Viking Formation
Encyclopedia
The Viking Formation is a stratigraphical
unit of Cretaceous
age
in the Western Canadian Sedimentary Basin
.
It takes the name from the town of Viking, Alberta
, and was first described in the Viking
-Kinsella
oil field by Dowling in 1919.
and chert
y conglomeratic sandstone.
Nodular phosphorite
, coal
fragments and concretionary siderite
occur in the coarse beds.
is produced from the Viking Formation in eastern and central Alberta
as well as in central-west Saskatchewan
.
The Viking Formation had an initial established recoverable oil
reserve
of 88.7 million m³, with 66.8 million m³ already produced as of 2008. Gas
reserves totaled 277.9 million m³, with 103.4 million m³ already produced.
and thins out to 40 metres (131.2 ft) in Saskatchewan. Thinner sandstone beds can be recognized into western Alberta.
underlain by the Joli Fou Formation
.
It is equivalent to the Bow Island Formation in southern Alberta
, to the Newcastle Formation in North Dakota
, to the Ashville Formation
in Manitoba
, the Pelican Sandstone in north-eastern Alberta and the Flotten Lake Sand in central Saskatchewan
. It can be correlated with the Cadotte Member of the Peace River Formation
in north-western 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 Cretaceous
Cretaceous
The Cretaceous , derived from the Latin "creta" , usually abbreviated K for its German translation Kreide , is a geologic period and system from circa to million years ago. In the geologic timescale, the Cretaceous follows the Jurassic period and is followed by the Paleogene period of the...
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 town of Viking, Alberta
Viking, Alberta
- Notable people :*Cory Clouston - former head coach of the Ottawa Senators*Don Mazankowski - former cabinet minister under Joe Clark and Brian Mulroney...
, and was first described in the Viking
Viking, Alberta
- Notable people :*Cory Clouston - former head coach of the Ottawa Senators*Don Mazankowski - former cabinet minister under Joe Clark and Brian Mulroney...
-Kinsella
Kinsella, Alberta
- References :...
oil field by Dowling in 1919.
Lithology
The Viking Formation is composed of fine to coarse grained sandstone with interbeds of conglomerateConglomerate (geology)
A conglomerate is a rock consisting of individual clasts within a finer-grained matrix that have become cemented together. Conglomerates are sedimentary rocks consisting of rounded fragments and are thus differentiated from breccias, which consist of angular clasts...
and 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...
y conglomeratic sandstone.
Nodular phosphorite
Phosphorite
Phosphorite, phosphate rock or rock phosphate is a non-detrital sedimentary rock which contains high amounts of phosphate bearing minerals. The phosphate content of phosphorite is at least 15 to 20% which is a large enrichment over the typical sedimentary rock content of less than 0.2%...
, coal
Coal
Coal is a combustible black or brownish-black sedimentary rock usually occurring in rock strata in layers or veins called coal beds or coal seams. The harder forms, such as anthracite coal, can be regarded as metamorphic rock because of later exposure to elevated temperature and pressure...
fragments and concretionary siderite
Siderite
Siderite is a mineral composed of iron carbonate FeCO3. It takes its name from the Greek word σίδηρος sideros, “iron”. It is a valuable iron mineral, since it is 48% iron and contains no sulfur or phosphorus...
occur in the coarse beds.
Hydrocarbon production
OilPetroleum
Petroleum or crude oil is a naturally occurring, flammable liquid consisting of a complex mixture of hydrocarbons of various molecular weights and other liquid organic compounds, that are found in geologic formations beneath the Earth's surface. Petroleum is recovered mostly through oil drilling...
is produced from the Viking Formation in eastern and 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...
as well as in central-west Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan is a prairie province in Canada, which has an area of . Saskatchewan is bordered on the west by Alberta, on the north by the Northwest Territories, on the east by Manitoba, and on the south by the U.S. states of Montana and North Dakota....
.
The Viking Formation had an initial established recoverable oil
Petroleum
Petroleum or crude oil is a naturally occurring, flammable liquid consisting of a complex mixture of hydrocarbons of various molecular weights and other liquid organic compounds, that are found in geologic formations beneath the Earth's surface. Petroleum is recovered mostly through oil drilling...
reserve
Oil reserves
The total estimated amount of oil in an oil reservoir, including both producible and non-producible oil, is called oil in place. However, because of reservoir characteristics and limitations in petroleum extraction technologies, only a fraction of this oil can be brought to the surface, and it is...
of 88.7 million m³, with 66.8 million m³ already produced as of 2008. 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...
reserves totaled 277.9 million m³, with 103.4 million m³ already produced.
Distribution
The Viking Formation occurs in the sub-surface of central and eastern Alberta and in west-central Saskatchewan. It reaches a maximum thickness of 50 metres (164 ft) in central AlbertaCentral 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 thins out to 40 metres (131.2 ft) in Saskatchewan. Thinner sandstone beds can be recognized into western Alberta.
Relationship to other units
The Viking Formation is conformably overlain by the Big River Formation and conformably and unconformablyUnconformity
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...
underlain by the Joli Fou Formation
Joli Fou Formation
The Joli Fou Formation is a stratigraphical unit of middle Albian age in the Western Canadian Sedimentary Basin. It takes the name from the Joli Fou Rapids on the Athabasca River, and was first described in an outcrop along the river, downstream from Joli Fou Rapids, by RTD Wickenden in...
.
It is equivalent to the Bow Island Formation in 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...
, to the Newcastle Formation in North Dakota
North Dakota
North Dakota is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States of America, along the Canadian border. The state is bordered by Canada to the north, Minnesota to the east, South Dakota to the south and Montana to the west. North Dakota is the 19th-largest state by area in the U.S....
, to the Ashville Formation
Ashville Formation
The Ashville Formation is a geological formation in Saskatchewan and Manitoba whose strata date back to the Late Cretaceous. Dinosaur remains are among the fossils that have been recovered from the formation....
in Manitoba
Manitoba
Manitoba is a Canadian prairie province with an area of . The province has over 110,000 lakes and has a largely continental climate because of its flat topography. Agriculture, mostly concentrated in the fertile southern and western parts of the province, is vital to the province's economy; other...
, the Pelican Sandstone in north-eastern Alberta and the Flotten Lake Sand in central Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan is a prairie province in Canada, which has an area of . Saskatchewan is bordered on the west by Alberta, on the north by the Northwest Territories, on the east by Manitoba, and on the south by the U.S. states of Montana and North Dakota....
. It can be correlated with the Cadotte Member of the Peace River Formation
Peace River Formation
The Peace River Formation is a stratigraphical unit of middle Albian age in the Western Canadian Sedimentary Basin.It takes the name from the Peace River, and was first described on the banks of the river, downstream from the Smoky River confluence to the mouth of the Notikewin River by McConnell...
in north-western Alberta.