Laminae-scale rhythmicity of inclined heterolithic stratification, Lower Cretaceous McMurray Formation, NE Alberta, Canada

Timmer, Eric R.; Gingras, Murray K.; Morin, Marie-Ève; Ranger, Michael J.; Zonneveld, John‐Paul

doi:10.2113/gscpgbull.64.2.199

Cited by 13 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 30 publications

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“…In the literatures, the classification scheme of mud volume is widely accepted. In our point of view, although the mud volume reflects lots of information, like the sedimentary supply and hydrodynamic condition, it is not representative because the TCs originated from different environments may have the same mud volume [32]. Therefore, according to sedimentary microfacies analysis, this paper proposed a geologic origin-related classification scheme for TCs.…”

Section: Classificationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Quantitative Characterization of Tidal Couplets in Oil Sands Reservoir, the Upper McMurray Formation, Northeastern Alberta, Canada

et al. 2021

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The McMurray Formation, NE Alberta, Canada, is one of the most significant bitumen bearing deposits worldwide. This formation deposited and reworked in fluvial, tidal, or estuarine environments results in a huge number of tidal couplets (TCs) which is consisted of mm-cm scale sandy and muddy interlayers. These couplets not only increase the geologic heterogeneity of the oil sand reservoir but also make it hard to predict the performance of in situ thermal processes. In this paper, based on literatures, lab analysis, core photos, logging, and drilling data, a quantitative characterization procedure for mm-cm scale tidal couplets was proposed. This procedure, which includes identification, classification, quantitative description, and spatial distribution prediction, was presented. Five parameters, thickness, mud volume, laminae frequency, spatial scale, and effective petrophysical properties, were selected to describe the TCs quantitatively. To show the procedure practically, TCs in the oil sand reservoir of McMurray Formation, Mackay River Project, and CNPC, were selected to demonstrate this procedure. The results indicate that the TCs are in mm-cm thickness, densely clustered, and in a variety of geometries. Based on geologic origins, these couplets were divided into four types: tidal bar couplets (TBCs), sand bar couplets (SBCs), mix flat couplets (MFCs), and tidal channel couplets (TCCs). The thickness, mud volume, and frequency were calculated by mathematical morphological processed core photos. The spatial scale of TCs was estimated by high-density well correlations. The effective petrophysical properties were estimated by bedding scale modeling and property modeling via REV. Finally, the spatial distribution of TCs was predicted by object-based modeling.

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Section: Classificationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Quantitative Characterization of Tidal Couplets in Oil Sands Reservoir, the Upper McMurray Formation, Northeastern Alberta, Canada

et al. 2021

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“…The formation comprises a wide array of sedimentary deposits, including cross‐stratified sandstones, coals and pedogenically altered mudstones, and a variety of heterolithic facies (Carrigy, 1959; Keith et al, 1988; Mossop & Flach, 1983; Rinke‐Hardekopf et al, 2019). From the bottom to the top of the stratigraphic succession of the McMurray Formation, heterolithic deposits preferentially exhibit sedimentary structures characteristic of fluvial, tidal and wave influence (Château et al, 2021; Hayes et al, 2017; Hein & Cotterill, 2006; Timmer et al, 2016; Weleschuk & Dashtgard, 2019). The ichnology and palynology of McMurray Formation strata also indicate deposition in freshwater through to brackish‐water environments (Baniak & Kingsmith, 2018; Fustic et al, 2012; Gingras et al, 2016; Harris et al, 2016; Hubbard et al, 2011; La Croix et al, 2019, 2020; Mossop & Flach, 1983; Pemberton et al, 1982; Ranger & Pemberton, 1997; Shchepetkina et al, 2016).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Resolving stratigraphic architecture and constraining ages of paralic strata in a low‐accommodation setting, Firebag Tributary, McMurray Formation, Canada

