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Regional pattern of thermal maturation as determined from coal-rank studies, Rocky Mountain foothills and Front Ranges north of Grande Cache, Alberta; implications for petroleum exploration

Wolfgang Kalkreuth and Margaret E. McMechan
Regional pattern of thermal maturation as determined from coal-rank studies, Rocky Mountain foothills and Front Ranges north of Grande Cache, Alberta; implications for petroleum exploration
Bulletin of Canadian Petroleum Geology (September 1984) 32 (3): 249-271

Abstract

In contrast to results from the southern Canadian Rocky Mountains and Foothills, coal rank studies in the region north of Grande Cache, Alberta show that the degree of thermal maturation at the Lower Cretaceous level decreases progressively from the core of the Alberta Syncline to the western edge of the Foothills. Hand-picked coaly particles and the colour alteration of conodonts from the Lower Carboniferous Rundle Group indicate an even lower level of maturation in the Front Ranges. Time-depth (burial) curves suggest that the westward decrease in level of maturation is due to a westward decrease in the duration and depth of burial beneath Upper Cretaceous - Tertiary clastic deposits, largely as a consequence of the timing of Laramide deformation across the area. In the west, early Laramide uplift prevented deep burial and terminated the maturation whereas, in the east, Lower Cretaceous strata were deeply buried and maturation continued. Calculations based on time-depth (burial) curves suggest that the level of thermal maturation of Triassic and Carboniferous carbonates decreases from dry gas to overmature under the outer Foothills to oil preservation - wet gas under the western part of the inner Foothills. With these potential reservoir rocks forming structural traps at relatively shallow depth, the western part of the inner Foothills north of Grande Cache, Alberta could be a prospective area for petroleum exploration.


ISSN: 0007-4802
Coden: BCPGAI
Serial Title: Bulletin of Canadian Petroleum Geology
Serial Volume: 32
Serial Issue: 3
Title: Regional pattern of thermal maturation as determined from coal-rank studies, Rocky Mountain foothills and Front Ranges north of Grande Cache, Alberta; implications for petroleum exploration
Affiliation: Inst. Geol. Pet. Geol., Calgary, AB, Canada
Pages: 249-271
Published: 198409
Text Language: English
Summary Language: French
Publisher: Canadian Society of Petroleum Geologists, Calgary, AB, Canada
References: 45
Accession Number: 1985-040084
Categories: Economic geology, geology of energy sourcesPetrology of coal
Document Type: Serial
Bibliographic Level: Analytic
Illustration Description: illus. incl. 6 tables, sect., strat. cols., sketch maps
N49°00'00" - N60°00'00", W120°00'00" - W110°00'00"
Country of Publication: Canada
Secondary Affiliation: GeoRef, Copyright 2020, American Geosciences Institute.
Update Code: 1985
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