Fault reactivation and structural inversion physical models analyzed with x-ray scanner and seismic examples

Conference · Tue May 01 04:00:00 EDT 1990 · AAPG Bulletin (American Association of Petroleum Geologists); (USA)

OSTI ID:6677189

Letouzey, J; Colletta, B; Benard, F; Sassi, W ^[1]; Bale, P

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1. Institut Francais du Petrole, Rueill Malmaison (France)

Factors controlling the reactivation by compression of preexisting cohensionless faults and especially normal faults are discussed. Some faults will have been reactivated by compression or a new failure will have occurred, depending on their orientation, their coefficient of sliding friction, and the state of stress. The optimum conditions for reactivation are fault planes whose orientation is closer to the failure plane for isotropic rocks with the same mechanical properties as the preexisting fault plane, i.e., subvertical preexisting fault striking oblique to the main regional stress axis {delta}{sup 1} in strike slip tectonic regime ({delta}{sup 1} and {delta}{sup 3} horizontal) and low dipping preexisting fault in compressive tectonic regime ({delta}{sub 1} and {delta}{sup 2} horizontal). Reverse, strike-slip reverse, or strike-slip movement is excpected along the fault plane depending on its orientation relative to the regional stress field. Weakly inverted graben in an intracratonic area demonstrates these principles. The orientation of a fault plane relative to the regional stress field and the amount of shortening will control whether no reactivation or reactivation with reverse or oblique slip movements is to be expected. During the inversion process, rocks of the hanging walls of the main preexisting normal faults were folded and uplifted. Seismic profiles across the eastern Sunda platform in Indonesia display both large- and small-scale uninverted and inverted grabens in different stages of evolution, together with less common features, such as the inversion of an eroded syncline and low-dipping weak zone reactivation During the reactivation by compression of preexisting normal faults, flexuring and folding of the sediment cover generally occurred before the reactivation of the fault plane.

• OSTI ID: 6677189
• Report Number(s): CONF-900605--
• Conference Information: Journal Name: AAPG Bulletin (American Association of Petroleum Geologists); (USA) Journal Volume: 74:5
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

02 PETROLEUM
020200* -- Petroleum-- Reserves
Geology
& Exploration
58 GEOSCIENCES
580000 -- Geosciences
GEOLOGIC FAULTS
GEOLOGIC FRACTURES
GEOLOGIC MODELS
GEOLOGIC STRUCTURES
GEOPHYSICAL SURVEYS
SEISMIC SURVEYS
SURVEYS
TECTONICS