Mont Saint Michel Bay Sedimentology (France)

This course is for any geoscientist with a basic knowledge of geology, and any participant at bachelor or master level.
However, some interest in sedimentology and reservoir characteristics would ensure a better integration in this field course.

Building a depositional model remains a key step prior to the creation of a robust 3D reservoir: it provides the trends of the vertical and lateral facies and their associated reservoir properties. This model relies on a good interpretation of seismic and well data (wireline logs and cores). It relies also on the analogies with existing today’s models such as that of the Mont-Saint-Michel Bay.

1. This field course allows observing, describing and then understanding how modern sediments and potential reservoir bodies are spatially organized within a coastal landscape that is characterized by one of the highest tidal range in the world and a very fast sedimentary evolution at human scale.
2. The Mont-Saint-Michel Bay is a unique “live” site to illustrate the depositional rules that control the facies distribution within three main geomorphological domains of this macro-tidal environment:
   1. western muddy to sandy tidal flats,
   2. large estuary with complex tidal channel network near the Mont-Saint-Michel,
   3. sandy beach and dune resulting from wave and wind action in the eastern sector.

A “Learning By Doing” approach is shared with participants.
Priority is given to field examination of sedimentary features at various scales.
A few and short lectures are restricted to giving the basic knowledge that is required in order to work efficiently in both the field and classroom.

Both individual and team work, including facies mapping, seismic interpretation and high-resolution correlation exercises, is provided in order to promote mutual interactions between geoscientists with different backgrounds (geologist, geophysicist, reservoir engineer).

Each participant is required to provide a yearly medical certificate before attending the field course.

The Mont-Saint-Michel Bay Field Course can also be adapted to a large audience in a more cultural format that fits very well with Team Building objectives.