Roger A. Young

Associate Professor

   Ph.D., 1979, University of Toronto, Canada
   M.S., 1968, Stanford University
   B.A., 1965, Wesleyan University

Geotechnical Geophysics and Exploration Geophysics

My research investigations are in exploration and near-surface geophysics and use the methods of ground penetrating radar (GPR), seismology, and gravimetry. Recently, my students and I have been acquiring and processing multicomponent GPR data and P and SH wave seismic data. Our analysis often uses ray-trace modeling for confirmation.

My research applies geophysical exploration techniques to the determination of sedimentary structure and lithology beneath outcrops and to the imaging of features at the scale of aquifers and hydrocarbon reservoirs. This research uses GPR data for outcrop-scale characterization and seismic refraction/reflection data processing and inversion for larger features.

Recent GPR and seismic studies include:

the application of multicomponent GPR techniques to determine fracture orientation in evaporates from northern Oklahoma;
spectral decomposition of fluvial stratigraphy near Norman, OK;
2- and 3-D surveying to reveal the 3-D geometry of a sinuous, deepwater channel in Wyoming.
joint refraction/reflection P-wave imaging and gravity modeling of the cross-sectional shape of a buried glacial valley in the Rocky Mountains,
SH-waves processing to map barriers to groundwater flow in an abandoned landfill near Norman, OK.

I am Director of the Shell Crustal-Imaging Facilty (SCIF), the School�s principal computational laboratory for research and teaching in geophysics. This lab has both PC and Unix workstation networks running energy industry standard seismic processing, modeling, and interpretation software packages as well as academic computing software.

Analog Outcrop Characterization

The deep water Gulf of Mexico is a challenge to present-day petroleum exploration. Because of the great expense in drilling there, information about the reservoir rocks is scanty. This knowledge can be supplemented by study of outcrops in analogous rock formations easily accessible on land. A shortcoming of outcrop studies is that they sample in only two dimensions along vertical faces or horizontal exposures. A 3-D Ground Penetrating Radar survey, on the other hand, can be used to define the geometry of channels and other sedimentary structures in three dimensions. The 3-D images are generated by ProMAX and locally developed processed algorithms, and the image is displayed on a seismic workstation using state-of-the-art GeoQuest visualization software.

Figures from two research projects in 3-D outcrop characterization are given below. In the first, the 3-D channel structure at a shallow fluvial-deltaic site near Tulsa, OK, has been determined by a 3-D radar survey (Young, et al, 1998). The boundaries of the lower channels determined from interpolating among shallow borehole lithology logs. Using these boundaries and porosity and permeability values determined from cores, an earthmodel was constructed using the Landmark program SGM. Flow simulations were made to assess the ability of water injection to sweep hydrocarbons from the subsurface. In this way, a radar image and state-of-the-art reservoir modeling software were used to predict the outcome of an oilfield remediation scenario.

Caption: View of channel units from above. Reduced matrix permeability model with five-spot waterflood. Redder area show unswept pollutant. Extractor well is in the center. Lineations are fluid-filled. (Click on the small image to see the larger one.)

The second figure shows the 3-D image of mapped horizons from the Hollywood Quarry, AR, a deepwater turbidite analog. The survey area is 50 m x 20 m and the maximum depth of the horizons is approximately 10 m. The super-high resolution of radar data is shown clearly by this GeoQuest perspective image.

Fig. 7: View of all interpreted horizons and faults in the radar data volume from Hollywood Quarry, AR. Perspective is from the SW looking NE. The radar line 1 section is in the N/S direction (arrow points north) and forms the eastern face of the view. The uppermost horizon (yellow) is the ground surface. The blank layer has a dark green upper boundary and a light blue lower boundary. Beneath are the magenta and dark green horizons, respectively. The normal fault (black) in the western part of the survey area displaces the light blue and magenta horizons (Click on the small image to see the larger one.)

Teaching

My book, A Lab Manual of Seismic Reflection Processing (ISBN 90-73781-34-5), is used extensively in my Seismic Exploration and Advanced Seismic Exploration courses. Extensive use also is made in these courses and in Applied Seismic Modeling of energy-industry standard seismic processing, modeling, and interpretation packages for PCs and workstations.

OU Courses

GPHY 3423 Petroleum Geology and Geophysics for Engineers

GPHY 4124 Environmental and Geotechnical Geophysics

GPHY 4874 Introduction to Seismic Exploration

GPHY 6174 Advanced Seismic Exploration

GPHY 6874 Applied Seismic Modelings

Where are they now?

