2 Day Course

Course leaders:

Ian Davison (ID), Earthmoves Ltd., Surrey, England and
Dave Waltham (DW), Royal Holloway, University of London

Aims
This course is designed to bring explorationists up to date with the latest concepts on Salt Tectonics and Sedimentation on continental margins. We aim to bridge the gap between academia and the oil industry, by explaining the basic physical processes of salt flow and turbidite flow and sedimentation, then applying this to solve real exploration problems.
Our focus is international (non-US) and reflects our personal experience of twenty years in frontier exploration in the Central and Southern Atlantic margins, Northern Europe and the Middle East. Physical demonstrations, numerical modelling simulations, and seismic workshops will be an integral part of the course.

Day 1

Salt Tectonics: Introduction and Physical Principles.

8.30. Session 1. Concepts of fluid mechanics. Relative importance of buoyancy,
differential loading, and regional tectonics. Physical modelling demonstration of salt tectonics. DW.

9.30. Session 2. Salt flow-internal structure of salt diapirs. Faults through salt.
Salt welds. Diapir pinch off. ID.

10.00. Break

Salt diapirism

10.15. Session 3. Review of numerical and physical modelling of salt diapirism.
Growth and mechanics of salt diapirism. Investigation of erosion effects on
diapir growth. Basement controls on diapir triggering. ID

11.00. Session 4. Modelling exercise on diapir growth. DW

11.30. Session 5. Seismic workshop session on salt diapirs in extensional settings.
Examples from Nova Scotia, Morocco, Santos, and Espirito Santo, Brazil. ID

Salt Tectonics on Continental Margins

12.00 Lunch.

12.45. Session 6. Upturn zones adjacent to salt diapirs. ID. Seismic examples from North Sea, and Morocco.

1.15. Session 7. Counter regional faults and prograding sediment wedges above salt layers. ID.

1.45. Session 8. Numerical modelling practical on prograding wedges and diapirism. DW

2.45. Break.

3.00. Session 9. Seismic workshop session on prograding wedges. Counter regional faulting-development, and effects on salt movement and turbidite distribution. Examples from Brazil, Gabon and Angola. ID

3.30. Session 10. Raft and turtle development above salt layer. Downslope sliding rates. Extensional collapse and dissolution of salt walls and diapirs. Examples from Brazil and Angola. ID

4.00. Session 11. Seismic workshop on rafts and turtles. Examples from Brazil, and Angola ID
Finish 4.30 pm.

Day 2.

Salt Tectonics on Continental Margins.

8.30. Session 12 Salt tongues, allochthonous salt sheets, and massifs. Gulf of Mexico, Brazil, West Africa, Red Sea ID

9.30. Session 13. Seismic workshop session on allochthonous salt. Nova Scotia, Brazil and Angola. ID

10.00. Session 14. Physical demonstration and of turbidite deposition. DW.

10.15. Break.

Turbidite Deposition

10.30. Session 15. Principles of turbidite flow. DW.

11.00. Session 16. 2D modelling of turbidite flow. DW.

12.15. Lunch

Salt Tectonics and Sedimentation

1.00. Session 17. Salt-related structures and their controls on sedimentation along
continental margins. Turbidite deposition around salt structures. ID

2.00. Session 18. Seismic workshop on salt structures and sedimentation interactions. Brazil and Angola. ID

2.15. Break.

2.30. Session 19. 3D modelling of salt sediment interactions. DW

3.30. Session 20. Compressional Tectonics on Continental margins. ID

End 4 .30 pm.

Course fee includes tuition, full colour course manual of 200 pages, CD Rom with course notes and newly developed user-friendly software for modelling salt tectonics and sedimentation, lunches and coffees on both days.

Course numbers are limited to a maximum of 20, so please book early to reserve your place.
To Book, please e-mail or fax us with your contact details and the date and venue of the course you wish to attend. We will then send an invoice. Payment should be made in advance to secure your place. Refunds will be made for cancellations received 10 days prior to the course. No-refunds will be made for cancellations within 10 days of the course date, but an alternative person can attend.