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title: "Introducing: GEOPARD Software"
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A group of Norwegian geoscientists have developed a new algorithm called GEOPARD to model shoreface sediments. ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­    ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­  

| View in browser I started my geological journey in the Himalayas. So, last month’s catastrophic ice-debris avalanche in Nepal, which killed thousands of people and ruined families and communities, moved me deeply. I hurt with the people of Nepal and empathize with them.   I recently wrote an article for AAPG, covering the flood. In it, I mention that geoscience is not merely an academic curiosity but has societal and international relevance. Nepal urgently needs international help.   Now, let’s review some other new developments in geoscience.   Rasoul Sorkhabi   Editor, Core Elements Introducing GEOPARD Software GEOPARD (AAPG Bulletin) A group of Norwegian geoscientists have developed a new algorithm called GEOPARD to model shoreface sediments. This study is published in the September issue of AAPG Bulletin.   Existing models: The algorithms widely used today for shoreface depositional modeling were developed in the 1990s, notably by MacDonald and Aasen (1994). These models use Truncated Gaussian Simulation (TGsim) to represent facies dislocations, coupled with a linear expectation trend to represent facies progression. These models fail to represent specific sedimentary features such as pinch-outs and distal thickening. How the new model works: GEOPARD utilizes stochastic object-based facies modeling, starting with initial shoreline bathymetry and placing object parameters for proximal edge, distal edge, shoreline edge, detachment edge, base surface, and top surface. The model then draws Gaussian random fields for lateral and vertical variabilities: one-dimensional for edges and two-dimensional for surfaces. The model is coupled with Bayesian statistics to condition on geologic data and reduce uncertainty. Input data are in UTM coordinates, and the model constructs a 3D-gridded volume. Geological rules in GEOPARD: Bedsets follow a shoreline trajectory in depositional-dip direction Bedset boundaries are associated with a hiatus and associated shoreline shift The cross-sectional shape of the bedset in the depositional dip direction follows an equilibrium profile Facies associations are a function of wave energy, with shoreface facies deposited above fair-weather wave base and offshore transition zone facies deposited down to storm wave base Conditions may change within a bedset, reflected in wave-base depths and equilibrium profile dip Output sedimentary features of GEOPARD: Sand-body thickness Lateral extent of facies Parasequence geometry Spacing and dip of bedset bounding surfaces Why it matters: Accurate representation of shoreface sandstones in the basin is important, as these formations are often prolific hydrocarbon reservoirs. Sponsored Bringing the Heat: Indonesia’s Sorik Marapi Geothermal Field   Tapping into geothermal resources poses significant drilling challenges in one of the most extreme environments on the planet. LEARN MORE Permian-Triassic Plays in the Ordos Basin The Ordos Basin (AAPG Bulletin) Two papers in the AAPG Bulletin report interesting findings related to Permian and Triassic hydrocarbon systems in China’s Ordos Basin.   About the Ordos Basin: Ordos in Mongolian means “palaces.” The Ordos Basin is one of the largest sedimentary basins in onshore China. Geographically, it is located in the western part of the North China craton. It’s also called the Ordos Plateau. The basin is approximately 250,000 square kilometers at elevations of 1,000–1,600 meters. The Ordos Basin is bounded by several mountain ranges: the Yin Shan to the north, the Helan Shan and Liupan Shan to the west, the Qinling Mountains to the south, and the Lüliang Mountains to the east. The Yellow River (Huang He) makes a west-north-east loop around the Ordos Basin. Due to tectonic deformation, several highs and lows complicate the basin’s internal structure. Study #1. Permian Tight Sandstone Gas Reservoirs Liu and colleagues studied the origin of natural gas in the Permian-age tight sandstone gas reservoirs.   What they did: The researchers collected 30 natural gas samples from the Permian-age Shanxi and Shihezi formations: 15 samples from the Qingyang gas field in the southwestern part of the basin and 15 samples from the Sulige gas field to the north. Researchers analyzed the samples for their molecular composition, carbon isotopes, and hydrogen isotopes. They compared the results with reported data of 93 gas samples from other fields in the basin. What they found: The gas samples from Qingyang field were all methane, compared to both dry and wet gases in other fields. The Qingyang methane gave lighter values of delta carbon-13 and delta deuterium, indicating higher thermal maturity attributed to over-mature thermal cracking of source rocks. Gas compositions indicate charge from three over-mature source rocks: Thermal cracking of Permian coal seams, Ordovician shale, and Cambrian shale. Study #2. Triassic Source Rocks in Ordos Basin During the Triassic, the Ordos Basin was located in the eastern region of Tethys, at a paleolatitude of about 30 degrees North.   Yang Li and colleagues studied the organic richness of a Triassic source rock in the Ordos.   Yanchang Formation: This Middle-Late Triassic formation consists of interbedded clastic sandstone and mudstone beds divided into nine members. Chang 7 was the subject of this study and contains organic-rich shale.   What they did: The researchers conducted detailed sedimentological, mineralogical, and geochemical analyses of Chang 7 on drilling cores from more than 10 wells.   What they found: Chang 7 consists of siltstone, interbedded sand-mud, mudstone, shale, and tuffaceous facies deposited in a deep lake. Geochemical signatures and sediment accumulation rates indicate different genetic types of sedimentation, including hyperpycnal flow deposits. Hyperpycnal flows influenced the organic richness of the source rock by transporting nutrients into the basin and increasing the sediment accumulation rates. The researchers attribute the hyperpycnal flows to astronomical (high-frequency orbital) cycles at that time. Go deeper: Read these papers in AAPG Bulletin for more on the petroleum geology of the Ordos Basin: Hu et al. (2020) Zhu et al. (2020) Liu et al. (2021) Liu et al. (2026) Li et al. (2026) Want to help AAPG grow? Consider supporting AAPG's free resources, like this one, by donating today. AAPG thanks our advertisers for their support. Sponsorship has no influence on editorial content. If you're interested in supporting AAPG digital products, reach out to Cait Williams.   You received this email because you signed up for newsletters from AAPG. To stop receiving this newsletter, unsubscribe or manage your email preferences.   AAPG  1444 S. Boulder Ave., Tulsa, Oklahoma 74119, USA (918) 584-2555 \| 1 (800) 364-2274 (US and Canada) www.aapg.org   |
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