Controls on gravity-driven normal fault geometry and growth in stacked deltaic settings: a case study from the Ceduna Sub-basin
Monica Jimenez A C , Simon P. Holford A , Rosalind C. King B and Mark A. Bunch AA Australian School of Petroleum and Energy Resources, University of Adelaide, Australia.
B Department of Earth Sciences, University of Adelaide, Australia.
C Corresponding author. Email: monica.jimenezlloreda@adelaide.edu.au
The APPEA Journal 61(2) 632-639 https://doi.org/10.1071/AJ20073
Accepted: 18 February 2021 Published: 2 July 2021
Abstract
Kinematics of gravity-driven normal faults exerts a critical control on petroleum systems in deltaic settings but to date has not been extensively examined. The Ceduna Sub-basin (CSB) is a passive margin basin containing the White Pointer (Albian-Cenomanian) and Hammerhead (Campanian-Maastrichtian) delta systems that detach on shale layers of Albian-Cenomanian and Turonian-Coniacian ages, respectively. Here we present evidence for spatially variable fault growth styles based on interpretation of the Ceduna 3D seismic survey and fault kinematic analyses using displacement–distance, displacement–depth and expansion index methods. We identified faults that continuously grew either between the Cenomanian–Santonian or Santonian and the Maastrichtian located throughout the study area and faults that exhibit growth between the Cenomanian–Maastrichtian that are geographically separated into three areas according to their evolution histories: (i) Northern CSB faults exhibit constant growth between the Cenomanian and Maastrichtian. (ii) Central CSB faults show two dip-linkage intervals between (a) Cenomanian and Coniacian–Late Santonian, (b) Coniacian–Late Santonian and Late Santonian–Maastrichtian segments, respectively. (iii) Central and southern CSB faults exhibit dip-linkage intervals between Cenomanian–early Santonian and Late Santonian–Maastrichtian segments. Our study demonstrates a relationship between the location of the Cenomanian–Maastrichtian faults and their evolution history suggesting constant growth evolution at north and dip linkage at the central and south areas.
Keywords: Ceduna Sub-basin, delta systems, kinematic analysis, normal growth faults.
Monica Jimenez is a PhD candidate at the Australian School of Petroleum and Energy Resources, University of Adelaide. She graduated with BSc-Hons (2007) from the National University of Colombia and MSc (2012) from the Royal Holloway. She has 7 years of experience in the oil and gas industry, working on seismic interpretation, structural and static modelling. Her research is focused on the fault evolution in deltaic settings and its implications for petroleum systems. Memberships: AAPG, ASEG, PESA and SACOME. Email: monica.jimenezlloreda@adelaide.edu.au |
Simon P. Holford is an associate professor of Petroleum Geoscience at the University of Adelaide’s Australian School of Petroleum and Energy Resources. Simon has published ~90 papers on the prospectivity and tectonics of rifted margins, petroleum geomechanics and magmatism in basins. Simon has successfully supervised ~10 PhD students and ~50 Honours and Masters Students. Simon has a PhD from the University of Birmingham and a BSc (Hons) from the Keele University. Simon has won multiple awards, including Best Paper prizes at APPEA 2012 and AEGC 2019 and the Geological Society of Australia’s Walter Howchin and ES Hills medals. Email: simon.holford@adelaide.edu.au |
Rosalind C. King is an associate professor and head of the Department of Earth Sciences, University of Adelaide. She graduated with a BSc-Hons (2001) and a PhD (2006) from the University of Liverpool. Her research interests include structural geology, deepwater fold-thrust belts, detachments, fault and fracture mechanics, fault controlled permeability and petroleum geomechanics. Email: rosalind.king@adelaide.edu.au |
Mark A. Bunch is a senior lecturer in Petroleum Geoscience at the Australian School of Petroleum and Energy Resources (ASPER), University of Adelaide. He graduated with a BSc-Hons (2000) from the Durham University, MSc (2001) and PhD (2006) from the University of Birmingham. His research interests include formation evaluation and seismic geomorphology. Memberships: AAPG, ASEG and PESA. Email: mark.bunch@adelaide.edu.au |
References
Espurt, N., Callot, J.-P., Totterdell, J., Struckmeyer, H., and Vially, R. (2009). Interactions between continental breakup dynamics and large‐scale delta system evolution: Insights from the Cretaceous Ceduna delta system, Bight Basin, Southern Australian margin. Tectonics 28, TC6002.| Interactions between continental breakup dynamics and large‐scale delta system evolution: Insights from the Cretaceous Ceduna delta system, Bight Basin, Southern Australian margin.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Holford, S., Hillis, R., Duddy, I., Green, P., Stoker, M., Tuitt, A., Backé, G., Tassone, D., and MacDonald, J. (2011). Cenozoic post-breakup compressional deformation and exhumation of the southern Australian margin. The APPEA Journal 51, 613.
| Cenozoic post-breakup compressional deformation and exhumation of the southern Australian margin.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Hughes, M., Nichol, S., Przeslawski, R., Totterdell, J., Heap, A., Fellows, M., and Daniell, J. (2009). Ceduna sub-basin: Environmental summary. Geoscience Australia , 147.
