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Shelf and deep-sea sedimentation in Eocene forearc basin, western Oregon-fan or non-fan

Journal Article · · Am. Assoc. Pet. Geol., Bull.; (United States)
OSTI ID:6373714

The lower Eocene Tyee and Flournoy Formations in the southern and central Coast Range of Oregon contain unusual associations of shelf and deep-sea facies deposited in an elongate portion of a forearc basin. The sandstonerich nature and abrupt transition of sedimentary facies suggest that a variation of existing deep-sea fan models is present. The 6,500 ft (2,000 m) thick sequence calls for shelf sandstone virtually cascading into deep water along a line (shelf edge) rather than from a point source (submarine canyon) to feed a sand-rich system. Facies are described in terms of a sand-rich fan system. From south to north these facies include: deltaic, shelf, inner fan, mid-fan, outer fan, and basin plain. The deltaic facies contains coarse-grained, cross-bedded, distributary channel sandstone and interbedded coal. Some prograding deltaic sand extended to the edge of the narrow Eocene shelf and cascaded into the basin. Many complex, nested channels up to 1,200 ft (350 m) wide and 130 ft (40 m) deep were incised into fine-grained shelf and slope sediments at slope depths (line source).

Research Organization:
Department of Geology and Geophysics, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah
OSTI ID:
6373714
Journal Information:
Am. Assoc. Pet. Geol., Bull.; (United States), Journal Name: Am. Assoc. Pet. Geol., Bull.; (United States) Vol. 67:11; ISSN AAPGB
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English