Sedimentological and ichnological signatures of changes in wave,river and tidal influence along a Neogene tropical deltaic shoreline

Analysis of Neogene cores from the Eastern Venezuela Basin along 65 km of a west–east trending shoreline allows characterization of the sedimentological and ichnological signatures of wave, river and tidal processes. The area displays deltas prograding northward from the Guyana Shield. Twenty‐three facies are defined and grouped into four categories (wave‐influenced, river‐influenced, tide‐influenced and basinal). Wave‐dominated deltaic deposits occur mostly in the Tácata Field. The delta plain was characterized by tide‐influenced distributary channels separated by interdistributary bays. Fluvial discharge in the delta front and prodelta was repeatedly interrupted by storm‐wave reworking and suspended sediment fallout. Delta‐front and prodelta deposits contain some ichnotaxa that typically do not occur in brackish water (for example, Chondrites and Phycosiphon). Amalgamated storm deposits are unburrowed or contain vertical Ophiomorpha. Lateral (especially on the updrift side) to the river mouths, waves caused nearly continuous accretion of the associated strandplains. These deposits are the most intensely bioturbated, and are dominated by the estenohaline echinoid‐generated ichnogenus Scolicia. River‐dominated deltaic deposits are present in the Santa Bárbara, Mulata, Carito and El Furrial Fields. Low‐sinuosity rivers characterized the alluvial plain, whereas the subaerial delta plain was occupied by higher‐sinuosity rivers. The subaqueous delta plain includes distributary channels and tide‐influenced interdistributary bays. Further seaward, successions are characterized by terminal distributary‐channel and distributary mouth‐bar deposits, as well as by delta‐front and prodelta deposits showing evidence of sediment gravity‐flow and fluid‐mud emplacement. Delta‐front and prodelta deposits are unbioturbated to sparsely bioturbated, suggesting extreme stress, mostly as a result of high fluvial discharge and generation of sediment gravity flows. Tidal influence is restricted to interdistributary bays, lagoons and some distributary channels. From an ichnological perspective, and in order of decreasing stress levels, four main depositional settings are identified: river‐dominated deltas, tide‐influenced delta plains, wave‐dominated deltas and wave‐dominated strandplain–offshore complexes.     

Evaluating delta asymmetry using three‐dimensional facies architecture and ichnological analysis,Ferron ‘Notom Delta’, Capital Reef,Utah, USA

Delta asymmetry occurs where there is strong wave influence and net longshore transport. Differences in the morphology and facies architecture between updrift and downdrift sides of asymmetric deltas are potentially significant for exploration and exploitation of resources in this class of reservoirs. Although delta asymmetry has been recognized widely from modern wave‐influenced deltaic shorelines, there are few documented examples in the ancient record. Based on an integrated sedimentological and ichnological study, the along‐strike variability and delta asymmetry within a single parasequence (Ps 6) is documented in continuously exposed outcrops of the Cretaceous Ferron Sandstone Member of the Mancos Shale Formation near Hanksville in southern Utah. Two intra‐parasequence discontinuity surfaces are recognized which allow subdivision of the parasequence into three bedsets, marked as Ps 6‐1 to Ps 6‐3. Four facies successions are recognized: (i) wave/storm‐dominated shoreface; (ii) river‐dominated delta front; (iii) wave/storm‐reworked delta front; and (iv) distributary channel and mouth bar. Dips of cross‐strata within distributary‐mouth bars and shorefaces show a strong downdrift (southward) component. Ps 6‐3 predominantly consists of river‐dominated delta‐front deposits, whereas Ps 6‐1 and Ps 6‐2 show an along‐strike facies change with shoreface deposits in the north, passing into heterolithic, river‐dominated delta‐front successions south to south‐eastward, and wave/storm‐reworked delta‐front deposits further to the south‐east. Trace fossil suites correspondingly show distinct along‐strike changes from robust and diverse expressions of the archetypal Cruziana Ichnofacies and Skolithos Ichnofacies, into suites characterized by horizontal, morphologically simple, facies‐crossing ichnogenera, reflecting a more stressed, river‐dominated environment. Further south‐eastward, trace fossil abundance and diversity increase, reflecting a return to archetypal ichnofacies. The overall facies integrated with palaeocurrent data indicate delta asymmetry. The asymmetric delta consists of sandier shoreface deposits on the updrift side and mixed riverine and wave/storm‐reworked deposits on the downdrift side, similar to that observed in the modern examples. However, in contrast to the recent delta asymmetry models, significant paralic, lagoonal and bay‐fill facies are not documented in the downdrift regions of the asymmetric delta. This observation is attributed to a negative palaeoshoreline trajectory during delta progradation and subsequent transgressive erosion. The asymmetric delta was induced by net longshore transport from north to south. The forced regressive nature of the delta precludes significant preservation of topset mud.     

