Micropaleontology of the Northern Alaska

149 Pages·2007·19.38 MB·English

Micropaleontology of the
Mesozoic Rocks of
Northern Alaska
By HARLAN R. BERGQUIST
EXPLORATION OF NAVAL PETROLEUM RESERVE NO. 4
AND ADJACENT AREAS, NORTHERN ALASKA, 1944-53
PART 2, REGIONAL STUDIES
GEOLOGICAL SURVEY PROFESSIONAL PAPER 302-D
Prepared andpublished at the repuest of and
in cooperation with the U.S. Department of
the Navy, OJce of Naval Petroleum and Oil
Shale Reserves
UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE, WASHINGTON : 1966
UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
STEWART L. UDALL, Secretary
GEOLOGICAL SURVEY
~ill'iamT. Pecora, Director
For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office
Washington, D.C. 20402
CONTENTS
Page
Abstract-_ . _ _ _ _ _ - _ - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - -.- - - - - - - - - -.- - - - 93 Microfossil zones in Cretaceous rocks-Continued
I n t r o d u c t i o n . 93 Turonian rocks-continued
Acknowledgments ............................... 93 Pseudoclavulina hastata-Arenobulimina torula
Previous work_-------------------------.------- 94 faunal zone_.____--_---.-----------------
Surface sample studie_ s_ _-_-_-____----------------9 4 Senonianrocks__._._---------------------------
Stratigraphic summary _ _ .. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ - - - _ -.- - - - - - - _ 95 Neobulimina canadensis faunal zone- _ - _ - _ - - - - -
Paleozoicrocks.----_----_--____--~----.-------- Subsurface studies- _ _- --___---- - --------- ---- -------
Triassic rocks- - -- - -------- ---- -- - --- -- - - - - -- - -- Skull Cliff core test 1- ---_-_ ____ -_- _--_--------- -
Shublik Formation ------___-_ -- -- - --- -.- - -- - South Barrow test well 1- -_______-_.___------..
Jurassic rocks-------------------------.------- Middle to upper Albian rocks- _ - _ __--_-_-_- --
Tiglukpuk Formation- _ _ - _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ - _ __ ._ _ _ _ _ _ Verne?cilinoides borealis faunal zone (70-
Kingak Shale- _---_-__-._-_-----------2-,8-25- f-t)._._ __-_____-_-_-_-------------
Cretaceousrocks____--------------------.---.--- Lower Albian rocks- - - - _ - __ _ _ _ _ - _ -__ _ - _ - - - - -
Okpikruak Formation (early Neocomian) _ - _ _ _ _ Gaudryina tailleuri faunal zone (2,825-
Fortress Mountain and Torok Formations 3,385?ft)--------_-------------------
(Albian)---------------------------.----- Paleozoic(?) rocks ._----_--____--------------
Fortress Mountain Formation-. - - - - _ - - -.. Argillite (3,385?-3,553 ft, total depth)- _ _- .
Torok Formation __________ _.__S_ou_th B_arr_ow _test_ we_ll 2-_ _ _ __ __ _-_____ __ -._ _ __---
Nanushuk Group-_-_-----_----------------- Middle to upper Albian rocks- _ _ --___ -- _- _---
Tuktu Formation (Albian) _____--___----V.e rneriilinoides borealis faunal zone (100-
Grandstand Formation (Albian) - - _ _ _ - - -._ 1,930 ft)-___-_-___-_____-------------
Chandler Formation (Albian to Ceno- Lower Albian rocks- - --________-____--_-_---
manian?)_---_-_-.------------------. Gattdryina tailleuri faunal zone (1,930-
Killik Tongue- - __ - _ __ _ ___ _-- --. -- - - 2,328 ft) ---_---_-_-_-___-------------
NinuNluikak Foogromn aTtioonng u(eC -e-n-o_m- -a -n_ia_-n -) _- -_ _- -- -_ _- -_ -_ LoweTr JnJunraamsesdic froorcmkas ti(oTno a(r2c,i3a2n8)- -2 -,4 _4 _3 _ _f_t )- __ _ __ .-* -- --
Colville Group- - - - - - - ---- --- -- -- - - - .. - -.- - - Paleozoic(?) rocks
Seabee Formation (Turonian) _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _.. Argillite (2,44-6---2-,-5-0_5__ -f_t,_ _to--t-a-l- -d-e--p-t-h2)- _-_ __--
Prince Creek and Schrader Bluff Formations South Barrow test well 3- _ _ __-___________-.__--..
