AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF PETROLEUM GEOLOGIST

IN ASSOCIATION WITH

INDONESIAN PETROLEUM ASSOCIATION

REGIONAL DISTINGUISHED LECTURE TOUR

 RECENT TRENDS IN
GEOLOGICAL SCIENCES
R. P. KOESOEMADINATA

Emeritus Professor of Geology

Institute of Technology Bandung
 INTRODUCTION
• Recent trend in geological sciences is probably
not an appropriate title for this lecture
• It will be more appropriate to discuss what
happened to geology during my 50 years
career as a geologist.
• I enrolled as a geology student in 1955 at the
Department of Geology of the Faculty of
Mathematics and Natural Sciences University
of Indonesia in Bandung.
• I am presently still active doing geology.
 GEOLOGY IN THE 50’S
• I was told that Continental Drift of Wegener as “a fairly
tale”
• Geology was strictly taught as a natural science strictly
based as on field observations, laboratory work was
limited to mineralogy, petrology/petrography and
paleontology.
• The Principle of Uniformitarianism was emphasized
with no room for catastrophism.
• Cyclicity of Orogenesis was taught
• Major tectonic features was explained by the
geosynclinal theory.
• The application of geology to mineral and petroleum
exploration is minimal. Petroleum geology is considered
as the application of general geology to petroleum
exploration
 Geology in the 50’s
• As I entered Queen’s University in 1958 I was
introduced to the application of geology to
petroleum and mineral exploration.
• Laboratory methods in geology was common
already in Canadian and American Universities.
• Use of mathematics/geometry was quite
common in structural geology.
• I was taught detail geologic mapping using
surveying instruments in mineral exploration.
 Geology in the 60’s
• I returned to ITB to teach and also did consulting work in the Cikotok
gold mines.
• Teaching of geology changed as the professors now emphasized
geology as a more applied science.
• I entered Colorado School of Mines in 1964 and specialized in
sedimentary geology and petroleum geology.
• Research in the 60’s emphasizes of recent sedimentation studies
sponsored by the petroleum industry.
• It was also the beginning of geochemical studies on the origin of
petroleum. Geochemistry began to be used widely in other fields of
geology
• In the meantime oceanographic studies around the world initiated
the beginning of the theory of plate-tectonics.
• The use of computers in geology was already initiated, but not
taught in formal courses
 Geology of the 70’s
• As I completed my doctor of science degree I returned to ITB in
1997
• My colleagues at ITB was already involved in plate-tectonics theory
with Karangsambung as a case study.
• Plate-tectonics was gradually accepted as a plausible theory and
used in the petroleum industry in petroleum exploration.
• Computer imaging techniques made it possible for geologists to
study seismic sections and new stratigraphic concept emerged
“seismic stratigraphic” which later evolved into “sequence
stratigraphy”
• Space exploration in the 60’s and 70’s reveals much knowledge to
the origin of earth and consequences to the basic principles of
uniformitarianism.
• The introduction of computers into geology made is possible to
aquire a huge data base and numerical processing of geologic data,
resulting into quantification and modeling
 THE CAUSES FOR ADVANCES IN GEOLOGY
TOWARD THE END OF THE 20TH CENTURY

• Scientific exploration of space, planets,

and deep oceans.
• Developments in exploration technology
and spill-overs from space technology.
• Multidisciplinary approach of geologic
problems using physics, chemistry and
biology, such as the use of isotopes
• The use of computers in earth sciences.
FURTHER DEVELOPMENT IN GEOLOGY

• Tremendous accumulation of geologic data in

computer databanks
• A profound understanding of the structure and
mineral composition of the earth crust and
underlying mantle.
• A profound understanding of geological
processes from the point of view of physics,
chemistry and biology
• Quantification of geological phenomena and
data.
 A REVOLUTION IN GEOLOGICAL THINKING

• Quantification and geologic modeling.

• Global understanding of geological
processes and its linking to global
processes and earth as one system
• Review in the philosophy and fundamental
principles of geology.
 QUANTIFICATION AND GEOLOGI MODELING

• The advent of the computer/information

technology made quantification of geologic data
and the computation of a huge number of
geologic data possible.
• The computer made the accumulation of a huge
number of geologic data with easy storage and
easy access possible
• The computer made graphic display or images
of geologic models possible, such as remote
sensing imagery and seismic sections
 THE USE OF COMPUTERS IN GEOSCIENCES

