Geology Field School exclusive
Williston Basin Inyan Kara SWD/CCS
Walk the Black Hills outcrop analog for Williston saltwater disposal and carbon storage — injectivity, sandbody connectivity, and the overlying Skull Creek–Mowry confining interval framed on rock, not maps alone.
- May 10–15 2027
- $9,995
- Included: lodging, ground transport, most meals (including 3 hosted dinners), and course materials. Not included: airfare and a couple of unhosted dinners.
Course fees are billed in USD. GBP and EUR amounts are approximate conversions. Flight averages are a rough guide, not a quote. Flights and other travel to and from the course start are not included.
Technical
Williston SWD/CCS framed on outcrop
In the Williston Basin, the Inyan Kara is the primary subsurface injection zone for produced water (SWD) and a potential geologic sequestration unit for CCS, overlain by the Skull Creek and Mowry shales.
The Black Hills outcrop belt exposes the equivalent Lakota and Fall River Formations (Inyan Kara Group) in South Dakota and Wyoming — predominantly non-marine to marginal marine strata with compound incised valley-fills and multiple depositional sequences.
Twofold stratigraphy: lower Lakota mainly non-marine; upper Fall River more shallow marine. Despite that predictable split, the interval is extremely heterogeneous over short distances.
What you work
- Lithofacies and associations tied to stratal geometries
- Key stratigraphic surfaces from stacking and geometries
- Environments of deposition from facies and stacking
- Subsurface recognition (seismic / well-log criteria)
- Sequence stratigraphy for sandbody connectivity
- Injectivity and SWD geologic controls
- CCS storage potential and seal integrity
Five problems this week solves
- Williston SWD/CCS sandbodies look continuous on maps but fail or baffle in the wellbore.Characterize compound IVF architecture on outcrop so you can predict sandbody connectivity in the subsurface.
- Lakota vs Fall River stacking is hard to discriminate from logs alone over short distances.Discriminate non-marine to marginal-marine stacking patterns and map injectivity controls where net:gross changes fast.
- Outcrop intuition rarely survives the jump to seismic and well-log criteria.Correlate stratal geometries and key surfaces to subsurface recognition criteria you can take back to the office.
- Proximal-to-distal change along IVF systems drives injectivity and seal risk you cannot see in one well.Integrate facies and architecture along a ~100-mile transect to anticipate net:gross and compartmentalization along the system.
- CCS storage potential and the integrity of the overlying Skull Creek and Mowry shales need framing from rock, not from maps alone.Frame storage potential and regional seal relationships from outcrop so sequestration decisions rest on observed geology.
May 10–15 · five field days, proximal to distal
- Mon 10Arrive RAP · safety · regional frame
- Tue 11Proximal high net:gross · compound IVF architecture
- Wed 12Medial-proximal valley fill · margin-to-axis Fall River
- Thu 13Medial-distal transition · Lakota IVF to back-stepping marine
- Fri 14Distal node · multi-story channels + Fall River lateral change
- Sat 15Integration / wrap · depart after 2:00 p.m.
Sample week. Specific stop details are on your participant website.
Built for Williston SWD/CCS practitioners
- SWD / CCS geoscientists Working the Inyan Kara injection interval — need walkable outcrop control on sandbody architecture and seal risk.
- Reservoir engineers Need IVF connectivity and injectivity framed on rock, not only on maps and models.
- Development geoscientists Tying wells and seismic to depositional architecture along a proximal-to-distal transect.
- Exploration geologists Evaluating analogous compound IVF systems and sequence-stratigraphic stacking.
- Managers sending a team Want a shared outcrop model and a week that translates to everyday subsurface decisions.
- CCS / sequestration specialists Assessing storage potential and top-seal (Skull Creek and Mowry shales) relationships from outcrop.
Not for
- Leisure or sightseeing trips — field days trace Lakota and Fall River valley fills from proximal to distal as a reservoir-connectivity exercise for subsurface teams, not a drive between viewpoints.
- Pure academics with no subsurface decision load — outcomes target injectivity, connectivity, and seal decisions you take back to the office.
- Anyone who can’t walk on loose, uneven ground at roadside stops at about 3,350–4,900 ft (1,020–1,490 m), in sun, wind, and cold or wet spring weather. The longer hikes, from about 1.5 to 3.7 miles (2.4–6.0 km), need a steady pace on dirt tracks and slopes.
Discipline mix
Why this mix
- Geol (45%) — Days 1–4 focus on facies, IVF architecture, Lakota/Fall River stacking, and proximal-to-distal sequence stratigraphy.
- Eng (15%) — Injectivity, KH (permeability thickness), and storage potential along axis vs margin/interfluve.
- Compl (10%) — Each field day shows where completion targets thin or disappear down-system.
- GeoPhys (10%) — Correlating stratal geometries to seismic and well-log recognition criteria.
- Geotherm (0%) — Hot Springs is an overnight base, not a course topic.
