tiu tI9 -" ¿;J t:7.

Pro! CO(f c:.~¿

.' 1
Global Basin Classification Systern
D. R. KINGSTON,t c. 'Po DISHROON,t and 'Po A. \VILLIAMS"

ABSTRACf LaBreque (1979), Models for divergent continental mar­

gins and basins have been described by Sdater and Chris­
A proposed system c1assifies sedimentary basins tie (1980) and Sawyer et al (1982). Convergent movements
wide, inlo specific as well as general categories. eo· of plates have beeo investigated by many workers. Sub­
logi ry of eacli basin may be su diV}¡j In O cye: duction and orogeny were described by Roeder (1973),
in (hree p ramelers: basin-forming tedonles, d Dewey and Bird (l970) and Atwater (1970) investigated
I 001 • Ind asiD-modi' ing tec:tonies. Sedi­ convergence and mountain building. Dic.kinson (1973)
mentary basins may be simple, with one or two and others described volcanism and convergence.
tectonic/sedimentary cycJes, or they may be complex Esso Exploration began plate tectonic restorations on a
polyhislory basins wilh many -differenl cycIes and evenls. global scale in the late 1960s. The purpose was to recOD­
There are eight simple cycie lypes in Ibis c1assification, stnll:t movements in the earth's continent::..l p!:lres through
which cover continental, continental-margin, and oceanic geologic time, a.'ld to determine the effects of these move­
areas. The eight basic cyclc types, thei. deposilion:d fills, ments on the structure, stratigraphy, and hydro.:arbon
and tectonic modifiers have been given letter and number occurrence of present-day basins b9th onshore aud off­
symbols so that lhe specific geologic history of each basin shore. It was believed that by making these plate recon­
m¡¡y be written as a formula. Tbese formulas may then be structions we could recognize and predict oil potentiál by
compared and similarities or <lifferences between basins the development of analytical techniques for plate and
noted. . continental margins. finally, the writers wishcd to estab·
lished valid compa:isons of tectonic style and therefore of
INTRODUCfION basins: their sedimentary fills, oil plays, and potentials.
The result of these global plate restoration studies was the
The main purpose of sedimentary-basin classification is development of a basin classification system, whereby aH
to create a system whereby basins may be compared with sedimentary basins, worldwide, could be classified
each other and similarities or differences noted. Various according to their structural genesis and evolulionary his­
basin elassification systems have been proposed in recent tory. Contributions from Exxon domestic and overseas
years, e.g., Weeks (1952), Knebcl and Rodriguez-Eraso affiliates provided data on approximately 600 identiiiablc
(1956), Uspenskayú (1967), Halbouty et al (1970a, b), Per­ sedimentary basins worldwide. \Ve were able to c1~.ssiiy ail
rodon (1971), Klemme (1971a, b, 1975), Bally (1975), of these basins within the system, the accuracy depem.lic!;
Huff (1978). Bally and Snelson (1980), and Bois et al on the quality of the data aIfd our cóllect:ve know!edge of
(1982). The geologic history of two continental-margin the regional geology. .
basins or two cratonie basins may be similar in general The basÍC unit in this classification is the cycl~ which
aspects, but will show important differences in detail; con­ ce ists of th immts deposited during one tectonic
sequently, in the past, two basins could be compared only cpisode. Sorne basins have oflJy one sedimentary Oi tec­
in very general terms. An alternative system proposed tonic cyele, These are called simple basins. Most basins,
herein empares basins in both general and specific terms. however, contain more than one tectonic/sedimentary
This basin c1assifieation system is based primarily on the cyc1e, andare called polyhistory basins. Figure 1 i~ a ch:"i
principies of plate tectonics that have been developed by for the c1assification of simple basinc; and the idendf:C:.;.­
numerous authors over the past 20 years. Morgan (1968), tion of cyc1es for polyhistory basins. It should be nOled
Le Pichon (1968), Isacks et'al (1968), and others provided that the terms "basin" and "cycle" may be used ínter­
ideas for many of the basic elements of plate tectonics, changeably in this system as a unit formed by one S!(Ue­
sueh as diver2ence. convergence, and transform move­ tural mode of basin formation. Basins, both simpie and
ments. Documentation for continental breakup and diver­ complex, may be classified by ana1yzing their geologic his·
gence has been supplied by Francheteau and Le Pichon tory in the context of plate tectonics. The major elements
(1972), Norton and Sclater (979), and Rabinowitz and of this history are (1) depositional cycles or seque:lc~:;. (2)
basin-forming tectonics, and (3) basin-modifying tecloo­
¡cs.
©Copyright 1983. e American Association 01 Pelraleum Geologisls. A11
rignts reservecl.
, Manuseripl received. February 22.1983; acceplecl. May 13,1983. DEPOSITIONAL SEQUE.NCES
2Esso EJcplaralion Inc., Houslan, Texas n024.
3Esso Exploratian Ine. (relired), 203 Pompano. Surfside. Texas nS41.
The writers thank the management 01 Esso Exploration Inc. lor permissian lo
The first major elements used in the basin c1assification
publish lhis paper; T. A. Fitzgerald. H. M. Gehman: Jr., D. S. Mc~herron. T. H.
Nelson, and J. B. Sangree. lor eommenls and asslstanee In revls'ons; and ~.
system are depositional cycles and stages. I:•• ~
defined as the sedimeots deposited during 00 tecto'
E. SI. John. J. D. Frick. J. R. Gealy. and D. H. Roeder. who along wlth lhe wnt·
ers were members 01 lhe original global sludies 18am.
periodo The minimum stratigraphie unit that can be called

