This field course explores the remarkable carbonate platforms of the Permian Basin, offering students the opportunity to examine world-class outcrops of the Capitan Reef complex in West Texas and New Mexico. The Capitan succession represents a key analogue for subsurface carbonate reservoirs in the region, providing insights into the relationship between depositional facies, sequence stratigraphy, and reservoir properties such as porosity and permeability.

The field trip takes students on a geological journey through time, uncovering the depositional history of the region during the late Paleozoic. The learning experience integrates geological observations at various scales, from basin-wide sequences to outcrop-level features, all within the stunning backdrop of the Guadalupe Mountains.

Learning Objectives

The course aims to provide students with hands-on experience in:

• Sequence Stratigraphy: Understanding the large-scale depositional architecture and its control on reservoir quality.
• Carbonate Sedimentology: Identifying key carbonate facies and interpreting their depositional environments.
• Reservoir Analogues: Relating outcrop observations to subsurface reservoirs to enhance understanding of reservoir heterogeneity and predictability.
• Paleoenvironmental Reconstruction: Interpreting the climatic and tectonic influences that shaped the Permian carbonate platforms.

By the end of the course, students will have developed critical fieldwork skills, including geological mapping, section logging, and facies analysis, all of which are essential for careers in geoscience, particularly in petroleum geology.

Itinerary and Key Outcrops

Day 1: Deadman Branch and White Sands National Monument
The trip begins with an introduction to the regional geology at Deadman Branch, followed by a visit to White Sands National Monument, where students observe modern sedimentary processes in an arid environment. These observations are linked to ancient depositional systems encountered later in the field trip.

Day 2: Last Chance Canyon
Students explore the extensive carbonate deposits of Last Chance Canyon, where the focus is on sequence stratigraphy. The outcrop reveals basin-margin sequences, allowing students to observe facies transitions from slope to basin environments.

Day 3: McKittrick Canyon
A full day is dedicated to walking through McKittrick Canyon, one of the most iconic sections of the Capitan Reef complex. This site demonstrates the transition from the deep basin to the platform margin and highlights the role of the Capitan Reef in controlling basin-fill patterns.

Day 4: Walnut Canyon and Slaughter Canyon
The morning session in Walnut Canyon introduces students to reef and backreef deposits, emphasizing the impact of cyclic deposition on reservoir properties. The afternoon session in Slaughter Canyon focuses on interpreting sequence stratigraphy and recognizing the depositional controls on porosity development.

Day 5: Carlsbad Caverns and Guadalupe Mountains Overview
The final day includes a visit to the Carlsbad Caverns, where students observe the karst processes that modify carbonate reservoirs. The course concludes with an overview stop at the Guadalupe Mountains, offering a spectacular view of the Capitan Reef system and a summary discussion of the geological insights gained throughout the trip.

Key Geological Concepts Explored

• Carbonate Platforms and Ramps: Understanding their formation, evolution, and relevance to hydrocarbon exploration.
• Sequence Stratigraphy: Recognizing depositional sequences and their impact on reservoir architecture.
• Porosity and Permeability: Linking outcrop observations to subsurface reservoir quality.
• Paleoclimate and Tectonics: Interpreting the role of climate and tectonic setting in shaping the Permian Basin.

Why This Region?

The Permian Basin in West Texas and New Mexico is a world-renowned geological site due to its exceptional outcrops of carbonate platforms and reefs. These outcrops serve as valuable analogues for understanding subsurface reservoirs. Observing these deposits in the field helps students bridge the gap between theoretical knowledge and practical application, particularly in the context of petroleum exploration and reservoir management.

The Capitan succession, deposited during the Permian period, formed at the western margin of the supercontinent Pangea. The arid climate of the time, combined with monsoonal current circulation, created the ideal conditions for carbonate deposition. This field trip allows students to see firsthand how these ancient environments have influenced modern-day reservoirs.