Deep-water Exploration Targets from shelf

edge to basin floor; Seismic Stratigraphy,

Seismic Geomorphology and Sequence
Stratigraphy Based on 3D Seismic Data

Henry W. Posamentier

Chevron Energy Technology Company

CONFIDENTIAL This information is proprietary to Chevron and is to be used, disclosed or reproduced

only under permission granted by Chevron. All rights reserved.

2006 Chevron Corporation

 Shelf Edge (Staging Area)

Slope Channel Complex

(i.e., amalgamated
leveed channels)

Leveed Channel

Terminal Lobe
Crevasse Splay

Sediment Wave
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only under permission granted by Chevron. All rights reserved.
 Canyon

Slope Valley

Leveed Channel

Terminal Lobe

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only under permission granted by Chevron. All rights reserved.
 Presentation Outline

Leveed channels

Canyons/slope valleys

Overbank levee Deposits

Terminal lobes

Mass transport deposits

Discussion will center on geologic

products as well as geologic processes

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only under permission granted by Chevron. All rights reserved.
 Leveed-Channel Deposits

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only under permission granted by Chevron. All rights reserved.
 Leveed Channel on Slope

Interval Attribute (Sea Floor + 80 msec)

Maximum Negative Polarity
Channel complex

one km

Note Slump Scars

Note Older
Meander Loops
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only under permission granted by Chevron. All rights reserved.
 Transverse Profile across Two Leveed Channels

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only under permission granted by Chevron. All rights reserved.
 Leveed Channel on basin floor

Flow direction

2 km
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only under permission granted by Chevron. All rights reserved.
 Leveed Channel on basin floor
Passive Channel Fill
Channel Fill

one km

Levee

50 msec

Pre-Existing
Substrate

Lateral migration of channel fill

2006 ChevronFrom Posamentier

Corporation et al., CONFIDENTIAL
2000 No Vertical Exaggeration
This information is proprietary to Chevron and is to be used, disclosed or reproduced
only under permission granted by Chevron. All rights reserved.
 Leveed Channel Characterized by
Meander Migration

Meander Loop
Migration

one km

Amplitude Extraction - Horizon Slice (-36 msec)

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only under permission granted by Chevron. All rights reserved.
 Deep-water

Fluvial

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FromCorporation
Posamentier et al., 2000
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only under permission granted by Chevron. All rights reserved.
 A) 5 km x y

x y

x x
B)
Lateral Accretion Package

Slice level

y y

C)
Lateral Accretion Package

2006 Chevron Corporation

5 information
100 msecCONFIDENTIAL This km
From Posamentier and Walker, 2000
is proprietary to Chevron and is to be used, disclosed or reproduced
only under permission granted by Chevron. All rights reserved.
 A)

x
y

Lateral Accretion Package

x x

x y y

y
one km

B) x x

Slice level

C) y y
Slice level

100 msec
one km
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only under permission granted by Chevron. All rights reserved.
 A)

one km

B)

100 msec

one km

Lateral Accretion Package

Slice level

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CONFIDENTIAL This information is proprietary to Chevron and is to be used, disclosed or reproduced Posamentier and Walker, 2000
only under permission granted by Chevron. All rights reserved.
 Meander Loop Evolution

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only under permission granted by Chevron. All rights reserved.
 Meander Loop Evolution

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only under permission granted by Chevron. All rights reserved.
 Meander Loop Evolution

Note lateral accretion

Lateral Accretion
Caveat: this pattern is associated with lateral
migration; it is commonly not the same process that
produces point bars in fluvial systems (even though
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the product is similar) From Posamentier and Walker, 2000
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only under permission granted by Chevron. All rights reserved.
 Organized Channel Complex Evolution

Time 1

Flow Velocity Contours

Axial Facies

Off-axis to Marginal Facies

Cut Initial phase
Fill Late phase
Turbidite Deposits
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Posamentier and Walker, 2000
 Organized Channel Complex Evolution

Time 1

Flow Velocity Contours

Left over (i.e., unfilled)
channel accommodation

Fill Late phase

Turbidite Deposits
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Posamentier and Walker, 2000
 Organized Channel Complex Evolution