(Senonian)_----.-__-----------.----.. Middle Albian rocks ---_______ _ _ __ -.- - -- ---- -
Kukpowruk Formation (Albian) and Corwin Lower part of Verneuilinoides borealis
Formation (Albian and Cenomanian?)_- __ ._ _ faunal zone (65-1,285 ft)__ _____-___-_-
Ignek Formation (Early and Late Cretaceous) _ _ Lower Albian rocks- --_______________-____--
Tertiary rocks ____------_---------------G-au-dr-yi-na- .ta.ill-eu ri faunal zone (1,285-
Sagavanirktok Formation_-__ __ __ _ _-- --- - -- - l,645ft)-_-__----_-.-----------------
Pleistocene rocks- - - - - - - - - - - - - .- - - - . - - - - - _ _ _ -._ Lower Jurassic (lower Toarcian to upper Pliens-
Gubik Formation -----_---_._____-______._ -.b achian, Sinemurian to Hettangian) rocks-__ _
Microfossil zones in Cretaceous rocks __- _ ___ _. -___ _ _ .__ Unnamed shale (1,645-2,610 ft) _ ._ - _ _ _ _ - -
Albianrocks_-_.--------------.---------------. Upper Triassic rocks- - _ ___ _ _--____- -_ __ _ _-_ -
Gaudryina tailleuri faunal zone _ _ _ _ _ _ ._ _ _ _.. Shublik Formation (2,610-2,799 ft) ._ _ ___-
Verneuilinoides borealis faunal zone- _ ._ _ ._ .. Paleozoic(?) rocks ___-_- - __ _ _-._- ----- --- -- --
Relation to megafossil zones- --__ -__ _ _-- _ Argillite (2,799-2,900 ft, total depth)_-. ._ _
Statistical summary-_-- - _- .- ._ - - -.- - - -.. South Barrow test well 4. _ __. -_-___-_____.--__--
Problems of specific identification- _.._ .. _ Middle to upper Albian rocks _ __ .__ ___ _ __ ___
The problem of " Tritaxia" manitobensis. _ _ Verneuilinoides borealis faunal zone (114-
Reelnavtiiornosnhmipe notf - -m i_c -r o_ f_o -s -s _i l-s _ t_ o_ _d _ e_p _ o_ s_i _tio_n ._a l . Lower 1A,l9b7i0a nf tr)o - c-k -s-- - -- - - _ _- , _-_- _ - _-_-_-___- _- _ - _-_- _ _ -_-_- -._.._- - -
Cenomanianrocks._---._------_.-._.___.____ Gaudryina tailleuri faunal zone (1,970-
Gaudryina irenensis-Trochammina rutherfordi 2,352ft)-.-__------_-___-_-__-----..--
faunal zone-. .--------------------.--L-o-we.r -Ju rassic (lower Toarcian) rocks..-. _ _ _- .-
Turonianrocks---__.--.------.-----_---______ Unnamed formation (2,352-2,471 ft). _ ____
Hedbergella loetterlei-Heterohelix globulosa faunal Paleozoic(?) rocks __----________-------------
Argillite (2,471-2,538 ft, total depth)--__- -
CONTENTS
Subsurface studies-Continued Page Subsurface studies-Continued
Avak test well 1. ............................... 153 Fish Creek test well 1-Continued Page
Lower Albian rocks- -----__-_-_----_--------1 53 Turonian rocks- ------ - -- - --- -- - - - - - - - _--- - - 182
Gaudryina tailleuri faunal zone (loo* to Seabee Formation (2,100-2,900 ft) -- ---- -- 182
1,360 ft)----------_------------------ 153 Middle to upper Albian rocks ---- -- -- - - ---- - _ - 183
Lower Jurassic (lower Toarcian to Sinemurian) Verneuilinoides borealis faunal zone (2,915-
rocks------------------------------------ 154 4,50Oft)------_------.--------------- 183
Unnamed shale (1,360-2,307 ft) _ _ _ _ _---_- 154 Albian beds without faunal zones --------- 184
Paleozoic(?) rocks --------____-_-------------1 56 Sentinel Hill core test 1. ......................... 184
Argillite (2,3074,020 ft, total depth) __ _ - _ - 156 Kaolak test well 1- ............................. 185
Simpson test well 1- ............................ 156 Stratigraphic paleontology - - -_- - -_-_ --- _-- -_- - - - - 185
Pleistocene microfauna- - - - - ---- --- - _ _ - _ - - - -- 156 Meadetestwell l------------------------------- 185
Middle to upper Albian rocks- - ----__-------- 156 Albian rocks-_----------------------------- 185
Verneuilinoides borealis faunal zone (25- Corwin and Kukpowruk Formations undif-
2,949 ft)-----------___--------------- 156 ferentiated (25-4,200 ft)- - - - - --_- _ _ _ - -- 185
Lower part of the Torok Formation ----------- 158 Upper part of Torok Formation (4,200 ft to
Lower Albian rocks- ........................ 159 total depth)--------_-----------_------- 186
Gaudryina tailleuri faunal zone (5,150- Verneuilinoides borealis faunal zone (1,010-
5,4642~f t)--------------------------- 159 5,280? ft) - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 186
Lower Jurassic rocks ........................ 159 Oumalik core tests and test wells- .- _---------_--- 187
Kingak Formation (5,464 f to 6,265 ft)--..- 159 Oumalik test well 1- ........................ 187
Late Triassic fauna of the Shublik Formation--- 159 Middle to upper Albian rocks -------- 187
Paleozoic (?) rocks ---- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 160 Verneuilinoides borealis faunal zone
Argillite (6,546-7,002 ft, total depth) - --- - - 160 (30-5,370 ft) - -- ---- -- --- ---- -- - -- 187
North Simpson test well 1- - - .................... 160 Lower (?) Albian rocks- - - _ - - - - - - - _ - - - - - - - 188
Schrader Bluff Formation (Senonian) --------_- 160 Neocomianrocks_---------------------- 189
Seabee Formation (Turonian) - - --- - --_- -- -- - - 161 East Oumalik test well 1. .................... 190
