Normal fault linkage and reactivation, Dampier Sub-basin, Western Australia

McHarg, Sam; Elders, Chris; Cunneen, Jane

doi:10.1080/08120099.2019.1519848

Cited by 9 publications

(6 citation statements)

References 31 publications

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“…Internally, the basin comprises several NE‐trending, Palaeozoic‐Cenozoic structural elements that accommodate a <15 km thick sedimentary succession (Hocking et al, 1988). The Beagle, Dampier, Barrow and Exmouth sub‐basins are located in the inboard region of the basin and represent failed rift systems (Gartrell, Torres, Dixon, & Keep, 2016; McHarg, Elders, & Cunneen, 2018; Stagg & Colwell, 1994; Figure 2a). The Exmouth Plateau is a bathymetric plateau that sits outboard of these sub‐basins (Figure 2c).…”

Section: Study Areamentioning

confidence: 99%

Quantitative analysis of a footwall‐scarp degradation complex and syn‐rift stratigraphic architecture, Exmouth Plateau, NW Shelf, offshore Australia

et al. 2020

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Interactions between footwall-, hangingwall-and axial-derived depositional systems make syn-rift stratigraphic architecture difficult to predict, and preservation of neterosional source landscapes is limited. Distinguishing between deposits derived from fault-scarp degradation (consequent systems) and those derived from long-lived catchments beyond the fault block crest (antecedent systems) is also challenging, but important for hydrocarbon reservoir prospecting. We undertake geometric and volumetric analysis of a fault-scarp degradation complex and adjacent hangingwall-fill associated with the Thebe-2 fault block on the Exmouth Plateau, NW Shelf, offshore Australia, using high resolution 3D seismic data. Vertical and headward erosion of the complex and fault throw are measured. Seismic-stratigraphic and seismic facies mapping allow us to constrain the spatial and architectural variability of depositional systems in the hangingwall. Footwall-derived systems interacted with hangingwalland axial-derived systems, through diversion around topography, interfingering or successive onlap. We calculate the volume of footwall-sourced hangingwall fans (V HW) for nine quadrants along the fault block, and compare this to the volume of material eroded from the immediately up-dip fault-scarp (V FW). This analysis highlights areas of sediment bypass (V FW > V HW) and areas fed by sediment sources beyond the degraded fault scarp (V HW > V FW). Exposure of the border fault footwall and adjacent fault terraces produced small catchments located beyond the fault block crest that fed the hangingwall basin. One source persisted throughout the main synrift episode, and its location coincided with: (a) an intra-basin topographic high; (b) a local fault throw minimum; (c) increased vertical and headward erosion within the fault-scarp degradation complex; and (d) sustained clinoform development in the immediate hangingwall. Our novel quantitative volumetric approach to identify through-going sediment input points could be applied to other rift basin-fills. We highlight implications for hydrocarbon exploration and emphasize the need to incorporate interaction of multiple sediment sources and their resultant architecture in tectono-stratigraphic models for rift basins.

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Section: Study Areamentioning

confidence: 99%

Quantitative analysis of a footwall‐scarp degradation complex and syn‐rift stratigraphic architecture, Exmouth Plateau, NW Shelf, offshore Australia

et al. 2020

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show abstract

“…Internally, the basin comprises several NE-trending, Palaeozoic-Cenozoic structural elements that accommodate a <15 km thick sedimentary succession (Hocking et al, 1988). The Beagle, Dampier, Barrow and Exmouth sub-basins are located in the inboard region of the basin and represent failed rift systems (Gartrell, Torres, Dixon, & Keep, 2016;McHarg, Elders, & Cunneen, 2018;Stagg & Colwell, 1994; Figure 2a). The Exmouth Plateau is a bathymetric plateau that sits outboard of these sub-basins (Figure 2c).…”

Section: Study Areamentioning

confidence: 99%

Quantitative analysis of a footwall-scarp degradation complex and syn-rift stratigraphic architecture, Exmouth Plateau, NW Shelf, offshore Australia