Time 2

Flow Velocity Contours

Note: Axial Facies from
Time 1 eroded; only off-axis
to marginal preserved

Cut Initial phase

Fill Late phase
Turbidite Deposits
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Posamentier and Walker, 2000
 Organized Channel Complex Evolution

Note: Final channel element

Time 3 likely is mud-filled

Flow Velocity Contours

Note: Most of the channel

complex is made up of off-axis
to marginal facies
Cut Initial phase
Fill Late phase
Turbidite Deposits
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Posamentier and Walker, 2000
 Slope Valley Channels Drivers
Channel Fill

Controls on Channel Patterns Fill Ratio

Fill Ratio = Ratio of
channel fill to bank-full channel
accommodation at end of depositional event

A
A
B
B

Fill Ratio = A / B
Fill Ratio = A / B (High)
(Low)

B
A

Where Fill ratios are low, subsequent flows will experience some degree of inherited confinement

Where Fill ratios are high, subsequent flows will experience minimal inherited confinement
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 Controls on Channel Patterns
(organized vs. disorganized)

Channel element fill at the end of turbidite episode

Abrupt
Gradual abandonment
abandonment

Underfilled Filled to bankfull

attracts successive flows repels successive flows

Organized Disorganized
channel pattern channel pattern

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Time 1
Disorganized Channel Complex Evolution
Disorganized Pattern
Flow Velocity Contours

Cut Initial phase

Fill Late phase

Channel Margin Channel Axis

Time 2-4

High fill ratio

repels successive flows

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Time 1
Disorganized Channel Complex Evolution
Disorganized Pattern
Flow Velocity Contours

Cut Initial phase

Fill Late phase

Channel Margin Channel Axis

Time 2-4

High fill ratio

repels successive flows

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Time 1
Disorganized Channel Complex Evolution
Disorganized Pattern
Flow Velocity Contours

Cut Initial phase

Fill Late phase

Channel Margin Channel Axis

Time 2-4

High fill ratio

repels successive flows

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Time 1
Disorganized Channel Complex Evolution
Disorganized Pattern
Flow Velocity Contours

Cut Initial phase

Fill Late phase

Channel Margin Channel Axis

Time 2-4

Note: Preferential preservation of channel axis deposits

Net result: sheet-like sandstone deposition associated

with lateral amalgamation of channel-axis dominated
channel fills

High fill ratio

repels successive flows

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 Slope Valley Channels Observations
Organized vs. Disorganized

Disorganized
(High fill ratio)

Organized
(Low fill ratio)

Characterized by swing and sweep

Characterized by discontinuous channel segments Similar channel paths taken by
Can be described as a channel belt successive channel elements

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 Organized vs. Disorganized Channel Complexes - Summary

Disorganized

Preferential preservation of channel axis facies

Sheet
Sheet--like distribution of sandstone
Sharp
Sharp--based as well as sharp topped sandstones

Organized

Preferential preservation of channel margin to off-

off-axis facies
Sheet
Sheet--like distribution of sandstone
Sharp based and gradational
gradational--topped sandstone

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 Sea Floor
DeSoto Canyon Area,
Gulf of Mexico

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Base map courtesy of TGS Nopec
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only under permission granted by Chevron. All rights reserved.
 Leveed Channel Time Structure

five km

Relief from Channel ridge to basin plain: ~ 65 m

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only under permission granted by Chevron. All rights reserved.
 Basin Floor Leveed Channel System