Albianrocks-------------_----------_------ 162 Middle to upper Albian rocks-- ---------- 190
Simpson core tests .............................. 162 Verneuilinoides borealis faunal zone
Core tests 1-12 ............................. 163 (156-5,085? ft) - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 190
Core tests 13-31 ............................ 164 Lower(?) Albian rocks (5,0851-6,0301 ft or
Paleontologic data- -- - --- ---- - -- - -- - -- - --- - - 164 total depth) ............................ 190
Turonian rocks----------------_-_------ 164 Coretests---------------------------------- 191
Hedbergella-Heterohelix and Radio- Square Lake test well 1. ................... ------ 191
iaria zone of Seabee Formation- - - - - 164 Senonian rocks (25-700ft)-----_-----_------- 192
Middle to upper Albian rocks- - - _------_ - 167 Turonian rocks (700-1,820 ft) - _ - - - - - - _ - - - - - - - 192
Vqrneuilinoides borealis faunal zone- _ - 167 Seabee Formation (700-1,820 ft)- - - _ - - - - - - 192
Possible structure of the Simpson Seeps area_-- 167 Cenomanian(?) and upper Albian rocks-- - - - - - - 192
Topagoruk test well 1. .......................... 168 Ninuluk(?) Formation and Killik Tongue of
Middle to upper Albian rocks-- ------------_- 168 Chandler Formation undifferentiated
Verneuilinoides borealis faunal zone (200- (1,820-2,400 ft)- --- _ - - - - - - _ - - - _ - - - - - - - 192
3,600 ft)---------_------------------- 168 Upper Albian rocks- _-------------..--------1-9 3
Lower part of Torok Formation (3,600-6,600 ft) - 170 Verneuilinuides borealis faunal zone (2,400
Jurassic rocks---_-------__-------_-_----__- 170 ft to total depth)- - _----_------------- 193
Upper Jurassic (Oxfordian or lower Kim- Titaluk test well 1- ......................... ---- 193
meridgian) rocks ...................... 170 Cenomanian rocks- - - _ _--- - - - -- - _- - -- - - - - - - - - 194
Middle(?) Jurassic rorks- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 171 Gaudryina irenensis-Trochammina ruther-
Triassic rocks.. - - ........................... 171 fordi faunal zone (40-590 ft) - - - -- - - -- - - 194
Shublik Formation (8,640-9,380 ft) - - - - - - - 171 Upper Albianrocks---------_---_----------- 194
Permian rocks (9,380-9,770 ft) - - - - - _ - - - - - - - - - 171 Middle to upper Albian rocks- - - ------------- 194
Red beds (9,770-1 0,040 ft) -- _ - - - - _ - - - - - - - - - - - 171 Verneuilinuides borealis faunal zone (1,850 ft
Middle or Lower Devonian rocks (10,040- to total depth)_-_-------------------- 194
10,503 ft, total depth) --__-----_----------- 172 Wolf Creek area ----_----------- ----_--- --------- 195
East Topagoruk test well 1- - _ _-----_-__-----____1 72 Wolf Creek test well 1. ...................... 195
Middle to upper Albian rocks- ---___-----_--- 172 Cenomanian rocks ..................... - 196
Verneuilinoides borealis faunal zone (90 ft to
Gaudryina irenensis- Trochammina ruth-
Fish Creek ttoestat lw deellp 1t_ h)------_-----_-____----------_-_------------------ ---11 7725 erfordi faunal zone (10-455 ft)-- - - - - 196
Gubik Formation (15-65 ft?)-_>- - - _ _ - - - - - _ - - - 175 Upper (?) Albian rocks-- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 196
Upper Senonian rocks- _ -- - - _ _ - -- - _ _ - - - - -- - - - 175 Killik Tongue of the Chandler Forma-
Schrader Bluff Formation (65-2,100 ft)- - - - 175 tion and intertongues of Grandstand
176 Formation (455 ft to total depth)- - - 196
181 Verneuilinoides borealis faunal zone---- 196
Subsurface studies-Continued Subsurface studies-Continued
Wolf Creek area-Continued Page The Umiat oil field-Continued
Wolf Creek test well 2. ...................... 196 Umiat test well 2-Continued
Turonianrocks------------------------- 196 Verneuilinoides borealis faunal zone-Con. Page
Seabee Formation (25-130 ft)- - ------ 196 Torok Formation(1,060 ft to total depth) _ 208
Cenomanian rocks- - - - - - - -- --- - - -- - - - - - - 196 Umiat test well 3- .......................... 208
Gaudryina irenensis-Trochammina ruth- Chandler Formation- - - - _---_-----_-_--- 209
erfordi faunal zone (130-655 ft) - - - - 196 Verne~ilinoidesb orealis faunal zone- - - - - -- 209
Upper(?) Albian rocks--- - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - 197 Umiat test well 4-- - - - --- -- - - _ - -- --- --- - - - - - 209
Killik Tongue of Chandler Formation Chandler Formation- - - - - - -- - -- - -- --_- - _ 209
and Grandstand Formation (655 ft to Verneuilinoides borealis faunal zone--- _ - _ _ - 209
total depth)---------------------- 197 Umiat test well 5 ........................... 209
Wolf Creek test well 3. ...................... 197 Chandler Formation-- - - _--------------- 209
Cenomanian rocks- - - -- - .. - - - _ - --- - - - --- - 197 Verneuilinoides borealis faunal zone-- _ - - _ - - 209
Guadryina irenensis-Trochammina ruth- Umiat test well 6 -------_---_----__--------- 210
erfordi faunal zone of the Ninuluk Seabee Formation--- . ---- ------------_-- 210
