1887

Abstract

Summary

Kinematic restoration has been widely used to assess the validity of geological interpretations and constrain the timing and nature of structural development. The techniques attempt to transform a 2D section and/or 3D geological model from one deformational state to another while conserving bed length, area or volume. This approach has proven particularly effective for unraveling the development of salt provinces, where the deformation associated with salt-related movement can add significant structural complexity.

Traditional restoration involves a combination of backstripping, restoration of horizons to a regional level and removal of across-fault offsets. Salt, which often masks deformation on seismic reflection surveys, cannot be restored directly using these techniques and is, therefore, assumed to flow out of the model as the overlying sedimentary basins develop. In this paper the principals behind forward modelling and restoring a salt diapir are detailed and evaluated with respect to the development of an active salt dome adjacent to the Butch Discovery, offshore Norway (Centrica (operator, 40%), Suncor Energy (30%), Faroe Petroleum (15%), and Tullow Oil (15%)). The presented results consider the impact and significance of different kinematic unfolding algorithms and the importance of out-of-plane movement when working in two and three dimensions.

Loading

Article metrics loading...

/content/papers/10.3997/2214-4609.201601645
2016-05-30
2024-03-28
Loading full text...

Full text loading...

References

  1. Fossen, H.
    [2010]. Structural geology.Cambridge University Press.
    [Google Scholar]
  2. Hudec, M.R. and Jackson, M.P.
    [2007]. Terra infirma: understanding salt tectonics. Earth-Science. Reviews, 8, 1–28.
    [Google Scholar]
  3. Rowan, M.G.
    [1993] A systematic technique for the sequential restoration of salt structures. Tectonophysics, 228, 331–348.
    [Google Scholar]
  4. Stewart, I.J.
    1993. Structural controls on the Late Jurassic age shelf system, Ula Trend, Norwegian North Sea. Petroleum Geology Conference series, Geological Society of London, 4469–483.
    [Google Scholar]
  5. Vidal-Royo, O., IVHearon, T.E., Connors, C.D., Bland, S., Schaefer, F., Ferrer, O., Mora, A., de Vera, J., Guzofski, C.A., Rodríguez, F., Blanc, E. J-P. and Vaughan, A.P.M.
    [2015]. Introduction to special section: Balancing, restoration, and palinspastic reconstruction. Interpretation, 3(4), SAAi–SAAiii.
    [Google Scholar]
  6. Yin, H., Groshong, R.H.
    , 2006. Balancing and restoration of piercement structures: geologic insights from 3D kinematic models. Journal of Structural Geology, 28, 99–114.
    [Google Scholar]
http://instance.metastore.ingenta.com/content/papers/10.3997/2214-4609.201601645
Loading
/content/papers/10.3997/2214-4609.201601645
Loading

Data & Media loading...

This is a required field
Please enter a valid email address
Approval was a Success
Invalid data
An Error Occurred
Approval was partially successful, following selected items could not be processed due to error