Channel Belt Slope = ~ 0.32o

Channel Thalweg Slope = ~ 0.07 o
Channel sinuosity = 2.31

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 Flow Direction

Perspective View of Late Channel belt relief above

basin plain = ~ 65 m
Pleistocene Leveed Channel
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only under permission granted by Chevron. All rights reserved.
 2006 Chevron Corporation CONFIDENTIAL This information is proprietary to Chevron and is to be used, disclosed or reproduced From Posamentier, 2003
only under permission granted by Chevron. All rights reserved.
 2006 Chevron Corporation CONFIDENTIAL This information is proprietary to Chevron and is to be used, disclosed or reproduced From Posamentier, 2003
only under permission granted by Chevron. All rights reserved.
 2006 Chevron Corporation CONFIDENTIAL This information is proprietary to Chevron and is to be used, disclosed or reproduced From Posamentier, 2003
only under permission granted by Chevron. All rights reserved.
 2006 Chevron Corporation CONFIDENTIAL This information is proprietary to Chevron and is to be used, disclosed or reproduced From Posamentier, 2003
only under permission granted by Chevron. All rights reserved.
 2006 Chevron Corporation CONFIDENTIAL This information is proprietary to Chevron and is to be used, disclosed or reproduced From Posamentier, 2003
only under permission granted by Chevron. All rights reserved.
 2006 Chevron Corporation CONFIDENTIAL This information is proprietary to Chevron and is to be used, disclosed or reproduced From Posamentier, 2003
only under permission granted by Chevron. All rights reserved.
 2006 Chevron Corporation CONFIDENTIAL This information is proprietary to Chevron and is to be used, disclosed or reproduced From Posamentier, 2003
only under permission granted by Chevron. All rights reserved.
 2006 Chevron Corporation CONFIDENTIAL This information is proprietary to Chevron and is to be used, disclosed or reproduced From Posamentier, 2003
only under permission granted by Chevron. All rights reserved.
 Slope Channel
Note bulging reflections suggesting effect
of differential compaction = sand prone

One km

Note bulging reflections suggesting effect of

high velocity channel fill = sand prone

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 Leveed Channel Meander Loop Evolution

Note meander loop abandonment

100 msec
one km

Yellow Time Thalweg Blue Time Thalweg

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 Horizon Slice 172 Horizon Slice 176
Meander Loop Evolution
one km

Flow Direction

Sweep

Swing

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only under permission granted by Chevron. All rights reserved.
 Deep-water

Fluvial

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only under permission granted by Chevron. All rights reserved.
 Deep-water

Fluvial

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only under permission granted by Chevron. All rights reserved.
 Late Miocene Leveed Channel System

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only under permission granted by Chevron. All rights reserved.
 Canyons

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 10 km

450 m
1170 m

720 m
18 o

Canyon Dimensions

Data proprietary to
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PGS Marine Geophysical NSA only under permission granted by Chevron. All rights reserved.
 Mississippi Canyon

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only under permission granted by Chevron. All rights reserved.
 Mississippi Canyon

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 Axial Channel Detail
(Discontinuity)

Data proprietary to
PGS
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only under permission granted by Chevron. All rights reserved.
 Basal Channel
1 km

1 km 1 km

Sinuosity = 1.2

Channel width = 200-250m

10 km Sinuosity = 1.5

Data proprietary to
PGS Marine Geophysical NSA
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and WesternGeco
only under permission granted by Chevron. All rights reserved.
 Study area

Sea Floor
DeSoto Canyon Area,
Gulf of Mexico

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Base map courtesy of TGS Nopec
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only under permission granted by Chevron. All rights reserved.
 Leveed Slope Channel Gulf of Mexico

Top of Levee Base of Levee

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only under permission granted by Chevron. All rights reserved.
 C

Shelf Edge
A
Upper Surface
B
1 km

100 msec
Leveed Channel
Basal Surface

A B C

Linked Shelf-
Edge Leveed
Channel
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CONFIDENTIAL 2003
This information is proprietary to Chevron and is to be used, disclosed or reproduced
only under permission granted by Chevron. All rights reserved.
 one km

100 msec
Late lowstand

Base lowstand
complex
Early lowstand
(forced regression)

Lowstand Shelf-Edge Delta Complex

(Away from slope channel)

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Posamentier, 2003 is proprietary to Chevron and is to be used, disclosed or reproduced
This information
only under permission granted by Chevron. All rights reserved.
 Overbank/Levee
Deposits

Sediment waves
Crevasse splays

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only under permission granted by Chevron. All rights reserved.
 Overspill and Flow Stripping
Levee Crests

High-density part of flow

Potentially Prospective
Overbank
Confined Channel Flow
Overspill

Flow Stripping
2006 Chevron Corporation From
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only under permission granted by Chevron. All rights reserved.
 Turbidite Channels and Associated Levees

One km

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only under permission granted by Chevron. All rights reserved.
 Turbidite Channels and Associated Levees

