3,500

4,000

4,500

5,000

5,500

GR Res.

17,500

18,000

18,500

19,000

19,500

GR Res.

13,500

14,000

14,500

15,000

15,500

GR Res.

9,500

10,000

10,500

11,000

GR Res.

7,500

8,000

8,500

9,000

GR Res.

8,000

8,500

9,000

9,500

GR Res.

8,500

9,000

9,500

10,000

GR Res.

4000

4500

5000

5500

3500

3500

4000

4500

5000

5500

GR Res. GR Res.

3500

4000

4500

5000

5500

GR Res.

6,000

6,500

7,000

7,500

8,000

GR Res.

3,000

3,500

4,000

4,500

5,000

GR Res.

3,000

3,500

4,000

4,500

5,000

GR Res.

1,000

1,500

2,000

2,500

3,000

GR Res. 4,000

4,500

5,000

5,500

6,000

GR Res.

2,500

3,000

3,500

4,000

4,500

GR Res.

1,000

1,500

2,000

2,500

3,000

GR Res.

6,500

7,000

7,500

8,000

6,000

GR Res.

6,500

7,000

7,500

8,000

8,500

GR Res.

5,500

6,000

6,500

7,000

7,500

GR Res.

5,000

5,500

6,000

6,500

7,000

GR Res.

5,000

5,500

6,000

6,500

7,000

7,500

GR Res.

5,500

6,000

6,500

7,000

7,500

GR Res.

5,000

5,500

6,000

6,500

7,000

GR Res.

4,000

4,500

5,000

5,500

6,000

GR Res.

3,000

3,500

4,000

4,500

5,000

GR Res.

4,000

4,500

5,000

5,500

6,000

5,000

5,500

6,000

6,500

7,000

5,500

6,000

6,500

7,000

7,500

7,500

8,000

8,500

9,000

9,500

7,500

8,000

8,500

9,000

9,500

9,500

10,000

10,500

11,000

11,500

10,500

11,000

11,500

12,000

11,500

12,000

12,500

13,000

13,500

15,500

16,000

16,500

17,000

10,500

11,000

11,500

12,000

12,000

12,500

13,000

13,500

14,000

6,500

7,000

7,500

8,000

8,500

6,500

7,000

7,500

8,000

8,500

9,000

9,500

10,000

10,500

7,000

7,500

8,000

8,500

10,000

10,500

11,000

11,500

8,500

9,000

9,500

10,000

4,000

4,500

5,000

5,500

6,500

7,000

7,500

8,000

6,000

6,500

7,000

7,500

16,000

16,500

17,000

17,500

18,000

GR Res.

GR Res. GR Res. GR Res. GR Res.

GR Res. GR Res. SP Res.

GR Res.

GR Res.

GR Res. GR Res. GR Res. GR Res. GR Res. GR Res.

GR Res. GR Res. GR Res.

GR Res. GR Res.

16,000

16,500

17,000

17,500

18,000

GR Res.

Inoceramus perplexus

Inoceramus deformis

Inoceramus howelli

Prionocyclus reesidei

Inoceramus deformis

Scaphites depressus

 

Scaphites leei III

 

Scaphites hippocreppis I

 

Clioscaphites vermiformis

 

Clioscaphites vermiformis

 

Scaphites depressus

 

Scaphites ventricosus

Scaphites depressus

 

Scaphites

hippocrepis I

Scaphites

hippocrepis I

Inoceramus

perplexus

Inoceramus

perplexus

Inoceramus inconstans Inoceramus inconstans

I. rotunatus

Inoceramus deformis Inoceramus deformis

Inoceramus deformis Inoceramus (Cremnoceramus) deformis 

Inoceramus howelli

Inoceramus erectus

Scaphites ventricosus

Scaphites depressus

 

Inoceramus howelli

Inoceramus erectus

Scaphites ventricosus

Scaphites depressus

 

Scaphites hippocrepis I Scaphites hippocrepis I

Scaphites leei III

Desmoscaphites bassleri

Clioscaphites vermiformis

 

Scaphites hippocrepis I

Desmoscaphites

bassleri

Cremnoceramus crassus inconstans

Cremnoceramus crassus inconstans

Scaphites preventricosis

Scaphites preventricosis

11.8 MILES 9.8 MILES 3.8 MILES 9.1 MILES 6.2 MILES

9.0 MILES 9.4 MILES 9.7 MILES 11.3 MILES

6.0 MILES 17.8 MILES

1.5 MILES

5.0 MILES

5.3 MILES

5.9 MILES

5.5 MILES

5.5 MILES 5.7 MILES 11.1 MILES

3.5 MILES

Datum

Sage Breaks interval

Frontier

Formation

(part)

Cody Shale

(part)

Upper sandy

member

(part)

Lower shaly

member

"chalk kick" "chalk kick"

Frontier Formation

(part)

Cody Shale

(part)

Telegraph Creek

Formation

(part)

A A' MONTANA WYOMING

Elk Basin Ss.

