Dave Keighley

Recent research projects

Greener energy solutions for eastern Canada

Preliminary studies into the suitability of the New Brunswick subsurface for storage of supercritical carbon dioxide, and for development of geothermal energy.

References

Keighley, D., and DeLuca, J. 2024. Geothermal data from southeastern New Brunswick: implications for potential geothermal energy projects and carbon sequestration in eastern Canada. Atlantic Geoscience, v 60, pp. 243-251.

Keighley, D., and Maher, C., 2015. A preliminary assessment of carbon storage suitability in deep underground geological formations of New Brunswick. Special Series: Environmental Geosciences. Atlantic Geology, v. 51, pp. 269-286.

Sedimentology, geochemistry, and stratigraphy of sedimentary basins influenced by salt tectonics, Devonian-Carboniferous basins of New Brunswick and Nova Scotia

Investigation of facies, geochemical, and diagenetic variation in strata of different mini-basins formed by salt tectonics; the timing and kinematics of deformation (folding and faulting) of these strata, and their correlation.

References

Bahr, F., and Keighley, D., 2022. A model for the early diagenesis of humid climate, fluvial strata influenced by shallow subsurface salt: Grande Anse Formation, Cumberland Basin, Canada. Sedimentology, v. 69, pp. 2715-2739.

Bahr, F., and Keighley, D., 2022. Chemostratigraphy of Cumberland Group (Pennsylvanian) strata influenced by salt tectonics, Joggins Fossil Cliffs UNESCO World Heritage Site, eastern Canada. Journal of Sedimentary Research, v. 91, pp. 969-985.

Bahr, F., and Keighley, D., 2021. Stratigraphy and sedimentology of the Pennsylvanian Grande Anse Formation, Cumberland Basin, eastern Canada: its relationship to salt tectonics and co-eval strata of the Joggins World Heritage Site. Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences, v. 58, pp. 209-224.

Islam, N., and Keighley, D., 2018. Sedimentology and chemostratigraphy of Carboniferous redbeds in the western Moncton Basin, Sussex area, New Brunswick. Atlantic Geology, v. 54, pp. 285-314.

Craggs, S., Keighley, D., Waldron, J. and Park, A., 2017. Timing of salt tectonics affecting Pennsylvanian strata in the northern Cumberland Basin, SE New Brunswick, eastern Canada. Basin Analysis, v. 29, pp. 266-283.

Biogeochemistry, diagenesis and chemostratigraphy of shale and oil shale, eastern Uinta Basin, Utah, USA

Shale and oil shale of the Green River Formation includes several beds that have undergone phosphatization, apparently by different processes, including microbial activity. These rocks are being examined for toxic metal enrichments, and correlated by LA-ICP-MS, XRD, SEM, TEM – and likely other techniques as well!

References

Keighley, D., Boonsue, S., and Hall, D., 2018. Phosphatized tungsten-metabolizing coccoid microbes interpreted from oil shale of an Eocene lake, Green River Formation, Utah, USA. Geobiology, v. 16, pp. 610-627.

Keighley, D., McFarlane, C., and Vanden Berg, M., 2018. Diagenetic sequestration of rare earths and actinides in phosphatic oil shale from the lacustrine Green River Formation (Eocene), Utah, USA: an SEM and LA-ICP-MS study. Journey of Paleolimnology, v. 59, pp. 81-102.

Keighley, D., 2015. Phosphatic carbonate shale of the "Bird's Nest Saline Zone", upper Green River Formation, Uinta Basin, Utah. A. Carroll and M Smith (Editors), Syntheses in Limnology 1: Stratigraphy and paleolimnology of the Green River Formation, western USA. Springer, ch. 10, pp. 251-276.

Sedimentology of the fluvio-lacustrine Green River Formation, southern Uinta Basin, Utah, USA

Facies variation and correlation of clastic and carbonate shoreface intervals, determination of ancient lake-level fluctuations, and the influence of 'greenhouse' climate and tectonic controls on lake-basin sedimentation during the Eocene.

