"October 2004" / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 280-291) / 291 leaves : ill.(some col.), maps (col.), plates (col.), photos. (col.) ; 30 cm. / Title page, contents and abstract only. The complete thesis in print form is available from the University Library. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Adelaide, Australian School of Petroleum, 2005

This multidisciplinary study integrates remote sensing, stratigraphy, siliciclastic and carbonate sedimentology, tectonics, and petrography of the Nisai, Khojak and Sharankar Formations to reveal the Paleogene depositional, diagenetic and deformational history of the Katawaz Basin. Study of Landsat Thematic Mapper (TM) digital data shows that maximum discrimination of different rocks is achieved in bands 5, 4, and 2 in red, green and blue, respectively. Maximum spectral contrast of Nisai limestone lithofacies uses band ratios 7/5(R), 4/3(G)and 3/2(B). Laboratory spectral measurements suggest Nisai lithofacies are best discriminated in lower wavelength regions (TM bands 1, 2, 3, and 4). Late Paleocene to early Oligocene Nisai Formation records carbonate platform, slope and basinal deposition. Newly formed structural highs and lows, due to emplacement of ophiolites on the western passive margin of Indo-Pakistan subcontinent, controlled deposition and thickness of Nisai lithofacies. Revised age of the ophiolite emplacement, based on benthic forams, is early Paleocene. Siliciclastic Khojak Formation includes newly identified upper continental slope, prodelta, delta front, lower and upper delta plains lithofacies. These lithofacies represent prograding fluvial-dominated, wave-modified Katawaz delta that axially fed Khojak submarine-fan turbidites to the southwest. Sandstone detrital modes and paleocurrent analysis suggest derivation from the early Himalayan orogen and longitudinal dispersal down the basin axis. Decrease in quartz, and increase in total lithics from bottom to top reflect gradual uplift and unroofing of the early Himalaya. Diagenetic relationships suggest complex paragenetic sequence of chlorite-quartz-calcite cementation. Himalaya-derived molasse, delta, and turbidite fan sediments are related in time and space. Molasse sedimentation began in late Paleocene, when early Himalayan orogenic highlands formed. However, sedimentation on the modern Indus delta-fan began in the early Miocene. This age-range discrepancy implies that a major portion of the Himalayan marine record is missing. Khojak strata are that missing record. The Katawaz remnant ocean closed, scissors fashion, by the end of early Miocene and the Katawaz-Khojak complex was incorporated to the Indo-Pakistan subcontinent. The Himalaya-Katawaz system is a Paleogene analogue to the Carboniferous Appalachian-Black Warrior-Ouachita system. / Graduation date: 1998

This dissertation focuses on understanding the relative importance of external (eustacy) versus local tectonic and sedimentary processes in controlling continental-margin depositional architectures and their implications for sediment distribution. The emphasis of this study is the interpretation of clinoform geometries and stratigraphic relationships observed on 3D and 2D seismic reflection data in the Taranaki Basin, which is characterized by a variety of clinoform architectures on its Pliocene-Recent margin (Giant Foresets Formation). I combined seismic stratigraphic interpretations and biostratigraphic studies using a dataset that consists of 1,700 km2 of 3D seismic lines, 4,000 km of 2D regional seismic lines, and data from six wells. The study was divided into three sections. First, three major stages of clinoform evolution were identified based on their architectural and geomorphological characteristics. Isochron maps were generated to identify correlations between stratigraphy and paleostructures, and seismic attribute maps were elaborated to identify and characterize geological features and depositional elements. In the second phase of the study, 2D stratigraphic forward modeling techniques were applied in an effort to quantitatively determine the relative importance of the mechanisms acting in the basin (eustacy, tectonism and sediment supply). Finally, a similar approach was applied using clinoform morphologies in the eastern Trinidad margin where the tectonic configuration of the basin was completely different to the one in the Taranaki Basin. The objective was to compare the results in a region with different a tectonic setting to validate the applicability of the methodology in other basins worldwide. The results of this research indicate that the methodology that was developed for the quantitative analysis of clinoform architectures in the Taranaki Basin is applicable to other basins worldwide and that the work flow provides a more comprehensive understanding of the factors that influence continental margin development. Generic observations of this research showed that (1) underlying structures in the shelf and slope area can play an important role in influencing the location and morphology of the shelf edge area and controlling sediment distribution; (2) high sediment supply, along with accommodation, play a key role in the construction of high-relief clinoforms and earlier dispersal of sediments into deep water; and (3) lateral variations associated with high sediment discharge sources (e.g. paleo Orinoco shelf-edge delta) can generate important changes in continental-scale clinoform architectures alongstrike in continental margins influence sediment distribution patterns in the deep-water component of the basin. / text

