Kilbaha Bay - Ross Formation - Deepwater Sheet Lobes and Channeling

This page represents a gallery of photographs that illustrate the geology of the Ross Formation where it outcrops at the Kilbaha Bay on the north west shore of the Shannon Estuary just east of Loop Head.

The photographs in this gallery were taken by Christopher Kendall and Peter Haughton.

The gallery illustrates the nature of the deepwater sediments of the Ross Formation that are characterized by channeled deepwater fan lobes, megaflutes and channel fill. As at the Bridges of Ross there are a series of incised and stacked channels have channel fill that extends beyond the channels as wings and are associated with megaflutes (Elliot , et al, 2000; & Elliott, 2000,).

 

001-Kilbaha-Bay-West 002-Kilbaha-Bay-West 003-Kilbaha-Bay-West 004-Pebble-Beach-Kilbaha-Bay 005-Pebble-Beach-Kilbaha-Bay
001 Kilbaha Bay West. 002 Kilbaha Bay West. 003 Kilbaha Bay West. 004 Pebbles Kilbaha Bay. 005 Pebbles Kilbaha Bay.
006-Rock-Platform-Kilbaha-Bay 007-Rocky-Shore-W-E-Channel-Ross-Fm-Kilbaha-Bay 008-Rocky-Shore-Ross-Fm-Kilbaha-Bay 009-Rocky-Shore-Ross-Fm-Kilbaha-Bay 010-Pebble-Beach-Ross-Fm-Kilbaha-Bay
006 Platform Kilbaha Bay. 007 Rocky Shore Kilbaha Bay. 008 Rocky Shore Kilbaha Bay. 009 Rocky Shore Kilbaha Bay. 010 Pebbles Ross Fm Kilbaha Bay.
011-Rocky-Shorel-Ross-Fm-Kilbaha-Bay 012-W-E-Channel-Ross-Fm-Kilbaha-Bay 013-Ross-Fm-West-Kilbaha-Bay 014-Ross-Fm-West-Kilbaha-Bay 015-Ross-Fm-West-Kilbaha-Bay
011 Rocky Shorel Kilbaha Bay. 012 Channel Kilbaha Bay. 013 Kilbaha Bay. 014 Kilbaha Bay. 015 Kilbaha Bay.
016-Ross-Fm-West-Kilbaha-Bay 017-Ross-Fm-West-Kilbaha-Bay 018-Channel-Detail-Ross-Fm-Kilbaha-Bay 019-Channel-Detail-Ross-Fm-Kilbaha-Bay 020-Channelded-Lobes-Ross-Fm-West-side-Kilbaha-Bay
016 West Kilbaha Bay. 017 West Kilbaha Bay. 018 Channel Kilbaha Bay. 019 Channel Kilbaha Bay. 020 Lobes Kilbaha Bay.
021-Channelded-Lobes-Ross-Fm-West-side-Kilbaha-Bay 022-Channeled-Sand-Lobes-Ross-Fm-West-Kilbaha-Bay 023-Channeled-Sand-Lobes-Ross-Fm-West-Kilbaha-Bay 024-Channeled-Sand-Lobes-Ross-Fm-West-Kilbaha-Bay 025-Channeled-Sand-Lobes-Ross-Fm-West-Kilbaha-Bay
021 Lobes Kilbaha Bay. 022 Lobes Kilbaha Bay. 023 Lobes Kilbaha Bay. 024 Lobes Kilbaha Bay. 025 Lobes Kilbaha Bay.
026-Channeled-Sand-Lobes-Ross-Fm-West-Kilbaha-Bay 027-Channeled-Sand-Lobes-Ross-Fm-West-Kilbaha-Bay 028-Channeled-Sand-Lobes-Ross-Fm-West-Kilbaha-Bay 029-Channeled-Sand-Lobes-Ross-Fm-West-Kilbaha-Bay 030-Channeled-Sand-Lobes-Ross-Fm-West-Kilbaha-Bay
026 Lobes Kilbaha Bay. 027 Lobes Kilbaha Bay. 028 Lobes Kilbaha Bay. 029 Lobes Kilbaha Bay. 030 Lobes Ross Kilbaha Bay.
031-Channeled-Sand-Lobes-Ross-Fm-West-Kilbaha-Bay 032-Channeled-Sand-Lobes-Ross-Fm-West-Kilbaha-Bay 033-Channeled-Sand-Lobes-Ross-Fm-West-Kilbaha-Bay 034-Channeled-Sand-Lobes-Ross-Fm-West-Kilbaha-Bay 035-Channeled-Sand-Lobes-Ross-Fm-West-Kilbaha-Bay
