학술논문

Mini thief zones; subcentimeter sedimentary features enhance fracture connectivity in shales
Document Type
Academic Journal
Source
AAPG Bulletin. 103(4):951-971
Subject
29A|Economic geology - energy sources
06A|Sedimentary petrology - sed rocks, sediments
alteration
Ayrshire Scotland
bedding
Benan Conglomerate
brittle deformation
calcite
Caledonian Orogeny
carbonates
cementation
characterization
clastic rocks
composition
compression tectonics
conjugate faults
connectivity
deep-water environment
deformation
depositional environment
diagenesis
dip
displacements
electron microscopy data
Europe
faults
ferric iron
ferrous iron
folds
fractures
Girvan Scotland
grain size
Great Britain
iron
joints
lateral faults
left-lateral faults
mapping
marine environment
measurement
metals
migration
mineral composition
mudstone
Myoch Formation
natural gas
Ordovician
orientation
outcrops
Paleozoic
petroleum
petroleum exploration
planar bedding structures
point counts
precipitation
properties
right-lateral faults
sampling
sandstone
Scotland
sedimentary rocks
sedimentary structures
SEM data
shale
shale gas
shear
shelf environment
Silurian
southwestern Scotland
spatial distribution
splay faults
strike-slip faults
style
tectonics
thickness
three-dimensional models
thrust faults
turbidite
two-dimensional models
United Kingdom
Upper Ordovician
variations
veins
visualization
well logs
Western Europe
Whitehouse Shore
zoning
Language
English
ISSN
0149-1423
Abstract
This study examines the influences on fluid flow within a shale outcrop where the networks of two distinct paleoflow episodes have been recorded by calcite-filled veins and green alteration halos. Such direct visualization of flow networks is relatively rare and provides valuable information of fluid-flow behavior between core and seismic scale. Detailed field mapping, fracture data, and sedimentary logging were used over a 270 m2 (2910 ft2) area to characterize the paleo-fluid-flow networks in the shale. Distal remnants of turbidite flow deposits are present within the shale as very thin (1-10 mm [0.04-0.4 in.]) fine-grained sandstone bands. The shale is cut by a series of conjugate faults and an associated fracture network, all at a scale smaller than seismic detection thresholds. The flow episodes used fluid-flow networks consisting of subgroups of both the fractures and the thin turbidites. The first fluid-flow episode network was mainly comprised of thin turbidites and shear fractures, whereas the network of the second fluid-flow episode was primarily small joints (opening mode fractures) connecting the turbidites. The distribution of turbidite thicknesses follows a negative exponential trend. which reflects the distribution of thicker turbidites recorded in previous studies. Fracture density varies on either side of faults and is highest in an area between closely spaced faults. Better predictions of hydraulic properties of sedimentary-structural networks for resource evaluation can be informed from such outcrop subseismic scale characterization. These relationships between the subseismic features could be applied when populating discrete fracture networks models, for example, to investigate such sedimentary-structural flow networks in exploration settings.