藏南日喀则弧前盆地帕达那组沉积相分析

藏南桑桑地区帕达那组是上白垩统日喀则弧前盆地浅水沉积。基于野外实测剖面对帕达那组进行了详细的沉积相研究。帕达那组岩相类型主要有五类:砾岩相、砂岩相、粉砂岩相、页岩相和灰岩相。砂岩中发育大量楔状和板状交错层理、平行层理、粒序层理及泥砾、潜穴、生物扰动等沉积构造,页岩中发育潜穴及大量钙质结核。根据岩相和沉积构造特征识别出陆棚相和三角洲相。三角洲相包括前三角洲、三角洲前缘及三角洲平原三个亚相,可进一步划分为水下分支河道、河口砂坝、支流间湾、分流河道、洪泛平原、沼泽等微相。帕达那组地层自下向上发育陆棚相和三角洲相（依次为前三角洲、三角洲前缘及三角洲平原亚相）,整体显示出古水深变浅的趋势。这一沉积环境的变化代表着日喀则弧前盆地由欠充填到过充填阶段的演化。     

准噶尔盆地南缘上三叠统黄山街组辫状河三角洲沉积

准噶尔盆地南缘上三叠统黄山街组主要为砾岩、含砾砂岩、砂岩、粉砂岩和泥岩构成的一套碎屑岩组合,野外沉积特征研究确定为典型的辫状河三角洲沉积。通过对沉积相、亚相、微相的详细研究,认为辫状河三角洲具有类似曲流河三角洲的层序结构和微相类型,但两者间也存在很大的差别。与曲流河三角洲相比,辫状河三角洲的三角洲平原亚相不仅沉积物的粒度较粗,而且辫状河道沉积较发育,河道间洪泛平原沉积不发育。辫状河三角洲前缘亚相也可以识别出水下分流河道、河口坝、席状砂和水下分流河道间等微相,水下分流河道沉积为主体。根据野外露头的追索研究,建立了准噶尔盆地南缘上三叠统黄山街组辫状河三角洲的沉积模式。从沉积物的岩性特征看,辫状河三角洲砾岩和含砾粗砂岩体具有分布较稳定、展布较广、储集物性较好的特点。     

麻黄山西区北部延长6~4+5油层沉积相特征及演化规律

麻黄山西区长6~4+5油层组油气显示普遍,但试油水多油少,砂体展布及连续性不清。为搞清研究区的沉积微相展布及演化规律,通过岩心详细观察描述,结合测井资料,识别出6种沉积微相、10种沉积构造,总结出10种微相接触样式和5种沉积层序模式,分别代表不同的沉积相带。垂向表现为以反旋回为主,兼有短期正旋回的沉积特征;侧向河口坝(或分流间)与水下分流河道相间发育,河道砂体下部为“多而小,窄而薄”,上部为“少而大,宽而厚”。采用“单因素分析多因素综合”的研究方法,将该区划分为三角洲内前缘、三角洲外前缘和前三角洲3个亚相带,内前缘以水下分流河道、河口坝和水下分流间湾微相为主;外前缘以远砂坝和席状砂微相为主;前三角洲以滨浅湖泥微相为主。根据现代沉积相模式,推测该区为建设性辫状河道 湖泊三角洲,其演化表现为3个阶段:初始发育期(长63),以前三角洲和三角洲外前缘相带为主;早中发育期(长62和长61),以三角洲内前缘及外前缘相带为主,各微相多为单期发育,交互沉积;中后发育期(长4+52和长4+51),主要发育三角洲内前缘相带,水下分流河道表现为多期叠加样式。     

