Abstract
The concept of depositional episodes and the depositional systems basin analysis method were developed largely in the Gulf Coast region as a means of analyzing and interpreting the immense thicknesses of sediment there that are so rich in oil and gas. The principles of the depositional system have never been formally stated, although they have been widely used, particularly by geologists at the Texas Bureau of Economic Geology (e.g. W.L. Fisher, L.F. Brown Jr., J.H. McGowen, W.E. Galloway, D.E. Frazier. See selected references quoted in section 1.2.2). Other geologists who made notable early contributions in this area include R.J. Weimer, D.A. Busch, J.C. Crowell, J.C. Ferm, H.A. Lowenstam, N.D. Newell, H.R. Wanless and many others.
Keywords
These keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. This process is experimental and the keywords may be updated as the learning algorithm improves.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Preview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
References
BEIN, A. and WEILER, Y., 1976: The Cretaceous Talme Yafe Formation: a contour current shaped sedimentary prism of calcareous detritus at the continental margin of the Arabian Craton; Sedimentology, v. 23, p. 511–532.
BENNETTS, K.R.W. and PILKEY, O.H. Jr., 1976: Characteristics of three turbidites, Hispaniola–Caicos Basin; Geol. Soc. Am. Bull., v. 87, p. 1291–1300.
BLATT, H., MIDDLETON, G.V. and MURRAY, R., 1980: Origin of sedimentary rocks; 2nd. ed., Prentice-Hall, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, 782 p.
BLUCK, B.J., 1978: Sedimentation in a late orogenic basin: the Old Red Sandstone of the Midland Valley of Scotland, in D.R. Bowes and B.E. Leake, eds., Crustal Evolution in northwestern Britain and adjacent regions; Geol. Jour. Spec. Issue 10, p. 249–278.
BORCHERT, H. and MUIR, R.O., 1964: Salt deposits. The origin, metamorphism and deformation of evaporites; Van Nostrand, London, 338 p.
BOUMA, A., 1979: Continental slopes, in L.J. Doyle and O.H. Pillkey Jr., eds., Geology of continental slopes; Soc. Econ. Paleont. Mineral. Spec. Pub. 27, p. 1–16.
BRENNER, R.L., 1978: Sussex Sandstone of Wyoming—example of Cretaceous offshore sedimentation; Am. Assoc. Petrol. Geol. Bull., v. 62, p. 181–200.
BRENNER, R.L., 1980: Construction of Process–Response models for ancient epicontinental seaway depositional systems using partial analogs; Am. Assoc. Petrol. Geol. Bull., v. 64, p. 1223–1244.
BRENNER, R.L. and DAVIES, D.K., 1973: Storm-generated coquinoid sandstone: genesis of high energy marine sediments from the Upper Jurassic of Wyoming and Montana; Geol. Soc. Am. Bull., v. 84, p. 1685–1698.
BRENNER, R.L. and DAVIES, D.K., 1974: Oxfordian sedimentation in Western Interior United States; Am. Assoc. Petrol. Geol. Bull., v. 58, p. 407–428.
BROWN, L.F. Jr. and FISHER, W.L., 1977: Seismic–stratigraphic interpretation of depositional systems: examples from Brazilian rift and pull-apart basins, in C.E. Payton, ed., Seismic stratigraphyapplications to hydrocarbon exploration; Am. Assoc. Petrol. Geol. Mem. 26, p. 213–248.
BRUNSTROM, R.G.W. and WALMSLEY, P.J., 1969: Permian evaporites in the North Sea Basin; Am. Assoc. Petrol. Geol. Bull., v. 53, p. 870–883.
BUBB, J.N. and HATLELID, W.G., 1977: Seismic stratigraphy and global changes of sea level, Part ten: Seismic recognition of carbonate buildups, in C.E. Payton, ed., Seismic stratigraphy—applications to hydrocarbon exploration, Am. Assoc. Petrol. Geol. Mem. 26, p. 185–204.
BUFFLER, R.T., WATKINS, J.S. and DILLON, W.P., 1979: Geology of the offshore southeast Georgia Embayment, U.S. Atlantic Continental Margin, based on multichannel seismic reflection profiles, in J.S. Watkins, L. Montadert, and P.W. Dickerson, eds., Geological and geophysical investigations of continental margins; Am. Assoc. Petrol. Geol. Mem. 29, p. 11–26.
