Evolution of fluvial systems in salt-walled mini-basins: A review and new insights

Abstract

The preserved sedimentary expression of fluvial successions accumulated in salt-walled mini-basins records the complex history of basin subsidence, the style of sediment supply, and the pattern of

Reservoir quality of fluvial sandstone reservoirs in salt-walled mini-basins: an example from the Seagull field, Central Graben, North Sea, UK

“…The initiation of mini-basin subsidence or creation of salt-walled mini-basins requires the presence of salt with a sufficient thickness to allow halokinesis (Hudec et al 2009), and a mechanism to initiate halokinesis, i.e. extension, compression, differential loading or buoyancy (Banham and Mountney 2013a). The halokinesis of the Zechstein evaporites started during the Early Triassic and has been associated with rifting in response to the Hardegsen tectonic event (McKie 2014).…”

Fluvial architecture in actively deforming salt basins: Chinle Formation, Paradox Basin, Utah

“…Numerous workers have examined the relationship between salt movement and sediment deposition recognizing stratigraphic thinning, inter and intra-formational tilted unconformities and variations in stratigraphic architecture within the late Pennsylvanian to late Triassic succession including the Honaker Trail, Cutler, Moenkopi and Chinle formations (Shoemaker & Newman, 1959;Stewart et al, 1972;Blakey & Gubitosa, 1984;Hazel, 1994;Doelling & Ross, 1998;Doelling, 2001Doelling, , 2002Doelling et al, 2002;Matthews et al, 2004Matthews et al, , 2007Trudgill et al, 2004;Banbury, 2005;Lawton & Buck, 2006;Trudgill, 2011;Banham & Mountney, 2013b, 2014Venus et al, 2015;Fig. However, only recently have a range of generic models for fluvial architecture in salt mini-basins been developed (Banham & Mountney, 2013a) and the aim of this paper is to examine the Chinle Formation fluvial architecture within this context. However, only recently have a range of generic models for fluvial architecture in salt mini-basins been developed (Banham & Mountney, 2013a) and the aim of this paper is to examine the Chinle Formation fluvial architecture within this context.…”

“…Both the MVSW and the KCA salt highs have amalgamated channel belt sandstones developed across the top of these structures (Figs 7, 8, 11 and 13b). Matthews et al, 2007;Banham & Mountney, 2013a;Venus et al, 2015), is absent. 8), when sediment accumulation outpaced uplift of the KCA.…”

“…In many cases the 3D geometry of the salt body and associated basins are difficult to determine and often change spatially and temporally within mini-basins (e.g. Matthews et al, 2007;Banham & Mountney, 2013a,b, 2014 they have yet to be tested rigorously. It is important to do so however, as fluvial deposits form significant hydrocarbon reservoirs in salt mini-basins, and in many cases reservoir distribution and architecture is a key uncertainty (e.g.…”

Structural controls on the stratigraphic architecture of net‐transgressive shallow‐marine strata in a salt‐influenced rift basin: Middle‐to‐Upper Jurassic Egersund Basin, Norwegian North Sea

“…Mellere & Steel, 1996;Carr et al, 2003;Jackson et al, 2005;Kieft et al, 2010). Outcrop examples that highlight these complex tectono-stratigraphic relationships between salt-related structures and coeval shallow-marine depositional systems are rare (Alves et al, 2003;Aschoff & Giles, 2005;Giles & Rowan, 2012;Banham & Mountney, 2013), and subsurface examples have tended to focus exclusively on either the structural or stratigraphic aspects of salt-influenced rift basin development and have not, therefore, provided a comprehensive account of how the two are linked (Stewart & Clark, 1999;Davies et al, 2000). We therefore lack detailed case studies focused on the influence of salt tectonics on the sedimentology and stratigraphic architecture of shallowmarine syn-rift deposits in salt-influenced rift basins, and our understanding of how these systems evolve is therefore relatively limited when compared to their deep-marine counterparts (e.g.…”