Built different

Why us

Geoscience makes sense where it happens: outside, at the rock, doing the work.

Field first. We put your days on the rock.
Experts own the courses. Instructors own their IP. They own the rocks. We own the safety.
Safety is our program. WFR-qualified field staff on every GFS course. How we run safety
The price is the price. A clear fee up front on every course.
Digital field kit. Course app, digital Field Course Atlas, and drone models flown and owned by GFS.

Why us See the courses

Founder and Director

Christopher Oswalt

16 years of outdoor risk management

Founder & Director

Nationally Registered EMT (Emergency Medical Technician)
4406-4805-4868

Former Global Field Safety Director for Nautilus/RPS across 100+ field courses worldwide.

Upcoming field schools

Scheduled open-enrollment weeks with published fees, plus on-request and coming-soon destinations. Want a week just for your company? Request private in-house training.

Geology Field School exclusive

San Diego

Deepwater Reservoir Architecture

Special guest instructor Vitor Abreu leads; Rene Jonk co-instructs.

4.69 · 74 reviews

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Course overview

San Diego

San Diego, California — California Borderland coastal outcrops as analogs for canyon, channel, levee, and lobe architecture, reservoir quality, and outcrop-to-subsurface characterization. A rare opportunity to learn in the field with special guest instructor Vitor Abreu; Rene Jonk co-instructs.

Who it's for

Explorationists and development geos who need walkable outcrop→subsurface deepwater analogues.

Problems it solves

Deepwater reservoir architecture, connectivity, and retention stay abstract without canyon–channel–levee–lobe calibrators on rock.
Outcrop-to-log and seismic recognition criteria for DW facies and stacking are missing from office-only workflows.

Sample schedule

MonCourse start · safety brief · Point Loma / Cabrillo + Sunset Cliffs — Cretaceous lobe architecture
TueTourmaline — coastal deepwater transition / facies debate
WedBlacks (short window) · wrap under Scripps Pier
ThuSan Clemente — amalgamated Miocene channels
FriDana Point morning · depart after 2:00 p.m.

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Geology Field School exclusive

Scotland

Play, Prospect & Field Characterization

Partner ACT-GEO · Geology Field School exclusive.

4.88 · 13 reviews

Apr 11–14 2027 Company booked

Apr 15–18 2027 $5,800

Original GFS course, exclusive to Geology Field School.

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Course overview

Scotland

Outcrops in NE Scotland tied to Mesozoic and Cenozoic systems of the North Sea — play, prospect, and field assessment with global analogs for hydrocarbons and geologic carbon storage.

Who it's for

Portfolio stewards risking plays, prospects, and fields across clastic systems.

Problems it solves

Play-to-field risking stays map-and-seismic only without coastal architectures that base-rate success and failure.
Seal and retention for structural/stratigraphic traps (and CCS) are hard to defend without foreshore analogs.

Sample schedule

ThuArrive INV · safety · southern Moray coast basin frame
FriParalic / coastal clastic systems · stacking and risking
SatFaulted margin coast · reservoir, seal, and structure
SunInjectites / remobilized sands · integration and wrap · return INV

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Field work

Kanab, UT

Updip-to-downdip play element prediction and linkage

5-day course · Dates to be announced Field work only. Guests welcome.

Original GFS course, exclusive to Geology Field School.

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Course overview

Kanab, UT

Cenomanian–Turonian Western Interior Seaway transect across Grand Staircase, near Kanab, Utah — updip fluvial → mid-dip marine sand and shale → downdip organic and biogenic-rich facies. Play element prediction and linkage across shallow-water epeiric seaways (conventional and unconventional). 5-day course; dates announced when the course is scheduled.

Who it's for

Geos linking Western Interior Seaway play elements from fluvial to marine to organic-rich facies.

Problems it solves

Updip-to-downdip facies linkage across epeiric seaways is hard to defend from wells alone.
Conventional and unconventional play-element prediction lacks a walkable Cenomanian–Turonian transect.

