Fine grained sediments were common in epicontinental seas, with shallow slopes, such as the Cretaceous Western Interior Seaway. However, proposed mechanisms for offshore mud transport, such as turbidity currents, tempestites, and hyperpycnal flows, require significant slopes. A core from the Upper Mancos Shale, Mancos C, located in the San Juan Basin of New Mexico was analysed to determine the dominant transport processes bringing sediment offshore. A detailed facies analysis was conducted, over 54 m of slabbed core, using sedimentological data, such as grain size, type of sedimentary structures, bed thickness, lithology, clay content, fossils, ichnofacies, and degree of bioturbation. The facies observed in the core show that multiple processes, including ignitive turbidity currents, hypopycnal and hyperpycnal flows, and tempestites, were responsible for the deposition of the Mancos C core. The resuspension of mud on the inner shelf by storm waves also played a key role in moving mud further offshore. Tidal influence within the Mancos C was relatively small. / Thesis / Master of Science (MSc)

Fine-grained clastic sediments make up the gross lithology in interior basins of ancient epicontinental seas, such as the Cretaceous Western Interior Seaway. This study provides a high-resolution thin-bedded facies analysis and regional correlations to determine how the heterolithic units of the Juana Lopez Member of the Mancos Shale were transported and deposited in the San Juan Basin. Data for this study was obtained from outcrop observations in eleven measured sections, spanning a distance of 115 kilometers. Eleven facies are observed, four sequences and eleven parasequence sets are identified. A depositional model is determined through the high-resolution facies analysis, which suggests deposition on a proximal to distal mudbelt through multiple processes, including turbidity currents, hypopycnal plumes, wave enhanced sediment gravity flows (WESGFs), storm surges, tides and oceanic currents. Overall, the Juana Lopez is dominated by upward-shoaling parasequence sets, with an increasing number and thickness of sandstone dominated bedsets, suggesting regressive sedimentation with distal expressions of transgression found in two parasequence sets. The source of sediment is determined through 520 paleocurrent measurements and plaeogeographic data, and is determined to be transported by along-shelf currents, dominantly from proximal NE clastic wedges. / Thesis / Master of Science (MSc)

The quantification of sediment budget in a well-defined ancient source-to-sink (S2S) system is vital to understand Earth history and basin evolution. Fulcrum analysis is an effective approach to estimate sediment volumes of depositional systems, given total mass balance throughout source areas to basins. The key to this approach is to quantify sediment in a closed S2S system with time controls. We analyzed Allomember E of the Cretaceous Dunvegan Alloformation in the Western Canadian Sedimentary Basin to test this sediment estimation approach. The results indicate that the sediment transported by the trunk-river generically matches the sediment estimated to be deposited in the basin. The upper-range estimate may suggest mud dispersal southward by geostrophic currents. Deciphering the relationships between traditional lithostratigraphy and sequence stratigraphy is the key to correctly understanding time-stratigraphic relationships. High-resolution sequence stratigraphic analysis of the Cretaceous Gallup system documents the high-frequency depositional cyclicity using detailed facies analysis in extensively exposed outcrops in northwestern New Mexico, US. We identified thirteen stratigraphic sequences, consisting of twenty-six parasequence and sixty-one parasequences. Shoreline trajectories are evaluated based on the geometry of the parasequences. The results show the previously identified sandstone tongues are equivalent to high-frequency sequence sets. The depositional duration estimates of respective sequence stratigraphic units, associated with the estimated changes in relative sea level, imply that Milankovitch-cycle-dominated glacio-eustasy may be the predominant control on the high-frequency sequence stratigraphy. Shoreline processes are more dynamic and complicated with mixed-energy dominance. The re-evaluation of the depositional environments of the Gallup system and the reconstructions of the paleogeography with temporal controls help to examine the depositional evolution in space and time. Paleogeographic reconstructions at parasequence scales allow for the documentation of the process-based lateral facies variations and the depositional evolution. The distinction between different wave-dominated facies associations is proposed based on this process-based facies analysis. / Dissertation / Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

