Deepwater fold and thrust belt classification, tectonics, structure and hydrocarbon prospectivity: A review

Morley, C.K.; King, Robert G.; Hillis, Richard R.; Tingay, Mark; Backé, Guillaume

doi:10.1016/j.earscirev.2010.09.010

Cited by 256 publications

(169 citation statements)

References 254 publications

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“…This motion appears compatible with gravity sliding of material from the collapsing Crocker Formation complex sourcing the active fold-and-thrust belt of Baram Delta that is located close to MIRI station. GPS observations and offshore measurements clearly show present activity of the belt (Simons et al 2007;Hesse et al 2010;Hutchison 2010;Morley et al 2011;Sapin et al 2013). However, stations KENI and TENM show no relative motions with respect to station BEAU.…”

Section: Baseline Analysis Of North-west Borneomentioning

confidence: 97%

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Quantifying deformation in North Borneo with GPS

Mustafar

Simons

Tongkul

et al. 2017

J Geod

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The existence of intra-plate deformation of the Sundaland platelet along its eastern edge in North Borneo, South-East Asia, makes it an interesting area that still is relatively understudied. In addition, the motion of the coastal area of North-West Borneo is directed toward a frontal foldand-thrust belt and has been fueling a long debate on the possible geophysical sources behind it. At present this foldand-thrust belt is not generating significant seismic activity and may also not be entirely active due to a decreasing shelfal extension from south to north. Two sets of Global Positioning System (GPS) data have been used in this study; the first covering a time period from 1999 until 2004 (ending just before the Giant Sumatra-Andaman earthquake) to determine the continuous Sundaland tectonic plate motion, and the second from 2009 until 2011 to investigate the current deformations of North Borneo. Both absolute and relative positioning Moreover, station velocities and rotation rate tensors on the northern part of North Borneo suggest a clockwise (microblock) rotation. The first analysis of vertical displacements recorded by GPS in North-West Borneo points to low subsidence rates along the western coastal regions of Sabah and inconsistent trends between the Crocker and Trusmadi mountain ranges. These results have not been able to either confirm or reject the hypothesis that gravity sliding is the main driving force behind the local motions in North Borneo. The ongoing Sundaland-Philippine Sea plate convergence may also still play an active role in the present-day deformation (crustal shortening) in North Borneo and the possible clockwise rotation of the northern part of North Borneo as a micro-block. However, more observations need to be collected to determine if the northern part of North Borneo indeed is (slowly) moving independently.

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Section: Baseline Analysis Of North-west Borneomentioning

confidence: 97%

“…Meanwhile, Sapin et al (2013) proposed the collapsing of the Crocker Range as the main mechanism to balance this offshore extension deformation deficit. The status of deformation is an important input for hydrocarbon accumulation studies and useful for future explorations (Ingram et al 2004;Morley et al 2011).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Quantifying deformation in North Borneo with GPS

Mustafar

Simons

Tongkul

et al. 2017

J Geod

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“…When we consider the white space between 1 st order structures, we find a set of 2 nd order structures precisely where our drilling targets are. Whilst previous research (Morley et al, 2011;Futalan et al, 2012) indicates reservoirs are present in these areas we caution that reservoir intervals may be more structurally compartmentalised with lower permeabilities than predicted.…”

Section: A C C E P T E D Accepted Manuscriptmentioning

confidence: 84%

“…The driving force that induces the contraction can occur either at a crustal scale, as is the case in an accretionary prism on an active margin (Type II; Morley et al, 2011), or within the decoupled sedimentary sequence as a consequence of gravitational processes, on an Atlantic-style passive margin (Type I: Morley et al, 2011).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Deep Water Fold and Thrust Belts (DWFTBs) occur on continental margins globally and are a consequence of the contraction of sedimentary sequences that are decoupled from underlying stratigraphy or basement by a décollement horizon (Rowan et al, 2004, Morley et al, 2011. The driving force that induces the contraction can occur either at a crustal scale, as is the case in an accretionary prism on an active margin (Type II; Morley et al, 2011), or within the decoupled sedimentary sequence as a consequence of gravitational processes, on an Atlantic-style passive margin (Type I: Morley et al, 2011).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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The importance of missing strain in Deep Water Fold and Thrust Belts

Dalton

Paton

Oldfield

et al. 2017

Marine and Petroleum Geology

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Deep water fold and thrust belts (DWFTBs) are sedimentary wedges that accommodate plate-scale deformation on both active and passive continental margins. Internally, these wedges consist of individual structures that strongly influence sediment dispersal, bathymetry and fluid migration. Most DWFTB studies investigate basin-and intra-wedge-scale processes using seismic reflection profiles, yet are inherently limited by seismic resolution. Of critical importance is strain distribution and its accommodation on discrete faults compared to distributed deformation. Recent studies have considered strain distribution by investigating regional reflection DWFTBs profiles within coupled systems, which contain down-dip compression and up-dip extension. There is broad agreement of a mis-balance in compression versus extension, with ~5% excess in the latter associated with horizontal compaction, yet this remains unproven.Using two exceptionally well exposed outcrops in the Spanish Pyrenees we consider deformation of DWFTB at a scale comparable to, and beyond, seismic resolution for the first time. By coupling outcrop observations (decametre to hectometre scale) with a re-evaluation of seismic profiles from the Orange Basin, South Africa, which contains one of the best imaged DWFTBs globally, we provide a unique insight into the deformation from metre to margin scale. Our observations reveal hitherto unrecognised second order structures that account for the majority of the previously recognised missing strain. This re-evaluation implies that ~ 5% missing strain should be accounted for in all DWFTBs, therefore existing studies using restorations of the sediment wedge will have underestimated crustal shortening in active margins, or sedimentary shortening in gravity driven systems by this amount. In contrast to previous studies, our observations imply that the majority of this strain is accommodated on discrete fault surfaces and this can explain the occurrence and location of a range of intra-wedge processes that are intimately linked to structures including sediment dispersal, fluid migration pathways and reservoir compartmentalisation.

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The Coulomb critical taper theory applied to gravitational instabilities

2014

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The critical Coulomb wedge theory has been widely applied to the structural evolution of accretionary wedges and fold and thrust belts, but it also predicts the spreading of a wedge under gravity. This solution may be applied to the formation of gravitational spreading and gliding along passive margins, where elevated pore fluid pressure is common. Following the initial hypotheses of the theory, we provide an alternative expression of the exact solution for a noncohesive wedge, better suited to slope instabilities. Our formulation allows a direct calculation of the fluid pressure required for the system to deform and predicts two kinds of gravitational deformation: shallow slumping and/or deep gravitational spreading rooting on the basal detachment. To verify the predictions of the model, we performed scaled experiments with pore pressure under conditions close to the critical taper hypotheses. The good agreement between our experimental results and the theory confirms the applicability of the critical taper model to the formation of gravitational structures in sedimentary wedges subjected to pore fluid pressure.

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Deepwater fold and thrust belt classification, tectonics, structure and hydrocarbon prospectivity: A review

Cited by 256 publications

References 254 publications

Quantifying deformation in North Borneo with GPS

Quantifying deformation in North Borneo with GPS

The importance of missing strain in Deep Water Fold and Thrust Belts

The Coulomb critical taper theory applied to gravitational instabilities

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