Principles of Sedimentary Basin Analysis

494 Pages·1984·32.402 MB·English

by  Andrew D. Miall (auth.)

Principles of Sedimentary Basin Analysis
Andrew D. Miall
Principles
of Sedimentary
Basin Analysis
With 387 Figures
Springer Science+B usiness Media, LLC
ANDREW D. MIALL
University of Toronto, Department of Geology, Toronto, M5S lAI
Canada
The figure on the front cover is Fig. 6.5. Basinfill
patterns p. 282
Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data
Miall, Andrew D.
Principles of sedimentary basin analysis.
Bibliography: p.
lncludes index.
1. Sedimentology. 2. Stratigraphic correlation.
3. Paleogeography. 1. Title.
QE47l.M44 1984 551.3 84-1249
© 1984 by Springer Science+Business Media New York
Originally published by Springer-Verlag New York Berlin Heidelberg Tokyo in 1984
Softcover reprint ofthe hardcover 1st edition 1984
Ali rights reserved. No part of this book may be translated or reproduced in any form
without written permission from Springer Science+Business Media, LLC.
The use of general descriptive names, trade names, trademarks, etc., in this publication,
even if the former are not especially identified, is not to be taken as a sign that such
names, as understood by the Trade Marks and Merchandise Marks Act, may accordingly
be used freely by anyone.
Word processing by University of Toronto Secretarial Services Unit
Media conversion by Ampersand lnc., Rutland, Vermont
987654321
ISBN 978-1-4757-4234-3 ISBN 978-1-4757-4232-9 (eBook)
DOI 10.1007/978-1-4757-4232-9
For Charlene
Preface
This book is intended as a practical handbook for those engaged in the
task of analyzing the paleogeographic evolution of ancient sedimentary
basins. The science of stratigraphy and sedimentology is central to such
endeavors, but although several excellent textbooks on sedimentology
have appeared in recent years little has been written about modern
stratigraphic methods. Sedimentology textbooks tend to take a theoretical
approach, building from physical and chemical theory and studies of mod
ern environments. It is commonly difficult to apply this information to
practical problems in ancient rocks, and very little guidance is given on
methods of observation, mapping and interpretation.
In this book theory is downplayed and the emphasis is on what a geologist
can actually see in outcrops, well records, and cores, and what can be ob
tained using geophysical techniques. A new approach is taken to
stratigraphy, which attempts to explain the genesis of lithostratigraphic
units and to de-emphasize the importance of formal description and nam
ing. There are also sections explaining principles of facies analysis, basin
mapping methods, depositional systems, and the study of basin thermal
history, so important to the genesis of fuels and minerals. Lastly, an at
tempt is made to tie everything together by considering basins in the con
text of plate tectonics and eustatic sea level changes. The vast and impor
tant subjects of paleoclimatology, diagenesis, and sedimentary geo
chemistry are not dealt with here, except for some aspects of diagenetic
change that can be related to burial history. None of these areas are cru
cial to the main theme of the book, although geochemical data are becom
ing increasingly important in the study of chemical sediments and their
depositional environments. The economic applications of basin analysis
(e.g., exploring sediment-mineral associations and types of stratigraphic
hydrocarbon trap) are not discussed in detail, although some implications
for exploration are pointed out at several places in the book.
It is hoped that this book will be useful to those engaged in exploration for
the various non-renewable fuel and mineral resources and for students and
other geologists carrying out local or regional basin analysis studies,
beginning with undergraduates about to leave for their first field school.
Chapters 1 to 4 are written mainly at an introductory level, except for the
concluding section of Chapter 4, dealing with recent advances in facies
model theory. Chapters 5 to 7 are for more advanced students, and Chap
ters 8 and 9 are addressed to senior undergraduates, graduate students and
professional geologists; a working knowledge of the principles of plate tec
tonics is assumed for this final part of the book. It is intended that the book
be used throughout a student's training and professional employment, and
vii
Acknowledgments
The writing of this book has taken about three years, but the ideas and ex
perience on which it is based have been accumulating since I first dis
covered geology at the age of fifteen, during an optional one-period-a
week course at Brighton Grammar School. I am deeply indebted to the
late Arnold Berry, Geography Master at the school, for his lectures and
field trips, which rapidly convinced me I had found my vocation.
My introduction to modern sedimentological principles came through
the stimulating graduate seminars held by Brian Rust at University of
Ottawa. Later, the opportunity for gaining extensive practical experience
was made possible by Don Stott, who took me on staff at the Geological
Survey of Canada. Writing ofthis book began shortly after I moved to the
fertile academic climate of University of Toronto, an appointment brought
about by the efforts of Frank Beales, Geoff Norris and David Strangway.
Many colleagues have helped me formulate my ideas on basin analysis,
and I am grateful to them for their stimulating company over the years.
Foremost amongst these should be mentioned Don Campbell and John
Stuart-Smith at J.C. Sproule and Associates, and my former Survey
colleagues Jim Dixon, Ashton Embry, Ulrich Mayr, Ross McLean, Ray
Thorsteinsson and Hans Trettin.
For specific advice relating to specialized parts of this book I am indeb
ted to Norm Evensen (radiometric dating), Gary Jarvis (geophysical basin
models and plate processes), George Klein (backarc basins and shelf
depositional systems) and Geoff Norris (stratigraphic methods).
Photographs were contributed by Jim Dixon, Ashton Embry, Rolf
Ludvigsen, Brian Pratt, and the Royal Ontario Museum. My thanks to D.
Rudkin at the museum for his assistance with Figure 2.25. Neil
Ollerenshaw and the staff at G.S.C., Calgary, are thanked for assistance
