2
workers, and investigators are now exploring such
additional details as erosion rates, sediment transfer
and sedimentary facies.
This complex interplay of processes and pro�
ducts, and the modern concepts that are evolving
from our improved methods of observation and
analysis, require description, and it is the perceived
need for a synthesis of the welter of recent literature
on the subject that has stimulated the writing of this
book.
In carrying out the literature search for the sections in this book on petroleum geology, it became
clear that there is still a vast amount of work to do to
find and exploit oil and gas fields in the frontier areas
of the world. Despite a growing public belief that
most of the world's petroleum has been found, thousands of geologists and geophysicists employed by
scores of companies and government organizations
are still devoting their careers to carrying Out facies
studies, stratigraphic correlation, seismic facies
analysis, sequence analysis, regional tectonic studies, and production modeling in obscure corners of
the earth, in order to track down oil and gas pools
and develop them for production (e.g., Ashton 1992;
Flint and Bryant 1993). This is as true for those pools
that are found to be trapped in fluvial reservoirs as
for any other. This book is addressed, in part, to
these individuals.
Most of the writer's experience has been in the
area of facies analysis, regional basin studies, and
petroleum exploration and development, thus these
topics form the main thrust of the book. The reader
will find very little here about diagenesis or
geochemistry. It is to be hoped that the book will
provde a useful source of data, analogs, references,
and ideas for those carrying out regional basin
studies, as well as for those engaged in petroleum
exploration and development, and research into
groundwater and effluent disposal.
1.2 Data Sources
Re · search in the area of fl uvial sedimentology and
basin analysis has appeared primarily in a half dozen
geological journals, notably Sedimentology, Sedimentary Geology, Journal of Sedimentary Petrology
(now the Journal of Sedimentary Research), Journal
of the Geological Society (London), Geological Society of America Bulletin, and American Association
of Petroleum Geologists Bulletin. Much important
data have, of course, appeared elsewhere, such as in
Introduction
regional journals and the publications of national
geological survey organizations. Reference is made
in this book to many of these papers.
One of the problems with the study of rivers and
their deposits is that they have been examined from
different standpoints by geologists, geographers,
and engineers, with consequent difficulties of communication of results and ideas. One of the best ways
to address this communication problem is to bring
the specialties together, and this was a principal
reason for convening the first international sympo�
sium on fl uvial sedimentology, which was held in
Calgary in 1977. Since then, there have been four
other symposia, and a sixth is in the planning stage.
There have also been several other symposia at international meetings that have been devoted in part or
entirely to fluvial deposits. The most important of
these events are listed below, with references to the
sponsors and the resulting publications.
1. First international symposium on fluvial sedimentology. Canadian Society of Petroleum Geologists, Calgary, October 1977 (Miall 1978a).
2. Recent and ancient nonmarine depositional environments. Rocky Mountain Section, Society of
Economic Paleontologists and Mineralogists,
Casper, Wyoming, june 1979 (Ethridge and
Flores 1981).
3. Modern and ancient fl uvial systems: sedimentology and processes (Second International
Symposium). Sponsored by the International
Association of Seclimentologists, Keele, UK,
September 1981 (Collinson and Lewin 1983).
4. Fluvial sedimentation and related tectonic
framework in western North America. Cordilleran Section, Geological Society of America,
Anaheim, California, April 1982 (Nilsen 1984).
5. Rudites formed by unidirectional flow. Symposium, Eleventh Sedimentology Congress, Hamilton, Canada, August 1982 (Koster and Steel
1984).
6. Modern and ancient fl uvial sedimentation. General Session, Eleventh International Congress on
Sedimentology, Hamilton, Canada, August 1982
(no proceedings publication).
7. Third international fluvial sedimentology conference, Society of Economic Paleontologists
and Mineralogists, Fort Collins, Colorado, August, 1985 (Ethridge et a!. 1987).
8. The three-dimensional facies architecture of terrigenous clastic sediments, and it$ implications
for hydrocarbon discovery and recovery. Society
of Economic Paleontologists and Mineralogists,
workers, and investigators are now exploring such
additional details as erosion rates, sediment transfer
and sedimentary facies.
