Forward stratigraphic modeling of the Permian of the Delaware Basin

Conference · Mon Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1996 · AAPG Bulletin

OSTI ID:6589112

Qiucheng, Ye; Kerans, C; Bowman, S ^[1]

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1. Univ. of Texas, Austin, TX (United States); and others

Permian platform-to-basin strata of the Delaware Basin In west Texas and New Mexico represent one of the world's most complete, best studied, and most hydrocarbon productive records of this geologic period in the world. This superb marriage of a refined stratigraphic framework and active exploration provided impetus to develop a forward stratigraphic model of this section to better predict the distribution of reservoir and seal relationships. The approximately 30 m.y. interval modeled is composed of 2 km of platform strata and 3 km of basinal strata divided into 8 composite sequences (average 3 m.y. duration) and 45 high-frequency sequences (400 ky m.y. duration). A 130 km dip section through the basin margin Guadalupe/Deleware Mountain outcrop is inversely modeled to derive local tectonic subsidence and a sea level curve for the Permian. In this process, the highest and lowest shoreline positions of each sequence are interpreted based on facies description which are assumed to approximate the highest and lowest relative sea level. A eustatic sea level curve is calculated by restoring these shoreline positions and removing local tectonic subsidence using a polynomial fit to the derived relative sea level curve. The quantitatively constrained curve for the Permian contains 2nd, 3rd, and 4th order 180m. This quantitatively constrained accommodation history (calculated eustatic curve and subsidence history) are input into the PHIL forward modeling program. Model variables of sediment supply are depositional system are adjusted to match known outcrop relations. The resulting model is potentially capable of predicting stratigraphy elsewhere in the basin using only subsidence history data from the inverse model.

• OSTI ID: 6589112
• Report Number(s): CONF-960527-; CODEN: AABUD2
• Journal Information: AAPG Bulletin, Vol. 5; Conference: Annual convention of the American Association of Petroleum Geologists, Inc. and the Society for Sedimentary Geology: global exploration and geotechnology, San Diego, CA (United States), 19-22 May 1996; ISSN 0149-1423
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

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