Facies analysis and sequence stratigraphic framework of upper. The campanian book cliffs strata of eastern utah and western colorado has been used to develop, test and refine sedimentological and stratigraphic ideas and models over the years, including the principles and concepts of sequence stratigraphy. Coal gulch book cliffs depositional setting coal measures sequence stratigraphy coal bed methane developments 27. This unique textbook describes how past changes in sealevel can be detected through an analysis of the sedimentary record. Facies and sequence stratigraphic analysis identifies six highresolution sequences within upper campanian strata across about 120 miles of the book cliffs in western colorado and eastern utah. If these dates do not fit your schedule, we can arrange a time that does. Application of sequence and genetic stratigraphic concepts to.
A multidecadelong highresolution outcrop study has revealed that the campanian desert member blackhawk formation to lower castlegate sandstone interval in the book cliffs of utah and colorado western usa does not fit the conventional sequence stratigraphic model. The sunnyside coal seam of the cretaceous blackhawk formation in the book cliffs of eastern utah is a 5m thick, laterally extensive coal formed in a topographically raised mire along the western. Sequence stratigraphic significance of sharpbased lowstand shoreface deposits, kenilworth member, book cliffs, utah1 simon a. Positioned on top of the sandstone, but usually situated back from the edge, are various early tertiary rock units, for example the green river formation and the debeque formation. The exercises below involve the analysis of parasequence from outcrops. The parasequences are separated from each other using subdividing major surfaces that include ts transgressive surfaces, mfs maximum flooding surface, and sb sequence boundary. Bookcliffs high frequency clastic parasequence sets after coe et al, 2003. Carboniferous strata provide an excellent example on which to test the application of genetic stratigraphic and sequence stratigraphic concepts.
Upper cretaceous strata exposed in the book cliffs of eastcentral utah. Chapter k of geologic assessment of coal in the colorado plateau. The colorado plateau in the area of the colorado national monument has been raised an additional 6,700 feet higher than the book cliffs across the valley. The book cliffs of utah have become the premier locality globally for field teaching of sequence stratigraphy. Petrographic analysis, sequence stratigraphy and 3. Sequence stratigraphy american association of petroleum. Free web tutorials sequence stratigraphy, tutorials carbonate petrology. A flute cast, one of many sedimentary structures found in the book cliffs. The book cliffs of eastern utah and western colorado have been pivotal in the development of outcropbased sequence stratigraphic concepts for nonmarine to shallow marine siliciclastic depositional settings. Continuous, wellexposed and easilyaccessible outcrops make it possible to analyze facies relationships of stratigraphic sequences in great detail, both in terms of lateral variation systems tracts and vertical stacking patterns parasequences. In this lab, you will put together your knowledge of nearshore facies and sequence stratigraphy to correlate sections and interpret facies changes in the cretaceous stratigraphy of the book cliffs. Alongstrike sequence stratigraphy of these same strata is rarely documented along the wasatch plateau e.
One powerful method for studying sealevel change in the past is sequence stratigraphy. Sequence stratigraphy in the book cliffs, utah goal. Book cliffs geological feature, utah, united states. Sequence stratigraphy of cretaceous shallow marine sandstones, book cliffs. Facies analysis and sequence stratigraphic framework of upper campanian strata neslen and mount garfield formations, bluecastle tongue of the castlegate sandstone, and mancos shale, eastern book cliffs, colorado and utah by mark a. Do not fit the conventional sequence stratigraphic model. Free web tutorials sequence stratigraphy, tutorials carbonate petrology, seismic interpretation sequence stratigraphy. Sequence stratigraphy is important to study because this approach to stratigraphic correlation helps geologists solve realworld problems in the exploration for and production of resourceswhether the resources be water, coal, oil, or natural gas.