Some present and graduated students

Heidy Correa Shell

Zhenghan Deng Schlumberger

Jan Dodson Computing manager, CEE, Univ of Oklahoma

Michael Faust Conoco-Phillips

Nick Gregg Devon Energy

Jorge Hoyos Instructor, National University of Colombia, Manizales

Eric Kubera Nexen

Breanne Kennedy Devon Energy

Zhi-Ming Liu Database manager, Dallas

Patrice Mahob BP

Ha Mai Grad. student, CEE, Univ of Oklahoma

Ryan Miller Devon Energy

Freddy Obregon Fusion Geophysical

Ben Peterson BP

David Ramirez Shell

Isabel Salizar ChevronTexaco

Yoscel Suarez Chesapeake

Jingsheng Sun Shlumberger

Mallik Sundaresan Stock broker, New York, NY

Ricardo Zavala Pemex, Mexico

Selected Publications

Slatt, R.M. , Minken, J., Van Dyke, S.K., Pyles, D.R. , Witten, A.J. and Young, R.A., in press, Scales of heterogeneity of an outcropping leveed-channel system, Cretaceous Dad Sandstone Member, Lewis Shale, Wyoming, U.S.A., in T. Nilsen, R. Shew, G. Steffens, J. Studlick, Atlas of Deepwater Outcrops, American Association of Petroleum Geologists Studies in Geology 56.

Geerdes, I.C., and Young, R.A.,2005, Spectral decomposition of 3-D ground penetrating radar data from the Norman landfill, Abstracts of the 75 Annual Meeting of the Society of Exploration Geophysicists, Houston, Session NSE-2.5.

Staggs, J.G., Young, R.A., Slatt, R.M., 2005, Comparison of sinuous deepwater channel features on 3-D GPR outcrop and 3-D marine seismic data, Abstracts of the 75 Annual Meeting of the Society of Exploration Geophysicists, Houston, Session NSE-4.6.

Young, R.A., Slatt, R.M., and Staggs, J.G., 2003, Application of ground penetrating radar imaging to deepwater (turbidite) outcrops. In: Thematic Set on Turbidites: Models and Problems, (eds. Mutti, Steffens, Pirmez, Orlando, and Roberts), Marine and Petroleum Geology, 20, 6-8, 809-822, ISSN 0264-8172.

Young, Roger Adams, and Jol, Harry M., 2003, Introduction, In: Special Section on Ground-penetrating Radar in Unconsolidated and Consolidated Sediments, (eds. Young and Jol), The Leading Edge, 22, 9, 864-891

Young, R.A., and Lord N., 2002, Hybrid laser-tracking/GPS location method allowing GPR acquisition in rugged terrain, The Leading Edge, 21,5,486-490.

Obregon, Freddy, Young, Roger Adams, 2002, Adjusting an isotropic velocity model to accommodate an anisotropic earth, Expanded Abstracts of the 73th Annual Meeting of the Society of Exploration Geophysicists, Salt Lake City, Session SVA, 2321-2324.

Liu, Zhi-Ming, and Young, R.A., 2001, Dispersive and non-dispersive noise removal by local, slant sum, adaptive filtering, Journal of Environmental and Engineering Geophysics, 6, 4, 157-164.

Nsoga Mahob, P., Castagna, J.P., and Young, R.A., 1999, AVO inversion of a Gulf of Mexico bright spot--A case study, Geophysics, 64, 5, 1480-1491.

Young, R.A., Sun, J., 1999, Revealing stratigraphy in ground-penetrating radar data using domain filtering, Geophysics, 64, 2, 435-442.

Liu, Z-M., and Young, R.A., 1998, Seismic imaging beneath thrust blocks, p. 191-208, in M.C. Gilbert and J.P. Hogan [Editors], Basement Tectonics 12, Kluwer, 306 pp.

Young, R.A., and Sun, Jingsheng, 1998, Extracting a radar reflection from a cluttered environment using 3-D interpretation, Journal of Exploration and Environmental Geophysics, 3,3, 121-131.

