Measuring a channel outcrop with a scintillometer in the Fort Payne Formation, Tennessee

Abstract

The location of study was near Celina, Tennessee on Highway 52, specifically at latitude 36.50263, longitude -85.44836, and elevation 268 meters. The purpose was to collect gamma ray scintillometer data from a channel outcrop and compare the collected data to nearby well logs to search for any methods of identifying what a channel would look like on well log data. We collected our data in a grid with a hand-held scintillometer that measures potassium, uranium, thorium, and dosage rate measurements. To create the grid we used Jacob staffs to measure out and mark 20 cm vertical increments with chalk. The measurements were collected from 2 stratigraphic columns 8 meters apart; the left column had 13 points of measurement and the right column had 25 points of measurement. We were able to successfully collect all of the data from our intended points of measurement. The next step was searching the Tennessee Oil and Gas database for well log data. Although many wells in the area penetrate the targeted Fort Payne Formation, most well logs were collected below our point of elevation. Future work will focus on: (1) searching for well logs with more shallow data to compare to the scintillometer measurements; (2) searching for well logs in Kentucky where the Fort Payne is deeper and was likely logged; and (3) comparing our outcrop scintillometer data to subsurface well log data.