A calcareous foraminiferal faunule from the upper Albian Viking Formation of the Giroux Lake and Kaybob North fields, northwestern Alberta: implications for regional biostratigraphic correlation

Arenaceous foraminifera from the upper Albian Viking Formation and associat ed strata are recorded and charted from five wells in the northwestern port ion of the West Alberta Basin, viz. Gulf Giroux Lake 04-11-66-21W5, Candel Arco Giroux Lake 00/10-05-65-20W5, Pan Am B-1 Giroux 02/10-05-65-20W5, Cals tan B.A. Kaybob W 02-28-63-20W5, and Chevron Fox Creek 10-15-62-19W5. An an omalous calcareous foraminiferal component in three Gulf Giroux Lake sample s is illustrated. Ichnological, sedimentological, and stratigraphic studies of the Viking Formation strata, based on 26 cored intervals, indicate larg ely transgressive, shallow-marine deposition in the area. The microfaunal a nd ichnological assemblages indicate a general increase in salinity toward normal marine conditions. Facies analysis demonstrates the stacking of two shoreface parasequences, truncated by wave-ravinement surfaces. The calcare ous foraminifera in the Viking Formation are associated with abundant and d iverse arenaceous foraminifera, with arctic affinities that we have used fo r determining the microfaunal zone positions. Biostratigraphic correlation has been made with a calcareous faunule in the lower part of the Hasler For mation, within the expanded Fort St. John Group, found in the southern port ion of the Keg River subbasin, Hudson Hope region, northeastern British Col umbia. This helps to resolve the problem of correlating the stratigraphical ly equivalent Paddy Member at the type section near the town of Peace River , Alberta.