Walker, D. (1986): Regional stratigraphy of the Upper Devonian Grosmont Formation, northern Alberta; Alberta Research Council, ARC/AGS Open File Report 1986-02, 23 p.
This study of the Grosmont Formation, an extensive Upper Devonian platform carbonate in northern Alberta (figures 1, 2), was undertaken as part of the ARC/AENR joint Regional Subsurface Geology Program. The principal investigator was Mr. Dan Walker (AENR), assisted and supervised by Dr. Rand Harrison (ARC). Interest in the Grosmont Formation was precipitated by two main factors: (1) the Grosmont is a major hydrocarbon bearing reservoir containing both crude bitumen and natural gas, and (2) there was little in the way of regional maps and cross-sections publicly available to the petroleum industry. The purposes of this study were to delineate the internal stratigraphy and areal extent of the Grosmont Formation between townships 65 and 100, to prepare a series of maps and cross-sections, and to support these products with computer listings of data recorded for the study.
The Grosmont Formation contains substantial reserves of both natural gas and crude bitumen (figure 3). ERCB (1982) estimates, as of December 1982, in place total gas reserves at 29,851 x 106m3 (1.059 bcf) and crude bitumen reserves at 50,500 x 106m3 (300 x 109 bbls). The natural gas reserves of the Grosmont Formation within erosional highs along the eastern, up-dip erosional subcrop margin of the Grosmont (figure 3). The potential of the Grosmont crude bitumen reserves is currently being tested by Union Oil in the McLean (28-87-19W4) and Buffalo Creek (5-88-19W4) areas. Vandermeer and Presber (1980) discuss the early stages of the Buffalo Creek recovery project.