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only under permission granted by Chevron. All rights reserved.
 Turbidite Channels and Associated Levees

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only under permission granted by Chevron. All rights reserved.
 Turbidite Channels and Associated Levees

Levee Top

Levee base

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only under permission granted by Chevron. All rights reserved.
 Overbank Splays / Sediment Waves
Related to Channelized Flow

Overbank sediment
waves
2 km
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only under permission granted by Chevron. All rights reserved.
 Process of Upstream Migration
of Sediment Waves

Flow Direction

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only under permission granted by Chevron. All rights reserved.
 Overbank/crevasse Splay

Five km
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only under permission granted by Chevron. All rights reserved.
 Crevasse Splay Aborted Avulsion Event

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From Posamentier andCONFIDENTIAL
Walker, 2006
This information is proprietary to Chevron and is to be used, disclosed or reproduced one km
only under permission granted by Chevron. All rights reserved.
 Terminal Lobes

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 Seismic Traverse Along Levee Crest
(Datumed at Top Levee)

X
Seaward
Transition Point
West East
Decreasing Levee Height

100 msec

Inside Bend

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five km Outside Bend
From Posamentier andCONFIDENTIAL
Walker, 2006
This information is proprietary to Chevron and is to be used, disclosed or reproduced
only under permission granted by Chevron. All rights reserved.
 Levee Height and Effective Turbidity Flow
Height from Proximal to Distal

Effective Flow Height*

Levee Height
Height Distributary Channel
Single Leveed
Channel Complex (Terminal
Lobe)

Distance Down-System

Effective Flow Height = Height of high-density

column within turbidity flow
2006 Chevron Corporation
From Posamentier andCONFIDENTIAL
Walker, 2006
This information is proprietary to Chevron and is to be used, disclosed or reproduced
only under permission granted by Chevron. All rights reserved.
 Levee Height and Effective Turbidity Flow
Height from Proximal to Distal

Total Flow Height

Potential Overbank
Height
Sediment Supply
Single Leveed Distributary Channel
Channel Complex (Terminal
Lobe)

Distance Down-System

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From Posamentier andCONFIDENTIAL
Walker, 2006
This information is proprietary to Chevron and is to be used, disclosed or reproduced
only under permission granted by Chevron. All rights reserved.
 Levee Height and Effective Turbidity Flow
Height from Proximal to Distal

Total Flow Height Sand:Mud

(i.e., Height of low-density + high density columns)
High

Height Distributary Channel

Single Leveed
Channel Complex (Terminal
Lobe)

Low
Distance Down-System
Transition Point

Increased Sand:Mud within Flow

2006 Chevron Corporation
From Posamentier
andCONFIDENTIAL
Walker, 2006
This information is proprietary to Chevron and is to be used, disclosed or reproduced
only under permission granted by Chevron. All rights reserved.
 Transition Point Transition Point
Time of High sand:mud Time of Low sand:mud

Migration of Transition Point in response

to change from High to Low Sand:Mud

Leveed channel

A
A

Terminal Lobe (weakly confined channels to channelized sheets)

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From Posamentier andCONFIDENTIAL
Walker, 2006
This information is proprietary to Chevron and is to be used, disclosed or reproduced
only under permission granted by Chevron. All rights reserved.
 5 km

Late Lowstand A

Late Lowstand

A A

Early Lowstand

Early Lowstand

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From Posamentier andCONFIDENTIAL
Walker, 2006
This information is proprietary to Chevron and is to be used, disclosed or reproduced
only under permission granted by Chevron. All rights reserved.
 5 km

Late Lowstand A

Late Lowstand

A A

Early Lowstand

Early Lowstand

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From Posamentier and Walker, 2006 This
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only under permission granted by Chevron. All rights reserved.
 Isolated high-sinuosity
100 msec
leveed channel

One km

Condensed section

Transition Point

Leveed channel feeding terminal lobe

2006 Chevron Corporation
From Posamentier
andCONFIDENTIAL
Walker, 2006
This information is proprietary to Chevron and is to be used, disclosed or reproduced
only under permission granted by Chevron. All rights reserved.
 Pleistocene Leveed Channel
Reflection Amplitude Extraction