The Cretaceous (Early Aptian) Shu'aiba Formation, Shaybah field, Saudi Arabia, is 60 km long by 12 km wide and 150 m thick, and is a giant carbonate reservoir. It formed on a regional carbonate ramp bordering an intrashelf basin. The succession consists of a composite sequence of seven high frequency sequences. Sequences 1 and 2 formed a deeper open platform of Palorbitolina-Lithocodium wackestone, with maximum flooding marked by planktic foram mudstone. Sequence 2 built relief over northern and southern blocks, separated by an intraplatform depression. They form the composite sequence TST. The remaining sequences developed a platform rimmed by rudist rudstone backed by rudist floatstone back-bank and lagoonal fine skeletal peloidal packstone; slope facies are fine skeletal fragmented packstone. Aggradational sequences 3 to 5 make up the composite sequence early highstand. Progradational sequences 6 and 7 are the composite sequence late highstand marking the deterioration of the Offneria rudist barrier and deposition of widespread lagoonal deposits, where accommodation may have been created by syn-depositional growth faulting that moved the northern block down. Shu'aiba deposition on the platform was terminated by long-term sea-level fall and karsting. The succession is dominated by approximately 400 k.y., 4th order sequences and 100 k.y. parasequences driven by long term eccentricity and short term eccentricity respectively, similar to the Pacific guyots of this age. This suggests that early Cretaceous climate may have been cooler and had small ice sheets and was not an ice-free greenhouse world. / Master of Science

Thèse (M.A.Sc.)--Université du Québec à Chicoutimi, 1984. / Une carte géologique dans une pochette. "Mémoire présenté en vue de l'obtention de la maîtrise en sciences appliquées (géologie)" CaQCU CaQCU Document électronique également accessible en format PDF. CaQCU

Thèse (M.Sc.T.) -- Université du Québec à Chicoutimi, 2002. / Bibliogr.: f. 126-136. Document électronique également accessible en format PDF. CaQCU

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Les plateformes carbonatées sont typiquement caractérisées par une architecture sédimentaire et stratigraphique complexe qui s’exprime à une échelle qui peut dépasser le simple affleurement. Ce travail est centré sur les dépôts Barrémien (Crétacé inférieur) de la falaise de Gresse-en-Vercors (sud-est de la France) qui nous procure une fenêtre d’observation à l’échelle de la sismique à travers une bordure de plateforme – analogue des réservoirs du Moyen Orient - idéale pour étudier en continu et à grande échelle le développement des plateformes carbonatées. Cette falaise de 500 m de haut pour 25 km de long permet d’étudier la transition entre les dépôts de peu profonds de la plateforme et ceux du bassin. De nouvelles données biostratigraphiques montrent que la série de plate-forme de Gesse-en-Vercors est essentiellement Barrémien inférieur. Quatre séquences stratigraphiques ont été définies, avec deux épisodes complets de plateforme, séparés par trois « drowning ». Les nouvelles données numériques hautes résolutions (nuage de points LIDAR et photos géoréférencées hautes résolutions) acquises par hélicoptère permettent la réalisation d’un DEM 3D haute résolution pour l’ensemble de l’affleurement. L’intégration des observations stratigraphiques et du DEM dans gOcad abouti à la création d’un modèle 3D en continu de l’architecture stratigraphique et de la répartition des facies de l’affleurement qui peu être utilisé pour interprétations stratigraphiques et sédimentologiques. Le modèle géologique qui en résulte démontre que les données numériques d’affleurement et la modélisation géologique en 3D sont des outils pertinents pour tester la caractérisation des affleurements carbonatés et les modèles conceptuels de système de plateformes carbonatées. Il permet d’appréhender les variations subtiles de profils sédimentaires et d’établir une mosaïque de facies à haute résolution tout au long de la plateforme à l’échelle de la sismique. Cette approche est particulièrement critique en ce qui concerne la caractérisation 3D des clinoformes et des cortèges de dépôts sédimentaires dans un modèle non cylindrique tel que la plateforme carbonaté : par exemple, un prisme de bas niveau apparent ou des lobes distaux qui « onlappent » en 2D correspondent en réalité à des progradations en contexte de haut niveau en 3D. / Carbonate platforms are characterized by complex sedimentary and stratigraphic architectures that can be expressed at length scale exceeding single outcrops. This work focuses on the Barremian (Lower Cretaceous) deposits of the Gresse-en-Vercors cliff (southeastern France) that provide a seismic-scale slice though a platform margin - analogous to Middle East reservoirs - ideal to study large scale carbonate platform developments in continuous. The cliffs are 500 m high and extend for 25 km along depositional dip, straddling the transition from shallow water platform to deeper basin. New biostratigraphical data shows that the Vercors platform is mainly Lower Barremian. Four stratigraphic sequences were defined, with two complete platform stages, separated by three drowning events.New high-resolution numerical data (LIDAR point-set and high-resolution georeferenced photos) obtained by helicopter survey, allowed the realization of a 3D high-resolution DEM over the entire outcrops. Integrating the stratigraphic observations and the DEM in gOcad result in a continuous 3D stratigraphic architecture and facies model of the carbonate outcrop that can be used for stratigraphic and sedimentological interpretations. The resulting geological model demonstrates that outcrop numerical data and 3D geological modeling are pertinent tools for improving carbonate outcrop characterization and conceptual models of carbonate platform systems. It allows to establish subtle sedimentary profiles and high resolution facies mosaic along seismic scale platform trend. This approach is particularly critical for the 3D characterization of clinoforms and stratigraphic system tracts in non-cylindrical carbonate systems: for example, apparent low stand wedge or distal onlapping lobes in 2D are in reality prograding high stand systems in 3D.