Formation (30-500 ft) - - _ - - - - - - - - - - 197 Ninuluk Formation- - - - - - - --- --- - - - - -- - - 210
Albian rocks- _ _ - - - - - _ - - - - - - _ - - - - - - - - - - - 197 Killik Tongue of the Chandler Formation- - 210
Killik Tongue of Chandler Formation Verneuilinoides borealis faunal zone---- - - _ - 210
and Grandstand Formation (500- Umiat test well 7 ........................... 210
1,400 ft)-- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 197 Seabee Formation and Chandler and Ninu-
Verneuilinoides borealis faunal zone luk Formations undifferentiated ---- - - - - - 211
(1,220 ft to total depth)_- ----- -- -- 198 Verneuilinoides borealis faunal zone-- - - - - - - 211
Knifeblade test wells 1, 2, and 2A-- - - _ - - - - _ - - - - - - - 198 Umiat test well 8. .......................... 21 1
Verneuilinoides borealis faunal zone- - - - - - - - - - - 199 Verneuilinoides borealis faunal zone-- - - _ - - - 211
Grandstand test well 1- - - ....................... 199 Umiat test well 9 ........................... 211
Middle to upper Albian rocks- - - _------------ 199 Ninuluk and Chandler Formations-_ - -,- _ _ - 211
Verneuilinoides borealis faunal zone (227 ft Verneuilinoides borealis faunal zone-- - - - _ - - 212
to total depth) - - ---------_---------- - 199 Umiat test well 10. ......................... 212
The Umiat oil field .............................. 201 Ninuluk and Seabee Formations ---_---__ - 212
Upper Cretaceous rocks.. - - --_--------------_ 201 Verneuilinoides borealis faunal zone--- - - - - - 213
Tuluvak Tongue of the Prince Creek For- Umiat test well 11. ......................... 213
mation and lower part of Schrader Bluff Upper Cretaceous rocks (Seabee Formation) - 213
Formation (Senonian)- - - - -__ -- -- - - - - - - 201 Pseudoclavulina hastata-Arenobulimina
Seabee Formation (Turonian) - - _ --- - - - - - - 201 torula faunal zone --_--------_----- 213
Cenomanian(?) rocks-- - - - - _ _ - - - - _ - _- - - - - - 202 Ninuluk Formation (2,040-2,190 ftJ r ) _ 214
Lower Cretaceous (Albian) rocks- - - - - -------- 202 Lower Cretaceous rocks- _------_-- - _ _ _ - _ _ 214
Verneuilinoides borealis faunal 'zone- _ - - - -- 203 Verneuilinoides borealis faunal zone- - - _ 214
Tuktu and Grandstand Formations un- Gubik test wells 1 and 2. ........................ 214
differentiated--- - - - - - - _ - - - - - - - - - - - 203 Stratigraphic paleontology - - - - _ _ _ - - - - - - - - - - - - 215
Shale sequence (upper part of Torok Upper Cretaceous (Cenomanian and Seno-
Formation) _ - - _ - - - - - - _ - - - - - - - - - _ _ 204 nian) rocks ........................... 216
Lower part of the Torok Formation- - - - - - - 205 Schrader Bluff Formation -____------- 216
Umiat test well 1. .......................... 205 Schrader Bluff Formation and inter-
Seabee Formation (Turonian) (9-915 ft)- - - 205 bedded Schrader Bluff and Prince
Nonfossiliferous rocks- - _ _ - - - - _ - - - - - - - - - - 205 Creek Formations._- -----_-------- 216
Verneuilinoides borealis faunal zone----- - - - 206 Pseudoclavulina hastata-Arenobulimina
Tuktu and Grandstand Formations un- torula faunal zone- --_----------_-- 217
differentiated (1,300-2,850 ft with Gaudryina-Trochammina zone, Ninuluk
fault duplication)- - -- - - - - - - - - -- - -- 206 and Chandler Formations undiffer-
Torok Formation (2,850 ft to total entiated- - - - _ _ - - _ _ - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 218
depth)----___----_--------------- 206
Lower Cretaceous (middle to upper Albian)
Umiat test well 2 _----__----__--___--------2-0 7
Chandler Formation - - - - _ - _ - _ _ _ - - - _ - - - - - 2 07 rocks-_---_-------------------------- 219
Verneuilinoides borealis faunal zone- _ - - - - - 207 Verneuilinoides borealis faunal zone- - - - 219
Tuktu and Grandstand Formations un- Selected references- - _ - _ - _ _ _ _ - - _ _ _ - - _ _ - - - _ - - - - - _ - - - _- 220
differentiated (365-1,060 ft) -------- 207 Index-------_-__--_------------------------------- 223
CONTENTS
ILLUSTRATIONS
[Plates are in separate volume]
PLATE1 3. Bar chart showing comparative abundance of microfossils in 781 outcrop samples from Lower Cretaceous rocks,
northern Alaska.
14. Bar chart showing comparative abundance of microfossils in 418 outcrop samples from Upper Cretaceous rocks,
northern Alaska.
15. Correlation of microfaunal zones in Barrow test wells 1-4, Simpson test well 1, and Fish Creek test well 1,
northern Alaska.
16. Microfossil horizons within Verneuilinoides borealis faunal zone in test wells 1-11, Umiat field, northern Alaska.
17.. Stratigraphic distribution of microfossils in Avak test well 1 and South Barrow test wells 1-4, northern Alaska.
18. Stratigraphic distribution of microfossils in Simpson test well 1, North Simpson test well 1, and Simpson core tests
13, 14, 25, and 28, northern Alaska.
19. Stratigraphic distribution of microfossils in Topagoruk test well 1, East Topagoruk test well 1, Oumalik test well
1, East Oumalik test well 1, and Oumalik core tests 2, 11, and 12, northern Alaska.
