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Stories</a> </li> </ul> </div> <h2 class="postmeta_header" id="page_title"> <span class="postmeta_header_prefix">When sand tells a story</span> <span class="postmeta_header_seperator"> / </span> <span class="postmeta_header_title">D-Day 80 years later </span> </h2> <div class="postmeta_subtitle">Two ConocoPhillips geologists contribute to shrapnel research project </div> <div class="postmeta_item_detail postmeta_item_detail_time"> <time class="postmeta_item_time" datetime="2024-12-30"> <span class="postmeta_item_time_label">December 30, 2024</span> </time> </div> </div> <div class="postmeta_item_image page_header_media"> <div class="page_header_media_inner"> <figure class="page_header_figure"> <img class="page-header_image" loading="lazy" sizes="auto" src="https://static.conocophillips.com/files/spiritnow/wide-xsml-img-2317-2.jpeg" srcset="https://static.conocophillips.com/files/spiritnow/wide-xlrg-img-2317-2.jpeg 1440w, https://static.conocophillips.com/files/spiritnow/wide-lrg-img-2317-2.jpeg 1220w, https://static.conocophillips.com/files/spiritnow/wide-med-img-2317-2.jpeg 980w, https://static.conocophillips.com/files/spiritnow/wide-sml-img-2317-2.jpeg 740w, https://static.conocophillips.com/files/spiritnow/wide-xsml-img-2317-2.jpeg 500w" alt="" width="500" height="282"> <figcaption class="page_header_figcaption"> <div class="page_header_caption"> <p>After taking sand samples on Utah Beach on June 6, 2024, geologists Dallin Laycock, Glen Burridge, Sam Hudson and Erin Pemberton reflect on the fighting that took place on the beach 80 years earlier.</p> </div> </figcaption> </figure> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <article class="spiritnow_entry"> <div class="page_meta"> <div class="news_meta spirit_news_meta theme_blue" id="meta" data-type="news"> <div class="news_meta_share"> <div class="js-share-tools share_static_tools share_spirit_tools"> <div class="fs-row"> <div class="fs-cell"> <div class="share_static_tools_wrapper layout_share share_spirit_tools_wrapper"> <div class="share_static_tools_title">By Gus Morgan</div> <div class="share_spirit_outer"> <div class="share_static_tools_header"> <div class="share_static_tools_title">Share</div> </div> <ul class="js-share-tools-list share_static_tools_list social_shares" aria-label="Share Options"> <li class="js-share-tool-item share_static_tool_item"> <a class="js-share-tool js-share-facebook share_static_tool facebook_link" href="#" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-link="https://www.conocophillips.com/spiritnow/story/when-sand-tells-a-story-d-day-80-years-later/" aria-label="Share on Facebook"> <div class="share_static_tool_inner"> <span class="share_static_tool_icon"><svg class="icon icon_facebook"><use xlink:href="https://www.conocophillips.com/images/icons.svg?1740443329#facebook"></use></svg> </span> </div> </a> </li> <li class="js-share-tool-item share_static_tool_item"> <a 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</a> </li> </ul> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="news_meta_actions js-share-tools"> <div class="fs-row"> <div class="fs-cell"> <div class="news_meta_actions_inner"> <a class="js-share-tool js-share-print news_meta_action" href="#" target="_blank" rel="noopener" tabindex="-1"> <div class="news_meta_action_item news_meta_print"> <span class="news_meta_action_button_label">Print Article</span> <span class="news_meta_action_button_icon"><svg class="icon icon_print"><use xlink:href="https://www.conocophillips.com/images/icons.svg?1740443329#print"></use></svg> </span> </div> </a> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="page_content" id="page_content" tabindex="-1" aria-labelledby="page_title"> <div class="fs-row"> <div class="fs-cell fs-lg-8 fs-lg-push-2"> <div class="typography theme_blue"> <p>Flanked by research colleagues, ConocoPhillips Senior Geologist Dallin Laycock scooped up a handful of sand from Sword Beach and sprinkled the granules over a magnet.</p> <p>“I heard the unmistakable sound of metal hitting the magnet,” Laycock said. “We looked at it under the microscope and clearly saw an oxidized piece of metal. The very first handful of sand I’d picked up had shrapnel in it.”</p> <p>Like tiny time capsules, the metal fragments are microscopic evidence of the fighting that took place during the D-Day invasion on June 6, 1944. These granular war relics are the focus of an undergraduate research project led by BYU Geology Professor Sam Hudson.