Sedimentological evolution of Sele Formation deep-marine depositional systems of the Central North Sea

Author:

Eldrett James12,Tripsanas Efthymios2,Davis Christopher2,McKie Tom2,Vieira Manuel2,Osterloff Peter2,Sandison Tom2

Affiliation:

1. Shell International Exploration and Production Inc., Shell Technology Center Houston, 3333 Highway 6 South, Houston, TX 77082, USA

2. Shell UK Ltd, Altens Farm Road, Nigg, Aberdeen AB12 3FY, UK

Abstract

AbstractThe Paleocene–Eocene-aged Sele Formation is developed across the basinal region of the Central North Sea. The section comprises a number of deep-marine fan systems that expanded and contracted across the basin floor in response to relative sea-level changes on the basin margin and fluctuating sediment yield off the Scottish landmass modulated by climate and hinterland uplift. Persistent sediment entry points to the basin resulted in the development of discrete axial and transverse fan fairways with a geometry dictated by an irregular bathymetry sculpted by differential compaction across Mesozoic faults, halokinesis and antecedent fan systems. A high-resolution biostratigraphic framework has allowed the evolution of fan-dispersal systems in response to these effects to be tracked across the basin within four genetic sequences. The proximal parts of the fans comprised channel complexes of low sinuosity, high lateral offset, and low aggradation. The development of these systems in a bathymetrically confined corridor of the Central Graben (c. 65 km wide), combined with high sediment supply, resulted in the eventual burial of any underlying relief. The behaviour of sand-rich reservoirs in this region is dominated by the permeability contrast between high-quality channel fairways and more heterolithic overbank regions, with the potential for early water breakthrough and aquifer coning in the channel fairways, and unswept volumes in overbank locations. Compartmentalization of compensationally stacked channel bodies occurs locally, with stratigraphic trapping caused by lateral channel pinch-outs, channel-base debrites, mud-rich drapes and abandonment fines. Towards the southern part of Quadrant 22, approximately 150 km down-palaeoflow, the systems became less confined and in this region are dominated by channel–lobe complexes, which continued to interact with an irregular bathymetry controlled by antecedent fans, mass-transport complexes and halokinesis in the form of rising salt diapirs. Reservoirs in this region are inherently stratigraphically compartmentalized by their heterolithic lithology and compensational stacking of lobes, and further complicated by structuration and instability induced by the diapiric or basement structures needed to generate a trapping structure in these settings.

Publisher

Geological Society of London

Subject

Geology,Ocean Engineering,Water Science and Technology

Reference97 articles.

1. Ahmadi Z. M. , Sawyers M. , Kenyon-Roberts S. , Stanworth C. W. , Kugler K. A. , Kristensen J. & Fugelli E. M. G. 2003. Paleocene. In: Evans D. , Graham C. , Armour A. & Bathurst P. (eds) The Millennium Atlas: Petroleum Geology of the Central and Northern North Sea. Geological Society, London, 235–259.

2. Development of rheological heterogeneity in clay-rich high-density turbidity currents: Aptian Britannia Sandstone Member, U.K. continental shelf;Journal of Sedimentary Research,2008

3. The Pierce Field, Blocks 23/22a, 23/27, UK North Sea

4. Borella R. E. 2011. Differentiation and correlation between the Gannet and Forties Fans using heavy mineralogy. University of Aberdeen unpublished MSc thesis.

同舟云学术

1.学者识别学者识别

2.学术分析学术分析

3.人才评估人才评估

"同舟云学术"是以全球学者为主线,采集、加工和组织学术论文而形成的新型学术文献查询和分析系统,可以对全球学者进行文献检索和人才价值评估。用户可以通过关注某些学科领域的顶尖人物而持续追踪该领域的学科进展和研究前沿。经过近期的数据扩容,当前同舟云学术共收录了国内外主流学术期刊6万余种,收集的期刊论文及会议论文总量共计约1.5亿篇,并以每天添加12000余篇中外论文的速度递增。我们也可以为用户提供个性化、定制化的学者数据。欢迎来电咨询!咨询电话:010-8811{复制后删除}0370

www.globalauthorid.com

TOP

Copyright © 2019-2024 北京同舟云网络信息技术有限公司
京公网安备11010802033243号  京ICP备18003416号-3