Therefore, coal thickness variation, at a range of spatiotemporal scales, can critically control sweet spot development and other compartmentalization at the field scale. The book cliffs are one of the worlds best places to study sequence stratigraphy. Even outside the book cliffs, outcrop studies of sequence stratigraphy are comparatively very rare along depositionalstrike, leading to a clear paucity of alongstrike sequence stratigraphic models in textbooks. In exercise 2, students work either with polarized microscopic photographs linked online to specific units in their measured section or directly. Alternative sequence stratigraphic model for the desert. Palynostratigraphy in relation to sequence stratigraphy. The shale and cretaceous sandstone cliffs, formed over time by the uncompahgre uplift, are a remnant of the mancos sea floor.
Castle valley is bordered by the escarpment of the wasatch plateau to the east and the book cliffs to the north. These colorado cliffs look like books on a shelf outthere. Formal definitions of a sequence a relatively conformable succession of genetically related strata bounded at their upper surface and base by unconformities and their correlative conformities vail, et al. This video is a virtual field trip to one of the classic locations in the world book cliffs, utah, usa where the sequence stratigraphy method was developed and tested. The american association of petroleum geologists is an international organization with over 38,000 members in 100plus countries. Simon provides expertise in the areas of sedimentology, sequence stratigraphy and reservoir geologymodelling and has considerable knowledge of the book cliffs. The initial exercise is followed by the examination of the stacking patterns of the parasequences. Sequence stratigraphic interpretations are tightly constrained along 2d cliff. The name has since been used in the book cliffs from utah to colorado and includes intertonguing marine and nonmarine rocks. Petrographic analysis, sequence stratigraphy and 3d modelling of the sunnyside coal seam, blackhawk formation, book cliffs, eastern utah. Sealevel change has occurred throughout earths history. The sharp base, basal lag deposit, and basinward shift in facies delineate a sequence boundary at the base of each lowstand.
Continuous, wellexposed and easilyaccessible outcrops make it possible to analyze facies relationships of stratigraphic sequences in great detail, both in terms of lateral variation systems tracts and vertical stacking patterns. Tectonic setting, stratigraphy, and sedimentology of the book cliffs 8. Sequence stratigraphic reinterpretation of open quotes. Large scale and superbly exposed outcrops in the book cliffs colorado national monument arches national park canyonlands and adjoining areas. The coal bearing deposits from which the methane gas is extracted are related to a large coal fairway in castle valley that stretches from beneath the book cliffs in the north to the upper ferron outcrops 100 km south. G sulzberger drilled two oil prospecting wells at bracknell op1 and hagley op2 in the north of the longford subbasin matthews 1983. Upper cretaceous strata exposed in the book cliffs of eastcentral utah are widely used as an archetype for the sequence stratigraphy of marginalmarine and shallowmarine deposits. Both approaches are employed in the evaluation of the coal bearing strata of the black warrior basin, southeastern usa. Facies analysis and sequence stratigraphic framework of upper campanian strata neslen and mount garfield formations, bluecastle tongue of the castlegate sandstone, and mancos shale, eastern book cliffs, colorado and utah. The book cliffs have preserved excellent strata of the foreland basin of the ancient western interior seaway that stretched north from the gulf of mexico to the yukon in the cretaceous time. The book cliffs have been displaced considerably from the valley bottom, but in comparison to the colorado plateau uplift, the book cliff uplift was minimal. Exercise 4the objective of this exercise is to continue learning how to identify vertical sets of parasequence s in clastic sections again from measured sections in the book cliffs while extending this to use of parasequence s and walther s law to determine the depositional setting of a series of shoreline facies and to determine non.
