Time-transgressive fault evolution and its impact on trap integrity: Timor Sea examples

2010 ◽  
Vol 50 (2) ◽  
pp. 701
Author(s):  
Bozkurt Ciftci ◽  
Laurent Langhi
Keyword(s):  
Late Jurassic ◽  
Normal Faults ◽  
Seal Integrity ◽  
Seal Failure ◽  
Hydrocarbon Traps ◽  
Exploration Risk ◽  
Timor Sea ◽  
Downward Propagation ◽  
Fault Growth ◽  
Fault Evolution

Top and fault seal failure represents an exploration risk in the Timor Sea where hydrocarbons are typically associated with hourglass structures. These structures comprise two distinct systems of conjugate normal faults that formed by 1st-phase (late Jurassic) and 2nd-phase (Neogene) extensions. Horst blocks bounded by 1st-phase faults potentially trap hydrocarbons and are overlain by grabens bounded by 2nd-phase faults. The two fault systems generally merge and intersect in dip direction to form the composite and time-transgressive faults of the hourglass structures. The 2nd-phase of extension is seen as the dominant cause of the seal breach. Revaluation of a series of hourglass structures on the Laminaria High confirmed two distinct sections of syn-kinematic strata. Bases of these sections correspond to maximum throws on the fault planes where the faults were probably nucleated. The presence of negative throw gradients upward and downward from the throw maximums indicate syn-kinematic deposition and fault growth, respectively. Assessment of these trends suggests that the 1st and 2nd-phase faults were detached at the onset of the 2nd-phase of extension. Connection was predominantly established by down-dip growth of the 2nd-phase faults while the reactivation of the 1st-phase faults may have remained minor. Seismic evidence of leakage from attribute mapping is used to constrain the timing of fault linkage and to validate prediction of leaking fault planes. It was noted that downward propagation of the 2nd-phase faults towards the hydrocarbon traps stresses the top seal integrity due to fault tip deformation front and development of sub-seismic fractures.

THE ELANG OIL DISCOVERY ESTABLISHES NEW OIL PROVINCE IN THE EASTERN TIMOR SEA (TIMOR GAP ZONE OF COOPERATION)

1995 ◽  
Vol 35 (1) ◽  
pp. 44
Author(s):  
I. F. Young ◽  
T.M. Schmedje ◽  
W.F. Muir
Keyword(s):  
Seismic Data ◽  
Late Jurassic ◽  
Joint Venture ◽  
Seismic Survey ◽  
Normal Faults ◽  
Commercial Development ◽  
The North ◽  
3D Data ◽  
Porosity And Permeability ◽  
Timor Sea

The Elang-1 oil discovery in the Timor Gap Zone of Cooperation (ZOC) has established a new oil province in the eastern Timor Sea. The discovery well, completed in February 1994, recorded a flow of 5,800 BOPD (5,013 STBOPD) from marine sandstone of the Late Jurassic Montara beds. The oil is a light (56° API), undersaturated oil with a GOR of approximately 550 SCF/STB. Elang-1 was the first well drilled by the ZOCA 91-12 Joint Venture and only the fifth well in the ZOC since exploration of this frontier area resumed in 1992.The Elang Prospect, initially mapped by Petroz in the late 1970s on the basis of regional seismic data, was detailed by the 1992 Walet Seismic Survey. The prospect is the main crestal culmination on the Elang Trend, a prominent structural high to the north of the Flamingo High that was established during continental break-up in the Late Jurassic. The Elang Trend is bounded to the south by a series of en-echelon normal faults and connecting relay ramps and comprises a number of horst and tilted fault blocks.Elang-1 tested a near crestal culmination on the Elang Prospect and intersected a 76.5 m gross oil column below 3,006.5 m RT. At time of drilling this oil column was the thickest that had been encountered by any well in the Northern Bonaparte Basin. Good quality reservoir sandstone in six discrete bodies were intersected within the Montara beds. Core-measured porosity and permeability range up to 17 per cent and 2.2 Darcies within the oil column.Subsequent to the Elang discovery, the Joint Venture recorded a 402 km2 3D survey over the Elang Trend. Elang-2, an appraisal well spudded in September 1994 prior to receipt of the 3D data, established the lateral continuity of the Montara beds reservoirs. Flow rates of 6,080 BOPD (5,300 STBOPD) and 7,500 BOPD (5,970 STBOPD) from separate intervals have confirmed that high deliverabilities can be expected from individual sandstones. Further appraisal drilling is planned in the first half of 1995. This is expected to lead to commercial development of the field.

