Facies associations and depositional environments of a mixed siliciclastic-carbonate marginal marine succession: The Lower Carnian (Upper Triassic) middle Charlie Lake Formation, Kobes-Blueberry area, British Columbia, Canada

Abstract

The Upper Triassic (Carnian) Charlie Lake Formation in northeastern British Columbia, Canada is a heterolithic mixed siliciclastic-carbonate succession of dolomite dolomitic siltstone, well-sorted sandstone, bioclastic sandstone, and anhydrite. This succession is unusual in that it records the only significant non-marine interval in the Triassic of the Western Canadian Sedimentary Basin. In the Kobes-Altares-Blueberry area, moderately abundant core are available through the middle members of the Charlie Lake Formation. All available core were analyzed in order to interpret the depositional setting of constituent members and identify reservoir quality lithofacies and horizons. The middle Charlie Lake Formation in the Kobes-Altares-Blueberry area was deposited in an arid coastal setting. Sixteen lithofacies were identified and placed in three lithofacies assemblages and the latter characterize three depositional settings: coastal salina/playa, aeolian dune, and proximal marine ramps. The coastal salina/playa lithofacies assemblage is heterolithic, and is dominated by dolomitic and anhydritic facies. Depositional subenvironments include intertidal flat, ephemeral lagoon, shore proximal ephemeral lake, sabkha and supratidal paleosol. Potential reservoir lithofacies in this assemblage includes peloidal to stromatolitic dolomitic siltstone deposited in lagoonal and intertidal flat settings. The aeolian dune lithofacies assemblage preserves the movement of small, shore-proximal dunes and associated interdune successions. Well-sorted, fine-grained sandstone beds comprise the best reservoir lithofacies in this assemblage. The proximal marine ramp facies assemblage records several marine transgressions that punctuate the dominantly nonmarine/marginal marine Charlie Lake Formation. Bioclastic packstone, bioclastic sandstone and peloidal dolomitic siltstone to sandstone beds, all exhibit good porosity and are potential hydrocarbon reservoir units within this lithofacies assemblage.