Introduction to Sequence Stratigraphy

By Prof. Biplab Bhattacharya | IIT Roorkee

Learners enrolled: 57

ABOUT THE COURSE:

Sequence stratigraphy is the study of genetically-related sedimentary strata bounded by unconformities, in the frame of variations in sediment supply and the rate of change of space for sedimentary deposits caused by change in sea level and/or tectonic subsidence, through time and space on the earth's surface. The subject helps to solve real-world problems in the exploration for and production of resources, e.g., water, coal, oil, or natural gas. In essence, this course on sequence stratigraphy will introduce the students with the basic principles and methodologis of sequence stratigraphy used for the purpose of better describing and reconstructing geological history in any sedimentary basin. The course is relevant for people aspiring jobs related to petroleum, coal, groundwater, and for competitive examinations like GATE, UPSC, etc.

INTENDED AUDIENCE: Undergraduate, post-graduate and Ph.D. students, officials from oil/coal industries

PREREQUISITES: B.Sc./M.Sc./Int. M.Tech/M.Tech/ MS in Earth Science/ Geology/Applied Geology with sedimentology as a full semester course at any level

INDUSTRY SUPPORT: Oil industries like ONGC, Cairns Energy, Schlumberger etc.; Coal India; Also, the course will be very useful as a component of the syllabus of various UPSC Examinations, like the Geologists’ Examination.

Summary

Course Status :	Upcoming
Course Type :	Elective
Language for course content :	English
Duration :	12 weeks
Category :	Civil Engineering Earth Sciences
Credit Points :	3
Level :	Postgraduate
Start Date :	21 Jul 2025
End Date :	10 Oct 2025
Enrollment Ends :	28 Jul 2025
Exam Registration Ends :	15 Aug 2025
Exam Date :	01 Nov 2025 IST
NCrF Level	4.5 — 8.0

Note: This exam date is subject to change based on seat availability. You can check final exam date on your hall ticket.

Page Visits

Course layout

Week 1:

Introduction; Terminologies; Types of Stratigraphy; Lithostratigraphy vs. Sequence Stratigraphy; Concept of scale in Sequence Stratigraphy

Week 2:

Correlations in stratigraphy; Cyclicity in successions; Age of sedimentary successions

Week 3:

Concept of Facies and Facies analysis; Classification of sedimentary environments; Facies models of important sedimentary environments

Week 4:

Ichnology and its applications; Sea level changes, shoreline trajectories and stratal stacking patterns

Week 5:

Concept of Base level and Accommodation; Base level vs. shoreline trajectory; types of stratal terminations

Week 6:

Data input and workflow in Sequence Stratigraphy; Sequence stratigraphic elements – basic concepts (Part I – IV)

Week 7:

Surfaces in Sequence Stratigraphy (Part I – V)

Week 8:

Surfaces formed during transgression (Part VI – X)

Week 9:

Concept of systems tract, Systems tracts of clastic marine systems (Part I – V)

Week 10:

Systems tracts of clastic marine systems (Part VI – X)

Week 11:

Systems tracts of clastic marine systems (Part XI – XV)

Week 12:

Sequence stratigraphy of fluvial environments; Sequence stratigraphy of marine carbonate depositional environments (Part I – IV)

Books and references

1. Catuneanu, O.: Principles of Sequence Stratigraphy. Elsevier. 2006

2. Montenari, M.: Advances in sequence stratigraphy, 2nd vol., 1st ed. Elsevier 2017

3. Nichols, G.: Sedimentology and stratigraphy, 2nd Ed. Wiley-Blacwell 2009

4. Boggs, Sam (Jr.): Principles of Sedimentology and Stratigraphy, 4th Ed. Pearson/Prentice Hall. 2012

5. Emery, D.: Sequence stratigraphy. 1st ed. Wiley Blackwell. 2013

6. Miall, A. D.: The Geology of stratigraphic sequences, 2nd Ed. Springer. 2010

Instructor bio

Prof. Biplab Bhattacharya

IIT Roorkee

Prof. Biplab Bhattacharya is a Ph.D. from Calcutta University (Presidency College, Kolkata). Presently he is working as Professor in the Department of Earth Sciences, Indian Institute of Technology, Roorkee, and teaches courses on Sedimentology, Sequence Stratigraphy, Petroleum Geology, Coal Geology, etc. to under- and post- graduate students of M. Tech. (Geological Technology) and M. Sc. (Applied Geology). Prof. Bhattacharya is experienced of teaching for more than 20 years, and was shortlisted among the top 10 of the Outstanding Teachers of the Institute (I.I.T. Roorkee) for successive five years (2018-2022) in PG level. So far, Prof. Bhattacharya has published more than 45 research papers in peer-reviewed International and National journals of repute and supervised 06 Ph.Ds. In addition, 09 Ph.D. scholars are presently registered and carrying out Ph.D. under his supervision. His main research focus is to understand the past environmental changes using sedimentological, ichnological and sequence stratigraphic concepts. Prof. Bhattacharya has been conferred with Young Sedimentologists’ Award-2010, INSA Bilateral Exchange for International Co-Operation-2018 and ASEM-DUO Fellowship-2019 for International collaborations.

Course certificate

The course is free to enroll and learn from. But if you want a certificate, you have to register and write the proctored exam conducted by us in person at any of the designated exam centres.

The exam is optional for a fee of Rs 1000/- (Rupees one thousand only).

Date and Time of Exams: November 01, 2025 Morning session 9am to 12 noon; Afternoon Session 2pm to 5pm.

Registration url: Announcements will be made when the registration form is open for registrations.

The online registration form has to be filled and the certification exam fee needs to be paid. More details will be made available when the exam registration form is published. If there are any changes, it will be mentioned then.

Please check the form for more details on the cities where the exams will be held, the conditions you agree to when you fill the form etc.

CRITERIA TO GET A CERTIFICATE

Average assignment score = 25% of average of best 8 assignments out of the total 12 assignments given in the course.
Exam score = 75% of the proctored certification exam score out of 100

Final score = Average assignment score + Exam score

Please note that assignments encompass all types (including quizzes, programming tasks, and essay submissions) available in the specific week.

YOU WILL BE ELIGIBLE FOR A CERTIFICATE ONLY IF AVERAGE ASSIGNMENT SCORE >=10/25 AND EXAM SCORE >= 30/75. If one of the 2 criteria is not met, you will not get the certificate even if the Final score >= 40/100.

Certificate will have your name, photograph and the score in the final exam with the breakup.It will have the logos of NPTEL and IIT Roorkee. It will be e-verifiable at nptel.ac.in/noc.

Only the e-certificate will be made available. Hard copies will not be dispatched.

Once again, thanks for your interest in our online courses and certification. Happy learning.

- NPTEL team

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