Reservoir modelling and simulation of Lajas Formation outcrops (Argentina) to constrain tidal reservoirs of the Halten Terrace (Norway)

Brandsæter, Inge; McIlroy, Duncan; Lia, Oddvar; Ringrose, Philip; Næss, Arve

doi:10.1144/1354-079303-611

Cited by 49 publications

(15 citation statements)

References 11 publications

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“…However, most research has focused on a segment of the Lajas Formation developed within the Neuquén Embayment and drained mainly from the cratonic areas to the east (McIlroy et al ., ). The Lajas succession in this area varies from 800 to 180 m in thickness (McIlroy et al ., ) and has been interpreted by previous workers (Brandsæter et al ., ; McIlroy et al ., ; Morgans‐Bell & McIlroy, ; Spalletti et al ., ) as a tide‐dominated succession of tidal flat, tidal channel and deltaic deposits that were formed within the open‐mouthed (Neuquén) embayment where tidal currents were prominent and wave action was minimal. The Lajas Formation overlies and interfingers with the muddy Los Molles Formation deep‐water slope deposits and it is overlain by the fluvial deposits of the Challacó Formation, so that in most areas this prism of alluvial to deep marine deposits is infilling the back‐arc basin.…”

Section: Geological Settingmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Furthermore, the relative importance of river, wave or tidal currents impacts sandbody geometry and flow properties (Brandsaeter et al, 2005). For example, FA 2.1 mouth bars are likely to have an aspect ratio determined by river processes (length to width ratio of ca 2:1), with tidal currents reworking sediments only during low-discharge periods and creating possible horizontal and vertical permeability barriers.…”

Section: Sediment Partitioning and Reservoir Implicationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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The role of tidal, wave and river currents in the evolution of mixed‐energy deltas: Example from the Lajas Formation (Argentina)

2016

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Many modern deltas show complex morphologies and architectures related to the interplay of river, wave and tidal currents. However, methods for extracting the signature of the individual processes from the stratigraphic architecture are poorly developed. Through an analysis of facies, palaeocurrents and stratigraphic stacking patterns in the Jurassic Lajas Formation, this paper: (i) separates the signals of wave, tide and river currents; (ii) illustrates the result of strong tidal reworking in the distal reaches of deltaic systems; and (iii) discusses the implications of this reworking for the evolution of mixed‐energy systems and their reservoir heterogeneities. The Lajas Formation, a sand‐rich, shallow‐marine, mixed‐energy deltaic system in the Neuquén Basin of Argentina, previously defined as a tide‐dominated system, presents an exceptional example of process variability at different scales. Tidal signals are predominantly located in the delta front, the subaqueous platform and the distributary channel deposits. Tidal currents vigorously reworked the delta front during transgressions, producing intensely cross‐stratified, sheet‐like, sandstone units. In the subaqueous platform, described for the first time in an ancient outcrop example, the tidal reworking was confined within subtidal channels. The intensive tidal reworking in the distal reaches of the regressive delta front could not have been predicted from knowledge of the coeval proximal reaches of the regressive delta front. The wave signals occur mainly in the shelf or shoreface deposits. The fluvial signals increase in abundance proximally but are always mixed with the other processes. The Lajas system is an unusual clean‐water (i.e. very little mud is present in the system), sand‐rich deltaic system, very different from the majority of mud‐rich, modern tide‐influenced examples. The sand‐rich character is a combination of source proximity, syndepositional tectonic activity and strong tidal‐current reworking, which produced amalgamated sandstone bodies in the delta‐front area, and a final stratigraphic record very different from the simple coarsening‐upward trends of river‐dominated and wave‐dominated delta fronts.

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Section: Geological Settingmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Sediment Partitioning and Reservoir Implicationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

The role of tidal, wave and river currents in the evolution of mixed‐energy deltas: Example from the Lajas Formation (Argentina)

2016

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“…The delta plain is divided into upper and lower sections, and the depositional processes occurring in the lower delta plain are the main focus of this paper. Brandsaeter et al 2005;McIlroy et al 2005;Morgans-Bell and McIlroy 2005;McIlroy 2007;Martinius and Van den Berg 2011). At the time of Lajas deposition the South American Plate was located in a position similar to the present-day configuration (Iglesia Llanos et al 2006;Iglesia Llanos 2012).…”

Section: Geological Backgroundmentioning

confidence: 99%

Stratigraphic Record of River-Dominated Crevasse Subdeltas With Tidal Influence (Lajas Formation, Argentina)

