486
Stratigraphic and Tectonic Controls on the Distribution and Architecture of Fluvial Oil and Gas Reservoirs
14.3 Tectonic Setting of Fluvual Reservoirs
The thickest and most widespread fl uvial deposits
accumulate in a few specific tectonic settings. These
group into two main categories- extensional basins,
and basins associated with plate collision, including
foreland basins, forearc basins, and strike-slip ba�
sins (Fig. 11.37). Petroleum plays in fl uvial sandstones refl ect this distribution, most of the major
plays occurring in rift basins and foreland basins,
with a few major plays in extensionalwmargin basins
and forearc basins. This localization of the petroleum is not suprising, because it is only in these
specific types of tectonic setting that fluvial deposits
are volumetrically important enough to constitute a
distinctive, major category of reservoir body. Fluvial
successions up to 8 km thick occur in some of these
basins.
The following paragraphs describe the tectonic
setting of selected producing units. Other examples
of the tectonic setting of fluvial deposits are given in
Sect. 11.4.
14.3.1 Retroarc (Backarc) Foreland Basins
The Jurassic-Tertiary foreland basin adjacent to the
Cordilleran Orogen of North America includes
many petroleum-bearing fluvial sandstones.
Foreland basins associated with the Paleozoic Appalachian Orogen and its southward extension (e.g.,
Arkoma Basin) are also important, although in the
case of the Arkoma Basin, the major producing unit,
the Pennsylvanian Cherokee Group, was derived
from cratonic uplifts to the north of the basin
(Rascoe and Adler 1983), and not from uplifts associated with the fold-thrust belt adjacent to the basin,
which is usually the case for foreland -basin deposits.
Cenozoic fluvial deposits in the foreland basins
flanking the Andes of Colombia (Llanos Orientales
and Putumayo basins) are also productive (Simlote
et a]. 1985; Salazar 1990; Stabler 1990). For example,
the giant Cafi o Lim6n oil field of Colombia produces
mainly from Eocene and Oligocene channel sands in
fluvial-deltaic complexes (Gabela 1990; Cleveland
and Molina 1990).
The Eromanga and Surat basins of Australia are
Jurassic-Cretaceous foreland basins that contain significant fluvial production. However, the Hutton
sandstone, which is the major reservoir unit, was
derived from uplifts on the cratonic sides of the
basins (Moore et al. 1986; Watts 1987).
14.3.2 Backarc Basins
The Songliao Basin of eastern China, where the giant
Daqing field is reservoired in Lower Cretaceous fluvial deposits, is a possible backarc basin, although it
may have been influenced by escape tectonics
(Burke and Sengor 1986). The jiangsu Basin, to the
south, has a similar tectonic origin, and includes
some early Tertiary fluvial reservoirs forming parts
of lacustrine delta complexes (Moore et al. 1986).
The North China Basin, which includes the important producing region of Bohai Bay, is also a
Cenozoic backarc basin and contains fluvial-deltaic
wedges and lacustrine deposits forming numerous
structural and stratigraphic trap types (Shaui Defu et
a!. 1988; Matsuzawa 1988; Zhao Xueping et al. 1988).
Some of the productive Andean basins of Argentina, notably Cuyo and San Jorge basins, were
backarc basins during much of the Cretaceous, at the
time the main reservoir units were deposited
(Mpodozis and Ramos 1990; Stabler 1990).
14.3.3 Forearc Basins
Cook Inlet, Alaska, is a forearc basin with significant
production from the upper Tertiary Kenai Group, a
predominantly fluvial succession more than 7 km
thick (Kirschner and Lyon 1973; Hayes et a!. 1976;
Boss et al. 1976; Figs. 11.51, 11.52).
14.3.4 Collision-Related Basins
The nonmarine Cenozoic basins of western China,
including Tarim, Djunggar, jiuxi, and Qaidam basins, all include important production from fluvial
sandstones [e.g., Oligocene-Miocene reservoirs in
jiuxi Basin: Wang and Coward (1993)]. They are
basins associated with plate collision - their main
features were developed during the Himalayan orogeny, and they have the characteristics of foreland or
strike-slip basins (Figs. 11.65, 1 !.66). Many show
lateral block movements, a characteristic of escape
tectonics (Burke and Sengor 1986).
The Ordos Basin in China is a foreland basin of
Triassic-Jurassic age which has important petroleum
production from fluvial reservoirs (Moore et al.
1986). Cenozoic fluvial deposits in the peripheral
foreland basins flanking the Himalayan Mountains
oflndia are also productive (Murty 1983; Desikachar
1984).
