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Graphic Correlation and Sequence Stratigraphy in the Palaeogene of NW Europe

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Graphic Correlation and Sequence Stratigraphy in the Palaeogene of NW Europe Journul of Micropalaeontology, 13: 55-80, 0262-821 X/94 $07.00 0British Micropalaeontological Society. Graphic correlation and sequence stratigraphy in the Palaeogene of NW Europe J. E. NEAL', J. A. STEIN' & J. H. GAMBER' 'Department of Geology and Geophysics, Rice University, PO Box 1892, Houston, TX 77251, USA. (Present Address: Exxon Production Research Co., P.O. Box 2189, Houston, TX 77252, USA.) 'Amoco Production Co., PO Box 3092, Houston, TX 77253, USA. ABSTRACT - A sequence stratigraphic analysis of well log, seismic, and biostratigraphic data has documented a pattern of cyclic sedimentation for the Palaeogene of the Central North Sea. Previously published research has also documented cyclic sedimentation related to sea lcvcl changes. Integrating Central North Sea subsurface sections with Palaeogene outcrop from NW Europe, using sequence stratigraphic first principles and the graphic correlation method, has produced a chronostrat- igraphic framework for the Palaeogene of NW Europe. Northwestern Europe basins (London-Hampshire, Paris, and Belgian) have shallow marine to nonmarine environments, revealing basinward and landward facies shifts indicating sea level changes. The problem correlating NW Europe with North Sea deposits bas been addressed by correlating a biostratigraphy to the decp water deposits outcropping in Denmark. Once a biostratigraphy joining the subsurface and outcrops is built, key bounding surfaces arc correlated between basins. We find that: ( 1) scdimentation in thc deep basin occurs as depositional pulses, separated by time-correlative biostratigraphic data terraces (hiatal intervals), which correspond to persistent seismic reflectors; (2) not all sequenc'e boundaries are resolvable by graphic correlation, but the method brackets packages defined by seismic, log interpretation and biostratigraphy; and (3) correlation with outcrops reveals the true significance of the hiatal intervals. .I. Micropalaeonrol. 13( 1 ): 55-80, September 1994. INTRODUCTION that mitigates these problems. Hydrocarbon cxploration in the Central North Sea has Superposition relationships, shifts in depositional environ- convoluted a standard stratigraphic nomenclature as ment, and major sedimentologic changes are critical when consultants and exploration companies developed informal determining the sea level history of a particular location lithostratigraphic schemes with proprietary biostratigraphic within the basin. However, correlating important surfaces information. An attempt at a standard lithostratigraphy was with biostratigraphy is needed for temporal control that first pub'lished by Deegan Clr Scull (1977). However, places local observations into a basinwide stratigraphic lithostratigraphy has been criticized for its inherent framework. A consistent biostratigraphy makes it possible to diachronaiety (Bertram & Milton, 1988). Biostratigraphy build a sequence stratigraphic framework that explains has been used in recent lithostratigraphic work (Knox & known deposits and suggests undiscovered ones. This paper Cordey. 1992; Mudge & Copestake, 1992) to trace different discusses the role of the graphic correlation/composite units. but these units remain diachronous, to varying standard biostratigraphic method in the construction of a degrees, because of the nature of lithostratigraphy (Bertram sequences stratigraphic framework for the Palaeogene & Milton, 1988; Stein et ul., in press). Central North Sea and connecting Northwest European Fossil 7:onations have been widely used in the North Sea basins. (e.g. Stewart, 1987; Powell, 1988; Gradstein et al., 1992). A detailed :<onation scheme developed by Simon-Robcrtson Limited has been used by some (authors (e.g. Timbrell, 1993) PREVIOUS STUDIES for correlation, however, this and many other zonation The stratigraphy of the lower Palaeogene section of the schemes (e.g. Den Hartog Jager et ul., 1993) remain largely Central North Sea has evolved with the development of unpublished and difficult to tie to the published frameworks. higher quality seismic data and numerous well penetrations The increased emphasis recently placed on individual since the first basinal studies of Parker (1975) and biomarkers (e.g. Morton et d.,1993; Mudge & Bujak, 1994) lithostratigraphic nomenclature of Deegan & Scull (1977). may have problems with reaching consensus on taxonomic Major field discoveries in the late 1960's and early 1970's designations between workers, using unpublished or rare focused mainly on structural traps. As the basin entered a species, and identifying environmentally depressed or more mature phase of development, emphasis shifted reworked tops (Armentrout, 1991). The