</p> <div style="padding: 0 0 0 0; position: relative;"><iframe style="position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%;" title="Discoveringshrapnel2161 (1)" src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/1024457948?h=ede966aa5d&badge=0&autopause=0&player_id=0&app_id=58479" frameborder="0" allow="autoplay; fullscreen; picture-in-picture; clipboard-write"></iframe></div> <p> <script src="https://player.vimeo.com/api/player.js"></script> </p> <h5>Supporting STEM education</h5> <p>Collaborating with Hudson as volunteers and geological detectives, Laycock and his colleague ConocoPhillips Staff Geologist Erin Pemberton have been lending their time and expertise to help with the educational project, along with Glen Burridge, a U.K. geologist with a strong interest in military history. </p> <p>“Dallin and I are strong supporters of STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) education,” Pemberton said. “In addition to lending our support to college students, helping with this research project is our way of contributing to the geologic knowledge of this pivotal historical moment. It’s also about honoring the Allied soldiers who took part in the invasion.”</p> <p>Coinciding with the 80th anniversary of D-Day, the four geologists spent June 5-8 in Normandy, France, collecting sand samples from each of the five beaches the Allies stormed: Utah, Omaha, Gold, Juno and Sword.</p> <figure class="block_right"><img src="https://static.conocophillips.com/files/resources/img-2252.jpg" alt="" width="4032" height="3024"> <figcaption>From left, geologists Dallin Laycock, Erin Pemberton, Glen Burridge and Sam Hudson on Juno Beach on June 6, 2024.</figcaption> </figure> <p>The team’s shrapnel project — a mix of geology, history and archeology — was inspired by a 2011 project by geologists Earle McBride and Dane Picard that focused on analyzing shrapnel remnants found on Omaha Beach.</p> <p>“We wanted to collect new samples on the 80th anniversary of this battle,” Laycock said. “Is shrapnel from the fighting still present on the Normandy beaches? Or has it completely washed away? That’s what we came to find out.”</p> <div class="block_center callout typography"> <p style="text-align: left;"><strong>JOIN US:</strong> Are you a military veteran looking to transition into the oil and gas industry? ConocoPhillips offers rewarding career opportunities around the world. <a href="https://careers.conocophillips.com/united-states-military/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Learn more</a>. </p> </div> <h5>'Remarkably like Normandy’ - Brancaster Beach in the U.K.</h5> <p>After spending four days shrapnel hunting on the Normandy beaches, the geologists wrapped up their field trip with a visit to Brancaster Beach in the U.K., gathering sand samples so they could compare the sand on this beach to the sand found on the Normandy beaches. </p> <figure class="block_right"><img src="https://static.conocophillips.com/files/resources/img-2174.jpeg" alt="Erin Pemberton displays a magnet with metal particles attached to it at Sword Beach" width="1536" height="1536"> <figcaption>Erin Pemberton displays a magnet with metal and magnetite particles attached to it on Sword Beach. </figcaption> </figure> <p>Brancaster Beach was used by the Allies to test heavy vehicles before the D-Day landings. The goal was to ensure these vehicles wouldn’t get bogged down on the Normandy beaches, a lesson learned from the failed 1942 Dieppe Raid in northern France, a disastrous amphibious assault that left thousands of Allied troops dead and wounded.</p> <p>“The military geologists did an amazing job identifying this analog beach,” Laycock said. “It’s remarkably like Normandy. I’m curious to see how the lab analysis of the sand goes, and just how similar it is.”</p> <figure class="quote"> <blockquote class="quote_content"> <p>Geology played a major part in the D-Day invasion.</p> </blockquote> <figcaption class="quote_caption"><span class="quote_caption_name">Dallin Laycock, geologist</span></figcaption> </figure> <h5><span xml:lang="EN-US" data-contrast="auto">Preserving history, delivering insight</span><span data-ccp-props="{"335559739":0}"> </span></h5> <p>Back in the U.S., Hudson and his BYU undergraduate and graduate students have started analyzing the 300 sand samples using a variety of techniques to confirm how much of the magnetic pieces are shrapnel.