Pennsylvania’s DCNR Shale Thickness Datasets Added to DataTool

Three Belt Thickness of Devonian Black Shales. Click image for a larger dynamic view.
Three datasets from the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) have been added to FracTracker’s DataTool.  Each dataset indicates the thickness of a major carbon-rich black shale layer from the Devonian Period in Pennsylvania, including the Marcellus, Rhinestreet, and Huron.

• Thickness of the Marcellus Shale in PA in Feet. The Marcellus Shale is the best known and most productive Devonian black shale formation in Pennsylvania. It was deposited in the Middle Devonian age, almost 400 million years ago.

The thickness in feet of the Marcellus Shale. Click the gray compass rose and double carat (^) to hide those menus.

• Thickness of the Rhinestreet (West Falls) Shale in PA. The Rhinestreet Shale is a part of the more recent Upper Devonian West Falls geologic group, which overlays the Marcellus Shale.

The thickness in feet of the Rhinestreet Shale. Click the gray compass rose and double carat (^) to hide those menus.

• Thickness of the Huron (Ohio) Shale. The Huron Shale is an Upper Devonian black shale that is more recent (and less deep) than the Rhinestreet Shale. It is a widespread formation ranging over several states, but in Pennsylvania, it is only present in the extreme northwest corner.

The thickness in feet of the Huron Shale. Click the gray compass rose and double carat (^) to hide those menus.

For an interesting cross-section view of Northwestern Pennsylvania rock formations visit this link from the DCNR website.