Use of seismic-based new rose diagram to determine the major sediment-supply direction of progradational systems

Abstract

A conventional method for identifying sediment-supply directions is to characterize the seismic progradational reflection configuration, which is based mainly on qualitative observation of numerous seismic profiles. We have developed a more quantitative and practical way to determine the major sediment-supply direction (MSSD) using a new type of rose diagram based on seismic progradational sequence angles. In accordance with similar principles of the rose diagram used in structural geology, we have developed an analytical method and a workflow for a new rose diagram of seismic-based progradational sequence angles to determine MSSD. The Bozhong sag, a subbasin of the Bohai Bay Basin with two typical progradational sequences (I and II), provides a suitable example to analyze MSSD and test the new method. Our result indicates that the MSSD of the two progradational sequences (I and II) corresponds to azimuths of 10°–20° and 340°–350°, respectively, intuitively indicating two sequences derived from different provenance-transport systems. The new rose diagram of seismic progradational angles offers a powerful and quantitative method for seismic-based sedimentary provenance and paleocurrent analysis.