Applied Three-Dimensional Subsurface Geological Mapping: With Structural Methods, 3rd Edition

Chapter 13. Growth Structures^*

* For all figures in this chapter (in the printed book only), see the preface for information about registering your copy on the InformIT site for access to the electronic versions in color.

Introduction

Tectonic and sedimentary growth is important to petroleum exploration. For example, growth along faults creates both structural traps and seals (Brenneke 1995), and this growth can be coincident with the deposition of reservoir units. Growth faults may trap hydrocarbons during the early stages of a hydrocarbon cycle. The expanded sections that typically form downthrown to down-to-the-basin normal faults are the highest growth sections found in the petroleum regime (Thorsen 1963). These expanded downthrown sections ...