鄂尔多斯坳陷湖盆缓坡型三角洲前缘沉积微相分带及成因分析——以定边-安边地区延长组长6油组为例

运用沉积相分析理论对鄂尔多斯盆地定边-安边地区晚三叠世延长组坳陷湖盆缓坡型三角洲前缘沉积微相组合进行系统研究,共识别出其组合形式有:水下分流河道叠加组合、河口坝叠加组合、水下分流河道与河口坝叠加组合以及河口坝与远砂坝、席状砂的叠加组合等4大类9种类型。并深入研究三角洲前缘沉积微相组合的时空分布规律,以三角洲前缘坡折带为界,将三角洲前缘分为"台型前缘"、"坡型前缘"和"盆型前缘"三部分,各部分有独特的沉积微相组合形式。高分辨率层序地层学的基准面旋回原理和沉积物体积分配原理表明:短期基准面的规律性变化影响着储层砂体的成因类型、叠加组合形式和空间分布规律,据此建立坳陷湖盆三角洲前缘不同沉积微相组合的成因分布模式。     

鄂尔多斯盆地东北缘神木地区浅湖三角洲沉积作用及煤聚集

鄂尔多斯盆地东北缘延安组含有大量的优质煤,属稳定大地构造条件下的浅湖三角州沉积物。三角洲体系有以下单元组成:(1)前三角洲;(2)三角洲前缘(水下分流河道相和河口坝相);(3)三角洲平原(分流河道相,天然堤、决口扇、沼泽和具决口三角洲的分流间湾);(4)废弃三角洲平原.通过详细的露头观察和岩心研究及沉积岩的地质填图工作,浅湖三角洲特征可归纳如下:(1)推进速度非常快、舌形体长而窄,间湾在其间发育,决口事件频繁发生;(2)前三角洲非常薄(0.2～0.5m),三角洲剖面几乎绝大部分由三角洲前缘和三角洲平原构成;(3)河口坝相由砂岩和泥岩互层组成;(4)水下分流河道砂岩厚度在0.5～3.5m范围内,被河口坝沉积物围绕;(5)在废弃三角洲平原中,由于极少沉积物带入沼泽,因此沉积了厚的低灰煤层。     

川中、川南过渡带须家河组储集砂体成因类型及特征

川中、川南过渡带地区在晚三叠世须家河期湖盆演化的各阶段沉积了不同成因类型的碎屑岩储积砂体,以须家河组二段、四段和六段最为发育,其成因类型主要有三角洲平原分流河道砂体、三角洲前缘水下分流河道砂体、河口坝砂体、滨湖砂滩和浅湖砂坝砂体。通过野外剖面、岩芯、测井曲线以及样品的薄片鉴定和扫描电镜分析,对各成因类型砂体的分布特征进行了研究,进而对各类砂体的结构构造、物性特征进行了对比研究。     

Fluvial to tidal transition in proximal,mixed tide‐influenced and wave‐influenced deltaic deposits: Cretaceous lower Sego Sandstone,Utah, USA

