2020 GCSSEPM Foundation Perkins-Rosen Research Conference
The Cenomanian-Turonian Stratigraphic Interval Across the Americas: Argentina to Alaska
The Cenomanian-Turonian stratigraphic interval is highly significant, both scientifically and economically. Its importance derives from the fact that fine-grained sediments of this age are commonly unusually enriched in organic carbon, it hosts a dramatic carbon isotopic excursion (Oceanic Anoxic Event—OAE-2) and its deposition was coincident with some of highest sea levels in Phanerozoic Earth History. C-T intervals are both rich source rocks for conventional hydrocarbon accumulations as well as serving as prolific reservoirs for unconventional hydrocarbon production.
Many earth scientists have argued that these attributes are linked by complex interactions between the bio-, hydro- and geospheres, with nutrient availability causing high primary production, leading to large volumes of organic carbon being fluxed to the sediment water interface. These factors coupled with stagnant water column circulation, and reduced clastic inputs, resulted in significant sediment organic carbon enrichment coincidentally across the globe.
The aim of this conference is to use Cenomanian-Turonian successions preserved across the Americas (Argentina to Alaska), to assess how the fundamental stratigraphic controls interact to control facies variability and particularly sediment organic carbon enrichment. To do this we will target sediments in depositional basins that have varying tectonic histories in different oceanographic settings across the region. To meet these aims we are soliciting contributions from scientists in academic, industry and governmental organizations who have experience researching the structural and oceanographic settings using of rocks of this age from across the Americas. These foundational contributions will then be linked to the specific stratigraphic variability within basins by researchers reporting the geochemical and lithofacies attributes of rocks present, in this narrow age window, from different locations across this wide-ranging geographic area. Together we hope these contributions will shed additional light upon the fundamental mechanisms that control natural organic carbon sequestration from the biosphere, via the hydrosphere into the lithosphere.
Organizing/Technical Committee
| Joe Macquaker | ExxonMobil |
| Carmen Fraticelli | Noble Energy |
| Paul Markwick | University of Leeds |
| Milly Wright | Chemostrat |
| Lauren Birgenheier | University of Utah |
| Steven Sonnenberg | Colorado School of Mines |
| Richard Denne | TCU |
| Catie Donoghue | Geomark |
| Douglas Paton | University of Leeds |
| John Suter | GCSSEPM Foundation |
Stay tuned for future developments. The Call for Papers will be coming early in 2020.