</p> <figure class="block_right"><img src="https://static.conocophillips.com/files/resources/img-2262.jpeg" alt="" width="1536" height="2048"> <figcaption>The four geologists collected 300 sand samples from the five D-Day beaches. These samples are from Juno Beach. </figcaption> </figure> <p>“We are analyzing the sand samples at this stage through particle size analysis,” Hudson said. “Samples were taken along surface transects and through coring to understand how sediment, both shrapnel and sand, is distributed along the beaches of Normandy. This tells us about how ocean waves and tides redistribute sand along this part of the French coast and helps us to understand the dynamics of a complex coastal system like this. The shrapnel is a fantastic tracer of these processes. We know, almost to the day, when some of this material was placed on the beach. If we can understand where it is now (both spatially and at depth), we can better understand how beaches redistribute sediment over time. The shrapnel acts as a fantastic tracer for understanding coastal erosion and deposition.”</p> <p>The research results will be published in peer-reviewed international journals.</p> <p>For Hudson, this project has provided a unique opportunity, enabling him to pursue his passion for geologic research and honor his grandfather, who served in the Pacific during World War II.</p> <p>“This has been a great way for me to feel closer to him and to better appreciate the sacrifices made by so many,” Hudson said.  </p> <p>By identifying and differentiating between shrapnel and naturally occurring magnetic minerals in the sand, Laycock said researchers may be able to map out the intensity and spread of the battle, providing a clearer picture of where the heaviest fighting occurred.</p> <figure class="block_right"><img src="https://static.conocophillips.com/files/resources/img-2355.jpeg" alt="" width="2048" height="1536"> <figcaption>Erin Pemberton collects samples on Sword Beach on June 5. </figcaption> </figure> <p>And by documenting and analyzing their geological findings, Laycock said they are helping preserve the history of D-Day for future generations, creating a more detailed and accurate picture of the events that took place during the invasion. </p> <p>“We believe our geological research will deepen humanity’s understanding of D-Day,” Laycock said. “This is about using science to tell a more comprehensive story. We hope our work inspires a deeper interest in both geology and history.”</p> <div class="block_center callout typography"> <p style="text-align: left;"><strong>DID YOU KNOW? </strong>ConocoPhillips' Patriot Employee Network (PEN) is dedicated to supporting military personnel, veterans and their families. PEN is part of ConocoPhillips' broader commitment to being a military-friendly employer, providing a supportive environment for veterans and their families. </p> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <div class="full_width_callouts"> <div class="media_gallery_block theme_default"> <div class="fs-row"> <div class="fs-cell"> <div class="js-in-view media_gallery_header"> <h2 class="media_gallery_title">D-Day research project</h2> </div> <div class="js-carousel js-in-view media_gallery_carousel media_gallery_carousel_inline" data-carousel-options='{"contained": false, "controls": true, "pagination": false}' data-carousel-linked=".media_gallery_carousel"> <div class="media_gallery"> <div class="media_gallery_media"> <img class="media_gallery_image" loading="lazy" sizes="auto" src="https://static.conocophillips.com/files/media/wide-xsml-screenshot_22-10-2024_1643_conocophillipssharepoin.jpeg" srcset="https://static.conocophillips.com/files/media/wide-lrg-screenshot_22-10-2024_1643_conocophillipssharepoin.jpeg 1220w, https://static.conocophillips.com/files/media/wide-med-screenshot_22-10-2024_1643_conocophillipssharepoin.jpeg 980w, https://static.conocophillips.com/files/media/wide-sml-screenshot_22-10-2024_1643_conocophillipssharepoin.jpeg 740w, https://static.conocophillips.com/files/media/wide-xsml-screenshot_22-10-2024_1643_conocophillipssharepoin.jpeg 500w" alt="Geologist Glen Burridge takes a sand sample on Juno Beach on June 6, 2024." width="500" height="282"> <button class="js-swap js-lock