Sandstone Deposition in the Eocene Green River Formation...
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STRATIGRAPHY OF EASTERN UINTA BASIN AND STUDY INTERVAL Overview of Outcrop in Study Area REGIONAL LOCATION FIELD AREA FACIES ASSOCIATIONS UINTA-PICEANCE BASIN CORRELATION Roadside Photo Pans (Next Page) A-A’ Cross-section Line 8A Measured Section *Tuff dates C: Curly, W: Wavy, S: Strawberry from Smith et al., 2008; 2010 Strat column adapted from Johnson, 1984; Self et al., 2010; 2013 Personal Communication, Rich and Lean Zones from Cashion and Donnel 1972, 1974; Vanden Berg, 2008 Tänavsuu-Milkeviciene and Sarg, Figure from Tänavsuu-Milkeviciene et al., 2013 FA 1 Sharp-based Mouthbars: Gully 2 FA 1 FA 2 Aggradational Mouthbars: Gully 8B FA 3 Distributary Channel FA 4 Distal Delta Front FA 5 Oil Shale and Microbialites Plate 1-RMS AAPG Salt Lake City 2013 Sandstone Deposition in the Eocene Green River Formation of Eastern Uinta Basin, Evacuation Creek: Depositional Environments and Reservoir-Scale Architecture 1* 2 T. Ryan O’Hara , Kati Tänavsuu-Milkeviciene 1 J. Frederick Sarg , and 1 Department of Geology & Geological Engineering, Colorado School of Mines, Golden, Colorado 80401, ( jsarg.mines.edu) [email protected] ; 2 Statoil ASA, Research Centre Rotvoll, N-7005 Trondheim, Norway ([email protected]) WIND RIVER UPLIFT GRANITE MOUNTAINS ROCK SPRINGS UPLIFT WHITE RIVER UPLIFT SAWATCH UPLIFT UNCOMPAHGRE UPLIFT SAN RAFAEL SWELL UINTA UPLIFT SEVIER OROGENIC BELT IDAHO UTAH 100 km 0 113 0 44 0 38 0 106 WYOMING COLORADO GREATER GREEN RIVER BASIN PICEANCE CR. BASIN DOUGLAS CREEK ARCH UINTA BASIN Study Area 0 1 2 3 4 4/5 5 5/6 6A 6 6B 6/7 7A 7B 8A 8B 9 A A’ Wasatch Fm. Tongue of Green River Fm. Tongue of Wasatch Fm. Douglas Creek Mb Parachute Creek Mb. Uinta Fm. Eocene Early Middle Epoch Age Fm. Wasatch Fm. Green River Fm. Uinta Fm. Long Point Bed R R R R L L L L L L Mahogany Zone B-groove A-groove C-49.3 W-48.6 S-44.27 L3 R3 L2 R2 L1 R1 L0 R0 C24r C23r C22r C22n C21r R4 R5 L4 L5 R6 R6 M R6 U L6 R7 Mahogany Zone L7 R8 Eocene early middle Paleoc. 48 50 49 52 51 54 53 55 56 ETM2 H2 I2 J EECO I1 Parachute Creek Mb. ? S1 S2 S3 S4 S5 S5 S6 Green River Fm. tongues and Uinta Fm. Cow Ridge Mb. (GR. Fm.) Wasatch Formation Wasatch Formation Tongue of Colton/Wasatch Fm. Colton Formation/Wasatch Fm. Tongue of Green River Green River Formation H H N N N N N a b c Tectonics (filling of basins) Climate (high runoff) Climate dominance C 49.32 0.30 W 48.66 0.23 Age Ma Epoch Chron Fm. R/L zone Age Uinta basin Piceance Creek basin W E E/N Uinta Fm. S1 S2 S3 S4 Y 51.55 0.52 ETM1 R6 L Long Point bed Long Point bed ETM3 C23n C24n Douglas Creek Mb. Douglas Creek Mb. Anvil Point Mb. Garden Gulch Mb. Tectonics (forming of basins) (UTICO) LEGEND S1: Fresh lake STAGES (S) S2: Transitional lake S3: Highly fluctuating lake S4: Rising lake S5: High lake S6: Closing lake DATED TUFF BEDS Uinta-Piceance Creek basin C Curly tuff W Wavy tuff Y Yellow tuff Dated tuff Sequence boundary (SB) Occurrence of fish Halite H N Nahcolite Hyperthermal (400 Ky) SB12 SB11 SB10 SB9 SB8 SB7 SB6 SB5 SB4 SB3 SB2 SB1 (400 Ky) SB12 SB11 SB10 SB9 SB8 SB7 SB6 SB5 SB4 SB3 SB2 SB1 Parachute Creek Mb. 0m Mud S vF F M 10 20 Gully 0: Coarsening upward Distal Delta Front deepening upward cycles Study Interval Study Interval of RMS 2013 Dated Tuff (Ma) * Currently with Maersk Oil Qatar AS, Doha, Qatar Mahogany Bed Mahogany Zone B-Groove Upper SS Lower SS OS&MC Oil Shale and Microbialites OS&MC Up. R6 Sub-Interval L6 R7 R6 L5 Key Units R/L Zones SB 10 SB 11 30m 1m 1m ABSTRACT Lacustrine basins across the globe contain large resources due to the occurrence of rich source rock and adjacent clastic reservoir facies. In the Uinta basin the Eocene Green River Formation is productive from several fields in the basin such as: Altamont-Bluebell, Red-Wash, and Monument Buttes. The reservoir characteristics of these fields are dissimilar and can be explained by the contrasting depositional settings