2175
 2116 Global Basin Classificalion System

IDElmflCATlOH j'AilAMHERS UNKNOWIl CYClE OR HAS/N

. I
.~.
t
l. CONTINENTAl OR BASINS FORMED ON CONTINENTAL CRUST. BASINS COMPlErELY FORMED
OCEANIC CRUST (BASEMENJ) SEDIMENTS CAN OVERUP O/HO OCEANIC CRUST ON OCEANIC CRUST
UNDERlYING BAS/N ADJACENT TO, CONTINENT
i
!
CO~TINEHTAl mlNS OCEAHIC BASIHS
~ - :_. . '---- -.-- ---, ~-~---
2. TYPE Of PAST PUTE ARH OF DIYERGENT AREA OF AREA OF iREA Cf Cl'lE:lGENT
MOYEMENT (N VOlVED IN PUTE "'OHIIIE/m CONVERCENT CONVERGENT PUTE M~nMElHS
IASIN FORMATlON I rUTE MOVEMENTS rUTE MOVEMENTS I
(DIVERCEIH OR COHVERGEHJ) .¡ I I i
DIVERCENT CONVERGENT CONVERGENT DIYERGENT
BASIN/CYClES BASIN/CYCUS BASINiCYCLES BASI"/CYCLES
I .L.-¡ ~\ " , , -------,
MA RGIH ­
+.. \ ,nrllOlor AI/Aci.r 10 Ir -,-\ c:;, ¡.r--o­
• 3. BASI!l/CYCLE POSmON ON INTERIOR ~\ pun USUAllr SlII0UCIIO. MARGI~ \ ~ / I
PLAlE ANO PRIMARY STRUC·
ruRAL MOVEMENT INVOlVED
OF PUTE OF PUTE ~\ 1m Muel. IUCI" I GF ~UTE \ ~ I
111 BASIH ORICINATlON 1 1 ~\ I I \~
~
I / I

/ "'" //"'" , ! ,1 I \"" !

• V
~
~' +
CDNi"i co~n

IINWci° I mmOJ
R

THEORHICAl I I I
Moon !ASIN TlPES-- (CIS) (CIF) (CMS) (OF) (OS)
I L •
i I i
(OMIT) i~

op cr
PRACnCAL
10m BASIN TYPES--
-~ I
T os
I
I

~_----L _ _.1----'------L..._---.J'------_-L-_---------L --l

PlJltlllSTORY BASINS COMBINE TI) MAKE PDLYHISTORY BASINS

.'

FIG. 1-1bsin/cycle idenlification key for b:lsin-forming teclonics. Two Iheore:k:;1 b:lsin Iypes (OTA anrl Of) ün: omitlell from
pra<liaJtnsin Iypcs.
•<0

a c)'cIe must haye significance in the dcyelopmentof a most comCi1only foun!:! here are marir.e sha!es. limp.>ton~~.
basi:1, either in thickness ar spa~ of geolog:·.: time. ~hi~ unGsa.lóio;l6. AH rr.a~si·..e 5alt is inc1¡,;d.;:~ :'.~;-", :.... ~:."
"~::ows liS to !ump thin units of high-shelf or wedge-edge theory that thick evaporites generally in¿ic<.'.te a mar;;-,c
-deposits, which may form oyer long periods o( time, iroto eo.. nectioil or at 1e:lSt Ü:e drying of a r:;ar¡~c-coj}¡:cete:~
j.,st a few cycles and to split thick prograding deposits into tongue. Also, massive evaporite dep05ition indicate;,
idcntifiab!e units. c:~cl(lseci depcsit:cnal conciLions :?nc! i5 ger.:=:-a!!:: fOliE('
Figure 2 Sh0WS [he relalian of the deposj¡ional sta~es tl) enlyin ¡ntelÍor bmins. Cth~:: kss common iitha!ocic·ch?r­
lhe t~onk cycle. One ~an think of the co.~·c<:pt 6i _ acter;sl:cs fou:"u b s:a?,e 2 are volc:mk::, r:.1~~:·j¡:~ CQ::Ils.
, J mi aJe, and wed t" lO as une s~d:m~nt~ flyseh c1:1d othe,' turbidítes, ane deep-watcr nnr!:' '::t:1~
. cyc!e with the three stages rcpresenting [he [hree eiem~nl;; pe!agi.: dCp0Si~5. Stag~ 2 may also corHain the dist:l! er.ch
of one majar !ransg:essive-regressive -wedge (White, of nonmarir.e tengues 'provid¡;d these do not excce(~ 50~J
1980). Stage 1 of tht: cyclc corresponds to a non marine of the tota!'
wedge base. This ineludes primarily nonmarine flocd­ Stag~ 3 is the noomarine wedge top and the assoe;a¡ec
plain. lagoonal. and beach deposits, if they can be distin­ regional uneonformity. Lirhologic2.lIy it typically rcsem·
guished. Sec!imentary types normally present are bies the wedgc base with more than 50a¡0 nonmarine eon­
nonmarinc eonglomer:ttes, sandstones, and shales. Other glomerates, sandstones, shales, red bcds, eoals.
lithologic eha::acteristics less cornmonly found are red fresh-water Iirneslones, and minar evaporires. Post­
beds, eoals, volcanics, and fresh-water limeslones. Ir the wedge-top unconformities are inc1uded in st.:1ge 3.
basal wedge of c1astics in question is thick and over half -The sedimentary stages should be described from Ü:e
nonmarine, il is c1assed as stage 1. Stage division is shown eenter of the depositional cycle in enclosed basins or from
in Figure 2 at lhe 500/0 marine dashed line eutting the Iran­ the thickest part ofthe wedge in a margin basin open t'? the
sition zone between wedge-edge sands and wedge-rniddle sea on one side. Referring to a cross section of [he wedge
shales.. concept shown in Figure 2A, it is evident that ¡fthe portion
Stage 2 is the marine wedge middle. Lithologic types of lhe basio studied is too far updip, past the pineh-out of
 -
u. R. Kill~ .. UJII, l.. ~. UISllrOUfI, dlld P. A...,,, ..
, '"
UNCONF (STAGl lJ Figure 1. Fundamentally, there are two lY~ 01 plate
movements affecting cycle or basin formalion: (1) diver­
-­
-­
genee and (2) convergence. lt has been argued tbar trans­
form movements are a third type, but these rare1l show
perfcet side-by-side motion and generally exhibít sorne
divergence or convergen ce. Small angles of conve-.gence
STAGlZ
show up as wrenching or foidbelts, and small a~tes of
• -==-=-~
divergence appear as normal faulting or sagging. {'onse­
quently. transform movements are nol specified in the