media_gallery_fullscreen" data-swap-target=".media_gallery_lightbox" data-swap-group="lightbox" data-swap-linked="lightbox" type="button"> <span class="media_gallery_fullscreen_label">Fullscreen</span> <span class="media_gallery_fullscreen_icon"><svg class="icon icon_fullscreen"><use xlink:href="https://www.conocophillips.com/images/icons.svg?1740443329#fullscreen"></use></svg> </span> </button> </div> <div class="media_gallery_footer"> <div class="media_gallery_caption"> <h3 class="media_gallery_item_title">Juno Beach sand samples</h3><p>Geologist Glen Burridge takes a sand sample on Juno Beach on June 6, 2024. “The role of geology in what was one of the most pivotal moments of the 20th Century is arguably the last great untold part of D-Day,” Burridge said. “It is through projects like this that we can show the power of what we can learn. For practical uses, yes, but also for the fact that geology is everywhere and always shapes our human world and events to some extent or other.”</p> </div> <div class="media_gallery_step"> 1 / 7 </div> </div> </div> <div class="media_gallery"> <div class="media_gallery_media"> <img class="media_gallery_image" loading="lazy" sizes="auto" src="https://static.conocophillips.com/files/media/wide-xsml-screenshot-2024-10-09-163120-2.png" srcset="https://static.conocophillips.com/files/media/wide-lrg-screenshot-2024-10-09-163120-2.png 1220w, https://static.conocophillips.com/files/media/wide-med-screenshot-2024-10-09-163120-2.png 980w, https://static.conocophillips.com/files/media/wide-sml-screenshot-2024-10-09-163120-2.png 740w, https://static.conocophillips.com/files/media/wide-xsml-screenshot-2024-10-09-163120-2.png 500w" alt="" width="500" height="282"> <button class="js-swap js-lock media_gallery_fullscreen" data-swap-target=".media_gallery_lightbox" data-swap-group="lightbox" data-swap-linked="lightbox" type="button"> <span class="media_gallery_fullscreen_label">Fullscreen</span> <span class="media_gallery_fullscreen_icon"><svg class="icon icon_fullscreen"><use xlink:href="https://www.conocophillips.com/images/icons.svg?1740443329#fullscreen"></use></svg> </span> </button> </div> <div class="media_gallery_footer"> <div class="media_gallery_caption"> <h3 class="media_gallery_item_title">Juno Beach field research</h3><p>BYU Geology Professor Sam Hudson and ConocoPhillips Staff Geologist Erin Pemberton survey Juno Beach at low tide on the morning of June 6, 2024, the 80th anniversary of the D-Day invasion. "It's hard to reflect on what happened here," Pemberton said. "It's unfathomable. You just get goosebumps. Just the absolute bravery and heroism that took place here … there are no words.” </p> </div> <div class="media_gallery_step"> 2 / 7 </div> </div> </div> <div class="media_gallery"> <div class="media_gallery_media"> <img class="media_gallery_image" loading="lazy" sizes="auto" src="https://static.conocophillips.com/files/media/wide-xsml-omaha-beach.png" srcset="https://static.conocophillips.com/files/media/wide-lrg-omaha-beach.png 1220w, https://static.conocophillips.com/files/media/wide-med-omaha-beach.png 980w, https://static.conocophillips.com/files/media/wide-sml-omaha-beach.png 740w, https://static.conocophillips.com/files/media/wide-xsml-omaha-beach.png 500w" alt="Glen Burridge quote" width="500" height="282"> <button class="js-swap js-lock media_gallery_fullscreen" data-swap-target=".media_gallery_lightbox" data-swap-group="lightbox" data-swap-linked="lightbox" type="button"> <span class="media_gallery_fullscreen_label">Fullscreen</span> <span class="media_gallery_fullscreen_icon"><svg class="icon icon_fullscreen"><use xlink:href="https://www.conocophillips.com/images/icons.svg?1740443329#fullscreen"></use></svg> </span> </button> </div> <div class="media_gallery_footer"> <div class="media_gallery_caption"> <h3 class="media_gallery_item_title">The role of military geologists</h3><p>Military geologists played a crucial role in selecting the D-Day landing spots, and their assessments helped ensure that the chosen landing sites were suitable for the massive amphibious assault that took place on June 6, 1944. They analyzed the beaches of Normandy, focusing on factors like sand composition, tidal patterns and the ability of the terrain to support heavy equipment. “When you consider the conditions of time, jeopardy and huge and unusual organizational structure they were working within, it’s astonishing what this small group of scientists achieved,” said geologist Glen Burridge. “Aside from all considerations of strategic deception and density of defenses, the scientists were able to point to the numerous unique geological advantages their choice provided to the invasion in not just the structure and composition of the beaches themselves but the suitability of the immediate back-country for very rapid airfield construction, not to mention the distance to the Southern English coast and its harbors.”