20. Stratigraphic distribution of microfossils in Fish Creek test well I and Sentinel Hill core test 1, northern Alaska.
21. Stratigraphic distribution of microfossils in Kaolak test well 1 and Meade test well 1, northern Alaska.
22. Stratigraphic distribution of microfossils in eight test wells in the northern foothills section, northern Alaska.
23. Stratigraphic distribution of microfossils in Umiat test wells 1-11, Umiat oil field, northern Alaska.
24. Stratigraphic distribution of microfossils in Gubik test wells 1 and 2, northern Alaska.
Page
FIGURE3 3. Index map of northern Alaska showing location of test wells-- ............................... _----------_ 94
34. Specimens of Verneuilinoides borealis Tappan from Oumalik core test 1. ............................... ---- 131
35. Ammobaculites fragmentarius Cushman from Verneuilinoides borealis faunal zone, Umiat test well 2-_-- - - .- - _ - - 132
36. Ammobaculites wenonahae Tappan from Verneuilinoides borealis faunal zone, Umiat test wells 1 and 2- - - __ - -- - 133
37. Trochammina umiatensis Tappan from Verneuilinoides borealis faunal zone, Umiat test wells 1 and 8--- - - - - - - - 134
38. Textularia topagorukensis Tappan from Verneuilinoides borealis faunal zone, Skull Cliff core test 1_ --- _ - - _ - _ - - - 134
39. "Tritaxia" manitobensis Wickend.e n. from Verneuilinoides borealis faunal zone, South Barrow test well 1 and
sample 47A Tr 166, Awuna anticline ...................................................................
40. Trochammina wetteri Stelck and Wall from sample 47A Dt 58, Ninuluk Formation, Ninuluk Bluff- -_-_ - - - - - - - -
41. "~onodiscus" sp. A, Ayiyak Member of Seabee Formation, Gubik test well 2. ..............................
42. Pseudoclavulina hastata (Cushman) from sample 47A Wb 428, Ayiyak Member of Seabee Formation at Schrader
Bluff--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
43. Arenobulimina torula Tappan, Ayiyak Member of Seabee Formation, Gubik test well 2- -__---_______--__----
44. Bathysiphon vitta Nauss? and B. brosgei Tappan, Torok Formation, South Barrow test well 1- --______--_-_---
45. Simpson Oil Seep 1, Cape Simpson, Alaska, showing mired caribou ---- _--__..---_-------------__-----------
46. Microfossil horizons within Verneuilinoides borealis faunal zone, Topagoruk area, northern Alaska-_ __ _ - - _ - - - - -
47. Volcanic glass shards from Schrader Bluff Formation, Fish Creek test well 1- ..............................
48. Radiolaria from Barrow Trail Member, Schrader Bluff Formation, Fish Creek test well I -___----__-_______--
49. Dorothia smokyensis Wall?, showing range in size and variation in shape of tests due to distortion, Schrader Bluff
Formation, Gubik test well 2. ......................................................................
TABLES
Page
TABLE1 . Stratigraphic distribution of surface samples __ _ _ _ -- -- _ - - - -- - _ - _ .. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 95
2. Microfossils from a 720-foot shale section in the Shublik Formation (Triassic), Sadlerochit River and Dodo
Creek, northern Alaska-----________------------------------.-------------------------------------
3-15. Data for outcrop microfossil samples:
3. Fortress Mountain Formation. - _-___ _ - _ __- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
4. Lower part of Torok Formation.- ---_-___----_------_-------..------..--------------------------
5. Upper part of Torok Formation--- --.._____-----------------------------------------------------
6. Tuktu Formation.---__~____-----------------------------------------------------------------
7. Grandstand Formation._-.-_-___---___-___--_------__----------------------------------------
8. Ninuluk Formation_----_____----------------------------------------------------------------
9. Shale Wall Member of Seabee Formation - - - - - - - - .. .. - - _ - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
10. Ayiyak Member of Seabee Formation. _ _ ---- - - - - - - - - - _ - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
11. Rogers Creek Member of Schrader Bluff Formation- -.-- - - - - - - - - - - - .. -.- .- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
12. Barrow Trail Member of Schrader Bluff Formation- - _ - - - _.- -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
13. Sentinel Hill Member of Schrader Bluff Formation-_- .-_ __ _ - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - -
14. Kukpowruk Formation. - _--_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ .. _ _ _ _ - - - - - - -',- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
15. Corwin Formation-_____-___------------------------------------------------.---------------
16. Stratigraphic summary for Simpson core tests 13-31 and Minga velocity test._ _ - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
EXPLORATION OF NAVAL PETROLEUM RESERVE NO. 4 AND ADJACENT AREAS, NORTHERN ALASKA, 1944-53
MICROPALEONTOLOGY OF THE MESOZOIC ROCKS OF NORTHERN ALASKA
ABSTRACT ity in a lahorntory maintained by the U.S. Geologid
Survey at Fairbanks, Alaska.
During the period 1944-53, more than 15,000 samples from
outcrops and subsurface mks were studied as part of the U.S. This report presents the results of an exhaustive
Navy's petroleum explorakicm in northern Alaska. More than study of the rnicrofossils found in &pproximately 15,000
4,100 outcrop samples were callwted from the foothills prmince, samples representing rocks of Paleozoic to Tertiary
and more than 11,000 subsurface samples were taken from 81
age; these samples were collected from the subsurface
test holes and core tests drilled by the U.S. Navy.
by well drilling and from the outcropping rocks by
Rocks of Paleozoic to Pleistocene age are represented, but
the bulk of the samples are fmm rocks of Cretacwus age. Each U.S. Geological Survey geologists. Because Creta-
Cretaceous formation, including its microfauna, is discussed, ceous mcks form the greater part of the sections pene-
and six microfaunal zones are described. From the oldest to trated in the subsurface, they are the subject of much
youngest, these are the Gaudryina tailleuri and Verneuilinoides
of this discussion. Six microfaunal zones and two sub-
borealis mnes of Albian age, the Gaudryina irenensis-Trochi
zones have been distinguished in the Cretaceous strata.
