AAPG Bulletin, V. 84, No. 8 (August 2000), P. 1095-1108.

3-D Visualization and Isochore Analysis of Extensional Diapirs Overprinted by Compression¹

Giovanni Guglielmo, Jr.,² Bruno C. Vendeville,³ and Martin P. A. Jackson³

©Copyright 2000. The American Association of Petroleum Geologists. All rights reserved.
¹Manuscript received September 30, 1998; revised manuscript received December 3, 1999; final acceptance January 15, 2000.
²13312 Lamplight Village Ave., Austin, Texas 78727; e-mail: [email protected]
³Bureau of Economic Geology, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas 78713.
Additional full-resolution color 3-D images and digital animations related to this paper are available free on the Internet at http://www.utexas.edu/research/beg/mmedia/AGL98-MM-006
We wrote this paper while testing an unreleased version of the program EarthVision® kindly provided by Dynamic Graphics, Inc. The research was funded by the following oil companies in the Applied Geodynamics Laboratory Consortium: Agip, Amoco, Anadarko, ARCO, BHP Petroleum, BP, Chevron, Conoco, Exxon, Louisiana Land and Exploration, Marathon, Mobil, PanCanadian, Petroleo Brasileiro, Phillips, Saga Petroleum, Shell Oil Company, Statoil, Texaco, TotalFina, and Vastar. T. Weaver edited the figures, and A. W Bally and P. J. Hatgelakas refereed the paper. Published by permission of the director, Bureau of Economic Geology, The University of Texas at Austin.

ABSTRACT

Palinspastic restorations elucidate geologic and hydrocarbon-migration histories in salt provinces; however, salt dissolution and salt flow in and out of the section plane make it difficult to determine the shape of salt bodies before deformation, which hampers accurate restorations. Three-dimensional computer visualization of a physical model and analysis of isochores provide clues to the original shape of allochthonous salt bodies that were emplaced during extension and later compressed.