Stratigraphy of architectural elements in a buried volcanic system and implications for hydrocarbon exploration

Bischoff, Alan; Nicol, Andrew; Beggs, Mac

doi:10.1190/int-2016-0201.1

Cited by 62 publications

(70 citation statements)

References 30 publications

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“…Furthermore, seismic data allow us to study ancient volcanic provinces without the need for erosional dissection. However, there are few studies that have used seismic data to study the products of submarine volcanism (e.g., Bischoff et al, 2017;Zhao et al, 2014). Instead, detailed descriptions of the morphology and emplacement of lava flows in seismic data are largely based on examples from the subaerial environment (McLean et al, 2017;Planke et al, 2017;Schofield & Jolley, 2013;Thomson, 2005).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Three‐Dimensional Seismic Imaging of Ancient Submarine Lava Flows: An Example From the Southern Australian Margin

Reynolds

Holford

Schofield

et al. 2017

Geochem Geophys Geosyst

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Submarine lava flows are the most common surficial igneous rock on the Earth. However, they are inherently more difficult to study than their subaerial counterparts due to their inaccessibility. In this study, we use newly acquired 3‐D (three‐dimensional) seismic reflection data to document the distribution and morphology of 26 ancient, buried lava flows within the middle Eocene‐aged Bight Basin Igneous Complex, offshore southern Australia. Many of these lava flows are associated with volcanoes that vary from 60 to 625 m in height and 0.3 to 10 km in diameter. Well data and seismic‐stratigraphic relationships suggest that the lava flows and volcanoes were emplaced offshore in water depths of <300 m. The lava flows range from 0.5 to 34 km in length and 1 to 15 km in width and are typified by tabular and dendritic forms. This morphological variation may result from differing lava effusion rates and/or the volumes of lava erupted. We demonstrate that: (1) the dendritic flows contain complex lava distribution systems and kipukas, features never‐before observed from seismic data; and (2) the distribution and morphology of the lava flows was strongly controlled by the emplacement of magmatic intrusion‐induced forced folds. This suggests that magmatic intrusions may play an important role in controlling the distribution of lava flows elsewhere. Our study highlights the usefulness of seismic data in studying the manifestation of submarine volcanism, and provides quantitative data on the extent and distribution of an ancient submarine volcanic province along the southern Australian margin.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Three‐Dimensional Seismic Imaging of Ancient Submarine Lava Flows: An Example From the Southern Australian Margin

Reynolds

Holford

Schofield

et al. 2017

Geochem Geophys Geosyst

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“…Given the spatial and temporal relationship of these events, we interpret the near-vertical, narrow, and low-amplitude pattern to be near-vertical dikes that feed the small conical vents. Bischoff et al (2017).…”

Section: Igneous Dikesmentioning

confidence: 99%

In-context interpretation: Avoiding pitfalls in misidentification of igneous bodies in seismic data

Infante-Paez

Marfurt

2018

Interpretation

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In the past few decades, many exploration wells have been drilled into igneous rocks because of their similar seismic expressions to common exploration targets, such as carbonate mounds, sheet sands, and sand-prone sinuous channels. In cases in which interpreters cannot clearly delineate sedimentary features such as channels or fans, the interpretation may be driven primarily by bright spot anomalies, in which a poor understanding of the wavelet polarity may lead to an erroneous interpretation. Although many wells drilled into igneous rocks are based on the interpretation of 2D seismic data, misinterpretation still occurs today using high-quality 3D seismic data. To address this challenge, we analyze the seismic expression of andesitic volcanoes in the Taranaki Basin, New Zealand and use it to help understand misinterpreted igneous bodies in different parts of the world. Then, we develop an in-context interpretation workflow in which the seismic interpreter looks for key clues above, below, and around the target of interest that may alert the interpreter to the presence of igneous rocks.

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“…Volcanoes buried in sedimentary basins can form very complex magmatic-sedimentary systems (e.g. Planke et al, 1999;Holford et al, 2012;Schofield et al, 2012;Bischoff et al, 2017;Morley, 2018). The large-scale architecture of buried volcanoes can be broadly divided into two realms.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Reynolds et al, 2016;McLean et al, 2017). Here, we adapt the approach presented in Bischoff et al (2017) for polygenetic volcanic systems, to describe the complete architecture of the Maahunui Volcanic System (MVS), a submarine monogenetic volcanic field currently buried by ca 1000 m in the offshore Canterbury Basin, New Zealand (Bischoff, 2019). Interpretation of the "big picture" of buried volcanic systems can provide valuable insights into how they evolve in time and space, especially if these "fossilized" systems are compared with modern outcropping analogues (Planke et al, 2017;Gallant et al, 2018).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Stratigraphy of Architectural Elements of a Buried Monogenetic Volcanic System and Implications for Geoenergy Exploration

Bischoff¹,

Nicol²,

Cole³

et al. 2019

Preprint

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Large volumes of magma emplaced and deposited within sedimentary basins can have an impact on their architectural style and geological evolution. Over the last decade, continuous improvement in techniques such as seismic volcano-stratigraphy and 3D seismic visualization of igneous rocks buried in sedimentary basins has helped increase knowledge about these “volcanic basins”. Here, we unravel the complete architecture of the Maahunui Volcanic System (MVS), a middle Miocene monogenetic volcanic field now buried in the offshore Canterbury Basin, South Island of New Zealand. We show the location, geometry, size, and stratigraphic relationships between 25 main intrusive, eruptive, and sedimentary architectural elements in a comprehensive volcano-stratigraphic framework that explains the evolution of the MVS from emplacement to complete burial. The plumbing system of the MVS comprises of seven main architectural elements, including saucer-shaped sills, dikes and sills swarms, minor stocks and laccoliths, and pre-eruptive strata deformed by intrusions. These endogenous elements occur in five distinctive plumbing-types, controlled by the emplacement depth, and by the geometric relationships between the intrusions and the enclosing strata. The exogenous volcanic architecture is defined by a combination of eruptive and associated sedimentary architectural elements, with minor and localized shallow intrusions. Characteristic volcano-types of the MVS are interpreted as the deep-water equivalents of crater and cone-type volcanoes. Crater-type volcanoes have eight main architectural elements (i.e. root zone, lower and upper diatreme, tephra ring, tephra plain, intra-crater cones, overspill wedge and tephra fallow carpet). Cone-type volcanoes have five main architectural elements (i.e. basal cone, central crater, tephra flank, cone apron and tephra fallout carpet). After volcanism has ceased, the process of degradation and burial of the volcanic edifices produces five main sedimentary architectural elements (i.e. inter-cone plains, epiclastic plumes, canyons and gullies, burial domes and seamount-edge fans). Understanding the relationships between these diverse architectural elements allow us to reconstruct the complete architecture of the MVS, and to recognize the main volcano-stratigraphic trends in the study area. The characterisation of architectural elements of the MVS can be applied to explore opportunities to find valuable geoenergy resources such as oil, gas and geothermal energy with buried and active monogenetic volcanic systems.

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Stratigraphy of architectural elements in a buried volcanic system and implications for hydrocarbon exploration

Cited by 62 publications

References 30 publications

Three‐Dimensional Seismic Imaging of Ancient Submarine Lava Flows: An Example From the Southern Australian Margin

Three‐Dimensional Seismic Imaging of Ancient Submarine Lava Flows: An Example From the Southern Australian Margin

In-context interpretation: Avoiding pitfalls in misidentification of igneous bodies in seismic data

Stratigraphy of Architectural Elements of a Buried Monogenetic Volcanic System and Implications for Geoenergy Exploration

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