- CCS (10%) — Storage potential and top-seal (Skull Creek and Mowry shales) relationships from outcrop.
- SWD (10%) — Williston produced-water disposal framed on outcrop sandbody connectivity and injectivity controls.
Field staff
Rick Beaubouef · Instructor
RTB Geoscience · Field guide author
Thirty years of subsurface integration — deep-water fans and channel complexes applied to Inyan Kara IVF connectivity. Author of the Inyan Kara field guide; ~39 publications, ~1,600 citations, h-index 16. Former Chief Geologist / Principal Advisor Geology at Hess; geoscience roles at ExxonMobil Upstream Research including deep-water Brazos–Trinity work. Owner, RTB Geoscience.
Christopher Oswalt · Founder · EMT
Geology Field School founder
Founder of Geology Field School, an EMT-led company. WFR-qualified field staff are on every GFS course at minimum; Christopher often attends when schedule allows — not guaranteed on every course. Company founded on wilderness risk management. Nationally Registered EMT. Former Global Field Safety Director for Nautilus/RPS across 100+ field courses worldwide.
Tara Valkyrie · Field asst · Wilderness First Responder
Field support
Field assistant and Wilderness First Responder supporting course logistics and safe learning in remote settings, with 22 years in nature education and outdoor skills.
Why this week
Walkable Williston analog
Black Hills Lakota and Fall River (Inyan Kara Group) outcrops map to the Williston injection interval — walk the architecture that maps alone miss.
Instructor owns the science
Rick owns the science (Staff); Geology Field School runs safety, logistics, and equipment.
Exclusive 3D models
Geology Field School–original drone models — exclusive to this week — let you re-walk the architecture after the trip. See three interactive previews.
Why the field is worth the time
Hands-on beats passive. In 95 studies of worker safety and health training (20,991 people), more hands-on methods went with more learning and fewer accidents and injuries than lectures or videos.
Checking pays off. Of 184 experts reading one synthetic seismic section, the 18 who checked that their answer was geometrically possible and could have formed that way were almost three times as likely to be right. That checking is the daily work on the outcrop.
Skills carry over to the job more when people are motivated and their workplace supports using them (89 studies).
These studies looked at other workers and expert test-takers, not this course. We don't publish an ROI figure.
Sources: Burke et al., 2006, American Journal of Public Health · Bond et al., 2012, Geology · Blume et al., 2010, Journal of Management
Safety
Field safety and readiness
How we run the week
- WFR-qualified field staff on every GFS course (field staff)
- Founded on the science of wilderness risk management and outdoor experience-based education
- Cutting-edge technology and the best safety equipment we can find that fits the purpose
- Hiking footwear mandatory
Fitness / readiness
Medium physical demand. Most stops are roadside or a short walk from the vehicles, on gravel or dirt roads with loose, uneven ground. The longer hikes in the course’s field risk assessment are about:
- Fuson Canyon (optional): about 1.5 mi (2.4 km), with two creek crossings
- Red Canyon IVF East: about 2.5 mi (4.0 km) round trip and about 375 ft (114 m) of gain, roughly 3 hours across open cattle range
- Oil Creek Lakota: about 2 mi (3.2 km) and about 300 ft (91 m) on a double-track dirt road
- Keyhole State Park: about 3.7 mi (6.0 km) and about 700 ft (213 m) from the parking area, near the river
- Government Canyon: about 2.5 mi (4.0 km) and about 350 ft (107 m), roughly 3 hours across open cattle range
Grades on these walks average about 5–7%.
Elevation / field conditions
Bases and stops about 3,350–4,900 ft (1,020–1,490 m). Mid-May highs about 58–70°F (14–21°C), lows about 39–43°F (4–6°C), rain on about every other day, wind, and UV about 7–8; frost possible early. Layers, rain shell, sun protection, water, and boots every day.
- Bases: Hot Springs about 3,450 ft (1,050 m); Deadwood about 4,500 ft (1,375 m)
- Cold morning: about 30–34°F (−1 to 1°C)
- Rain: May is the wettest month (about 3.3 in / 83 mm at Hot Springs)
- Wind: typical daily gusts about 25–29 mph (41–46 km/h)
- UV: daily peak about 7–8 (high to very high)
Main hazards
- Driving on highways, narrow roads, and ungraded roads
- Slips and falls on uneven / slippery rock, gravel, grass, and steep slopes
- Traffic at roadside stops (vests where directed; stay well off the road)
- Sun exposure and variable weather (heat, cold, wind, rain)
- Flora and fauna including ticks in tall grass and cows in pasture
- Loose rock / steep approaches where helmets are directed
Logistics
Travel, bases, and the package
Required travel
Participants book their own flights into RAP.
- Arrive before 4:00 p.m. Day 0 (Monday May 10 2027).
- Do not book departure before 2:00 p.m. Saturday May 15 2027.
If you miss the 4:00 p.m. group meet on Day 0, you may miss the safety briefing and regional frame the field days build on.
