Folding-related Fracture Pattern and Physical Properties of Rocks in the Chaudrons Ramp-related Anticline (Corbières, France)
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Published:January 01, 2004
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CiteCitation
Stefano Tavani, Laurent Louis, Christine Souque, Philippe Robion, Francesco Salvini, Dominique Frizon de Lamotte, 2004. "Folding-related Fracture Pattern and Physical Properties of Rocks in the Chaudrons Ramp-related Anticline (Corbières, France)", Deformation, Fluid Flow, and Reservoir Appraisal in Foreland Fold and Thrust Belts, Rudy Swennen, François Roure, James W. Granath
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Abstract
Reservoir appraisal is commonly a difficult task in fold and thrust belts. Thrust-related folding leads to the development of meso- to microscopic brittle structures that can significantly alter the porosity and permeability properties of reservoir rocks, thus influencing fluid migration and accumulation. The aim of this chapter is to describe at different scales the deformation associated to the development of the Chaudrons thrust-related anticline (Corbières, France) and to discuss its influence on reservoir quality. Pervasive solution cleavage sets at high angle to bedding (ATB) were found and measured along the fold. In addition, collected core samples were used to measure the rock physical properties (anisotropy of magnetic susceptibility and anisotropy of the P-wave velocity). The distribution of deformation in the anticline was used to identify three different deformational panels: crest, rounded forelimb, and constantly steeping forelimb. The crest is characterized by the lowest cleavage intensity. Nonpenetrative solution cleavages and the magnetic foliation are orthogonal to bedding. In the rounded forelimb, bedding dip progressively rotates from 0 to 60°. Cleavage intensity progressively increases, and cleavage and magnetic foliation ATBs progressively increase from 80 to 120° and then remain constant in the steep forelimb. The timing of the development of mesoscale structures, as well as changes of physical properties occurring before and during folding, is also discussed.
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Contents
Deformation, Fluid Flow, and Reservoir Appraisal in Foreland Fold and Thrust Belts

Several topics are covered including: *the use of hydrocarbon-bearing fluid inclusions and apatite fission tracks as paleothermometers for reconstructing P-T evolution of subthrust reservoirs *the use of hydrocarbon-bearing fluid inclusions and apatite fission tracks as paleothermometers for reconstructing P-T evolution of subthrust reservoirs *the coupling of kinematic and thermal modeling performed to trace the burial (P-T) evolution of potential source rocks and reservoirs in three cases studies in the southern Apennines, Colombia, and Pakistan *analytical results and integrated studies, which link deformation and fluid circulation in various fold and thrust belts, with the Sierra Madre in Mexico, the Central Brooks Range, the Arctic in Alaska, the Coastal belt in northern Spain, and the Ukraine featured. Links between deformation, fluid flow, diagenesis, and reservoir characteristics are discussed in depth and descriptions of petrographic techniques integrated with basin modeling are discussed in case studies for carbonate reservoirs in the Apennines, the Canadian Rockies, and the Polish Carpathians, and for sandstone reservoirs in Eastern Venezuela. Sixteen of the twenty-one chapters illustrate the influence of thrust-belt evolution on regional petroleum systems. The petroleum potential in the Tunisian Atlas and in Sicily, close to where the Hedberg Conference and post-conference field trip were held, is described. An older example is documented, for the Gaspé Appalachians, where multiphase Paleozoic deformation had a strong control on the burial history of potential source rocks, petroleum generation and migration, and oil charge of the traps. As the first in the brand-new Hedberg Series of publications, this volume is a comprehensive look at understanding petroleum systems in fold and thrust belts.
GeoRef
- anisotropy
- anticlines
- body waves
- brittleness
- Cenozoic
- Corbieres
- Cretaceous
- deformation
- elastic waves
- Eocene
- Europe
- fluid dynamics
- fold and thrust belts
- folds
- France
- Languedoc
- Lutetian
- Maestrichtian
- magnetic properties
- magnetic susceptibility
- Mesozoic
- middle Eocene
- natural gas
- naturally fractured reservoirs
- North Pyrenean Fault
- P-waves
- Paleogene
- paleomagnetism
- permeability
- petroleum
- petroleum engineering
- physical properties
- porosity
- reservoir properties
- seismic waves
- structural traps
- tectonics
- Tertiary
- traps
- Upper Cretaceous
- Western Europe
- Chaudrons Anticline