1185-1200－Sequence stratigraphic analysis in deep-water, underfilled NW European passive margin basins.pdf

Marine and Petroleum Geology 22 (2005) 1185–1200
ate/marpetgeo
Sequence stratigraphic analysis in deep-water, underfilled
NW European passive margin basins
. Shannona,*, . Stokerb, D. Praega, . van Weeringc, H. de Haasc,
T. Nielsend, . Dahlgrene, . Hjelstuenf
aUCD School of Geological Sciences, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland
bBritish Geological Survey, Murchison House, West Mains Road, Edinburgh EH9 3LA, UK
herlands Institute for Sea Research, . Box 59, Texel, 1790 AB Den Burg, Netherlands
dGeological Survey of Denmark and Greenland (GEUS), Øster Voldgade 10, DK-1350 Copenhagen K, Denmark
eDepartment of Geology, University of Tromsø, N-9037 Tromsø, Norway
fDepartment of Earth Science, University of Bergen, Alle`gt. 41, N-5007 Bergen, Norway
Received 12 August 2004; received in revised form 3 March 2005; accepted 7 March 2005
Abstract
Sequence stratigraphic analysis is now carried out routinely on Mesozoic–Cenozoic sedimentary basins with a view to understanding their
post-rift stratal geometries and predicting facies architecture. The conventional method embodies two concepts; the physical division of
strata into unconformity-bounded units and their ic interpretation on the assumption that hierarchical changes in sea-level represent the
primary control on sedimentary architecture. The ic model is reflected in plex descriptive terminology and derives from the
development of the method in shallow-water basins, where the results of analyses typically accord with geological data constraints. Applied
to deep-water underfilled basins, however, the sea-level assumption yields results that are unsatisfactory and in many cases misleading,
reflecting the influence of additional controls, including tectonic movements, deep-sea currents and climate (. glaciation) on stratal
geometries and facies architecture. This is illustrated parative analyses of examples from the deep-water Cenozoic basins of the N