| Cardium Formation | |
|---|---|
| Stratigraphic range: | |
 Photomicrograph of drill cuttings from Cardium Formation sandstone. | |
| Type | Geological formation |
| Unit of | Alberta Group, Colorado Group, Smoky Group |
| Sub-units | Sturrock Member, Leyland Member, Cardinal Member, Kiska Member, Moosehound Member, Ram Member. |
| Underlies | Wapiabi Formation |
| Overlies | Blackstone Formation, Kaskapau Formation |
| Thickness | 22 metres (70 ft) to 109 metres (360 ft)[1] |
| Lithology | |
| Primary | Sandstone |
| Other | Shale |
| Location | |
| Coordinates | 51°08′28″N 114°59′40″W / 51.14101°N 114.99446°W |
| Region | Western Alberta, and northeastern British Columbia |
| Country | Canada |
| Type section | |
| Named for | Cardium shells |
| Named by | James Hector, 1895[2] |
The Cardium Formation is a stratigraphic unit of Late Cretaceous age in the Western Canada Sedimentary Basin. It takes the name from the fossilized heart-shaped cockle shells in the family Cardiidae (from Greek καρδίᾱ kardiā, "heart") present. It was first described along the Bow River banks by James Hector in 1895.[2] It is present throughout western Alberta and in northeastern British Columbia, and it is a major source of petroleum and natural gas.[3][4]
- ^ Lexicon of Canadian Geologic Units. "Cardium Formation". Archived from the original on 2012-07-07. Retrieved 2009-02-07.
- ^ a b as reported in Whiteaves, J.F. 1895, Some of the Cretaceous fossils collected during Captain Palliser's explorations in British North America in 1857-60. Proc. and Trans., Royal Society of Canada, 2nd Ser., vol. 1, pp. 110.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
AGSwas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ "cardium microseismic alberta A case history". Retrieved October 19, 2021.