DOCSLIB.ORG

Rock-Eval, Lithogeochemistry, Gamma Ray Spectrometry, Vitrine Reflectance, and X-Ray Diffraction Analysis of the Besa River Form

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Rock-Eval, Lithogeochemistry, Gamma Ray Spectrometry, Vitrine Reflectance, and X-Ray Diffraction Analysis of the Besa River Form Rock-Eval, lithogeochemistry, gamma ray spectrometry, vitrine reflectance, and X-ray diffraction analysis of the Besa River Formation in the Rocky Mountains of northeastern British Columbia Filippo Ferri and Julito Reyes British Columbia Geological Survey GeoFile 2019-10 Ministry of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources Mines Competitiveness and Authorizations Division British Columbia Geological Survey Recommended citation: Ferri, F., and Reyes, J., 2019. Rock-Eval, lithogeochemistry, gamma ray spectrometry, vitrine reflectance, and X-ray diffraction analysis of the Besa River Formation in the Rocky Mountains of northeastern British Columbia. British Columbia Ministry of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources, British Columbia Geological Survey GeoFile 2019-10, 3p. Front cover: Carbonaceous, finely laminated, fissile shale 50 to 52 m above the base of the Besa River Formation section measured west of Stone Mountain. Gradations on staff are 10 cm. Photo by Filippo Ferri. Appendices, including datafiles, for this GeoFile can be downloaded from http://cmscontent.nrs.gov.bc.ca/geoscience/PublicationCatalogue/GeoFile/BCGS_GF2019-10.zip Rock-Eval, lithogeochemistry, gamma ray spectrometry, vitrine reflectance, and X-ray diffraction analysis of the Besa River Formation in the Rocky Mountains of northeastern British Columbia Filippo Ferri and Julito Reyes Ministry of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources British Columbia Geological Survey GeoFile 2019-10 Rock-Eval, lithogeochemistry, gamma ray spectrometry, vitrine reflectance, and X-ray diffraction analysis of the Besa River Formation in the Rocky Mountains of northeastern British Columbia Filippo Ferri1a and Julito Reyes2 1British Columbia Geological Survey, Ministry of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources, Victoria, BC, V8W 9N3 2Geological Survey of Canada, Calgary, AB, T2L 2A7 acorresponding author: [email protected] Recommended citation: Ferri, F., and Reyes, J., 2019. Rock-Eval, lithogeochemistry, gamma ray spectrometry, vitrine reflectance, and X-ray diffraction analysis of the Besa River Formation in the Rocky Mountains of northeastern British Columbia. British Columbia Ministry of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources, British Columbia Geological Survey GeoFile 2019-10, 3p. Keywords: Besa River Formation, oil shale, Liard basin, Horn River Formation, Stone Mountain Summary Middle Devonian to Lower Carboniferous shales and section west of Stone Mountain (Appendix 2) and south of siltstones of the Besa River Formation exposed in the Rocky Stone Mountain (Appendix 3) present location maps, graphic Mountains (Fig. 1) are equivalent to shale gas-bearing rocks logs, lithologic descriptions, and images of representative rock in the subsurface of the Liard Basin and, farther east, in the types. Results of whole rock and Rock-Eval geochemistry, bulk Horn River Formation of the Horn River Basin (Fig. 2). To mineral composition, vitrine reflectance, and gamma ray data better understand these shale gas-bearing horizons, Ferri et are presented as Microsoft Excel spread sheets. al. (2012, 2013) investigated the Besa River Formation in outcrops near the southwestern margin of Liard Basin (Fig. 2). Acknowledgements Complementing data and interpretations in Ferri et al. (2012, We thank Igor Bilot and Jeanne B. Percival (Geological 2013), herein we present the full data set from two sections Survey of Canada, Ottawa) for providing the XRD analysis. that were measured and systematically sampled in the Stone We also thank Sarah Saad and Kritsta Boyce for help with Mountain area (Fig. 2). These sections and data sets will processing and analysis of Rock-Eval samples. Kirk Osadetz provide a reference for shale gas-bearing rocks of the Besa (Geological Survey of Canada, Calgary) provided background River Formation in the subsurface of southern Liard Basin. material on Rock-Eval analysis, and Ray Lett (British Columbia We measured a nearly complete section of the Besa River Geological Survey) assisted with preparation of samples used Formation west of Stone Mountain and a smaller segment of for lithogeochemical analysis. Part of the funding for this project basal Besa River Formation strata south of Stone Mountain, originated with