The Saskatchewan Group is a stratigraphical unit of Frasnian age in the Western Canadian Sedimentary Basin.

Saskatchewan Group
Stratigraphic range: Frasnian
TypeGeological group
Sub-unitsBirdbear Formation
Duperow Formation
UnderliesThree Forks Group
OverliesManitoba Group
Thicknessup to 350 metres (1,150 ft)[1]
Lithology
PrimaryCarbonate
OtherEvaporite
Location
Coordinates50°21′18″N 106°54′07″W / 50.355°N 106.902°W / 50.355; -106.902 (Saskatchewan Group)
RegionWCSB
Williston Basin
Country Canada
 United States
Type section
Named forSaskatchewan
Named byA.D Baillie, 1953

It takes the name from the province of Saskatchewan, and was first described in the Mobil Oil Woodley Sinclair Cantuar X-2-21 well by A.D Baillie in 1953.[2]

Lithology

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The Saskatchewan Group is composed of carbonates with thin evaporites. [1]

Distribution

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The Saskatchewan Group reaches a maximum thickness of 350 metres (1,150 ft).[1] It is present in the sub-surface throughout the Williston Basin.

Subdivisions

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The Saskatchewan Group contains the following formations, from top to base:

Sub-unit Age Lithology Max.
Thickness
Reference
Birdbear Formation Frasnian Upper: dolomite with evaporite interbeds
Lower: non-argillaceous limestone and dolomite
45 m (150 ft) [3]
Duperow Formation Frasnian limestone and dolomite, anhydrite, halite; up to 27 depositional cycles 300 m (980 ft) [4]

Relationship to other units

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The Saskatchewan Group is conformably overlain by the Three Forks Group and conformably overlays the Manitoba Group carbonates.[1]

It is equivalent to the upper Beaverhill Lake Formation, the Woodbend Group and the lower part of the Winterburn Group in central Alberta, and with the Jefferson Group in Montana and North Dakota.

References

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  1. ^ a b c d Lexicon of Canadian Geologic Units. "Saskatchewan Group". Retrieved 2010-01-01.
  2. ^ Baillie, A.D., 1953. "Devonian names and correlations of the Williston Basin area; American Association of Petroleum Geologists Bulletin, vol. 37, no. 2 (February), pp. 444-447.
  3. ^ Lexicon of Canadian Geologic Units. "Birdbear Formation". Retrieved 2010-01-09.
  4. ^ Lexicon of Canadian Geologic Units. "Duperow Formation". Retrieved 2010-01-09.