Publication Date:
2010-02-01
Description:
Field structural data from the Big Brushy Canyon monocline developed in Cretaceous strata of west Texas are combined with nonlinear finite element modeling to help bridge the gap between geometric, kinematic, and mechanical analysis techniques for understanding the deformation history of reservoir-scale geologic structures. The massive Santa Elena Limestone is offset along a steep normal fault, and fault displacement is accommodated upward by the folding of the Buda Limestone and Boquillas Formation and the thinning in the intervening Del Rio Clay. Mesostructures within competent Buda Limestone beds are concentrated in the monocline limb instead of the hinge and include bed-perpendicular veins that accommodate bed-parallel extension and bedding-plane slip surfaces that offset the veins and accommodate flexural slip. Finite element models were constructed to reproduce the monocline geometry and deformation distribution as well as to assess the effect of material properties and boundary conditions on structural evolution. The initial model configuration replicated the assumed predeformational geometry, included frictional sliding surfaces to allow for bedding-parallel slip, and used a displacement boundary condition at the base of the Santa Elena footwall to simulate fault motion. Geometry and strain evolution were tracked so that (1) fold shape, (2) cumulative extension, and (3) layer-parallel shear strain could be compared to field observations. Iterative model runs successfully matched field data and revealed the importance of benchmarking the model results against monocline geometry, layer-parallel extensional strain, and bedding slip in the natural example. Our results illustrate the potential use of this modeling approach whereby calibration is performed using available data and is followed by strain measurement throughout the model domain to aid in prediction of subseismic faults and fractures. This geomechanical modeling approach provides a powerful tool for site-specific subsurface deformation prediction in hydrocarbon reservoirs that incorporates details of the local mechanical stratigraphy and structural setting. 2nd revised manuscript received July 29, 2009 Kevin Smart received his B.S. degree in geology from Allegheny College in 1989, his M.S. degree in geology from the University of New Orleans in 1992, and his Ph.D. in geology from the University of Tennessee in 1996. He is a licensed professional geoscientist (geology) in the state of Texas. After six years on the faculty of the University of Oklahoma, he joined Southwest Research Institute in 2003. He is currently a senior research scientist in the Department of Earth, Material, and Planetary Sciences and focuses on structural geology and geomechanics research and technical assistance projects for the oil industry. David Ferrill received his B.S. degree in geology from Georgia State University in 1984, his M.S. degree in geology from West Virginia University in 1987, and his Ph.D. in geology from the University of Alabama in 1991. He is a licensed professional geoscientist (geology) in the state of Texas. Before joining Southwest Research Institute in 1993, he was an exploration geologist at Shell Offshore Incorporated. He is now a director at Southwest Research Institute and performs analyses of faulting and fracturing and reservoir deformation and structural geological training and contract consulting for the oil and gas industry. Alan Morris received his B.Sc. degree (honors) in geology from the Imperial College of Science and Technology in 1973 and his Ph.D. in geology from the University of Cambridge in 1980. He is a licensed professional geoscientist (geology) in the state of Texas. Before joining Southwest Research Institute in 2005, Alan was a full professor at the University of Texas at San Antonio, having been on the faculty for 22 years. He is now a staff scientist at Southwest Research Institute and focuses on quantitative analysis of deformation processes and stress in diverse tectonic regimes and conducts research and technical assistance projects for the oil industry. Barron Bichon received his B.S. degree in civil engineering from the University of Memphis in 2002, his M.S. degree in civil engineering from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 2003, and is currently working on his Ph.D. in civil engineering at Vanderbilt University. He joined Southwest Research Institute in 2007 where he serves as a research engineer applying and developing methods to quantify the reliability of engineered components and systems across a wide spectrum of industries. David Riha received his B.S. degree in aerospace engineering from the University of Texas at Austin in 1991, his M.S. degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Texas at San Antonio in 1998, and is currently working toward a Ph.D. in biomedical engineering at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio. He joined Southwest Research Institute in 1988 and is currently a principal engineer where he conducts probabilistic analyses and reliability assessments for commercial and government clients. Luc Huyse received his B.Sc. degree in civil engineering from Katholieke Universtiteit Leuven, Belgium, in 1991, and his M.Sc. degree (1996) and Ph.D. (1999) in civil engineering from the University of Calgary, Canada. After working at the NASA Langley Research Center (Hampton, Virginia) and Southwest Research Institute (San Antonio, Texas), he joined the Reliability and Integrity Unit at Chevron's Energy Technology Company (Houston, Texas) in 2008 where he develops new inspection data modeling techniques, optimal inspection, and repair strategies, and performs probabilistic integrity assessments for fixed equipment assets.
Print ISSN:
0149-1423
Electronic ISSN:
1943-2674
Topics:
Geosciences
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