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Lowstand Reservoirs and the Influence of Transform Boundary Fracture Zones
- Publisher: European Association of Geoscientists & Engineers
- Source: Conference Proceedings, 80th EAGE Conference and Exhibition 2018, Jun 2018, Volume 2018, p.1 - 5
Abstract
The entire length of the Mid Ocean Ridge spreading centre is offset by regularly spaced transform boundaries, which are deep seated crustal fracture zones that are linked to the continental crust by fracture zones. In the Central Atlantic Ocean, the Romanche South, Chain and Charcot Fracture Zones can be traced towards the African coast where they are buried by the sediments of the Niger Delta. These oceanic crustal features have bathymetric/topographic relief and influenced most aspects of the covering petroleum system, especially reservoir distribution, sediment loading related deformation/structuring and hydrocarbon migration in the deepwater Niger Delta.
Recognition of the Milankovich cyclicity driven eustacy and breaks in the sedimentary record allows for the prediction of reservoirs down depositional dip or deeper than previously explored for. Source to sink mapping using shallow seismic, which is of very high resolution, and seabed coring provides a powerful modern model for applying to the deeper horizons, where the seismic resolution is obscured by compaction and burial. Lowstand clastic deposits form thick, generally well-sorted sandstones which form excellent reservoirs and should be explored for in every basin, where highstand reservoirs have already been found.