@mastersthesis {44887,
	title = {Sedimentology and stratigraphic evolution of a tidally influenced marginal-marine complex: The Lower Cretaceous McMurray Formation, Athabasca Oil Sands deposit, northeastern Alberta},
	volume = {Earth Sciences},
	year = {2003},
	address = {University of Ottawa},
	abstract = {Within the Lewis study area, McMurray Formation strata comprise 4 facies associations that form a depositional continuum of braided-fluvial (FA1), tidally-influenced braided- to low-accommodation meandering-fluvial and meandering-tidal channel-fills (FA2), associated overbank (FA3), and open-estuarine tidal flat deposits (FA4). The primary reservoir occurs in transgressive FA2 deposits.

Lower-FA2 channels incise older water-wet FA1sand and consist of medium to locally-coarse, bitumen-saturated sand with rare to locally common pin-stripe laminated and/or 1-5 cm thick mud beds. Channels were initially confined by steep valley walls formed along the sub-Cretaceous unconformity. As a consequence, coeval interchannel sediment (FA3) was cannibalized by lateral channel migration and occurs only as common mud-clasts. The net result was the accumulation of a sand-rich, sheet-like deposit with locally-preserved fine-grained interchannel deposits, suggesting a high rate of lateral versus vertical accretion.

With the filling and elimination of the irregular paleotopography along the unconformity, upper-FA2 channels became unconfined and formed thick, areally extensive inclined heterolithic stratification (IHS) deposits. Similarly, coeval interchannel deposits are more widely-distributed and thickly preserved compared to underlying strata. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)},
	keywords = {fossil},
	url = {http://search.proquest.com/docview/305246524},
	author = {Crerar, Erin Elizabeth}
}