"chalk kick"

Datum

4.6 MILES

Frontier

Formation

(part)

Cody Shale

(part)

4.0 MILES

Upper sandy

member

(part)

Lower shaly

member

4.1 MILES

9.5 MILES

Sage Breaks interval

5.0 MILES

Upper sandy

member

(part)

Lower shaly

member

4.3 MILES

"chalk kick"

7.8 MILES

Frontier Formation

(part)

Cody Shale

(part)

2.6 MILES 4.5 MILES 4.6 MILES 10.0 MILES 4.3 MILES 8.0 MILES 5.6 MILES

3.5 MILES 2.4 MILES 3.7 MILES 4.5 MILES

C C'

Niobrara interval

Niobrara interval

B B'

12.7 MILES

10.3 MILES

5.6 MILES

8.5 MILES

2.5 MILES 3.1 MILES 3.6 MILES

Upper sandy

member

(part)

Lower shaly

member

Frontier Formation

(part)

Cody Shale

(part)

"chalk kick"

Sage Breaks interval

Datum

Niobrara interval

Niobrara interval

Niobrara interval

Sage Breaks interval

?

SECTION

C–C'

SECTION

B–B'

NORTHWEST

SOUTHWEST

SOUTHEAST

NORTHEAST

NORTHWEST SOUTHEAST

Oil show

Gas show

Gas show

WELL LOG SYMBOLS

Depth in feet

Gas producing

interval

Drill-stem test

interval(s) Perforated

interval(s)

Oil producing

interval

15,000

15,500

EXPLANATION

GR

SP

Res.

KB Kelly bushing elevation, in feet

Gamma ray

Spontaneous potential

Resistivity

Dry and abandoned

Dry and abandoned, gas show

Dry and abandoned, oil show

Dry and abandoned, oil and gas show

Gas well

Oil well

Marine or marginal marine sandstone or siltstone

Marine shale 

Marine shale, calcareous shale, sandy shale,

silty shale, and marl

Laterally persistent zone within the Cody Shale

showing higher gamma ray intensity

Marine sandstone, shale, sandy shale, and siltstone

Locally correlatable horizon

or marker bed

Approximate position of important

guide fossil(s) projected

from nearby outcrops

GR Res.

1000

500

300

200

100

0

0

5 10

5

15 20 MILES

10 15 20 KILOMETERS

METERS FEET

Scaphites depressus

 

WELL SYMBOLS

ROCK TYPES A

A'

B

B'

C

C'

MONTANA

WYOMING

EXPLANATION

Precambrian rocks

Tertiary volcanic rocks

Cody Shale outcrop

Well location

Line of section 

Bighorn Basin Province

boundary

A A'

0

0 10 20 30 40 KILOMETERS

10 20 30 40 MILES

T

50

N

T

55

N

T

9

S

T

45

N

T

40

N

R94W R90W R85W

R95W

R100W

R104W

T

50

N

T

55

N

T

57

N

T

9

S

T

5

S

R15E R20E R25E R20E R35E

R100W R95W

R90W R85W

R35E R40E

R105W

T

40

N

T

45

N

T

5

N

R5W R1W R1E R5E

T

8

N

R4W

T

8

N

R3E

110° 109° 108° 107°

45°

44°

Absaroka

volcanics

Beartooth

uplift

Creek uplift

Owl

uplift

Bighorn 

Nye-Bowler lineament

Pryor uplift

BIGHORN

BASIN

PROVINCE

WYOMING

MONTANA

Index map of the Bighorn Basin showing the cross section lines. Figure 3 in pamphlet.

Base from U.S. Geological Survey, 2010,

1:2,000,000-scale digital data

Lambert Conformal Conic projection

Standard parallels 41o and 45o

Central meridian-107o 30’

Latitude of origin 41o, meters

North American Datum of 1983 (NAD 83)

API 4904320512

Pike Resources

Federal 1–15

NW SW

sec. 15, T. 45 N., R. 90 W.