Facies models for regressive, tide‐influenced deltaic systems are under‐represented in the literature compared with their fluvial‐dominated and wave‐dominated counterparts. Here, a facies model is presented of the mixed, tide‐influenced and wave‐influenced deltaic strata of the Sego Sandstone, which was deposited in the Western Interior Seaway of North America during the Late Cretaceous. Previous work on the Sego Sandstone has focused on the medial to distal parts of the outcrop belt where tides and waves interact. This study focuses on the proximal outcrop belt, in which fluvial and tidal processes interact. Five facies associations are recognized. Bioturbated mudstones (Facies Association 1) were deposited in an offshore environment and are gradationally overlain by hummocky cross‐stratified sandstones (Facies Association 2) deposited in a wave‐dominated lower shoreface environment. These facies associations are erosionally overlain by tide‐dominated cross‐bedded sandstones (Facies Association 4) interbedded with ripple cross‐laminated heterolithic sandstones (Facies Association 3) and channelized mudstones (Facies Association 5). Palaeocurrent directions derived from cross‐bedding indicate bidirectional currents which are flood‐dominated in the lower part of the studied interval and become increasingly ebb‐directed/fluvial‐directed upward. At the top of the succession, ebb‐dominated/fluvial‐dominated, high relief, narrow channel forms are present, which are interpreted as distributary channels. When distributary channels are abandoned they effectively become estuaries with landward sediment transport and fining trends. These estuaries have sandstones of Facies Association 4 at their mouth and fine landward through heterolithic sandstones of Facies Association 3 to channelized mudstones of Facies Association 5. Therefore, the complex distribution of relatively mud‐rich and sand‐rich deposits in the tide‐dominated part of the lower Sego Sandstone is attributed to the avulsion history of active fluvial distributaries, in response to a subtly expressed allogenic change in sediment supply and relative sea‐level controls and autocyclic delta lobe abandonment.     

柴达木盆地西部跃进二号油田早渐新世沉积相研究

目前在柴达木盆地西部跃进二号油田沉积相研究工作中,存在对微相类型争议性大、展布特征不精细等问题,这些问题制约着油田高含水期的精细开发。因此,根据沉积学基本原理,采用地质相识别(包括岩石学标志和沉积构造标志)与测井相分析(包括自然伽马和自然电位的曲线特征)的综合研究方法,细化该油田早渐新世辫状河三角洲平原、辫状河三角洲前缘、滨浅湖沉积亚相,得出水上分流河道、泛滥平原、水下分流河道、河口坝、远砂坝、席状砂、分流间湾、砂坝、砂滩、滨浅湖泥10种微相。该套地层纵向从下至上具有完整的辫状河三角洲平原-辫状河三角洲前缘-滨浅湖的退积式正旋回相序。结合沉积微相平面展布和纵向相序,跃进二号油田早渐新世这套油藏存在2种类型的沉积模式:辫状河三角洲模式和湖泊模式。     

松辽盆地白垩系浅水湖泊三角洲沉积微相研究——以大庆杏树岗油田杏三区东部葡Ⅰ1-3小层为例

根据密井网测井、录井以及其它分析化验资料,结合区域地质背景,对松辽盆地杏树岗油田杏三区东部白垩系姚家组一段葡萄花Ⅰ组油层1-3小层(葡Ⅰ1-3小层)沉积微相类型、特征、组合模式和不同地质时期沉积微相平面展布特征及其演化规律进行系统的研究。结果表明,葡Ⅰ1-3小层为浅水湖泊三角洲沉积,主要发育三角洲分流平原和三角洲内前缘2种沉积亚相,含11种沉积微相,具有不同的沉积特征和测井相模式;利用自然电位曲线幅变值和砂体厚度,有效识别天然堤、水上决口沉积、溢岸薄层砂3种有成因联系、测井曲线形态类似的沉积微相;进一步根据各沉积微相的测井曲线形态组合、沉积成因及沉积作用的不同,总结出7种沉积微相组合模式。葡Ⅰ1-3小层沉积演化经历了早期湖退、中期稳定、晚期湖侵3个阶段,不同时期的沉积特征、沉积微相展布各异,总体表现出湖盆发育规模由大变小,再变大,骨架砂体厚度和理想钻遇率逐渐减小的特点。     

