Source to Sink Modeling in NW Borneo; Improving our Understanding of the Sediment Routing Path from Floodplain to Basin Floor

Hoggmascall, Nick¹; Torres, Jose¹; Gartrell, Anthony²; Blades, Dina¹; Gibson, Christian¹
¹XGR, Exploration, BSP Snd Bhd, Seria, Brunei Darussalam.
²Exploration, Shell Development Australia, Perth, WA, Australia.

A key element in the play based exploration approach to the Brunei portion of the Neogene NW Borneo Margin has been broad integration to further refine our understanding of the distribution and processes behind sediment delivery into the deepwater. For the first time in BSP a complete analysis from floodplain to basin floor has been completed for discrete intervals spanning the last 12 million years. For BSP it was critical to understand if and how the Baram and Champion drainage systems differ over time regarding deepwater delivery and how efficient they transport sediment to the basin floor. In addition it was critical to understand how our observations differ from published data from Sabah and ultimately how this information can update our view on sand supply to deepwater.

Analysis reveals distinct differences in sediment supply between the Baram and Champion systems in Brunei. Spatial and temporal variations in the structure of the palaeo slope strongly influence the degree to which sediment reaches the basin floor. The Baram System appears to dominate sediment supply to the basin floor. The Champion system in contrast feeds from a salient into a complex and confined tectonic stepped slope setting characterised by restricted entry points and linear turbidite development. Overall fan architecture reveals distinct trends in sediment supply and delivery strength through time. However in addition, unique spatial variations in processes are interpreted to have been driven by hinterland uplift, shelf storage capacity and slope rugosity.

AAPG Search and Discovery Article #90155©2012 AAPG International Conference & Exhibition, Singapore, 16-19 September 2012