and subsequent diagenetic histories. Outcrop studies in Evacuation Creek in eastern Uinta basin offer insight into a relatively understudied portion of the Uinta basin. Evacuation Creek is located near the Colorado-Utah border on the western flank of the north-south trending Douglas Creek Arch. This study is based on detailed description of two sandy siliciclastic units of the marginal-lacustrine Green River Formation, profiled along a 2.5 mile outcrop in the R6 zone of the Rising Lake Stage of Tänavsuu-Milkeviciene and Sarg (2012). Facies analysis is used to interpret the overall depositional setting. Deposition within the study interval ranges from alternating oil shale- microbialites during low sediment input phases to sandy clastic input during rising lake levels when sediment supply was greater and deltaic style deposition dominated. The sandstone intervals in this study area are complex. Described facies associations include mouth bars, delta front, distributary channels, and oil shale-microbialites. These units are mapped across the study interval with high resolution panoramic photography. Depositional environments contain evidence for high sedimentation rates, which include slump and slide features like plastic transportation of sandstone blocks out into the distal delta front resulting in “Cinnamon Roll” features. Mouth bars are sharp-based and vary from a single phase of development that prograded rapidly to multiphase mouth bar deposition that contain wave and wave-modified current ripple lamination, and coarsening upward sequences. Single phase mouth bars prograde directly onto distal delta front and contain local slides of mouth bar blocks within the lateral bar form. Delta front facies contain ripple facies in proximal settings, and planar to laminated facies from sediment plume settling in distal settings. Distributary channels contain predominantly trough cross- bedded facies in laterally extensive, sharp-based packages. Facies Association Comment Facies Sharp-based Mouth Bar (FA1) Sharp-based bars have planar, irregular, concave up, and concave down basal surfaces, internal bed surfaces dip away from core of laterally continuous body, and locally contain slide deposits of like facies; thin delta front deposit facies association in lower contact with unit Structureless sandstone (F3), current- ripple cross-laminated sandstone (F5), wave-ripple cross-laminated sandstone (F8), plane- parallel laminated sandstone (F9), low-angle cross- stratified sandstone (F10), trough cross stratified sandstone (F11) Aggradational Mouth Bar (FA2) Bar units that contain multiple coarsening upward cycles, in proximal setting, bar units coarsen upwards into sharp-based, coarser beds; in distal setting, coarsening upward cycles contain aggradational ripples and lack coarse sharp-based beds at top of coarsening upward cycles Structureless sandstone (F3) , current- ripple cross-laminated sandstone (F5), climbing-ripple cross laminated sandstone (F6), combined-ripple cross- laminated sandstone (F7), wave-ripple cross-laminated sandstone (F8)), low- angle cross-stratified sandstone (F10) Distributary Channel (FA3) High energy environment that is broad and basally erosive Trough cross stratified sandstone (F11), plane-parallel laminated sandstone (F9), structureless sandstone (F3) Distal Delta Front (FA4) Laterally continuous environment, basinward of mouth bar facies association Laminated mudstone (silt-rich) (F1), homogeneous mudstone (F2), structureless sandstone and structureless sandstone with mudstone clasts (F3), thin ripple topped or based sandstones (F4), combined ripple cross lamination (F7) Oil Shale and Microbialite (FA5) Deepening upward units at lake margin forming at periods of decreased sediment input or at distances from sediment input, sequences comprise sharp-based microbialites overlain by oil shale Oil shale (F14), microbial carbonates (F13)
Transcript of Sandstone Deposition in the Eocene Green River Formation...
