Gravity-Driven Listric Growth Fault and Sedimentation in the Lagoa do Peixe, Rio Grande do Sul Coastal Plain, Brazil

High frequency, high resolution GPR surveys are successfully applied to investigate near-surface stratification architecture of sedimentary units in coastal plains and to define their depositional conditions. However, low frequency GPR surveys to investigate fault-related depositional systems at greater depths are scarce. This survey was designed investigate a > 100 km long linear escarpment that controls the northwest margin of the Lagoa do Peixe, an important lagoon in Rio Grande do Sul Coastal Plain (RGSCP, Brazil). The traditional approach points that RGSCP was developed by juxtaposition of four lagoons/barrier systems as consequence of sea level changes;no deformational structure is admitted to exist before. The low frequency GPR (50 MHz, RTA antenna) and geological surveys carried out in the RGSCP showed the existence of a large, gravity-driven listric growth fault controlling the Lagoa do Peixe escarpment and hangingwall sedimentation. The radargrams in four subareas along the Lagoa do Peixe Growth Fault could be interpreted following the seismic expression of rift-related depositional systems. The radargrams enabled to distinguish three main lagoonal deposition radarfacies. The lower lagoonal radarfacies is a convex upward unit, thicker close to growth fault;the radarfacies geometry indicates that fault displacement rate surpasses the sedimentation rate, and its upper stratum is aged ~3500 l4C years BP. The second lagoonal radarfacies is a triangular wedge restricted to the lagoon depocenter, whose geometry indicates that fault displacement and the sedimentation rates kept pace. The upper lagoonal radarfacies is being deposited since 1060 ± 70 l4C years BP, under sedimentation rate higher than fault displacement rate. The results indicate that low frequency GPR surveys can help in investigating fault-related depositional systems in coastal zones. They also point to a new approach in dealing with RGSCP stratigraphy.

Origin and growth mechanisms of strike-slip faults in the central Tarim cratonic basin, NW China

Through fault structure analysis and chronology study, we discuss the origin and growth mechanisms of strike-slip faults in the Tarim Basin.(1) Multiple stages strike-slip faults with inherited growth were developed in the central Tarim cratonic basin. The faults initiation time is constrained at the end of Middle Ordovician of about 460 Ma according to U-Pb dating of the fault cements and seismic interpretation.(2) The formation of the strike-slip faults was controlled by the near N-S direction stress field caused by far-field compression of the closing of the Proto-Tethys Ocean.(3) The faults localization and characteristics were influenced by the pre-existing structures of the NE trending weakening zones in the basement and lithofacies change from south to north.(4) Following the fault initiation under the Andersonian mechanism, the strike-slip fault growth was dominantly fault linkage, associated with fault tip propagation and interaction of non-Andersonian mechanisms.(5) Sequential slip accommodated deformation in the conjugate strike-slip fault interaction zones, strong localization of the main displacement and deformation occurred in the overlap zones in the northern Tarim, while the fault tips, particularly of narrow-deep grabens, and strike-slip segments in thrust zones accumulated more deformation and strain in the Central uplift. In conclusion, non-Andersonian mechanisms, dominantly fault linkage and interaction, resulted in the small displacement but long intraplate strike-slip fault development in the central Tarim Basin. The regional and localized field stress, and pre-existing structures and lithofacies difference had strong impacts on the diversity of the strike-slip faults in the Tarim cratonic basin.

Genetic models of structural traps related to normal faults in the Putaohua Oilfield,Songliao Basin

The Putaohua Oilfield is a fault-prolific area and the faults have close relation with structural traps. The genetic models of the structural traps in the Putaohua Oilfield can be divided into two types： individual fault model and multi-fault interaction model. This is based on the description of displacement distribution of typical individual normal faults, the geometry of the footwall and hanging wall, and the analysis of the interaction between faults and the corresponding change in geometry when the faults grow. The individual fault model is that the displacement reaches a maximum at or near the center of fault and decreases toward the fault tips, so a half-graben is formed on the hanging wall of the fault and a half- anticline is formed on the footwall because of the isostatic process. The multi-fault interaction model is that during the growth of faults, they overlap and interact with each other, and accommodation zones are formed in the overlapping segments. The accommodation zones are favorable targets for hydrocarbon exploration, and the trap characteristics are dependent The multi-fault interaction model can be subdivided on the extent of overlap and occurrence of faults. into three types： synthetic accommodation zone, convergent accommodation zone and divergent accommodation zone. Hydrocarbon migration and accumulation models of each type have been developed. The hydrocarbon migration and accumulation models of the traps with different genetic models have their own characteristics in the different stages of fault growth.

