ECORD Summer School: Downhole Logging for IODP Science, 27 July to 2 August 2024

We are happy to announce that the eight ECORD Summer School: Downhole Logging for IODP Science will take place at the University of Leicester.

Our Summer School introduces the interpretation and applications of downhole logs and physical property data primarily from the International Ocean Discovery Program (IODP). The course explores the relevance and unique insights of these data for a range of fields, including paleoclimatology, sedimentology, hydrogeology, and broader geological and ecological processes such as sediment provenance and water column productivity.

The Summer School is open to applicants from all career stages and geoscience backgrounds. However, the course is tailored for individuals who:

• are early in their career and/or would like to introduce and make use of more physical properties data in their research and/or;
• would like to get more involved in IODP in some capacity, either through accessing and using data or sailing on an IODP research expedition.

Introductory sessions on petrophysics, the study of the physical (and chemical) properties of rocks and their interactions with fluids, are at the heart of the Summer School. These core principles are then used for insight into broader marine geoscience questions and environments through practical exercises and presentations that provide experience of interpreting downhole logging data and integrating them with other datasets based on real world science applications.

Participants will gain insight into:

• Offshore logging planning and operations
• Core physical properties and measurement techniques
• Data processing and data quality assessment
• Scientific log interpretation
• Applications of downhole logging and petrophysics 

The 2024 ECORD Summer School: Downhole Logging for IODP Science will take place in person 27 July to 2 August 2024 at the University of Leicester. The participation fee is £195.

What is petrophysics and downhole logging?

Petrophysics is the study of the physical (and chemical) properties of rocks and their interactions with fluids. Petrophysical data acquisition operates principally by sending tools below the seafloor. In the borehole, logging tools measure a range of properties, capturing continuous data under in situ conditions.

Capturing the in-situ information, relevant to the formation and the fluid it contains, is important for generating and calibrating geological models. Well log data provide a resolution at the 0.1-100 metre scale and are widely used to link core through physical properties measured on the core itself to seismic profiles.

There is a petrophysics skills shortage within IODP and within the geoscience industry. The Summer School aims to address this through the provision of accessible and affordable training to geoscientists who wish to understand more about petrophysics in order to make greater use of downhole log and physical property data in their research.

The key aim of the Summer School is to equip course attendees with a working knowledge of downhole logging and core physical properties data. This means developing the skills to assess data quality and usability in any given geological interpretation/setting and an understanding of how to analyse the data to enhance their research.