Granjeon, Didier1, Jenny Morante-Garcia2, Richard Labourdette2,
Enzo Insalaco2, Philippe Crumeyrolle2, Remi Eschard1,
Philippe Joseph1
(1)Institut Francais du Petrole, 92852 Rueil Malmaison Cedex, France
(2) Total S.A, Pau, France
ABSTRACT: 3D Stratigraphic Modeling of the Mahakam Delta: Interactions Between Deltaic Progradation, Carbonate Buildups, and Turbidites
3D stratigraphic modeling is an emerging technology which allows the quantification of
the stratigraphic evolution of a sedimentary basin, and thus to obtain a 4D gridded model
which can be use either in exploration or appraisal studies to reduce uncertainties.
In this study we present the principles and application of Dionisos, which is a
stratigraphic model developed by IFP and a consortium of companies including Total, Shell,
Repsol-YPF, Chevron-Texaco, Petrobras, ENI and IMP. A Dionisos simulation is performed
from the past up to the present in a sequence of stratigraphic time steps. At each time
step, three main processes are taken into account : (1) creation of available space for
sedimentation (by eustasy, tectonics and subsidence), (2) volumes of sediment supply and
(3) transport of sediments. The supply of sediment may be a fluvial clastic input or
in-situ carbonate production. The transport of sediment is simulated using three sets of
equations in order to reproduce long-term processes (such as low-energy fluvial flows,
creeping, …), short-term processes (e.g. high-energy fluvial flows and turbidites),
and catastrophic processes (such as slope failure and debris flows).
An application of Dionisos on the Pleistocene formation of the Mahakam Delta, Indonesia,
is presented to illustrate these principles and in particular the interactions between :
(1) the progradation of the Mahakam Delta, (2) the growth of Halimeda reefs in front of
the delta, and (3) the catastrophic floods which create incised canyons and induce thick
turbiditic sedimentation at the base of the slope.
This study illustrates that stratigraphic forward modelling is an efficient technology to
test different sedimentary and stratigraphic scenarios and thus assess and reduce
subsurface uncertainty.
AAPG Search and Discovery Article #90026©2004 AAPG Annual Meeting, Dallas, Texas, April 18-21, 2004.