Simple approximations for estimating quickly the motion and timing of salt diapir rise, overhang development, and associated thermal anomalies using present-day observations: Case history from the Gulf of Mexico and Danish North Sea
- Univ. of South Carolina, Columbia, SC (United States)
- Saga Petroleum, Sandvika (Norway)
Estimates of the upward motion of salt, due solely to buoyancy forces, through deposited and depositing sedimentary cover can be split into several parts: the critical thickness of sedimentary cover necessary to cause an underlying salt to become buoyant; the critical thickness of sedimentary cover necessary for a salt diapir to reach the sediment mudline in the absence of an impeding pressure of competent sediments opposing salt rise and in the absence of significant overpressure (both differential impedance and differential overpressure will slow the rise of the salt to the mudline); the effective speed of motion of the salt through the nonimpeding sediments during the salt's buoyant-ascent phase; current observed salt-top depth below mudline versus nonimpeded predicted salt-top depth leading to (a) minimum estimate of mechanical strength of competent resistive layers, and (b) an approximate estimate of buoyancy pressure of salt attempting to penetrate the resistive cover layer; uplift estimate of the overlying competent sediments because of the buoyancy pressure, in relation to observed uplift, leading to an estimate of salt-diapir rise speed since reaching the impeding formation; timing estimates of [open quotes]mushroom cap[close quotes] development of salt since emplacement of the resistive overlying layer and an estimate of the lateral competence of sedimentary beds ahead of the mushroom-salt sheet cap as a consequence of the observed mushroom extent; an estimate of evolving thermal anomalies around the dynamic salt/sediment system as a consequence of high-salt thermal conductivity. Such simple rough estimation methods are important in assessing the local and regional factors influencing the dynamic, thermal, and hydrocarbon retention factors in basinal sediments influenced by salt. Examples from the Gulf of Mexico and the Danish North Sea illustrate how to use both seismic and/or downhole data to perform the simple estimates.
- OSTI ID:
- 6964916
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-9310237-; CODEN: AABUD2
- Journal Information:
- AAPG Bulletin (American Association of Petroleum Geologists); (United States), Vol. 77:9; Conference: American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG) mid-continent section meeting, Amarillo, TX (United States), 10-12 Oct 1993; ISSN 0149-1423
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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03 NATURAL GAS
HYDROCARBONS
RESOURCE ASSESSMENT
SALT DEPOSITS
MOTION
SEDIMENTS
THICKNESS
GULF OF MEXICO
NORTH SEA
PROBABILISTIC ESTIMATION
SEISMIC SURVEYS
THERMAL CONDUCTIVITY
ATLANTIC OCEAN
CARIBBEAN SEA
DIMENSIONS
GEOLOGIC DEPOSITS
GEOPHYSICAL SURVEYS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
SEAS
SURFACE WATERS
SURVEYS
THERMODYNAMIC PROPERTIES
020200* - Petroleum- Reserves
Geology
& Exploration
030200 - Natural Gas- Reserves
Geology
& Exploration