Paleontological overview of oil shale and tar sands areas in Colorado, Utah and Wyoming

474 Pages·2007·12.23 MB·English

PALEONTOLOGICAL OVERVIEW OF OIL SHALE
AND TAR SANDS AREAS IN COLORADO, UTAH, AND
WYOMING

Prepared by:

Paul C. Murphey, Ph.D.* and David Daitch, M.S.*
Argonne National Laboratory

Prepared for:

The U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management

December 2007

* Murphey is currently associated with the Department of Paleontology, San Diego Natural History Museum and
Daitch with the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Colorado, Boulder.

Paleontological Overview December 2007

CONTENTS

PREFACE................................................................................................................................. ix

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS........................................................................................................ xi

ABOUT THE AUTHORS........................................................................................................ xiii

NOTATION.............................................................................................................................. xv

ABSTRACT.............................................................................................................................. 1

1 INTRODUCTION........................................................................................................... 3

1.1 Purpose and Scope.................................................................................................. 3
1.2 Study Area.............................................................................................................. 3
1.3 Definition and Significance of Paleontological Resources..................................... 8

2 METHODS...................................................................................................................... 9

3 RESOURCE ASSESSMENT GUIDELINES................................................................. 13

3.1 BLM Conditions 1–3.............................................................................................. 13
3.2 Potential Fossil Yield Classification....................................................................... 14

4 GREATER GREEN RIVER BASIN, WYOMING AND COLORADO............................. 19

4.1 Geologic Setting and Depositional History............................................................ 19
4.2 Paleoenvironmental Summary................................................................................ 21
4.3 Previous Paleontological Work and Related Investigations................................... 23
4.4 Geologic Units and Paleontological Resources...................................................... 28
4.4.1 Wasatch Formation..................................................................................... 28
4.4.2 Green River Formation............................................................................... 30
4.4.3 Bridger Formation....................................................................................... 34
4.4.4 Washakie Formation................................................................................... 38
4.4.5 Bishop Conglomerate.................................................................................. 40
4.4.6 Browns Park Formation.............................................................................. 41
4.4.7 Pleistocene- and Holocene-Age Surficial Deposits.................................... 42
4.5 Paleontological Resource Assessment Summary................................................... 42

5 PICEANCE CREEK BASIN, COLORADO.................................................................. 45

5.1 Geologic Setting and Depositional History............................................................ 45
5.2 Paleoenvironmental Summary................................................................................ 50
5.3 Previous Paleontological Work and Related Investigations................................... 52
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Paleontological Overview December 2007

CONTENTS (Cont.)

5.4 Geologic Units and Paleontological Resources...................................................... 54
5.4.1 DeBeque Formation.................................................................................... 57
5.4.2 Green River Formation............................................................................... 58
5.4.3 Uinta Formation.......................................................................................... 59
5.4.4 Pleistocene- and Holocene-Age Surficial Deposits.................................... 60
5.5 Paleontological Resource Assessment Summary................................................... 61

6 UINTA BASIN, UTAH................................................................................................... 63

6.1 Geologic Setting and Depositional History............................................................ 63
6.2 Paleoenvironmental Summary................................................................................ 69
6.3 Previous Paleontological Work and Related Investigations................................... 71
6.4 Geologic Units and Paleontological Resources...................................................... 72
6.4.1 Mesaverde Group........................................................................................ 72
6.4.2 Wasatch Formation..................................................................................... 75
6.4.3 Green River Formation............................................................................... 77
6.4.4 Uinta Formation.......................................................................................... 79
6.4.5 Duchesne River Formation......................................................................... 81
6.4.6 Pleistocene- and Holocene-Age Surficial Deposits.................................... 83
6.5 Paleontological Resource Assessment Summary................................................... 84

7 EAST-CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST UTAH SPECIAL TAR SAND AREAS......... 87

7.1 Geologic Setting and Depositional History............................................................ 87
7.2 Paleoenvironmental Summary................................................................................ 89
7.3 Previous Paleontological Work and Related Investigations................................... 92
7.4 Geologic Units and Paleontological Resources...................................................... 94
7.4.1 Cutler Group............................................................................................... 94
7.4.2 Kaibab Limestone....................................................................................... 99
7.4.3 Moenkopi Formation.................................................................................. 100
7.4.4 Chinle Formation........................................................................................ 102
7.4.5 Pleistocene- and Holocene-Age Surficial Deposits.................................... 104
7.5 Paleontological Resource Assessment Summary................................................... 105

8 CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS.......................................................... 107

9 REFERENCES................................................................................................................ 111

10 GLOSSARY.................................................................................................................... 141

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Paleontological Overview December 2007

CONTENTS (Cont.)