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Typescript. / Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Hawaii at Manoa, 1987. / Bibliography: leaves 150-164. / xiii, 164 leaves, bound ill. 29 cm

Bibliography: leaves 252-277. / xviii, 277 leaves, [6] leaves of plates : ill. (some col.), maps ; 30 cm. / Title page, contents and abstract only. The complete thesis in print form is available from the University Library. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Adelaide, Dept. of Geology and Geophysics, 1997

The Gippsland Basin of southeastern Australia is the most energy-rich basin of Australia producing petroleum, gas and brown coal. Three-quarters of the Basin lies offshore and the rest onshore. The basin was initiated as a rift valley, caused by the separation of the Australian continent from the Antarctic followed by a number of tectonic events throughout the basin history. Early Cretaceous sedimentary rocks form the basement, which is in turn covered with Late Cretaceous to Recent sediment of sand, clay, limestone, and brown coal seams. The total thickness of the in-filling sediments offshore attains up to 6000 m, but onshore is up to 1200 m. There are three main acquifer systems, the Hydrostratigraphic Units 2, 4, and 7, all of which are confined. The two lower aquifer systems, Units 4 and 7, contain high temperature groundwater. It is generally agreed that the hydrocarbons offshore have been derived from terrestrial matters including brown coal and ligneous clay offshore. In the present study, the author has developed a case that hydrocarbons offshore being derived not only from the offshore source but also from onshore brown coals and coaly matter and in this hydrocarbon forming processes, groundwater has played a significant role. The Central Deep, in particular, provides favourable conditions for hydrocarbon maturation. Throughout the basin history, the Central Deep has experienced the oil window temperatures. In supporting this hypothesis, geochemical studies on groundwater, brown coal, and hydrocarbons as well as hydrodynamics are presented.

D.Phil. (Geology) / Please refer to full text to view abstract

The Tucson Basin is a semi-arid alluvial basin in southeastern Arizona in which the Santa Cruz River, an ephemeral stream, flows south to north with its flows resulting directly from rainfall. The City of Tucson discharges treated sewage effluent into the bed of the Santa Cruz and to some irrigated farms. Previous investigations indicate that sewage effluent is recharging the Tucson Basin Aquifer with the water spreading horizontally in the Fort Lowell Formation. The ¹⁸0/¹⁶0 ratios determined in water samples by the author support the findings of these previous investigations. Sewage effluent had an average δc0-18 value of -7.9 per mil and water samples from the north Santa Cruz wells had an average δc0-18 value of -9.3 per mil. Up hydraulic gradient, the ¹⁸0/¹⁶0 ratios are lighter indicating that sewage recharge water has mixed with ground water. In the case of one well in the mixed zone, it is calculated that approximately 70 percent of the water comes from sewage recharge and 30 percent from normal ground water. Recharge water spreads horizontally in the Fort Lowell Formation up to two miles on each side of the river. The δc0-18 values of water samples from the south Santa Cruz wells averaged -8.9 per mil and compared closely to the average δc0-18 values for summer flows in the Santa Cruz River of -8.2 per mil.