An Experimental Study of Turbidite Channel Deposits: Implications for Channel Evolution and Sandstone Deposits
Gaining a detailed understanding of turbidite bed sequences is important for the characterization of sandstone reservoir properties, correlation of well cores, and geological interpretation. Many factors influence the internal structure of sandstone reservoirs: source material, source location in ti...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
|---|---|
| Other Authors: | |
| Format: | Technical Report |
| Published: |
Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Earth Resources Laboratory
2012
|
| Online Access: | http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/68606 |
| _version_ | 1811082461302489088 |
|---|---|
| author | Buttles, James Minsley, Burke J. Schweller, Will Grotzinger, John P. |
| author2 | Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Earth Resources Laboratory |
| author_facet | Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Earth Resources Laboratory Buttles, James Minsley, Burke J. Schweller, Will Grotzinger, John P. |
| author_sort | Buttles, James |
| collection | MIT |
| description | Gaining a detailed understanding of turbidite bed sequences is important for the characterization of sandstone reservoir properties, correlation of well cores, and geological interpretation. Many factors influence the internal structure of sandstone reservoirs: source material, source location in time, transport processes, basin geometry, fan channel development and evolution to name a few. Sandstone deposits associated with channel complexes are easy to find but difficult to develop. Here, we conduct tank experiments of scaled sediment-laden turbidity currents traversing a submerged channel to: (1) establish a state-of-the-art data collection and data processing system that has the potential to gain a unique understanding of the processes and deposits that build submarine fan environments; and (2) to use the facility to demonstrate how the interaction of a depositive turbidity current with a sinuous channel may influence the geometry, spatial relationships and grain size sorting of sandstone deposits. Our data shows the construction of prominent levees, asymmetric levee growth, continuous channel overspill, enhanced channel overspill downstream of bend corners, and lobate-shaped lobe deposits. Our preliminary results are qualitative, but indicate that channel wavelength, bend curvature, and bend peak-to-peak amplitude may have strong controls on down-channel and cross-channel depositional patterns, deposit thickness and grain size sorting. |
| first_indexed | 2024-09-23T12:03:47Z |
| format | Technical Report |
| id | mit-1721.1/68606 |
| institution | Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
| last_indexed | 2024-09-23T12:03:47Z |
| publishDate | 2012 |
| publisher | Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Earth Resources Laboratory |
| record_format | dspace |
| spelling | mit-1721.1/686062019-04-11T06:24:52Z An Experimental Study of Turbidite Channel Deposits: Implications for Channel Evolution and Sandstone Deposits Buttles, James Minsley, Burke J. Schweller, Will Grotzinger, John P. Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Earth Resources Laboratory Buttles, James Grotzinger, John P. Gaining a detailed understanding of turbidite bed sequences is important for the characterization of sandstone reservoir properties, correlation of well cores, and geological interpretation. Many factors influence the internal structure of sandstone reservoirs: source material, source location in time, transport processes, basin geometry, fan channel development and evolution to name a few. Sandstone deposits associated with channel complexes are easy to find but difficult to develop. Here, we conduct tank experiments of scaled sediment-laden turbidity currents traversing a submerged channel to: (1) establish a state-of-the-art data collection and data processing system that has the potential to gain a unique understanding of the processes and deposits that build submarine fan environments; and (2) to use the facility to demonstrate how the interaction of a depositive turbidity current with a sinuous channel may influence the geometry, spatial relationships and grain size sorting of sandstone deposits. Our data shows the construction of prominent levees, asymmetric levee growth, continuous channel overspill, enhanced channel overspill downstream of bend corners, and lobate-shaped lobe deposits. Our preliminary results are qualitative, but indicate that channel wavelength, bend curvature, and bend peak-to-peak amplitude may have strong controls on down-channel and cross-channel depositional patterns, deposit thickness and grain size sorting. ChevronTexaco (Firm) 2012-01-17T18:36:23Z 2012-01-17T18:36:23Z 2001-05-11 Technical Report http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/68606 Earth Resources Laboratory Industry Consortia Annual Report;2001-11 application/pdf Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Earth Resources Laboratory |
| spellingShingle | Buttles, James Minsley, Burke J. Schweller, Will Grotzinger, John P. An Experimental Study of Turbidite Channel Deposits: Implications for Channel Evolution and Sandstone Deposits |
| title | An Experimental Study of Turbidite Channel Deposits: Implications for Channel Evolution and Sandstone Deposits |
| title_full | An Experimental Study of Turbidite Channel Deposits: Implications for Channel Evolution and Sandstone Deposits |
| title_fullStr | An Experimental Study of Turbidite Channel Deposits: Implications for Channel Evolution and Sandstone Deposits |
| title_full_unstemmed | An Experimental Study of Turbidite Channel Deposits: Implications for Channel Evolution and Sandstone Deposits |
| title_short | An Experimental Study of Turbidite Channel Deposits: Implications for Channel Evolution and Sandstone Deposits |
| title_sort | experimental study of turbidite channel deposits implications for channel evolution and sandstone deposits |
| url | http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/68606 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT buttlesjames anexperimentalstudyofturbiditechanneldepositsimplicationsforchannelevolutionandsandstonedeposits AT minsleyburkej anexperimentalstudyofturbiditechanneldepositsimplicationsforchannelevolutionandsandstonedeposits AT schwellerwill anexperimentalstudyofturbiditechanneldepositsimplicationsforchannelevolutionandsandstonedeposits AT grotzingerjohnp anexperimentalstudyofturbiditechanneldepositsimplicationsforchannelevolutionandsandstonedeposits AT buttlesjames experimentalstudyofturbiditechanneldepositsimplicationsforchannelevolutionandsandstonedeposits AT minsleyburkej experimentalstudyofturbiditechanneldepositsimplicationsforchannelevolutionandsandstonedeposits AT schwellerwill experimentalstudyofturbiditechanneldepositsimplicationsforchannelevolutionandsandstonedeposits AT grotzingerjohnp experimentalstudyofturbiditechanneldepositsimplicationsforchannelevolutionandsandstonedeposits |