KB 4,640

API 4904320430

Amoco Production

Cottonwood Creek 125

SE NW

sec. 26, T. 47 N., R. 91 W.

KB 4,728

API 4904320221

Union Oil

Worland Unit 47T–M28

SW SW

sec. 28, T. 48 N., R. 92 W.

KB 4,044

API 4900320843

Pacific Enterprise Oil Co.

Five Mile Federal 4–32

S2 SE

sec. 32, T. 49 N., R. 93 W.

KB 4,353

API 4900320546

American Quasar

Dobie Creek Federal 18–2

SE NW

sec.18, T. 49 N., R. 93 W.

KB 4,304

API 4900320572

Gulf Oil

1–16 2B Fritz-Federal

NE NE

sec. 16, T. 50 N., R. 95 W.

KB 4,426

API 4900320579

Gulf Expl. Corp.

Predicament 1–31–3D

SW SE

sec. 31, T. 50 N., R. 94 W.

KB 4,719

API 4900320379

Moncrief

Michaels Ranch 20-1

SW SE

sec.17, T. 51 N., R. 96 W.

KB 4,427

API 4902921064

Forest Oil Corp.

1 Emblem Bench

NW SW

sec. 2, T. 51 N., R. 98 W.

KB 5,220

API 4902920532

Texas Pacific

1 Red Point II

SW SW

sec. 30, T. 53N., R. 98 W.

KB 5,270

API 4902920900

Amoco Prod.

3–27 McCulloch Peak II

NW NW

sec. 27, T. 54 N., R. 100 W.

KB 4,885

API 4902920475

CIG Expl.

McCulloch Peak 1

NW SE

sec. 10, T. 54 N., R. 101 W.

KB 4,977

API 4902906157

General Petroleum Corp.

Badura 2

NE NW

sec. 7, T. 57 N., R. 101 W.

KB 4,202

API 4902921490

Fenstrum Energy

Badger Basin 19

SW NW

sec. 17, T. 57 N., R. 101 W.

KB 4,210

API 4902920499

CIG Exploration

CIGE 14–58–102 US

SW SW

sec. 14, T. 58 N., R. 102 W.

KB 4,816

API 2500921140

Harken Oil & Gas

Federal Gloria 1

SW NW

sec. 7, T. 9 S., R. 22 E.

KB 4,216

API 2500921141

Amoco Prod.

Bear Creek 1–10

SW SE

sec. 10, T. 8 S., R. 21 E.

KB 4,485

API 2500921264

Cabot Oil & Gas

Carbon County 1

SW NW

sec. 32, T. 7 S., R. 21 E.

KB 5,328

API 2500921205

Quadra Oil & Gas

Quadra–BNI 5–1

NE NE

sec. 5, T. 7 S., R. 21 E.

KB 5,170

API 2500905236

Phillips Petroleum

1 Luoma A

NW NE

sec. 28, T. 6 S., R. 20 E.

KB 5,126

API 2500921135

MFG Oil Corp.

31–27 Nicholson

NW NE

sec. 27, T. 6 S., R. 18 E.

KB 5,405

API 4902921407

Sabine Corp.

1–28 Federal

SW SW

sec. 28, T. 50 N., R. 101 W.

KB 6,847 API 4902920855

Amoco Prod.

Bridger Trail Unit 2A

SW SW

sec. 2, T. 53 N., R. 98 W.

KB 4,494

API 4902921009

Hunt Energy Corp.

Loch Katrine Unit

SW NE

sec. 2, T. 51N., R. 100 W.

KB 5,201

API 4900320309

Webb Resources Inc.

Webb Federal 136

SE NW

sec. 13, T. 54 N., R. 96 W.

KB 4,616

API 4900320182

Kewanee Oil Co.

Gulch #1

SW NW

sec. 16, T. 54 N., R. 96 W.

KB 4,599

API 4900320284

Anadarko Prod. Co.

Bridger Butte #3

SW NE

sec. 30, T. 54 N., R. 96 W.

KB 4,494

API 4900320364

True Oil Co.

Spear-Federal 33–31

NW SE

sec. 31, T. 54 N., R. 95 W.

KB 4,443

API 4901720734

Anschutz Corp.

USA 5784 6–23

SE NW

sec. 23, T. 47 N., R. 99 W.

KB 5,734

4901720739

Energy Reserve

Little Grass Creek 1–15

NE NE

sec. 15, T. 46 N., R. 99 W.

KB 6,134

API 4902920730

Panther Expl.