</p> </div> <div class="media_gallery_step"> 3 / 7 </div> </div> </div> <div class="media_gallery"> <div class="media_gallery_media"> <img class="media_gallery_image" loading="lazy" sizes="auto" src="https://static.conocophillips.com/files/media/wide-xsml-img-2282.jpeg" srcset="https://static.conocophillips.com/files/media/wide-lrg-img-2282.jpeg 1220w, https://static.conocophillips.com/files/media/wide-med-img-2282.jpeg 980w, https://static.conocophillips.com/files/media/wide-sml-img-2282.jpeg 740w, https://static.conocophillips.com/files/media/wide-xsml-img-2282.jpeg 500w" alt="Tire tracks on Utah Beach show the firmness of the sand." width="500" height="282"> <button class="js-swap js-lock media_gallery_fullscreen" data-swap-target=".media_gallery_lightbox" data-swap-group="lightbox" data-swap-linked="lightbox" type="button"> <span class="media_gallery_fullscreen_label">Fullscreen</span> <span class="media_gallery_fullscreen_icon"><svg class="icon icon_fullscreen"><use xlink:href="https://www.conocophillips.com/images/icons.svg?1740443329#fullscreen"></use></svg> </span> </button> </div> <div class="media_gallery_footer"> <div class="media_gallery_caption"> <h3 class="media_gallery_item_title">Perfect for supporting heavy vehicles</h3><p>Tire tracks on Utah Beach show the firmness of the sand. “You could probably dribble a basketball on that beach,” Dallin Laycock said. “It was perfect for supporting large heavy vehicles. We even saw World War II-era vehicles driving around on the beach as part of the anniversary event, giving us a clear look at what those World War II geologists were trying to figure out, that this beach was great for staging an assault.”</p> </div> <div class="media_gallery_step"> 4 / 7 </div> </div> </div> <div class="media_gallery"> <div class="media_gallery_media"> <img class="media_gallery_image" loading="lazy" sizes="auto" src="https://static.conocophillips.com/files/media/wide-xsml-brancaster-beach-sampling-2.png" srcset="https://static.conocophillips.com/files/media/wide-lrg-brancaster-beach-sampling-2.png 1220w, https://static.conocophillips.com/files/media/wide-med-brancaster-beach-sampling-2.png 980w, https://static.conocophillips.com/files/media/wide-sml-brancaster-beach-sampling-2.png 740w, https://static.conocophillips.com/files/media/wide-xsml-brancaster-beach-sampling-2.png 500w" alt="" width="500" height="282"> <button class="js-swap js-lock media_gallery_fullscreen" data-swap-target=".media_gallery_lightbox" data-swap-group="lightbox" data-swap-linked="lightbox" type="button"> <span class="media_gallery_fullscreen_label">Fullscreen</span> <span class="media_gallery_fullscreen_icon"><svg class="icon icon_fullscreen"><use xlink:href="https://www.conocophillips.com/images/icons.svg?1740443329#fullscreen"></use></svg> </span> </button> </div> <div class="media_gallery_footer"> <div class="media_gallery_caption"> <h3 class="media_gallery_item_title">Brancaster Beach in the U.K.</h3><p>Geologists Erin Pemberton and Sam Hudson collect sand samples on Brancaster Beach in the U.K. The Allies used Brancaster Beach as a testing ground prior to the D-Day invasion. Brancaster’s vast sands were perfect for testing ordnance, vehicle movement and covert frogman raids. Additionally, Brancaster Beach served as an excellent comparison for the marshy areas behind Gold and Utah beaches. Military geologists, focused on the strength of Normandy beach sand and the risk of peat, were drawn to Brancaster Beach due to its similar history of submerged woodland.