Characteristics of internal-wave and internal-tide deposits and their hydrocarbon potential

Abstract

The study of internal-wave and internal-tide deposits is a new research fi eld on sedimentology during the last ten years. Deep-water traction currents induced by internal waves and internal tides are developed on the modern sea fl oor, which can form not only all kinds of small scale and dispersal deepwater traction currents deposits, but also large-scale sediment wave in km-size scale. In this paper, the concepts and features of internal waves and internal tides in oceanography are introduced, and the characteristics, sedimentary sequences, sedimentary microfacies and sedimentation models of internalwave and internal-tide deposits found and the origin of large scale sediment waves in deep sea bottom are summarized. The relationship between internal-wave and internal-tide deposits and petroleum is discussed, and fi nally internal-wave and internal-tide deposits are shown to be a new potential fi eld for petroleum exploration.

Comparison of Tidalites in Siliciclastic, Carbonate, and Mixed Siliciclastic-Carbonate Systems: Examples from Cambrian and Devonian Deposits of East-Central Iran

“…The identified tidalites in three depositional systems are compared, based on structural, textural, and architectural elements, through the following sections. [38] suggested that bidirectional cross-laminations or cross-beds, flaser, wavy, and lenticular beds are normally observed in tide deposits. Nevertheless, Mulder et al [39] believed that these sedimentary structures can be formed by turbidity and contour currents too.…”

Seismic geomorphological reconstructions of Plio-Pleistocene bottom current variability at Goban Spur

“…Some well-known sediment wave fields were reinterpreted as internal tidal deposits because of the aforementioned reasons. This concerns in particular the Rockall Trough sediments waves (He et al, 2008), the Gulf of Valencia sediment waves (Ribó et al, 2016), as well as within ancient onshore outcrops, with the introduction of the "internalite" term (e.g. Bádenas et al, 2012).…”

Modern internal waves and internal tides along oceanic pycnoclines: Challenges and implications for ancient deep-marine baroclinic sands: Discussion

“…One of the most fulfilling aspects of working on an exploration team in the petroleum industry is that geologists and geophysicists can propose hypotheses (prospects) and then test their models with the drill bit. We defined prospects based solely on two-dimensional seismic data and geologic concepts (Dunham and McKee, 2001;McKee and Dunham, 2004) and tested our models with exploration wells. Repeated tests of our Kutei Basin hypotheses led to discoveries at the Gendalo, Gandang, Gula, Gada, Gehem, and Ranggas prospects ( Figure 1).…”

“…Our 2006 publication is based on the successful efforts of exploration teams that used geologic concepts to make significant deep-water discoveries in the Kutei Basin (Dunham and McKee, 2001;McKee and Dunham, 2004;Saller et al, 2004Saller et al, , 2008b). Shanmugam's (2013) contention that his alternative view might have "surprising economic consequences in real-world petroleum exploration" (p. 832) is not supported by any similar exploration success (Figure 1).…”