--~~ basin c1assification. .

..'. Convergence normally affcets the margins of a..tively
colliding plates, particularly oC overriding plates. ~trong
convergence may be lransmitled into lhe interior.('f era­
tonic plates along majar shear zones (episodie IoVre~hes).
deCorming basins well into the interior and away fn'm the
convergent margins. Convergent and divergent m;lrgins
arc found on both continental and oecániocrustal ~Iates.
The lhird parameter wed in AtUfe 1 is basin position on
the plate (continental interior or margin) and ptimary
" $IASEa structural movement (sagging, normal faulting, or" r~nch
faulting). These combinations give rise to tbe theo(etical
model of lO simple basin or cycle types (shown in Ilaren­
lheses in Fig. 1). Two of these (OTA and OF) are n('t con­
sidered at this time to be prospective for hydrocarbollS and
are omitled from the praetical mode1, which hasei&IItsim­
pie basin types. These cight cycle or basin types arc the I
, .~

~",1S3,1 ones used in this basin classification. A cycle, or .l'imple

basin, is normally referrcd to by its abbreviated lettcf. thus
(J. margin sag cycles are MS. wrench o: shear are LL (lateral),
oceanic sags are OS, and so Corth.
flG. ~Relalionof staea
10 sedimcnta17 wedgU. (A) Sedimcn­
lar7 wed,e sbowiDa tnns¡rcssivc wtdgc base (stagc 1), wed¡C
From the standpoint of pelrolc:um exploraliol'. the:
¡reatest riumbcr oC cycles (all into four major eatcsorles
IIIIdd1e (stslge D. and rqrasin wtdgc top plus unconformity . and the rest into Cour minor calegorics. The major cAtqo­
(st.3). Dashed medlaa Une separata sta&es. (B) Sedlmentary ríes are interior slll (IS). interior fract.ure (lF), mar~in sag
Wédp whcre unconformItJ hllS NI out stage 3 and plItt af stagc (MS). and wrench (LL). The mir,or eategories are creneh
~ . .
-i .... ,
(O,.trench &ssOclated (TA), ocewc sag (05). ant;l ()I:eanic
wrench (OSLL). ',. " '.
OlobaUy. maS: of the hydro.:erbor.s díscovered t.l date
lile :narine wedse middle at e, only the noomarlne rocks of
have becn found in the foue major C)'c1e catcgorics which
stqes 3 and I wiU be described. Conversely, SccliOR a of
.are .lSSOCialed with continental crust. Al1 tbe basins within
Fipre lA shows that by goinS too far downdip, espedaUy
tbis c1assification consistof one or more oC thcse .;ycles,
in continentaJ..margin cycles, onIy the stage 2 marine plus modifyin¡ struetural events. fcn exampte. a foldbelt.
wedge may be descn'bed.· '''' which Í5.complete foldin¡ of'a bcisin Or partof one. Ü ~t
'considered to be a basin or cycle type, but is treaterl as a
, BASIN-JORMING T'ECTONICS
lectonic event that affects prt:e."Üsting basins. Solne of
, lhese c:ycle types may be split ioto variationS Cor pla)' aoal­
Basin-fonning tcctoóic sty!e it'the Second major eleqlent
y$ and evaluatioD. .:. .
.used in c:1assification. Figure I shows tbe identif'aeation
key used in distinguishing the various basín- or cycle­
DiYerzenl Cycl~ Types
formína t«tonie stylcs.'The tbree parameten used in the
¡eneral idcntirscation 01 these cycle types are shown on the . .~

left in Fisure l. '1be composítion of the crust underlying DiVCfscot plate movements are the underlying causéof
lhe basin is tbe rarst
parameter necessary for identifica­ severa! important hasin t)'peS. These may be single cycle
tion. There shoul4 be né) difficulty in determining crustal (simple) basíns or multicyde polyhistory basins. Mooels
romposition ir dea1ing with troe continental craton or true for various types of divergent fra~:ture basins have been
oceanie aust. Intermedlate crustal composition may discussed by Shats1cii (19463. b), Klemme (1971), L,lwell

