The Stratigraphy and Sedimentology of the Sentinel Butte Formation (Paleocene) in South-Central Williams County, North Dakota
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University of North Dakota UND Scholarly Commons Theses and Dissertations Theses, Dissertations, and Senior Projects 1992 The trs atigraphy and sedimentology of the Sentinel Butte Formation (Paleocene) in south-central Williams County, North Dakota Wesley D. Peck University of North Dakota Follow this and additional works at: https://commons.und.edu/theses Part of the Geology Commons Recommended Citation Peck, Wesley D., "The trs atigraphy and sedimentology of the Sentinel Butte Formation (Paleocene) in south-central Williams County, North Dakota" (1992). Theses and Dissertations. 221. https://commons.und.edu/theses/221 This Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by the Theses, Dissertations, and Senior Projects at UND Scholarly Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of UND Scholarly Commons. For more information, please contact [email protected]. THE STRATIGRAPHY AND SEDIMENTOLOGY OF THE SENTINEL BUTTE FORMATION (PALEOCENE) IN SOUTH-CENTRAL WILLIAMS COUNTY, NORTH DAKOTA by Wesley D. Peck Bachelor of Science, North Dakota State University, 1987 A Thesis Submitted to the Graduate Faculty of the University of North Dakota in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science Grand Forks, North Dakota August 1992 r This thesis, submitted by Wesley D. Peck in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of ·Master of Science from the University of North Dakota, has been read by the Faculty Advisory committee under whom the work has been done and is hereby approved. (Chairperson) This thesis meets the standards for appearance, conforms to the style and format requirements of the Graduate School of the University of North Dakota, and is hereby approved. Dean of the Graduate School 669585 ii Permission Title The stratigraphy and sedimentology of the Sentinel Butte Formation (Paleocene) in south-central Williams County, North Dakota Department Geology Degree Master of Science In presenting this thesis in partial fulfillment of the requirements for a graduate degree from the University of North Dakota, I agree that the library of this University shall make it freely available f9r inspection. I further agree that permission for extensive copying for scholarly purposes may be granted by the professor who supervised my thesis work or, in his absence, by the Chairperson of the department or the Dean of the Graduate School. It is understood that any copying or publication or other use of this thesis or part thereof for financial gain shall not be allowed without my written permission. It is also understood that due recognition shall be given to me and to the University of North Dakota in any scholarly use which may be made of any material in my thesis. Signature Date iii TABLE OF CONTENTS LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS vi LIST OF TABLES ix ACKNOWLEDGMENTS X ABSTRACT xii INTRODUCTION 1 Purpose 1 General 1 Study Area 4 Methods 4 PREVIOUS STUDIES 8 Stratigraphy 8 Sedimentary Studies 11 LITHOLOGIC DESCRIPTIONS 13 Sandstones . 14 "Upper sand" - . 21 Siltstones 29 Claystones 31 Lignite 33 Limestone 34 STRATIGRAPHIC INTERVAL 39 "Upper sand" 39 "Sentinel Butte tuff" and "upper sand" 40 iv Bullion Creek (Tongue River) contact 43 DEPOSITIONAL ENVIRONMENTS 53 Fluvial systems 53 Lacustrine systems 62 DEPOSITIONAL HISTORY 67 PROVENANCE AND PALEOFLOW DIRECTIONS 79 CONCLUSIONS ..•• 99 Suggestions for future work 100 APPENDIX 102 REFERENCES CITED 134 V ---------------------~ LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS Figure Page 1 Geologic map of Sentinel Butte and post-Sentinel Butte bedrock in western North Dakota. 3 2 Present terminology applied to the Fort Union Group Strata. 5 3 Study area location map 6 4 Nomenclatural history of the Fort Union Group I~ I strata in western North Dakota. 10 5 Photograph of a rilled Sentinel Butte sandstone 16 I !! \!, 6 Photograph of small-scale climbing ripples in a I~ sandstone concretion. 19 i 7 Photograph of ripple marks in a sandstone concretion . • 19 t;: 8 Photograph of parting lineations on a bedding ~ surface of a sandstone. 20 ~ i t 9 Photograph of trough crossbedding exposed in a ~ transverse section of a sandstone concretion 20 t t " 10 Photograph of crossbedding in the "upper sand" showing the preservation of a ripple surface. 22 I. 11 Photograph of trough crossbedding in the "upper sand" . 2 2 12 Photograph of tabular and planar bedding in the 11 "upper sand • • • • • • • • • • • • • 2 3 13 Photograph showing the contact between tabular and planar bedding in the "upper sand" . 23 14 Photograph of a clay ball conglomerate in the 11 "upper sand • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 24 15 Photograph of trough cross-bedding and clay ball accumulation in the "upper sand" • . 24 vi I I I lie - -- -- -------------------, 16 Photograph of epsilon cross~stratification in a Sentinel Butte sandstone ....... 