References

Keighley, D., Spinnangr, Ø., Howell, J., and Flint, S., 2019. Interpretation of mouth-bar and related lacustrine and fluvial sand bodies from the middle Green River Formation (Eocene), southern Uinta Basin, Utah. In: M. Rosen and S. Starratt (eds). From Saline to Freshwater: The Diversity of Western US Lakes in Space and Time, Geological Society of America, Special Papers 536, ch. 15, pp. 259-287.

Keighley, D., Törö, B., Vanden Berg, M.D., and Pratt, B.R., 2015. Deformation within the Mahogany Oil Shale Zone of the Green River Formation at Sand Wash, eastern Uinta Basin, USA. L.Birgenheier, R., Ressetar, and M.D. Vanden Berg (Editors), Utah Geological Association, Special Publication 44, pp. 423-438.

Teaching

“I got back from Houston recently and I thought I should thank you because I wouldn’t have had any clue what anyone was talking about without your help. From not knowing anything about the petroleum industry to being part of it, your class was a crucial step and I think you did a bang-up job of it. ...I will be moving to Houston to train as a geophysicist next summer.”
– former student, when working with a natural gas company (Texas).

“I just took a geoscience recruitment short course with Imperial Oil over this past weekend... Despite the fact most of the candidates were graduate students with advanced degrees, I was approached by instructors and highly complimented on my knowledge and skills in the petroleum geosciences. I just wanted to say thank you for preparing me so well in the course and I appreciate all the work you put into teaching me what I need to know for industry.”
– former student, before working with a petroleum consultancy firm (Alberta).

Undergraduate courses

ESCI 2211 Sedimentology and Stratigraphy.

Lectures and labs first cover the description and classification of the physical and chemical properties of sediment and sedimentary rock. This is followed by investigation into the processes (including environmental and engineering aspects) involved in the origin of sediment, such as weathering and sediment precipitation. Subsequently studied are the processes influencing, and sedimentary structures produced by, mass movements (incl. landslides, sinkholes), coastal/river erosion, sediment transportation, deposition/siltation, ground liquefaction, soil formation, and lithification. The course concludes with an introduction to basic sedimentary facies, stratigraphic principles, and the relative and absolute dating of strata.

ESCI 2703 2nd Year Field School, Part 1: Fredericton and Sussex/Joggins area. After Winter Term exams. Introductory methods of logging, correlating, and mapping sedimentary rocks in the field.

ESCI 3492 Energy Resources & Environment. Alternate years

As the world moves toward ‘net zero’ carbon emissions, this course explains reservoir-based geo-energy, and how old concepts (petroleum), are adapted to new, greener solutions (white/gold/geologic hydrogen, and enhanced geothermal systems). Lectures discuss genesis and migration of the fluids involved; reservoir properties and evolution; how the resources are drilled; environmental impacts (carbon cycle and climate change; groundwater, surface, and atmospheric pollution); and mitigations (well-site design and safety; carbon capture and storage/conversion). Labs focus on aspects of resource evaluation using drill-hole and geophysical data.

ESCI 4212 Sedimentary Environments, Landforms and Sequences. Alternate years

Lectures focus on processes active in modern sedimentary environments (e.g., rivers, lakes, deltas, estuaries, beaches, barrier islands, shallow and deep oceans); their geomorphologies (landform development/modification), and facies; and their interpretation and successions in the geologic record (sequence stratigraphy), particularly as they relate to the interpretation of changing sea-/lake-levels, and climate. Labs cover microscopic examination of sedimentary diagenesis, introductory air photo/image analysis and interpretation of landforms, and exercises relating to paleogeography, sea-/lake-level change, and (sequence-) stratigraphic correlation.

Graduate courses

ESCI 6261 Advanced Sedimentology and Petroleum Geology. Graduate course, winter term, by arrangement. Topics will vary depending upon the interests of students.

ESCI 6272 Seminars in Sedimentology. Graduate course, fall term, by arrangement. Topics will vary depending upon the interests of students.

ESCI 6802 Directed Studies in Sedimentary Petrology/Diagenesis. Graduate course, winter term, by arrangement. Topics will vary depending upon the interests of students.