ammina rutherfordi zone of Cenomanian age, the Hedbergella
loetterlei-Beterohelio globulosa and the Pseudoclawulina has- Most of the fossil names used in this report conform
tata-Arenobulimina torula zones of Turonian age, and the Neo- to current usage, but it was impracticable to make
bulimina canademis zone of Senonian age. Faunal subzones some of the more recent nomenclatural changes. For
occur in some of these zones. The microfaunas found in samples example, the genus Palhimorphina Tappan 1957 de-
from each test hole and several core tests are described and
scribed from Lower Cretaceous rocks in northern Alaska
listed on faunal charts. Strata in the Umiat field, the Barrow-
Simpson-Fish Creek area, and the Topagoruk area may be cor- and cited extensively in this report, has recently been
related by means of faunal zones and horizons. placed in synonomy with Quadrimorphinu Finlay, 1939
(Loeblich, Tappan, and others, 1964). The reader
INTRODUCTION
should ~onsultth e section on "Classification of Foram-
During the perid 1944-53, the U.S. Navy conducted inifera" in the "Treatise on Invertebrate Paleontol-
a program of petroleum exploration in Naval Petro- ogy" (Loeblich, Tappan, and others, 1964) for possible
leum Reserve No. 4 in northern Almka. The U.S. additional changes.
Geological Survey cooperated wieh the Navy in various
phasm of this propam. Drilling of 45 wre tecjts and ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
36 test holes was accompanied by geophysical surveying I wish to express my sincere t,hanks to Mr. Henry
and field and photogeologic work. Locations of the test Bender, who efficiently prepared a great number of
wells are slhcrwn in figure 33. samples, and to Mrs. Tatiana Ashurkoff and Mrs. Au-
The wells were drilled by the Sabees and by Ai-dic drey Loftus, who mounted the microfossils. Wenonah
Contractors, Inc. ; United Geophysical Co. was respon- E. Bergquist aided in certain faunal studies and in the
sible for much of the seismic and gravity work, and an compilation of the charts. All the taxonomic studies
airborne-magnetometer survey was made by the U.S. on the Foraminifera were made by Helen Tappan Loeb-
Geological Survey. Extensive field and phot~geologic lich in collaboration with my subsurface studies; her
studies were also made by the Survey. help is greatly appreciated. Stratigraphic information
During tihe exploration, in order to obtain informa- supplied by Arthur L. Bowsher, William P. BrosgQ,
tion needed in the program, samples from the wells, core Robert 1,. Detterman, J. Thomas Dutro, Jr., Marvin
tests, and several hundred seismograph shot holes, as D. Mangus, William W. Patton, Edward G. Sable, Ir-
well as samples from outcrops, were studied for litho- vin L. Tailleur, Hillard N. Reiser, and Charles L. Whit-
logic character, fossil content, porosity, and permeabil- tington was extremely important in establishing faunal
94
EXPLORATION OF NAVAL PETROLEUM RESERVE NO. 4, ALASKA, 1944-53
I SOUTH BARROW TEST WELL I 19 WOLF CREEK TEST WELL 3
2 SOUTH BARROW TEST WELL 2 20 GUBIK TEST WELL. I
3 SOUTH BARROW TEST WELL 3 21 GUBIK TEST WELL 2
22 KNIFEBLADE TEST WELL 1
FIGURE 33.dcation of test wells in northern Alaska.
zones. The subsurface lithologic data supplied by Brief preliminary reports on the microfossils found
Mrs. Florence Collins and Mrs. Florence Weber were in most of the test wells and on the microfaunal zones
also very helpful. in the Cretaceous rocks have been published (Bergquist,
1956b, 1958a, b, c, d, e, 1959a, b). A small fauna of
PREVIOUS WORK
possible Miocene or Pliocene age was described by Todd
Preliminary determinations of the age of the sequence (1957) ;t he fauna, collected from the Carter Creek area
of Cretaceous beds in NPR4 were published by Helen near the northeastern Arctic coast of Alaska, represents
lioeblich (Tappan, 1951b, 1960) and by Gryc, Patton, the only microfossils of possible Tertiary age that were
and Payne (1951) ; more recently the Cenomanian age found throughout northern Alaska. Late Paleozoic
of the Ninuluk .Formation and the middle to late Al- arenaceous Foraminifera and Middle to Late Triassic
bian age of the Grandstand and Tuktu Formations were conodonts have been noted in samples collected over an
more precisely determined by Imlay (1961). Regional area of more than 250 miles in an east-west direction
stratigraphic relationships determined by Payne (1951)
parallel to the Brooks Range, south of the Colville River
as the result of his excellent work on facies studies of (Bergquist, 1960). Lithologic descriptions of the sec-
northern Alaska have been modified only slightly in
tions penetrated in the test wells have been made by
recent years, and his conclusions are similar to those
Collins (1958a, b, c, 1959, 1961) and Robinson (1956,
based on microfossil studies for the formations. The
1958a, b, 1959a, b) and by Robinson and Collins (1959).
paleontological relationships of the formations of Al-
bian and 'Cenomanian age as determined by Imlay SURFACE SAMPLE STUDIES
(1961) from his recent studies corroborates relation-
All outcrop samples examined for microf ossils for
ships based on microfossil studies which I made during
each stratigraphic unit are listed in table 1. Of the
the time of active petroleum exploration in the Reserve.
4,126 outcrop samples collected for microfossil studies,
Taxonomics tudies on the ~ ~ ~were m~ade ~ i ~ i f ~ ~ ~
by Mrs. Loeblich (Tappan, 1951a, b, 1955,1957,1962), 1,882 were fossiliferous; of this number, 1,597 Were
and the bi&ratigraphy of Cretmw Formaminifera from Cretaceous rocks. Triassic microfossils found in
from northern Alaska has been presented by the same outcropping rocks in the Sadlerochit area of northeast-
author (Tappan, 1960). ern Alaska are tabulated in table 2. The relative abun-
95
MICROPALEONTOLOGY OF THE MESOZOIC ROCKS OF NORTHERN ALASKA
TABL1E. -8tratigraphic distribution, of surfa/ ce samp/ les dance of characteristic microfossils for groups of
outcrop samples from each Cretaceous unit,-the avail-
Total F;gillf-
able stratigraphic data, quality of specimens, and ratio
of specimens to species are tabulated on tables 3-15.