graphic towards unravelling the stratigraphy represented in those correlation/composite standard method of biostratigraphy, fields. Rochow (1981) published the first seismic stratig- integrated with geological and geophysical bounding raphic study of the North Sea 'Palaeogene', relating seismic surfaces. builds a consistent chronostratigraphic framework units to the lithostratigraphic division of Deegan & Scull 55 Neal, Stein & Camber (1977). Stewart (lY87) followed with a 10-sequence division biostratigraphic markers related to well log picks (Mudge & of the section, incorporating seismic and well data, tied to a Bujak, 1994). biostratigraphic framework. Stewart’s (1987) framework was related to tectonics by Milton et a/. (1990), exploring the MATERIAL AND METHODOLOGY idea of nested high and low frequency sea-level change The correlations presented here come from an integration of cycles. the graphic correlation method of biostratigraphy (Shaw, Recently, a series of papers were published in a volume 1964; Miller, 1977) with sequence stratigraphic principles edited by Parker (19Y3) that cover a range of time scales and (Vail eta/., 1977; Posamentier & Vail, 1988; Vail ef a/., 1991). stratigraphic tools. Galloway et al. (1993) propose a A 7400 km seismic grid (Fig. 1) covers the study area and tectono-stratigraphic framework for the entire Cenozoic and approximately 100 well logs tied by synthetic seismograms is the lowest resolution but most regional of these studies. provide geologic information to supplement seismic facies Timbrel1 (1993) focuses on the Lower Eocene only and the analysis. Of those wells, 40 have detailed biostratigraphic stratigraphic complexity of the Balder and Frigg sections, reports and are part of the 150 wells with detailed while O’Connor & Walker (1993) unravel the stratigraphy biostratigraphy that were compiled to build a North Sea of the Lista/Sele Formation boundary within a sequence composite standard from Amoco’s global composite stratigraphic framework. Morton et a/., (1993) use heavy standard (Stein et a/.,in press). mineral analysis along with biomarker stratigraphy to The composite standard is a chronostratigraphic range subdivide the section and Vining et a/. (1993) emphasize chart of all fossil appearances that occur in a series of palynofacies with respect to sea level changes. Den Hartog stratigraphically overlapping reference sections, thus creat- Jager ef a/. (1993) and Armentrout et a/. (1993) present ing an ideal composite section for comparison with regional frameworks on a scale similar to our study, individual sections being studied. Figure 2 is a portion of the emphasizing the integration of seismic and well data. Other North Sea composite standard in the Upper regional studies on the Palaeogene focus more on seismic Palaeocene/Lower Eocene showing the relationship bet- geometries related to tectonics (Milton & Jones, 1994) and ween composite standard units (CSU) and the superposition Fig. 1. Map of the northwestern Europc with the location of North Sea wells and seismic lines in addition to key outcrop and boreholc sections. Labelled pre- Tertiary structural elements are: E.S.P. = East Shetland Platform, W.G.G. = Witch Ground Grabcn, S.V.G. = South Viking Grabcn, & F.M.H. = Forties-Montrose High. 56 Palaeogene of NW Europe - ublished Markeir! :su Relative Chronological Position of biostratigraphic charts (e.g. Haq et al., 1988; Harland et a/.. B a G.C. Terrace 1990) derives an absolute time value for the units. - Last Appearance Datums and Acme Events 760 Regardless of the absolute time calibration. CSUs provide an indication of relative time and, therefore, relative rock accumulation (sedimentation) rates (Shaw, 1964). A simplified example of the graphic correlation procedure 750 is illustrated in Fig. 3. Graphic correlation interpretations start by plotting reported fossil tops by depth occurrence (vertical axis) against time in CSUs (horizontal axis). The scatter of points is then connected by an interpreted line of 740 correlation (LOC), drawn with straight lines to honour the highest number of data points. The LOC approximates relative sedimentation rates (not accounting for differential 730 compaction) as resolvable by the fossils. Interpretation of the biostratigraphy identifies at least two horizontal data ioevent (M6)-3 terraces (sensu Shaw, 1964: 198), representing missing or condensed section, separating sloping line segments 720 characteristic of higher depositional rates (Sediment Pulse). Also plotted are fossil tops occurring out of normal succession due to local conditions. These tops distort 710- chronostratigraphic frameworks that are based only on key markers (Stein et al., in press). For example, fossil G plots ;ele Hiatus above and to the left of the LOC, indicating an extended Top Forties) + range or reworked occurrence. This observation has
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