This program takes viewers on a virtual field trip. The cretaceous books cliffs of utah are best known as the mecca of sequence stratigraphers, but besides excellent exposures that allow tracing of sandstone bodies and sequence boundaries the succession also contains abundant shales and mudstones. Expression of sequence stratigraphy in outcrop, the book cliffs, utah. The exceptional quality of the wasatch plateau outcrop has given rise to a plethora of stratigraphic studies and serves as a natural laboratory in which to apply sequence stratigraphic principles to clastic sedimentary suc. Chapter 2 also describes the internal stratigraphy of the rollins sandstone member and interprets the history of change in sea level during the deposition of this member. Sequence stratigraphy of the book cliffs of eastern utah, the. Faciessequence stratigraphy, desertcastlegate, crescent. Implications for the highresolution correlation of falling stage nonmarine, marginalmarine, and marine strata, in morgan, l. The sequence stratigraphy of the book cliffs of eastern. These two wells provide the most complete stratigraphic section through the basin. At their western limit, the book cliffs pass into the northsouthtrending wasatch plateau, whichis oriented obliqueto regional depositional strike figs 2 and 3b. Stratigraphic variations within the sego sandstone, book cliffs, central utah article pdf available january 2007 with 165 reads how we measure reads. Stratigraphic variations within the sego sandstone, book.
Palynostratigraphy in relation to sequence stratigraphy, straight cliffs formation upper cretaceous, kaiparowits plateau, utah. Summary introduction late cretaceous depositional setting stop 1. Wellbore to outcrop correlation and sequence stratigraphic evaluation of the late cretaceous lower. Expression of sequence stratigraphy in outcrop, the book. Flint, 1999, a sedimentological and sequence stratigraphic reinterpretation of the upper cretaceous prairie canyon member mancos b and associated strata, book cliffs area, utah, u. The rollins sandstone member contains a thick marineshoreface sandstone that is a cliffforming unit of the book cliffs east of grand junction, colorado. Implications for exploration models, author hampson, g. We offer discounted rates for groups and difficult situations, such as unemployment, under employment, or limited company support.
Pdf facies analysis and sequence stratigraphic framework of. Wellbore to outcrop correlation and sequence stratigraphic. In the case of the book cliffs, the mesaverde formation is the main coal bearing rock for much of western colorado. At their western limit, the book cliffs pass into the northsouthtrending wasatch plateau, which is oriented oblique to regional depositional strike figs 2 and 3b. No evidence for sea level fall in the cretaceous strata of the book. Implications for the highresolution correlation of falling stage nonmarine, marginalmarine, and marine strata, through the generations, lisa a. In the past, coal was mined out of the mesaverde from crested butte to redstone and is currently being mined from the mesaverde near craig and hayden in the northwest of the state. Named for its similar appearance to a stack of books lined up against a shelf, the book cliffs are one of the most wellknown locations for studying sequence stratigraphy. Introduction facies analysis is an important part of any stratigraphic study.
Sequence stratigraphy field camp black hills natural. The six sequences are named after prominent sandstone units and include, in ascending order, upper sego sequence, neslen sequence, corcoran sequence, buck. Book cliffs data sets are often used as outcrop analogues for similar subsurface settings worldwide. Petrographic analysis, sequence stratigraphy and 3d modelling of the sunnyside coal seam, blackhawk formation, book cliffs, eastern utah the sunnyside coal seam of the cretaceous blackhawk formation in the book cliffs of eastern utah is a 5m thick, laterally extensive coal formed in a topographically raised mire along the western. Sequence stratigraphy and stratigraphic trap potential of the. Using sequence stratigraphic tools to find and develop prospects at both local and basin. The desert and castlegate sandstones, 2001 pages iiii, 181.
The succession of bars is well exposed in both the east and west sides of sego canyon and in the main book cliffs outcrop, providing a 3d prospective. Designed for undergraduate and graduate courses in sequence stratigraphy. What can the past tell scientists today about the rise and fall of the planets oceans. The book cliffs coal field is part of the southern rim of the uinta basin, which is an immense structural trough in western colorado and eastern utah, around whose margin the outcrop of coal bearing. In the 1980s, exxon scientists used the cretaceous strata of the book cliffs to develop the science of sequence stratigraphy. However, this is a new perspective particularly to the wasatch plateau and book cliffs. It explains this model from basics and shows how the model can be applied to both siliciclastic and carbonate successions. Book cliffs field trips geology geosciences physical. The book cliffs, utah have become the premier locality globally for field teaching of sequence stratigraphy.