</p> </div> <div class="media_gallery_step"> 5 / 7 </div> </div> </div> <div class="media_gallery"> <div class="media_gallery_media"> <img class="media_gallery_image" loading="lazy" sizes="auto" src="https://static.conocophillips.com/files/media/wide-xsml-screenshot-2024-10-22-154416.png" srcset="https://static.conocophillips.com/files/media/wide-lrg-screenshot-2024-10-22-154416.png 1220w, https://static.conocophillips.com/files/media/wide-med-screenshot-2024-10-22-154416.png 980w, https://static.conocophillips.com/files/media/wide-sml-screenshot-2024-10-22-154416.png 740w, https://static.conocophillips.com/files/media/wide-xsml-screenshot-2024-10-22-154416.png 500w" alt="" width="500" height="282"> <button class="js-swap js-lock media_gallery_fullscreen" data-swap-target=".media_gallery_lightbox" data-swap-group="lightbox" data-swap-linked="lightbox" type="button"> <span class="media_gallery_fullscreen_label">Fullscreen</span> <span class="media_gallery_fullscreen_icon"><svg class="icon icon_fullscreen"><use xlink:href="https://www.conocophillips.com/images/icons.svg?1740443329#fullscreen"></use></svg> </span> </button> </div> <div class="media_gallery_footer"> <div class="media_gallery_caption"> <h3 class="media_gallery_item_title"> B茅ny-sur-Mer Canadian War Cemetery </h3><p>While in France for the 80th anniversary of D-Day, Dallin Laycock, a Canadian native and geologist for ConocoPhillips Canada, toured the Bény-sur-Mer Canadian War Cemetery, situated inland of Juno Beach, where Canadian forces landed on June 6, 1944. The cemetery is the final resting place for 2,044 Canadian soldiers who lost their lives during the Battle of Normandy. Three British soldiers and one French civilian are also buried there. </p> </div> <div class="media_gallery_step"> 6 / 7 </div> </div> </div> <div class="media_gallery"> <div class="media_gallery_media"> <img class="media_gallery_image" loading="lazy" sizes="auto" src="https://static.conocophillips.com/files/media/wide-xsml-veterans-day-sp1.jpg" srcset="https://static.conocophillips.com/files/media/wide-lrg-veterans-day-sp1.jpg 1220w, https://static.conocophillips.com/files/media/wide-med-veterans-day-sp1.jpg 980w, https://static.conocophillips.com/files/media/wide-sml-veterans-day-sp1.jpg 740w, https://static.conocophillips.com/files/media/wide-xsml-veterans-day-sp1.jpg 500w" alt="" width="500" height="282"> <button class="js-swap js-lock media_gallery_fullscreen" data-swap-target=".media_gallery_lightbox" data-swap-group="lightbox" data-swap-linked="lightbox" type="button"> <span class="media_gallery_fullscreen_label">Fullscreen</span> <span class="media_gallery_fullscreen_icon"><svg class="icon icon_fullscreen"><use xlink:href="https://www.conocophillips.com/images/icons.svg?1740443329#fullscreen"></use></svg> </span> </button> <div class="js-swap media_gallery_credit"> <span class="media_gallery_credit_icon"><svg class="icon icon_camera"><use xlink:href="https://www.conocophillips.com/images/icons.svg?1740443329#camera"></use></svg> </span> <span class="media_gallery_credit_label">Billy Smith II</span> </div> </div> <div class="media_gallery_footer"> <div class="media_gallery_caption"> <h3 class="media_gallery_item_title">Veterans Day 2024</h3><p>ConocoPhillips values the experience and skills military veterans gain in service to our country. The company's Patriot Employee Network (PEN), which has chapters in Alaska, Bartlesville, Houston and Midland, hosted special activities and events for Veterans Day. In Houston, PEN members welcomed Jerry Hendrix, Ph.D., and retired U.S. Navy Captain, a distinguished expert in naval strategy, who delivered a presentation on 'The Importance of the U.S. Navy in Ensuring Freedom of Navigation.' </p> <p> </p> </div> <div class="media_gallery_step"> 7 / 7 </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="media_gallery_lightbox"> <div class="media_gallery_lightbox_header"> <button class="js-swap js-lock media_gallery_lightbox_close" data-swap-target=".media_gallery_lightbox" data-swap-group="lightbox" data-swap-linked="lightbox" type="button"> <span class="media_gallery_lightbox_close_label">Close</span> <span class="media_gallery_lightbox_close_icon"><svg class="icon icon_close"><use xlink:href="https://www.conocophillips.com/images/icons.svg?1740443329#close"></use></svg> </span> </button> </div> <div class="js-carousel media_gallery_carousel_alt media_gallery_carousel_lightbox" data-carousel-options='{"contained": false, "controls": true, "pagination": false}' data-carousel-linked=".media_gallery_carousel"> <div class="media_gallery"> <div class="media_gallery_media"> <img class="media_gallery_image" loading="lazy" sizes="auto" src="https://static.conocophillips.com/files/media/wide-xsml-screenshot_22-10-2024_1643_conocophillipssharepoin.jpeg" srcset="https://static.conocophillips.com/files/media/wide-lrg-screenshot_22-10-2024_1643_conocophillipssharepoin.jpeg 