An Affiliate (1963) of the American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG)

The Newsletter of the Ohio Geological Society January 2010

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Ohio Geological Society 12th Annual Winter Gala

Friday, 15th, 2010

6:30 pm

Ramada Plaza Hotel & Conference Center

Columbus, OH

2009-2010 Officers President Chris Gordon Eagon & Associates, Inc. 100 Old Wilson Bridge Rd. Worthington, OH 43085 (614) 888-5760 cgordon@eagon.cc Vice President Steve Zody Zody Geoscience P.O. Box 921 Wooster, OH 44691 (330) 262-4323 zodyoil@sssnet.com Secretary Amy Lang Forman Energy, Ltd. P.O. Box 340346 Columbus, OH 43234 (614) 717-9262 amy.lang@formanenergy.com Treasurer John Miller EnerVest Operating, LLC 110 E. Wilson Bridge Rd. Worthington, OH 43085 (614) 436-4631 jmiller@enervest.net

The Ohio Geological Society cordially invites all

geologists, associates, and friends to a gala winter celebration!

Friday, January 15th, 2010

6:30 pm

Ramada Plaza Hotel & Conference Center 4900 Sinclair Rd., Columbus, OH 43229

www.ramadaplazacolumbus.com

Cost: $25 per person Dinner, drinks and music by Bill Foley!

Payable in advance to OGS, PO Box 14304, Columbus, OH 43214.

Please RSVP by January 11th to: Amy.Lang@formanenergy.com or (614) 717-9262.

Sponsorships - $50

Hotel room reservations should be made directly with the Ramada Plaza Hotel & Conference Center, (614) 846-0300. A block of rooms will be held until January 5th, 2010. The rate is

$79.00. Please be sure to specify that you are with the Ohio Geological Society.

Continental Drift is a natural ongoing process and just like climate change, continental

drift is real. The science is settled and if it continues, Continents and the Tectonic plates, of

which they are a part, will collide causing mountains to be thrust miles into the sky. Numerous

and large earthquakes will result. New volcanoes will be formed and dormant ones will

become active. Changes in sea level would cause the elimination of entire species of wild life.

These destructive forces would cause enormous Havoc.

The process may be unstoppable but, perhaps it can be slowed. If the friction within

the earth’s crust can be increased, perhaps continental drift can be suppressed. In the

subsurface, there are very large quantities of oil. Oil is a natural lubricant. If there was an all

out effort led by the United States to extract as much of this lubricant as possible, this could be

beneficial to all mankind. Therefore, the U.S. Congress should immediately enact large tax

incentives for producers of oil. The resulting higher oil production could cause the oil prices to

collapse and so it would be necessary to subsidize the price of oil to the $200/bbl range. This

may sound costly, but this would be a cheap price for saving the planet.

Jerry C. Olds

(partly plagiarized)

HAVE YOU RENEWED YOUR OGS MEMBERSHIP?

For those of you who have not yet renewed your OGS membership for 2010, it is about to expire. To ensure your membership, and to continue receiving this newsletter along with other valuable information regarding our profession, please fill out the membership application included with this newsletter and return it with your dues by Jan. 31st to:

The Ohio Geological Society P.O. Box 14304 Columbus, OH 43214

…or you can renew your membership at the winter gala!

Dalton Boggs & Associates is seeking candidates for the following

positions beginning in 2010:

Reservoir Engineer Oklahoma City, OK

Reservoir Engineering Manager Oklahoma City, OK

Project Manager Buffalo, NY

Geologist Oklahoma City, OK

Reservoir Engineer Pittsburgh, PA

Production Engineer Mt. Vernon, IL

Production Engineer Grand Rapids, MI

Asset Manager Santa Barbara, CA Facilities Manager

Reservoir/Completions Engineer

Landman Austin, TX

Landman Lake Charles, LA

District Manager Williamsport, PA

Completions Engineer Enid, OK

Landman Midland, TX

Landman Tulsa, OK Senior Division Order Analyst

Division Order Clerk

Reservoir Engineer Denver, CO

Water Flood Engineer Houston, TX

Completion Engineer Denver, CO

If you know anyone who may want to learn more about these exciting opportunities, please have them call, contact or send a resume in

confidence to:

Dalton Boggs Dalton Boggs & Associates

PO Box 2288 Edmond, OK 73083

800-348-1654 Fax 405-348-1693

daltonb@boggsassociates.com

DECEMBER 7, 2009 – TAXING THE AIR WE BREATHE

My grandfather often commented on the ever increasing taxes levied by the levels of government by joking, “Soon they will tax the air we breathe!” On December 7, 2009 it became a very bad joke as USEPA administrator Lisa Jackson ruled that carbon dioxide, a gas vital to all life on this planet “endangers the public health and welfare of the American people.” This gives the Obama administration the regulatory power to essentially tax the air we breathe. This ruling is based on the hypothesis of human induced global warming. But the observed temperatures and scientific findings of this past decade have contradicted the projections and assumptions of this hypothesis. Instead, variations of the sun’s output, along with ocean current cycles and the atmosphere’s interaction with cosmic radiation have proved to be a much better explanation of past and current global temperature variations. In order to hide the collapse of the underlying science of human induced global warming, unethical scientists and administrators have been fudging data and computer models, as well as destroying incriminating files requested by public officials and other scientists, as shown in the recent file releases from East Anglia University. My grandfather’s generation lived through the December 7, 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor, which FDR called “a day which will live in infamy.” Sixty eight years later the Obama Administration and many of the delegates at Copenhagen are attempting to agree on destructive treaties which will attack our liberty and economic freedom to solve a problem that either does not exist or is extremely exaggerated. If they succeed, in part because of the USEPA ruling, December 7, 2009 will be a day which will live in infamy for our generation. Christopher Krumm Geologist, Columbus, Ohio

Geologist III Underground Storage Tank Branch

Corrective Action Section

This Geologist III position is posted for the Corrective Action Section in the UST Branch. The UST Branch oversees the closure, site investigation and cleanup of petroleum contamination in soil and groundwater. Currently, the Corrective Action Section has six (6) technical reviewers and one vacant merit and one FFTL*position. The Corrective Action Section technical reviewer is primarily an office position (but occasional site visits are necessary).

Presently, the Geologist III position will review, oversee and direct remedial activities at approximately 50+ sites across 20+/- counties in Kentucky. The workload is moderate to heavy and the weight of the work load is in the technical solution aspects of the sites. The Corrective Action section is the most technical laden section in UST. Technical reviewers are primarily required to evaluate whether (1) a site’s conceptual model by the consultant is sufficient to engage a proper remedial strategy, (2) a site’s remedial strategy is technically appropriate, (3) the remedial progress of a remedial strategy in place, (4) (as applicable) the post-remedial trends (i.e. monitored natural attenuation). This requires that a minimum number of corrective action related documents per month be reviewed and directives go out to ensure that regulatory requirements for cleanups at UST facilities are being met in a effective and timely manner. Staff must be able to effectively communicate (verbally and in writing) to responsible parties, consultants, legislators, etc. in a team or stakeholder type of fashion. Basic computer skills (word processing, spreadsheets and KDEP specialty data base software - TEMPO) are used daily. Technical reviewers are required to attend any necessary meetings. Attention to detail in conjunction with understanding the broader picture, and personal organization, are essential.

The position requires that a candidate have a bachelor’s degree in a geology and three years of professional experience in natural resources or environmental control. Candidates will be required to learn the TEMPO database (Tools for Environmental Management and Protection Organizations). A candidate who has a basic understanding of the following is desirable:

• Review of UST closure and site investigation projects; • behavior of hydrocarbons in the subsurface (fate and transport of LNAPL); • chemistry or microbiology of soil and groundwater; • groundwater movement in porous media; • properties of geologic media; • remedial strategies and technologies, their successful application, limitations and appropriate monitoring

needs.

A basic understanding of risk based assessment and management is a plus.

Pay Grade 14 - $35,246.40

Contact Larry Hughes (supervisor) at your earliest convenience (502-564-5981 ext. 4019 or Larry.Hughes@ky.gov) if interested.

*FFTL – This is a time-limited position that will last approximately four years.

……..from Jeff Spencer collection 

The Devil’s Tea Table – Morgan County, Ohio 

The Devil’s Tea Table was a rock formation located on a ridge along the Muskingum River, approximately three miles north of McConnelsville.    This landmark “standing stone” was a Pennsylvanian age sandstone “table” balanced on a narrow shaley sandstone base.  Howe (1891) estimated the weight at 300 tons with the table’s dimensions :  height 25 feet, length 33 feet, width 20 feet, thickness 10 feet, and circumference 85 feet.  The base’s dimensions:  height 14 feet, length 18 feet, width 5 feet, circumference 40 feet.   

Howe states that as early as 1820, a group of keel‐boatmen attempted to push the table over with a large crowd in attendance.  Their effort was unsuccessful.  The tea table finally met its demise on July 4th, 1906.  Murphy (2004) states that the tea table was toppled with a charge of dynamite.  Visitors from McConnelsville and Malta then carried off pieces of the formation.  Camp (2006), and the Minnear annotated  postcard (Figure 1) suggests that the destruction was simply due to erosion. 

Ohio is not the only state to claim a “Devil’s Tea Table”.  Similar named rock formations are (were) found in Indiana, West Virginia, New Jersey, Arkansas, and Illinois.   Old postcards of these formations are fairly common. 

 

Camp, Mark J., 2006, Roadside Geology of Ohio, Mountain Press Publishing Company, 410 pp. 

Howe, Henry, 1891, Historical Collections of Ohio, v. 2, 634 pp. 

Murphy,  James L., 2004, Archeological potential of standing stones in Eastern Ohio, Ohio Archaeologist, v. 54, p. 18‐21. 

