Field Expeditions
Field Work and Field Trips Supporting Research Initiative
Photo galleries from selected field work and field trips.
- Click on the image to see a set of photographs from the field work.
This is by no means a complete inventory of program field work or of currently active field-based studies. For field guides see the FRAC web site or contact us.
See the field study page for a brief overview of where we’re working.
Contact Steve Laubach for further information.
Field campaign 2018, Utah and Wyoming
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Research in progress: Fracture timing and spatial arrangement Related paper: Wang, Q., Laubach, S.E., Fall., A., 2018. Unraveling the history of ultra-deep fractures in sedimentary basins (ext. abs.). 14th Pan-American Current Research on Fluid Inclusions Conference, Houston, Texas, Abstracts with Program; Fall, A., ed., 103-104. | view Forstner, S.R., Laubach, S.E., Fall., A., 2018. Evolution of deformation in the Buck Mountain Fault damage zone, Cambrian Flathead Sandstone, Teton Range, Wyoming (ext. abs.). 14th Pan-American Current Research on Fluid Inclusions Conference, Houston, Texas, Abstracts with Program; Fall, A., ed., 47-48. | view |
Field expedition 2018, Oman
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Research in progress: Fault and fracture spatial arrangement Related paper: Marrett, R., Gale, J.F.W., Gomez, L., Laubach, S.E., 2018. Correlation analysis of fracture arrangement in space. Journal of Structural Geology 108. doi.org/10.1016/j.jsg.2017.06.012 | view |
Field Expedition 2017, West Texas
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Research in progress: Natural and hydraulic fractures Related paper: Lee, H.P., Razavi, O., Olson, J.E., 2018. Hydraulic fracture interaction with cemented natural fracture: a three dimensional discrete element method analysis. SPE Hydraulic Fracturing Technology Conference, The Woodlands. Society of Petroleum Engineers. doi:10.2118/189852-MS | view |
Field Expedition, 2016 Western Wyoming
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Research in progress: Faults, fractures and diagenesis
Related paper: Laubach, S.E., Fall, A., Copley, L.K., Marrett, R., Wilkins, S., 2016, Fracture porosity creation and persistence in a basement-involved Laramide fold, Upper Cretaceous Frontier Formation, Green River Basin, U.S.A. Geological Magazine. doi:10.1017/S0016756816000157 | view |
Field Expedition, 2016 Tarim Basin & Tian Shan / Fractures
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Research in progress: Fractured Carbonate Initiative Related paper: Ukar, E. and Laubach, S.E., 2016, Syn- and postkinematic cement textures in fractured carbonate rocks: Insights from advanced cathodoluminescence imaging, Tectonophysics, v. doi: 10.1016/j.tecto.2016.05.001 | view |
Field Studies, 2015 Argentina / Folds, Faults & Fractures
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Research in progress: Shale
Related paper: Ukar, E., Lopez, R.G., Laubach, S.E., Gale, J.F.W., Manceda, R., and Marrett, R., 2017. Microfractures in bed-parallel veins (beef) as predictors of vertical macrofractures in shale: Vaca Muerta Formation, Agrio Fold-and-Thrust Belt, Argentina. South American Journal of Earth Sciences 79, 152-169. doi.org/10.1016/j.jsames.2017.07.015 | view |
Field Expedition, 2014 Northern Tetons / Folds & Faults
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Research in progress: Basement-involved fold evolution
Related paper: Hooker, J.N., Larson, T., Eakin, A., Laubach, S.E., Eichhubl, P., Fall, A., Marrett, R., 2015, Fracturing and fluid-flow in a sub-décollement sandstone; or, a leak in the basement. Journal of The Geological Society, London. v. 172, p. 428-442. doi: 10.1144/jsg2014-128. (Published online May 2015) | view at publisher |
Field Trip, 2015 Central Texas Fractured Rocks
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2015 Annual Meeting: Challenges of Fracture Prediction Related paper: Gale, J. F. W., Laubach, S. E., Olson, J. E., Eichhubl, P., and Fall, A., 2014, Natural fractures in shale: a review and new observations. AAPG Bulletin, v. 98, no. 11, p. 2165-2216. doi: 10.1306/08121413151 | view |
Field Study, 2015 Japan / Vein Arrays
- NSF-supported collaborative field study.
