Petroleum Science >2014, Issue 1: 14-27 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12182-014-0314-9
High-frequency and low-amplitude relative sea-level changes in the Turonian Ferron Notom Delta, Henry Mountains region Utah, USA: implications for sequence stratigraphy and hydrocarbon exploration Open Access
文章信息
作者:Li Weiguo and Zhu Yijie
作者单位:
BP America Inc., 501 Westlake Park, Houston, Texas, USA 77079 and Chevron Energy Technology Company, 1500 Louisiana Street, Houston, Texas, USA 77002
投稿时间:2013-01-01
引用方式:Li, W. & Zhu, Y. Pet. Sci. (2014) 11: 14. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12182-014-0314-9
文章摘要
The Turonian Notom Delta is one of the Ferron fluvial-deltaic wedges deposited in the foreland basins of the Cretaceous Seaway of North America. The wedge is exposed three dimensionally in the Henry Mountains region Utah, USA. High-resolution sequence stratigraphic analysis along a 35 km dip-oriented outcrop belt shows that the wedge consists of six depositional sequences. Ammonite and Inoceramid biostratigraphy and 40Ar/39Ar age dating of various bentonites show that the wedge was deposited from 91.25 Ma to 90.63 Ma, an interval of merely 0.62 Ma. Assuming each sequence is formed over a similar time span, each sequence, thus, represents about 105 yr, suggesting high-frequency depositional sequences. Amplitude of relative sea-level changes, built on shoreline trajectory, is 2-61 m, with an average of only 20 m. Fluvial incision during high-frequency and low-amplitude relative sealevel fall is mainly around the highstand prism. Incision diminishes rapidly up dip and down dip, and the resultant incised valleys are narrow and shallow. Such sea-level fluctuations also result in small, stratigraphically complex shoreline sandstones that need special attention during hydrocarbon exploration.
关键词
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Ferron Notom Delta, time stratigraphy, shoreline trajectory, age dating, Cretaceous Seaway of North America