Salt Tectonics and Basin Evolution in the Gabon Coastal Basin,West Africa

The Gabon Coastal Basin is a typical saliferous basin located in the middle portion of the West African passive continental margin. Complex salt tectonics make sedimentary sequences and structural frameworks difficult to interpret and can lead to difficulties in construction of balanced cross-sections and reconstruction of basin evolutionary processes. Sedimentary facies and salt structur- al patterns displaying zonation are based on seismic reflection profiles and drilling data. Two near-vertical fault systems, NW-SE and NE-SW, caused basin to be subdivided E-W zoning and N-S partitioning. Scarp slopes and extension faults formed in the Hinge belt III zone where salt diapir piercement occurred and numbers of salt pillars, salt stocks and salt rollers developed under transten- sion of coupled near-orthogonal fault systems. The zone east of Hinge belt III is characterized by small-scale salt domes and salt pillows. To the west are large-scale salt walls and salt bulge anticlines caused by diapirism promoted by tension and torsion that also resulted in formation of numerous salt pillars, salt stocks and salt rollers. Our modeling of salt tectonic structures indicates that they were produced by plastic rheological deformation of salt under regional stress fields that varied during three distinct phases of extension, compression and re-activation. Hinge belt III was active from Coniacian to Early Eocene, which was a critical period of formation of salt structures when many extension-related salt structures formed and salt diapirism controlled the distribution of turbidite fans. Rootless extrusion-related salt stocks developed throughout the Late Eocene to Early Oligocene as a result of lo- cal ephemeral low-intensity tectonic inversion. Post Oligocene salt diapirism was weak and salt tecton- ics had a weak influence on sedimentation. Balanced cross-sections of two saliferous horizons crossing different tectonic units from east to west reveal that the basin tectonic evolution and sediment filling processes can be divided into three stages containing seven episodes of rifting, transition and drifting.

Mechanism of Salt Migration Driven by Tectonic Processes:Insights from Physical and Numerical Modeling

1 Introduction Physical and numerical models are constructed to investigate the evolution and mechanism of salt migration driven by tectonic processes.In recent years,we have designed and ran series of models to simulate salt

Structural characteristics and deep-water hydrocarbon accumulation model of the Scotian Basin, Eastern Canada

Commercial hydrocarbon reservoirs have been discovered in shallow-water areas of the Scotian Basin, Eastern Canada. However, knowledge about the structure and hydrocarbon accumulation characteristics of the basin is still insufficient, which constrains the oil and gas exploration in deep-water areas. Based on comprehensive data of magnetic anomalies, seismic survey, and drilling, this study determines the structure characteristics of the Scotian Basin and its hydrocarbon accumulation conditions in deep waters and evaluates the deep-water hydrocarbon exploration potential. The transform faults and basement structures in the northern basin control the sedimentary framework showing thick strata in east and thin strata in west of the basin. The bowl-shaped depression formed by thermal subsidence during the transitional phase and the confined environment (micro basins) caused by salt tectonics provide favorable conditions for the development of source rocks during the depression stage (also referred to as the depression period sequence) of the basin. The progradation of large shelf-margin deltas during the drift phase and steep continental slope provide favorable conditions for the deposition of slope-floor fans on continental margins of the basin. Moreover, the source-reservoir assemblage comprising the source rocks within the depression stage and the turbidite sandstones on the continental margin in the deep waters may form large deep-water turbidite sandstone reservoirs. This study will provide a valuable reference for the deep-water hydrocarbon exploration in the Scotian Basin.

New Evidence of the Holokinetic Sequences around Suakin-1 and -2in the Sudanese Red Sea Area Using Integrated Geophysical Interpretation

Suakin-1 and Suakin-2 wells are in the Sudanese Red Sea segment where the hydrocarbon generation had been proved by previous studies, however, no reasonable reserve was evidenced due to the complexities of the surrounding salt structures. Six seismic lines were tied to Suakin-1 and -2 to delineate the controlling salt tectonics. The salt evacuation (Roho) and other salt bodies were recognized and matched with similar salt structures in analogous stratigraphic conditions as the Gulf of Mexico and Angola margin. While a previous inconsistent interpretation in the study area marked the high amplitude horizon of the Lower Zeit formation as the top of the Dungunab formation. Three seismic features indicated the presence of salt dome (autochthonous): velocity pull-up, dragging of the sedimentary layers forming mini basins around the third feature, which is the relative transparency of the seismic signal in two piercing like bodies. This interpretation similarly demarcated that the salt escaped east-wards, thus the mapped welded salt is believed to be formed after the salt evacuation. A 3D seismic with a far offset and wide range of azimuth is recommended for detailed imaging.