1220w, https://static.conocophillips.com/files/media/wide-med-screenshot_22-10-2024_1643_conocophillipssharepoin.jpeg 980w, https://static.conocophillips.com/files/media/wide-sml-screenshot_22-10-2024_1643_conocophillipssharepoin.jpeg 740w, https://static.conocophillips.com/files/media/wide-xsml-screenshot_22-10-2024_1643_conocophillipssharepoin.jpeg 500w" alt="Geologist Glen Burridge takes a sand sample on Juno Beach on June 6, 2024." width="500" height="282"> </div> <div class="media_gallery_footer"> <div class="media_gallery_caption"> Geologist Glen Burridge takes a sand sample on Juno Beach on June 6, 2024. “The role of geology in what was one of the most pivotal moments of the 20th Century is arguably the last great untold part of D-Day,” Burridge said. “It is through projects like this that we can show the power of what we can learn. For practical uses, yes, but also for the fact that geology is everywhere and always shapes our human world and events to some extent or other.” </div> <div class="media_gallery_step"> 1 / 7 </div> </div> </div> <div class="media_gallery"> <div class="media_gallery_media"> <img class="media_gallery_image" loading="lazy" sizes="auto" src="https://static.conocophillips.com/files/media/wide-xsml-screenshot-2024-10-09-163120-2.png" srcset="https://static.conocophillips.com/files/media/wide-lrg-screenshot-2024-10-09-163120-2.png 1220w, https://static.conocophillips.com/files/media/wide-med-screenshot-2024-10-09-163120-2.png 980w, https://static.conocophillips.com/files/media/wide-sml-screenshot-2024-10-09-163120-2.png 740w, https://static.conocophillips.com/files/media/wide-xsml-screenshot-2024-10-09-163120-2.png 500w" alt="" width="500" height="282"> </div> <div class="media_gallery_footer"> <div class="media_gallery_caption"> BYU Geology Professor Sam Hudson and ConocoPhillips Staff Geologist Erin Pemberton survey Juno Beach at low tide on the morning of June 6, 2024, the 80th anniversary of the D-Day invasion. "It's hard to reflect on what happened here," Pemberton said. "It's unfathomable. You just get goosebumps. Just the absolute bravery and heroism that took place here … there are no words.”  </div> <div class="media_gallery_step"> 2 / 7 </div> </div> </div> <div class="media_gallery"> <div class="media_gallery_media"> <img class="media_gallery_image" loading="lazy" sizes="auto" src="https://static.conocophillips.com/files/media/wide-xsml-omaha-beach.png" srcset="https://static.conocophillips.com/files/media/wide-lrg-omaha-beach.png 1220w, https://static.conocophillips.com/files/media/wide-med-omaha-beach.png 980w, https://static.conocophillips.com/files/media/wide-sml-omaha-beach.png 740w, https://static.conocophillips.com/files/media/wide-xsml-omaha-beach.png 500w" alt="Glen Burridge quote" width="500" height="282"> </div> <div class="media_gallery_footer"> <div class="media_gallery_caption"> Military geologists played a crucial role in selecting the D-Day landing spots, and their assessments helped ensure that the chosen landing sites were suitable for the massive amphibious assault that took place on June 6, 1944. They analyzed the beaches of Normandy, focusing on factors like sand composition, tidal patterns and the ability of the terrain to support heavy equipment. “When you consider the conditions of time, jeopardy and huge and unusual organizational structure they were working within, it’s astonishing what this small group of scientists achieved,” said geologist Glen Burridge. “Aside from all considerations of strategic deception and density of defenses, the scientists were able to point to the numerous unique geological advantages their choice provided to the invasion in not just the structure and composition of the beaches themselves but the suitability of the immediate back-country for very rapid airfield construction, not to mention the distance to the Southern English coast and its harbors.” </div> <div class="media_gallery_step"> 3 / 7 </div> </div> </div> <div class="media_gallery"> <div class="media_gallery_media"> <img class="media_gallery_image" loading="lazy" sizes="auto" src="https://static.conocophillips.com/files/media/wide-xsml-img-2282.jpeg" srcset="https://static.conocophillips.com/files/media/wide-lrg-img-2282.jpeg 