VULCAN SUB-BASIN FAULT STYLES — IMPLICATIONS FOR HYDROCARBON MIGRATION AND ENTRAPMENT

1992 ◽  
Vol 32 (1) ◽  
pp. 138 ◽  
Author(s):  
E.P. Woods
Keyword(s):  
Late Stage ◽  
Structural Complexity ◽  
Strike Slip ◽  
Normal Faults ◽  
Third Order ◽  
Hydrocarbon Migration ◽  
Structural Domains ◽  
The North ◽  
Hydrocarbon Traps ◽  
Timor Sea

Several structural domains are recognised within the Vulcan Sub-basin, Timor Sea. These domains developed during the Jurassic rifting phase and are separated by major transfer zones which trend in a northwest-southeast direction. Within each domain are frequent third order transfers which sub-divide the main northeast trending fault blocks into numerous compartments. These enable structural hydrocarbon traps to be formed, despite a predominant regional dip. They also affect migration pathways.Jurassic fault styles include detached rotational blocks, salt-associated features, tilted fault blocks and 'hourglass' horsts and grabens. These generally have a northeast-southwest orientation. The transfer faulting complicates these features and forms zones of structural complexity with associated poor seismic data quality. A separate fault episode in the north of the sub-basin during the Tithonian resulted in an east-west fault set overprinting the earlier structuring.Intra-Cretaceous fault movement is also recognised and has an important role in early hydrocarbon entrapment.Structural reactivation during the Late Miocene/Early Pliocene of the earlier fault sets modified the geometry of many existing traps. Numerous new traps may also have formed as a result of this tectonism. In many places the resulting geometry is complex, particularly where the younger fault orientation is at an angle to the main Oxfordian fault set. The late-stage movement is primarily extensional, manifested by predominantly normal faults; overall, however, a varying component of strike slip is likely. A divergent strike-slip zone is recognised at the southwest end of the Cartier Trough.The effects of the late stage tectonism tend to mask the seismic expression of Mesozoic hydrocarbon traps resulting in many wells being drilled off-structure at the target horizon. An understanding of the deeper structuring should result in further discoveries in this prospective basin.

TRAP INTEGRITY IN THE LAM IN ARIA HIGH-NANCAR TROUGH REGION,TIMOR SEA: PREDICTION OF FAULT SEAL FAILURE USING WELL-CONSTRAINED STRESS TENSORS AND FAULT SURFACES INTERPRETED FROM 3D SEISMIC

2000 ◽  
Vol 40 (1) ◽  
pp. 151 ◽  
Author(s):  
D.A. Castillo ◽  
D.J. Bishop ◽  
I. Donaldson ◽  
D. Kuek ◽  
M. de Ruig ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Horizontal Stress ◽  
Column Height ◽  
3D Seismic ◽  
Stress Regime ◽  
Seal Failure ◽  
Hydrocarbon Traps ◽  
Coulomb Failure ◽  
Timor Sea ◽  
Surrounding Areas ◽  
Drilling Conditions

Drilling in the Laminaria High and Nancar Trough areas has shown that many hydrocarbon traps are underfilled or completely breached. Previous studies have shown that fault-trap integrity is strongly influenced by the state of stress resolved on the reservoir bounding faults, suggesting that careful construction of a geomechanical model may reduce the risk of encountering breached reservoirs in exploration and appraisal wells. The ability of a fault to behave as a seal and support a hydrocarbon column is influenced in part by the principal stress directions and magnitudes, and fault geometry (dip and dip azimuth). If a fault is critically stressed with respect to the present-day stress field, there is a high likelihood that the fault will slip, thereby elevating fault zone permeability that enables hydrocarbons to leak. Leakage could be intermittent depending on the degree and rate of fracture healing, and on the recurrence rate between reactivated slip events.High-resolution wellbore images from over 15 wells have been analysed to construct a well-constrained stress tensor. Constraints are based on geomechanical parameters, along with drilling conditions that are consistent with the style of drilling-induced compressive and tensile wellbore wall failure seen in each of these wells. This regional stress analysis of permits AC/P8, AC/P16 and surrounding areas indicates a non-uniform strike-slip stress regime (SHmax > Sv > Shmin) with the orientation of the maximum principal horizontal stress (SHmax) varying systematically from north to south, similar to that previously reported for the western reaches of ZOCA. On the Laminaria High (AC/P8 and AC/L5), SHmax is 15°N ± 6°. Just south of the Laminaria High, there is a marked transition in the SHmax stress direction to about 63°N ± 6°. Over the Nancar Trough (AC/P16), the orientation is consistently NE-SW.Fault surfaces interpreted from 3D seismic data have been subdivided into discrete segments for the purpose of calculating the shear and normal stresses in order to resolve the Coulomb Failure Function (CFF) on each fault segment. The results have been displayed using 3D visualisation techniques to facilitate interpretation. The magnitude of hydrocarbon accumulation (column height) and leakage (residual column) deduced from well results may be explained in part by the CFF resolved on their respective reservoir-bounding faults. By integrating these stress determination and fault imaging technologies, explorationists and reservoir engineers will gain the ability to use these predictive tools to help quantify the likelihood of encountering a breached reservoir prior to drilling.