'n present a problem that can generally be resolved (Oreen,

1977). For the purpose of cycle identification, it need only
be kuown whether thebasin lies on continental or oceanie
and Genik (1972). Margin and interior sal basin Jype5
have been discussed by numero U! writers ¡neluding
Shatskü and Bogdanoff (1960) and Klemme (1 97S):
enast. " , ' . ," , Interior $(1'
cycleslbasins (/S).-These cycles or bilSi';'S .
The type of past plate movement involved durinS the are defined as being locatcd entirdy on continental Cf\lst 10
cycle or basin Cormation is th~ sceond parameter used hl areas oC divergence. They are found iJi the inteoor 01 con­
 2178
,..JIU"'' '. dasin Classification System '7
s

.. 15-3 INTERIOR 5AG

State 3 uplift and etosion: inay conlinue for long period, Occasionally \ •

! nonmarine sedimenlation will precede unconformil)t Sorne s1ighl slruc-

IUraI movemenls possible in slage 3, but nochíng majar,
AGE: Pennsylvanian lo Holocene.

s
•
~~s~~~~~~~~~~~~ SIage
1S-2INTERIOR SAG
2 marine basin continues 10 sag. deeper in center. genetally fairly
symmetrical shape. No major faults ar struetural movements. Occa·
sionarridge or nose may be pre5en1.
AGE: Ordovician lo Mississippian.
- - - - - - - ­_ _.....;,~~ __J
,= "

l .

o ; ' , o' - .:.

, -
r, ~'.

;L:::::::.:~Z.~·~~;;~~;:¿·:J·:· ~~~~T~:-~~~,;n~a1
= o. .o , ' - ~ oC ' •
"':'.
•

bIoc'<. ~arine sedimentation. Basal

C8mbrian sandstone depcsiled in basin area.
AGE: Cambrian.

ne. ~EYolutl<!~ ~flnt!rior sag bain iIl~s~ted

,
-
o b, restored cross K~fioll5ln three siages., Example from Midti¡a~,lr.asin.
- ¡

'o~ tinental masses. not at the plate margino aÍld if near the fracture basin. Should the structuraI style change to sorne;­
".:1. edge thcir ·axes are generaIly at a significantangle lo the .lhing else. it becomes a j>olyhistory or multiplc-cycle
r ... margino tnterior sag basins (lS) are normally more or less basin. ; . o'>
circular olr oval in shapc and generally do not accurnulate Margin sag cycles/basins (MS}.-Margin sag cycles/
as ¡real a thickness of sediments as continental margin basins are located 011 the outer edges of continental crust
basins. They are formed by simple sagging of the conti­ blocks in areas of divergence. The basin axes Iie paraIlel
nental crust as shown in Figure 3. Many interior'sag bas:ns witl: the continental/oceanic crust bOundary, and the sedi:
originated in the Paleozoic. Some are.simple or single cxéle mcnts ~ayoverlap orito oceanié crust. Such basins ar~
basins. whereas others contain severa! repeated sag cycle3. rei~"Tedto :.s being :ocated on ..Atlantic-t)-pe" marsins. ­
~'~ Figure 3 shows the evoiution of a typical interior sag (lS) Ali már~ .ag bas~ have al least two basin-forr.ting tec:
;;1, basin. The basin simply sags with minor or no faul~ing._ tonie origins anc! are polyhistory basins.
'o- Interior sag CYCld are commonly found in polyhistory or' °The evolution of a typical margin $ag basin is shown in
~o' multiple C";c1e basins. o . - Figure S. Th~ ba...in b:gino¡ witl¡ the cracking or a
tratonie
Interior fracture cycles/basins (IF).-This.basin/cycle mass by divergence. Tbi$ ("¡rst phasc (stage 1 of cycle 1) as
:~ typc is define<! as being found on continental crust. eith::r previo'.!Sly o~Jined is cal1ed interior fracture. 3:Jd may
In the interior of present plates or at the cnistaI margins of resemble thepresent-day rife -vaIJeys oC Afria. These gra­
old continental plates. Interior fracture basins are caused - bens generaIly are filled with nonmarinesediments. Dur­
by di'l~-rge-nce and lension wilhin the contmentaLblcek.­ i.~ g.·a~~:: fornlalÍon, bas2.! b:eck t"ault 5truCturcs are
Vertical horst-and.graben fauldng andsubsidence are the: ofo~mc::d 2né h::ied by se<Ümea:s. P:obl:bly no contii~er.tal
dominant fatures. .. sepa:~t¡on 0';c:m5 at this time. 1800gb deeper fracture'
Figure 4 is a series of restored crOss settlons showing thC' %Orees may hay!: e.-it:nded thro!Jgo t.'le crust. There is g~n­
Outf of Suez. a typica1 interior fractUre basin. Cycie 1 :n
eraUy no sta¡: 2 this c:;c1e, inasmuch as the continents
sho\Vs basin formation in the Early Cretaceous. ·.vith ten· MYe not separated c:nough lO allow a marine incur!ion.
c

sion block faulting, and subsidence. Stage 1 nonmarin~ Tbe next phase oi basin formation. stage 3 of cyc1e 1, is
sandstone and shales are deposited. During stage 2. the end of interior fracture basÍJi devc:lopment. Continued
marine racks filled the Suez graben as block faulting, and c:ontinental divergence and graben subsidence by block
subsidence continues. Reservoir sands and carbonates are faulting are typically accompanied by nonmarine deposi­
deposited over lhe hi¡hs while shales fill the lows. Contin­ tion. One or more deep fracture zones may form as poten·
ued subsidence and compaction cause drapc of beds over tial separation centers. Tbese fracture zoncs may fiU with
high-standing fault blocks. During the third or final stage basalt intrusions and dike swarms. Stage 3 of cycle 1 nor·
of interior fracture the basin fiUs or is uplifted. a1lowing mally ends witb a major unconformity. BaSement block
nonmarine wedge.top sediments to be deposited; uncon­ faults cease differential movernent near tbe end of the inte· ,. \
formities may truncate the top of the section. If this c:ycle rior fracture cycle. and overlying beds generally do no1
is repcated witb additionaI faulting and deposition, the show any rejuvcnatcd movc:mcnt QT strueture. tt may be
succ:ecding. cyc1e still would be classifled as an interior 1hat continental rifting freezes the basement block faults

