Depositional environment of Bullion Creek Formation (Paleocene) in southern McKenzie County, North Dakota

Conference · Mon Aug 01 04:00:00 EDT 1983 · Am. Assoc. Pet. Geol., Bull.; (United States)

OSTI ID:6385595

Wallick, B P

The environment of deposition of the Bullion Creek Formation in western North Dakota has been variously ascribed to lacustrine, meandering fluvial, and marginal marine deltaic environments with the latter three being favored by most workers. The Bullion Creek Formation rests conformably atop the Slope Formation (nonmarine) in the southwest quarter of the state and is conformably overlain by the Sentinel Butte Formation. The Tongue River Member of the Fort Union Formation is the lateral equivalent of the Bullion Creek Formation in Montana, Wyoming, and South Dakota. The Bullion Creek Formation is composed primarily of flood-plain sediments, including unconsolidated sands, silts, and clays. Freshwater limestones and thin, discontinuous lignites (with the exception of the thick and laterally extensive HT Butte lignite which has been defined as the upper contact of the Bullion Creek) are also present. Channeling in the Bullion Creek is of special interest. Paleochannels have a low width to depth ratio and appear laterally stable as evidenced by lack of lateral accretion or point bar deposits and vertical stacking. In map view, channels of equal stratigraphic position converge with and diverge from each other. The preponderant flood-plain sediments, lignites, and carbonates, as well as channel configuration would seem to indicate deltaic sedimentation; however, the deposits contain fauna which are strictly fresh water, thereby making this interpretation tenuous. A possible alternative to this deltaic interpretation is the anastamosing fluvial model.

• Research Organization: Univ. of North Dakota, Grand Forks
• OSTI ID: 6385595
• Report Number(s): CONF-8309274-
• Conference Information: Journal Name: Am. Assoc. Pet. Geol., Bull.; (United States) Journal Volume: 67:8
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

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CENOZOIC ERA
FEDERAL REGION VIII
GEOLOGIC AGES
GEOLOGIC FORMATIONS
GEOLOGIC MODELS
GEOLOGY
LITHOLOGY
NORTH AMERICA
NORTH DAKOTA
SEDIMENTATION
STRATIGRAPHY
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USA