There are several complications in this step. For each location you will have either a
stratigraphic thickness, this thickness may be zero. Additionally, the core hole may not
reach the unit in question, in which case you should ignore the data point as there is no
available data.

Plot the thickness for the stratigraphic unit at each location and contour using an
appropriate contour interval. You should map the Pittsburgh Coal and at least one other
stratigraphic unit, either limestone or sandstone. I recommend mapping a sandstone as
the sandstones tend to be discrete, contacts for the limestone tends to be gradational and
difficult to identify precisely.
 ´
Miles
00.51 2
Greene Fayette
0 1 2 4
Kilometers
11-012 21-010
! !
! 14-100
23-071 266-002 !
! 11-023
23-004 ! !
23-072
! 124-025
23-098 ! !
Monongalia 21-089

Ch
! 131-012
Morgantown

ea
15-054
! 23-049 ! !

tR
288-054
268-001 ! 52-083 131-009
!

iv
!! !
!

er
23-064 ! 169-096
268-005
268-004 169-095

! 15-055

v er
Marion Ri
a
h el
nga
o
on
M
 CORE/SECTION # DATE
LOCALITY DESCRIBED BY
FORMATION

LITHOLOGY
GRAIN SIZE
GRAVEL

DESCRIPTION
SAND
CLAY
SILT

64 4 VCC M FVF
 CORE/SECTION # CONSOL AX-05-05 DATE 11/05/2005
LOCALITY DESCRIBED BY Matchen
FORMATION

LITHOLOGY
GRAIN SIZE
GRAVEL

DESCRIPTION
SAND
CLAY
SILT

64 4 VCC M FVF
ID _______ ID _______ ID _______ ID _______ ID _______ ID _______
Elev _______ Elev _______ Elev _______ Elev _______ Elev _______ Elev _______
 ID 21-010 ID 21-89 ID 23-049 ID _______ ID _______
Elev 1000’ Elev 1190’ Elev 1240 ID 23-64 Date _______ Date _______
Elev 1263 Author _______ Author _______

0 0 0 0

100 100 100 100

200 200 200 200

300 300 300 300

400 400 400 400

500 500 500 500