Barrett¹,

Hodgson²,

Jackson³

et al. 2020

Preprint

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Interactions between footwall-, hangingwall- and axial-derived depositional systems make syn-rift stratigraphic architecture difficult to predict, and preservation of net-erosional source landscapes is limited. Distinguishing between deposits derived from fault-scarp degradation (consequent systems) and those derived from long-lived catchments beyond the fault crest (antecedent systems) is also challenging but important for hydrocarbon reservoir prospecting. We undertake geometric and volumetric analysis of a fault-scarp degradation complex and adjacent hangingwall-fill associated with an individual fault block in the northern Carnarvon Basin, NW Shelf, Australia. Fault throw, and vertical and headward erosion of the complex are measured. Seismic-stratigraphic and seismic facies analyses allow us to constrain the along-strike architectural variability of the footwall-derived fans in the hangingwall. Footwall-derived systems interacted with hangingwall- and axial-derived systems, through diversion around topography, interfingering, or successive onlap. We calculate the volume of footwall-sourced hangingwall fans for nine quadrants along the fault block, and compare this to the volume of material eroded from the immediately up-dip fault-scarp. This analysis highlights areas of sediment bypass (excess erosion) and areas fed by sediment sources beyond the degraded fault scarp (excess hangingwall-fill). Exposure of the border fault footwall and adjacent fault terraces produced small catchments located beyond the fault crest that fed the hangingwall basin. One source persisted nearly throughout the syn-rift episode, and its location coincided with: (i) an intra-basin topographic high; (ii) a local fault throw minimum, possibly representing a breached relay ramp; (iii) increased vertical and headward erosion within the fault-scarp degradation complex; and (iv) sustained clinoform development in the immediate hangingwall. Our novel quantitative volumetric approach to identify through-going sediment input points and areas dominated by sediment bypass could be applied to other rift basin-fills. We also emphasise the need to incorporate interaction of multiple sediment sources and their resultant architecture in tectono-stratigraphic models for rift basins.

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“…Based on the results of the experiments described previously, E-W-striking pre-existing faults under a NW-SE stress direction of extension are most likely the formation mechanism of concealed faults in the Huawa area. Under this scenario, the rift phase that follows will show reactivation in faults existing beforehand from the first rift stage and/or nucleation in second stage faults that developed recently in crust previously unruptured, which usually develop in a sub-perpendicular manner to the new extending direction (Cheng and Yang, 2003;Bailey et al, 2007;Gong et al, 2007;Henza et al, 2010;McHarg et al, 2019;Song and Cawood, 2015). Physical model simulations have been widely used to study how faults and fault interactions evolve (McClay and White, 1995;Chattopadhyay and Chakra, 2013).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Characterizing Concealed Fault Systems by Integrating Field Data Mapping and Laboratory Experiments: A Case Study of the Huawa Area in East China

Zhang

et al. 2021

Front. Earth Sci.

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Concealed faults can be important for understanding the regional structural geology and the subsurface fluid distribution. However, such faults are usually difficult to identify and characterize because of their small size and complex mechanism. To address this issue, we present an integrated approach of three-dimensional seismic data mapping and physical modeling experiments to examine the geometrical and kinematic characteristics of concealed faults and their relationship with the main faults in the Huawa area, east China. Three series of experiments were designed to characterize the differences in the scale of concealed faults and main faults, which also allowed us to examine how the concealed faults grow with the main faults in the area. Through this integrated study, we have demonstrated that: 1) NE-SW-striking concealed faults are below the resolution of the available seismic datasets and not easily recognized in seismic sections and that most of them grew later than the E-W-striking main faults, with some of them having grown at the same time; 2) pre-existing faults, rather than asymmetry of the basin structure, affect the faults that develop during subsequent episodes of extension; 3) E-W-striking pre-existing faults under a NW-SE stress direction of extension are most likely the formation mechanism of concealed faults. This study is of reference value in the interpretation of concealed faults in other regions.

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Normal fault linkage and reactivation, Dampier Sub-basin, Western Australia

Cited by 9 publications

References 31 publications

Quantitative analysis of a footwall‐scarp degradation complex and syn‐rift stratigraphic architecture, Exmouth Plateau, NW Shelf, offshore Australia

Quantitative analysis of a footwall‐scarp degradation complex and syn‐rift stratigraphic architecture, Exmouth Plateau, NW Shelf, offshore Australia

Quantitative analysis of a footwall-scarp degradation complex and syn-rift stratigraphic architecture, Exmouth Plateau, NW Shelf, offshore Australia

Characterizing Concealed Fault Systems by Integrating Field Data Mapping and Laboratory Experiments: A Case Study of the Huawa Area in East China

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