THE REGIONAL GEOLOGY OF THE BONAPARTE GULF TIMOR SEA AREA

1974 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
pp. 77 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert A. Laws ◽  
Gregory P. Kraus
Keyword(s):  
Late Cretaceous ◽  
Late Jurassic ◽  
Oil And Gas ◽  
Upper Jurassic ◽  
Structural Configuration ◽  
Structural Pattern ◽  
Source Areas ◽  
Timor Sea ◽  
Early Palaeozoic ◽  
Sea Area

The present structural configuration of the Bonaparte Gulf-Timor Sea area is essentially the result of Mesozoic and Tertiary fragmentation of a once relatively simple Permo-Triassic Basin. A northwest-southeast Palaeozoic structural grain in the southeastern portion of the area resulted from early Palaeozoic faulting, possibly tied to aborted rift development. This faulting effectively controlled sedimentation throughout the Phanerozoic. Pronounced northeast-southwest Jurassic to Tertiary structural trends dominate the central and northern area, paralleling the present edge of the continental shelf and swinging south southwest into the northern extension of the Browse Basin. Post-Palaeozoic epeirogenies which had the greatest effect on the regional structural pattern occurred in the mid-Jurassic, Early Cretaceous, within the Eocene and in the Plio-Pleistocene.The Kimberley and Sturt Blocks flanking the basin to the south and east constituted the most important source areas for clastic sedimentation throughout the Phanerozoic. Periodic contributions during the Mesozoic were derived from a postulated source to the northwest in the vicinity of the present-day Timor Trough.The maximum thickness of Phanerozoic sediments present within the Bonaparte Gulf-Timor Sea area exceeds 50,000 ft (15,000 m). Early Palaeozoic to Carboniferous evaporites, carbonates and clastics are unconformably overlain by a thick sequence of Permian deltaic sediments in the southeastern Bonaparte Gulf Basin. This is succeeded by a Triassic to Middle Jurassic transgressive-regressive clastic sequence, grading northwestward to marginal marine and marine clastics and carbonates. The Permian to mid-Jurassic sediments are unconformably overlain by Upper Jurassic sands and shales, mainly fluvial in the southeast and north, becoming more marine westward. These clastics are everywhere succeeded by a monotonous sequence of Cretaceous shales and shaly limestones followed by a generally north to northwesterly thickening wedge of Tertiary carbonates and minor elastics.Hydrocarbon shows have been noted offshore in rocks of Carboniferous, Permian, Late Jurassic, Late Cretaceous and Eocene age. Porous clastics in conjunction with thick and laterally-extensive, organically-rich shales are present within the Palaeozoic and Mesozoic sequences. These sediments, in association with fault- and diapir-related anomalies and stratigraphic plays, combine to make certain provinces of the Bonaparte Gulf-Timor Sea area prospective in the search for viable oil and gas reserves.

scholarly journals Rift zone-parallel extension during segmented fault growth: application to the evolution of the NE Atlantic

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alodie Bubeck ◽  
Richard J. Walker ◽  
Jonathan Imber ◽  
Robert E. Holdsworth ◽  
Christopher J. MacLeod ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Rift Zone ◽  
Vertical Axis ◽  
Continental Rift ◽  
Normal Faults ◽  
Ne Atlantic ◽  
Rift Basins ◽  
Volume Increase ◽  
Bookshelf Faulting ◽  
Fault Growth ◽  
Parallel Extension

Abstract. The mechanical interaction of propagating normal faults is known to influence the linkage geometry of first-order faults, and the development of second-order faults and fractures, which transfer displacement within relay zones. Natural examples of growth faults from two active volcanic rift zones (Koa’e, Big Island, Hawaii and Krafla, northern Iceland) illustrate the importance of relay zone heave gradients and associated vertical axis rotations in evolving continental rift systems. Detailed field mapping of deformation within two relay zones, located at the tips of en echelon rift faults, reveals pronounced heave displacement deficits that are accommodated by: (1) extensional-shear faults that strike at a low angle ( 45°) and accommodate a significant component of rift zone-parallel extension. Such extension parallel to the rift axis may oppose any shear-induced shortening that is typically required for vertical axis rotations (e.g. bookshelf faulting models). At the surface, this volume increase is accommodated by open fractures, but may be accommodated in the subsurface by veins or dikes oriented oblique- and normal to the rift axis. This proposal is consistent with data from exhumed contemporaneous fault and dike systems seen on the Faroe Islands and in Kangerlussuaq (East Greenland). Based on the findings presented here we propose a new conceptual model for the evolution of segmented continental rift basins on the NE Atlantic margins.

