New Maximum Flooding Surface Ages in Third- and Fourth-Order Depositional Sequences in the Cenozoic and Mesozoic

Walter W. Wornardt
MICRO-STRAT INC., Houston, TX

Seismic sequence stratigraphy is the integration of high resolution biostratigraphy (including age datable bioevents, paleobathymetry and fossil diversity and abundance histograms), well-log signatures and seismic profiles. Each of these three components are interdependent and incomplete by themselves and, therefore, they must be analyzed and integrated with each other using an iterative process in order to obtain accurate, reliable and reproducible results.

Gradstein et al. 2004 dated the sequence boundaries from Triassic to Holocene. Within each sequence indicated the position of the maximum flooding surface with a dashed line but choose not to age-date these surfaces from the Cenozoic to Triassic.

The key to recognizing the third- and fourth-order depositional sequences is the maximum flooding surface. An age designation of this surface is extremely important in seismic sequence stratigraphic analysis.

Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to identify and date the Cenozoic, Cretaceous, Jurassic and Triassic maximum flooding surfaces and to assign a specific numerical age and letter designation to each of these maximum flooding surfaces from the Triassic to Recent. These designations can be used as a standard of reference for the maximum flooding surfaces worldwide.

AAPG Search and Discover Article #90078©2008 AAPG Annual Convention, San Antonio, Texas