3D seismic analysis of gravity-driven and basement influenced normal fault growth in the deepwater Otway Basin, Australia

Despite decades of study, models for the growth of normal faults lack a temporal framework within which to understand how these structures accumulate displacement and lengthen through time. Here, we use borehole and high-quality 3D seismic reflection data from offshore Norway to quantify the lateral (0.2-1.8 mmyr-1) and vertical (0.004-0.02 mmyr-1) propagation rates (averaged over 12-44 Myr) for several long (up to 43 km), moderate displacement (up to 225 m) layer-bound faults that we argue provide a unique, essentially ‘fossilised’ snapshot of the earliest stage of fault growth. We show that lateral propagation rates are 90 times faster than displacement rates during the initial 25% of their lifespan suggesting that these faults lengthened much more rapidly than they accrued displacement. Although these faults have slow displacement rates compared with data compiled from 30 previous studies, they have comparable lateral propagation rates. This suggests that the unusual lateral propagation to displacement rate ratio is likely due to fault maturity, which highlights a need to document both displacement and lateral propagation rates to further our understanding of how faults evolve across various temporal and spatial scales.

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Controls on gravity-driven normal fault geometry and growth in stacked deltaic settings: a case study from the Ceduna Sub-basin

The APPEA Journal ◽

10.1071/aj20073 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 61 (2) ◽

pp. 632

Author(s):

Monica Jimenez ◽

Simon P. Holford ◽

Rosalind C. King ◽

Mark A. Bunch

Keyword(s):

Normal Fault ◽

Passive Margin ◽

Seismic Survey ◽

Normal Faults ◽

Petroleum Systems ◽

Kinematic Analyses ◽

Gravity Driven ◽

Fault Growth ◽

Constant Growth

Kinematics of gravity-driven normal faults exerts a critical control on petroleum systems in deltaic settings but to date has not been extensively examined. The Ceduna Sub-basin (CSB) is a passive margin basin containing the White Pointer (Albian-Cenomanian) and Hammerhead (Campanian-Maastrichtian) delta systems that detach on shale layers of Albian-Cenomanian and Turonian-Coniacian ages, respectively. Here we present evidence for spatially variable fault growth styles based on interpretation of the Ceduna 3D seismic survey and fault kinematic analyses using displacement–distance, displacement–depth and expansion index methods. We identified faults that continuously grew either between the Cenomanian–Santonian or Santonian and the Maastrichtian located throughout the study area and faults that exhibit growth between the Cenomanian–Maastrichtian that are geographically separated into three areas according to their evolution histories: (i) Northern CSB faults exhibit constant growth between the Cenomanian and Maastrichtian. (ii) Central CSB faults show two dip-linkage intervals between (a) Cenomanian and Coniacian–Late Santonian, (b) Coniacian–Late Santonian and Late Santonian–Maastrichtian segments, respectively. (iii) Central and southern CSB faults exhibit dip-linkage intervals between Cenomanian–early Santonian and Late Santonian–Maastrichtian segments. Our study demonstrates a relationship between the location of the Cenomanian–Maastrichtian faults and their evolution history suggesting constant growth evolution at north and dip linkage at the central and south areas.

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Normal fault growth in continental rifting: Insights from changes in displacement and length fault populations due to increasing extension in the Central Kenya Rift

Tectonophysics ◽

10.1016/j.tecto.2021.228964 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 228964

Author(s):

Ahmad K. Shmela ◽

Douglas A. Paton ◽

Richard E. Collier ◽

Rebecca E. Bell

Keyword(s):

Normal Fault ◽

Continental Rifting ◽

Kenya Rift ◽

Fault Growth ◽

Central Kenya

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Influence of normal fault growth and linkage on the evolution of a rift basin: A case from the Gaoyou depression of the Subei Basin, eastern China

AAPG Bulletin ◽

10.1306/06281615008 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 101 (02) ◽

pp. 265-288 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Yin Liu ◽

Qinghua Chen ◽

Xi Wang ◽

Kai Hu ◽

Shaolei Cao ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Eastern China ◽

Normal Fault ◽

Rift Basin ◽

Fault Growth

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Contrasting geomorphic and stratigraphic responses to normal fault development during single and multi-phase rifting

10.31223/x5j03h ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Sofia Pechlivanidou ◽

Anneleen Geurts ◽

Guillaume Duclaux ◽

Robert Gawthorpe ◽

Christos Pennos ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Normal Fault ◽

Sedimentary Facies ◽

Surface Processes ◽

Extension Direction ◽

Multi Phase ◽

Fault Growth ◽

Stratigraphic Evolution ◽

The Impact ◽

Topographic Evolution ◽

Previous Phase

Understanding the impact of tectonics on surface processes and the resultant stratigraphic evolution in multi-phase rifts is challenging, as patterns of erosion and deposition related to older phases of extension are overprinted by the subsequent extensional phases. In this study, we use a one-way coupled numerical modelling approach between a tectonic and a surface processes model to investigate topographic evolution, erosion and basin stratigraphy during single and multi-phase rifting. We compare the results from the single and the multi-phase rift experiments for a 5 Myr period during which they experience equal amounts of extension, but with the multi-phase experiment experiencing fault topography inherited from a previous phase of extension. Our results demonstrate a very dynamic evolution of the drainage network that occurs in response to fault growth and linkage and, to depocentre overfilling and overspilling. However, we observe profound differences between topographic and depocenter development during single and multi-phase rifting with implications for sedimentary facies development. Our quantitative approach, enables us to better understand the impact of changing extension direction on the distribution of sediment source areas and the syn-rift stratigraphic development through time and space.

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