--> Turbidite Sedimentation along Topographically Complex Slopes in Convergent Margin: Example of the Makran Accretionary Prism (Gulf of Oman, NW Indian Ocean), Julien Bourget, Sébastien Zaragosi, Nadine Ellouz-Zimmermann, Thierry Garlan, Nicolas S. Mouchot, Raymi A. Castilla, Jean-Luc Schneider, Vanessa Teles, #50197 (2009)

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Turbidite Sedimentation along Topographically Complex Slopes in Convergent Margin: Example of the Makran Accretionary Prism (Gulf of Oman, NW Indian Ocean)*

 

Julien Bourget1, Sébastien Zaragosi1, Nadine Ellouz-Zimmermann2, Thierry Garlan3, N. Mouchot4, Raymi A. Castilla2, Jean-Luc Schneider1, Vanessa Teles2

 

Search and Discovery Article #50197 (2009)

Posted August 28, 2009

 

*Adapted from oral presentation at AAPG Convention, Denver, Colorado, June 7-10, 2009

 

1UMR 5805 EPOC, University of Bordeaux, Talence, France  (mailto: [email protected])

2Geology-Geochemistry-Geophysics, IFP, Rueil Malmaison, France

3Centre Hydrographie, SHOM, Brest, France

4Universite de Cergy-Pontoise, GEC, 5, Gay-Lussac, F-95031 Cergy-Pontoise, France

Abstract

 

Quaternary sediment distribution of the Makran turbidite system (Makran subduction zone, NW Indian Ocean) is investigated through a nearly complete (~ 162,000 km2) reflectivity and bathymetry mapping of the Oman basin, a large set of coring data, and 2D seismic recovered during several cruises leaded by the IFP and SHOM institutes.

 

The Makran continental slope is composed by numerous accreted ridges associated to intra-slope, piggy-back basins. Our results show that the mechanisms of sediment dispersal in the Makran turbidite system are mostly influenced by the pre-existing and evolving sea floor topography, that vary along-strike with the tectonic regime and the magnitude of sediment flux. Abrupt changes of gradients (up to 20°) along thrust-induced knickpoints generate hydraulic jumps that enhance preferential deposition of the coarse-grained load of the flows, substantial erosion, and by-pass of the finer-grained component. At the deformation front, these processes can lead to the formation of base-of-slope plunge pools that potentially form wide sand reservoirs. Rapid deposition of the coarser material downstream of the hydraulic jump lead to a strong segregation of the sediments, as only the uppermost, finer-grained component of the turbidity flows is transferred to the abyssal plain. Wide plunge pools develop at areas where the sediment flux (i.e. erosion rates) is too low to compensate the deformation rates, leading to non-equilibrium conditions. Inversely, equilibrium conditions (resulting from higher sediment flux and a lesser tectonic control) promote channel formation at the canyon mouths and transfer of coarse-grained material to the trench. Hence, channel formation and trench fill characteristics depend of the equilibrium conditions of the feeder system, related to the balance between erosion rates (i.e. fluvial input, initial sediment load, and slope gradients) and deformation rates. Preliminary simulations with the process-based model CATS (Salles et al., 2007) were performed in order to simulate the turbidity flow paths along the thrust-induced complex slope.

 

Our results from the Makran turbidite system provide another evidence of how complex submarine slopes may interplay with the sedimentary processes and control the reservoir architecture. It constitutes an excellent modern analogue to deep water sedimentary systems with structurally complex depocenters, in the context of convergent margins.

 

 

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fig01

Figure 1. Location and tectonic setting of study area.

fig02

Figure 2. Seismic section and 3-D model showing piggy-back basins and accreted ridges.

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Figure 3. Fill and spill model of turbidite system.

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Figure 4. Makran turbidite system architecture.

 

References

 

Beaubouef, R.T. and S.J. Friedmann, 2000, High resolution seismic/sequence stratigraphic framework for the evolution of Pleistocene intra slope basins, western Gulf of Mexico: depositional models and reservoir analogs: SEPM Gulf Coast Section Research Conference, Program and Abstracts, v. 20, p. 40-60.

 

Ellouz-Zimmermann, N.,  S. Lallemant, R. Castilla-Chacon, Mouchot N.,  P. Leturmy, A. Battani, C. Buret, L. Cherel, G. Desaubliaux, E. Deville, J. Ferrand, A. Lueckge, G. Mahieux, G. Mascle, P. Muehr, A.C. Pierson-Wickmann, P. Robion, J. Schmitz, M. Danish-Shaika, S.I. Hasany, I. Syed, A. Shahzad, and A. Tabreez, 2007, Offshore frontal part of the Makran accretionary prism: the Chamak Survey (Pakistan), in Thrust belts and foreland basins: from fold kinematics to hydrocarbon systems: Springer Series Frontiers in Earth Sciences, p. 351-366.

 

Ellouz-Zimmermann, N., E. Deville, C. Mueller, S. Lallemant, A.M. Subhani, and A. Tabreez, 2007, Impact of sedimentation on convergent margin tectonics: example of the Makran accretionary prism (Pakistan), in Thrust belts and foreland basins: from fold kinematics to hydrocarbon systems: Springer Series Frontiers in Earth Sciences, p. 327-350.

 

Mouchot, N., L. Loncke, G. Mahieux, J. Bourget, S. Lallemant, N. Ellouz-Zimmermann, and P. Leturmy, (in press), Recent sedimentary processes along the Makran trench: Makran active margin, off Pakistan: Marine Geology.

 

Pirmez, C., R.T. Beaubouef, S.J. Friedmann, and D.C. Mohrig, 2000, Equilibrium profile and base level in submarine channels: examples from late Pleistocene systems and implications for the architecture of deepwater reservoirs: SEPM Gulf Coast Section Research Conference, Program and Abstracts, v. 20, p. 782-805.

 

Smith, R., 2004, Silled sub-basins to connected tortuous corridors: sediment distribution systems on topographically complex sub-aqueous slopes, in Confined turbidite systems: Geological Society (London) Special Publication, v. 222, p. 23-43.

 

Toniolo, H. and G. Parker, 2003, Depositional turbidity currents in diapiric minibasins on the continental slope: theory, experiments and numerical simulation: AAPG Annual Meeting Expanded Abstracts, v. 12, p. 171.

 

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