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Allostratigraphy, Paleogeographic Evolution and Accommodation Controls of the Lower Colorado Allogroup in West-Central Alberta

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Western University Scholarship@Western Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository 10-5-2017 3:30 PM Allostratigraphy, Paleogeographic Evolution and Accommodation Controls of the Lower Colorado Allogroup in West-Central Alberta, Canada (Western Canada Foreland Basin) Steve Morrow The University of Western Ontario Supervisor Dr. A. Guy Plint The University of Western Ontario Graduate Program in Geology A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the equirr ements for the degree in Master of Science © Steve Morrow 2017 Follow this and additional works at: https://ir.lib.uwo.ca/etd Part of the Geology Commons, Sedimentology Commons, and the Stratigraphy Commons Recommended Citation Morrow, Steve, "Allostratigraphy, Paleogeographic Evolution and Accommodation Controls of the Lower Colorado Allogroup in West-Central Alberta, Canada (Western Canada Foreland Basin)" (2017). Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository. 5168. https://ir.lib.uwo.ca/etd/5168 This Dissertation/Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by Scholarship@Western. It has been accepted for inclusion in Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository by an authorized administrator of Scholarship@Western. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Abstract The Lower Colorado allogroup of the Western Canada Foreland Basin is a mud- dominated rock succession of marine, estuarine, and coastal plain depositional origin. Relative sea-level oscillations produced bounding discontinuities that allow the allogroup to be divided into four alloformations: the Joli Fou, Viking, Westgate, and Fish Scales. Rocks of the Lower Colorado allogroup within the study area record marine depositional environments represented by 9 facies. The facies represent depositional environments ranging from offshore marine to lower shoreface through to upper shoreface and river mouth environments. Geometric analysis of the isopach maps of the regional allomembers of the Lower Colorado allogroup has allowed the recognition and differentiation of the tectonic and eustatic contributions to the generation of accommodation patterns within the study area. Accommodation for the Joli Fou alloformation and allomembers VA and VB of the Viking alloformation were determined to be the result of eustatic changes, while allomembers VD, WB, WC, and FB were determined to be the result of tectonism. Analysis of Viking allomembers VA, VB1, and VB2 revealed multiple internal surfaces that lead to the identification and mapping of sand bodies within the Viking allomembers. This identification led to the creation of a hypothetical sea-level curve that illustrates how sea-level changed during the Viking from the transgression of VE0 to the transgression of VE3. Keywords Allostratigraphy, Western Canada Foreland Basin, Lower Colorado Group, Viking Formation, Correlation, Tectonics and Eustasy, Isopachs, Accommodation Controls. ii Acknowledgements I would like to thank Dr. Guy Plint for giving me such amazing support throughout the entirety of this project and my entire time at Western. I will never forget my time spent with him out in the foothills of Alberta, insightful classes and lectures, and his willingness to offer support and guidance at any time. I am extremely proud and honoured to have had him as my supervisor. Thank you to Husky Energy for providing the funding for this project. Their dedication to research and providing students with opportunities to succeed has given me this amazing opportunity and I am extremely grateful. I would also like to thank my lab-mates who have always provided a great support network and team atmosphere during my time here. I would especially like to thank Kathleen Vannelli and Matea Drljepan, my fellow ‘Vikings’, who were both so willing and able to work together. Without them, this puzzle would not have been pieced together. Lastly, I would like to thank my family and friends for their support over the last few years. For me, it meant everything. iv Table of Contents Abstract .......................................................................................................................................................... i Acknowledgements ....................................................................................................................................... ii List of figures ................................................................................................................................................ vi Chapter 1: Introduction ................................................................................................................................ 1 1.1 Introduction ........................................................................................................................................ 1 1.2 Statement of Problem ......................................................................................................................... 1 1.3 Research objectives ............................................................................................................................ 2 1.4 Study Area ........................................................................................................................................... 2 1.5 Database ............................................................................................................................................. 2 1.6 Methods .............................................................................................................................................. 4 1.7 Overall significance of this study ........................................................................................................ 4 Chapter 2: Tectonic Setting and Controls on Sedimentation ....................................................................... 8 2.1 Introduction ........................................................................................................................................ 8 2.2 Foreland Basins ................................................................................................................................... 8 2.3 Western Canada Foreland Basin ....................................................................................................... 14 2.4 Cyclicity and Sequences in the Stratigraphic Record ........................................................................ 14 2.4.1 Introduction to Sequence Stratigraphy ..................................................................................... 14 2.4.2 Supercontinent cycle: Cycles Greater than 100 Million years ................................................... 16 2.4.3 Sloss sequences: 10-100 Million year Events............................................................................. 18 2.4.4 Million Year Cycles ................................................................................................................... 18 2.4.5 <1 Million Year Sequences ....................................................................................................... 19 2.4.5 System Tracts Model .................................................................................................................. 21 2.4.6 Important Stratigraphic Surfaces .............................................................................................. 22 Chapter 3: Stratigraphic Framework ........................................................................................................... 26 3.1 Introduction ...................................................................................................................................... 26 3.2 Lithostratigraphy ............................................................................................................................... 26 3.2.1 Introduction ............................................................................................................................... 26 3.2.2 The Lower Colorado Group ........................................................................................................ 26 iv 3.3 Previous Studies ................................................................................................................................ 30 3.3.1 Introduction ............................................................................................................................... 30 3.3.2 Previous Interpretations of the Viking Formation ..................................................................... 32 Chapter 4: Regional Allostratigraphy of the Lower Colorado Allogroup .................................................... 39 4.1 Introduction ...................................................................................................................................... 39 4.2 Allostratigraphic Framework of this Study ....................................................................................... 39 4.2.1 Bounding discontinuities ............................................................................................................ 40 4.2.2 Allostratigraphic Units ............................................................................................................... 42 4.2.3 Shared Surfaces and Units within Previous Viking Studies ........................................................ 42 4.3 The Lower Colorado allogroup .......................................................................................................... 45 4.3.1 Joli Fou alloformation ...............................................................................................................
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