Possibilities of the Oil Resources of Canada 47 



as the tar of the McMurray beds on the Athabaska. Showings of oil have 

 been reported in the Viking gas field east of Edmonton, and south of 

 the Bow Island gas field heavy oil is reported in two wells in the southern 

 part of the province. 



Tertiary Formations. 



During the later history of the continent and after much of the 

 deformation and erosion of the older oil formations, beds of Tertiary age 

 were deposited along the western edge of the continent. Those found in 

 the interior are generally of continental origin and what carbonaceous 

 material they contain appears to have been altered to coal or in places 

 to a very heavy asphalt. The more fluid hydrocarbons are at present 

 supposed to be associated with the beds formed near sea level including 

 those of the west coast and possibly some of the Tertiary of the extreme 

 north on the Arctic islands. 



The rocks of the valley and coast of California have been found 

 to contain very large stores of oil. Small exposures along the coast 

 northward and in the depression occupied in part by the Straits 

 of Georgia have been partially examined, so far with little success. In 

 the delta of the Fraser river boring is now proceeding, but the deposits 

 are very thick and the sandy nature of the measures suggests that the 

 oil may be widely dispersed rather than gathered into pools. 



