Delta asymmetry:Concepts,characteristics,and depositional models  

作　　者：Li Weiguo Janok P. Bhattacharya Wang Yingmin 

机构地区：[1]BP America Inc., Houston, Texas77079, USA [2]Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, University of Houston, Houston, Texas 77204-5007, USA [3]College of geosciences, China University of Petroleum, Beijing 102249, China

出　　处：《Petroleum Science》2011年第3期278-289,共12页石油科学（英文版）

基　　金：supported by the National Basic Research Program of China(No.2009CB219407);the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.40972077)

摘　　要：Delta asymmetry forms in wave-influenced settings where there is strong net longshore drift. Asymmetric deltas typically have two sediment sources and are characterized by morphology and facies asymmetry between the downdrift and the updrift sides. The downdrift, sourced primarily by the feeding river, are commonly influenced by mixed river and wave processes. Deposits on this side are muddy and consist of barrier, bar, lagoon, bay-fill, and bayhead delta facies with variable bioturbation intensity. At or near the river mouth, heterolithic river-dominated successions are more typical. Deposits are overall unburrowed （BI 0-2）, but with high burrowing spikes. Ichnogenera are characterized by horizontal, morphologically simple, and facies-crossing structures. The updrift, in contrast, is sourced by a second sediment source and typically consists of laterally continuous sandy beach and shoreface facies. Bioturbation is overall high （BI 3-6） and ichnogenera are healthy and robust, attributable to the Cruziana and Skolithos lchnofacies. Depending on shoreline trajectory and depositional history, facies characteristics of asymmetric deltas preserved in the ancient record, however, can be different from those predicted by the models. Degree of asymmetry is indicated by the asymmetry index （A）, defined as the ratio between the rate of longshore transport at the river mouth and river water discharge. The indexes in symmetric waveinfluenced deltas is less than 200, whereas those in asymmetric and deflected deltas are larger than 200. Overall the larger the index, the higher the degree of asymmetry. Delta asymmetry concepts and models challenge the traditional definition of deltas and the delta classification scheme, in a hydrocarbon exploration perspective, asymmetric deltas bear very different types of sands and, thus, reservoirs between the updrift and the downdrift. The updrift consists of wellsorted, mature, and laterally continuous homogeneous beach-shoreface reservoirs. The downdrift, in contrast, is mudDelta asymmetry forms in wave-influenced settings where there is strong net longshore drift. Asymmetric deltas typically have two sediment sources and are characterized by morphology and facies asymmetry between the downdrift and the updrift sides. The downdrift, sourced primarily by the feeding river, are commonly influenced by mixed river and wave processes. Deposits on this side are muddy and consist of barrier, bar, lagoon, bay-fill, and bayhead delta facies with variable bioturbation intensity. At or near the river mouth, heterolithic river-dominated successions are more typical. Deposits are overall unburrowed （BI 0-2）, but with high burrowing spikes. Ichnogenera are characterized by horizontal, morphologically simple, and facies-crossing structures. The updrift, in contrast, is sourced by a second sediment source and typically consists of laterally continuous sandy beach and shoreface facies. Bioturbation is overall high （BI 3-6） and ichnogenera are healthy and robust, attributable to the Cruziana and Skolithos lchnofacies. Depending on shoreline trajectory and depositional history, facies characteristics of asymmetric deltas preserved in the ancient record, however, can be different from those predicted by the models. Degree of asymmetry is indicated by the asymmetry index （A）, defined as the ratio between the rate of longshore transport at the river mouth and river water discharge. The indexes in symmetric waveinfluenced deltas is less than 200, whereas those in asymmetric and deflected deltas are larger than 200. Overall the larger the index, the higher the degree of asymmetry. Delta asymmetry concepts and models challenge the traditional definition of deltas and the delta classification scheme, in a hydrocarbon exploration perspective, asymmetric deltas bear very different types of sands and, thus, reservoirs between the updrift and the downdrift. The updrift consists of wellsorted, mature, and laterally continuous homogeneous beach-shoreface reservoirs. The downdrift, in contrast, is mud

关 键 词：Delta asymmetry asymmetry index longshore drift wave-influenced deltas ICHNOLOGY 

分 类 号：P618.130.2[天文地球—矿床学] O357.1[天文地球—地质学]