Gugliotta¹,

Flint²,

Hodgson³

et al. 2015

Journal of Sedimentary Research

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Crevasse subdeltas develop on modern river-dominated delta plains, and may be affected by the interaction of river currents and marine processes. However, their sedimentology and stratigraphic architecture is poorly constrained, leading to simplistic depositional models of delta-plain systems in the ancient record. Extensive exposures of the Middle Jurassic Lajas Formation permit the architecture, main stratigraphic surfaces, and lateral and vertical facies variations of crevasse subdelta deposits to be constrained. Lower-delta-plain successions studied in the Lajas Formation consist of up to 5-m-thick distributary channels and interdistributary-bay deposits, interpreted as crevasse subdeltas. Crevasse subdelta deposits consist of small-scale lenticular units (, 1-2 m thick) interpreted as crevasse channels and upward-coarsening and upward-thickening packages (, 2 m thick) with clinothems interpreted as crevasse mouth bars. These deposits preserve interbedding of coarser and finer sediments that are interpreted as river flood and interflood couplets associated with variations in river discharge. River flood beds are commonly structureless and erosionally based, and show little evidence of tidal action and brackish-water conditions. Interflood deposits show rhythmically distributed mudstone drapes, bimodality, and brackish trace fossils. This study highlights an important but largely undocumented component of interdistributary deposits consisting of tide-influenced, but strongly riverdominated, prograding depositional bodies. An implication is that some coarsening-upward, forward-accreting units previously interpreted from the rock record as interchannel ''tidal bars'' may instead represent minor mouth bars of tide-influenced crevasse subdeltas. Furthermore, present-day crevasse subdeltas are restricted to river-dominated delta systems that flow into semi-enclosed or enclosed seas and lakes with microtidal conditions and limited wave action, which is comparable to paleogeographic reconstructions for the Neuquén Basin during the Middle Jurassic.

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“…Flint & Bryant 1993 and references therein; Brandsaeter et al 2005), which allowed specific questions, such as the connectivity of channels in 3D (Jones et al 1993;Georgsen et al 1994;Khan et al 1995) or the impact of certain specific baffle populations on flow (e.g. Stephen et al 2001), to be dynamically tested and better understood.…”

Section: Early Development and Evolution Of Quantitative Outcrop Analmentioning

confidence: 99%

The application of outcrop analogues in geological modelling: a review, present status and future outlook

2014

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Analogues, especially outcrop analogues, have played a central role in improving understanding of subsurface reservoir architectures. Analogues provide important information on geobody size, geometry and potential connectivity. The historical application of outcrop analogues for understanding geobody distributions in reservoirs is reviewed, from the pioneering work of the 1960s to the high-tech virtual outcrop methodologies of today. Four key types of analogue data are identified: hard data, which describe the dimensions and geometry of the geobody; soft data, which describe the conceptual relationships between different geobody types; training images, which record the dimensions, proportions and spatial relationship; and analogue production data, which are taken from direct subsurface production analogues. The use of these different data types at different stages of the geomodelling workflow is discussed and the potential sources of error considered. Finally, a review of geobody and analogue studies in different clastic environments is discussed with reference to selected previous work and the range of papers in the current volume.Over the last 30 years, computer-based, geocellular models have become a routinely used tool for understanding subsurface reservoirs (Budding & Inglin 1981; review in Keogh et al. 2007). Such models are typically built to aid field development and reservoir management business decisions, but also serve the purpose of integrating disparate scales and types of subsurface data, and visualizing complex three-dimensional (3D) distributions of rocks and fluids. Since the application of early modelling tools, to the present day, it has been common practice to supplement sparse subsurface datasets (e.g. wells and seismic) with data and concepts derived from reservoir analogues. The intention of this process is to generate more accurate representations of the subsurface than would otherwise be possible. Considerable effort has been expended in recent years by industry and academia on the description of reservoir analogues for this purpose. This paper examines the challenges inherent in selection and application of appropriate analogue data, particularly quantitative datasets, during construction of geological models.The most commonly used type of analogue is the outcrop, where information on geometric data that are limited in the subsurface is more readily available in cliff sections. Analogues may also include subsurface data but this is less common. This aspect is considered briefly in this review. The perspective on the application of analogues as discussed here is with regard to sedimentology and stratigraphy applied to hydrocarbon reservoir analysis, and the insights that 3D facies models bring to the distribution of petrophysical properties that control hydrocarbon flow. The discussion is based on clastic systems, but many of the aspects described are equally as applicable to carbonates, although they are not discussed explicitly here. Other branches of subsurface modelling, no...

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Reservoir modelling and simulation of Lajas Formation outcrops (Argentina) to constrain tidal reservoirs of the Halten Terrace (Norway)

Cited by 49 publications

References 11 publications

The role of tidal, wave and river currents in the evolution of mixed‐energy deltas: Example from the Lajas Formation (Argentina)

The role of tidal, wave and river currents in the evolution of mixed‐energy deltas: Example from the Lajas Formation (Argentina)

Stratigraphic Record of River-Dominated Crevasse Subdeltas With Tidal Influence (Lajas Formation, Argentina)

The application of outcrop analogues in geological modelling: a review, present status and future outlook

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