Athabasca oil sands: Megatrap restoration and charge timing

摘要: The petroleum trap for the Athabasca oil sands has remained elusive because it was destroyed by flexural loading of Western Canada Sedimentary Basin during Late Cretaceous and Paleocene. original extent is preserved biodegraded to immobile bitumen as being charged Cretaceous. Using well outcrop data, possible reconstruct overburden horizons beyond limit present-day erosion. Sequential restoration reconstructed reveals a megatrap at top Wabiskaw-McMurray reservoir in area 84 Ma (late Santonian). four-way anticline with dimensions 285 125 km (177 78 mi) maximum amplitude 60 m (197 ft). southeastern margin shows good conformance edge 140 (87 mi). To northeast anticline, present shallower domain what interpreted be an onlap onto Canadian Shield; leakage along indicated tarry outliers basement rocks farther northeast. Peripheral domains that lie below paleospillpoint, northern, southern, southwestern Athabasca, Wabasca, are represent late charge trapped already emplaced northeastern trap. This consistent kimberlite intrusions containing live bitumen, which indicate northern not before Ma. been tested using bitumen-water contact picks. restored picks fall into groups both determined from conceptual model filled first, followed trap, then peripheral domains.