HYDROCARBON ENTRAPMENT IN TRIASSIC TO LATE JURASSIC RESERVOIRS IN THE TIMOR SEA, AUSTRALIA—NEW INSIGHTS

2007 ◽  
Vol 47 (1) ◽  
pp. 39 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. Ellis
Keyword(s):  
Late Jurassic ◽  
Case Histories ◽  
Water Contact ◽  
Hydrocarbon Trap ◽  
Comprehensive Picture ◽  
Timor Sea ◽  
Valid Evidence ◽  
Oil Water ◽  
Oil Source ◽  
Quartz Grains

Abundant oil-filled fluid inclusions at quartz overgrowth/detrital quartz boundaries and in fractures cutting quartz grains are often used as the primary evidence of palaeo-oil columns in Triassic to Late Jurassic reservoirs in numerous wells in the Timor Sea. Based on fluid inclusion analysis of sandstone reservoirs in present oil columns, a Grains containing Oil Inclusions (GOI) value of 5% has been used as a threshold with values >5% indicating palaeo-oil columns. However, values Other indications of palaeo-oil columns are evident below and/or within GOI-defined palaeo-oil columns: good to excellent direct and cut fluorescence on cuttings and/or core, elevated resistivity and reservoir diagenesis. In the case of oil shows these hydrocarbon indications have been discounted as indicating focussed oil migration below a palaeo-oil–water contact rather than indicating a palaeo-oil column.While GOI provides valuable data to support the interpretations of palaeo-oil columns, it provides a picture at one instance in the hydrocarbon entrapment history and therefore should not be used in isolation. Other hydrocarbon indications are equally valid evidence of oil entrapment at one or more different times in the hydrocarbon entrapment history, and should be used with GOI data to provide a comprehensive picture of the evolution of a hydrocarbon trap. Case histories from wells Crux–1, in the northern Browse Basin, and Oliver–1 and Eclipse–2, in the Vulcan Sub-basin of the Timor Sea, illustrate how an integrated picture of hydrocarbon entrapment history can be developed and demonstrate that structures in the Timor Sea have undergone more than one phase of oil entrapment and leakage, with each oil phase potentially from a different oil source.

FLEXURAL ISOSTATIC MODELLING AS A CONSTRAINT ON BASIN EVOLUTION, THE DEVELOPMENT OF SEDIMENT SYSTEMS AND PALAEO-HEAT FLOW: APPLICATION TO THE VULCAN SUB-BASIN, TIMOR SEA

1997 ◽  
Vol 37 (1) ◽  
pp. 136 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. Baxter ◽  
G. T. Cooper ◽  
G. W. O'Brien ◽  
K. C. Hill ◽  
S. Sturrock
Keyword(s):  
Heat Flow ◽  
Early Cretaceous ◽  
Lithospheric Mantle ◽  
Lower Crust ◽  
Late Jurassic ◽  
Thermal Anomaly ◽  
Hydrocarbon Generation ◽  
Simple Relationship ◽  
History Of ◽  
Timor Sea

Although the petroleum industry is commonly interested in the upper few kilometres of the lithosphere, it is the deeper stretching events which may drive the development of regional thermal perturbations and which may overprint a significant thermal signature onto the shallower section. The Vulcan Sub-basin, which is located in the Timor Sea, northwestern Australia, has undergone a period of rifting during the Late Jurassic and shows a classic transition from intra-continental rifting to passive margin subsidence during the Late Jurassic to Early Cretaceous. A model has been developed of the Late Jurassic rifting history of the basin, which includes the flexural and stratigraphic response, and the development of the Cretaceous to Recent post- rift basin history. Quantification of the associated vertical motion of the lithosphere suggests that the transition is related to increased ductile extension in the lower crust and lithospheric mantle with little attendant upper crustal faulting to record the magnitude of this event in the structural history of the Vulcan Sub-basin. This lack of upper crustal deformation has resulted in an under- appreciation of the importance of this extensional event.By modelling the Jurassic to Recent basin history, a thermal model may be built allowing predictions of palaeo-heat flow during the critical time of hydrocarbon generation. The model predicts that during the Jurassic and Early Cretaceous, increased lower crust and lithospheric mantle extension produced a thermal anomaly of ~20mW/m2 across the Vulcan Sub-basin. The relaxation of this thermal anomaly in the Cretaceous and Tertiary produced a rapid post-rift subsidence which allowed flooding of the margin, with increased subsidence towards the northwest. However, the evolution of this thermal perturbation beneath the upper crust resulted in a time lag between Late Jurassic rifting and maximum basin heat flow in the Early Cretaceous of up to 30 million years after Callovian breakup Therefore, the simple relationship between upper crustal faulting and total lithosphere stretching common in intra-continental rifts is predicted to break dow n immediately preceding conti nental breakup and necessitates modelling of the transition from syn-rift to post-rift stratigraphy in order to predict the thermal history of the Vulcan Sub-basin.

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