Field Symposium, 2014 Faults, Fractures & Diagenesis, Utah-Nevada
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Research in progress: Faults, fractures and diagenesis
Related paper: Alzayer, Y., Eichhubl, P., Laubach, S.E., 2015, Non-linear growth kinematics of opening-mode fractures. Journal of Structural Geology, v. 74, p. 31-44. doi.org/10.1016/j.jsg.2015.02.003 (published online March 2015) | view at publisher |
Field Expedition, 2013 Carbonates & Karst, Wyoming
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Research in progress: Fractured Carbonate Initiative Related paper: Hooker, J.N., Gomez, L.A., Laubach, S.E., Gale, J.F.W. & Marrett, R., 2012, Effects of diagenesis (cement precipitation) during fracture opening on fracture aperture-size scaling in carbonate rocks. In Garland, J., J.E. Neilson, S.E. Laubach, & K. J. Whidden (eds.) Advances in Carbonate Exploration and Reservoir Analysis, Geological Society of London Special Publications 370, p. 187-206. doi:10.1144/SP370.9. | view at publisher |
Field Expedition, 2012-13 Fracture Research Prospects, South Georgia/Antarctic Peninsula
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Research in progress: Vein array growth rates
Related paper: Lander R.H., and Laubach, S.E., 2015, Insights into rates of fracture growth and sealing from a model for quartz cementation in fractured sandstones. Geological Society of America Bulletin, v. 127, no. 3-4, p. 516-538. doi: 10.1130/B31092.1 (published online October 2014) | view at publisher |
Field Trip, 2012 New York, Marcellus Shale / Mechanical Stratigraphy
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Research in progress: Shale fracture diagenesis Related paper: Gale, J. F. W., Laubach, S. E., Olson, J. E., Eichhubl, P., and Fall, A., 2014, Natural fractures in shale: a review and new observations. AAPG Bulletin, v. 98, no. 11, p. 2165-2216. doi: 10.1306/08121413151 (published November 2014) | view at publisher | view at GSW | view at Datapages |
Field Expedition, 2012 Western Canada Field Work / Folds & Faults
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Related papers: Ukar, E., Ozkul, C., Eichhubl, P., 2016. Fracture abundance and strain in folded Cardium Formation, Red Deer River anticline, Alberta Foothills, Canada. Marine & Petroleum Geology 76, 210-230. doi: 10.1016/jmarpetgeo.2016.05.016 | view Iñigo, J.F., Laubach, S.E., Hooker, J.N., 2012, Fracture abundance and patterns in the Subandean fold and thrust belt, Devonian Huamampampa Formation petroleum reservoirs and outcrops, Argentina and Bolivia. Marine & Petroleum Geology, v. 35, no. 1, p. 201-218. doi:10.1016/j.marpetgeo.2012.01.010 | view |
Field Expedition, 2011 Scotland Fault Rocks
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Research in progress: fault rock diagenesis
Related paper: Laubach, S.E., Eichhubl, P. Hargrove, P., Ellis, M.A., Hooker, J.N., 2014, Fault core and damage zone fracture attributes vary along strike owing to interaction of fracture growth, quartz accumulation, and differing sandstone composition. Journal of Structural Geology, v. 68, Part A, 207-226. doi: 10.1016/j.jsg.2014.08.007 | view at publisher |
Field Trip, 2011 Coastal California / Structural Diagenesis
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Related paper: Appold, M., Garven, G., Boles, J., Eichhubl, P., 2007, Numerical modeling of the origin of calcite mineralization in the Refugio-Carneros fault, Santa Barbara Basin, CA. Geofluids, 7: 79-95.
Laubach, S.E, P. Eichhubl, C. Hilgers, R.H. Lander, 2010, Structural diagenesis. Journal of Structural Geology, v. 32, no. 12, p.1866-1872. doi:10.1016/j.jsg.2010.10.001. | request reprint | About Structural Diagenesis | view at publisher |
Field Expedition, 2010 Scotland / Regional & Fracture Stratigraphy
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Related paper: Ellis, M.A., Laubach, S.E. Eichhubl, P., Olson, J.E. & Hargrove, P., 2012, Fracture development and diagenesis of Torridon Group Applecross Formation, near An Teallach, NW Scotland: millennia of brittle deformation resilience? Journal of the Geological Society, London. v. 169, no. 3, p. 297-310. doi: 10.1144/0016-76492011-086. | request reprint | view at GSW |
Field Expedition, 2010 Central Texas / Fractured Carbonate & Mudrocks
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Related papers: Laubach, S. E., Olson, J. E, and Gross, M. R., 2009, Mechanical and fracture stratigraphy. AAPG Bulletin, v. 93, no. 11, p. 1413-1426. | view at GSW | Gale, J. F. W., Laubach, S. E., Olson, J. E., Eichhubl, P., and Fall, A., 2014, Natural fractures in shale: a review and new observations. AAPG Bulletin, v. 98, no. 11, p. 2165-2216. doi: 10.1306/08121413151 (published November 2014) | view at publisher | view at GSW | view at Datapages |
Field Expedition, 2008 Kentucky/Indiana New Albany Shale
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Related papers: Gale, J.F., and Laubach, S.E., 2009, Natural fractures in the New Albany Shale and their importance for shale-gas production: 2009 International Coalbed & Shale Gas Symposium.