东营凹陷永安镇油田砂体沉积特征研究

运用岩心观察、粒度分析、地震及测井曲线形态分析等资料,结合单井相、剖面相分析,对永安镇油田沙三段上亚段一沙二段下亚段沉积特征进行系统研究,确定其发育河流一三角洲相沉积和湖泊相沉积。三角洲相沉积在该地区发育三角洲平原亚相和三角洲前缘亚相。湖泊相发育滑塌沉积。系统研究了储集砂体的时空演化、展布规律及砂体发育的控制因素,分流河道微相和河口坝微相是该区最有利的储集砂体,对下一步石油地质勘探研究具有重要的地质意义。     

伊舒地堑方正断陷新安村组沉积微相研究

依据岩心、地震、测井和录井资料,应用层序地层学和沉积学的原理和方法,查明了伊舒地堑方正断陷新安村组沉积微相特征.结果表明,方正断陷新安村组发育的沉积微相类型主要为分流河道、水下分流河道、河口坝、席状砂、滨浅湖砂质滩坝、泥质滩坝.在平面上沿北西部断裂向断陷中间依次过渡为扇三角洲平原、扇三角洲前缘、湖泊相,部分区域发育湖底扇;沿南东部断裂向断裂中间依次发育扇三角洲前缘和湖泊相.扇三角洲相在北部发育,湖泊相在南部和中部发育。     

River‐dominated,shelf‐edge deltas: delivery of sand across the shelf break in the absence of slope incision

Shelf‐edge deltas record the potential magnitude of sediment delivery from shallow water shelf into deep water slope and basin floor and, if un‐incised, represent the main increment of shelf‐margin growth into the basin, for that period. The three‐dimensional complexity of shelf‐edge delta systems and along‐strike variability at the shelf edge in particular, remains understudied. The Permian–Triassic Kookfontein Formation of the Tanqua Karoo Basin, South Africa, offers extensive three‐dimensional exposure (>100 km²) and therefore a unique opportunity to evaluate shelf‐edge strata from an outcrop perspective. Analysis of stratal geometry and facies distribution from 52 measured and correlated stratigraphic sections show the following: (i) In outer‐shelf areas, parasequences are characterized by undeformed, river‐dominated, storm‐wave influenced delta mouth‐bar sandstones interbedded with packages showing evidence of syn‐depositional deformation. The amount and intensity of soft‐sediment deformation increases significantly towards the shelf edge where slump units and debris flows sourced from collapsed mouth‐bar packages transport material down slope. (ii) On the upper slope, mouth‐bar and delta‐front sandstones pinch out within 2 km of the shelf break and most slump and debris flow units pinch out within 4 km of the shelf break. (iii) Further down the slope, parasequences consist of finer‐grained turbidites, characterized by interbedded, thin tabular siltstones and sandstones. The results highlight that river‐dominated, shelf‐edge deltas transport large volumes of sand to the upper slope, even when major shelf‐edge incisions are absent. In this case, transport to the upper slope through slumping, debris flows and un‐channellized low density turbidites is distributed evenly along strike.     

分异流体河口作用

鄂尔多斯盆地QW地区湖泊三角洲沉积特征与常规三角洲有所不同。水下分流河道砂体发育,在分流河道和水下分流河道的末端分别沉积有不同的河口砂坝复合体,它们共同构成三角洲前缘骨架。本文在对三角洲河口作用的研究作简要回顾的基础上,对比其它研究实例,对该区三角洲的形成机理进行了探讨,提出了分异流体河口作用的概念,并对其沉积体特征进行了分析。分异流体的主要特征是入注流体纵向上的载荷和速度差异分布,气候和沉积物供给是其主要影响因素。水下分流河道砂体发育和同期不同空间位置存在不同的河口砂坝是分异流体河口作用的重要沉积响应之一。     

Palaeoenvironments, palaeogeography, and physiography of a large, shallow, muddy ramp: Late Cenomanian-Turonian Kaskapau Formation, Western Canada foreland basin