 Fall of the Devil’s Tea Table 

T. Loyd Minnear (Zanesville, Ohio) 

 The Devil’s Tea Table has fallen, and now 

Lies broken, deep down in the vale; A huge mass of ruins, plain telling us how The strength of the Lord shall prevail. 

 For ages is stood, majestic and firm, 

High up, on the crest of a hill, Near the Muskingum’s shore, defiant of storm, 

Three miles from McConnelsville.  

A huge block of sandstone, 300 tons weight, And balanced on neck made of shale. 

Though 25 ft. from ground was it’s height ‘Twas proof against man, wind or hail. 

 I suppose that when Satan discovered it there 

He said, “This shall stand here forever. To remind all of me, my name it shall bear.” 

Ah! Surely Old Satan is clever!  

But God on the first of July, Nineteen‐six Overthrew and cast it down low. 

Ohio’s fair hills don’t belong to “Old‐Nix”. To far distant climes he must go. 

 We’ll not take tea with him there any more. 

We’ll turn to the Savior of Man. His ways are much better for us, I am sure. 

To give us true joy to His plan.  

His plan, being best, Oh let it succeed! The Devil is false, we all know. 

He likes the high places but listen, take heed, Down, down he and his surely go. 

(spelling and punctuation as on postcard) 

CALENDAR

January 8 SPE-Ohio Petroleum Section. Lolli’s Restaurant, Canton, OH. ohio.spe.org/ January 13 MBGS Meeting. “Chasing the Great North Woods Through Time”, Dr. Ralph Taggert – Michigan State University. MSU, East Lansing, MI. www.mbgs.org/ January 15 OGS 12th Annual Winter Gala. Ramada Plaza Hotel & Conference Center, Columbus, OH. January 21 PAPG Meeting. “Experiences in the Marcellus Shale”, William Zagorski – Range Resources. Radisson Hotel, Pittsburgh, PA. www.papgrocks.org February 18 PAPG Meeting. “The Significance of Seismic Anisotropy as it relates to Exploration in the Appalachian Basin”, Joel Starr – EQT Corp. Radisson Hotel, Pittsburgh, PA. www.papgrocks.org March 17 OGS Meeting, Hilton Easton, Columbus, OH March 17-19 2010 OOGA Winter Meeting, Hilton Easton, Columbus, OH. www.ooga.org

Visit www.ohgeosoc.org for all upcoming events

Ohio Geological SocietyP.O. Box 14304 • Columbus, OH 43214

http://www.ohgeosoc.org/

Ohio Geological Society Publications

The in-print publications of the Ohio Geological Society may be purchased from the Ohio Division of Geological Survey. Members of the Society receive a discount; the member price is in parentheses (M:). For more information on the Society, write the Ohio Geological Society, P.O. Box 14304, Columbus, OH 43214. OGS 4. Clinton sandstone papers presented at the Ohio Oil and Gas Association Winter Meetings 1961 to 1978 (abridged reprint of 1980 volume). 228 p., 1985. $25.00 (M: $20.00). OGS 5. The new Clinton collection--1985, edited by Jack Gray, Andy Maslowski, Warren McCullough, and W. E. Shafer (2nd printing). This edition includes a transcript of "Deeper Clinton-Medina drilling in southeastern Ohio" from a March 1986 Ohio Geological Society meeting. 257 p., 1985. $25.00 (M: $20.00). OGS 7. Computer-aided analysis of geologic data, edited by Lawrence H. Wickstrom. A collection of papers from a seminar presented at the 1987 AAPG Eastern Section meeting. 100 p., 1987. $15.00 (M: $12.00). OGS 8. Maps and cross sections of the Cambrian and Lower Ordovician of central Ohio, by G. G. Shearrow. 31 p., 8 pls., 1987. $12.00 (M: $10.00). OGS 10. The Ohio Geological Society anthology, the Morrow County, Ohio "oil boom" 1961-1967 and the Cambro-Ordovician reservoir of central Ohio, edited by William E. Shafer. 452 p., 1994. $25.00 (M: $20.00). OGS 14. Ohio Geological Society Fifth Annual Technical Symposium. Proceedings from the November 1997 technical symposium held in Akron, Ohio. 11 papers. 117 p., 1997. $25.00 (M: $20.00). OGS 15. Petroleum seismology in the digital age. Course notes from the Ohio Geological Society's 3-D Seismic Seminar presented at the 1998 AAPG Eastern Section meeting. $20.00 (M: $15.00). OGS 17. Into the new millennium: The changing face of exploration in the Knox play. Proceedings from the Sixth Annual Fall Symposium held in Akron, Ohio, October 1999. 16 papers. 120 p., 1999. $25.00 (M: $20.00). To order any of the Society's publications contact: The Geologic Records Center, Ohio Division of Geological Survey, 2045 Morse Road, Columbus, Ohio 43229-6693. Telephone (614) 265-6576. FAX: (614) 447-1918. E-mail: geo.survey@dnr.state.oh.us.