APPENDIX A: Bibliography of Relevant Literature and Technical Reports for the
Oil Shale and Tar Sands PEIS Study Area................................................... A-1

APPENDIX B: Bibliography of Geologic Maps Covering the Oil Shale
and Tar Sands PEIS Study Area................................................................... B-1

APPENDIX C: Taxonomic Lists of Fossils from Potentially Affected Geologic
Units within the Oil Shale and Tar Sands PEIS Study Area........................ C-1

APPENDIX D: BLM Sensitivity Maps of Paleontological Formations within the
Oil Shale and Tar Sands PEIS Study Area................................................... D-1

TABLES

1 Summary of STSAs Included in This Study and Their Locations, Ages,
and Geologic Provenances............................................................................................... 7

2 Summary of North American Cenozoic Land Mammal Ages........................................ 12

3 Summary of Programmatic-Level Paleontological Sensitivities
of Geologic Units within the Greater Green River Basin
in Southwest Wyoming and Northwestern Colorado...................................................... 43

4 Summary of Programmatic-Level Paleontological Sensitivities
of Geologic Units within the Piceance Creek Basin in Northwestern Colorado............. 62

5 Summary of Programmatic-Level Paleontological Sensitivities
of Geologic Units within the Uinta Basin in Northeastern Utah..................................... 85

6 Summary of Programmatic-Level Paleontological Sensitivities
of Geologic Units within the STSAs Located in East-Central
and Southeastern Utah..................................................................................................... 105

FIGURES

1 Map of the Oil Shale Basins in Colorado, Utah, and Wyoming Evaluated
in This Report and the Most Geologically Prospective Oil Shale Resources
Evaluated in the Oil Shale and Tar Sands PEIS.............................................................. 4
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Paleontological Overview December 2007

FIGURES (Cont.)

2 Map Showing the Locations of Basins and Uplifts Created during
the Laramide Orogeny in Northeastern Utah, Northwestern Colorado,
and Southwestern Wyoming............................................................................................ 5

3 Map of Designated STSAs in Utah Evaluated in This Report........................................ 6

4 Index Map of the Greater Green River Basin Showing Depositional Subbasins
and Major Structural Features.......................................................................................... 20

5 Generalized Stratigraphic Correlation of Eocene Rocks across the Central Part
of the Greater Green River Basin.................................................................................... 31

6 Generalized Stratigraphic Correlation Chart of Rock Units in Fossil Basin................... 32

7 General Stratigraphic Features of the Bridger Formation............................................... 36

8 Generalized Stratigraphic Correlation Diagram for Late Cretaceous
and Early Tertiary Rocks in the Northern Piceance Creek
and Northeastern Uinta Basins........................................................................................ 55

9 Generalized Stratigraphic Correlation Diagram for Late Cretaceous and
Early Tertiary Rocks in the Southern Piceance Creek and
Southeastern Uinta Basins............................................................................................... 56

10 Generalized Correlation Chart for the Northern Piceance Creek
and East-Central Uinta Basins......................................................................................... 73

11 Lithologic Cross Section through the Central Part of the Uinta Basin
from Southwest to North.................................................................................................. 74

12 Stratigraphic Nomenclature and Correlation Chart of Triassic Strata
in Southern Utah, Northeastern Arizona, and Northwestern New Mexico..................... 95

13 Stratigraphic Column for the San Rafael Swell Area,
East-Central Utah............................................................................................................. 96

14 Cross Section Showing Stratigraphic Relationships
and Nomenclature for the Cutler Group in the Paradox Basin........................................ 98

15 Stratigraphic Correlation Chart of Terrestrial Fossil-Bearing Units
of the Moenkopi Formation............................................................................................. 102

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Paleontological Overview December 2007

FIGURES (Cont.)

The figures listed below are oversized maps
and can be found in the pockets at the back of this report.

D-1 Paleontological Sensitivity of Formations That May Be Impacted by Oil Shale
Development in Colorado Using the BLM Classification System

D-2 Paleontological Sensitivity of Formations That May Be Impacted by Oil Shale
Development in Colorado Using the USFS Potential Fossil Yield Classification System

D-3 Paleontological Sensitivity of Formations That May Be Impacted by Oil Shale or Tar
Sands Development in Utah Using the BLM Classification System

D-4 Paleontological Sensitivity of Formations That May Be Impacted by Oil Shale or Tar
Sands Development in Utah Using the USFS Potential Fossil Yield Classification System

D-5 Paleontological Sensitivity of Formations That May Be Impacted by Oil Shale
Development in Wyoming Using the BLM Classification System

D-6 Paleontological Sensitivity of Formations That May Be Impacted by Oil Shale
Development in Wyoming Using the USFS Potential Fossil Yield Classification System

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Paleontological Overview December 2007

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