The Kaskapau Formation spans Late Cenomanian to Middle Turonian time and was deposited on a low‐gradient, shallow, storm‐dominated muddy ramp. Dense well log control, coupled with exposure on both proximal and distal margins of the basin allows mapping of sedimentary facies over about 35 000 km². The studied portion of the Kaskapau Formation is a mudstone‐dominated wedge that thins from 700 m in the proximal foredeep to 50 m near the forebulge about 300 km distant. Regional flooding surfaces permit mapping of 28 allomembers, each of which represent an average of ca 125 kyr. More than 200 km from shore, calcareous silty claystone predominates, whereas 100 to 200 km offshore, mudstone and siltstone predominate. From about 30 to 100 km offshore, centimetre‐bedded very fine sandstone and mudstone record along‐shelf (SSE)‐directed storm‐generated geostrophic flows. Five to thirty kilometres from shore, decimetre‐bedded hummocky cross‐stratified fine sandstone and mudstone record strongly oscillatory, wave‐dominated flows whereas some gutter casts indicate shore‐oblique, apparently mostly unidirectional geostrophic flows. Nearshore facies are dominated by swaley cross‐stratified or intensely bioturbated clean fine sandstone, interpreted as recording, respectively, areas strongly and weakly affected by discharge from distributary mouths. Shoreface sandstones grade locally into river‐mouth conglomerates and sandstones, including conglomerate channel‐fills up to 15 m thick. Locally, brackish lagoonal shelly mudstones are present on the extreme western margin of the basin. There is no evidence for clinoform stratification, which indicates that the Kaskapau sea floor had extremely low relief, lacked a shelf‐slope break, and was probably nowhere more than a few tens of metres deep. The absence of clinoforms probably indicates a long‐term balance between rates of accommodation and sediment supply. Mud is interpreted to have been transported >250 km offshore in a sea‐bed nepheloid layer, repeatedly re‐suspended by storms. Fine‐grained sediment accumulated up to a ‘mud accommodation envelope’, perhaps only 20 to 40 m deep. Continuous re‐working of the sea floor by storms ensured that excess sediment was redistributed away from areas that had filled to the ‘accommodation envelope’, being deposited in areas of higher accommodation further down the transport path. The facies distributions and stratal geometry of the Kaskapau shelf strongly suggest that sedimentary facies, especially grain‐size, were related to distance from shore, not to water depth. As a result, the ‘100 to >300 m’ depth interpreted from calcareous claystone facies for the more central parts of the Interior Seaway, might be a significant overestimate.     

River-dominated and tide-influenced shelf-edge delta systems: Coarse-grained deltas straddling the Early–Middle Jurassic shelf–slope break and transforming downslope,Lajas–Los Molles formations,Neuquén Basin,Argentina

The three-dimensional facies and architecture variability of shelf-edge deltaic units cropping out at the transition between the Lower–Middle Jurassic Lajas and Los Molles formations of southern Neuquén Basin, Argentina, is presented here, as well as their stratigraphic relationship to uppermost deep-water slope channel systems. Deep-water, slope mudstones with thin turbidite beds merge upward with prodelta mudstones and thin sandstones, which are truncated by delta-front to mouth-bar sandstones. The latter sandstones are then downcut by large-scale, trough cross-stratified coarse-grained sandstones and conglomerates of distributary channel systems and along-strike, amalgamated with cross-bedded sandy units showing evidence of tidal reworking. Proximal–distal facies and architecture variability within a shelf-edge deltaic succession demonstrates that distributary channel-complexes become wider and deeper basinward, forming channelized river-dominated distributary fairways separated by tidally reworked inter-distributary sand belts at the shelf edge. Evidence from depositional-dip oriented outcrops shows a lack of collapsed and slumped strata at the shelf edge, and that the coarse shelf-edge distributary channel fills continue far down the deepwater slope, and conglomerates transform to become high-density turbidites to mainly thick-bedded, sand-matrix-supported debrites. The interplay between flood tides and river currents is interpreted to have primarily modulated the focusing of river drainages, and consequently coarse-grained sediment transport, along preferential routes on the outer-shelf to shelf-edge and down onto the slope. This contribution documents a unique example of coarse-grained (mostly conglomeratic) shelf-edge delta systems, tying bed-scale facies and architecture data to a seismic-scale shelf-margin morphology, thus providing outcrop analogue data for the characterization of shelf-edge delta systems in the subsurface.     