CASEY, J.M., 1980: Depositional systems and basin evaluation of the Late Paleozoic Taos Trough, northern New Mexico; Texas Petrol. Res. Committee, Austin, Texas, Report UT 80–1.
CLARK, T.H. and STEARN, C.W., 1968: The geological evolution of North America, 2nd ed., New York, Ronald Press, 570 p.
COLEMAN, J.M. and WRIGHT, L.D., 1975: Modem river deltas: variability of processes and sand bodies, in M.L. Broussard, ed., Deltas, models for exploration; Houston Geol. Soc., p. 99–149.
COLLETTE, B.J., EWING, J.I., LAGAAY, R.A. and TRUCHAN, M., 1969: Sediment distribution in the oceans: the Atlantic between 10° and 19° N; Mar. Geol., v. 7, p. 279–345.
COOK, H.E. and ENOS, P., eds., 1977: Deep-water carbonate environments; Soc. Econ. Paleont. Mineral. Spec. Pub. 25.
CURRAY, J.R., 1965: Late Quaternary history, continental shelves of the United States, in H.E. Wright and D.G. Frey, eds., The Quaternary of the United States, Princeton Univ. Press, New Jersey, p. 723–735.
CURRAY, J.R. and MOORE, D.G., 1974: Sedimentary and tectonic processes in the Bengal deep-sea fan and geosyncline, in C.A. Burk and C.L. Drake, eds., The Geology of continental margins; Springer-Verlag, New York, p. 617–627.
CURTIS, D.M., 1970: Miocene deltaic sedimentation, Louisiana Gulf Coast, in J.P. Morgan, ed., Deltaic sedimentation modern and ancient; Soc. Econ. Paleont. Mineral. Spec. Pub. 15, p. 293–308.
DONOVAN, R.N., 1975: Devonian lacustrine limestones at the margin of the Orcadian Basin, Scotland; J. Geol. Soc. London, v. 131, p. 489–510.
DOYLE, L.J., PILKEY, O.H. Jr. and WOO, C.C., 1979: Sedimentation on the eastern United States continental slope, in L.J. Doyle and O.H. Pilkey, Jr., eds., Geology of continental slopes; Soc. Econ. Paleont. Mineral. Spec. Pub. 27, p. 119–130.
EDWARDS, M.B., 1976: Growth faults in Upper Triassic deltaic sediments, Svalbard; Am. Assoc. Petrol. Geol. Bull., v. 60, p. 341–355.
EMBLEY, R.W., 1976: New evidence for occurrence of debris flow deposits in the deep sea; Geology, v. 4, p. 371–374.
EMBRY, A. and KLOVAN, J.E., 1976: The Middle–Upper Devonian clastic wedge of the Franklinian Geosyncline; Bull. Can. Petrol. Geol., v. 24, p. 485–639.
EMERY, K.O., 1980: Continental margins—classification and petroleum prospects; Am. Assoc. Petrol. Geol. Bull., v. 64, p. 297–315.
EVANS, W.E., 1970: Imbricate linear sandstone bodies of Viking Formation in Dodsland-Hoosier area of southwestern Saskatchewan, Canada; Am. Assoc. Petrol. Geol. Bull, v. 54, p. 469–486.
FISHER, W.L. and McGOWEN, J.H., 1967: Depositional systems in the Wilcox Group of Texas and their relationship to occurrence of oil and gas; Gulf Coast Assoc. Geol. Soc. Trans., v. 17, p. 105–125.
FRAZIER, D.E., 1967: Recent deltaic deposits of the Mississippi Delta: their development and chronology; Gulf Coast Assoc. Geol. Soc. Trans., v. 17, p. 287–315.
FRAZIER, D.E., 1974: Depositional episodes: their relationship to the Quaternary stratigraphie framework in the northwestern portion of the Gulf Basin; Bureau Econ. Geol., Texas, Geol. Circ. 74–1.
FULLER, J.G.C.M. and PORTER, J.W., 1969: Evaporite formations with petroleum reservoirs in Devonian and Mississippian of Alberta, Saskatchewan and North Dakota; Am. Assoc. Petrol. Geol. Bull., v. 53, p. 909–926.
GALLOWAY, W.E., 1975: Process framework for describing the morphologic and stratigraphie evolution of the deltaic depositional systems; in M.L. Broussard, ed., Deltas, models for exploration; Houston Geol. Soc., p. 87–98.
