--> Abstract: The North Sea Revisited: A Reappraisal of Normal Fault Activity in the North Viking Graben and Its Generic Implications for Rift System Evolution, by Caroline E. Gill, John R. Underhill, and Patience A. Cowie; #90039 (2005)
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The Previous HitNorthNext Hit Previous HitSeaNext Hit Revisited: A Reappraisal of Normal Fault Activity in the Previous HitNorthNext Hit Viking Graben and Its Generic Implications for Rift System Evolution

Caroline E. Gill, John R. Underhill, and Patience A. Cowie
University of Edinburgh, Edinbugh, United Kingdom

Extensional fault growth and linkage plays an important role in the development of rift systems. Recent Previous HitfieldNext Hit studies (e.g. Gulf of Corinth, Gulf of Suez) have highlighted the main controls on structural styles and their effects on the temporal and spatial evolution of basin physiography, stratigraphic geometries and sediment dispersal pathways in rift basins. However, little application of these controls has been made to analogous subsurface examples.

Interpretation of well-calibrated seismic data allows us to challenge the traditional view that all faults in the Northern Previous HitNorthNext Hit Previous HitSeaNext Hit were active throughout the rift episode. Instead, a new interpretation demonstrates that the locus of extension migrated east towards the Viking Graben with the latest primary motion occurring on the graben bounding fault itself. The effect of strain localisation towards the basin centre with time led to passive rotation of earlier (more westerly) structures (e.g. Snorre) and their depocentres.

The timing of movement on major faults had a profound effect on the relative distribution of depocentres, source areas and sediment pathways throughout the syn-rift interval. As such, it appears to be the main control on reservoir distribution of Upper Jurassic syn-rift clastic deposition.

This work in the Previous HitNorthNext Hit Previous HitSeaTop, with its extensive and high-quality dataset forms a vital component in the advancement of our understanding of the structural evolution of rift basins. Application of models of strain localisation to basins where data is more limited may aid understanding of these areas and provide more clues in the deliberate search for subtle hydrocarbon traps.

AAPG Search and Discovery Article #90039©2005 AAPG Calgary, Alberta, June 16-19, 2005