Continental margin compression: a comparison between compression in the Otway Basin of the southern Australian margin and the Rockall-Faroe area in the northeast Atlantic margin
Adrian Tuitt A , Simon Holford A , Richard Hillis B , John Underhill C , Derek Ritchie D , Howard Johnson D , Ken Hitchen D , Martyn Stoker D and David Tassone EA University of Adelaide
B Deep Exploration Technologies Cooperative Research Centre
C University of Edinburgh
D British Geological Survey
E University of Adelaide
The APPEA Journal 51(1) 241-258 https://doi.org/10.1071/AJ10017
Published: 2011
Abstract
There is growing recognition that many passive margins have undergone compressional deformation subsequent to continental breakup, including the southern Australian margin. This deformation commonly results in formation of domal anticlines with four-way dip closures that are attractive targets for hydrocarbon exploration, and many such structures host major hydrocarbon accumulations in the Otway and Gippsland basins; however, the driving mechanisms behind formation of these structures are not completely understood. We compare the history of post-breakup compression in the Otway Basin of the southern Australian margin, with that of the Rockall-Faroe area of the northeast Atlantic margin, which has been far more extensively studied with the aim of establishing a better understanding of the genesis and prospectivity of such structures. Both margins have experienced protracted Mesozoic rifting histories culminating in final continental separation in the Eocene, followed by distinct phases of compressional deformation and trap formation. Whilst the structural style of the anticlines in both margins is similar (mainly fault-propagation folds formed during tectonic inversion), the number, amplitude, and length of the structures in the northeast Atlantic margin are much higher than the southern Australian margin. We propose that compressional structures at both margins formed due to far-field stresses related to plate boundaries, but the magnitude of these stresses in the northeast Atlantic margin is likely to have been higher, and the strength of the lithosphere lower. In the northeast Atlantic margin, the presence of Early Cenozoic basalt lava flows may have also contributed to an increase in pore-fluid pressure in the underlying sediment making pre-existing faults more prone to reactivation.
Adrian Tuitt is a Postdoctoral Fellow at the Australian School of Petroleum at the University of Adelaide. He graduated from University of Edinburgh with a BSc (Hons) geology degree and a PhD in structural geology. His research work involves seismic interpretation and numerical modelling, with particular interest in deformation along continental margins and delta systems. Member: PESA atuitt@asp.adelaide.edu.au |
Simon Holford is an ARC Australian Postdoctoral Fellow and lecturer at the Australian School of Petroleum and is Deputy Director of the Centre for Tectonics, Resources and Exploration (TRaX) at the University of Adelaide. He graduated with a BSc (Hons) from Keele University (2001) and a PhD from the University of Birmingham (2006). His research interests are in the deformation, uplift and magmatic evolution of rifted margins, sedimentary basins, and continental interiors and their impact on hydrocarbon exploration. Member: AGU, ASEG, GSA, GSL and PESA. simon.holford@adelaide.edu.au |
Richard Hillis is CEO of the Deep Exploration Technologies CRC. He graduated with a BSc (Hons) from Imperial College, London (1985), and a PhD from the University of Edinburgh (1989). Until recently, he was the State of South Australia Professor of Petroleum Geology and Head of the Australian School of Petroleum at the University of Adelaide. He has published over 100 papers in the areas of petroleum geomechanics and basin tectonics and has consulted extensively to, and run short courses for, the petroleum industry on these topics. Richard is a non-executive director of JRS Petroleum Research (a privately owned image log and geomechanics consultancy), Petratherm (ASX-listed geothermal company) and AuScope (a national research facility in the earth sciences). Member: AAPG, AGU, ASEG, EAGE, GSA, GSL, PESA, SEG and SPE. rhillisdetcrc@gmail.com |
John Underhill is the Professor of Stratigraphy in The School of Geosciences at The University of Edinburgh. He graduated from Bristol University with a BSc (Hons) geology degree, and from The University of Wales with a PhD in tectonics and sedimentation. John is Vice-President of the European Association of Geoscientists & Engineers (EAGE) and Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh (FRSE). His research work focuses on the application of structural, seismic and sequence stratigraphic methods to unravel the tectonic and stratigraphic evolution of sedimentary basins. Member: EAGE, AAPG, PESGB and FGS. jru@staffmail.ed.ac.uk |
Derek Ritchie is a Petroleum and Basin Analyst in the Marine Geoscience Programme of the British Geological Survey. He graduated with a BSc (Hons) in geology from the University of Glasgow. Current areas of research include Cenozoic compression, Precambrian terrane correlation and Palaeogene magmatism in the northeast Atlantic margin. Member: GSL and Edinburgh Geological Society. jdri@bgs.ac.uk |
Howard Johnson is a geologist in the Marine Geoscience Program of the British Geological Survey in Edinburgh, Scotland. He graduated wit a bachelor of science in geology (Hons) from the University of Liverpool. His areas of research include Mesozoic-Cenozoic tectonostratigraphic evolution of the NE Atlantic region and especially post-breakup compression. Member: PESGB, Yorkshire Geological Society, Fellow GSL. hj@bgs.ac.uk |
Ken Hitchen is a geologist with the Marine Geoscience Program of the British Geological Survey in Edinburgh, Scotland. He graduated with a bachelor of science from London University (1973) and joined BGS in 1978 where he has worked primarily as a regional geologist on the UK Atlantic Margin. Ken is a Fellow of the Geological Society of London. khi@bgs.ac.uk |
Martyn Stoker is a geologist with the Marine Geoscience Programme of the British Geological Survey in Edinburgh, Scotland. He graduated with a BSc (Hons) from Leicester University (1977) and a PhD from the University of Liverpool (1981). His research interests are in the Mesozoic–Cenozoic tectonostratigraphic evolution of the Arctic-NE Atlantic region, the tectonic, sedimentary and oceanographic development of passive margins, and continental margin glaciation. Member: GSL, Edinburgh Geological Society. mss@bgs.ac.uk |
David Tassone is a PhD student at the Australian School of Petroleum. He graduated with a BSc (Hons) from The University of Adelaide in 2008. His research interests are in the compaction, thermal uplift and burial history of sedimentary basins and their associated deformation, and tectonic processes and their impact on hydrocarbon exploration. Member: AAPG, ASEG, PESA and EAGE. david.tassone@adelaide.edu.au |
