Approaches to Genetic Stratigraphic Analysis

One of the most difficult tasks in the application of genetic facies interpretation in resourc exploration, appraisal, and development is the delineation of depositional units of sufficient extent and appropriate scale for analysis. The depositional basin defines the boundaries and general conditions of the accumulation of a sediment pile. Depositional systems, as described in subsequent chapters, provide “meaningful sections” of the basin fill. Their recognition and delineation establish a framework for facies differentiation and mapping, using appropriate process-response models. It is commonly at the facies level that source units, fluid-migration pathways (the basin plumbing), potential hosts or reservoirs, and trapping configurations are sought and dissected.