Exploration Insights May 2020 | 页面 22

visualized in their correct geometry, at the time of formation. Without palinspastic maps,
source-to-sink modeling would not be possible in most cases, particularly when going further
back in time, as the Earth’s paleogeography was completely different to present day.
» » Find analogues. An understanding of the geodynamic context supports the appropriate use
of analogues, enabling the prediction of common properties between regions that share a
common context. For example, across the conjugate margins of an oceanic basin, one can
predict that the early rift sediments may have been deposited in a similar context and latitude.
They can, thus, be predicted to have similar properties. The use of analogues is particularly
important in frontier regions with limited data control.
» » Infer basin history. Plate models that provide a full, consistent global picture, and use the
dual control (or dynamic plate boundaries) approach (see review in Verard et al., 2019), enable
the kinematic history of data-poor regions to be constrained. The kinematic history is based
on the external constraints provided by the surrounding plate motions (Wrobel-Daveau and
Baines, 2015). For example, one could deduce the shortening between Europe and the Iberic
Plate and the kinematics of the Pyrenean domain based solely on the position of Europe and an
integrated plate circuit, using the plate tectonic constraints from surrounding oceanic basins (i.e.
the North Atlantic Ocean, including Bay of Biscay).
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WHAT IS A PLATE MODEL?
Since the mainstream acceptance of plate tectonics, and the
recognition of its importance for the prediction of petroleum
system elements, various academic and commercial plate
tectonic models have been developed. These models are
effectively dynamic maps, in which the components move
through geological time on a spherical representation of the
Earth’s surface. The models are designed to support the
reconstruction and interpretation of geospatial data back
through geological time (e.g. Scotese and Baker, 1975;
Scotese, 1976; Muller et al., 1993; Stampfli and Borel, 2002).
For an in-depth description of the development of plate
tectonics as a theory within the geological community, please
refer to the article by Wrobel-Daveau and Nicoll in the September
2019 edition of the Exploration Insights magazine.
“ Put simply, a plate tectonic
model is the foundation on
which a huge variety of the
branches of geoscience can be
brought together. ”
» » Interrogate basin history. Plate models are incredibly dense geological data syntheses.
As such, they contain a vast amount of geological knowledge that can be interrogated to
understand the tectonic history of a region in map view, or in new formats such as data
analytics dashboards, e.g. Neftex TectonicExplorer. These data can also be used as inputs to
workflows such as basin modeling (Wrobel-Daveau and Dowey, 2017).
» » Build PDEMs. Recent advances in geoprocessing and big data analytics have added the
vertical dimension to further enhance plate models. Depth and elevation have been added to
paleogeographic maps through paleo-bathymetric and paleo-digital elevation models. These
models are critical inputs into source-to-sink studies and climate models, as they provide paleo-
morphological constraints affecting oceanic and atmospheric circulation.
» » Conduct paleo-Earth systems science. An improved understanding of paleoclimates
enables the prediction of climate-sensitive facies and related paleoenvironments, such as
the occurrence of source rocks and tropical carbonate reservoirs. A potential output from
paleoclimate models is rainfall runoff, which is used to model paleodrainage. This ultimately
helps with source-to-sink modeling through a combination of source-to-sink methods and the
use of detrital geochronology datasets, as they allow one to discriminate the provenance of
clastic sediments and assess the reservoir quality in clastic basins.
» » Constrain, model, and predict the locations, types, and biomes of plants and animals.
Biological data can be used to check paleo-latitude positioning in plate models, and also as
additional inputs into source-to-sink or climate models. Vegetation, or paleo-vegetation, is a
very important factor to consider when modeling paleo-climate and erosion-sedimentation
rates, both in terrestrial and marine environments. For example, the type of flora present can
provide validation of modeled climate or reconstructions, while the abundance of vegetation
partly controls the amount of material being eroded and transported from a source area.
Plate tectonic models can help constrain evolutionary pathways of fauna. Conversely, the
passage of certain fauna from one part of the globe to another, and the times at which it
occurred, can act as an additional validation of some reconstructions.
Put simply, a plate tectonic model is the foundation on which a huge variety of the branches of
geoscience can be brought together. As more data are brought to bear, the accuracy of and confidence
in interpretations are improved. This holistic approach translates into greater predictability and an
increase in understanding the geological risks in an exploration area.
© 2020 Halliburton
Deep-marine
facies
Shallow-marine
facies
Organic-rich
facies
Continental
facies
Well data
points
Other data
points
Figure 2> Mid-Cretaceous Neftex ® plate reconstruction, palinspastic map and paleo-digital elevation model. The locations of data
constraint have been reconstructed to their paleo-positions, using the Neftex Plate Model. The stratigraphy has been modeled
globally, even away from data constraint, including over portions of oceanic lithosphere now consumed. Source rocks for several
important petroleum systems (e.g. La Luna and Eagle Ford formations) were deposited at this time. The relationship between these
source rocks is clear in the paleo-geographic context of a relative oceanic restriction in the equatorial region.
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