Sedimentary characteristics and internal architecture of a river-dominated delta controlled by autogenic process:implications from a flume tank experiment

Autogenic processes are widely found in various sedimentary systems and they play an important role in the depositional evolution and corresponding sedimentary architecture.However,autogenic processes are often affected by changing allogenic factors and are difficult to be identified and analyzed from modern and ancient records.Through the flume tank experiment under constant boundary conditions,the depositional process,evolution principles,and the sedimentary architecture of a river-dominated delta was presented,and a corresponding sedimentary architecture model was constructed.The evolution of river-dominated delta controlled only by autogenic process is obviously periodic,and each autogenic cycle can be divided into an initial progradational stage,a middle retrogratational stage,and a late aggradational–progradational stage.In the initial progradational stage,one feeder channel incised into the delta plain,mouth bar(s)was formed in front of the channel mouth,and small-scale crevasse splays were formed on the delta plain.In the middle retrogradational stage,the feeder channel was blocked by the mouth bar(s)which grew out of water at the end of the initial stage,and a set of large-scale distributary splay complexes were formed on the delta plain.These distributary splay complexes were retrogradationally overlapped due to the continuous migration of the bifurcation point of the feeder channel.In the late aggradational–progradational stage,the feeder channel branched into several radial distributary channels,overlapped distributary channels were formed on the delta plain,and terminal lobe complexes were formed at the end of distributary channels.The three sedimentary layers formed in the three stages constituted an autogenic succession.The experimental delta consisted of six autogenic depositional successions.Dynamic allocation of accommodation space and the following adaptive sediments filling were the two main driving factors of the autogenic evolution of deltas.

Effects of water discharge on river-dominated delta growth

River-dominated deltas are commonly developed at modern bays and lakes and ancient petroliferous basins.Water discharge is an important variable at pay zone scales in river-dominated delta reservoirs,which affects deltaic sand distributions and evolutions.However,it's unclear how it influences riverdominated delta growth.This paper integrates Delft3 D simulations and modern analogs to analyze the effects of water discharge,considering growth time,sediment supply,and coupled effects of sediment properties.High water discharges lead to the formation of lobate deltas,and the water discharge of 1,000 m~3/s is a referenced threshold value.Fine-grained,highly-cohesive sediments increase the threshold values of water discharge at which the deltas become lobate from digitate,and vice versa.For the same simulation time,high water discharges favor more rugose shorelines,more distributary channels(especially secondary distributaries),and longer and wider deltas with more land areas.However,for the same sediment supply,high water discharges have few effects on shoreline roughness and the number of distributary channels.

The influence of water level changes on sand bodies at river-dominated delta fronts:The Gubei Sag,Bohai Bay Basin

Changes in water level are one of the important factors controlling the constructive characteristics of deltas.The paper studies the influence of water level changes on sand bodies in the third member of the Shahejie Formation(Es3)on the gentle southern slope of the Gubei Sag,Bohai Bay Basin and draw some conclusions that,for complex sand bodies,with the increase in water level the distributary channels bifurcate frequently,from a simple branching shape to a network shape along with the increase in the development of crevasse splays,mouth bars and sheet sands.For single sand bodies,with an increase in water level in the slope zone of the lake basin close to the source area,the superimposition style transitioned from vertical cutting-stacking and lateral isolation to vertical stitching,isolation and lateral stitching.However,in the central zone of the lake basin far from the source area,the superimposition style transitioned from vertical stitching and lateral stitching to vertical isolation and lateral isolation.When water level stays stable,the greater the distance from the source area the greater the disaggregation ratio of a single sand body.At the same distance from the source area,higher water level tends to result in greater disaggregation ratio of a single sand body.

Gradual Evolution from Fluvial Dominated to Tide Dominated Deltas and Channel Type Transformation: A Case Study of MPE3 Block in the Orinoco Heavy Oil Belt of the Eastern Venezuelan Basin

Based on the data of core description and sporopollen analysis,the gradual evolution of deltas in vertical direction and transition of channel types in the MPE3 block of the eastern Venezuela Basin have been surveyed by seismic phase and well logging facies interpretation.The results show that due to the great sea level rise,the sedimentary system of the Miocene Oficina Formation in the MPE3 block shifted from the distal-source sandy braided river delta to tide-affected delta,and eventually to tide-dominated delta.Vertically,during the early stage of sedimentation of Oficina Formation,the distributary channels of the delta were dominated by braided river channels.While in the later stage,as the tidal effect was gradually intensified,the channel changed from braided channel to meandering channel.On plane,as a result of differential transgression,sedimentary framework and distribution of sand bodies vary across the study area.Compared with the eastern part,the western part has more braided channels,larger channel bars,less developments of distributary bay and higher ratio of sand to mud.Whereas the braided channels in the south are larger than those in the north.It is the first time we pointed out the impact of marine transgression differences on the sedimentary facies distribution and river type transition in the study area.Factors like the structural and paleogeomorphological change,sea level variation,supply of sediments have strong influence on the evolution of sedimentary system and distribution of sandbodies.It is predicted that the major sandbody is more developed in the central south,which can guide the subsequent horizontal well development.