• As a storage system for numerical as well

as textual data or an electronic database.
• As a processing tool to display imagery of
seismic, well log and remote sensing data
• As a gecomputation tool for crunching a
great number of numerical data in
statistical analyses and geologic modeling
 THE GEOLOGIC AGE CONCEPT
• In the old days we used to have two
concept of geologic time:
– The relative geologic time.
– The absolute geologic time.
• Present day we have only one concept of
geologic time: The numerical geologic time
in a unified geologic time-scale with Eon,
Era, Period, Epoch and so on expressed
in Ga, Ma, Ka.
 Methods of Geologic Age Dating
Present-day age dating methods are:
• Radiometric Age Dating
• Biostratigraphic Age Dating
• Magnetostratigraphic Age Dating
• Sequence stratigraphic Age Dating
The results of age dating are readily
converted into numerical ages.
 GEOLOGIC MODELING
• Quantification of geologic processes are performed by
modeling.
• Complicated geological processes are simplified as
models through simulation or actual modeling of an area
• Two types of modeling are used:
– Statistical or probabilistic modeling
– Deterministic of math modeling.
• Deterministic modeling are involves chemical and
physical processes within a geological time frame, such
as petroleum geochemical modeling (Basin Modeling).
• Modeling involves computer software made by and for
the industry
 There are two main theories of
geology with a global impact:

• The Global Plate-tectonics Theory

– All geologic phenomena are explained within
the framework of plate-tectonics
• The Sequence Stratigraphy Theory
– All stratigraphic events world-wide can be
linked by eustatic global sea level changes
 GLOBAL PLATE TECTONICS
• This theory is presently accepted as a fact and
taught in Geology 101 class as a basic
knowledge.
• All geologic processes especially endogenic are
explained in plate-tectonic framework, such
magmatic processes, volcanism, seismicity,
geologic history, basin development, etc.
• Plate tectonics is widely used as a tool for
mineral and petroleum exploration strategy.
 SEQUENCE STRATIGRAPHY
• Although not fully accepted within the academic,
sequence stratigraphy is widely used in the petroleum
industry as a tool for petroleum exploration.
• Sequence stratigraphy tends to be quantitative and
deterministic using cyclicity sedimentation model as a
basic principle and is accepted as a predictive tool
• By linking eustatic sea level changes to astronomical
orbital cyclicity of the earth (such as Milankovich cycles)
it is developing into “Cyclostratigraphy”.
• Sequence stratigraphy modifies “stratal continuity” into
“stratal termination” concept (as strata is also known to
pinch-out ocean-wise), and has added lateral
accumulation concept to the vertical accumulation
principles of the time honored Steno’s Principles
PROFOUND REVIEW ON THE PHILOSOPHY AND BASIC
PRINCIPLES OF GEOLOGY

• Uniformitarianism has been the time-honored

principle of geology.
• Uniformitarianism was born to reject
catastrophism which tried to explain a
fundamental principle of geology the law of
faunal succession.
• Uniformitarianism also includes the concept of
geological cycles to reject the unidirectional
concept of geologic succession of Werner.
Geological Cycles concept is the basis for
“present is key to the past”
 NEO-CATASTROPHISM
• Inter-planetary studies indicate that meteoric
impacts is quite a common process in the
development of planets including the earth.
• The earth has not been not spared from
meteoric impact, but meteoric craters on earth is
repeatedly wiped out by erosion and covered by
sedimentary strata as geological cycles rules the
earth surface.
• Geological cycles nor plate-tectonics operates
on the other rocky planets other than the earth.
METEORIC IMPACT AND UNIFORMITARIANISM

• Research in the 80’s by the Alvarez found spectacular

evidence of meteoric impact at the Cretaceous-Tertiary
boundary in Italy (KT-Boundary).
• Subsequent research has found evidence of the
meteoric crater in Mexico and evidence for meteoric
impact at the Permian-Triassic boundary.
• Meteoric impacts and its subsequent catastrophic
destruction and climate change is now used again for
the mass extinction of fauna and flora during geologic
time. The extinction of dinosaurs is a popular example.
• Other catastrophic geological events with mass global
destruction are presently known, such as super volcanic
erruption (Toba Super-volcano), unrelated or unrelated to
meteoric impact.
 PUNCTUATED
UNIFORMITARIANISM
• Uniformitarianism has to accommodate
catastrophism.
• Geological Cycles is only valid for the
earth.
• Early stages of the history the earth
suffered similar processes as the other
rocky planets, meteorite bombardments
and volcanism,
MAN AND HIS ENVIRONMENT
• Present day geology is also concerned
with the environment.
• Global climate change is allegedly man-
made.
• Geologic history shows that global climate
change also took place naturally in the
past (for example the Ice Ages)
 CONCLUSIONS
• During my 50 years career in geology I have
witnessed a tremendous advancement in the
geosciences.
• Present day geologists have sophisticated high
tech tools for their work.
• Geology has become more quantified and
mathematical.
• A revolutionary change took place not only in
methods and techniques but also in its basic
principles.