Stratigraphic and Tectonic Controls on the Distribution and Architecture of Fluvial Oil and Gas Reservoirs
14.3 Tectonic Setting of Fluvual Reservoirs
The thickest and most widespread fl uvial deposits
accumulate in a few specific tectonic settings. These
group into two main categories- extensional basins,
and basins associated with plate collision, including
foreland basins, forearc basins, and strike-slip ba�
sins (Fig. 11.37). Petroleum plays in fl uvial sandstones refl ect this distribution, most of the major
plays occurring in rift basins and foreland basins,
with a few major plays in extensionalwmargin basins
and forearc basins. This localization of the petroleum is not suprising, because it is only in these
specific types of tectonic setting that fluvial deposits
are volumetrically important enough to constitute a
distinctive, major category of reservoir body. Fluvial
successions up to 8 km thick occur in some of these
basins.
The following paragraphs describe the tectonic
setting of selected producing units. Other examples
of the tectonic setting of fluvial deposits are given in
Sect. 11.4.
14.3.1 Retroarc (Backarc) Foreland Basins
The Jurassic-Tertiary foreland basin adjacent to the
Cordilleran Orogen of North America includes
many petroleum-bearing fluvial sandstones.
Foreland basins associated with the Paleozoic Appalachian Orogen and its southward extension (e.g.,
Arkoma Basin) are also important, although in the
case of the Arkoma Basin, the major producing unit,
the Pennsylvanian Cherokee Group, was derived
from cratonic uplifts to the north of the basin
(Rascoe and Adler 1983), and not from uplifts associated with the fold-thrust belt adjacent to the basin,
which is usually the case for foreland -basin deposits.
Cenozoic fluvial deposits in the foreland basins
flanking the Andes of Colombia (Llanos Orientales
and Putumayo basins) are also productive (Simlote
et a]. 1985; Salazar 1990; Stabler 1990). For example,
the giant Cafi o Lim6n oil field of Colombia produces
mainly from Eocene and Oligocene channel sands in
fluvial-deltaic complexes (Gabela 1990; Cleveland
and Molina 1990).
The Eromanga and Surat basins of Australia are
Jurassic-Cretaceous foreland basins that contain significant fluvial production. However, the Hutton
sandstone, which is the major reservoir unit, was
derived from uplifts on the cratonic sides of the
basins (Moore et al. 1986; Watts 1987).
14.3.2 Backarc Basins
The Songliao Basin of eastern China, where the giant
Daqing field is reservoired in Lower Cretaceous fluvial deposits, is a possible backarc basin, although it
may have been influenced by escape tectonics
(Burke and Sengor 1986). The jiangsu Basin, to the
south, has a similar tectonic origin, and includes
some early Tertiary fluvial reservoirs forming parts
of lacustrine delta complexes (Moore et al. 1986).
The North China Basin, which includes the important producing region of Bohai Bay, is also a
Cenozoic backarc basin and contains fluvial-deltaic
wedges and lacustrine deposits forming numerous
structural and stratigraphic trap types (Shaui Defu et
a!. 1988; Matsuzawa 1988; Zhao Xueping et al. 1988).
Some of the productive Andean basins of Argentina, notably Cuyo and San Jorge basins, were
backarc basins during much of the Cretaceous, at the
time the main reservoir units were deposited
(Mpodozis and Ramos 1990; Stabler 1990).
14.3.3 Forearc Basins
Cook Inlet, Alaska, is a forearc basin with significant
production from the upper Tertiary Kenai Group, a
predominantly fluvial succession more than 7 km
thick (Kirschner and Lyon 1973; Hayes et a!. 1976;
Boss et al. 1976; Figs. 11.51, 11.52).
14.3.4 Collision-Related Basins
The nonmarine Cenozoic basins of western China,
including Tarim, Djunggar, jiuxi, and Qaidam basins, all include important production from fluvial
sandstones [e.g., Oligocene-Miocene reservoirs in
jiuxi Basin: Wang and Coward (1993)]. They are
basins associated with plate collision - their main
features were developed during the Himalayan orogeny, and they have the characteristics of foreland or
strike-slip basins (Figs. 11.65, 1 !.66). Many show
lateral block movements, a characteristic of escape
tectonics (Burke and Sengor 1986).
The Ordos Basin in China is a foreland basin of
Triassic-Jurassic age which has important petroleum
production from fluvial reservoirs (Moore et al.
1986). Cenozoic fluvial deposits in the peripheral
foreland basins flanking the Himalayan Mountains
oflndia are also productive (Murty 1983; Desikachar
1984).