NExT Geology Field Trip
Delta-Slope-Turbidite Deposition and
Synsedimentary Deformation of County Clare, Ireland
Join trip leader Dr. John Collinson in a visit to the cliffs of County Clare, Ireland, which display a
wide range of delta, slope, and turbidite facies and sequences. Cyclicity of the deltaic succession
is thought to be due to eustatic sea-level changes, resulting in extensive flooding surfaces
overlain by fossiliferous marine bands and in major paleovalley fill sandbodies. The deltaic
intervals show abundant soft-sediment deformation (e.g., growth faults, mud diapirs, and
sand volcanoes).
Audience
During this course, we will explore Clare County’s 650-ft- [200-m-] high cliffs of carboniferous
strata that are currently undergoing research and were highlighted in an article in AAPG
Explorer magazine.
Kilkee, County Clare, Ireland
(Shannon is the nearest airport)
Petroleum geologists, general
geologists, sedimentologists,
reservoir modelers, reservoir
engineers
Destination
Objectives
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Understand
the main processes of sediment deposition in the deepwater, basin-slope,
and deltaic components of a major basin fill
isualize, in seismic-scale outcrops, the depositional geometries of turbidites, basin-slope,
V
and deltaic progradations and paleovalleys
iscuss what controls depositional patterns and successions of high-frequency sea-level
D
changes and the role of flooding surfaces and marine bands in establishing stratigraphic
frameworks
bserve and discuss the nature of soft-sediment deformation at a wide range of scales
O
and in different depositional settings
Trip Leader
Dr. John Collinson is a sedimentology
consultant and reservoir geologist with
more than 40 years’ experience in the
field. His expertise includes clastic
sedimentology and reservoir geology.
Dr. Collinson is currently working on a
variety of projects in a wide range of
scales and depositional environments.
Activities
We will visit the carboniferous strata of
Clare County’s tall cliff sections and take
at least one boat trip to view them in
greater detail.
SOFTWARE
INTERPRETATION
AGENDA
Day 1
Day 4
George’s Point, Kilkee Bay
Killard, Truklieve, Foohagh Point
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Introduce the local stratigraphy and setting
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Explore the mouth bar sands of the upper Kilkee cyclothem
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L earn more about penetrative mud diapirs, flooding surfaces,
and marine bands
Day 2
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Kilbaha Bay, Kilcloher Head, Bridges of Ross
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Interpret the Loop Head headland in a general basinal context
and Ross Formation turbidites
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Observe turbidite facies, channels, and megaflutes
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Visit major slump sheets, turbidite channels, and sand volcanoes
Day 3
Ross Formation, Gull Island
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from Carrigaholt to view the Ross Formation in sea cliffs
Sail
between Carrigaholt and Loop Head
Sail, weather permitting, to the south side of Shannon to the basinal
Clare Shales and to the Ross Formation’s base
Course to the south of Tullig Point to observe the Gull Island
Formation (major basin-filling slope and slope ramp), the lower part
of the Tullig cyclothem (oldest deltaic progradation), and the Tullig
Sandstone (paleovalley)
Witness a minor mouth bar, abandonment and flooding events,
and Tullig Sandstone with soft-sediment deformation
bserve Tullig progradation, flooding surfaces, minor paraO
sequences, paleovalley erosion and stacking, wave-influenced
mouth bars, and marine bands
E xplore the growth faulting in the Doonlickey cyclothem
Observe minor mouth bars in the Tullig cyclothem, nonpenetrative
mud diapirs, the Kilkee cyclothem, and sandstone
Day 5
Carrowmore Point, Spanish Point, Doolin,
Cliffs of Moher
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isit the upper Tullig cyclothem, channel sandstone, and
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flooding surfaces
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bserve extensional faulting of mouth bar sands over diapirs
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and the Doonlickey cyclothem
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E xplore basinal mudstone facies at the northern margin of
the basin
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See basal turbidites and a major slump sheet
Visit the Cliffs of Moher, the northern equivalent of the Gull Island
Formation and the Tullig cyclothem
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