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Structural Evolution of Deepwater Fold and Thrust Belt, Offshore NW Sabah, Malaysia and Hydrocarbon Implications

Abstract

Abstract

In recent years, the deep-water fold and thrust belt of Northwest Sabah basin, offshore Sabah, Malaysia has been a region of active deep-water exploration. The region is situated above a paleo-subduction zone that caused major crustal shortening during the Oligocene to Early Miocene which was associated with the opening of the South China Sea. There is oil and gas discovery wells in the region and surrounded by a few deep-water oil and gas field nearby which shows there is a petroleum system working in this region.

This study presents the results of the structural analysis of the evolution of the thrust propagation fold within the “SBK3D01” 3D seismic survey area utilizing 3D seismic data. Seismic interpretation, seismic facies analysis, attributes analysis, growth strata analysis and 3D visualization were integrated to construct the evolution model for structural and depositional process of the study area.

Structural evolution of the thrust folds changes dramatically across the study area from irregularly spaced thrust folds which propagate out of sequence to regularly spaced thrust folds moving in forward breaking sequence. Thicker sediment overburden suppressed the growth of thrust faults and caused thrust folding to be less well developed. There were two distinct phases during the development of the thrust folds.

In the early stage, the thrust folds grew rapidly and folding was more prominent. At later stages, there was slower growth of thrust folds and erosion of thrust folds by channels and debris flows.

Understanding the structural development of thrust fault-related fold structures is crucial for the exploration of hydrocarbons in thrust fold belts as the main hydrocarbon traps in this area are mainly structural traps. The timing and movement of the thrust fault and related fold has an impact on hydrocarbon migration, deposition of reservoir, fault sealing and trap integrity.