Influence Of Salt Diapirs On The Location And Morphology Of Stacked Submarine Channels

The Campos Basin, located on the southeastern Brazil passive margin, is one of the most productive basins in the western South Atlantic. The development of many siliciclastic turbidite reservoirs in the southeastern Brazilian margin provided a great interest in submarine channel systems of the Campos Basin for hydrocarbon exploration purposes. Prior research highlights the variation of sediment supply, sea-level fluctuations and tectonic activity as the most critical controls on channel development within the Campos Basin. The Campos Basin is structurally complex as a result of salt movement, and it is an ideal setting in which to investigate the influences of structural deformation on channel evolution and architecture. I investigated the interaction between development of a post-Miocene submarine channel system and structural deformation related to salt tectonics by using structural and stratigraphic analysis of 3D seismic-reflection data, which covers an area of approximately 1750 km2. I produced detailed maps and cross sections of the submarine channel system, and compared them to structural maps in order to interpret the control of structural deformation on evolution and architecture of the submarine channel system. I interpreted that a regionally mapped seismic-reflection horizon approximates the paleobathymetry at the time of channel formation and correlated with the trend of the channel system. The paleobathymetry mainly dictated the transport pathway of the submarine channel system, as channels within the system mainly stayed in salt-withdrawal basins and avoided salt-influenced structural highs. However, the submarine channel system was diverted to flow directly on the top of a salt diapir within the southeastern part of the study area, rather than staying within salt-withdrawal basins. I explained this anomaly by two uplift stages of the salt diapir. Aggradation smoothed out much of the paleobathymetry associated with the first growth stage of the salt diapir, and the salt-influenced structural high was not able to divert the submarine channel system. The basal surfaces of channels within the system are deformed as a result of the growth of the salt diapir, which suggests that the salt diapir became active again when the submarine channel system started to develop.

This book on the current state of knowledge of submarine geomorphology aims to achieve the goals of the Submarine Geomorphology working group, set up in 2013, by establishing submarine geomorphology as a field of research, disseminating its concepts and techniques among earth scientists and professionals, and encouraging students to develop their skills and knowledge in this field. Editors have invited 30 experts from around the world to contribute chapters to this book, which is divided into 4 sections – (i) Introduction & history, (ii) Data & methods, (ii) Submarine landforms & processes and (iv) Conclusions & future directions. Each chapter provides a review of a topic, establishes the state-of-the-art, identifies the key research questions that need to be addressed, and delineates a strategy on how to achieve this. Submarine geomorphology is a priority for many research institutions, government authorities and industries globally. The book is useful for undergraduate and graduate students, and professionals with limited training in this field.

A comprehensive and richly illustrated overview of the Gulf of Mexico Basin, including its reservoirs, source rocks, tectonics and evolution.

Salt tectonics is the study of how and why salt structures evolve and the three-dimensional forms that result. A fascinating branch of geology in itself, salt tectonics is also vitally important to the petroleum industry. Covering the entire scale from the microscopic to the continental, this textbook is an unrivalled consolidation of all topics related to salt tectonics: evaporite deposition and flow, salt structures, salt systems, and practical applications. Coverage of the principles of salt tectonics is supported by more than 600 color illustrations, including 200 seismic images captured by state-of-the-art geophysical techniques and tectonic models from the Applied Geodynamics Laboratory at the University of Texas, Austin. These combine to provide a cohesive and wide-ranging insight into this extremely visual subject. This is the definitive practical handbook for professional geologists and geophysicists in the petroleum industry, an invaluable textbook for graduate students, and a reference textbook for researchers in various geoscience fields.

This book presents a broad overview of the current state of knowledge regarding the Red Sea, from its geological formation and oceanographic development to the environmental influences on its ecology and the changes it is experiencing due to the rapid development of its coastlines and role as one of the world’s major transport routes. The book gathers invited contributions from researchers with an interest in the geology, geophysics, oceanography and environment of the Red Sea, while also providing comprehensive new data and a complete review of the literature. It will be of interest not only to researchers actively studying the sea and its surroundings, but will also appeal to all those involved in planning and managing the Red Sea, its environment, its resources and the countries which rely on its existence.

Seabed fluid flow involves the flow of gases and liquids through the seabed. Such fluids have been found to leak through the seabed into the marine environment in seas and oceans around the world - from the coasts to deep ocean trenches. This geological phenomenon has widespread implications for the sub-seabed, seabed, and marine environments. Seabed fluid flow affects seabed morphology, mineralization, and benthic ecology. Natural fluid emissions also have a significant impact on the composition of the oceans and atmosphere; and gas hydrates and hydrothermal minerals are potential future resources. This book describes seabed fluid flow features and processes, and demonstrates their importance to human activities and natural environments. It is targeted at research scientists and professionals with interests in the marine environment. Colour versions of many of the illustrations, and additional material - most notably feature location maps - can be found at www.cambridge.org/9780521819503.

The monograph offers a comprehensive discussion of the role of evaporites in hydrocarbon generation and trapping, and new information on low temperature and high temperature ores. It also provides a wealth of information on exploitable salts, in a comprehensive volume has been assembled and organized to provide quick access to relevant information on all matters related to evaporites and associated brines. In addition, there are summaries of evaporite karst hazards, exploitative methods and problems that can arise in dealing with evaporites in conventional and solution mining. This second edition has been revised and extended, with three new chapters focusing on ore minerals in different temperature settings and a chapter on meta-evaporites. Written by a field specialist in research and exploration, the book presents a comprehensive overview of the realms of low- and high-temperature evaporite evolution. It is aimed at earth science professionals, sedimentologists, oil and gas explorers, mining geologists as well as environmental geologists.

This fully revised and updated edition introduces the reader to sedimentology and stratigraphic principles, and provides tools for the interpretation of sediments and sedimentary rocks. The processes of formation, transport and deposition of sediment are considered and then applied to develop conceptual models for the full range of sedimentary environments, from deserts to deep seas and reefs to rivers. Different approaches to using stratigraphic principles to date and correlate strata are also considered, in order to provide a comprehensive introduction to all aspects of sedimentology and stratigraphy. The text and figures are designed to be accessible to anyone completely new to the subject, and all of the illustrative material is provided in an accompanying CD-ROM. High-resolution versions of these images can also be downloaded from the companion website for this book at: www.wiley.com/go/nicholssedimentology.