in obtaining two illustrations for the sections on the dipmeter. About one
third of the figures in the book were drafted by Sub ash Shanbhag, and the
remainder were reproduced from other sources by photographer Brian
O'Donovan. Their efforts and their patience during the long gestation of
the manuscript are much appreciated.
Some figures and tables are reproduced with permission of the Geologi
cal Association of Canada from 'Facies Models', Geoscience Canada
Reprint Series No. 1 and from the FAC Special Paper Series.
Geoff Orton and Winston Mottley worked as Research Assistants for
short but crucial periods. Typing and word processing were carried out by
Diane Gardner and Naomi Frankel, with the final text prepared at the
University of Toronto Secretarial Services unit under the supervision of
Vera Baker.
IX
X Acknowledgments
Andy Baillie and Tony Tankard undertook the task of critically reading
the entire manuscript. Their comments have been most useful, and are
much appreciated. In addition, the author is grateful to Roger Walker
(who read parts of Chapter 4), Geoff Norris (Chapter 3) and Ray
Ingersoll (Chapter 9), who provided some much needed specialized
commentary.
Finally I must thank my wife, Charlene, whose assistance, advice and
support throughout my career have been irreplaceable. I am particularly
grateful for her love and patience during my long obsession with "the
book".
Contents
Preface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . vii
Acknowledgment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . x
l Introduction ....................................... .
1.1 Scope and purpose of book ........................... . 1
1.2 The modern revolution in stratigraphy .................. . 2
References ......................................... . 5
2 Collecting the data ............ ~ ..................... . 7
2.1 Introduction ........................................ . 7
2.2 Types of project and data problems .................... . 7
2.3 Describing the rocks 1. Surface stratigraphic sections ..... . 14
2.4 Describing the rocks 2. Subsurface stratigraphic sections .. . 57
References ......................................... . 70
3 Stratigraphic correlation ............................. . 73
3.1 Introduction ........................................ . 73
3.2 Types of stratigraphic unit ............................ . 74
3.3 Stratigraphic procedures .............................. . 75
3.4 Lithostratigraphy .................................... . 77
3.5 Biostratigraphy ...................................... . 89
3.6 Chronostratigraphy and geochronometry ................ . 106
References ......................................... . 126
4 Facies analysis ..................................... . 133
133
4.1 Introduction ........................................ .
133
4.2 The meaning of facies ................................ .
134
4.3 Recognition and definition of facies types ............... .
4.4 Facies associations and models ........................ . 139
154
4.5 Review of environmental criteria ....................... .
186
4.6 Facies models in the nineteen eighties .................. .
201
4.7 Conclusions and scale considerations ................... .
203
References ......................................... .
5 Basin mapping methods . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 213
5.1 Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 213
5.2 Structure and isopach contouring . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 214
5.3 Lithofacies maps ..................................... 215
xi
Xll Contents
5.4 Geophysical techniques .............................. . 223
5.5 Clastic petrographic data ............................. . 236
5.6 Computer mapping methods ........................... . 242
5. 7 Sampling density and map reliability ................... . 248
5.8 Stratigraphic cross sections ........................... . 249
5.9 Paleocurrent analysis ................................ . 256
5.10 Paleogeographic synthesis ............................ . 267
References ......................................... . 271
6 Depositional systems ................................ . 277
6.1 Introduction ........................................ . 277
6.2 Stratigraphic architecture ............................. . 277
6.3 Nonmarine depositional systems ....................... . 279
6.4 Coastal depositional systems .......................... . 285
6.5 Clastic shelves and associated depositional systems ...... . 291
6.6 Carbonate and evaporite depositional systems ........... . 292
6. 7 Continental slope, rise and basin clastic
depositional systems ................................. . 304
6.8 Depositional systems and stratigraphic nomenclature ..... . 312
References ......................................... . 315
7 Burial History ...................................... . 319
7.1 Introduction ........................................ . 319
7.2 Stratigraphic analysis ................................ . 319
7.3 Petrographic and geochemical analysis ................. . 320
7.4 Selected case studies ................................. . 322
References ......................................... . 327
8 Regional and global stratigraphic cycles ............... . 329
8.1 Back to the layer cake ............................... . 329
8.2 The contribution of seismic stratigraphy ................ . 332
8.3 Cycles within cycles ................................. . 344
8.4 Causes of eustatic sea level change .................... . 357
8.5 The sequence concept in basin exploration .............. . 362
8.6 Conclusions ........................................ . 363
References ......................................... . 363
9 Sedimentation and plate tectonics .................... . 367
9.1 The basin model concept ............................. . 367
9.2 Basin classification .................................. . 368
9.3 Basin models ....................................... . 371
9.4 Clastic petrofacies ................................... . 444
9.5 Basin models in the Precambrian ...................... . 448
References ......................................... . 455
10 Conclusions ........................................ . 467
Subject Index ........................................... . 469
Authors Index ........................................... . 483