Forward
Sediment Modeling of Carbonate Platform Growth and Demise,
Hughes, Tina M.1, Toni Simo2,
John Bova3, Amy Ruf4, Fiona Whitaker5 (1)
ExxonMobil, Houston, TX (2) University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI (3) ExxonMobil,
Houston (4) ExxonMobil, Houston, (5) University of Bristol, Bristol, United
Kingdom
Interactions between tectonism, eustasy,
carbonate accumulation rate, and environmental stresses impact the nucleation,
growth and demise of carbonate platforms. A Miocene carbonate platform from the
We simulated accumulation of sediment on
an initial surface with seven mounds which match the size, geometry, and
distribution observed in the discontinuity seismic data. Relative sea level,
controlled by subsidence and eustacy, and carbonate accumulation rates,
controlled by production, restriction, currents and winds were varied to
provide a match to seismic data. Reduction of the rates of platform top
sediment production (simulating increased environmental stress) leads to
platform drowning. This suggests the demise of the platform results from the
interaction between increased accommodation, generated by tectonic subsidence
and eustasy, and environmental stresses (influx of siliciclastics). This work
has important implications for carbonate exploration where only 2D seismic data
are available for imaging carbonate platforms and for predicting whether a
platform has drowned or backstepped.
AAPG Search and Discover Article #90063©2007 AAPG Annual Convention, Long Beach, California