_o _o.. . ._._ . _ -------_ .... - -------­ ~

------------ - -­
 u •• l. '~"'~~''''''' ..,. ,-. LJ'~'" " ...... ~ .. J ,>. A. Williams

IF-3 INTERIOR FRACTURE

Slage 3. conlinued block faulling and subsidenceo Nonmarine deposi.
tlon as basin fills (deposition overcomes subsidenee). Faulting no!
generally observad in slage 3, jusi sag or subsidenee.
AGE: Pllocene (TS) lo HoJocene.

r--c=.:=--:-$rr-;'=7=:::===?"l~~:S-' ·5lage
IF-2INTERIOR FRACTURE .
2. lensIon and block faulting continue, graben syslem deepens
a!. .
.....

~ •
.; ~
H ..o".
lo form basin. Marine walers invade basin. Mañne beds deposited as
struetures fonn: sandstone is deposited and limeslOna reefs form over
highs: shale (marI) accumulates in Iows. Marine slage 2 ends wilh salt
- deposit.
AGE: Middle Cretaceous • T4 (Miocene)..

,":==:=n_'. __
=
~ ~ 1F.1INTERIORFRACTURE
o.'
I \.
"~~~~~~~_U"
•
__"
"~Sl5 .. '0- .• ,. syslem deveIops by block faulling. Depressíons fiPed with nonmaline
c1astics.
AGE: Early Cretaceous. .

FlG. 4-EYOIIlpoa of interior fracture buin l11ustra.ted by restored c:ross sections ia thift stages from Earty Crctaceous to Holocene.
Eumple Irvm Gulf of Suez. . .

on cither side; but whatever the cause, at this time the type continents separate añd begin to move aparto Basement
; of structural origin changes from interior fracture to mar­ fauJts are no Jonger independently active. and basement
~, i posas. begins to subside as one block. The entice edge of the con­
MargiÍt sag is initiated as the spreading center in the inte­ tinent sinks. Simuttaneousty, stage 1 of maegin sag cycle 2
rior fracture grabeos is aetivated and begins to grow. The com~onJy' begins with depositionof no~arine beds and

s::::;:.. . CInabm_.._ .......

(!). .... .

~ ertI"'Y).
NI;
.~..
U·~
... ~
MS-2MARGlNSAGlT
deposition,

~
_ _
tiltitlg

.....- ' ..••..

.. .

.... -
Marine

ocean.
more

- ~
. ,
.
""'_,.T_
and subsidenCe of c:oetal l... ;:;;n ~a-

)00 . ' •
el
Q)
MS-2.1 MARGIN SAG (MlddJe and Upper Cretaceous)
RlIl expanda. continents separa'., and margint subside aJong wiIh
mM oceanic crust. Marine waters invade. aJ:Id' margin sag sedirnents
deposited in coas1a/ basins. ".

.
'

!-­
IF.3 INTjg:¡IOR FRACTURE (Lower Cretaceous) .
ContinueCfgraben subsiclence and filI. rift dil(e area expandS. block
.. ti fauJtlng stil @Ctive. Cycle 1 endS. with majar unconformity.

d ~
~ ~Ol.CAIIO
·~=I-. ·;·\-'.,'.7",- ..; ,- : ~o. .:.; if;""o' 7
~
q)

\ ~
~
J
IF-1INTERIOR FRACTURE (Jurasslc) .:
];

~TlNorrA:' ~~causes.riftingofcontinentalblock.Grabensfinwithnonma-
~IUST _ nnesediments. , ,

FlG. 5-Evolutioa 01 continental margln sag buin.

 Global Basin Classific;)tion Systcm

® NORMAL CLASnC (SW AFRICA) COAST

10

~~
2 CARBONATE BANK (SENEGAll
.. . : DEPTH
COAST KMS
O

10

,_.~

"r·

bt"
. " , "
", DEPTH .----.\
KMS

.¡..;.

. ,
..
@ SAl.T TECTONICS (GA,~ON)' .

o
ATLAHTJC OCEAN
5

10

FIG. 6-Examplesoffour maln t)'pes of conllnental margin sag basins'classified aceording lo c)'cle 1 marine fiU: (1) n~rmal claslk. (2)
carbonate bllnk. (3) I112Jor ddta.'(4) 521t lectonlC5. Mos. divcrgent.basins are In one of lhese four ategories or in combinalioDs of 1'~O
or more. For cxample. Tartaya (Moroc:co) basln conlains comblnalion of Triassic salt (type 4). Jurassic carbonate bank (1). and
Lower CreCaceous delta da:1l1cs (3). A :;: lower qde I nonmarine series; B = upper c)'de 2 marine rocks. Adapted from 8eck 2nd
uhner (1'14).
 ". ····- ..... n r. o f'\ . ' , ' .. ~ ~..... • ,, r·"~ _ ""101
... '

TIIEIIC" ASSOCIUED IASIIIS WIIOlC" 011 SIIUlllASl1lS

YOle:. AlIC YOt.e.
1II11[1lCl1e1 SIllA. UIlIlS , lA Ale 11 11
DCUJI JAYA MllIlAWI • SVIlAnlA MAUY
'.Elle. IASIIl IASIII "SIIl

\~ (i' CfJ"l:n'f1l \' 111

\\\:
mC'DIlIC ACTmI1 MAl. lIlII " lJlClIIII
UU' AIIt SIIlKIIIC . , NSCllIDlIIC SIAl!