GALLOWAY, W.E., 1981: Depositional architecture of Cenozoic Gulf Coastal Plain fluvial systems, in F.G. Ethridge and R.M. Flores, ed., Recent and ancient nonmarine depositional environments: models for exploration; Soc. Econ. Paleont. Mineral. Spec. Publ. 31, p. 127–156.
GALLOWAY, W.E. and BROWN, L.F. Jr., 1973: Depositional systems and shelf–slope relations on cratonic basin margin, uppermost Pennsylvanian of north-central Texas; Am. Assoc. Petrol. Geol. Bull., v. 57, p. 1185–1218.
GARY, M., McAFEE, R. Jr. and WOLF, C.L., 1972: Glossary of geology; Am. Geol. Inst., 805 p.
GLENNIE, K.W., 1970: Desert sedimentary environments; Developments in Sed., Elsevier, no. 14.
GLENNIE, K.W., 1972: Permian Rotliegendes of northwest Europe interpreted in the light of modern desert sedimentation studies; Am. Assoc. Petrol. Geol. Bull., v. 56, p. 1048–1071.
GRAHAM, S.A., and BACHMAN, S.B., 1983: Structural controls on submarine-fan geometry and internal architecture: Upper La Jolla fan system, offshore southern California; Am. Assoc. Petrol. Geol. Bull., v. 67, p. 83–96.
HANDFORD, C.R. and DUTTON, S.P., 1980: Pennsylvanian–Early Permian depositional systems and shelf–margin evolution, Palo Duro Basin, Texas; Am. Assoc. Petrol. Geol. Bull., v. 64, p. 88–106.
HEEZEN, B.C. and HOLLISTER, C.D., 1971: The face of the deep; Oxford Univ. Press, New York, 659 P.
HERITIER, F.E., LOSSEL, P. and WATHNE, E., 1980: Frigg Field—large submarine fan trap in Lower Eocene rocks of the Viking Graben, North Sea, in M.T. Halbouty, ed., Giant Oil and gas fields of the decade 1968–1978; Am. Assoc. Petrol. Geol. Mem. 30, p. 59–80.
HESSE, R., 1974: Long-distance continuity of tur- bidites: possible evidence for an Early Cretaceous trench-abyssal plain in the east Alps; Geol. Soc. Am. Bull., v. 85, p. 859–870.
HESSE, R., 1975: Turbiditic and non turbiditic mudstone of Cretaceous flysch sections of the East Alps and other basins; Sedimentology, v. 22, p. 387–416.
HOUBOLT, J.J.H.C., 1968: Recent sediments in the southern Bight of the North Sea; Geol. Mijnb., v. 47, p. 245–273.
JENKYNS, H.C., 1978: Pelagic environments, in H.G. Reading, ed., Sedimentary environments and facies; Blackwell, Oxford, p. 314–371.
KENDALL, A.C., 1979a: Facies models 13: Continental and supratidal (sabkha) evaporites, in R.G. Walker, ed., Facies models, Geosci. Can. Reprint Series 1, p. 145–157.
KENDALL, A.C., 1979b: Facies models 14: Subaqueous evaporites, in R.G. Walker, ed. Facies models.; Geosci. Can. Reprint Series 1, p. 159–174.
KING, P.B., 1948: Geology of the southern Guadalupe Mountains, Texas; U.S. Geol. Surv. Prof. Paper 215.
KLEIN, G. deV., 1977: Tidal circulation model for deposition of clastic sediment in epeiric and mioclinal shelf seas; Sediment. Geol., v. 18, p. 1–12.
KLEIN, G. deV. and RYER, T.A., 1978: Tidal circulation patterns in Precambrian, Paleozoic, and Cretaceous epeiric and mioclinal shelf seas; Geol. Soc. Am. Bull., v. 89, p. 1050–1058.
KOCUREK, G., 1981: Erg reconstruction: the Entrada Sandstone (Jurassic) of northern Utah and Colorado; Palaeogeog., Palaeoclim., Palaeoec., v. 36, p. 125–153.
KREBS, W. and MOUNTJOY, E.W., 1972: Comparison of central European and Western Canadian Devonian reef complexes; 24th Internat. Geol. Congr., Montreal, Sect. 6, p. 294–309.
KURTZ, D.D. and ANDERSON, J.B., 1979: Recognition and sedimentologic description of recent debris flow deposits from the Ross and Weddel Seas, Antarctica; J. Sediment. Petrol., v. 49, p. 1159–1170.
