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AAPG Bulletin

Abstract

AAPG Bulletin, V. 88, No. 8 (August 2004), P. 1049-1068.

Copyright copy2004. The American Association of Petroleum Geologists. All rights reserved.

Three-dimensional reconstruction of geological surfaces: An example of growth strata and turbidite systems from the Ainsa basin (Pyrenees, Spain)

O. Fernaacutendez,1 J. A. Muntildeoz,2 P. Arbueacutes,2 O. Falivene,2 M. Marzo2

1Grup de Geodinagravemica i Anagravelisi de Conques, Universitat de Barcelona; present address: Midland Valley Exploration, Glasgow; [email protected]
2Grup de Geodinagravemica i Anagravelisi de Conques, Universitat de Barcelona

AUTHORS

Oscar Fernaacutendez received his degree in geology in 1999 from the Universitat de Barcelona. Since then, he has been carrying out research as a structural geologist in the Geodynamics and Basin Analysis Group (Universitat de Barcelona). His research is focused on 3-D structural reconstruction methodologies.

Josep Anton Muntildeoz is professor of structural geology at the Universitat de Barcelona. He received his Ph.D. in 1985 from the Universitat de Barcelona and worked for the Servei Geologravegic de Catalunya from 1985 to 1990, when he joined the Universitat de Barcelona. His research interests include the structure of thrust and fold belts, tectonosedimentary relationships, and tectonics of collisional orogens. He is currently focusing on the construction of 3-D structural models.

Pau Arbueacutes received his degree in geology in 1987 from the Universitat Autogravenoma de Barcelona. He has worked as an independent consultant for 11 years, contracting research for the Servei Geologravegic de Catalunya and various oil companies. For the last 5 years, he has been working as a researcher in sedimentology for the Geodynamics and Basin Analysis Group (Universitat de Barcelona).

Oriol Falivene received his degree in geology in 2002 from the Universitat de Barcelona. He works as a researcher in reservoir modeling and sedimentology for the Geodynamics and Basin Analysis Group (Universitat de Barcelona). His areas of interest include turbidite and alluvial fan reservoir analogs.

A professor of stratigraphy at the Universitat de Barcelona, M. Marzo's research interests focus on the application of clastic sedimentology, sequence stratigraphy, reservoir modeling, and basin analysis to the exploration and production of hydrocarbons. He has been involved in several research projects funded by oil companies in southern Europe, North Sea, South America, and northern Africa.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

The research presented has been made possible by funding from ExxonMobil, ConocoPhillips, Norsk Hydro, Repsol-YPF, and Shell. The authors acknowledge support from the Generalitat de Catalunya (Grup de Recerca de Geodinagravemica i Anagravelisi de Conques, 2001SGR-000074) and from the Ministerio de Ciencia y Tecnologiacutea (Proyectos REN2001-1734-C03-03 and BTE2001-3650). Research by O. Fernaacutendez and O. Falivene is funded by predoctoral grants from the Direccioacute General de Recerca (Generalitat de Catalunya) and the Ministerio de Educacioacuten, Cultura y Deporte. The original manuscript has been improved thanks to the comments of Peter Hennings, Rick Groshong, and an anonymous reviewer.

ABSTRACT

The external and internal geometry of four turbidite systems outcropping around the Buil syncline (Ainsa basin, Spanish Pyrenees) has been reconstructed with reservoir-scale resolution in three dimensions (3-D). The irregular geometry of the syncline and the resolution required for the reconstruction cannot be resolved with cross sections. Therefore, reconstruction has been carried out with a new methodology that applies a 3-D dip-domain geometrical model and 3-D restoration techniques to achieve reservoir-scale resolution in kilometric-scale reconstructions. This methodology is aimed at resolving 3-D geometries in folded areas and regions with variable thickness stratigraphy.

The 3-D reconstruction of the Buil syncline reveals the synsedimentary growth of an intrabasinal anticline and the foreland lithospheric flexure associated with tectonic loading north of the Ainsa basin.

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