Rinke-Hardekopf

Dashtgard

MacEachern

et al. 2022

The Depositional Record

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The McMurray Formation in McMurray Depocentre, Canada, is typically subdivided into stratigraphic units based on regionally mappable marine mudstones, the bases of which define flooding surfaces (bottom to top: Lower McMurray, C2, C1, B2, B1, A2, A1 depositional unit). However, the McMurray Formation comprises a variety of palaeoenvironments, with the north-eastern Firebag Tributary hosting significant delta-plain deposits in the Lower McMurray and B1 depositional units. Facies analysis of 60 cores and 4763 wireline logs was used to resolve the palaeoshoreline trajectory and stratigraphic architecture in Firebag Tributary. Of 14 identified facies, three delta-plain facies reveal: (1) eluviated palaeosols, interpreted as shrublands and woodlands formed during base-level fall; (2) gleyed palaeosols, interpreted as tidal marshes; and (3) coals formed in coastal mires, the two latter facies are interpreted to accumulate during base-level rise. Eluviated palaeosols occur below the Lower McMurray coal seam, implying valley incision and a maximum regressive surface. Gleyed palaeosols underlying the coal seam atop the B1 depositional unit do not record base-level fall. Wettingupward coals overlying either palaeosol facies indicate base-level rise (i.e. major flooding surface). B1 depositional unit coals and gleyed palaeosols are overlain by shallow-marine facies or are eroded by wave ravinement during transgression. Consequently, the tops of coals or gleyed palaeosols correlate to the bases of regional marine mudstones elsewhere in McMurray Depocentre. Stratigraphic cross sections showcase palaeoshoreline regression and transgression. During the Lower McMurray and B1 depositional units, widespread coals and palaeosols indicate the palaeoshoreline resided near the western edge of Firebag Tributary.Regression during C2 through B2 depositional units and A2 and A1 depositional units resulted in palaeoshorelines near the Alberta-Saskatchewan border.To complement a previously dated Lower McMurray ash (121.39 ± 0.2 Ma), a new high-confidence maximum depositional age from ash in the B1 coal seam

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“…In addition, it has been quantitatively demonstrated that the cyclicity of physical and chemical palaeoecological stresses at the estuary scale is linked to climatic variation periods (possibly El Niño–Southern Oscillation cycles) (Timmer et al ., 2016b). Nevertheless, examples from the McMurray Formation (Timmer et al ., 2016a) and Amazon Basin (Hovikoski et al ., ) have shown that the interlaminated portions of IHS can be consistent with tidal periodicities. These examples were dominantly unburrowed, suggesting more rapid sedimentation rates.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Using ichnological relationships to interpret heterolithic fabrics in fluvio‐tidal settings

Melnyk¹,

Gingras

2019

Sedimentology

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In fluvio-tidal settings, the sediment is dominantly derived from the river systems. However, the importance of landward tidal transport of sediment in tidally influenced sedimentary environments is difficult to assess, particularly in the rock record. This problem is addressed using two intervals within the Lower Cretaceous McMurray Formation, each representing a distinct inclined heterolithic stratification motif. The ichnological variation between the heterolithic intervals is analyzed to determine which lithosomes are associated with brackish-water (tidally influenced) colonization windows. From this, the relative fluvial influence responsible for the deposition of the fine and coarse members can be determined. Both of the inclined heterolithic stratification fabrics studied record the deposition of fluvio-tidal point bars wherein the heterolithic bedding represents variations in river discharge. The first fabric comprises inclined heterolithic stratification in which bioturbation only occurs in mudstone beds. This fabric indicates that deposition occurred in more proximal positions within a fluvio-tidal system (i.e. the outermost inner to middle estuary or distributary channels). In this example sand deposition is interpreted to represent high-energy, freshwater dune migration within a fluvial-dominated setting, whereas mud beds reflect brackish-water suspension deposition during times of low river discharge. The second fabric, which is interpreted to have developed in more distal depositional positions (i.e. the middle estuary or seaward of the turbidity maximum in deltas), consists of inclined heterolithic stratification with laminated mudstone and bioturbated sandstone. In these inclined heterolithic stratification successions the mudstone beds were deposited under the influence of freshwater and heightened sedimentation rates, whereas bioturbated sandstone was colonized under brackish-water conditions and in the presence of tidally facilitated sediment transport. In both examples, the bioturbated lithosomes are related to colonization windows that indicate the predominance at that time of marine or tidally influenced processes over fluvial processes.

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Laminae-scale rhythmicity of inclined heterolithic stratification, Lower Cretaceous McMurray Formation, NE Alberta, Canada

Cited by 13 publications

References 30 publications

Quantitative Characterization of Tidal Couplets in Oil Sands Reservoir, the Upper McMurray Formation, Northeastern Alberta, Canada

Quantitative Characterization of Tidal Couplets in Oil Sands Reservoir, the Upper McMurray Formation, Northeastern Alberta, Canada

Resolving stratigraphic architecture and constraining ages of paralic strata in a low‐accommodation setting, Firebag Tributary, McMurray Formation, Canada

Using ichnological relationships to interpret heterolithic fabrics in fluvio‐tidal settings

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