	School of Geology and Geophysics
Prospective Undergraduates What are Geology and Geophysics? What do Geologists and Geophysicists do? Why do we need Geologists and Geophysicists? You might be a Geologist or Geophysicist if you... Why study Geology and Geophysics at OU? Scholarships Degrees Offered Areas Of Emphasis Prospective Graduate Students Areas of Emphasis Degrees Offered Admissions Assistantships and Fellowships Successful Graduates Field Trips Recruiting Current Students Student Organizations Geology Courses Geophysics Courses OU Course Catalog CEE Student Services Registration Degree Navigator Mission People Faculty Staff Students Research Areas of Emphasis Laboratories Alumni School Policies, Forms, and Archives	Roger A. Young Associate Professor Ph.D., 1979, University of Toronto, Canada M.S., 1968, Stanford University B.A., 1965, Wesleyan University ryoung@ou.edu Geotechnical Geophysics and Exploration Geophysics My research investigations are in exploration and near-surface geophysics and use the methods of ground penetrating radar (GPR), seismology, and gravimetry. Recently, my students and I have been acquiring and processing multicomponent GPR data and P and SH wave seismic data. Our analysis often uses ray-trace modeling for confirmation. My research applies geophysical exploration techniques to the determination of sedimentary structure and lithology beneath outcrops and to the imaging of features at the scale of aquifers and hydrocarbon reservoirs. This research uses GPR data for outcrop-scale characterization and seismic refraction/reflection data processing and inversion for larger features. Recent GPR and seismic studies include: the application of multicomponent GPR techniques to determine fracture orientation in evaporates from northern Oklahoma; spectral decomposition of fluvial stratigraphy near Norman, OK; 2- and 3-D surveying to reveal the 3-D geometry of a sinuous, deepwater channel in Wyoming. joint refraction/reflection P-wave imaging and gravity modeling of the cross-sectional shape of a buried glacial valley in the Rocky Mountains, SH-waves processing to map barriers to groundwater flow in an abandoned landfill near Norman, OK. I am Director of the Shell Crustal-Imaging Facilty (SCIF), the School�s principal computational laboratory for research and teaching in geophysics. This lab has both PC and Unix workstation networks running energy industry standard seismic processing, modeling, and interpretation software packages as well as academic computing software. Analog Outcrop Characterization The deep water Gulf of Mexico is a challenge to present-day petroleum exploration. Because of the great expense in drilling there, information about the reservoir rocks is scanty. This knowledge can be supplemented by study of outcrops in analogous rock formations easily accessible on land. A shortcoming of outcrop studies is that they sample in only two dimensions along vertical faces or horizontal exposures. A 3-D Ground Penetrating Radar survey, on the other hand, can be used to define the geometry of channels and other sedimentary structures in three dimensions. The 3-D images are generated by ProMAX and locally developed processed algorithms, and the image is displayed on a seismic workstation using state-of-the-art GeoQuest visualization software. Figures from two research projects in 3-D outcrop characterization are given below. In the first, the 3-D channel structure at a shallow fluvial-deltaic site near Tulsa, OK, has been determined by a 3-D radar survey (Young, et al, 1998). The boundaries of the lower channels determined from interpolating among shallow borehole lithology logs. Using these boundaries and porosity and permeability values determined from cores, an earthmodel was constructed using the Landmark program SGM. Flow simulations were made to assess the ability of water injection to sweep hydrocarbons from the subsurface. In this way, a radar image and state-of-the-art reservoir modeling software were used to predict the outcome of an oilfield remediation scenario. Caption: View of channel units from above. Reduced matrix permeability model with five-spot waterflood. Redder area show unswept pollutant. Extractor well is in the center. Lineations are fluid-filled. (Click on the small image to see the larger one.) The second figure shows the 3-D image of mapped horizons from the Hollywood Quarry, AR, a deepwater turbidite analog. The survey area is 50 m x 20 m and the maximum depth of the horizons is approximately 10 m. The super-high resolution