Bedforms and Stratigraphic Architecture of Colorado Group Shales as an Indicator of Shallow Shelf Depositional Setting of the Carlile and Niobrara Formations, Southeastern Alberta-Southwestern Saskatchewan

The Carlile and Niobrara formations in southeastern Alberta and southwestern Saskatchewan are mainly comprised of shales with minor interbeds of siltstones, sandstones, and bentonites. Sandstones of the Niobrara Formation, the Medicine Hat Member, host several giant shallow gas pools. Evaluation of the shale gas potential of the shale-dominated part of the Carlile and Niobrara formations is the main long term objective of this study. As in conventional reservoirs, interpretation of the depositional setting is an important part of reservoir characterization to address reservoir continuity and variability from laminae to depositional sequence scale (millimetres to tens of metres).