--> Abstract: Recent Advances in the Geological Framework of the Bowser and Sustut Basins, north-central British Columbia, Canada, by Filippo Ferri, Carol A. Evenchick, Peter S. Mustard, Margot McMechan, Vicki J. McNicoll, Randolph J. Enkin, Kirk Osadetz, Lavern Stasiuk, Carmel Lowe, Nick S.F. Wilson, Terry P. Poulton, Art Sweet, and David Ritcey; #90039 (2005)

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Recent Advances in the Geological Framework of the Bowser and Sustut Basins, north-central British Columbia, Canada

Filippo Ferri1, Carol A. Evenchick2, Peter S. Mustard3, Margot McMechan4, Vicki J. McNicoll5, Randolph J. Enkin6, Kirk Osadetz4, Lavern Stasiuk4, Carmel Lowe6, Nick S.F. Wilson4, Terry P. Poulton7, Art Sweet4, and David Ritcey7
1 BC Ministry of Energy and Mines, Victoria, BC
2 Natural Resources Canada, Vancouver, BC
3 Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC
4 Geological Survey of Canada, Calgary
5 Geological Survey of Canada, Ottawa
6 Geological Survey of Canada, Sidney
7 Geological Survey of Canada, Vancouver

The Bowser and Sustut basins, north-central British Columbia, are intermontane basins in the Canadian Cordillera. The Bowser Lake Group consists of over 5000m of Middle Jurassic to Early Cretaceous clastic sedimentary rocks deposited in environments ranging from distal submarine fan through fluvial and lacustrine, whereas the Sustut Group contains over 2000m of nonmarine rocks. Recent work has focused on stratigraphy, structure, mapping, provenance, potential fields, paleomagnetism, AFT thermochronology, thermal maturity, and petroleum systems. Although the stratigraphic framework is still evolving, new work has confirmed that the previously proposed lithofacies assemblages are mappable units. Previous reconnaissance-scale distribution of map units in the central basin, however, has changed significantly. Detrital zircon geochronology shows that in addition to radiolarian chert of the Cache Creek terrane (a dominant clast type in sandstone and conglomerate) primary sources of Bowser Basin clasts were likely Triassic and Jurassic arc terranes. Detritus from the metamorphic Omineca Belt did not reach the north or central Bowser/Sustut area until the mid Cretaceous, with the beginning of the Sustut Group. This change in provenance was likely earlier in the southern basin. Structure is dominated by northwest trending folds and lesser thrust faults. New work has identified local areas of important normal faults as well as changes in the geometry of the front of the Skeena Fold Belt from the well developed triangle zone in the north. Recent work has also shown that there are relatively large areas of low thermal maturity, and that there were at least 3 effective petroleum systems.

 

AAPG Search and Discovery Article #90039©2005 AAPG Calgary, Alberta, June 16-19, 2005