2. MIOCENE TIME 4. PRESENT DAY

A. Arching al upper s1ab, Basin formation. A. T~ sediments deformed. Thl'Usting produceS l;IeW ~
B. TTough cofteds deep-watar sediments (some voIcaniC). ' voIeanic are and assoc:iated basin. ':
C. \bIcanoes on inside are. . " B. \tlIcanoes Inslde are. :
D. Wronch or shear basins initiated by block faulllng and ditfer•. C. Strike-slip basins continue lo mI and de/orm by wrenct..fault
ential p1ate movement. couplet. ,

\'lile. IIII1OlCl1 el SlIUll . . . . .

AIC
11 1: YOlC. U.

.
~
....
1. MIDOLE TERTlARY . ." . 3. PUOCENE TIME
A. Convergenceof 2 plates(oceanic + continental) subduclion A. Trough continues to coIIect sediments whlcJl'are continu­
beginI. '" . , ousIy foIded and Ihnrst faul1ed. This is only area of compres­
8. Trench and are are formed (downbending al oceanic pIÍIt. sion.
C8US8S tension in overridiog pIate; or coId oceanic pi•• slm­ B. Vok:anoes inside are.
p!Iy ~ under tJDP8r p1at., and no compression resuItsJ. C~ Strike-5lip tension basins liIl first with nonmarine dastics.
. latar with marine S8diments. Basins sporadicaJIy wrenched
(structured) as thay fiI.
--,- . ­
FIG. 7-:-Evolution 01 converaent bll5lns (mear aud trench). Example Irom Java-Sumatra.

..
occasional minor evaporites. \, . . : , , referred to as margin sag ,(MS) basins or eyc1es. The
Sta¡e 2 of-margitnaaindudes1:Ontinued subsidence and-- advantage of thesc groupings is in their oil-play moda­
continentalsep~n.and is identified by marinedeposi- tion (sec Kingston el aJ, 1983). ' .. '. ~ , ,
tiOD. Marine waters invade the infilled graben system for One variation oC the margin sag cycle should be noled
the rlrst time. depositing ~astics, carbonates, or massive. separate1y-it comprises "old" continental margin basins .
salt at the base oC the series'. As the oceanic spreadin¡ ceR- that, as suggested by depositional evidence, have' beco
ter expands, tbe contincnl$ separate. New. layers oC converted int'? interior basins by the subseqóent forma­
oceanic aust formo and the older ones~; -: _: '.-, ; tion of a Coldbelton the seawardside. They were margin.
On many present-day divergent contin¿ntal margins. sag cycles transformed into interior sag cyclés by orogeny.
there 15 evidence of very rapid subsidence'ánd oceanwatdln ~y situations the evidencc for margin sag origin is.
tiltins oC the basins. beginning in the Early Cretaceous 6J1d onl)' patt;ial. l:JUt we assume that these basins.onee were
acce1erating in the Tertiary. M.arine sediments on thc QpeD . margins sags .because anyevidence to. the ~ntrar1 wás .
she1fmark periods oC highstands of sea,.and nonmarine: destroyecfbyª,e formadoR Qfthc fóldbe1t . .ne main rea­
sediments and paleoslope unconCormities mart the low- son for ~oíund identificationof margin sag­ thc
stands.As the ocean basins become deeper. clinoform interior sag (MSIS) é:ycles ..is"that they the classic·'· ... are'
deposition i~to the.deep wate~ dominates all previous' ¡;ah "asy~etricalbasios" and.~lVor1dwide~·m¡lnYareprolific­
teros. 'Ole cOl1ciriental crus~ margin may appear to have producers of bydrQCaroons. . <' .. ' . • •
subsided more than the adjaccnt oceanic crust, probably' Margin sai:-mterior saa (MSIS) qcles'. were génerally
because of scdiment loading. If sa1t is present, salt diapirs deposited.on broad, gently dippirig continental platforms
may intrude durins the later stages of the basin Cormation~ with sheet~ds and carbonate deposits more dosely com­
_ Delta deposits may accumulate al the mouths oC rivers,. parable to those oC interior basins than those of present- .
, with attendant gravity featul"C$. shale diapirs, and growth daynarrow continental margins. Sediments deposited in
,faults. "~ \!' ,. _. ," ,- '.. . " ' '. . thesc old ~gins~:interiQr sag (MSIS) cycles aR mar-
Margin sag basins have becn divided into various general ginal. te.•.trlq:generally gr~efrom coarse to fine in the
types by Beclc and Lehner (1974). These are normal clastic" paleosea direciion. arid show no struetural or stratigraphic
(-...., carbonate bank, major delta. and salt tectonics; they are--~.' evidence Cor the existence ofthe other side oftbe basin. No
iIIustratedin Figure 6. Most of the more than 100 margin. clastics were heing introduced Crom the seaward side; this
sag basins we have identified can be placed in oile ofthcsc indicates .the existence oC an ."?Id ocean." Arter. t~e fo!d-o..
rour ¡roups. The four marpn sag basin types, however, helt has.tr~~orm~ the cycle mto an ~ymm~nc~tenor
are not subdivided from the margin sag category; an are sal basm, lt 15 deslgnated MSIS to dlfferentlate it from
 ~ ..
.......... Global Basén Classification 5ystem