Transition Point

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From Posamentier andCONFIDENTIAL
Walker, 2006
This information is proprietary to Chevron and is to be used, disclosed or reproduced
only under permission granted by Chevron. All rights reserved.
 Transition Point

Transition Point

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From Corporation
Posamentier and Walker, 2006
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 Weakly Confined
Complex 2

one km

Weakly Confined
Complex 1
From Posamentier
2006 Chevron Corporation andCONFIDENTIAL
Walker, 2006
This information is proprietary to Chevron and is to be used, disclosed or reproduced
only under permission granted by Chevron. All rights reserved.
 Weakly Confined
Complex 2

one km

Weakly Confined
Complex 1
From Posamentier
2006 Chevron Corporation andCONFIDENTIAL
Walker, 2006
This information is proprietary to Chevron and is to be used, disclosed or reproduced
only under permission granted by Chevron. All rights reserved.
 Weakly Confined
Complex 2

one km

Weakly Confined
Complex 1
From Posamentier
2006 Chevron Corporation andCONFIDENTIAL
Walker, 2006
This information is proprietary to Chevron and is to be used, disclosed or reproduced
only under permission granted by Chevron. All rights reserved.
 Cretaceous Architecture and Clinoform Geomorphology

From Posamentier
2006 Chevron Corporation
andCONFIDENTIAL
Walker, 2006
This information is proprietary to Chevron and is to be used, disclosed or reproduced
only under permission granted by Chevron. All rights reserved.
 Brookian Clinoform Evolution

~900 m

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only under permission granted by Chevron. All rights reserved.
 Leveed Channels and
Linked Terminal Lobes Transition Point
Turbidite System 1

Turbidite System 2

Turbidite System 1
Transition Point
Turbidite System 1

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only under permission granted by Chevron. All rights reserved.
 Mass Transport Deposits

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only under permission granted by Chevron. All rights reserved.
 Eastern Gulf of Mexico

100 msec

~45% of section
Comprise MTDs

one km

Mass Transport Deposits (MTDs)

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only under permission granted by Chevron. All rights reserved.
 Mass Transport Deposits

MTDs

Turbidite Channel

2006 Chevron Corporation From

CONFIDENTIAL This information is proprietary to Chevron and is to be used, disclosed or reproduced Posamentier and Martinsen, 2010
only under permission granted by Chevron. All rights reserved.
 Mass Transport Deposits
(with Turbidite Channel)

MTDs

2006 Chevron Corporation From

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 Sub-Aerial Mass Transport Complex

Extension (accelerating flow)

FromCorporation
2006 Chevron Posamentier and Martinsen,
Compression (decelerating flow)
2010 This information is proprietary to Chevron and is to be used, disclosed or reproduced
CONFIDENTIAL
only under permission granted by Chevron. All rights reserved.
 Rheology Flow Processes

Laminar flow tools at flow base remain at base

Debrite Turbidite

Grooved / striated base Smooth base

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only under permission granted by Chevron. All rights reserved.
 Large-scale MTD

From Posamentier and Martinsen, 2010

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only under permission granted by Chevron. All rights reserved.
 Large-scale MTD

Ormen Lange

From Posamentier and Martinsen, 2010

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only under permission granted by Chevron. All rights reserved.
 Examples of MTDs

1 km
B)
Mass transport deposit

Salt mini- basin

Slump scar

Mass transport deposit

1 km
Mud volcano
Image courtesy of JD Stephenson

FromCorporation
2006 Chevron Posamentier and Martinsen, 2010 This information is proprietary to Chevron and is to be used, disclosed or reproduced
CONFIDENTIAL
only under permission granted by Chevron. All rights reserved.
 Gulf of Mexico

Indonesia

Contorted-chaotic to transparent

Seismic Facies
Nigeria (section view)
From
2006 Chevron Posamentier
Corporation and Walker, 2006 This information is proprietary to Chevron and is to be used, disclosed or reproduced
CONFIDENTIAL
only under permission granted by Chevron. All rights reserved.
 Seismic Facies
(map view)

