524
to a wide array of case examples. Some of the most
interesting work underway at the time of writing
is the attempt to determine the relative importance
of climate change and base-level change in the
development of Quaternary fluvial valley fills. An
alternation between valley incision and channel
aggradation has been documented that appears to be
a complex response to changes in discharge regime
and sediment supply associated with changes in
rainfall and vegetation cover. Not only is such work
of importance in the understanding of the recent
(postglacial) history of the earth, but it will also
provide models for the interpretation of earlier periods in earth history when orbital-forcing mecha·
nisms may have been responsible for regular or
episodic . cli l nate · change.
·
Quantitative Basin Models. One of the most active areas
of research in basin analysis is the development of
numerical forward and inverse models of basin subsidence and fill. Much attention has been paid to the
tectonic and eustatic control of stratigraphic architecture of shallow-marine and continental-margin
deposits, and recent work has also focused on the
nature of the balance betvv een subsidence and sediment supply at tectonically active nonmarine basin
margins. There is scope for much additional work
on the bringing together of models describing the
physics of sedimentation, models describing the
autogenic construction of alluvial plains, and models that examine large-scale basin architecture and
incorporate differential subsidence and base-level
change.
Petroleum Geology. Patterns of fluvial reservoir development are now relatively well understood. Our
Future Research Trends
knowledge of fluvial styles, sequence stratigraphy,
and the tectonic control of fluvial depositional systems has provided a range of tools for the discovery
and mapping of fluvial reservoirs. Many additional
discoveries remain to be made, particularly in frontier areas. At the exploitation stage, seismic mapping
of channel bodies and numerical modeling of channel architecture are both areas of active research.
Dip meter data, cross-well seismic tomography, horizontal drilling (two areas of research not discussed
in this book), and surveillance methods are all being
used in conjunction with outcrop analogue studies
as input to architectural models that then form the
basis for detailed flow studies. Such work is essential,
both for primary production and for enhanced recovery from old fields.
Hydrogeology. Few workers have applied architectural
concepts to problems in hydrogeology, and this is
an area that is likely to become considerably more
important in the next few years. Geophysical techw
niques for imaging the shallow subsurfaCE',\ particuw
larly ground-penetrating radar, can provide a wealth
of architectural detail on the structure of aquifers
and aquitards, which can now be more accurately
interpreted using sedimentological knowledge derived from architectural techniques. Such knoww
ledge is likely to be of particular value in the study of
the flow of contaminants through surficial sediments, such as the alluvial floodplains upon which
much of the developed world's industrial plant has
been constructed. Architectural details can be used
to constrain mathematical flow models in order to
provide precise, sitewspecific information on fluid
transport paths.
to a wide array of case examples. Some of the most
interesting work underway at the time of writing
is the attempt to determine the relative importance
of climate change and base-level change in the
development of Quaternary fluvial valley fills. An
alternation between valley incision and channel
aggradation has been documented that appears to be
a complex response to changes in discharge regime
and sediment supply associated with changes in
rainfall and vegetation cover. Not only is such work
of importance in the understanding of the recent
(postglacial) history of the earth, but it will also
provide models for the interpretation of earlier periods in earth history when orbital-forcing mecha·
nisms may have been responsible for regular or
episodic . cli l nate · change.
·
Quantitative Basin Models. One of the most active areas
of research in basin analysis is the development of
numerical forward and inverse models of basin subsidence and fill. Much attention has been paid to the
tectonic and eustatic control of stratigraphic architecture of shallow-marine and continental-margin
deposits, and recent work has also focused on the
nature of the balance betvv een subsidence and sediment supply at tectonically active nonmarine basin
margins. There is scope for much additional work
on the bringing together of models describing the
physics of sedimentation, models describing the
autogenic construction of alluvial plains, and models that examine large-scale basin architecture and
incorporate differential subsidence and base-level
change.
Petroleum Geology. Patterns of fluvial reservoir development are now relatively well understood. Our
Future Research Trends
knowledge of fluvial styles, sequence stratigraphy,
and the tectonic control of fluvial depositional systems has provided a range of tools for the discovery
and mapping of fluvial reservoirs. Many additional
discoveries remain to be made, particularly in frontier areas. At the exploitation stage, seismic mapping
of channel bodies and numerical modeling of channel architecture are both areas of active research.
Dip meter data, cross-well seismic tomography, horizontal drilling (two areas of research not discussed
in this book), and surveillance methods are all being
used in conjunction with outcrop analogue studies
as input to architectural models that then form the
basis for detailed flow studies. Such work is essential,
both for primary production and for enhanced recovery from old fields.
Hydrogeology. Few workers have applied architectural
concepts to problems in hydrogeology, and this is
an area that is likely to become considerably more
important in the next few years. Geophysical techw
niques for imaging the shallow subsurfaCE',\ particuw
larly ground-penetrating radar, can provide a wealth
of architectural detail on the structure of aquifers
and aquitards, which can now be more accurately
interpreted using sedimentological knowledge derived from architectural techniques. Such knoww
ledge is likely to be of particular value in the study of
the flow of contaminants through surficial sediments, such as the alluvial floodplains upon which
much of the developed world's industrial plant has
been constructed. Architectural details can be used
to constrain mathematical flow models in order to
provide precise, sitewspecific information on fluid
transport paths.