the Yukon Sedimentary Basin Project; Geo- along the northern border of Stone Mountain Provincial Park. mapping for Energy and Minerals (GEM) program, Geological The section west of Stone Mountain is a composite. The base of Survey of Canada (Rock-Eval, XRD and reflective light thermal the lower part of the section is at 387019E 6523897N (all UTM maturity analyses). Adrian Hickin, Gabrielse Altebaumer, coordinates are NAD 83, Zone 10); the 40 m stratigraphic and Arend Stamhuis provided enthusiastic assistance in the level is at 386925E 6523918N; the 116 m stratigraphic level field. We also thank Margot McMechan (Geological Survey is at 386818E 6523945N; and the 181 m stratigraphic level is of Canada, Calgary) for loaning the use of the gamma ray at 386733E 6523956N. For the upper part of the composite spectrometer. Bailey Helicopters Ltd. provided competent section, the base is at 386740E 6523900N, and the top is at service in location and demobilization of the field camps. 386598E 6523870N. The UTM coordinates for the base of the section south of Stone Mountain are 395145E 6505895N. References cited In the accompanying files (BCGS_GF2019-10.zip), we Ferri, F., Hickin, A.S., and Reyes, J., 2012. Horn River basin- summarize analytical methods (Appendix 1) and, for both the equivalent strata in Besa River Formation shale, northeastern British Columbia Geological Survey GeoFile 2019-10 1 Ferri and Reyes British Columbia (NTS 094K/15). In Geoscience Reports 2012. British Columbia Ministry of Energy and Mines, pp. 1-15. Ferri, F., McMechan, M., Fraser, T., Fiess, K., Pyle, L., and Cordey, F., 2013. Summary of field activities in the western Liard Basin, British Columbia. In: Geoscience Reports 2013, British Columbia Ministry of Natural Gas Development, pp. 13-31. Wheeler, J. O., and McFeely, P., 1991. Tectonic assemblage map of the Canadian Cordillera and adjacent parts of the United States of America. Geological Survey of Canada, Map 1712A. Nahanni R Cretaceous Wapiti Formation 095E 095F 095G 95G Kotaneelee Formation Nahanni 61 Dunvegan Formation Franklin MountainsButte o Western Canada Mackenzie Mountains Sedimentary Basin Fort St. John Group Triassic Grayling, Toad, Liard, Ludington formations 095D 095C 095B Upper Paleozoic Fantasque, Kindle formations Bovie Fault Carboniferous Ft. Liard Mattson Formatioin 60 Yuk NWT Besa River Formation o BC Rundle, Banff formations Maxhamish Lk Lower Paleozoic Platform carbonate rocks, basinal shales, siliciclasitc rocks Cariboo Range 094M Liard R Neoproterozoic 94N 094O Siliciclastic rocks Toad R Rocky Mountains Mesoproterozoic 77 Fort Muskwa assemblage Intrusive Rocks 59 o Cretaceous, Paleogene Figure 3 Muncho 97 Lk Provincial/Territorial Toad R Ft. Nelson boundary 094L Figure 4 094J Liard Basin 094K km 0 25 50 126o 124o Fig. 1. Geologic map showing the general outline of the Liard Basin. Base map is from Wheeler and McFeely (1991). British Columbia Geological Survey GeoFile 2019-10 2 Ferri and Reyes Rocky Platform/Sourthern region Mountains Liard Basin Horn River Basin northeast British Columbia Permian Fantasque Fm Fantasque Formation Fantasque/Belloy Formation U Kindle Kindle Taylor Flat Formation Formation M Fm Penn. L Mattson Mattson Mattson U Kiskatinaw Fm Fm Fm Stoddart Gp Fm Golata Fm? Golata Fm? Golata Fm M Debolt Fm Debolt Formation Rundle Rundle Rundle Group Group Shunda Fm Group Shunda Formation (Prophet Fm) Pekisko Fm Pekisko Formation Mississippian Carboniferous L Banff Banff Formation Banff Formation Upper Besa River Fm Exshaw Formation Exshaw Formation Besa Exshaw Fm Fa Patry Fm Kotcho Fm Kotcho Formation Tetcho Fm Tetcho Formation Trout River Fm Trout River Formation Fort River Kakisa Fm Kakisa Formation Simpson Redknife Upper Mbr Fort Simpson Jean Marie Mbr Upper Fm Formation Formation Frasnian Fort Simpson Formation Formation Muskwa Mbr Muskwa Fm Muskwa Formation Besa River Group Slave Point Fm Otter Watt Mtn Fm Devonian Park Otter Park Fm Mbr Sulphur Point Fm Upper Keg Muskeg Fm Horn River Fm Horn River Gp Givetian Evie Mbr Evie Fm River Fm Middle Dunedin Fm Dunedin Fm Keg River Fm Lower Keg River Fm Ei Nahanni Fm Nahanni Fm Chinchaga Fm Chinchaga Fm L Em Stone Fm Stone Fm Sandstone Shale Carbonate Evaporite Chert Fig. 2. Stratigraphic units in the Liard Basin the Horn River Basin and the platform succession to the east, illustrating correlations from exposures in the Rocky Mountains to the subsurface of the Western Canada Sedimentary Basin. British Columbia Geological Survey GeoFile 2019-10 3 British Columbia Geological Survey Ministry of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources www.gov.bc.ca/geologicalsurvey .
