0.1 1. common rocks and minerals

Common rocks and minerals associated with petroleum

In this module we will consider the different types of rock, how they're formed, and discover their roles in the production of petroleum

Objectives and big questions

• Identify three basic rock types.
• Explain their roles in the production and accumulation of petroleum.

As you work through this module, keep the following questions in mind:

• What are the different types of rock?
• Why are some rocks different from others?
• What does the Earth look like, under my feet?
• What field of science concerns itself with these studies?

Reading:

Read "Basic Concepts of Geology" and "Categorizing Rocks" in your textbook. Be sure to read the tables, look at the figures, and study the examples.

Lectures:

Lecture 1: The Earth Beneath Our Feet.
Notes for Lecture 1

Lecture 2: Not All Rocks Are the Same.
Notes for Lecture 2

Links:

Please visit and study the following web pages:

• Rock types
• Rocks: igneous, metamorphic and sedimentary
• The Geologic Story of Colorado's Sangre de Cristo Range

Discussion: Post a response to this question in your discussion group, then respond to one of your classmates' posts.

"The deeper we dig, the farther back in time we see..."


This is a pretty well-accepted theory, but is it actually meaningful?

Consider the world's oldest rock. Of course, it was subject to heat and pressure over a very long time, but according to Professor Nelson of Tulane University, that very old rock might not have changed much in the last billion years.

Are there limits to the value of discussing very long time frames, when it comes to rocks, or do you think that since rocks are constantly changing (based on their conditions) that we need to consider their entire life cycles?