Discrete-element modelling of hanging wall deformation along the D-1 fault system, Danish North Sea, with implications for gas chimney interpretations

TY - JOUR

T1 - Discrete-element modelling of hanging wall deformation along the D-1 fault system, Danish North Sea, with implications for gas chimney interpretations

AU - Clausen, O. R.

AU - Andresen, K. J.

AU - Rasmussen, M. L.

AU - Egholm, D. L.

PY - 2019/1

Y1 - 2019/1

N2 - This study uses 3D seismic mapping, NNCC attribute analysis and 2D SDEM modelling of soft-sediment deformation to analyse hanging wall deformation related to faulting across a listric fault detaching along the top of a major salt roller. The computational model experiments used the overall fault and salt-structure evolution as boundary conditions to predict the distribution of faults within the hanging wall. The modelling successfully reproduced geometries similar to the syn- and antithetic faults that are visible on seismics, but it also showed the presence of well-defined vertical deformation zones, both in the hanging wall and the foot-wall of the listric fault. In the model, salt movement controls the formation of the deformation zones. The similarity of NNCC-inferred vertical chimneys and the modelled deformation zones suggests that the subtle vertical chimneys identified in the 3D seismic data might actually be related to vertical to sub-vertical deformation zones caused by the presence and movement of the salt structure.

AB - This study uses 3D seismic mapping, NNCC attribute analysis and 2D SDEM modelling of soft-sediment deformation to analyse hanging wall deformation related to faulting across a listric fault detaching along the top of a major salt roller. The computational model experiments used the overall fault and salt-structure evolution as boundary conditions to predict the distribution of faults within the hanging wall. The modelling successfully reproduced geometries similar to the syn- and antithetic faults that are visible on seismics, but it also showed the presence of well-defined vertical deformation zones, both in the hanging wall and the foot-wall of the listric fault. In the model, salt movement controls the formation of the deformation zones. The similarity of NNCC-inferred vertical chimneys and the modelled deformation zones suggests that the subtle vertical chimneys identified in the 3D seismic data might actually be related to vertical to sub-vertical deformation zones caused by the presence and movement of the salt structure.

KW - Fluid flow

KW - Hanging wall deformation

KW - SDEM

KW - Seismic chimney

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85056223432&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1016/j.jsg.2018.11.005

DO - 10.1016/j.jsg.2018.11.005

M3 - Journal article

AN - SCOPUS:85056223432

SN - 0191-8141

VL - 118

SP - 250

EP - 264

JO - Journal of Structural Geology

JF - Journal of Structural Geology

ER -