Sample schedule

Day 1Fluvial setting — Cedar City / Big Hill / Maple Canyon
Day 2Shallow-water setting — Cedar Canyon / North Fork
Day 3Detrital mud-prone — Paria River / Big Water
Day 4Organic & biogenic-rich — Sit Down Bench / Croton Canyon
Day 5Basin-scale architecture — biostrat + research boreholes · transect wrap

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West Texas

Play, prospect and field characterization across carbonate, clastic and unconventional systems

4.8 · 21 reviews

Apr 26–30 2027 $8,200

Premium hotels, usually 3 or 4 dinners included, Premium SUVs, geoscientist enrichment where available, printed manual · 3-month web access (opens 1 month before start; both tiers).

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Course overview

West Texas

West Texas & southeastern New Mexico · Permian Basin — mixed carbonate-siliciclastic systems, shelf-to-basin frameworks, and outcrop-to-seismic characterization for conventional and unconventional plays.

Who it's for

Permian Basin geos working mixed carbonate–siliciclastic shelf-to-basin systems.

Problems it solves

Mixed-system sequence strat stays abstract without Capitan / shelf-to-basin frameworks you can walk.
Conventional and unconventional play elements lack outcrop-to-seismic stacking and facies control.

Sample schedule

MonArrive El Paso (ELP) or Midland (MAF) · transfer to Carlsbad · safety · basin overview
TueShelf-to-basin framework · carbonate margin context
WedMixed systems & Brushy Canyon deepwater architecture
ThuSlope / margin stacking · along-strike facies & play elements
FriMorning synthesis · transfer to airport · afternoon flights

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Inyan Kara

Williston Basin SWD/CCS

4.73 · 18 reviews

May 10–15 2027 $9,995

Immediately after GSA Rocky Mountain Section · Rapid City (May 8–10). Visit us at GSA Rocky Mountain.

Fall dates coming soon

Original GFS course, exclusive to Geology Field School.

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Course overview

Inyan Kara

Black Hills outcrops of the Lakota and Fall River (Inyan Kara Group) map to the Williston Basin injection interval. Walk stacked channel systems inside compound incised valley-fills as SWD/CCS outcrop analogs — exclusive Geology Field School drone models.

Who it's for

Williston SWD/CCS geos who need rock control on Inyan Kara IVF connectivity.

Problems it solves

Compound IVF sandbodies look continuous on maps but baffle or fail in the wellbore.
Rock-to-log integration of Lakota vs Fall River stacking lacks walkable proximal-to-distal calibrators.

Sample schedule

SunArrive RAP · safety · regional frame
MonProximal high net:gross · compound IVF architecture
TueMedial-proximal valley fill · margin-to-axis Fall River
WedMedial-distal transition · Lakota IVF to back-stepping marine
ThuDistal node · multi-story channels + Fall River lateral change
FriIntegration / wrap · depart after 2:00 p.m.

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Coming soon

Rock Springs Uplift

Continental clastic systems

5.00 · 9 reviews

Dates coming soon $8,499

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Course overview

Rock Springs Uplift

Stop guessing Mesaverde continuity from sparse wells. Walk Rock Springs, Ericson, Blair, and Almond architectures that control tight-gas compartmentalization and reservoir prediction across the Greater Green River Basin — taught by Lee F. Krystinik, with exclusive Geology Field School drone models.

Who it's for

Mesaverde / Greater Green River development and exploration geos (taught by Lee Krystinik).

Problems it solves

Sparse-well continuity guesses miss Rock Springs, Ericson, Blair, and Almond compartmentalization on rock.
Tight-gas architecture and baffles stay abstract without shoreface–fluvial–barrier/lagoon outcrop models.

