Stratigraphy and Sedimentology of Ledge Sandstone in Arctic National Wildlife Refuge Northeastern Alaska: ABSTRACT

Abstract

Data collected from four measured sections of the Ledge Sandstone member of the Ivishak Formation are presented. These sections are located in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) in northeastern Alaska. The Ledge Sandstone is the time equivalent of the Ivishak sandstones that form the reservoir in the Prudhoe Bay field, east of the study area. The ANWR region is of interest for oil and gas exploration owing to the numerous oil seeps on the coastal plain and surficial expression of possible subsurface antiforms. The Ledge Sandstone in ANWR consists primarily of a massive, thickly bedded, very fine to fine-grained, well-sorted quartz sandstone. Thin beds of silt occur locally. Rare conglomeratic and pebbly zones are found within the unit. Porosity is negligible in the Ledge, owing to siliceous cementation. Bedding planes, where discernible, are predominantly planar with some low-angle cross-bedding. The bases of beds typically contain load features. The thick sandstones are separated by thin siltstone intervals ranging from less than an inch to several feet in thickness. Although the thicker siltstones appear laterally continuous, the thinner beds generally are lenticular over short distances (10 to 20 ft; 3 to 6 m). Cementation of the siltstone appears sporadic, varying laterally and vertically within the unit. Burrowing is extensive in the siltstone intervals. Typically, burrowing cannot be detected in the sandstones because of the obliteration by lithification and diagenetic processes. Fossils are sparse throughout the unit, even in the poorly lithified silts. Some bivalve shells have been preserved intact, but lack any distinct orientation. These data are consistent with a shallow marine environment, within wave base. This contrasts with the nonmarine conglomerates and sandstones of Prudhoe Bay. Time-equivalent units to the south and west consist primarily of cherts and shales of probable deep marine origin, with some arkosic sandstones and dolomites End_Page 439------------------------------ occurring in NPRA. Thus a paleoshoreline is probably located somewhat north of the measured sections. End_of_Article - Last_Page 440------------