Stratigraphic position known
The comparative abundance of microfossils of Early
Tertiary rocks Cretaceous age--identified in 781 outcrop samples from
Pliocene and Miocene rocks undifferentiated. ................. 8 the Fortress Mountain, Torok, Grandstand, and Chan-
Sagavanirktok Formation .. ............................... .... 27
dler Formations and in 418 outcrop samples from for-
Cretaceous rocks
mations of Late Cretaceous age-are shown on bar
Ignek Formation-upper part ................................. 34
Ignek Formation-lower part .................................. 17 charts (pls. 13,14).
Ignek(?) Formation ........................................... 13
Kogosukruk Tongue of Prince Creek Formation. .............. 31 Data from seismograph shot holes other than those
Sentinel Hill Member of Schrader Bluff Formation. ........... 69
Barrow Trail Member of Schrader Bluff Formation ........... 101 in the Shaviovik area (Keller and others, 1961) are not
included in this report as much of the data concerned
only Pleistocene beds. Some data on microfossil sam-
Ninuluk Formation ........................................... -1 148 ples have b a pu blished in areal geologic reports : the
KKiilllliikkl '~oonenu"eu eoa fn dC hGarnadnldesrFtaonrdm Fatoiromn.a. ti.o.n. ...................................... I 6599 Shaviovik and Sagavanirktok Rivers region (Keller
~randstan8F ormation ........................................
Tuktu Formation.. ........................................... 127 and others, 1961), the Utukok-Corwin region (Chap-
Corwin Formation ............................................ 323
Kukpowruk Formation. ...................................... 281 man and Sable, 1960), the Killik-Etivluk Rivers region
Torok Formation-upper part ................................. 531
Torok Formation-"middle" part ............................. 27 (Chapman and others, 1964), and the Chandler River
TToorrookk FFoorrmmaattiioonn- luonwdeifrf e&uanrtti.a .-t.e.d.~ ......~-..-~..~..~ .....~ .. .........~. ..........~..-..~.. ..... 44271 region (Detbrman and others, 1963).
l'orok(?) Format ion..
Fortress Mountain Formation Geographic names used in this report may be located
Fortress Mountain or Okpikruak Formation.
Okpikruak Formation.. 1 186 / by referring to Oil and Gas Map OM-126 (Payne and
Jurassic rocks others, 1951).
Kingak Formation- ........................................... 30
Tiglukpuk Formation. ....................................... :1 36
STRATIGRAPHIC SUMMARY
Triassic rocks
Shublik Formation ...........................................
PALEOZOIC ROCKS
Permian(?) rocks 1 /
Siksikpuk Formation. ........................................ t: 15 In northern Alaska, rocks of Paleozoic age are ex-
Siksik~uk.(,? F)o rmation. ...................................... 1 14
Sadlerochit Formation. ........................................ posed only in the Brooks Range and about 20 miles
Miasbsippian rocks northward in the foothills belt. The greatest recorded
Lisburne Group. .............................................. 13
Lisburne (?) Group-. .......................................... 4 thickness, a 7,500-8,000-foot-thick Paleozoic section
Black chert and shale member of Alapah Limestone ........... 2
Wachsmuth Limestone ........................................ 1 that has clastic rocks of Late Devonian age and lime-
Kayak Shale. ................................................. 6
Nuka Formation .............................................. 15 stone and dolomite of Early and Late Mississippian age,
I I I
Upper Devonian rocks 1 was measured in the vicinity of Shainin Lake (Bowsher
Kanayut Conglomerate.. ..................................... --0 and Dutro, 1957). A few hundred feet of rocks of
Total ................................................... . 3,7: 1,775
Permian age overlie this sequence. Relatively few
Stratigraphic position doubtful samples from Paleozoic rocks were collected for micra-
fossil examination (table 1) during the investigation.
Colville Group undifferentiated. .............................
Lower Cretaceous undifferentiated. ........................... No identifiable Foraminifera were found in any of the
60-65 samples collected from rocks older than Permian?
age, but a number of arenaceous Foraminifera were
found in a few samples from the Siksikpuk Formation
Lower Cretaceous or Triissic rocks ........................ (Permian) (Bergquist, 1960).
Lower Cretaceous, Jurassic or Triassic. ....................
Jursssic rocks undifferentiated. .......................... Most of the Foraminifera from the Siksikpuk For-
Jurassic rocks-lower part.. ...............................
Jurassic(?) rocks ........................................... mation came from type exposures in the Tiglukpuk
Jurassic or Triassic rocks. .................................
Jurassic or Carboniferousr ocks.-. ......................... Creek area (lat 68'17' N., long 151'48' W.), where
Triassic rocks undifferentiated-. ..............................
TPeriramssiaicn orro Pckesr muniadnif rfoecrkesn..t ia.t.e.d... ............................................................ . approximately 300 feet of red and green shale and silt-
Permian(?) or Jurassic rocks:
Siksikpuk or Tiglukpuk Formation.. ..................... stone crop out above strata of Mississippian age and
Carboniferous rocks undifferentiated.. ........................
Mississippian rocks ............................................ below the Triassic Shublik Formation. The section,
Mesozoic or Paleozoic rocks-. .................................