25 17 Key beds of the Sentinel Butte Formation 26 18 Photograph of pedogenic slickensides on claystone fragments • . • . • . 32 19 Photograph of an isolated limestone concretion 35 20 Photograph of an isolated limestone concretion 35 21 Photograph of the extensive limestone unit near the level of the Missouri River .... 36 22 Photograph showing mollusks in the extensive limestone unit near the level of the Missouri River . • • . 38 23 Cross-section between the study area and northern McKenzie County • . .. 42 24 Correlation diagram of some of the major lignite beds across southeastern Williams County 45 25 Profile showing the relative positions of the Bullion Creek-Sentinel Butte formational contact in the study area .•. 50 26 A fluvial model for the development of a fining upward sequence .•......... 55 27 Photograph of a sandstone-lignite contact 60 28 Depositional model for a muddy, fine-grained meandering river. ... 63 29 Index map of the cross-sections 68 30 Key to the patterns used in the cross-sections 69 31 Cross-sections J-I-G and D-B-E 70 32 Cross-section A-E~L-K-H 71 33 Cross-section A-B-F-I 72 34 Cross-section t-D-F-H 73 35 General environmental model for the area surrounding the lake systems interpreted in this study . · · · · · • · · · · · 75 vii - -----~-----------, 36 Paleocene fluvial drainage patterns for the Williston and Powder River Basins 80 37 Regional Paleocene fluvial setting for the Williston and Powder River Basins 81 38 Regional paleocurrent directions. 84 39 Rose diagrams of paleocurrent measurements 86 40 Distribution and location map of selected· drill holes in the Nessen Anticline area ... 89 41 Maps of the elevation and thickness data for the Pittsley lignite bed in the Nesson Anticline area . 93 42 Maps of the elevation and thickness data for the Avoca lignite bed in the Nessen Anticline area. 95 43 Maps of the elevation and thickness data for the Williston lignite bed in the Nessen Anticline area . .· . 97 viii LIST OF TABLES Table Page 1 Classification of sedimentary structures observed in this study . • .. 15 2 Point count results on detrital grains of thin sections from two "upper sand" samples and two lower sandstone samples .•.......... 28 3 The usage of lignite bed names in southwestern Williams County, North Dakota 44 4 Architectural el~ments 57 5 Lithofacies classification 58 6 Lithofacies model 61 7 Reference data for the drill holes used in the investigation near the Nesson Anticline 90 8 Location and stratigraphic data for the drill holes used in the Nesson Anticline area ... 91 ix I I ~ ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I would like to gratefully thank my committee chairman Dr. Richard LeFever for his patience, understanding and suggestions during my years as a graduate student. An immeasurable amount of thanks goes to Dr. Nels Forsman for his support and friendshi~ _over the past years. Nels's uncommon enthusiasm for his students goes beyond the scholarly level. A special thanks to Dr. Ronald Matheney for agreeing to serve as a committee member on such short notice. I would also like to thank Ors. F.D. Holland, Jr., Alan cvancara and Patricia Videtich who served as thesis committee members but, for various unfortunate reasons, had to bow out before I could finish my work. Their input was greatly appreciated. There are many people who have helped me through graduate school, and I probably can't remember all of them. Those who stick out the most in my mind are the fellow graduate students I have met while at UND. A few who have contributed most directly to the retention of my sanity (often at the expense of my liver) and the continuation of my graduate work include Tim Kroeger, Brian Silfer, J. "Crash Helmoot" Crashell, Larry "Larrold" Quandt, Mike "Sondergroin" Sonderman, and "Gunga" Dean Kasparek. They X are some of the elite few who understand what the terms ''peanut scar'' and ''to Mitch" really mean. I am especially indebted to Dr. Joseph H. Hartman for providing me with a job over the last few years as well as an untold number of opportunities and resources for the completion of my thesis. Although a target for many jokes and jabs, Joe's exacting methodology in geological field work is something to aspire toward. After several truly adventurous field trips to some of the most remote areas of eastern Montana and western North Dakota I find that I must admit that some of Joe's habits have rubbed off on me. A very special thank you must go to my family for supporting me in many ways while I've been in college. On more than one occasion they have encouraged roe to stick with school, and yet do what I thought was necessary for my happiness. Last, but in no way least, I am eternally grateful for the moral support, friendship and, most importantly, the love of Lisa Powell. xi For my parents. ABSTRACT Approximately 163 meters (535 feet) of the Paleocene Sentinel Butte Formation crop out in south~central Williams county, North Dakota.