Slope tectonics-comparisons and contrasts of structural styles of salt and shale tectonics of the northern Gulf of Mexico with shale tectonics of Offshore Nigeria in Gulf of Guinea

Wu, Shaohua; Bally, A. W.

doi:10.1029/gm115p0151

Cited by 63 publications

(67 citation statements)

References 11 publications

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“…In this problem the sediments have a Bingham rheology and the model behavior is controlled by four timescales corresponding to the deposition, the diffusion of excess pressure, the Maxwell time for viscous compaction, and a tectonic timescale. For certain depositional regimes overpressures are generated and when they exceed 0.95 of their maximum values the delta front undergoes plastic failure, becomes unstable and spreads gravitationally under its own weight, as observed, for example, in the Niger delta [Wu and Bally, 2000]. The unstable region is bounded by landward, extensional, and seaward, contractional, zones and the spreading flow occurs at geological rates (the tectonic timescale) limited by the Bingham viscosity.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Similar large-scale gravity-driven tectonic structures are observed where the mobile substrate is an overpressured shale. Probably the best studied example is the Niger Delta [Cohen and McClay, 1996;Wu and Bally, 2000;Haack et al, 2000;Corredor et al, 2005]. A central question is what level of fluid overpressure development is required to make the system unstable.…”

Section: Two-dimensional Study Of Deltaic Progradation and Overpressumentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

A numerical model for coupled fluid flow and matrix deformation with applications to disequilibrium compaction and delta stability

Morency¹,

Huismans²,

Beaumont³

et al. 2007

J. Geophys. Res.

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[1] A model is developed which couples fully saturated porous compaction to the viscous-plastic deformation of the skeleton matrix. The Darcy fluid flow during compaction is described by an advection-diffusion equation for the excess pressure with two source/sink terms that depend on the mechanical compressibility and viscous compaction of the pore space, the latter representing the effect of pressure solution. The incompressible deformation of the composite medium is described by a force balance equation and its rheology can be viscous, plastic, or viscoplastic (Bingham material). For the plastic and viscoplastic cases, the coupling between the compacting and plastically deforming parts of the system is through the Drucker-Prager frictional-plastic yield criterion modified by Terzaghi's principle, so that the yield strength depends on the effective dynamical pressure. The coupled system is solved using a two-dimensional (2-D) finite element method. Two problems are solved to demonstrate the behavior of our theory. The first considers compaction of a uniform sediment layer. The numerical results agree with the predictions of the nondimensional control parameters and previously published results. The second problem concerns 2-D kinematic progradation of deltaic sediments. Substratum and delta sediments have the same compaction properties and a Bingham rheology during deviatoric deformation, such that the delta undergoes linear postyield viscous flow. For certain depositional regimes, overpressure is generated. When pore pressures approach critical values, yielding occurs and the delta front fails and becomes unstable, spreading gravitationally under its own weight. The flow velocity is limited to geological rates by the Bingham viscosity. For the range of parameter values considered, pressure solution is the most effective mechanism for generating nearlithostatic fluid pressures that lead to initial failure, and it appears that mechanical compaction hardly contributes to the fluid overpressure at this stage.Citation: Morency, C., R. S. Huismans, C. Beaumont, and P. Fullsack (2007), A numerical model for coupled fluid flow and matrix deformation with applications to disequilibrium compaction and delta stability,

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Two-dimensional Study Of Deltaic Progradation and Overpressumentioning

confidence: 99%

A numerical model for coupled fluid flow and matrix deformation with applications to disequilibrium compaction and delta stability

Morency¹,

Huismans²,

Beaumont³

et al. 2007

J. Geophys. Res.

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“…It ranks amongst the world's most prolific petroleum producing tertiary deltas that together account for about 5% of the world's oil and gas reserves (Opara et al 2011). It is also considered a classical shale tectonic province (Wu and Bally, 2000). Works done by Evamy et al (1978), Ejedawe (1981), Knox and Omatsola (1987) and Stacher (1995), described the evolution of the Niger Delta to be controlled by preand syn-sedimentary tectonics.…”

Section: 1: Basin Overviewmentioning

confidence: 99%

3d seismic attribute expressions of deep offshore Niger delta

Anyiam¹,

Jaiswal²,

Pashin³

et al. 2016

International Conference and Exhibition, Barcelona, Spain, 3-6 April 2016

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“…It is one of several deep water fold-and/or-thrust belts that are known from several continental margins worldwide including the Gulf of Mexico (Atwater or Mississippi Fan Fold Belt, Perdido Fold Belt, Mexican Ridges, Port Isabel Fold Belt) [Weimer and Buffler, 1992;Peel et al, 1995;Fiduk et al, 1999;Trudgill et al, 1999;Rowan et al, 2000;Wu and Bally, 2000;Marton et al, 2000;Hall, 2002;Rowan et al, 2004], offshore Brazil [Demercian et al, 1993;Cobbold et al, 1995;Mohriak et al, 1995;Davison, 2007], offshore Africa [Morley and Guerin, 1996;Spathopoulos, 1996;Cramez and Jackson, 2000;Marton et al, 2000;Rowan et al, 2004;Fort et al, 2004;Hudec and Jackson, 2004] and several others [Rowan et al, 2004, and references therein]. These fold-and-thrust belts are generally interpreted to be the result of gravity spreading and/or gliding of sedimentary overburden above a weak substratum of salt (strictly evaporites) or overpressured shale, which produces linked proximal extensional and distal contractional domains.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Factors controlling the evolution of the Perdido Fold Belt, northwestern Gulf of Mexico, determined from numerical models

2009

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[1] The Perdido Fold Belt (PFB) is a prominent saltcored deep water structure in the northwestern Gulf of Mexico. It is characterized by symmetric, kink-banded folds of a $4.5 km thick prekinematic layer and its vicinity to the extensive Sigsbee Salt Canopy. We use 2-D finite element numerical models to study the evolution of the PFB as a gravity-driven fold belt both in a local context and in the context of the larger-scale passive margin, influenced by adjacent allochthonous salt structures. We show that parameters such as overburden strength, salt geometry, or salt viscosity determine timing, extent, and location of the modeled fold belt. Simplified models of the Gulf of Mexico show that toe-of-slope folding is a viable mechanism to develop diapirs in the deep salt basin and to delay folding of the distal overburden. In this scenario, the PFB likely represents the terminal folding of a much larger, diachronously formed fold belt system.

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Slope tectonics-comparisons and contrasts of structural styles of salt and shale tectonics of the northern Gulf of Mexico with shale tectonics of Offshore Nigeria in Gulf of Guinea

Cited by 63 publications

References 11 publications

A numerical model for coupled fluid flow and matrix deformation with applications to disequilibrium compaction and delta stability

A numerical model for coupled fluid flow and matrix deformation with applications to disequilibrium compaction and delta stability

3d seismic attribute expressions of deep offshore Niger delta

Factors controlling the evolution of the Perdido Fold Belt, northwestern Gulf of Mexico, determined from numerical models

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