松辽盆地南部大布苏地区青山口组高频层序沉积微相分析与岩性圈闭预测

松辽盆地大布苏地区的斜坡背景与青山口组一段、二段侧向发育的三角洲前缘砂体配合,具备形成构造—岩性圈闭的良好条件。运用高分辨率层序地层分析方法,将研究层段划分为9个砂组。通过沉积微相分析,确定研究区发育三角洲前缘、浊积扇和半深湖等沉积相类型,并进一步识别出分流河道、河口坝、席状砂、浊积水道、浊积席状砂和半深湖泥质沉积等微相类型。以高频层序划分的砂组为单元,分析了各砂组的沉积微相构成与分布特征,指出垂向上高频层序下降半旋回的砂组,河口坝较发育;上升半旋回的砂组,分流河道较发育;青一段、青二段中,下部砂体厚度大,上部砂体厚度薄。平面上砂体呈南西—北东方向展布,西南部三角洲前缘水下分流河道、河口坝、席状砂等砂体发育;东北部以半深湖泥质沉积为主,局部发育浊积扇;砂体向北西斜坡方向的侧向减薄、尖灭明显。研究认为,三角洲前缘砂体与斜坡背景上的鼻状构造背景相互匹配,易于形成构造—岩性圈闭,为研究区最有利的勘探领域;结合地震特征,进一步预测了3个岩性圈闭勘探目标。     

鄂尔多斯盆地神木地区下二叠统太原组浅水三角洲沉积特征

鄂尔多斯盆地神木地区太原组是在北隆南倾的古地形背景下形成的以浅水三角洲为主的充填沉积。携带沉积物的河流进入海水后,由于河水与海水之间存在着较大的密度差异、侧向扩散较少,其三角洲前缘沿着海底继续向前快速推进,使水下分流河道延伸较远。研究区地形坡度平缓、水体浅,三角洲平原向前推进并进一步降低了地形坡度,从而减弱了携带沉积物的流体的动能,使得大部分沉积物在三角洲平原的分流河道中沉积下来。同时因水体浅,河口坝、席状砂等前缘沉积物常遭受进积的水下分流河道的冲刷和侵蚀而难以保存。研究区三角洲平原分流河道沉积极为发育,前三角洲相对不发育,三角洲前缘也以水下分流河道沉积为主。分流河道、水下分流河道常对下伏沉积物强烈冲刷,切割先期的沉积物乃至包括海相沉积物在内的深水沉积物。在三角洲废弃期,三角洲前缘沉积物常被潮汐作用改造。三角洲平原分流河道及三角洲前缘水下分流河道砂体呈带状分布,是天然气勘探的有利目标。     

胜利油田渤南洼陷古近系沙河街组沉积相

渤南洼陷古近系沙河街组为一套冲积-湖泊沉积,由曲流河三角洲相、辫状河三角洲相、扇三角洲相、水下扇相和湖泊相组成,可分出14个亚相,35个微相,其中辫状河三角洲最发育,其特征显著,明显有别于其它四种类型的三角洲。研究区辫状河三角洲由辫状河三角洲前缘及前三角洲构成,辫状河三角洲前缘的主体是由含砾砂岩及中粗粒砂岩组成的水下分流河道砂坝,三角洲中交错层理发育,其中尤以水道砂坝侧向迁移加积而形成的侧积交错层异常发育为标志。