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Geochemical, Petrophysical and Geomechanical Properties Of
    Geochemical, petrophysical and geomechanical properties of stratigraphic sequences in Horn River Shale, Middle and Upper Devonian, Northeastern British Columbia, Canada by TIAN DONG A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences University of Alberta © Tian Dong, 2016 ABSTRACT The Middle and Upper Devonian Horn River Shale, comprising the Evie and Otter Park members and the Muskwa Formation, northeast British Columbia, Canada is recognized as a significant shale gas reservoir in the Western Canada Sedimentary Basin. However, many aspects of this shale formation have not been adequately studied, and the published geochemical, petrophysical and geomechanical data are limited. This work aims to document the controls of geochemical composition variation on petrophysical and geomechanical properties and the relationship of rock composition to lithofacies and stratigraphic sequences. A detailed core-based sedimentological and wireline log analysis was conducted by my colleague Dr. Korhan Ayranci as a parallel study, in order to classify lithofacies, interpret depositional environments and establish sequence stratigraphic framework across the basin. Major and trace elements concentrations, key trace element ratios and Corg-Fe-S relationships were used to understand the effect of sea level fluctuation on detrital flux, redox conditions, productivity and therefore organic carbon enrichment patterns. Detrital sediment flux indicated by the concentration of aluminum and titanium to the basin was found to be higher during transgressions than regressions. Redox conditions, exhibiting strong correlation to TOC content, were the primary controls on the organic carbon deposition. The bottom water conditions are more anoxic during transgressions than regressions.
    [Show full text]
  • Liard Basin Hydrocarbon Project: Shale Gas Potential of Devonian-Carboniferous Strata in the Northwest Territories, Yukon and Northeastern British Columbia
    Liard Basin Hydrocarbon Project: Shale Gas Potential of Devonian-Carboniferous Strata in the Northwest Territories, Yukon and Northeastern British Columbia Kathryn M. Fiess, Northwest Territories Geoscience Office, Yellowknife, NT [email protected] and Filippo Ferri, Oil and Gas Division, BC Ministry of Energy, Mines and Natural Gas, Victoria, BC [email protected] and Tiffani L. Fraser, Yukon Geoscience Survey, Whitehorse, YT [email protected] and Leanne J. Pyle, VI Geoscience Services Ltd., Brentwood Bay, BC [email protected] and Jonathan Rocheleau, Northwest Territories Geoscience Office, Yellowknife, NT [email protected] Summary The Liard Basin Hydrocarbon Project was initiated in 2012 to examine the shale gas potential of Middle Devonian to Carboniferous strata based on integrated subsurface and outcrop-based field studies. The project is a collaboration of the Northwest Territories Geoscience Office (NTGO) with the Yukon Geological Survey, the British Columbia Ministry of Energy, Mines and Natural Gas and the Geological Survey of Canada. The primary objective of the project is to evaluate source rocks and refine stratigraphic correlation within the basinal succession of the Middle to Upper Devonian Besa River Formation and its Horn River “Formation” equivalents (Evie, Otter Park, and Muskwa members), as well as the Upper Devonian to Mississippian Exshaw Formation and Mississippian Golata Formation. The Liard Basin lies within three jurisdictions: the Northwest Territories (NT), Yukon (YK) and British Columbia (BC). In northeast BC it hosts several gas fields but remains largely underexplored in the NT and YK. During the initial field season, more than 500 m of strata were measured and described from three sections: 1) Golata Formation in the NT; 2) Besa River Formation in the YK; and 3) Besa River Formation in northeast BC.
    [Show full text]
  • Appendix E-1-1: Acid Rock Drainage and Metal Leaching Field Investigation
    AMEC Earth & Environmental a division of AMEC Americas Limited 2227 Douglas Road, Burnaby, BC Canada V5C 5A9 Tel +1 (604) 294-3811 Fax +1 (604) 294-4664 www.amec.com Acid Rock Drainage and Metal Leaching Field Investigation Enbridge Northern Gateway Project Submitted to: Northern Gateway Pipelines Inc. Calgary, AB Submitted by: AMEC Earth & Environmental, a division of AMEC Americas Limited Burnaby, BC October 2009 Revised February 16, 2010 AMEC File: EG09260.2300 Document Control No.: 1128-RG-20091022 Northern Gateway Pipelines Inc. Acid Rock Drainage and Metal Leaching Field Investigation October 2009 Revised February 16, 2010 TABLE OF CONTENTS Page LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS .......................................................................................................... v GLOSSARY ................................................................................................................................ vi EXECUTIVE SUMMARY .............................................................................................................. 1 1.0 INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................................. 2 1.1 Background ................................................................................................................. 2 1.2 Scope of Work ............................................................................................................. 2 2.0 INTRODUCTION TO ACID ROCK DRAINAGE ..................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • Stratigraphy, Structure, and Tectonic History of the Pink Mountain Anticline, Trutch (94G) and Halfway River (94B) Map Areas, Northeastern British Columbia
    Stratigraphy, Structure, and Tectonic History of the Pink Mountain Anticline, Trutch (94G) and Halfway River (94B) Map Areas, Northeastern British Columbia Steven J. Hinds* and Deborah A. Spratt University of Calgary, 2500 University Dr. NW, Calgary AB, T2N 1N4 [email protected] ABSTRACT Pink Mountain Anticline stands out in front of the Foothills of northeastern British Columbia (57ºN, 123ºW). Geologic mapping and prestack depth-migrated seismic sections show that it is localized above and west of a northwest-trending subsurface normal fault. Along with isopach maps they demonstrate episodic normal movement during deposition of the Carboniferous Stoddart Group, Triassic Montney Formation and possibly the Jurassic-Cretaceous Monteith- Gething formations. West of this step, during Laramide compression, a pair of backthrusts nucleated on either side of a minor east-west trending Carboniferous fault and propagated across it in an en échelon pattern. One backthrust ramped laterally across the area and separated the Pink Mountain and Spruce Mountain structures, which both are contained within a 30+ km long pop-up structure above the Besa River Formation detachment. Glomerspirella fossils confirm the existence of the Upper Jurassic Upper Fernie Formation and Upper Jurassic to Lower Cretaceous Monteith Formation at Pink Mountain. Economic Significance of the Pink Mountain Area Since the building of the Alaska Highway during the early 1940’s, various companies have carried out petroleum, coal, and mineral surveys of the study area. To the east of Pink Mountain, several shallow gas fields such as the Julienne Creek and Julienne Creek North gas fields (Figure 1) were successfully drilled and produced gas from Triassic sandstone and carbonate rocks that were gently folded during the formation of the northern Rocky Mountains.
    [Show full text]
  • Oil and Gas Geoscience Reports 2012
    Oil And Gas Geoscience Reports 2012 BC Ministry of Energy and Mines Geoscience and Strategic Initiatives Branch © British Columbia Ministry of Energy and Mines Oil and Gas Division Geoscience and Strategic Initiatives Branch Victoria, British Columbia, April 2012 Please use the following citation format when quoting or reproducing parts of this document: Ferri, F., Hickin, A.S. and Reyes, J. (2012): Horn River basin–equivalent strata in Besa River Formation shale, northeastern British Columbia (NTS 094K/15); in Geoscience Reports 2012, British Columbia Ministry of Energy and Mines, pages 1–15. Colour digital copies of this publication in Adobe Acrobat PDF format are available, free of charge, from the BC Ministry of Energy and Mines website at: http://www.em.gov.bc.ca/subwebs/oilandgas/pub/reports.htm FOREWORD Geoscience Reports is the annual publication of the Geoscience Section of the Geoscience and Strategic Initiatives Branch (GSIB) in the Oil and Gas Division, BC Ministry of Energy and Mines. This publication highlights petroleum related geosciences activities carried out in British Columbia by ministry staff and affiliated partners. The Geoscience Section of the Strategic Initiatives Branch provides public geoscience information to reduce exploration and development risk and promote investment in British Columbia’s natural gas and other petroleum resources. The studies produced by staff and partners encourage responsible development and provide technical expertise to better aid policy development. Public Geoscience is identified as an important component of the British Columbia Natural Gas Strategy, announced in February 2012 (www.gov.bc.ca/ener/natural_gas_strategy.html). Geoscience Reports 2012 includes six articles that focus on two themes; geological studies in the Liard region of northeast British Columbia and water studies related to oil and gas development.
    [Show full text]
  • Besa River Formation, Western Liard Basin, British Colum- Bia (NTS 094N): Geochemistry and Regional Correlations
    BESA RIVER FORMATION, WESTERN LIARD BASIN, BRITISH COLUM- BIA (NTS 094N): GEOCHEMISTRY AND REGIONAL CORRELATIONS Filippo Ferri1, Adrian S. Hickin1 and David H. Huntley2 ABSTRACT The Besa River Formation in the northern Toad River map area contains correlatives of the subsurface Muskwa Member, which is being exploited for its shale gas potential. In the Caribou Range, more than 285 m of fine-grained carbonaceous siliciclastic sediments of the Besa River Formation were measured along the northwestern margin of the Liard Basin (the upper 15 m and lower 25 m of the section are not exposed). The formation has been subdivided into six informal lithostratigraphic units comprised primarily of dark grey to black, carbonaceous siltstone to shale. The exception is a middle unit comprising distinctive pale grey weathering siliceous siltstone. A handheld gamma-ray spectrometer was used to produce a gamma- ray log across the section, which delineated two radioactive zones that are correlated with the Muskwa and Exshaw markers in the subsurface. Rock-Eval geochemistry indicates that there are several zones of high organic carbon, with levels as high as 6%. Abundances of major oxides and trace elements show distinct variability across the section. The concentration of major oxides generally correlates with lithological subdivisions, whereas some of the trace-element abundances display a relationship with organic carbon content, suggesting that these levels are tied to redox conditions at the time of deposition. Ferri, F., Hickin, A. S. and Huntley, D. H. (2011): Besa River Formation, western Liard Basin, British Columbia (NTS 094N): geochemistry and regional correlations; in Geoscience Reports 2011, BC Ministry of Energy and Mines, pages 1-18.
    [Show full text]
  • Summary of Field Activities in the Western Liard Basin, British Columbia
    SUMMARY OF FIELD ACTIVITIES IN THE WESTERN LIARD BASIN, BRITISH COLUMBIA Filippo Ferri1, Margot McMechan2, Tiffani Fraser3, Kathryn Fiess4, Leanne Pyle5 and Fabrice Cordey6 ABSTRACT The second and final year of a regional bedrock mapping program within the Toad River map area (NTS 094N) was completed in 2012. The program will result in three– 100 000 scale maps of the northwest, northeast and southeast quadrants of 094N and with four 1:50 000 scale maps covering the southwest quadrant. Surface samples were also collected for Rock Eval™, reflective light thermal maturity and apatite fission-track analysis. Cuttings from several petroleum wells in the map area were also sampled for Rock Eval analysis and vitrinite reflectance. Composite sections of the Besa River Formation were measured in the southern Caribou Range and along the Alaska Highway, south of Stone Mountain. Approximately 170 m of the Besa River Formation were measured in three separate sections in the southern Caribou Range. Lithological, gamma-ray spectrometry and lithogeochemical data are similar to those observed in other sections of the formation, suggesting similar depositional conditions within the western Liard Basin. Changes in abundances of several trace elements, particularly, V, Mo, Ba and P, suggest variations in redox conditions during the deposition of the formation. Radiolarian and conodont fragments from the upper part of the section in the Caribou Range indicate a mid-Tournaisian age. Characteristics of the lower Besa River Formation observed along the Alaska Highway south of Stone Mountain are similar to the Evie member of the Horn River Formation. Ferri, F., McMechan, M., Fraser, T., Fiess, K., Pyle, L.
    [Show full text]
  • Summary of Field Activities in the Western Liard Basin, British Columbia Filippo Ferri, Margot Mcmechan, Tiffani Fraser, Kathryn Fiess, Leanne Pyle, Fabrice Cordey
    Summary of field activities in the western Liard Basin, British Columbia Filippo Ferri, Margot Mcmechan, Tiffani Fraser, Kathryn Fiess, Leanne Pyle, Fabrice Cordey To cite this version: Filippo Ferri, Margot Mcmechan, Tiffani Fraser, Kathryn Fiess, Leanne Pyle, et al.. Summary offield activities in the western Liard Basin, British Columbia. Geoscience Reports 2013, British Columbia Ministry of Natural Gas Development, pp.13-32, 2013, Geoscience Reports 2013. hal-03274965 HAL Id: hal-03274965 https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-03274965 Submitted on 2 Jul 2021 HAL is a multi-disciplinary open access L’archive ouverte pluridisciplinaire HAL, est archive for the deposit and dissemination of sci- destinée au dépôt et à la diffusion de documents entific research documents, whether they are pub- scientifiques de niveau recherche, publiés ou non, lished or not. The documents may come from émanant des établissements d’enseignement et de teaching and research institutions in France or recherche français ou étrangers, des laboratoires abroad, or from public or private research centers. publics ou privés. SUMMARY OF FIELD ACTIVITIES IN THE WESTERN LIARD BASIN, BRITISH COLUMBIA Filippo Ferri1, Margot McMechan2, Tiffani Fraser3, Kathryn Fiess4, Leanne Pyle5 and Fabrice Cordey6 ABSTRACT The second and final year of a regional bedrock mapping program within the Toad River map area (NTS 094N) was completed in 2012. The program will result in three– 100 000 scale maps of the northwest, northeast and southeast quadrants of 094N and with four 1:50 000 scale maps covering the southwest quadrant. Surface samples were also collected for Rock Eval™, reflective light thermal maturity and apatite fission-track analysis.
    [Show full text]
  • Multiple Controls on the Accumulation of Organic-Rich Sediments in the Besa River Formation of Liard Basin, British Columbia, Canada
    Hindawi Geofluids Volume 2021, Article ID 6672043, 18 pages https://doi.org/10.1155/2021/6672043 Research Article Multiple Controls on the Accumulation of Organic-Rich Sediments in the Besa River Formation of Liard Basin, British Columbia, Canada Jiyoung Choi ,1 Hyun Suk Lee ,1 Yuri Kim,1 Omid H. Ardakani ,2 and Sung Kyung Hong 1 1Petroleum and Marine Research Division, Korea Institute of Geoscience and Mineral Resources (KIGAM), Daejeon, Republic of Korea 2Natural Resources Canada, Geological Survey of Canada, Calgary, AB, Canada Correspondence should be addressed to Sung Kyung Hong; [email protected] Received 9 October 2020; Revised 6 January 2021; Accepted 16 January 2021; Published 31 January 2021 Academic Editor: Jinze Xu Copyright © 2021 Jiyoung Choi et al. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. The Late Devonian Besa River Formation is an organic-rich shale sequence in Liard Basin, northeastern British Columbia, Canada, with significant natural gas reserves. High-resolution elemental geochemistry of three long continuous cored intervals of the Besa River Formation was used to better understand the paleodepositional environment of organic-rich intervals in this thick marine shale. The studied core intervals were divided into five chemostratigraphic units based on organic and inorganic geochemical proxies. The highest total organic carbon (TOC) content (up to 13 wt.%) was identified in the upper part of the Patry member (Unit III) within the Liard Basin. During the deposition of Unit III, low clastic influx and euxinic bottom conditions mostly contributed to the high accumulation of organic carbon.