This complex interplay of processes and pro�
ducts, and the modern concepts that are evolving
from our improved methods of observation and
analysis, require description, and it is the perceived
need for a synthesis of the welter of recent literature
on the subject that has stimulated the writing of this
book.
In carrying out the literature search for the sections in this book on petroleum geology, it became
clear that there is still a vast amount of work to do to
find and exploit oil and gas fields in the frontier areas
of the world. Despite a growing public belief that
most of the world's petroleum has been found, thousands of geologists and geophysicists employed by
scores of companies and government organizations
are still devoting their careers to carrying Out facies
studies, stratigraphic correlation, seismic facies
analysis, sequence analysis, regional tectonic studies, and production modeling in obscure corners of
the earth, in order to track down oil and gas pools
and develop them for production (e.g., Ashton 1992;
Flint and Bryant 1993). This is as true for those pools
that are found to be trapped in fluvial reservoirs as
for any other. This book is addressed, in part, to
these individuals.
Most of the writer's experience has been in the
area of facies analysis, regional basin studies, and
petroleum exploration and development, thus these
topics form the main thrust of the book. The reader
will find very little here about diagenesis or
geochemistry. It is to be hoped that the book will
provde a useful source of data, analogs, references,
and ideas for those carrying out regional basin
studies, as well as for those engaged in petroleum
exploration and development, and research into
groundwater and effluent disposal.
1.2 Data Sources
Re · search in the area of fl uvial sedimentology and
basin analysis has appeared primarily in a half dozen
geological journals, notably Sedimentology, Sedimentary Geology, Journal of Sedimentary Petrology
(now the Journal of Sedimentary Research), Journal
of the Geological Society (London), Geological Society of America Bulletin, and American Association
of Petroleum Geologists Bulletin. Much important
data have, of course, appeared elsewhere, such as in
Introduction
regional journals and the publications of national
geological survey organizations. Reference is made
in this book to many of these papers.
One of the problems with the study of rivers and
their deposits is that they have been examined from
different standpoints by geologists, geographers,
and engineers, with consequent difficulties of communication of results and ideas. One of the best ways
to address this communication problem is to bring
the specialties together, and this was a principal
reason for convening the first international sympo�
sium on fl uvial sedimentology, which was held in
Calgary in 1977. Since then, there have been four
other symposia, and a sixth is in the planning stage.
There have also been several other symposia at international meetings that have been devoted in part or
entirely to fluvial deposits. The most important of
these events are listed below, with references to the
sponsors and the resulting publications.
1. First international symposium on fluvial sedimentology. Canadian Society of Petroleum Geologists, Calgary, October 1977 (Miall 1978a).
2. Recent and ancient nonmarine depositional environments. Rocky Mountain Section, Society of
Economic Paleontologists and Mineralogists,
Casper, Wyoming, june 1979 (Ethridge and
Flores 1981).
3. Modern and ancient fl uvial systems: sedimentology and processes (Second International
Symposium). Sponsored by the International
Association of Seclimentologists, Keele, UK,
September 1981 (Collinson and Lewin 1983).
4. Fluvial sedimentation and related tectonic
framework in western North America. Cordilleran Section, Geological Society of America,
Anaheim, California, April 1982 (Nilsen 1984).
5. Rudites formed by unidirectional flow. Symposium, Eleventh Sedimentology Congress, Hamilton, Canada, August 1982 (Koster and Steel
1984).
6. Modern and ancient fl uvial sedimentation. General Session, Eleventh International Congress on
Sedimentology, Hamilton, Canada, August 1982
(no proceedings publication).
7. Third international fluvial sedimentology conference, Society of Economic Paleontologists
and Mineralogists, Fort Collins, Colorado, August, 1985 (Ethridge et a!. 1987).
8. The three-dimensional facies architecture of terrigenous clastic sediments, and it$ implications
for hydrocarbon discovery and recovery. Society
of Economic Paleontologists and Mineralogists,