Contorted-chaotic to convolute
From
2006 Chevron Posamentier
Corporation and Walker, 2006 This information is proprietary to Chevron and is to be used, disclosed or reproduced
CONFIDENTIAL
only under permission granted by Chevron. All rights reserved.
 Flow Direction
Thrust Faults within
Mass Transport Complex x x

five km

x x
100 msec

one km

150

From Corporation
2006 Chevron Posamentier and Walker, 2006
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only under permission granted by Chevron. All rights reserved.
 A) A B C
A A

Terminal Wall

Slice
C Level
B

1 km

one km
A

Leveed Channel
Turbidite
Frontal Splay

Mass Transport Complex

B B

100 m

C C

one km
2006 Chevron Corporation From
CONFIDENTIAL This information is proprietary to Chevron and is to be used, disclosed Posamentier
or reproduced and Walker, 2006
only under permission granted by Chevron. All rights reserved.
 Trench

Thrust Faults

From Posamentier and Walker, 2006

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 five km
MTD Lobe/Channel
South North

100 msec

Time
Slice

Flow Direction

From Posamentier and Walker, 2006

five km
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 five km Debris Flow Erosion

100 msec

Time
Flow Direction Slice

Flow Direction

From Posamentier and Walker, 2006

five km
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 Flow Direction 30 km

From Posamentier and Walker, 2006

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 Vertical Relief: ~240 m
Maximum Width: ~12.5 km
Flow Direction
From Posamentier and Walker, 2006
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 Mini-Basin with Two Entry Points (MTDs)

Thrust faults
From Posamentier and Martinsen, 2010
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 Mini-Basin with Two Entry Points

Thrust faults

From Posamentier and Martinsen, 2010

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 Mini-Basin with Two Entry Points

2
1

Lower Level Upper Level

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only under permission granted by Chevron. All rights reserved. From Posamentier and Walker, 2006
 Rheology of MTDs Flow Characteristics

Debris Flow with Significant Internal Deformation

From Posamentier and Martinsen, 2010

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only under permission granted by Chevron. All rights reserved.
 Rheology of MTDs Flow Characteristics
Debris Flow with Significant Internal Deformation

From Posamentier and Martinsen, 2010

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only under permission granted by Chevron. All rights reserved.
 Striations and Grooves;
Erosion at Base

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 Mass Transport Deposit Basal Grooves

1.5 km

SSW NNE

50 m

one km
50 msec

From Posamentier et al., 2000

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 From Posamentier and Martinsen, 2010 One km
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 From Posamentier and Martinsen, 2010 One km
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 Grooves at Base of Debris Flow Deposit

From Posamentier et al., 2000

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 Sea--Floor Plucking by Mass Flows
Sea

1 km

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 C D
B

Sea--Floor Plucking by Mass Flows

Sea

Eroded area
A

1 km D
C
B

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 D D

100 ms

C D
B

100 ms
A

A C C

B C D

100 ms

B B
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 C D
B

A A

100 ms
A

B C D

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 Sea-Floor Plucking by Mass Flows

Buried surface of weakness within the substrate (e.g., within a

condensed section)

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 Sea-Floor Plucking by Mass Flows

Negative pressure gradient

Incipient failure

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 Sea-Floor Plucking by Mass Flows

1 km
Plucked hole
(relief = ~20 m)

Section sucked up from substrate

Low pressure
High pressure

Mass transport

High pressure

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 Conclusions

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 In-Line Section 1314

Note sediment waves

3. Note the leveed channel deposits

4. Note the overlying debris flow unit

2. Note the Terminal Lobe deposits

1. Note the underlying debris
flow unit
From Posamentier and Walker, 2006
50 msec one km
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 Evolution of a deep-water sequence

Isolated high-sinuosity leveed channel

Condensed section
Terminal Lobe

From Posamentier and Walker, 2006

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 Relative Sea Level and
Deep-Water Depositional Styles
High Relative Sea Level

Lowstand Interval

Low Time

Condensed Section Interval that shoreline is

located near the shelf edge
Interval of upper slope (turbidity flows dominate)
instability (MTDs dominate)
Leveed Channels Dominate
(relatively low sand:mud)
Weakly Confined Channel
Deposits Dominate
(relatively high sand:mud)

From Posamentier and Walker, 2006

Interval of upper slope instability Condensed
(MTDs dominate) Section
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