Can polygonal faults help locate deep-water reservoirs?

Jackson, Christopher; Carruthers, Daniel; Mahlo, Seshane N.; Briggs, Omieari

doi:10.1306/03131413104

Cited by 26 publications

(18 citation statements)

References 26 publications

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“…The competent interval is interpreted to consist of a ~100 m thick sandstone unit equivalent to the Tamar Sand (Ghalayini et al, 2016), or may correspond to another lithology which is mechanically resistant to faulting. Using a polygonal fault distribution to map deep-water reservoirs and lithological variations across an area has been used in other frontier basins to aid exploration (Jackson et al, 2014;Turrini et al, 2017).…”

Section: Reservoir Rocksmentioning

confidence: 99%

Petroleum Systems of Lebanon: An Update and Review

Ghalayini

Nader

Daher

et al. 2018

Journal of Petroleum Geology

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This paper presents a new interpretation of the Levant margin, offshore Lebanon, with a review of Lebanese onshore geology and a new evaluation of the petroleum systems of the Eastern Mediterranean. Here, we divide the Lebanese onshore and offshore into four domains: the distal Levant Basin, the Lattakia Ridge, the Levant margin, and the onshore. Each domain is characterised by a particular structural style and stratigraphic architecture, resulting in different source‐reservoir‐trap configurations. This new division draws attention to specific areas of exploration interest in which there are distinct petroleum systems. Following a review of previously published data, this study presents new results from stratigraphic, structural and geochemical investigations. The results include a new interpretation of the Levant margin, focussing on the carbonate‐dominated stratigraphy of this area and its petroleum potential. New petroleum systems charts are presented for each of the four domains to refine and summarize the updated geological knowledge.

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Section: Reservoir Rocksmentioning

confidence: 99%

Petroleum Systems of Lebanon: An Update and Review

Ghalayini

Nader

Daher

et al. 2018

Journal of Petroleum Geology

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“…These polygonal fault systems occur within fine-grained sedimentary successions, which commonly form seals for hydrocarbon reservoirs (e.g., Cartwright et al, 2007;Jackson et al, 2014), CO 2 storage sites (e.g., Arts et al, 2004), and nuclear waste disposal sites (e.g., Dehandschutter et al, 2005a). Because polygonal fault systems have the potential to reduce or enhance the sealing capacity of such fine-grained sedimentary successions (e.g., Gay and Berndt, 2007;Huuse et al, 2010), it is critical to understand their kinematics.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Kinematics of Polygonal Fault Systems: Observations from the Northern North Sea

et al. 2017

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Layer-bound, low-displacement normal faults, arranged into a broadly polygonal pattern, are common in many sedimentary basins. Despite having constrained their gross geometry, we have a relatively poor understanding of the processes controlling the nucleation and growth (i.e., the kinematics) of polygonal fault systems. In this study we use high-resolution 3-D seismic reflection and borehole data from the northern North Sea to undertake a detailed kinematic analysis of faults forming part of a seismically well-imaged polygonal fault system hosted within the up to 1,000 m thick, Early Palaeocene-to-Middle Miocene mudstones of the Hordaland Group. Growth strata and displacement-depth profiles indicate faulting commenced during the Eocene to early Oligocene, with reactivation possibly occurring in the late Oligocene to middle Miocene. Mapping the position of displacement maxima on 137 polygonal faults suggests that the majority (64%) nucleated in the lower 500 m of the Hordaland Group. The uniform distribution of polygonal fault strikes in the area indicates that nucleation and growth were not driven by gravity or far-field tectonic extension as has previously been suggested. Instead, fault growth was likely facilitated by low coefficients of residual friction on existing slip surfaces, and probably involved significant layer-parallel contraction (strains of 0.01-0.19) of the host strata. To summarize, our kinematic analysis provides new insights into the spatial and temporal evolution of polygonal fault systems.

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“…More direct observations on the 3‐D kinematics of natural fault systems are clearly needed to further test existing models of fault growth. Understanding the precision, accuracy, and predictability of these conceptual models is critical for seismic hazard applications [ Nicol et al , ; Kim et al , ; Ascione et al , ], understanding links between faulting and landscape development [ Densmore et al , ; Barnes et al , ], and even the distribution of natural resource reservoirs of geothermal energy, hydrocarbons, and groundwater [ Strachan et al , ; Egger et al , ; Jackson et al , ; Faulds and Hinz , ]. Apatite (U‐Th)/He thermochronology (AHe) has been widely and successfully used to date the timing of slip on normal faults (Figure [e.g., Stockli , ; Colgan et al , ]).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Testing fault growth models with low‐temperature thermochronology in the northwest Basin and Range, USA

2016

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Common fault growth models diverge in predicting how faults accumulate displacement and lengthen through time. A paucity of field‐based data documenting the lateral component of fault growth hinders our ability to test these models and fully understand how natural fault systems evolve. Here we outline a framework for using apatite (U‐Th)/He thermochronology (AHe) to quantify the along‐strike growth of faults. To test our framework, we first use a transect in the normal fault‐bounded Jackson Mountains in the Nevada Basin and Range Province, then apply the new framework to the adjacent Pine Forest Range. We combine new and existing cross sections with 18 new and 16 existing AHe cooling ages to determine the spatiotemporal variability in footwall exhumation and evaluate models for fault growth. Three age‐elevation transects in the Pine Forest Range show that rapid exhumation began along the range‐front fault between approximately 15 and 11 Ma at rates of 0.2–0.4 km/Myr, ultimately exhuming approximately 1.5–5 km. The ages of rapid exhumation identified at each transect lie within data uncertainty, indicating concomitant onset of faulting along strike. We show that even in the case of growth by fault‐segment linkage, the fault would achieve its modern length within 3–4 Myr of onset. Comparison with the Jackson Mountains highlights the inadequacies of spatially limited sampling. A constant fault‐length growth model is the best explanation for our thermochronology results. We advocate that low‐temperature thermochronology can be further utilized to better understand and quantify fault growth with broader implications for seismic hazard assessments and the coevolution of faulting and topography.

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Can polygonal faults help locate deep-water reservoirs?

Cited by 26 publications

References 26 publications

Petroleum Systems of Lebanon: An Update and Review

Petroleum Systems of Lebanon: An Update and Review

Kinematics of Polygonal Fault Systems: Observations from the Northern North Sea

Testing fault growth models with low‐temperature thermochronology in the northwest Basin and Range, USA

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