The book cliffs have preserved excellent strata of the. Towards a sequence stratigraphic solution set for autogenic. The book cliffs coal field is part of the southern rim of the uinta basin, which is an immense structural trough in western colorado and eastern utah, around whose margin the outcrop of coalbearing rocks can be traced for more than 500 miles. In particular, it concentrates on the current sequence stratigraphy model. Cretaceous shales book cliffs of utah kenilworth member of the blackhawk formation. Their stratal architectures are classically interpreted in terms of accommodation controls that were external to the sediment routing system allogenic, and that forced the formation of flooding surfaces. Coal formation and sequence stratigraphy springerlink. Coal seam system tract sequence stratigraphy vitrinite reflectance coal measure these keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. High resolution sequence stratigraphy reservoir applications utah, usa august 27 september 1, 2016 this course evaluates key sequence stratigraphic principles and their usage in reservoir applications, based on detailed sedimentological and stratigraphical examination of the deltaic marginal to shallow marine deposits of the cretaceous book cliffs and coal cliffs. Reevaluating the sedimentology and sequence stratigraphy. Beginning near helper, utah, and joined at green river, utah, by a second escarpment, the roan cliffs, the 2,000foot 610metre tall mountain wall, winds a 250mile 400km course along the tavaputs and roan.
Processes controlling relative sealevel change and sediment supply6. Sequence stratigraphy and plain channel architecture of. In the area of economic geology, the book cliffs contain important reserves of coal. The book cliffs region is often cited as an analog for subsurface exploration, particularly in foreland basins, and sequence stratigraphy has become one of the leading methods for correlating and mapping depositional packages, leading to significant discoveries of petroleum in fields that had been abandoned, as well as new discoveries. Reevaluating the sedimentology and sequence stratigraphy of. Alongstrike sequence stratigraphy across the cretaceous. The sedimentary successions of the book cliffs in eastcentral utah have been extensively studied with respect to sequence stratigraphy e. Together with his experience from spdc shell nigeria, simon effectively demonstrated both theoretical and applied aspects at all levels in a clear, concise and thoughtful manner. This process is experimental and the keywords may be updated as the learning algorithm improves. Stratigraphy and sedimentation of the book cliffs, utah. Petrographic analysis, sequence stratigraphy and 3d modelling of the sunnyside coal seam, blackhawk formation, book cliffs, eastern utah rc davies, ja howell, s flint, c diessel, r boyd aapg annual meeting 2004, 2004. The purposes of this association are to advance the science of geology. Facies analysis and sequence stratigraphic framework of. Along a 50 km depositionalstrike from where the wasatch plateau joins the book cliffs near gentile wash to trail mountain mine near the central wasatch plateau, ten canyons dissecting the wasatch plateau served as ideal study locations to capture the facies architecture and sequence stratigraphic relationships between the star point sandstone.
Using classic outcrops to revise sequence stratigraphic. They follow instructions to construct a measured section. Holmes described the formation in the northern san juan basin as consisting of three units, which were a lower escarpment consisting of 40 m of ledge and cliffforming massive sandstone. The book cliffs are one of the most recognizable landforms in western colorado and eastern utah. The book cliffs form a large continuous escarpment 250 km that is aligned wnwese, oblique to regional depositional dip figs 2 and 3a. Application of sequence stratigraphy to coalbearing coastal plain. Book cliffs, geological feature of eastcentral utah and western colorado, u. Alternative sequence stratigraphic model for the desert member to castlegate sandstone interval, book cliffs, eastern utah. For about 200 miles this escarpment extends from where the colorado river descends south through debeque to price canyon near price, utah.
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