Devonianrocks ............................................... which has been described by Patton (19b7), yielded
PAaglee ouznokicn orowcnk .s ................................................................................................ specimens of Hyperammina, Thwamina, Reophax ? ,
Total .................................................... Ammodiscus, Glornospira, Glomospirella, Ammobacu-
Grand total ............................................. Zites, Spiroplectammim or MooreinelZa, and two or
96 EXPLORATION OF NAVAL PETROLEUM RESERVE NO. 4, ALASKA, 1944-53
three species of Trochamina (T. arenosa Cushman and some strata of Early Triassic age (Patton, 1959). In
Waters? and T. grahumnsis Cushman and Waters?). the subsurface of the coastal plain of northern Alaska,
Two samples from the Siksikpuk Formation from the rocks of Late Triassic age were penetrated in Simpson
Oolamnagavik River area, approximately 65 miles west test well 1, South Barrow test well 3, and Topagoruk
of the type locality, yielded abundant specimens of test well 1.
Amodisw, fragments of Hyperaminn, specimens Of the more than 100 outcrop samples of Triassic
of Thwamim and Spiroplectumina? or Moore- rocks examined for microfossils (table I), about 70
inella? plus discoidal Radiolaria (Bergquist, 1960). percent were fossiliferous, and the best collections came
Numerous specimens of Ammodiscus and fragments of from a suite of about 50 samples from the type locality
a few other agglutinate Foraminifera came from sam- of the Shublik Formation in the Canning River area.
ples of the Siksikpuk Formation along the east fork of Nine of the samples were collected by E. G. Sable in
the Etivuluk River (lat 68'22' N., long 155'35' W.). 1948; they, together with samples from equivalent sub-
Two collections from red and green shale of the Sik- surface beds in Simpson test well 1, provided the fauna
sikpuk Formation made along a tributary to the Kuna described by Mrs. Loeblich (Tappan, 1951c) as of Late
River approximately 140 miles west of the type locality Triassic age, the first microfauna of this age to be re-
provided numerous fragments of Hyperammina sp., corded from the Western Hemisphere. In 1952 C. L.
specimens of Ammodiscus sp., plus a few specimens of Whittington measured and sampled 420 feet of ex-
Thurammina sp., Glomospira sp., Trochammim sp., posed beds of a 720-foot shale section in the Sadlerochit
aff. T. arenosa Cushman and Waters, Trochmina sp., area. His samples carried an assemblage of 23 species
and Amobaculites sp. (Bergquist, 1960). of Foraminifera, but 11 or 12 species constitute most
Broken conodonts and agglutinated Foraminifera of the fauna. The Foraminifera identified in Whit-
similar to species from the Siksikpuk Formation in tington's samples are shown in table 2.
the Tiglukpuk Creek area were found in a sample of At a few localities along the front of the Brooks
presumed Permian age from the Kiligwa River area, Range, shale samples from the Shublik Formation have
approximately 180 miles west of the type locality of the yielded fragmented compound and platelike conodonts
Siksikpuk Formation. The conodonts are a large in addition to Foraminifera (Bergquist, 1960). The
species of Gondolella and have smooth platforms and most fossiliferous of these samples are from the Tigluk-
low nodes along the axis. puk Creek area (lat 68O17' N., long 151'48' W.), where
Paleozoic rocks were found in the subsurface only Patton and Matzko (1959, p. 8) divided the Shublik
in Topagoruk test well 1, where a few hundred feet of Formation into three members; the lowest member is
section was considered to h of Permian age because more than 500 feet thick and is dated by megafossils
coelocanth fish teeth were present in a core; plant prints as Early ( ?) and early Middle Triassic age. Samples
in a lower core suggested that rocks of Early or Middle from this member yielded a small foraminifera1 fauna
Devonian age were penetrated. consisting of Tolypammina sp., a small species of Am-
modkcus, delicate tests of a small Ammobaculites, and
TRIASSIC ROCKS a slender species of Spiroplectammina, and, in the up-
SHUBLIK FORMATION permost 100 feet, a few specimens of Rectoglandulim
Rocks of the Shublik Formation (Early ( ? ) to Late lata (Tappan) and R. simpsonensis (Tappan). The
Triassic) crop out in the Canning River-Sadlerochit middle and upper members of the Shublik Formation
Mountain arela of t,he eastern part of northern Alaska
in the Tiglukpuk Creek area are approximately 150 feet
and occur at numerous places along the northern front
thick and 80 feet thick; they yielded a few specimens
of the Brooks Range. In the Shaviovik and Sagavan-
of Astacolus connudutus Tappan, Nodosariu shubli-
irktok Rivers region, the Shublik Formation is 200-
kens& Tappan, and Rectoglandulim simpsonensis
300 feet thick. Lower beds are phosphatic siltstone,
(Tappan). Some of these species are part of the fauna
carbonaceous black shale, and very fine grained sand-
described by Mrs. Loeblich (Tappan, 1951c) from the
stone. Upper beds are clayey to silty shale with inter-
Late Triassic rocks of northern Alaska.
beds of dark-gray limestone; the uppermost part is
Conodonts were found in two samples from beds of
sandy to cherty limestone (Keller and others, 1961,
the Shublik Formation in the Welcome Creek area (ap-
p. 188). In the same area, 1,000-2,000 feat of clastic
prox. lat 68'25' N., long 150'48' W.) about 25 miles
rocks of the Ivishak Member of the Sadlerochit For-
mation at least in part contains ammonoids of Early northeast of the Tiglukpuk Creek area. One sample
Triassic age (Keller and others, 1961, p. 169). In the contained numerous broken specimens of platelike cono-
central foothills the Shublik Formation may include donts (gondolellids) along with a few fragments of