cycles deposited as interior sags and also from modero mediate interv~, the basins existing at that time may be
margin sag basins. , preserved. Sorne portions of the wrench basins of Okla­
hóma (Ardmore) are believed to represent different stages
Convergent Cyde Types of arrested wrcnching.Sedimentary fill. in wrench (LL)
basins is eXfI'emely varied. Mariné elastics, carbonates and
Basins c1assified in this eategory are those formed on evaporites, nonmarine clastics, vc;>leaniclastics, and
margins or nearby interiors of two or moreplates converg­ flysch-chert-ophiotites are all found, depending on depo­
ing toward one another. Most basins on convergíng plates sitional conditions. ..
mainly exhibit tensional features. Figure 7 shows a simpli­ Trenches (TJ aiul trench-associated(TA) basini.-These
fied version of the relative positions and development of categories ofthe elassifieation system arc relatively minor
basins on convergent plate margins~ Models for basin for­ from a hydrocarbon-pr05pccl standpoint. ResuJts Croro
mation on convergent margins are wen Jenown. Seelyet al past exploration have becn POOl; and it appears these
(1974) have discussed trench, foreare, and backare basins. basins have very tittle future prospect of containing com­
Carey (19S8), Freund(I965), Harding(I973), andCrowell mercial hydrocarbons; ~ '. .
(1974) have discusscd various aspects of shear or wreneh Trench-associated cydcs/basins (TA), as shown in Fig­
bll.iins. Carey (1958) deseribed small ocean basins. ure 7, are located on convergent continental plate margins,
Wrench or shear cydeslbasins (LL).-These strike-slip, landwardof the treneh or nonvolcanie are, if one is
shear, or wrench basins are referred lo here as double "L" . present.The basins. generaDy are built on folded trench
cycles (LL), for lateral movement. ThCse Cycles are rotind sedimcnts, not continental crust, and are formed by a sim­
on continental or intermediate erust. Fonhis daSsifica­ ple sag. oftcn deformed by ~¡¡tcmpü.ancouswrenching.
tion, hydrocarbon-pros¡:eetive wreneh basins are Trench-associated (TA) basins 3I'e b1cely to be !illed with a
restricted to those found on or di"C(.lly adjacent to conti­ high pereentage of volcaniclastic sediments, though
nental erost. Wreneh basins/eycles are found in areas of quartz or arkosic sarlds maY be found, given the proper
twO·Qr moce converging plates. They are,formed by a nearby.sediment source area. SedimentS in thcse ~íps
,:(tivergent ~ couplet with strike-slip faUttS along two generally are marine, though some have becn found to
or more sides, as shown in Figure 8. contain nonmarine ma,terials in the lower stage (Abukuma
Most wrenc~ couplet or shear basinS are found in the basin oC Japan). Other tieneh-associated basins appeat:to
,areas-of present-day, or Tertiary. plate wnvergenee. Typi­ have subsided rapidlyand are nIled witll deep-Water sidi­
.~ areas where thcse basins occur are: (1) the periphery of ments in the lower stagc. Thus, two basins of diverse ori­
'the Pacific Ocean, including Antarctica; (2) southeast gins are inclüded in the trench-associated (TA) category
Asia; (3) the HimaIayan-Alpine chain from the Solomon because of thcir location. Trench-associated 0:"') basins
Islands to SpaÜ1; and (4) around the Caribbean (AntiUes easily may be confused ~ith wrench (LL) basins. Foreerc .
are). basins (Scely' et al, 1974) are includcd in tbis treneh­
For most:zJf ih~ sh~ basios, stage 1 (hasin ini~oit associated category. In our global basin dl!SSificatiou sys­
~ diverg<:nt wrenching) appears similar to an interior tem, we fir.d renn'¡ "foreare basins'" witb no It:c
J"racture (IF) basin,. with tcnsional blQCk faulting ~d Uttl: assodatioll ~&bah, Palawa.;. Phi!ippit~, etc). As a c:oo,- ~
:' Dr no evidence of wrenching.'Nonmaririe wedge-base sedi­ seq~en"eo we 'prc'(e: :o \:Se the· ,erel ~eh-á.ssociated
~1nents are depOsited, untess "the basin is icitiated 'ünde: b'a'ins.... ~ - i.:, . .. . : .-:" '" , :~:
~~ " : . . Trenches ro are loca~ (1) on ocearJc crust, and (2):.::t
Sometime &fter the baS·i."l is initialed in stage 1 '0· '].'. t!le- :ra:~·u ce rwc o.. ~~r: oo~verm~'" ~bt-, ..A ,r~·!Jt1. '
wreneh dcformation of the basin begiilS. Wreneh strue­ lion zone is formed with thetrench bein~ the "bcnt" por­
tures máy form along :he ftanks or witbin the ba~:a, tion o~ the Iower pL-u:, as shoWÍ1 in Fig-.ne 7_ ?aes.ent-d3.)·
Major Wrenchcs outline the basin. and mi.,or wrenches . trenehes are relatinly ~ow downwarps located ov-er
foon struetures witbin the basin. If the basin is ne.'l! 5ubductlon Z(>:les;' Active t.enches ~ are2S bflow ht..'3r
enough to theocean. marine sedimcnu.lD3.}' be: de;~d~'!d;' m
iJ.,w ar.d"3l'e Te..ti2.&~ 81':; orde: trenches r"ave bc~l c".>n­
mar.y wrcneh basins have no !m..;!:e fili, bclritr too. fu . "cned into foldbeits. ; .. ;.... . .; "-.. 'C ';