Imber, J., Childs, C., Nell, P. A. R., Walsh, J. J., Hodgetts, D., and Flint, S. (2003). Hanging wall fault kinematics and footwall collapse in listric growth fault systems. Journal of Structural Geology 25, 197–208.
| Hanging wall fault kinematics and footwall collapse in listric growth fault systems.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Jackson, C. A.-L., Bell, R. E., Rotevatn, A., and Tvedt, A. B. M. (2017). Techniques to determine the kinematics of synsedimentary normal faults and implications for fault growth models. Geological Society 439, 187–217.
| Techniques to determine the kinematics of synsedimentary normal faults and implications for fault growth models.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
King, R. C., and Backé, G. (2010). A balanced 2D structural model of the Hammerhead Delta–deepwater fold-thrust belt, Bight Basin, Australia. Australian Journal of Earth Sciences 57, 1005–1012.
| A balanced 2D structural model of the Hammerhead Delta–deepwater fold-thrust belt, Bight Basin, Australia.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
MacDonald, J., Holford, S., and King, R. (2012). Structure and prospectivity of the delta-deep-water fold-thrust belt systems, Bight Basin, Australia. In ‘New understanding of the Petroleum Systems of Continental Margins of the World’. (Eds N. C. Rosen et al.) pp. 779–816. (SEPM Society for Sedimentary Geology.)
Mansfield, C. S., and Cartwright, J. A. (1996). High resolution fault displacement mapping from three-dimensional seismic data: evidence for dip linkage during fault growth. Journal of Structural Geology 18, 249–263.
| High resolution fault displacement mapping from three-dimensional seismic data: evidence for dip linkage during fault growth.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
McClay, K., Dooley, T., and Zamora, G. (2003). Analogue models of delta systems above ductile substrates. Geological Society 216, 411–428.
| Analogue models of delta systems above ductile substrates.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Reynolds, S., Hillis, R., and Paraschivoiu, E. (2003). In situ stress field, fault reactivation and seal integrity in the Bight Basin, South Australia. Exploration Geophysics 34, 174–181.
| In situ stress field, fault reactivation and seal integrity in the Bight Basin, South Australia.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Robson, A. G., King, R. C., and Holford, S. P. (2017). Structural evolution of a gravitationally detached normal fault array: analysis of 3D seismic data from the Ceduna Sub-Basin, Great Australian Bight. Basin Research 29, 605–624.
| Structural evolution of a gravitationally detached normal fault array: analysis of 3D seismic data from the Ceduna Sub-Basin, Great Australian Bight.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Ryan, L., Magee, C., and Jackson, C. A.-L. (2017). The kinematics of normal faults in the Ceduna Subbasin, offshore southern Australia: Implications for hydrocarbon trapping in a frontier basin. Bulletin 101, 321–341.
| The kinematics of normal faults in the Ceduna Subbasin, offshore southern Australia: Implications for hydrocarbon trapping in a frontier basin.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Tapley, D., Mee, B. C., King, S. J., Davis, R. C., and Leischner, K. R. (2005). Petroleum potential of the Ceduna Sub-Basin: Impact of Gnarlyknots–1A. The APPEA Journal 45, 365.
| Petroleum potential of the Ceduna Sub-Basin: Impact of Gnarlyknots–1A.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Thorsen, C. E. (1963). Age of growth faulting in Southeast Louisiana. AAPG, Gulf Coast Association of Geological Societies Transactions 13, 103–110.
Totterdell, J., and Mitchell, C. (2009). Bight Basin Geological Sampling and Seepage Survey. RV Southern Surveyor SS01/2007. Geoscience Australia Record 2009/24.
Totterdell, J. M., Struckmeyer, H. I. M., Boreham, C. J., Mitchell, C. H., Monteil, E., and Bradshaw, B. E. (2008). Mid–Late Cretaceous organic-rich rocks from the eastern Bight Basin: implications for prospectivity. In ‘PESA Eastern Australian Basins Symposium III, Sydney, 14–17 September 2008’. pp. 137–160.
Walsh, J. J., and Watterson, J. (1991). Geometric and kinematic coherence and scale effects in normal fault systems. Geological Society 56, 193–203.
| Geometric and kinematic coherence and scale effects in normal fault systems.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