MALDONADO, A. and STANLEY, D.J., 1979: Depositional patterns and late Quaternary evolution of two Mediterranean submarine fans: a comparison; Mar. Geol. v. 31, p. 215–250.
McGREGOR, B.A., 1981: Ancestral head of Wilmington Canyon; Geology, v. 9, p. 254–257.
McKEE, E.D., ed., 1979: A study of global sand seas; U.S. Geol. Surv. Prof. Paper 1052.
MEISSNER, F.F., 1972: Cyclic sedimentation in Middle Permian strata of the Permian basin, West Texas and New Mexico, in J.C. Elam and S. Chuber, eds., Cyclic sedimentation in the Permian Basin; 2nd ed., West Texas Geol. Soc., p. 203–232.
MIALL, A.D., 1978: Tectonic setting and syndepositional deformation of molasse and other nonmarine-paralic sedimentary basins; Can. J. Earth Sci., v. 15, p. 1613–1632.
MIALL, A.D., 1981: Alluvial sedimentary basins: tectonic setting and basin architecture, in A.D. Miall, ed., Sedimentation and tectonics in alluvial basins; Geol. Assoc. Can. Spec. Paper 23, p. 1–33.
MITCHUM, R.M. Jr., 1977: Seismic stratigraphy and global changes of sea level, Part eleven: Glossary of terms used in seismic stratigraphy, in C.E. Payton, ed., Seismic stratigraphy—applications to hydrocarbon exploration; Am. Assoc. Petrol. Geol. Mem. 26, p. 205–212.
MITCHUM, R.M. Jr., VAIL, P.R. and SANGREE, J.B., 1977: Seismic stratigraphy and global changes of sea level, Part six: Stratigraphic interpretation of seismic reflection patterns in depositional sequences, in C.E. Payton, ed., Seismic stratigraphy—applications to hydrocarbon exploration; Am. Assoc. Petrol. Geol. Mem. 26, p. 117–133.
MULLINS, H.T. and NEUMANN, A.C., 1979: Deep carbonate bank margin structure and sedimentation in the northern Bahamas, in L.J. Doyle and O.H. Pilkey, Jr., eds., Geology of continental slopes; Soc. Econ. Paleont. Mineral. Spec. Publ. 27, p. 165–192.
NEWELL, N.D., RIBGY, J.K., FISCHER, A.G., WHITEMAN, A.H., HICKOX, J.E. and BRADLEY, J.S., 1953: The Permian reef complex of the Guadalupe Mountains region, Texas and New Mexico; W.H. Freeman and Co., San Francisco, 236 p.
OFF, T., 1963: Rhythmic linear sand bodies caused by tidal currents; Am. Assoc. Petrol. Geol. Bull., v. 47, p. 324–341.
PICHA, F., 1979: Ancient submarine canyons of Tethyan continental margins, Czechoslovakia; Am. Assoc. Petrol. Geol. Bull., v. 63, p. 67–86.
PILKEY, O.H. Jr., LOCKER, S.D., and CLEARY, W.J., 1980: Comparison of sand-layer geometry on flat floors of 10 modern depositional basins; Am. Assoc. Petrol. Geol. Bull., v. 64, p. 841–856.
READING, H.G., ed., 1978: Sedimentary environments and facies; Blackwell Scientific Publications, Oxford, 557 p.
RICCI-LUCCHI, F. and VALMORI, E., 1980: Basin-wide turbidites in a Miocene over-supplied deep-sea plain: a geometrical analysis; Sedimentology, v. 27, p. 241–270.
RUPKE, N.A., 1976: Large-scale slumping in a flysch basin, southwestern Pyrenees; J. Geol. Soc. London, v. 132, p. 121–130.
RUPKE, N.A., 1978: Deep clastic seas, in H.G. Reading, ed., Sedimentary environments and facies; Blackwell, Oxford, p. 372–415.
RUST, B.R., 1979: Facies models 2: Coarse alluvial deposits, in R.G. Walker, ed., Facies models; Geosci. Can. Reprint Series 1, p. 9–21.
RYAN, W.B.F., et al., 1978: Bedrock geology in New England submarine canyons; Oceanologica Acta, v. 1, p. 233–254.