    [Show full text]
  • The Unconventional Gas Resources of Mississippian-Devonian Shales in the Liard Basin of British Columbia, the Northwest Territories, and Yukon
    The Unconventional Gas Resources of Mississippian-Devonian Shales in the Liard Basin of British Columbia, the Northwest Territories, and Yukon Energy Briefing Note ● March 2016 National Energy Office national Board de l’énergie Permission to Reproduce Materials may be reproduced for personal, educational and/or non-profit activities, in part or in whole and by any means, without charge or further permission from the National Energy Board, British Columbia Oil and Gas Commission, British Columbia Ministry of Natural Gas Development, Northwest Territories Geological Survey, or Yukon Geological Survey provided that due diligence is exercised in ensuring the accuracy of the information reproduced; that the National Energy Board, British Columbia Oil and Gas Commission, British Columbia Ministry of Natural Gas Development, Northwest Territories Geological Survey, and Yukon Geological Survey are identified as the source institutions; and that the reproduction is not represented as an official version of the information reproduced, nor as having been made in affiliation with, or with the endorsement of the National Energy Board, British Columbia Oil and Gas Commission, British Columbia Ministry of Natural Gas Development, Northwest Territories Geological Survey, or Yukon Geological Survey. For permission to reproduce the information in this publication for commercial redistribution, please e-mail: [email protected] Autorisation de reproduction Le contenu de cette publication peut être reproduit à des fins personnelles, éducatives et/ou sans
    [Show full text]
  • Evidence for Hydrothermal Influences During Deposition in Organic Shale Using XRF and SEM Techniques in the Horn River Group
    University of Calgary PRISM: University of Calgary's Digital Repository Graduate Studies The Vault: Electronic Theses and Dissertations 2014-08-26 Evidence for Hydrothermal Influences During Deposition in Organic Shale Using XRF and SEM Techniques in the Horn River Group and Besa River Formation, Northeast British Columbia, Canada Weedmark, Thomas Craig Weedmark, T. C. (2014). Evidence for Hydrothermal Influences During Deposition in Organic Shale Using XRF and SEM Techniques in the Horn River Group and Besa River Formation, Northeast British Columbia, Canada (Unpublished master's thesis). University of Calgary, Calgary, AB. doi:10.11575/PRISM/25999 http://hdl.handle.net/11023/1697 master thesis University of Calgary graduate students retain copyright ownership and moral rights for their thesis. You may use this material in any way that is permitted by the Copyright Act or through licensing that has been assigned to the document. For uses that are not allowable under copyright legislation or licensing, you are required to seek permission. Downloaded from PRISM: https://prism.ucalgary.ca UNIVERSITY OF CALGARY Evidence for Hydrothermal Influences During Deposition in Organic Shale Using XRF and SEM Techniques in the Horn River Group and Besa River Formation, Northeast British Columbia, Canada by Thomas Craig Weedmark A THESIS SUBMITTED TO THE FACULTY OF GRADUATE STUDIES IN PARTIAL FULFILMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF SCIENCE IN GEOLOGY GRADUATE PROGRAM IN GEOSCIENCES CALGARY, ALBERTA AUGUST, 2014 © THOMAS CRAIG WEEDMARK 2014 Thesis Abstract Chemical stratigraphy has a variety of applications in both academic and commercial geology studies. Current mainstream belief is that the Horn River Group and analogous Devonian organic shale units in North America were deposited in a restricted anoxic basin and silicified due to diatom and radiolarian tests producing concentrations of biogenic silica (Bustin & Ross, 2009).
    [Show full text]
  • Source Rock Characterization of the Carboniferous Golata Formation
    Source Rock Characterization of the Carboniferous Golata Formation and Devonian Besa River Formation Outcrops, Liard Basin, Northwest Territories Jonathan Rocheleau Northwest Territories Geoscience Office Kathryn M. Fiess Northwest Territories Geoscience Office Leanne J. Pyle VI Geoscience Services Ltd Fillipo Ferri Oil and Gas Division, BC Ministry of Energy Tiffani A. Fraser Yukon Geological Survey Summary The evaluation of regional stratigraphic relationships and geochemical characteristics of Devonian to Carboniferous age shales in the Liard Basin area of the Northwest Territories is necessary for the assessment of shale gas exploration potential for this region. Field studies of the Golata Formation were conducted at Etanda Lakes and Sheaf Creek in 2012 and 2013, respectively. Besa River Formation field studies were conducted at Nahanni River in 2013 (Figure 1). Geochemical studies currently completed on the Golata and Besa River Formations samples include: 1) Rock Eval/TOC, 2) vitrinite reflectance, ICP-ES and ICP-MS (lithogeochemistry). The Golata Formation at Etanda Lakes and Sheaf Creek is characterized by relatively low uranium abundance, moderate levels of terrigenous input and detrital clays, and relatively high silica content. Combined with outcrop observations, these data support the interpretation that the Golata Formation was deposited in a prodelta environment. Rock-Eval, vitrinite reflectance and TOC data from Etanda Lakes indicates that the Golata Formation is a fair to good source rock. The Besa River Formation at Nahanni River is characterized by enrichment in uranium and vanadium, a relatively low level of terrigenous input, and high silica content. These data indicate that the Besa River shales were deposited in a reducing, anoxic, low energy environment.
    [Show full text]