031 Lobes Kilbaha Bay. 032 Lobes Kilbaha Bay. 033 Lobes Kilbaha Bay. 034 Lobes Kilbaha Bay. 035 Lobes Ross Kilbaha Bay.
036-Channeled-Sand-Lobes-Ross-Fm-West-Kilbaha-Bay 037-Channeled-Sand-Lobes-Ross-Fm-West-Kilbaha-Bay 038-Channeled-Sand-Lobes-Ross-Fm-West-Kilbaha-Bay 039-Channeled-Sand-Lobes-Ross-Fm-West-Kilbaha-Bay 040-Channeled-Sand-Lobes-Ross-Fm-West-Kilbaha-Bay
036 Lobes Kilbaha Bay. 037 Lobes Kilbaha Bay. 038 Lobes Kilbaha Bay. 039 Lobes Kilbaha Bay. 040 Lobes Kilbaha Bay.
041-Channeled-Sand-Lobes-Ross-Fm-West-Kilbaha-Bay 042-Channeled-Sand-Lobes-Ross-Fm-West-Kilbaha-Bay 043-Channeled-Sand-Lobes-Ross-Fm-West-Kilbaha-Bay 044-Channeled-Sand-Lobes-Ross-Fm-West-Kilbaha-Bay 045-Channeled-Sand-Lobes-Ross-Fm-West-Kilbaha-Bay
041 Lobes Kilbaha Bay. 042 Lobes Kilbaha Bay. 043 Lobes Kilbaha Bay. 044 Lobes Kilbaha Bay. 045 Lobes Kilbaha Bay.
046-Channeled-Sand-Lobes-Ross-Fm-West-side-Kilbaha-Bay 047-Megaflutes-Ross-Fm-Kilbaha-Bay 048-Megaflutes-Ross-Fm-Kilbaha-Bay 049-Megaflutes-Ross-Fm-Kilbaha-Bay 050-Megaflutes-Ross-Fm-Kilbaha-Bay
046 Channeled Lobes Kilbaha Bay. 047 Megaflutes Kilbaha Bay. 048 Megaflutes Kilbaha Bay. 049 Megaflutes Kilbaha Bay. 050 Megaflutes Kilbaha Bay.
051-Megaflutes-Ross-Fm-Kilbaha-Bay 052-Sand-Lobe-&-Channel-Detail-Ross-Fm-Kilbaha-Bay 053-Sand-Lobe-&-Channel-Detail-Ross-Fm-Kilbaha-Bay 054-Sand-Lobe-&-Channel-Detail-Ross-Fm-Kilbaha-Bay 055-Sand-Lobe-&-Channel-Detail-Ross-Fm-Kilbaha-Bay
051 Megaflutes Kilbaha Bay. 052 Channel Detail Kilbaha Bay. 053 Channel Detail Kilbaha Bay. 054 Channel Detail Kilbaha Bay. 055 Channel Detail Kilbaha Bay.
056-Sand-Lobe-&-Channel-Detail-Ross-Fm-Kilbaha-Bay 057-Sand-Lobe-&-Channel-Detail-Ross-Fm-Kilbaha-Bay 058-Sand-Lobe-&-Channel-Detail-Ross-Fm-Kilbaha-Bay 059-Sand-Lobe-&-Channel-Detail-Ross-Fm-Kilbaha-Bay 060-Sand-Lobe-&-Channel-Detail-Ross-Fm-Kilbaha-Bay
056 Channel Detail Kilbaha Bay. 057 Channel Detail Kilbaha Bay. 058 Channel Detail Kilbaha Bay. 059 Channel Detail Kilbaha Bay. 060 Channel Detail Kilbaha Bay.
061-Sand-Lobe-&-Channel-Detail-Ross-Fm-Kilbaha-Bay 062-Sand-Lobe-&-Channel-Detail-Ross-Fm-Kilbaha-Bay 063-Sand-Lobe-&-Channel-Detail-Ross-Fm-Kilbaha-Bay 064-Sand-Lobe-&-Channel-Detail-Ross-Fm-Kilbaha-Bay 065-Sand-Lobe-&-Channel-Detail-Ross-Fm-Kilbaha-Bay
061 Channel Detail Kilbaha Bay. 062 Channel Detail Kilbaha Bay. 063 Channel Detail Kilbaha Bay. 064 Channel Detail Kilbaha Bay. 065 Channel Detail Kilbaha Bay.
066-Sand-Lobe-&-Channel-Detail-Ross-Fm-Kilbaha-Bay 067-Sand-Lobe-&-Channel-Detail-Ross-Fm-Kilbaha-Bay 068-Sand-Lobe-&-Channel-Detail-Ross-Fm-Kilbaha-Bay    
066 Channel Detail Kilbaha Bay. 067 Channel Detail Kilbaha Bay. 068 Channel Detail Kilbaha Bay.