1220w, https://static.conocophillips.com/files/media/wide-med-img-2282.jpeg 980w, https://static.conocophillips.com/files/media/wide-sml-img-2282.jpeg 740w, https://static.conocophillips.com/files/media/wide-xsml-img-2282.jpeg 500w" alt="Tire tracks on Utah Beach show the firmness of the sand." width="500" height="282"> </div> <div class="media_gallery_footer"> <div class="media_gallery_caption"> Tire tracks on Utah Beach show the firmness of the sand. “You could probably dribble a basketball on that beach,” Dallin Laycock said. “It was perfect for supporting large heavy vehicles. We even saw World War II-era vehicles driving around on the beach as part of the anniversary event, giving us a clear look at what those World War II geologists were trying to figure out, that this beach was great for staging an assault.” </div> <div class="media_gallery_step"> 4 / 7 </div> </div> </div> <div class="media_gallery"> <div class="media_gallery_media"> <img class="media_gallery_image" loading="lazy" sizes="auto" src="https://static.conocophillips.com/files/media/wide-xsml-brancaster-beach-sampling-2.png" srcset="https://static.conocophillips.com/files/media/wide-lrg-brancaster-beach-sampling-2.png 1220w, https://static.conocophillips.com/files/media/wide-med-brancaster-beach-sampling-2.png 980w, https://static.conocophillips.com/files/media/wide-sml-brancaster-beach-sampling-2.png 740w, https://static.conocophillips.com/files/media/wide-xsml-brancaster-beach-sampling-2.png 500w" alt="" width="500" height="282"> </div> <div class="media_gallery_footer"> <div class="media_gallery_caption"> Geologists Erin Pemberton and Sam Hudson collect sand samples on Brancaster Beach in the U.K. The Allies used Brancaster Beach as a testing ground prior to the D-Day invasion. Brancaster’s vast sands were perfect for testing ordnance, vehicle movement and covert frogman raids. Additionally, Brancaster Beach served as an excellent comparison for the marshy areas behind Gold and Utah beaches. Military geologists, focused on the strength of Normandy beach sand and the risk of peat, were drawn to Brancaster Beach due to its similar history of submerged woodland. </div> <div class="media_gallery_step"> 5 / 7 </div> </div> </div> <div class="media_gallery"> <div class="media_gallery_media"> <img class="media_gallery_image" loading="lazy" sizes="auto" src="https://static.conocophillips.com/files/media/wide-xsml-screenshot-2024-10-22-154416.png" srcset="https://static.conocophillips.com/files/media/wide-lrg-screenshot-2024-10-22-154416.png 1220w, https://static.conocophillips.com/files/media/wide-med-screenshot-2024-10-22-154416.png 980w, https://static.conocophillips.com/files/media/wide-sml-screenshot-2024-10-22-154416.png 740w, https://static.conocophillips.com/files/media/wide-xsml-screenshot-2024-10-22-154416.png 500w" alt="" width="500" height="282"> </div> <div class="media_gallery_footer"> <div class="media_gallery_caption"> While in France for the 80th anniversary of D-Day, Dallin Laycock, a Canadian native and geologist for ConocoPhillips Canada, toured the Bény-sur-Mer Canadian War Cemetery, situated inland of Juno Beach, where Canadian forces landed on June 6, 1944. The cemetery is the final resting place for 2,044 Canadian soldiers who lost their lives during the Battle of Normandy. Three British soldiers and one French civilian are also buried there.  </div> <div class="media_gallery_step"> 6 / 7 </div> </div> </div> <div class="media_gallery"> <div class="media_gallery_media"> <img class="media_gallery_image" loading="lazy" sizes="auto" src="https://static.conocophillips.com/files/media/wide-xsml-veterans-day-sp1.jpg" srcset="https://static.conocophillips.com/files/media/wide-lrg-veterans-day-sp1.jpg 1220w, https://static.conocophillips.com/files/media/wide-med-veterans-day-sp1.jpg 980w, https://static.conocophillips.com/files/media/wide-sml-veterans-day-sp1.jpg 740w, https://static.conocophillips.com/files/media/wide-xsml-veterans-day-sp1.jpg 500w" alt="" width="500" height="282"> </div> <div class="media_gallery_footer"> <div class="media_gallery_caption"> ConocoPhillips values the experience and skills military veterans gain in service to our country. The company's Patriot Employee Network (PEN), which has chapters in Alaska, Bartlesville, Houston and Midland, hosted special activities and events for Veterans Day. 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