Seal rock deformation by polygonal faulting,offshore Uruguay |
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| Institution: | 1. Basins Research Group (BRG), Imperial College, Prince Consort Road, London, SW7 2BP, UK;2. Shell, 40 Bank Street, 1 Canada Square, Canary Wharf, London E14 5AB, UK;1. Department of Geosciences, University of Oslo, P.O. Box 1047, Blindern, 0316 Oslo, Norway;2. The Center for Earth Evolution and Dynamics, University of Oslo, P.O. Box 1028, Blindern, 0315 Oslo, Norway;3. TGS, Lensmannslia 4, 1386 Asker, Norway;4. Department of Petroleum Engineering, University of Stavanger, 4036 Stavanger, Norway;1. Dept. of Earth Sciences, Geocentrum, Uppsala University, Sweden;2. United Energy Pakistan (previously BP Pakistan), Karachi, Pakistan;1. GNS Science, PO Box 30368, Lower Hutt, New Zealand;2. Fault Analysis Group, School of Geological Sciences, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland;1. North China University of Science and Technology, Tangshan, 063210, China;2. Shengli Oilfield Company, Sinopec, Dongying, 257001, China;3. China University of Petroleum (Eastern China), Qingdao, 266580, China;1. British Geological Survey, Environmental Science Centre, Keyworth, Nottingham, NG12 5GG, UK;2. British Geological Survey, Cardiff University, Main Building, Park Place, Cardiff, CF10 3AT, UK;1. Department of Geology and Petroleum Geology, School of Geosciences, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, UK;2. Departamento de Mineralogia e Petrologia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil |
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| Abstract: | Due to a lack of borehole data, reservoir and seal rock presence in frontier basins is typically inferred from seismic reflection data. However, analysis of the geometry and kinematic development of polygonal fault systems (PFS), which almost exclusively form within very fine-grained strata, provides another, largely untested method to infer reservoir and seal rock presence. We here use very high-quality 3D seismic reflection data from offshore Uruguay and a range of quantitative GIS-based techniques to document the planform and cross-sectional characteristics of a basin-scale (>6400 km2) PFS, and to investigate the role that stratigraphic variations in the Tertiary deep-water host-rock have on its geometrical variability and kinematic development. We demonstrate that a series of likely sandstone-rich deep-water deposits occur at the base of and within the main PFS tier. The geometric characteristics and throw distribution on individual polygonal faults suggest these sandstone-rich deep-water deposits represent a mechanical barrier to fault propagation, thus influencing fault height and areal density and, in some cases, strike. We argue that in largely unexplored, deep-to ultra-deep water basins, such as those characterizing offshore Uruguay, the distribution and geometric attributes of PFS can be used to delineate sandstone-rich reservoir bodies. Furthermore, these characteristics may help exploration geoscientists better understand seal heterogeneity and quality in data-poor basins. |
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| Keywords: | Polygonal faults Uruguay Reservoir prediction Top seal analysis Seismic interpretation Frontier exploration |
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