Sample schedule

SunSLC assemble · Echo Canyon / Frontier transect · arrive Rock Springs
MonRock Springs Fm. shoreface + coastal plain · compound IVF
TueEricson braided / sheet fluvial · Blair deltaic systems
WedAlmond transgressive barrier / lagoon · valley fill
ThuIntegration day · projected lowstand successions
FriOptional wrap stops · depart toward SLC

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Southern Pyrenees

Ainsa, Spain

Deepwater Systems & Source-to-Sink

5.00 · 2 reviews

On Demand $8,200

Premium hotels, usually 3 or 4 dinners included, Premium SUVs, geoscientist enrichment where available, printed manual · 3-month web access (opens 1 month before start; both tiers).

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Course overview

Ainsa, Spain

Deepwater depositional systems and basin-scale stratigraphy (source-to-sink) in the Ainsa Basin, Spain — ACT-GEO / Geology Field School partnership course. Dates and full outline coming soon.

Who it's for

Deepwater exploration and development geos needing source-to-sink DW analogues.

Problems it solves

Sand-rich DW architecture and connectivity models lack walkable channel–lobe calibrators.
Core–log–seismic EoD maps miss key surfaces and stacking without outcrop control.

Sample schedule

Day 1Arrive · safety · Ainsa Basin frame
Day 2Deepwater systems · channel / lobe outcrops
Day 3Source-to-sink / basin-scale stratigraphy
Day 4Integration · subsurface analogs
Day 5Wrap · depart

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On Demand

Kilkee, Ireland

Deepwater Depositional Systems

On Demand $9,400

Premium hotels, usually 3 or 4 dinners included, Premium SUVs, geoscientist enrichment where available, printed manual · 3-month web access (opens 1 month before start; both tiers).

View course

Course overview

Kilkee, Ireland

Deepwater depositional systems on the Clare Basin / Kilkee coast, Ireland — ACT-GEO / Geology Field School partnership course. Available on request.

Who it's for

Deepwater practitioners needing Clare Basin / Ross Formation fan analogues.

Problems it solves

Seismic-scale fan stacking and surface criteria stay inferred from logs and seismic alone.
Connectivity prediction lacks outcrop-calibrated DW facies for geologic models.

Sample schedule

Day 1Arrive · safety · Clare Basin / Kilkee frame
Day 2Deepwater depositional systems field day
Day 3Stacking / architecture exercises
Day 4Integration
Day 5Wrap · depart

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Open to the public · Mostly free · Not an industry course

Geo-Hikes

Social Geology Hikes & Backpacking

Geologic Maps Foundation

Geologic Maps Foundation / Geo-Hikes are not officially part of or affiliated with Geology Field School — we like them and what they do.

4.9 · 623 ratings

Nov 8 2026 Howard Canyon to Nordhoff Ridge Free
Nov 21 2026 Geology Hike at Taft Gardens, Ojai, California Free
Sep 1–4 2027 Santa Rosa Island backpack $100

Explore Geo-Hikes View trips on Meetup

About Geo-Hikes

Geo-Hikes

Open social geology hikes and backpacking led by Thomas L. Davis, PhD, through Geologic Maps Foundation. Hikers, geologists, and students welcome — you do not need to be a geologist. Separate from Geology Field School industry field courses. Upcoming trips and RSVPs live on Meetup.

Who it's for

Hikers, geos, and students who want open social field days — not industry tuition.

Problems it solves

Want hands-on map reading and landscape geology without an industry field-course enrollment.
Need low-barrier Meetup RSVPs for social geology hikes and backpacking (separate from GFS courses).

Upcoming trips

Nov 8Howard Canyon to Nordhoff Ridge · Free
Nov 21Geology Hike at Taft Gardens, Ojai, California · Free
Sep 1–4Santa Rosa Island backpack · $100

How to join

1Browse upcoming trips on the Geo-Hikes Meetup group
2RSVP / register on Meetup (not industry enrollment)
3Meet in the field · learn geology while hiking

Learn more Meetup

Flights and other travel to and from the course start are not included. Flight averages on each card are a rough guide, not a quote.

Course fees are billed in USD. GBP and EUR amounts are approximate conversions.

Next step

Register interest or request in-house

Open-enrollment weeks and private company weeks. Courses are listed above — pick a card or send a note with the buttons below.