Clearwater Formation
| Clearwater Formation | |
|---|---|
| Stratigraphic range: Albian | |
| Type | Geological formation |
| Sub-units | Wabiskaw Member |
| Underlies | Grand Rapids Formation |
| Overlies | McMurray Formation |
| Thickness | up to 85 metres (280 ft)[1] |
| Location | |
| Coordinates | 58°00′49″N 111°20′38″W / 58.01365°N 111.34377°W |
| Region | north-eastern and central  Alberta |
| Country |  Canada |
| Type section | |
| Named for | Clearweater River |
| Named by | R.G. McConnell, 1893 |
The Clearwater Formation is a stratigraphical unit of Albian age in the Western Canadian Sedimentary Basin.
It takes the name from Clearweater River. The formation is exposed on the banks of the Athabasca River between Brule Falls and Boiler Falls, as well as along the Christina River, a tributary of the Clearwater River. It was first defined by R.G. McConnell in 1893.[2]
Lithology
The Clearwater Formation consists of black and green shale and sandstone interbeds. In the Cold Lake area it contains bituminous sands. The Wabiskaw Member consists of glauconitic sandstone.
Oil/gas production
Heavy Oil is produced from the Wabiskaw Member of the Clearwater Formation near Wabasca. The formation contains bitumenous sand in the Cold Lake and Primrose Lake region.
Distribution
The Clearwater Formation occurs in the sub-surface of north-eastern and central Alberta, and is exposed on lower course of the Atahabasca River as well as on the banks of the Christina River, south-east of Fort McMurray. It reaches a maximum thickness of 85 metres (280 ft) on the Athabasca River, thins out to 6 metres (20 ft) in the Cold Lake area, and wedges out towards the south. It is not present south of Edmonton.[1]
Relationship to other units
The Clearwater Formation is conformably overlain by the Grand Rapids Formation and conformably overlays the McMurray Formation. It is equivalent to the Bluesky Formation and the lower Spirit River Formation in the Peace River region, may be equivalent to the Cummings Formation in the Lloydminster region, and corresponds to parts of the Manville Group in central Alberta.[1]
References
- ^ a b c Lexicon of Canadian Geological Units. "Bluesky Formation". Retrieved 2009-02-28.
- ^ McConnell, R.G., 1893. Report on a portion of the district of Athabasca, comprising the country between Peace River and Athabasca River north of Lesser Slave Lake. Geological Survey of Canada, Annual Reptort (new series), 1890-91, v. 5, Part 1, p. 1-67.
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