De Ville Wickens
Field Trips Chair
Geo-Routes Petroleum
Phone: +27 21 906 2354
hdevw@sun.ac.za
Field Trips
South Africa is a country of unrivaled geological splendor, renowned throughout the world for its remarkably well-preserved rock record, dating back from more than 3000 million years ago to the present. Field trip participants will have the opportunity to experience a wide range of geological settings—from Precambrian basin floor turbidites, fluvial meanderbelt and Cretaceous estuarine siliciclastics compared with an adjacent modern estuary, to the structural domain of the Cape Mountains—all against the background of scenic landscapes and cultural diversity.
Our field trips have been carefully selected to complement the themes of this conference and will be guided by mature and highly experienced geoscientists. Apart from the geological-social one-day trips in and around Cape Town and environs, which is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to experience fascinating geology, the multi-day trips offer world-class exposures, such as the deepwater deposits of the southwestern Karoo Basin and the Zerrissene turbidites of the central Namib desert region. A spectacular display of meanderbelt/floodplain architecture can be found in the Permian Beaufort Group of the southwestern Karoo Basin, also world-renowned for its fossil record. Current groundwater research in the Cape Fold Belt ranges provide excellent insights into the hydrogeology of the region with analogs to be drawn to fractured petroleum reservoirs and structural controls on fluid movement through deeply fractured systems. A visit to a huge opencast and underground coal mine, a coal-fired power station and a syn-fuel plant will be a unique experience for those who would like to feel the heartbeat of South Africa’s coal-mining industry.
The following Web pages provide detailed trip information, including localities and itineraries, fees and departure/return times. Note that all trips have limited enrollments, so make sure that you do not miss out on the trip of your choice. Also, prior to making your travel plans, please confirm that the trip will take place.
Please note that the Geological and Social Day Trips may be of interest to guests.
Important Notes Regarding Field Trips and Geological and Social Day Trips
- Field trips are limited in size and are reserved on a first-come, first-served basis and must be accompanied by full payment.
- If you register for a field triponly, a $30 fee will be charged in addition to the field trip fee. This fee may be applied toward registration if you decide to attend the conference.
- A wait list is automatically created if a field trip sells out. The AAPG Convention Department will notify you if space becomes available. Undersubscribed field trips will be cancelled.
- Before purchasing non-refundable airline tickets, confirm that the trip will take place.
- It is important that you note your gender on your registration form for hotel room assignments.
- Several weeks prior to the trip, you will receive an itinerary with details of meeting points, transportation within the trip, phone and fax numbers and email addresses of hotels and trip leaders, etc. Please indicate your fax and email on your registration.
- Proper clothing and supplies are needed for the outdoors (hat, wind breaker, sturdy footware, sunscreen and rucksack).
- If any field trips are likely to meet your needs or the needs of your staff, you are encouraged to register early.
- To help us better anticipate the number of attendees and avoid premature cancellation of field trips, please register well before 12 August.
- Neither AAPG, GSSA nor trip leaders maintain insurance covering illness or injury for individuals.