Applied Geostatistics

COURSE CONTEXT:

This course is designed for senior-level undergraduates and graduate students in general geosciences, geology, geophysics, and engineering. The course is a lecture structure with homework assignments and a final exam. Basic working knowledge of statistics and sed/strat are prerequisites for the course.

COURSE GOALS:

By the end of this course, students will:

• have the skills to apply geostatistical methods to generate prediction maps and volumes from variable sample locations and sample types and to evaluate the prediction uncertainty
• be able to analyze the strengths and weaknesses of different types of geostatistical methods and choose which method would be best for a given interpolation problem
• have the foundation to transfer a descriptive, conceptual geologic model of a depositional system into a quantitative, computer-based model
• be conversant in the open source and commercial software packages that can be utilized to make geostatistical maps.

The course will primarily focus on modeling properties that describe the heterogeneity of porous medium (i.e., lithofacies, porosity and permeability) for addressing problems of fluid flow in porous medium, but can be generalized to address any spatial interpolation/prediction problem.