STRATIGRAPHY OF EASTERN UINTA BASIN AND STUDY INTERVAL
Overview of Outcrop in Study Area
REGIONAL LOCATION FIELD AREA
FACIES ASSOCIATIONS
UINTA-PICEANCE BASIN CORRELATION
Roadside Photo Pans(Next Page)
A-A’ Cross-section Line
8A Measured Section
*Tuff dates C: Curly, W: Wavy, S: Strawberry from Smith et al., 2008; 2010
Strat column adapted from Johnson, 1984; Self et al., 2010; 2013 Personal Communication, Rich and Lean Zones from Cashion and Donnel 1972, 1974; Vanden Berg, 2008
Tänavsuu-Milkeviciene and Sarg,
Figure from Tänavsuu-Milkeviciene et al., 2013
FA 1 Sharp-based Mouthbars: Gully 2 FA 1
FA 2 Aggradational
Mouthbars: Gully 8B
FA 3 Distributary Channel
FA 4 Distal Delta Front
FA 5 Oil Shale and
Microbialites
Plate 1-RMS AAPG Salt Lake City 2013 Sandstone Deposition in the Eocene Green River Formation of Eastern Uinta Basin, Evacuation Creek:
Depositional Environments and Reservoir-Scale Architecture1* 2T. Ryan O’Hara , Kati Tänavsuu-Milkeviciene1J. Frederick Sarg , and 1 Department of Geology & Geological Engineering, Colorado School of Mines, Golden, Colorado 80401, ( jsarg.mines.edu)[email protected] ;
2 Statoil ASA, Research Centre Rotvoll, N-7005 Trondheim, Norway ([email protected])
WIN
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IVER
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GRANITEMOUNTAINS
ROCKSPRINGSUPLIFT
WHITERIVERUPLIFTS
AW
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UP
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UNCOMPAHGRE
UPLIFT
SANRAFAELSWELL
UINTA UPLIFT
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GREATER GREENRIVER BASIN
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UINTA BASINStudy Area
0 12 3
4
4/55
5/6
6A
66B
6/77A
7B
8A8B
9
A
A’
Wasatch Fm.
Tongue of Green River Fm. Tongue of Wasatch Fm.
Douglas Creek Mb
Parachute Creek Mb.
Uinta Fm.
Eoce
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Early
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Epoch
Age
Fm
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Long Point Bed
R
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Mahogany Zone
B-groove
A-groove
C-49.3
W-48.6
S-44.27
L3R3L2R2L1
R1
L0R0
C24r
C23r
C22r
C22n
C21r
R4
R5
L4
L5
R6R6M
R6U
L6R7 Mahogany Zone
L7
R8
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Green River Fm. tonguesand Uinta Fm.
Cow Ridge Mb. (GR. Fm.)
Wasatch Formation
Wasatch Formation
Tongue of Colton/Wasatch Fm.
Colton Formation/Wasatch Fm.
Tongue of Green River
Gre
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Fo
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Clim
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C 49.32 0.30
W 48.66 0.23
AgeMa E
po
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ge Uinta basin Piceance Creek basin
WE E/N
Uin
ta F
m.
S1
S2
S3
S4
Y 51.55 0.52
ETM1
R6L
Long Point bedLong Point bed
ETM3
C23n
C24n
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(UTICO)
LEGEND
S1: Fresh lake
STAGES (S)
S2: Transitional lake
S3: Highly fluctuating lake
S4: Rising lake
S5: High lake
S6: Closing lake
DATED TUFF BEDSUinta-Piceance Creek basin
C Curly tuffW Wavy tuff
Y Yellow tuff
Dated tuffSequence boundary (SB)
Occurrence of fishHaliteH
N Nahcolite
Hyperthermal
(400 Ky)SB12
SB11
SB10
SB9
SB8
SB7
SB6
SB5
SB4
SB3
SB2
SB1
(400 Ky)SB12
SB11
SB10
SB9
SB8
SB7
SB6
SB5
SB4
SB3
SB2
SB1
Pa
rach
ute
Cre
ek
Mb
.
