--> Abstract: Styles of Channel Body from Outcrop as an Indicator of Connectivity in Deep Marine Channel Systems; #90063 (2007)

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Styles of Channel Body from Outcrop as an Indicator of Connectivity in Deep Marine Channel Systems

 

Dykstra, Mason1, Benjamin Kneller2, Philip Thompson2, Ian Kane3 (1) University of California, Santa Barbara, CA (2) University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, United Kingdom (3) University of Leeds, Leeds, United Kingdom

 

Three main types of channel bodies are examined for the type and degree of relative connectivity in a reservoir context: aggradational, lateral accretion, and amalgamational bodies. While neither type is exclusively a complete end-member, they do display specific geometric properties that make for distinct reservoirs. Aggradational channel bodies tend to be relatively thin, laterally extensive but vertically isolated within packages of fine-grained sediment. Their lateral connectivity is very good but vertical is not. Lateral accretion bodies also tend to be relatively thin, but laterally extensive and multi-lateral. Because of this multi-lateral behavior their lateral connectivity can be good (if the contacts between multi-lateral elements are erosional) or poor (if these same contacts are non-erosive), while their vertical connectivity tends to be low as they also commonly are isolated within packages of fine-grained sediments. Amalgamational channel bodies have the greatest vertical and lateral connectivity, as all bed-scale elements are generally vertically or laterally erosionally truncated. This type of channel body also tends to be the largest in scale. Geometrically similar features to these channel body end-members are recognizable on high-resolution seismic images of deep marine channel systems, although naturally the scale of the individual elements is greater on seismic than in outcrop. We suggest that these are process-driven geometries and that they therefore may be truly scalable across the outcrop/seismic resolution gap.

 

AAPG Search and Discover Article #90063©2007 AAPG Annual Convention, Long Beach, California