Environments of deposition in Medina Group in western New York

Conference · Sat Dec 01 04:00:00 EST 1984 · Am. Assoc. Pet. Geol., Bull.; (United States)

OSTI ID:5741568

Seyler, B; Pearce, M A

The basal Silurian Medina Group including the Whirlpool Sandstone, Power Glen Shale, Grimsby Sandstone, and Thorold Sandstone was studied in the outcrop belt along the Niagara escarpment from St. Catharines, Ontario, east to Rochester, New York. These formations represent facies changes in a wave-dominated environment. The Whirlpool Sandstone and Power Glen Shale are a transgression succession of shoreface to delta-front sediments. Regression followed with deposition of the Grimsby Sandstone in lower to upper delta-plain environments. The Whirlpool Sandstone contains lower shoreface, upper shoreface, and foreshore deposits. These deposits are clean, well-sorted white orthoquartzites. The overlying Power Glen Shale, deposited in a delta-front environment, contains numerous lenses of storm-deposited, hummocky, cross-stratified, fine-grained sandstone; scattered colonies of crinoids and starfish; and thin lenses of limestone. The Grimsby Sandstone overlies the Power Glen Shale. It is composed primarily of red sand and siltstone deposited in foreshore to upper delta-plain environments. The foreshore deposits of the Whirlpool and Grimsby Sandstones contain the cleanest, best sorted sands in the Medina Group, and possess the greatest primary intergranular porosity. Although primary porosity in the Medina has been largely obliterated by quartz overgrowths, these foreshore deposits offer good potential for porosity development and provide gas reservoirs in the Medina Group.

• Research Organization: Illinois State Geological Survey, Champaign, IL
• OSTI ID: 5741568
• Report Number(s): CONF-8410269-
• Conference Information: Journal Name: Am. Assoc. Pet. Geol., Bull.; (United States) Journal Volume: 68:12
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

03 NATURAL GAS
030200* -- Natural Gas-- Reserves
Geology
& Exploration
DEPOSITION
FEDERAL REGION II
GEOLOGIC AGES
GEOLOGIC DEPOSITS
GEOLOGIC FORMATIONS
GEOLOGIC HISTORY
GEOLOGY
LITHOLOGY
MINERAL RESOURCES
NATURAL GAS DEPOSITS
NEW YORK
NORTH AMERICA
PALEOZOIC ERA
POROSITY
RESERVOIR ROCK
RESOURCES
ROCKS
SANDSTONES
SEDIMENTARY ROCKS
SILURIAN PERIOD
STRATIGRAPHY
USA