Fort Simpson Formation

Fort Simpson Formation Stratigraphic range: Late Devonian PreꞒ Ꞓ O S D C P T J K Pg N
Type	Geological formation
Underlies	Jean Marie Member of the Redknife Formation
Overlies	Muskwa Member of the Horn River Formation
Thickness	up to 1,000 metres (3,280 ft)^[1]
Lithology
Primary	Shale
Location
Coordinates	61°07′30″N 120°22′30″W / 61.12500°N 120.37500°W / 61.12500; -120.37500 (Briggs Turkey Lake No. 1)Coordinates: 61°07′30″N 120°22′30″W / 61.12500°N 120.37500°W / 61.12500; -120.37500 (Briggs Turkey Lake No. 1)
Region	Alberta British Columbia Northwest Territories
Country	Canada
Type section
Named for	Fort Simpson, Northwest Territories
Named by	A.E. Cameron, 1918

The Fort Simpson Formation is a stratigraphical unit of Devonian age in the Western Canadian Sedimentary Basin.

It takes the name from the settlement of Fort Simpson, and was first described in well Briggs Turkey Lake No. 1 (located south-east of Fort Simpson) by A.E. Cameron in 1918.^[2]

Lithology

The Fort Simpson Formation is composed of grey shale and mudstone.^[1] The shale can be calcareous, silty or sandy.

Distribution

The Fort Simpson Formation reaches a thickness of over 1,000 metres (3,280 ft) in the sub-surface of the Mackenzie River plain.^[1] It extends from northern Alberta to south-western northwest Territories and in north-eastern British Columbia (north of Peace River Arch).

Relationship to other units

The Fort Simpson Formation is overlain by the Jean Marie Member of the Redknife Formation in its eastern reaches, and progressively by the Kakisa Formation, Trout River Formation or Tetcho Formation towards the west. It is conformably underlain by the Muskwa Member of the Horn River Formation.^[1]

It is replaced by the Besa River Formation in the Liard River area. It is equivalent to the Imperial Formation to the north, the Tathlina Formation, Twin Falls Formation and Hay River Formation to the east, and the Woodbend Group in Alberta.

References

↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Lexicon of Canadian Geologic Units. "Fort Simpson Formation". Retrieved 2009-03-01.
↑ Cameron, A.E., 1918. Explorations in the vicinity of Great Slave Lake. Geological Survey of Canada, Summary Report, 1917, Part C, p. 21-27.

Western Canadian Sedimentary Basin

Hydrocarbon history	Oil sands and heavy oil Frontier exploration and development Natural gas liquids Natural gas

Depositional Regions	Southern Alberta Central Alberta Northwestern Alberta Plains South-central Canadian Rockies foothills North-east Plains North-central foothills Liard River Fort Nelson Northern Rocky Mountains Fort St. John Saskatchewan Western Manitoba

Fort Nelson Area	Wapiti GRP Kotaneelee FM Dunvegan FM Ft. St. John GRP Sully FM SikanniFM Buckinghorse FM Scatter FM Belloy FM Rundle GRP Debolt FM Shunda FM Pekisko FM Banff FM Exshaw FM Kotcho FM Tetcho FM Trout River FM Kakisa FM Redknife FM Jean Marie MBR Fort Simpson FM Horn River FM Muskwa FM Waterways FM Slave Point FM Watt Mountain FM Muskeg FM Sulphur Point FM Presqu'ile FM Pine Point FM Keg River FM Chinchaga FM Canadian Shield

Northwest Plains	Paskapoo FM Scollard FM Wapiti GRP Smoky GRP Puskwaskau FM Badheart FM Muskiki FM Cardium FM Kaskapau FM Pouce Coupe MBR Doe Creek MBR Dunvegan FM Fort St. John GRP Shaftesbury FM Peace River FM Spirit River FM Bullhead GRP Bluesky FM Gething FM Cadomin FM Nikanassin FM Fernie GRP Rock Creek MBR Poker Chip Shale Nordegg MBR Schooler Creek GRP Baldonnel FM Charlie Lake FM Halfway FM Doig FM Montney FM Belloy FM Stoddart GRP Taylor Flat FM Kiskatinaw FM Golata FM Rundle GRP Debolt FM Shunda FM Pekisko FM Banff FM Exshaw FM Wabamun FM Trout River FM Kakisa FM Redknife FM Jean Marie MBR Woodbend GRP Irteton FM Fort Simpson FM Leduc FM Duvernay FM Cooking Lake FM Beaverhill Lake GRP Waterways FM Swan Hills FM Fort Vermilion FM Elk Point GRP Watt Mountain FM Gillwood MBR Presqu’ile FM Sulphur Point FM Pine Point FM Muskeg FM Zama MBR Black Shale Keg River FM Rainbow MBR Chinchaga FM Cold Lake FM Ernestina FM Basal Red Beds Granite Wash Canadian Shield