0mMud S vF F M
10
20 Gully 0:
Coarsening upward
Distal Delta Front
deepening upwardcycles
Study Interval
Study Interval of RMS 2013
Dated Tuff(Ma)
* Currently with Maersk Oil Qatar AS, Doha, Qatar
Mahogany Bed
Mahogany ZoneB-Groove
Upper SS
Lower SS
OS&MC
Oil Shale and Microbialites
OS&MC
Up. R6 Sub-IntervalL6
R7
R6
L5
Key UnitsR/L
Z
ones
SB 10
SB 11
30m
1m
1m
ABSTRACTLacustrine basins across the globe contain large resources due to the occurrence of rich source rock and adjacent clastic reservoir facies. In the Uinta basin the Eocene Green River Formation is productive from several fields in the basin such as: Altamont-Bluebell, Red-Wash, and Monument Buttes. The reservoir characteristics of these fields are dissimilar and can be explained by the contrasting depositional settings and subsequent diagenetic histories. Outcrop studies in Evacuation Creek in eastern Uinta basin offer insight into a relatively understudied portion of the Uinta basin.
Evacuation Creek is located near the Colorado-Utah border on the western flank of the north-south trending Douglas Creek Arch. This study is based on detailed description of two sandy siliciclastic units of the marginal-lacustrine Green River Formation, profiled along a 2.5 mile outcrop in the R6 zone of the Rising Lake Stage of Tänavsuu-Milkeviciene and Sarg (2012). Facies analysis is used to interpret the overall depositional setting. Deposition within the study interval ranges from alternating oil shale-microbialites during low sediment input phases to sandy clastic input during rising lake levels when sediment supply was greater and deltaic style deposition dominated.
The sandstone intervals in this study area are complex. Described facies associations include mouth bars, delta front, distributary channels, and oil shale-microbialites. These units are mapped across the study interval with high resolution panoramic photography. Depositional environments contain evidence for high sedimentation rates, which include slump and slide features like plastic transportation of sandstone blocks out into the distal delta front resulting in “Cinnamon Roll” features. Mouth bars are sharp-based and vary from a single phase of development that prograded rapidly to multiphase mouth bar deposition that contain wave and wave-modified current ripple lamination, and coarsening upward sequences. Single phase mouth bars prograde directly onto distal delta front and contain local slides of mouth bar blocks within the lateral bar form. Delta front facies contain ripple facies in proximal settings, and planar to laminated facies from sediment plume settling in distal settings. Distributary channels contain predominantly trough cross-bedded facies in laterally extensive, sharp-based packages.
Facies Association
Comment Facies
Sharp-based Mouth Bar
(FA1)
Sharp-based bars have planar, irregular, concave up, and concave down basal surfaces, internal bed surfaces dip away from core of laterally continuous body, and locally contain slide deposits of like facies; thin delta front deposit facies association in lower contact with unit
Structureless sandstone (F3), current-ripple cross-laminated sandstone (F5), wave-ripple cross-laminated sandstone (F8), plane- parallel laminated sandstone (F9), low-angle cross-stratified sandstone (F10), trough cross stratified sandstone (F11)
Aggradational Mouth Bar
(FA2)
Bar units that contain multiple coarsening upward cycles, in proximal setting, bar units coarsen upwards into sharp-based, coarser beds; in distal setting, coarsening upward cycles contain aggradational ripples and lack coarse sharp-based beds at top of coarsening upward cycles
Structureless sandstone (F3) , current-ripple cross-laminated sandstone (F5), climbing-ripple cross laminated sandstone (F6), combined-ripple cross-laminated sandstone (F7), wave-ripple cross-laminated sandstone (F8)), low-angle cross-stratified sandstone (F10)
Distributary Channel (FA3)
High energy environment that is broad and basally erosive
Trough cross stratified sandstone (F11), plane-parallel laminated sandstone (F9), structureless sandstone (F3)
Distal Delta Front (FA4)
Laterally continuous environment, basinward of mouth bar facies association
Laminated mudstone (silt-rich) (F1), homogeneous mudstone (F2), structureless sandstone and structureless sandstone with mudstone clasts (F3), thin ripple topped or based sandstones (F4), combined ripple cross lamination (F7)
Oil Shale and Microbialite
(FA5)
Deepening upward units at lake margin forming at periods of decreased sediment input or at distances from sediment input, sequences comprise sharp-based microbialites overlain by oil shale
Oil shale (F14), microbial carbonates (F13)