 

References

Chapin, M.A., Davies, P., Gibson, J.L. & Pettingill, H.S. (1994), Reservoir architecture of turbidite sheet sandstones in laterally extensive outcrops, Ross Formation, western Ireland. In Weimer, P., Bouma, A.H. & Perkins, R.F (eds), Submarine fans and turbidite systems, GCSSEPM Foundation 15th Annual Research Conference, 53 68.

Collinson, J.D., Martinsen, O. Bakken, B. and Kloster, A. (1991), Early fill of the western Irish Namurian Basin: a complex relationship between turbidites and deltas. Basin Research, 3, 223 242.

Davies, S.J. & Elliott, T. (1996), Spectral gamma ray characterisation of high resolution sequence stratigraphy: examples from Upper Carboniferous fluvio deltaic systems, Co. Clare, Ireland. In Howell, J.A. & Aitken, J.F. (eds) High resolution sequence stratigraphy: innovations and applications. Special Publication of the Geological Society London, 104, 25 35.

Elliott, T., 2000, Depositional architecture of a sand rich, channelized turbidite system: the Upper Carboniferous Ross Sandstone Formation, Western Ireland. in P. Weimer, R. M. Slatt, A. H. Bouma, and D. T. Lawrence, eds., Deep water reservoirs of the world: Gulf Coast Section SEPM Foundation, Twentieth Annual Research Conference, p. 342–373.

Elliott, T.Pulham, A.J., and Davies, S.J., 2000, Sedimentology, sequence stratigraphy and spectral gamma ray expression of turbidite, slope and deltaic depositional sytems in an Upper Carboniferous basin fill succession, western Ireland: Int. Ass. Sed. Conference, Dublin Ireland, Field Guide, p 1 40.

Gill, W.D. (1979), Syndepositional sliding and slumping in the West Clare Namurian Basin, Ireland. Geological Survey of Ireland Special Paper 4, 31pp.
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Hodson, F., 1954a, The beds above the Carboniferous limestone in north west County Clare, Eire: Quarterly Journal of the Geological Society of London, v. 109, p. 259 283.

Hodson, F., 1954b, The Carboniferous rocks of Foynes Island, County Limerick: Geological Magazine, no. 2, p. 153 160.

Hodson, F. & Lewarne, G.C. (1961) A mid Carboniferous (Namurian) basin in parts of the counties of Limerick and Clare, Ireland. Quart. Geol. Soc. Lond., 117, 307 333.

Martinsen, O.J. (1989), Styles of soft sediment deformation on a Namurian (Carboniferous) delta slope, western Ireland Namurian Basin, Ireland. In Whatley, M.K.G. & Pickering, K.T. (eds) Deltas: sites and traps for fossil fuels, Geological Society Special Publication, 41, 167 177.

Martinsen, O.J. & Bakken, B. (1990), Extensional and compressional zones in slumps and slides in the Namurian of County Clare, Ireland. Journal of the Geological Society, 147, 153 164.

Pulham, A.J. (1987), Depositional and syn sedimentary deformation processes in Namurian deltaic sequences of west County Clare, Ireland. Unpublished PhD thesis, University of Wales, Swansea.

Pulham, A.J. (1989), Controls on internal structure and architecture of sandstone bodies within Upper carboniferous fluvial dominated deltas, County Clare, western Ireland. In Whatley, M.K.G. & Pickering, K.T. (eds) Deltas: sites and traps for fossil fuels, Geological Society Special Publication, 41, 179 203.

Pyles, D.R. (in press), Stratigraphic architecture of a structually confined submarine fan, Carboniferous Ross Sandstone, Western Ireland, Bulletin of the American Association of Petroleum Geologists.

Rider, M.H. (1969), Sedimentological studies in the West Clare Namurian Basin, Ireland and the Mississippi Delta. Unpublished PhD thesis, Imperial College London.

Rider, M.H. (1974), The Namurian of West County Clare. Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy, 74B, 125 142.

Rider, M.H. (1978), Growth faults in the Carboniferous of western Ireland. Bulletin of the American Association of Petroleum Geologists, 62, 2191 2213.

Sevastopulo, G.D. (1981), Upper Carboniferous. In Holland, C.H. (ed.) A geology of Ireland. Scottish Academic Press, 173 199.

Wignall, P.B. and Best, J.L. (2000), The Western Irish Namurian Basin reassessed. Basin Research 12, 59 78.

Wignall, P.B. and Best, J.L. (2002), The Western Irish Namurian Basin reassessed – a discussion. Basin Research 14, 523 542.

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