BAR TL 2

NW SW

sec. 20, T. 49 N., R. 100 W.

KB 6,084

API 4902921352

Diamond Shamrock

State 14–36

NE SW

sec. 36, T. 50 N., R. 101 W.

KB 6,132

API 4902920601

Gulf Oil Corp.

Buffalo Creek-Federal 1

SE NW

sec. 32, T. 48 N., R. 99 W.

KB 5,806

API 4902921146

Texas Amer. Oil

5–2 TAO Husky-Federal

SW SW

sec. 5, T. 48 N., R. 99 W.

KB 6,128

API 4904305117

Cabot Corp.

Neiber-Federal 1

NE NE

sec. 7, T. 45 N., R. 93 W.

KB 4,501

4901720557

Husky Oil Ltd.

Nelson 23

NW NW

sec. 2, T. 44 N., R. 96 W.

KB 4,762

API 4901705927

Continental Oil Co.

Boulder Gulch 1

NE SW

sec. 27, T. 45 N., R. 95 W.

KB 4,615

API 4901720666

Swenco Inc.

State 1–16X

NE SE

sec. 16, T. 45 N., R. 97 W.

KB 5,127

API 4901706099

Midwest Oil

Gywnn Ranch #1

SW NE

sec. 29, T. 46 N., R. 97 W. 

KB 5,359

API 4904320602

Gary-Williams Oil

Finley Point 14–12

NW SW

sec. 14, T. 45 N., R. 93 W.

KB 4,548

API 4904320261

Tenneco Oil Co.

Neiber II Unit 1

NW NW

sec. 19, T. 45 N., R. 92 W.

KB 4,373

API 4904320686

Coastal O & G

Old Quaker-Federal 1–25

NE SE

sec. 25, T. 45 N., R. 91 W.

KB 4,680

4904320520

Altus Expl.

Altus 29–1

SW NE

sec. 29, T. 45 N., R. 91 W.

KB 4,736

API 4904320483

Altus Expl.

Blackhawk 34–22

SW SE

sec. 22, T. 45 N., R. 92 W.

KB 4,502

API 4904305120

Samedan Oil Corp.

Govt. 1–5

SW SE

sec. 5, T. 45 N., R. 89 W.

KB 4,990

API 4902920532

Texas Pacific

1 Red Point II

SW SW

sec. 30, T. 53N., R. 98 W.

KB 5,270

API 4902921407

Sabine Corp.

1–28 Federal

SW SW

sec. 28, T. 50 N., R. 101 W.

KB 6,847

API 4904320512

Pike Resources

Federal 1–15

NW SW

sec. 15, T. 45 N., R. 90 W.

KB 4,640

Detailed Cross Sections of the Niobrara Interval of the Cody Shale in the Bighorn Basin, Wyoming and Montana

By

Thomas M. Finn

2019

U.S. Department of the Interior

U.S. Geological Survey

Scientific Investigations Map 3422

Pamphlet accompanies map

ISSN 2329-132X (online)

https://doi.org/10.3133/sim3422

Suggested citation: Finn, T.M., 2019, Stratigraphic cross sections of the 

Niobrara Interval of the Upper Cretaceous Cody Shale in the Bighorn Basin, 

Wyoming and Montana: U.S. Geological Survey Scientific Investigations Map 3422, 

pamphlet 19 p., 1 sheet [cross section], https://doi.org/10.3133/sim3422.

For more information concerning the research in this report, contact the 

Center Director, USGS Central Energy Resources Science Center

Box 25046, Mail Stop 939

Denver, CO 80225

(303) 236-1647

Or visit the Central Energy Resources Science Center website at

https://energy.usgs.gov/

Digital files available at https://doi.org/10.3133/sim3422

Any use of trade, product, or firm names in this publication is for descriptive 

purposes only and does not imply endorsement by the U.S. Government

This map or plate is offered as an online-only, digital publication. Users 

should be aware that, because of differences in rendering processes and 

pixel resolution, some slight distortion of scale may occur when viewing it 

on a computer screen or when printing it on an electronic plotter, even 

when it is viewed or printed at its intended publication scale

SECTION

B–B'

SECTION

A–A'

SECTION

A–A'

SECTION

C–C'

Publishing support provided by: 

Denver Publishing Service Center

Edit and digital layout by L.J. Binder

Manuscript approved for publication November 21, 2018

To learn about the USGS and its information products visit

http://www.usgs.gov/ 

1-888-ASK-USGS

For product and ordering information visit:

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