Bluesky Formation
Encyclopedia
The Bluesky Formation is a stratigraphical
unit of Lower Cretaceous age
in the Western Canadian Sedimentary Basin
.
It takes the name from the hamlet of Bluesky
, and was first described in Shell's
Bluesky No. 1 well by Badgley in 1952..
which can be quartzose or contain chert
grains. It is very porous and contains heavy oil in the Peace River
area. Gas
is produced from the formation in central Alberta
.
area, and thins to the south and southeast. Thin sands can be found in the Peace River
area.
and conformably underlain by the Gething Formation
. North-east of the town of Peace River
it is deposited unconformably
on the Mississippian limestone. It is equivalent with the Glauconitic Sandstone of the Mannville Group
in central
and southern Alberta
, as well as with the Wabiskaw Member of the Clearwater Formation
in the eastern part of northern Alberta
.
Stratigraphy
Stratigraphy, a branch of geology, studies rock layers and layering . It is primarily used in the study of sedimentary and layered volcanic rocks....
unit of Lower Cretaceous age
Geochronology
Geochronology is the science of determining the age of rocks, fossils, and sediments, within a certain degree of uncertainty inherent to the method used. A variety of dating methods are used by geologists to achieve this, and schemes of classification and terminology have been proposed...
in the Western Canadian Sedimentary Basin
Western Canadian Sedimentary Basin
The Western Canadian Sedimentary Basin is a vast sedimentary basin underlying of Western Canada including southwestern Manitoba, southern Saskatchewan, Alberta, northeastern British Columbia and the southwest corner of the Northwest Territories. It consists of a massive wedge of sedimentary rock...
.
It takes the name from the hamlet of Bluesky
Bluesky, Alberta
Bluesky is a hamlet in Alberta, Canada within the Municipal District of Fairview No. 136. It is located along Highway 2, east of Fairview in northern Alberta....
, and was first described in Shell's
Royal Dutch Shell
Royal Dutch Shell plc , commonly known as Shell, is a global oil and gas company headquartered in The Hague, Netherlands and with its registered office in London, United Kingdom. It is the fifth-largest company in the world according to a composite measure by Forbes magazine and one of the six...
Bluesky No. 1 well by Badgley in 1952..
Lithology
The formation is composed of sandstoneSandstone
Sandstone is a sedimentary rock composed mainly of sand-sized minerals or rock grains.Most sandstone is composed of quartz and/or feldspar because these are the most common minerals in the Earth's crust. Like sand, sandstone may be any colour, but the most common colours are tan, brown, yellow,...
which can be quartzose or contain chert
Chert
Chert is a fine-grained silica-rich microcrystalline, cryptocrystalline or microfibrous sedimentary rock that may contain small fossils. It varies greatly in color , but most often manifests as gray, brown, grayish brown and light green to rusty red; its color is an expression of trace elements...
grains. It is very porous and contains heavy oil in the Peace River
Peace River, Alberta
Peace River is a town in northwestern Alberta, Canada, situated along the banks of the Peace River, at its confluence with the Smoky River, the Heart River and Pat's Creek. It is located northwest of Edmonton, and northeast of Grande Prairie, along Highway 2. The Peace River townsite is nearly ...
area. Gas
Natural gas
Natural gas is a naturally occurring gas mixture consisting primarily of methane, typically with 0–20% higher hydrocarbons . It is found associated with other hydrocarbon fuel, in coal beds, as methane clathrates, and is an important fuel source and a major feedstock for fertilizers.Most natural...
is produced from the formation in central Alberta
Central Alberta
Central Alberta is a region located in the Canadian province of Alberta.Central Alberta is the most densely populated rural area in the province...
.
Distribution
The Bluesky Formation reaches a thickness of 46 metres (150.9 ft) in the Pouce CoupePouce Coupe River
Pouce Coupe is a river in Alberta and British Columbia, Canada. It is a major tributary of the Peace River.Originating in Alberta's Saddle Hills County, it flows into British Columbia's Peace River Regional District, then returns in Alberta in Clear Hills County, where it empties into the Peace...
area, and thins to the south and southeast. Thin sands can be found in the Peace River
Peace River (Canada)
The Peace River is a river in Canada that originates in the Rocky Mountains of northern British Columbia and flows to the northeast through northern Alberta. The Peace River flows into the Slave River, a tributary of the Mackenzie River. The Mackenzie is the 12th longest river in the world,...
area.
Relationship with other units
The Bluesky Formation is conformably overlain by the Wilrich Member of the Spirit River FormationSpirit River Formation
The Spirit River Formation is a stratigraphical unit of middle Albian age in the Western Canadian Sedimentary Basin.It takes the name from the Spirit River, and was first described in Imperial Oil Spirit River No...
and conformably underlain by the Gething Formation
Gething Formation
Gething Formation is a stratigraphical unit of Lower Cretaceous age in the Western Canadian Sedimentary Basin.It was first described in the Peace River Canyon by F.H. McLearn in 1923. The canyon was partly inundated in 1968 by the Williston Lake after the construction of the W. A. C. Bennett Dam...
. North-east of the town of Peace River
Peace River, Alberta
Peace River is a town in northwestern Alberta, Canada, situated along the banks of the Peace River, at its confluence with the Smoky River, the Heart River and Pat's Creek. It is located northwest of Edmonton, and northeast of Grande Prairie, along Highway 2. The Peace River townsite is nearly ...
it is deposited unconformably
Unconformity
An unconformity is a buried erosion surface separating two rock masses or strata of different ages, indicating that sediment deposition was not continuous. In general, the older layer was exposed to erosion for an interval of time before deposition of the younger, but the term is used to describe...
on the Mississippian limestone. It is equivalent with the Glauconitic Sandstone of the Mannville Group
Mannville Group
The Mannville Group is a stratigraphical unit of Cretaceous age in the Western Canadian Sedimentary Basin.It takes the name from the town of Mannville, Alberta, and was first described in the Northwest Mannville 1 well by A.W...
in central
Central Alberta
Central Alberta is a region located in the Canadian province of Alberta.Central Alberta is the most densely populated rural area in the province...
and southern Alberta
Southern Alberta
Southern Alberta is a region located in the Canadian province of Alberta. As of the year 2004, the region's population was approximately 272,017. The primary cities are Lethbridge and Medicine Hat...
, as well as with the Wabiskaw Member of the Clearwater Formation
Clearwater Formation
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...
in the eastern part of northern Alberta
Northern Alberta
Northern Alberta is a region located in the Canadian province of Alberta.Its primary industry is oil and gas, with large heavy oil reserves being exploited at the Athabasca Oil Sands and Wabasca Area in the east of the region...
.