Journal of Petroleum Geology, Vol.7, No.1, pp.5-26, 1984

©Copyright 2000 Scientific Press, Ltd.

SUBSIDENCE, SEDIMENTATION AND PETROLEUM SYSTEMS

A. Perrodon* and P. Masse*

*Société Nationale Elf Aquitaine (Production), Direction Exploration, Tour Générale, 92088 Paris La Défense, France.

Abstract

Analysis of a number of petroleum provinces has emphasised the importance of sedimentary factors as well as subsidence processes. Subsidence appears to depend on a small number of mechanisms--tectonics, heat flow and gravity. Taking into account the geodynamic context in which these processes develop, it is possible to compile a classification of subsidence types which is distinct from the usual classifications in terms of basins. The type of subsidence influences the deposition rate, which determines both the potential and the habitat of petroleum. Moreover existing statistics show that the number of "giant" fields, or the potential of a petroleum province largely depend on the types of subsidence and subsequent tectonic processes.