O aumento do uso do gás natural e a necessidade de sua estocagem em sítios subterrâneos, promoveu recentes pesquisas na Bacia do Paraná. Estas pesquisas incluiram a análise de estruturas favoráveis a formação de trapas e a avaliação do potencial de rochas-reservatórios para a estocagem subterrânea de gás natural (ESGN). Neste contexto insere-se o presente trabalho que foi desenvolvido no Alto Estrutural de Pitanga, borda leste da Bacia do Paraná. Neste Alto afloram rochas sedimentares permocarboníferas do Grupo Itararé que são amplamente reconhecidas por suas qualidades permoporosas. Com o intuito de caracterizar a faciologia, a estratigrafia bem como as qualidades petrofísicas do Grupo Itararé foram efetuados os seguintes estudos: levantamentos de seções estratigráficas de detalhe, descrição de fácies, análise microscópica, análise de microscopia eletrônica de varredura e avaliação de dados de poço. As descrições de fácies e estudos dos processos deposicionais, forneceram elementos para o agrupamento de fácies em associações de fácies e distinção de três associações de fácies: inferior, intermediária e superior. A disposição das associações de fácies permitiu o reconhecimento de uma suscessão progradacional, representada pela sobreposição de fácies de pró-delta/frente-deltaica por depósitos fluviais com contribuição glacial. A análise microscópica e caracterização petrográfica das rochas, permitiu a discriminação de quatro petrofácies: A, B, C e D. Os arenitos do Grupo Itararé na área de estudos foram classificados como: arenito feldspático, quartzo arenito, arenito lítico e wacke lítico. A microscopia eletrônica de varredura revelou a presença de caulinita, esmectita e ilita nos arenitos. A utilização de diferentes escalas de trabalho mostrou-se eficaz e elucidativa. A combinação de levantamentos de campo, análises petrográficas ao microscópio, ensaios de porosimetria a mercúrio e análises de perfis compostos permitiu realizar comparações e revelou um grupo de dados significativos para a pesquisa. / The increase in the utilization of natural gas and the need for underground gas storage has led to recent research projects on the subject focusing the Paraná Basin. These projects aim at locating favorable structures for the generation of traps and the evaluation of the reservoir potential of rock units for the storage of natural gas (ESGN). The present work is part of this effort, aiming at the study of the Pitanga Structural High, at the eastern border of the Paraná Basin. This region is characterized by outcrops of the Itararé Group (Permo-Carboniferous), which contains rock units that are known for their high porosity and permeability. The main goals of the present work are to characterize the sedimentary facies, the stratigraphy and the petrophysical properties of the Itararé Group, based on detailed stratigraphic logging, facies descriptions, microscopic petrography, Scanning Electron Microscope analysis, and evaluation of well data. Facies descriptions and interpretation of depositional processes were used to group the sedimentary facies into three facies associations: named lower, middle and upper facies associations. The stacking pattern of the facies associations led to the interpretation of a progradational succession, formed by the migration of fluvial deposits over prodelta to delta front deposits, in a context of glacial influence. The microscopic petrography characterization of rock samples led to the discrimination of four petrofacies, coded A to D. The sandstones of the Itararé Group in the studied area were classified as: feldspatic sandstones, quartz-arenites, lithicsandstones and lithic wackes. The Scanning Electron Microscope analysis revealed the presence of caulinite, smectite and ilite in the sandstones. The application of analyses at different scales of work proved to be an efficient method. The integration of field survey, microscopic petrography analysis, mercury porosimetry and interpretation of composite well logs generated a significant volume of data and enabled the comparison of the results of the different methods.