A New Growth Model of Fault Attributes in a Strike-Slip Fault System in the Tarim Basin

Fault attributes generally display a consistent power–law-scaling relationship.Based on new 3 D seismic data,however,we found some exceptional fault attribute relationships of lengths(L)–throw(T)(vertical component of displacement),overlap zone length(Lo)–width(Wo)from a strike-slip fault system of the Ordovician carbonates in the Tarim Basin.The L–T relationship shows two linear segments with breakup at^40 km in fault length.This presents an exceptional throw increase in the second stage,which is attributed to a localization of vertical displacement and deformation in overlapping zones other than the different fault scales in a mature fault zone.The Lo–Wo relationship in the overlapping zones shows multiply stepped-shape patterns,suggesting multiple fault differential growth and periodic increase in fault size.Therefore,we propose a new alternative growth model of fault attributes in strike-slip fault zones,in which the overlapping zones accumulated localized displacement and deformation in the intracratonic strike-slip fault zone.

Fault-Growth Pattern of the South Margin Normal Fault of the Yuguang Basin in Northwest Beijing and its Influencing Factors

Based on high-resolution remote sensing image interpretation, digital elevation model 3-D analysis, field geologic field investigation, trenching engineering, and ground-penetrating radar, synthetic research on the evolution of the Yuguang Basin South Margin Fault （YBSMF） in northwest Beijing was carried out. We found that the propagation and growth of faults most often occurred often at two locations： the fault overlapping zone and the uneven or rough fault segment. Through detailed observation and analysis of all cropouts of faults along the YBSMF from zone a to zone i, we identified three major factors that dominate or affect fault propagation and growth. First, the irregularity of fault geometry determine the propagation and growth of the fault, and therefore, the faults always propagate and grow at such irregular fault segments. The fault finally cuts off and eliminates its irregularity, making the fault geometry and fault plane smoother than before, which contributes to the slipping movement of the half-graben block in the basin. Second, the scale of the irregularity of the fault geometry affects the result of fault propagation and growth, that is, the degree of the cutting off of fault irregularity. The degree of cutting off decreases as irregularity scale increases. Third, the maximum possible slip displacement of the fault segment influences the duration of fault propagation and growth. The duration at the central segments with a large slip displacement is longer than that at the end segments with a smaller slippage value.

Integrated Modelling and Reservoir Characterization of Ataga Field, Niger Delta Basin, Nigeria

Integrated modelling, well correlation and petrophysical analysis were performed to characterize the reservoirs for optimum hydrocarbon correlation using 3-D seismic reflection data and suites of well logs from Ataga 5, 7, 10 and 11 wells respectively in Ataga field, shallow offshore, Niger Delta Basin, Nigeria. The study revealed the presence of two viable hydrocarbon bearing reservoirs, AT1 and AT2 and the average values of porosity, permeability, water saturation, hydrocarbon saturation, Net to Gross (NTG) and volume of shale are in the ranges of 15% - 77%, 44.5% - 75.5%, 25.5% - 85%, 15% - 75.5%, 0.70 - 0.88 and 0.11 - 0.38 respectively which goes further to show that the both reservoirs have fair characteristics that are suggestive of the presence of hydrocarbon accumulation. It can therefore be deduced that the permeability values are reflective of fair interconnectivity of pore spaces of sands within the well areas and their ability to transmit fluids, the depth and depth structural map generated for the horizons and structures shows that the most dominant trapping mechanism in the area under study is the crescentic growth fault and the rollover anticlines trending in the Northwest-Southeast direction and from the volumetric analysis. It can be deduced that the recoverable gas for AT1 and AT2 reservoirs is 2 × 106 mscf and 6 × 106 mscf respectively.