of radar data is shown clearly by this GeoQuest perspective image. Fig. 7: View of all interpreted horizons and faults in the radar data volume from Hollywood Quarry, AR. Perspective is from the SW looking NE. The radar line 1 section is in the N/S direction (arrow points north) and forms the eastern face of the view. The uppermost horizon (yellow) is the ground surface. The blank layer has a dark green upper boundary and a light blue lower boundary. Beneath are the magenta and dark green horizons, respectively. The normal fault (black) in the western part of the survey area displaces the light blue and magenta horizons (Click on the small image to see the larger one.) Teaching My book, A Lab Manual of Seismic Reflection Processing (ISBN 90-73781-34-5), is used extensively in my Seismic Exploration and Advanced Seismic Exploration courses. Extensive use also is made in these courses and in Applied Seismic Modeling of energy-industry standard seismic processing, modeling, and interpretation packages for PCs and workstations. OU Courses GPHY 3423 Petroleum Geology and Geophysics for Engineers GPHY 4124 Environmental and Geotechnical Geophysics GPHY 4874 Introduction to Seismic Exploration GPHY 6174 Advanced Seismic Exploration GPHY 6874 Applied Seismic Modelings Where are they now? Some present and graduated students Heidy Correa Shell Zhenghan Deng Schlumberger Jan Dodson Computing manager, CEE, Univ of Oklahoma Michael Faust Conoco-Phillips Nick Gregg Devon Energy Jorge Hoyos Instructor, National University of Colombia, Manizales Eric Kubera Nexen Breanne Kennedy Devon Energy Zhi-Ming Liu Database manager, Dallas Patrice Mahob BP Ha Mai Grad. student, CEE, Univ of Oklahoma Ryan Miller Devon Energy Freddy Obregon Fusion Geophysical Ben Peterson BP David Ramirez Shell Isabel Salizar ChevronTexaco Yoscel Suarez Chesapeake Jingsheng Sun Shlumberger Mallik Sundaresan Stock broker, New York, NY Ricardo Zavala Pemex, Mexico Selected Publications Slatt, R.M. , Minken, J., Van Dyke, S.K., Pyles, D.R. , Witten, A.J. and Young, R.A., in press, Scales of heterogeneity of an outcropping leveed-channel system, Cretaceous Dad Sandstone Member, Lewis Shale, Wyoming, U.S.A., in T. Nilsen, R. Shew, G. Steffens, J. Studlick, Atlas of Deepwater Outcrops, American Association of Petroleum Geologists Studies in Geology 56. Geerdes, I.C., and Young, R.A.,2005, Spectral decomposition of 3-D ground penetrating radar data from the Norman landfill, Abstracts of the 75 Annual Meeting of the Society of Exploration Geophysicists, Houston, Session NSE-2.5. Staggs, J.G., Young, R.A., Slatt, R.M., 2005, Comparison of sinuous deepwater channel features on 3-D GPR outcrop and 3-D marine seismic data, Abstracts of the 75 Annual Meeting of the Society of Exploration Geophysicists, Houston, Session NSE-4.6. Young, R.A., Slatt, R.M., and Staggs, J.G., 2003, Application of ground penetrating radar imaging to deepwater (turbidite) outcrops. In: Thematic Set on Turbidites: Models and Problems, (eds. Mutti, Steffens, Pirmez, Orlando, and Roberts), Marine and Petroleum Geology, 20, 6-8, 809-822, ISSN 0264-8172. Young, Roger Adams, and Jol, Harry M., 2003, Introduction, In: Special Section on Ground-penetrating Radar in Unconsolidated and Consolidated Sediments, (eds. Young and Jol), The Leading Edge, 22, 9, 864-891 Young, R.A., and Lord N., 2002, Hybrid laser-tracking/GPS location method allowing GPR acquisition in rugged terrain, The Leading Edge, 21,5,486-490. Obregon, Freddy, Young, Roger Adams, 2002, Adjusting an isotropic velocity model to accommodate an anisotropic earth, Expanded Abstracts of the 73th Annual Meeting of the Society of Exploration Geophysicists, Salt Lake City, Session SVA, 2321-2324. Liu, Zhi-Ming, and Young, R.A., 2001, Dispersive and non-dispersive noise removal by local, slant sum, adaptive filtering, Journal of Environmental and Engineering Geophysics, 6, 4, 157-164. Nsoga Mahob, P., Castagna, J.P., and Young, R.A., 1999, AVO inversion of a Gulf of Mexico bright spot--A case study, Geophysics, 64, 5, 1480-1491. Young, R.A., Sun, J., 1999, Revealing stratigraphy in ground-penetrating radar data using domain filtering, Geophysics, 64, 2, 435-442. Liu, Z-M., and Young, R.A., 1998, Seismic imaging beneath thrust blocks, p. 191-208, in M.C. Gilbert and J.P. Hogan [Editors], Basement Tectonics 12, Kluwer, 306 pp. Young, R.A., and Sun, Jingsheng, 1998, Extracting a radar reflection from a cluttered environment using 3-D interpretation, Journal of Exploration and Environmental Geophysics, 3,3, 121-131.