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The Rhone Delta in Lake Geneva - A Lacustrine Analog to Understand Facies Variability in Deep-water Environments
- Publisher: European Association of Geoscientists & Engineers
- Source: Conference Proceedings, 77th EAGE Conference and Exhibition 2015, Jun 2015, Volume 2015, p.1 - 5
Abstract
Lacustrine delta systems are perfect natural laboratories to understand sediment dynamics in deltaic and deepwater environments due to their smaller size and well-known boundary conditions. In particular, the Rhone delta is Lake Geneva is a world-relevent example of turbiditic processes since famous limnologist F.-A. Forel first described underflows in the XIXth century. The availability of detailed bathymetric datasets and sediment cores obtained via manned submersibles and research vessels in the Rhone delta enabled to understand the sedimentary dynamics in this particular area. This paper documents the distribution, geometrical characteristics and sedimentary evolution of clastic facies –including turbidites and debrites- that occur in the different channel-levee complexes and distal fans in the Rhone delta. We also evaluate the impact of cohesive debrites in the shape of distal deepwater channels. A detailed understanding of the facies ocurrence and geomorphological evolution in modern deltaic complexes may eventually result in enhanced oil recovery in deep-water reservoirs.