Gale, J. F. W., Laubach, S. E., Olson, J. E., Eichhubl, P., and Fall, A., 2014, Natural fractures in shale: a review and new observations. AAPG Bulletin, v. 98, no. 11, p. 2165-2216. doi: 10.1306/08121413151 (published November 2014) | view at publisher | view at GSW | view at Datapages |
Field Expedition, 2008 – Scotland / Regional Fractures
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Research in progress: Growth of fracture arrays
Related paper: Hooker, J.N., Laubach, S.E., Gomez, L., Marrett, R., Eichhubl, P., Diaz-Tushman, K., and Pinzon, E., 2011, Fracture size, frequency, and strain in the Cambrian Eriboll Formation sandstones, NW Scotland. Scottish Journal of Geology, v. 47, no. 1, 45-56.| request reprint | view at publisher |
Field Trip, 2007 – Valley of Fire / Deformation Bands
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Related papers: Eichhubl, P., Hooker, J.N., Laubach, S.E., 2010, Pure and shear-enhanced compaction bands in Aztec Sandstone, Journal of Structural Geology, v. 32, no. 12, p. 1873-1886. doi: 10.1016/j.jsg.2010.02.004. | view at publisher
Laubach, S.E, P. Eichhubl, C. Hilgers, R.H. Lander, 2010, Structural diagenesis. Journal of Structural Geology, v. 32, no. 12, p.1866-1872. doi:10.1016/j.jsg.2010.10.001. | request reprint | About Structural Diagenesis | view at publisher |
Field Symposium, 2007 – Scotland / Regional & Fault-related Fractures
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Related paper: Laubach, S.E. and Diaz-Tushman, K., 2009, Laurentian paleostress trajectories and ephemeral fracture permeability, Cambrian Eriboll Formation sandstones west of the Moine thrust zone, northwest Scotland. Journal of the Geological Society (London), v. 166, part 2, p. 349-362. | view at GSW |
Field Expedition, 2006 – Western Wyoming / Fractures in Shale-Mudrocks
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Related paper: Gale, J. F. W., Laubach, S. E., Olson, J. E., Eichhubl, P., and Fall, A., 2014, Natural fractures in shale: a review and new observations. AAPG Bulletin, v. 98, no. 11, p. 2165-2216. doi: 10.1306/08121413151 (published November 2014) | view at publisher | view at GSW | view at Datapages |
Field Trip, 2006 – Wyoming / Fracture Patterns & Connectivity
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Research in progress: Growth of fracture arrays
Related paper: Olson, J. E, Laubach, S. E., and Lander, R. H., 2009, Natural fracture characterization in tight gas sandstones: Integrating mechanics and diagenesis. AAPG Bulletin, v. 93, no. 11, p. 1535-1549. | AAPG Notable Paper | view at publisher |
Field Trip, 2005 – NE Mexico / Carbonate & Sandstone Fracture Stratigraphy
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Related papers: Ortega, O. J., Marrett, R., and Laubach, S. E., 2006, A scale-independent approach to fracture intensity and average fracture spacing: AAPG Bulletin, v. 90, no. 2 (Feb. 2006), 193-208 .| request reprint | AAPG Notable Paper | view at publisher Marrett, R., ed., 2001, Genesis and controls of reservoir-scale carbonate deformation, Monterrey salient, Mexico: The University of Texas at Austin, Bureau of Economic Geology, Guidebook 28. |
Field Expedition, 2005 – Argentina / Fractals in Outcrop
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Research in progress: Growth of fracture arrays
Related paper: Iñigo, J.F., Laubach, S.E., Hooker, J.N., 2012, Fracture abundance and patterns in the Subandean fold and thrust belt, Devonian Huamampampa Formation petroleum reservoirs and outcrops, Argentina and Bolivia. Marine & Petroleum Geology, v. 35, no. 1, p. 201-218. doi:10.1016/j.marpetgeo.2012.01.010 | request reprint | view at publisher |
Field Trip, 2004 – Utah / Fracture Sizes
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Research in progress: Growth of fracture arrays
Related paper: Laubach, S. E., 2003, Practical approaches to identifying sealed and open fractures, AAPG Bulletin, v. 87, No. 4, (April 2003) 561-579. | request reprint | view at publisher |