[pt] Os métodos baseados no filtro de Kalman têm tido sucesso notável na indústria do petróleo nos últimos anos, especialmente, para resolver problemas reais de ajuste de histórico. No entanto, como a formulação desses métodos é baseada em hipóteses de gaussianidade e linearidade, seu desempenho é severamente degradado quando a geologia a priori é descrita em termos de distribuições complexas (e.g. modelos de fácies). A tendência atual em soluções para o problema de ajuste de histórico é levar em consideração modelos de reservatórios mais realistas com geologia complexa. Assim, a modelagem de fácies geológicas desempenha um papel importante na caracterização de reservatórios, como forma de reproduzir padrões importantes de heterogeneidade e facilitar a modelagem das propriedades petrofísicas das rochas do reservatório. Esta tese introduz uma nova metodologia para realizar o ajuste de histórico de modelos geológicos complexos. A metodologia consiste na integração de métodos baseados no filtro de Kalman em particular o método conhecido na literatura como Ensemble Smoother with Multiple Data Assimilation (ES-MDA), com uma parametrização das fácies geológicas por meio de técnicas baseadas em aprendizado profundo (Deep Learning) em arquiteturas do tipo autoencoder. Um autoencoder sempre consiste em duas partes, o codificador (modelo de reconhecimento) e o decodificador (modelo gerador). O procedimento começa com o treinamento de um conjunto de realizações de fácies por meio de algoritmos de aprendizado profundo, através do qual são identificadas as principais características das imagens de fácies geológicas, permitindo criar novas realizações com as mesmas características da base de treinamento com uma reduzida parametrização dos modelos de fácies na saída do codificador. Essa parametrização é regularizada no codificador para fornecer uma distribuição gaussiana na saída, a qual é utilizada para atualizar os modelos de fácies de acordo com os dados observados do reservatório, através do método ES-MDA. Ao final, os modelos atualizados são reconstruídos através do aprendizado profundo (decodificador), com o objetivo de obter modelos finais que apresentem características similares às da base de treinamento. Os resultados, em três casos de estudo com 2 e 3 fácies, mostram que a parametrização de modelos de fácies baseada no aprendizado profundo consegue reconstruir os modelos de fácies com um erro inferior a 0,3 por cento. A metodologia proposta gera modelos geológicos ajustados que conservam a descrição geológica a priori do reservatório (fácies com canais curvilíneos), além de ser consistente com o ajuste dos dados observados do reservatório. / [en] Kalman filter-based methods have had remarkable success in the oil industry in recent years, especially to solve several real-life history matching problems. However, as the formulation of these methods is based on the assumptions of gaussianity and linearity, their performance is severely degraded when a priori geology is described in terms of complex distributions (e.g., facies models). The current trend in solutions for the history matching problem is to take into account more realistic reservoir models, with complex geology. Thus the geological facies modeling plays an important role in the characterization of reservoirs as a way of reproducing important patterns of heterogeneity and to facilitate the modeling of the reservoir rocks petrophysical properties. This thesis introduces a new methodology to perform the history matching of complex geological models. This methodology consists of the integration of Kalman filter-based methods, particularly the method known in the literature as Ensemble Smoother with Multiple Data Assimilation (ES-MDA), with a parameterization of the geological facies through techniques based on deep learning in autoencoder type architectures. An autoencoder always consists of two parts, the encoder (recognition model) and the decoder (generator model). The procedure begins with the training of a set of facies realizations via deep generative models, through which the main characteristics of geological facies images are identified, allowing for the creation of new realizations with the same characteristics of the training base, with a low dimention parametrization of the facies models at the output of the encoder. This parameterization is regularized at the encoder to provide Gaussian distribution models in the output, which is then used to update the models according to the observed data of the reservoir through the ES-MDA method. In the end, the updated models are reconstructed through deep learning (decoder), with the objective of obtaining final models that present characteristics similar to those of the training base. The results, in three case studies with 2 and 3 facies, show that the parameterization of facies models based on deep learning can reconstruct facies models with an error lower than 0.3 percent. The proposed methodology generates final geological models that preserve the a priori geological description of the reservoir (facies with curvilinear channels), besides being consistent with the adjustment of the observed data of the reservoir.