Gateway
Rapid City Regional (RAP). Active public week: May 10–15 2027. Fall dates coming soon.
Ground transport between bases and stops is provided in-course.
The science week sits in real Black Hills places — Hot Springs and Deadwood overnight bases, plus a few geologic and cultural side stops that make the week feel like more than outcrops alone. Single occupancy lodging is included in the public seat.
Core bonuses
- Mammoth Site — Ice Age sinkhole museum in Hot Springs; a short, high-impact stop tied to the same landscape we work.
- Devil’s Tower drive-by — iconic laccolith on the western swing; a geologic landmark you see from the road as the transect opens west.
When schedule allows
Occasional extras — not every course includes these.
- World Fossil Finder museum
- Mt Rushmore
- Roadside wildlife spotting through the Wind Cave area (buffalo and other plains wildlife when the route and timing line up)
Bring
- Hiking footwear (mandatory)
- Personal field clothing
- Layers, sun protection, and water every day
- Travel insurance (recommended)
We provide
- Course-specific field safety equipment (vests and helmets where directed)
Full list in Included & payment.
Course website, 3D models, technical materials, and field tools open 1 month before the course start date (about Apr 10 2027 for this May 10 start), with 3 months of website access.
Included
- Instruction
- In-course ground transport
- Hot Springs, SD and Deadwood, SD single occupancy lodging
- Field lunches and most breakfasts / 3 hosted dinners
- Course-specific field safety equipment
- Access to exclusive 3D drone models
- Integrated VRGS modeling and workshop
- Course notes / field guide by Rick Beaubouef, plus occasional follow-up addendums
- Participant course website and digital field kit (timing in access note above)
- Georeferenced field observations
Not included
- Airfare to / from RAP
- A couple of unhosted dinners
- Personal field clothing and hiking boots
- Travel insurance (recommended)
AP / procurement
- Non-refundable $500 deposit holds a seat
- 50% of the course fee due at sign-up (deposit included); remaining 50% due no later than the first day of the course, or pay in full (preferred)
- Company card and PO accepted
- Colleague substitution up to 5 days before start ($100 per swap)
- Cancellation terms
- Vendor pack on request (W-9, COI, sample invoice)
What you get
Your digital field kit
Course website, 3D models, technical materials, and field tools open 1 month before the course start date (about Apr 10 2027), with 3 months of website access.
- Course app
- Participant course website
- Field Course Atlas — map with 3D models
- Field Guide Book — PDF guidebook
- Exclusive 3D / drone models
- VRGS workshop
- Deepwater TV-style walkthroughs
01Course app & course website
02Exclusive drone outcrop models
Our drone models, exclusive to this course. Three transect previews below (drag to spin); full models open with your participant kit (see Package).
Transect preview 1
Transect preview 2
Transect preview 3
03Course videos
Drone flythroughs from the Black Hills outcrop belt. Pick a channel.
04Certificate of attendance
You receive a Geology Field School certificate of attendance listing your instructional contact hours. For most professional geoscientists, in almost all states, those hours count toward professional-development (PDH) requirements. Use the listed instructional hours with your state board or employer PDH process.
Reviews
Reviews
Across both Inyan Kara courses so far — 18 reviews, combined overall 4.730 / 5.
Reviews from this course will appear here after the first run.
Show all comments
FAQ
Common questions
Who should not register — fit and fitness
Not for anyone who can’t manage loose, uneven ground at roadside stops at about 3,350–4,900 ft (1,020–1,490 m) in spring sun, wind, and rain. The longer walks are 1.5–3.7 mi (2.4–6.0 km) with up to about 700 ft (213 m) of gain — see Who it’s for. Full readiness and hazards are in Safety.
Flights — gateway RAP
Book your own flights into RAP. Arrive <4:00 p.m. Mon May 10; do not depart before 2:00 p.m. Sat May 15. Full travel rules in Logistics.
Lodging — single occupancy
Hot Springs and Deadwood single occupancy are in the package — see Bases & towns and Package.
Payment / AP
$500 non-refundable deposit, counted toward 50% of the fee due at sign-up; remaining 50% due no later than the first day of the course, or pay in full; company card / PO accepted. Full AP notes in Package.
Certificate / continuing-education hours
About 40 hours of instruction. Your certificate of attendance lists your instructional contact hours — see Certificate for how those hours count toward PDH requirements.
After registration — materials unlock
Payment receipt first, then participant credentials when the kit opens. Timing is in Package.
Fall dates
Fall dates coming soon. Ask about fall timing or a private week for your team with Fall interest above, and we’ll reply in writing. Registration on this page, once it opens, is for the May 10–15 2027 public week.
Cancellation
See geologyfieldschool.com/cancellation for current terms.
Inyan Kara · Public seat
$9,995
Registration opening soonCard payments accepted once registration opens
In-house
Private company week
Same safety standards and logistics. Your dates. 4–12 people. Your asset questions. Typical lead time 4–8 weeks.
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