Kinematic structural restorations and discrete fracture modeling of a thrust trap: a case study from the Tarija Basin, Argentina

Fracture abundance and patterns in the Subandean fold and thrust belt, Devonian Huamampampa Formation petroleum reservoirs and outcrops, Argentina and Bolivia

“…We define zones with beds dipping west more than 25 as backlimbs, zones with beds dipping west less than 25 as hinge zones, and zones with east-dipping beds as forelimbs. On the basis of curvature (simple bending strain) or kinematic and geometric structural models based on reconstructed or inferred fold evolution expected in Subandean hydrocarbon fields (Sanders et al, 2004;Iñigo, 2009), we anticipate low fracture strain in backlimbs and high fracture strain in hinges and forelimbs.…”

“…Fold growth favors development of Set II in hinge zones, either by formation of new fractures or by reactivation of older fractures (Narr, 1991;Lisle, 1994;Fischer and Wilkerson, 2000;Sanders et al, 2004) unless the fold mechanism is passive kink migration. Set II strain varies markedly and is generally high in hinges and steep forelimbs, consistent with concurrent fracture and fold growth ( Table 2).…”

“…EPTG Amoco. Unpublished report, 1998;Sanders et al, 2004;Florez Niño et al, 2005;Moretti and Delos, 2006).…”

Three-Dimensional Modelling of Geological Surfaces Using Generalized Interpolation with Radial Basis Functions

“…Modelling geological surfaces, such as geological formation contacts and faults, can be an objective in itself, providing insight into the subsurface geological structure and is an important preparatory step in partitioning a volume of interest into geological units or fault blocks. Such a volumetric partitioning can then be mapped on a hexahedral grid or tetrahedral mesh to implement quantitative numerical techniques such as three-dimensional forward and inverse modelling of geophysical data (Li and Oldenburg 1998;Jessel 2001;Pilkington 2009) three-dimensional structural restoration (Muron and Mallet 2003;Sanders et al 2004;Moretti et al 2006) and four-dimensional quantitative simulations of geological processes, such as fluid flow in hydrocarbon reservoirs (Clarke et al 2006;Zee Ma and La Pointe 2011).…”

Working in complex areas: New restoration workflow based on quality control, 2D and 3D restorations

“…Another possibility is to consider the fault as reference (Sanders et al, 2005); this concept was initially proposed by Verrall (1981) among others for the deformation of syntectonic sediment in extensive context. The reference level is, in this case, a listric fault and its decollement level.…”