Characteristics of fault zones and their control on remaining oil distribution at the fault edge: a case study from the northern Xingshugang Anticline in the Daqing Oilfield, China

Most major oil zones in the Daqing Oilfield have reached a later,high water cut stage,but oil recovery is still only approximately 35%,and 50%of reserves remain to be recovered.The remaining oil is primarily distributed at the edge of faults,in poor sand bodies,and in insufficiently injected and produced areas.Therefore,the edge of faults is a major target for remaining oil enrichment and potential tapping.Based on the dynamic change of production from development wells determined by the injection-recovery relationship at the edge of faults,we analyzed the control of structural features of faults on remaining oil enrichment at the edge.Our results show that the macroscopic structural features and their geometric relationship with sand bodies controlled remaining oil enrichment zones like the edges of NNE-striking faults,the footwalls of antithetic faults,the hard linkage segments（two faults had linked together with each other to form a bigger through-going fault）,the tips of faults,and the oblique anticlines of soft linkages.Fault edges formed two types of forward microamplitude structures：（1） the tilted uplift of footwalls controlled by inverse fault sections and（2） the hanging-wall horizontal anticlines controlled by synthetic fault points.The remaining oil distribution was controlled by microamplitude structures.Consequently,such zones as the tilted uplift of the footwall of the NNW-striking antithetic faults with a fault throw larger than 40 m,the hard linkage segments,the tips of faults,and the oblique anticlines of soft linkage were favorable for tapping the remaining oil potential.Multi-target directional drilling was used for remaining oil development at fault edges.Reasonable fault spacing was determined on the basis of fault combinations and width of the shattered zone.Well core and log data revealed that the width of the shattered zone on the side of the fault core was less than 15 m in general;therefore,the distance from a fault to the development target should be larger than 15 m.Vertically segmented growth faults should take the separation of the lateral overlap of faults into account.Therefore,the safe distance of remaining oil well deployment at the fault edge should be larger than the sum of the width of shattered zone in faults and the separation of growth faults by vertical segmentation.

NHPP-based software reliability model considering testing effort and multivariate fault detection rate

In recent decades,many software reliability growth models（SRGMs） have been proposed for the engineers and testers in measuring the software reliability precisely.Most of them is established based on the non-homogeneous Poisson process（NHPP）,and it is proved that the prediction accuracy of such models could be improved by adding the describing of characterization of testing effort.However,some research work indicates that the fault detection rate（FDR） is another key factor affects final software quality.Most early NHPPbased models deal with the FDR as constant or piecewise function,which does not fit the different testing stages well.Thus,this paper first incorporates a multivariate function of FDR,which is bathtub-shaped,into the NHPP-based SRGMs considering testing effort in order to further improve performance.A new model framework is proposed,and a stepwise method is used to apply the framework with real data sets to find the optimal model.Experimental studies show that the obtained new model can provide better performance of fitting and prediction compared with other traditional SRGMs.

Quantitative Analysis of Faults in Huizhou Sub-basin, Pearl River Mouth Basin

This study used 2D seismic profiles to investigate the Cenozoic evolution of faults in the Huizhou Sub-basin. It aims to define the basin structure style through describing the geometric fea- tures of the faults and quantitatively analyzing their activities. The results indicate that the boundary faults in the Huizhou Sub-basin display en echelon arrangement in plan view, which indicates that, it was caused by a kind of oblique extension. Calculating the fault slips shows long-term activities of faults occurred in the basin, and some boundary faults kept active after 5.5 Ma. The evolution history of the fault system is reconstructed. Initially, during the Eocene-Early Oligocene, mainly NNE-NE and NW trending faults and NE striking grabens and half-grabens formed in the basin and a series of faults system controlled the deposition. During the Late Oligocene--Early Miocene, the structural ac- tivities were relatively weak, the fault activity and the fault growth rate decreased sharply. Finally, in the late stage from Late Miocene to the present, the structure movement was re-activated, and some faults were also reactivated. Our study will help better understand the structural features and evolu- tion of the petroleum-bearing basins in the northern margin of the South China Sea.

Stacking fault energy in some single crystals

The stacking fault energy of single crystals has been reported using the peak shift method.Presently studied all single crystals are grown by using a direct vapor transport（DVT） technique in the laboratory.The structural characterizations of these crystals are made by XRD.Considerable variations are shown in deformation （α） and growth（β） probabilities in single crystals due to off-stoichiometry,which possesses the stacking fault in the single crystal.