SANFORD, B.V. and NORRIS, A.W., 1973: Hudson Platform, in R.G. McCrossan, ed., The future petroleum provinces of Canada—their geology and potential; Can. Soc. Petrol. Geol. Mem. 1, p. 387–410.
SHEPARD, F.P., 1981: Submarine canyons: multiple causes and long-time persistence; Am. Assoc. Petrol. Geol. Bull., v. 65, p. 1062–1077.
SOUTHARD, J.B. and STANLEY, D.J., 1976: Shelf-break processes and sedimentation, in D.J. Stanley and D.J.P. Swift, eds., Marine sediment transport and environmental management; Wiley, New York, p. 351–377.
STANLEY, D.J. and MALDONADO, A., 1979: Levantine Sea—Nile Cone lithostratigraphic evolution: quantitative analysis and correlation with paleoclimatic and eustatic oscillations in the late Quaternary; Sediment. Geol., v. 23, p. 37–65.
STUART, C.T. and CAUGHEY, C.A., 1977: Seismic facies and sedimentology of terrigenous Pleistocene deposits in northwest and central Gulf of Mexico, in C.E. Payton ed., Seismic stratigraphyapplications to hydrocarbon exploration; Am. Assoc. Petrol. Geol. Mem. 26, p. 249–276.
SWIFT, D.J.P., DUANE, D.B. and McKINNEY, T.F., 1973: Ridge and swale topography of the Middle Atlantic Bight, North America: secular response to the Holocene hydraulic regime; Mar. Geol., v. 15, p. 227–247.
THORSTEINSSON, R., and TOZER, E.T., 1970: Geology of the Arctic Archipelago, in R.J.W. Douglas, ed., Geology and Economic minerals of Canada; Geol. Surv. Can. Econ. Geol. Rept 1, p. 548–590.
TILL, R., 1978: Arid shorelines and evaporites, in H.G. Reading, ed., Sedimentary environments and facies, Blackwell, Oxford, p. 178–206.
TIZZARD, P.G. and LERBEKMO, J.F., 1975: Depositional history of the Viking Formation, Suffield area, Alberta, Canada; Bull. Can. Petrol. Geol., v. 23, p. 715–752.
TOOMEY, D.F., MOUNTJOY, E.W. and MACKENZIE, W.S., 1970: Upper Devonian (Frasnian) algae and foraminifera from the Ancient Wall carbonate complex, Jasper National Park, Alberta, Canada; Can. J. Earth Sci., v. 7, p. 946–981.
TOWNSON, W.G., 1975: Lithostratigraphy and deposition of the type Portlandian; J. Geol. Soc. London, v. 131, p. 619–638.
VON DER BORCH, C.C., SMIT, R., and GRADY, A.E., 1982: Late Proterozoic submarine canyons of Adelaide Geosyncline, South Australia; Am. Assoc. Petrol. Geol., v. 66, p. 332–347.
WALKER, R.G., 1979: Facies models 7: Shallow marine sands, in R.G. Walker, ed., Facies models; Geosci. Can. Reprint Series 1, p. 75–90.
WALKER, R.G. and MIDDLETON, G.V., 1979: Facies models 4. Eolian sands, in R.G. Walker, ed., Facies models; Geosci. Can. Reprint Series 1, p. 33–41.
WEBER, K.J., and DAUKORU, E., 1975: Petroleum geology of the Niger Delta; Proc. 9th World Petrol. Conf., Tokyo, v. 2, p. 209–222.
WILSON, I.G., 1973: Ergs; Sediment. Geol., v. 10, p. 77–106.
WILSON, J.L., 1975: Carbonate facies in geologic history; Springer-Verlag, New York, 471 p.
WILSON, J.L., and D’ARGENIO, B., 1982: Penrose conference report: controls on carbonate platforms and basin systems development; Geology, v. 10., p. 659–661.
WORZEL, J.L. and BURK, C.A., 1979: The margins of the Gulf of Mexico, in J.S. Watkins, L. Montadert and P.W. Dickerson, eds., Geological and geophysical investigations of continental margins; Am. Assoc. Petrol. Geol. Mem. 29, p. 403–419.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 1984 Springer Science+Business Media New York
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Miall, A.D. (1984). Depositional systems. In: Principles of Sedimentary Basin Analysis. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4757-4232-9_6
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4757-4232-9_6
Publisher Name: Springer, New York, NY
Print ISBN: 978-1-4757-4234-3
Online ISBN: 978-1-4757-4232-9
eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive