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University of Windsor

Petrology, geochemistry, diagenesis and depositional environment of the Upper Devonian - Lower Carboniferous Exshaw Formation, northwestern Alberta.

Abstract

dc:description.abstract

The Upper Devonian (Famennian)-Lower Carboniferous (Tournaisian) Exshaw Formation is a thin, laterally extensive organic-rich petroleum source rock. It is one of Canada's most important petroleum source rocks and is a major contributor to the Lower Cretaceous Mannville heavy oil accumulations in the Western Canada Sedimentary Basin. The development of organic-rich deposits has been the center of much controversy as of late, since there are a number of depositional and paleo-oceanographic conditions responsible for their formation. This has led to various models attempting to explain the production and preservation of large quantities of organic matter. The Exshaw Formation is composed of an upper siltstone member and a lower black shale member. For the purpose of this investigation only the lower black shale in the Tangent Field of the Peace River embayment (T80-R23W5) was studied. The lower black shale member of the Exshaw Formation can be divided into two informal units. The lower unit consists of a blocky, calcareous, pyritic shale with chert-rich laminations. This unit is generally more competent than that of the upper more fissile, non- to slightly calcareous shale. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)Dept. of Earth Sciences. Paper copy at Leddy Library: Theses & Major Papers - Basement, West Bldg. / Call Number: Thesis2001 .V47. Source: Masters Abstracts International, Volume: 40-06, page: 1481. Thesis (M.Sc.)--University of Windsor (Canada), 2001.

Degree

thesis:*
Name thesis:degree_name
M.Sc.
Level thesis:degree_level
Masters
Discipline thesis:degree_discipline
Geology
Grantor
University of Windsor
Year dc:date.issued
2001

Author and committee

dc:creator, dc:contributor.*
Author dc:creator
  • Vernon, Matthew Ross.

Rights

dc:rights
Language dc:language.iso
en_CA

Identifiers

dc:identifier.*
Handle dc:identifier.uri
https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14776/2728
OAI identifier oai:identifier
oai:uwindsor.scholaris.ca:20.500.14776/2728

Chain of custody

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Harvested from
University of Windsor
Base URL
uwindsor.scholaris.ca/server/oai/request
Last updated
2026-07-27
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citation

Vernon, Matthew Ross.. Petrology, geochemistry, diagenesis and depositional environment of the Upper Devonian - Lower Carboniferous Exshaw Formation, northwestern Alberta.. Masters thesis, University of Windsor, 2001. https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14776/2728