The Geology of Fluvial Deposits : Sedimentary Facies, Basin Analysis, and Petroleum Geology

The Geology of Fluvial Deposits represents the first published synthesis of research on the sedimentary geology of fluvial deposits. It sets out in detail the methods for the field and subsurface study of these sediments, and provides geologists with detailed descriptions of the building blocks of fluvial stratigraphic units, from lithofacies through architectural elements and depositional systems to large-scale stratigraphic sequences and basin-fill complexes. This book also examines at length autogenic sedimentary controls and discusses the tectonic and climatic controls of fluvial sedimentation and the effects of base level change on sequence architecture. The book contains a new classification of oil and gas fields in fluvial reservoirs, with descriptions of selected case examples. Profusely illustrated and with an extensive reference to the recent literature this textbook will be welcomed by the student and professional geologist alike. Fluvial deposits represent the preserved record of one of the major nonmarine environ­ ments. They accumulate in large and small intermontane valleys, in the broad valleys of trunk rivers, in the wedges of alluvial fans flanking areas of uplift, in the outwash plains fronting melting glaciers, and in coastal plains. The nature of alluvial assemblages - their lithofacies composition, vertical stratigraphic record, and architecture - reflect an inter­ play of many processes, from the wandering of individual channels across a floodplain, to the long-term effects of uplift and subsidence. Fluvial deposits are a sensitive indicator of tectonic processes, and also carry subtle signatures of the climate at the time of deposition. They are the hosts for many petroleum and mineral deposits. This book is about all these subjects. The first part of the book, following a historical introduction, constructs the strati­ graphic framework of fluvial deposits, step by step, starting with lithofacies, combining these into architectural elements and other facies associations, and then showing how these, in turn, combine to represent distinctive fluvial styles. Next, the discussion turns to problems of correlation and the building of large-scale stratigraphic frameworks. These basin-scale constructions form the basis for a discussion of causes and processes, including autogenic processes of channel shifting and cyclicity, and the larger questions of allogenic (tectonic, eustatic, and climatic) sedimentary controls and the development of our ideas about nonmarine sequence stratigraphy. Front Matter....Pages I-XVI Introduction....Pages 1-4 Historical Background....Pages 5-56 Concepts of Scale....Pages 57-74 Methods of Architectural-Element Analysis....Pages 75-98 Lithofacies....Pages 99-130 Architectural Elements Formed Within Channels....Pages 131-167 Architectural Elements of the Overbank Environment....Pages 169-190 Fluvial Styles and Facies Models....Pages 191-249 The Stratigraphic Architecture of Fluvial Depositional Systems....Pages 251-309 Fluvial Depositional Systems and Autogenic Sedimentary Controls....Pages 311-342 Tectonic Control of Fluvial Sedimentation....Pages 343-419 What Does Fluvial Lithofacies Reveal About Climate?....Pages 421-451 Sequence Stratigraphy....Pages 453-478 Stratigraphic and Tectonic Controls on the Distribution and Architecture of Fluvial Oil and Gas Reservoirs....Pages 479-494 Case Studies of Oil and Gas Fields in Fluvial Reservoirs....Pages 495-521 Future Research Trends....Pages 523-524 Back Matter....Pages 525-582

The Geology of Fluvial Deposits represents the first published synthesis of research on the sedimentary geology of fluvial deposits. It sets out in detail the methods for the field and subsurface study of these sediments, and provides geologists with detailed descriptions of the building blocks of fluvial stratigraphic units, from lithofacies through architectural elements and depositional systems to large-scale stratigraphic sequences and basin-fill complexes. The book contains a new classification of oil and gas fields in fluvial reservoirs, with descriptions of selected case examples. Profusely illustrated and with an extensive reference to the recent literature this textbook will be welcomed by the student and professional alike.