COURSE OVERVIEW:

Introduction to Evaporite Sedimentology is a comprehensive exploration of the minerals and rocks that form through the evaporation of saline waters. Evaporites, such as salt (halite), gypsum, and anhydrite, play a dual role in the energy industry, acting as both world-class seals for hydrocarbon reservoirs and as complex structural elements that shape basins through halokinesis. This course introduces the chemical and physical processes that lead to the precipitation of these minerals in diverse settings, from continental sabkhas to deep-marine basins.

The coverage includes the mineralogical successions predicted by the Usiglio sequence and the environmental factors that control evaporite thickness and purity. Participants will explore the unique rheological properties of evaporites, particularly their ability to flow under pressure, which creates diapers, walls, and canopies that significantly influence the thermal and structural evolution of sedimentary basins. The training also addresses the diagnostic features of evaporites in cores, well logs, and seismic data, providing the foundational skills necessary to identify and map these units accurately.

Furthermore, the course addresses the practical challenges and opportunities associated with evaporite systems. This includes their use as ideal storage sites for hydrogen and natural gas, as well as their role in the isolation of hazardous waste due to their low permeability and self-healing properties. Attendees will learn about the global distribution of major evaporite basins and their significance in the global carbon and sulfur cycles. By the end of the course, participants will understand how to integrate evaporite sedimentology into broader geological and engineering workflows.

COURSE OBJECTIVES:

After completion of this course, the participants will be able to:

• Define the primary mineral groups and chemical processes of evaporite formation.
• Describe the environmental conditions required for significant evaporite accumulation.
• Identify different evaporite textures and structures in core and outcrop.
• Distinguish between subaerial (sabkha) and subaqueous evaporite systems.
• Explain the concept of the Usiglio sequence and evaporite mineral successions.
• Analyze the role of evaporites as regional seals in petroleum systems.
• Describe the mechanical behavior of salt and the principles of halokinesis.
• Identify evaporite units using gamma-ray, density, and sonic well logs.
• Interpret the seismic expression of salt bodies and associated deformation.
• Assess the impact of evaporites on the thermal maturity of basins.
• Evaluate the suitability of salt structures for energy storage (Hydrogen/Gas).
• Understand the hazards of drilling through evaporite sequences.
• Recognize the economic importance of potash and other industrial evaporite minerals.
• Integrate evaporite sedimentology into regional basin-scale models.

TARGET AUDIENCE:

Geologists, Geophysicists, Petroleum Engineers, and Mining Professionals who need to understand the sedimentology and structural impact of evaporite sequences.

TRAINING COURSE METHODOLOGY:

A highly interactive combination of lectures, discussion sessions, and case studies will be employed to maximise the transfer of information, knowledge, and experience. The course will be intensive, practical, and highly interactive. The sessions will start by raising the most relevant questions and motivating everybody to find the right answers. The attendants will also be encouraged to raise more of their questions and to share in developing the right answers using their analysis and experience. There will also be some indoor experiential activities to enhance the learning experience. Course material will be provided in PowerPoint, with necessary animations, learning videos, and general discussions.

The course participants shall be evaluated before, during, and at the end of the course.

COURSE CERTIFICATE:

National Consultant Centre for Training LLC (NCC) will issue an Attendance Certificate to all participants completing a minimum of 80% of the total attendance time requirement.