The Clearwater Formation, Cold Lake, Alberta: a worldclass hydrocarbon reservoir hosted in a complex succession of tide-dominated deltaic deposits

Abstract

Research Article| September 01, 2002 The Clearwater Formation, Cold Lake, Alberta: a worldclass hydrocarbon reservoir hosted in a complex succession of tide-dominated deltaic deposits G. Glen McCrimmon; G. Glen McCrimmon Exxon-Mobil Exploration Co., P.O. Box 4778, Houston, Texas 77120, USA Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar R.W.C. Arnott R.W.C. Arnott Department of Earth Sciences and Ottawa-Carleton Geoscience Centre, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1N 6N5 Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Author and Article Information G. Glen McCrimmon Exxon-Mobil Exploration Co., P.O. Box 4778, Houston, Texas 77120, USA R.W.C. Arnott Department of Earth Sciences and Ottawa-Carleton Geoscience Centre, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1N 6N5 Publisher: Canadian Society of Petroleum Geologists Received: 15 Oct 2001 Revision Received: 26 May 2002 First Online: 02 Mar 2017 Online ISSN: 2368-0261 Print ISSN: 0007-4802 © The Society of Canadian Petroleum Geologists Bulletin of Canadian Petroleum Geology (2002) 50 (3): 370–392. https://doi.org/10.2113/50.3.370 Article history Received: 15 Oct 2001 Revision Received: 26 May 2002 First Online: 02 Mar 2017 Cite View This Citation Add to Citation Manager Share Icon Share Facebook Twitter LinkedIn MailTo Tools Icon Tools Get Permissions Search Site Citation G. Glen McCrimmon, R.W.C. Arnott; The Clearwater Formation, Cold Lake, Alberta: a worldclass hydrocarbon reservoir hosted in a complex succession of tide-dominated deltaic deposits. Bulletin of Canadian Petroleum Geology 2002;; 50 (3): 370–392. doi: https://doi.org/10.2113/50.3.370 Download citation file: Ris (Zotero) Refmanager EasyBib Bookends Mendeley Papers EndNote RefWorks BibTex toolbar search Search Dropdown Menu toolbar search search input Search input auto suggest filter your search All ContentBy SocietyBulletin of Canadian Petroleum Geology Search Advanced Search Abstract The Lower Cretaceous (Lower Albian) Clearwater Formation at Cold Lake, Alberta is a complex assemblage of nonmarine, marginal marine and shallow marine strata. Within the study area, these strata form four unconformity-bounded depositional sequences that in most cases consists of a lower progradational unit overlain by a retrogradational unit. The base of all sequences, except the first, is marked locally by a deeply incised, northwest–south-trending paleovalley. Although eroded during a fall of relative sea level, each paleovalley was filled mostly with sediment deposited by a northwest-prograding tide-dominated delta during each subsequent rise of relative sea level. Reservoir strata occur in the lower, deltaic part of the three youngest sequences, and consist primarily of nonmarine fluvial and high-energy tidal sand flats deposits. Deltaic progradation was halted, however, by a possible decrease in sediment flux and a return to retrogressive conditions. This formed an areally extensive flooding surface, which then was overlain by retrogradational shallow-marine deposits (embayment-mouth deposits). Accordingly, each sequence represents a short-term (4th order?) fluctuation of relative sea level that was superimposed on a long-term (3rd order?) rise of relative sea level. In addition, each successive sequence indicates a progressively more basinward migration of (tide-dominated) deltaic facies (prograding sequence set) suggestive of temporal changes in some number of local and/or regional sedimentary controls, such as sediment flux, rates of relative sea level, or depositional gradient. You do not have access to this content, please speak to your institutional administrator if you feel you should have access.