frorÍl the sea to havehad invasions o:"m.adn-e.\VaCm.. o . Wert:CO~ze two t)-pc$ oC ttc:¡cbes. Th~ !"lI'St i::.volvc.:
In sta:e 3 oC the wreneh (LL) cyclc, the basin is uptiitCt.! onoe' oc:eurJc p!atc, ovcmdin¡; "l!!1oth~r, form!ng a mid·
and eroded, and the continucd -shearlng may begin to' as
ocean- treneh sueh. lhe Mal"iaM, A1e'.:tian, and Pbilip­
destroy me structures andparts of the basin. The term pin.e :renches. Thcse featurts r.ormany ha'..~ little se¿iment
"L3FB" is used forthe rmal stage of a basin completcly fili, and the amount thcy do ".ave ¡t.imaril¡ is voleJn/)­
wrenched to a Coldbelt. Continlied pIate convergence may genieand deep-water pelagie. Thc second type involvesa.,
result in orogeny. . oceanic plate overridden by a continental plate. This
If the wrench.:.faulting process contiIÍueS over a long trench can receive oceanic pelagic scdiments and "lot­
enough Fod, it wiU eventuaIly destroy theLL basin. As' canies, as weU as land-derived fme clasties. lbcse oce3Il·
a result, 'ew examples are' foupd of preserved wreneh margin trenehes aceumulate very tbiek deep·water·
basinsolder tban Tcrtiary. Typically, pre-Tertiary wreneh dcposits. Continued convergcnce with its ~ttendant cúm­
(LL):basins occur as wrcnehed foldbelts, with only frag­ pression and shearing, eventuaDy results in a foldbett.
mcnts ofthe destroyed basins beÍn8 recognized. However, Most trenches and trench-associat~basins end up as fold­
if convergcnce between the two plates and, therefore, the obelts, I11d such folded treneh sediments are given che desig­
engine driv¡ng the mechanism, has stoppcd at sorne inter­ natlon "Fal"!:"
 U. lO. ; ~:"::f":~¡;' :::. ~. =:~: ...... u •• , and P. A. Williams

r--. CYCLE 2 STAGE l L3FB

\

f
".~~~
1. Wrenching continues through basin until
wrench foldbelt results.
~ 2. Too much tectonism I:reaks up big struc­
U tures, reducing size of oil fields or destroying
>­
U tham.
J
3. Continued wrenching may result in meta­
• PlAN
.morphism and orogen)t
VlEW.

CYCLE l STAGE J . . LL·3

OIl POOlS OVER OIL NOW IN EN ECHElON 1. Uplift and erosiono general úplift of entire
WRENCHZONE FOlOS AWAY FROM basin or local uplift by wrench faults.
OESTROYED ..• WRENCH CENTER 2. Wrench structures continue tó grow.
~

3. Nonmarine deposition in lows.

4. Usually 3rd stage ends in unconformity.
5. Oil prospects over main wrench zones may
.be destroyad; en echelon. rolds away 'rom
main wrench zones most prospective.

CYCLlI STAGE2
LL·2. .
1. Continuad subsidence olbasin by downfault­
... ing or sag-possibly no visible wrenching•
. GIl OYEI SEA 2.Wrench fault structuring begins. It may be
WltOca lOIlE
~. '.: continuous or periodic. .

~
.3•. Marine sedimentation, clastics,· carbonates,
t, . . . majar evaporites (saJt), and volcaniclastics.
l .4. Oil prospects localizad in folds developing
. over top of wrench zona.

LL·1

t
4
1. Basin initialad' by wrench fault couplet or
'4
5TACII
CYCLll
~ strjke slip tension (Iooks like normal IF ten-
OIL IN BLOCK FAULT sion graben).
STRUCTURES .. :2. Tension block faulting andsubsidence.

~~ ~
3. Commonly little or no evidence of wrenching
_t ; . . movement at this stage.
'J ,~ 4. Nonmarine sedimentatlon, clastics, caal, VOI­
PlAN cá"lcs, minar evaporites, 011 shales. . ~
•• "" _e
Vlew 5. on prospects in block fault structures;
- T·
., .'.~

nG. 1-&0101108 01 wrendt or shear huins. LL = lateral Development 01 converpnt plate wrench la three mges (LW, 1, 1)..

n...,
UfÍJ sIIOWl 11.... step la mur wrmch basIas, ahat 01 loldbdt caased by wrencblna. Thls IsOnd step iD process Ibal cmales buin and
des&ro1IlL After Inllladoa ofbasl. (l.L.l), mO'emtatlDa1 case ID aU1 succcedina sta¡e. Bula DlR1 liso stop strikMlip mode
ud chaap lo poIy1üstol'J basln.
 U.ULlUI oj".:.in Classification System

IllCaUSINGIN
MACNllUDE
IOWNWARD
CD
EPfSODIC WRENCH EVENTS
@ feldlJelts 1Ilonlsi"e .1 IIlIsin ,.. :.-! .

FI· WRENCHED FOlDBEl TS

l. WITHIN OR ADJACENT TO ,c.used 11, obliqlle comp,ession)
J 8ASIN.
fBa

a"':sr~"~"i@?l ~

"""
v-=
---.
""'-
-
- - .- ----- - -- --­
_
.
WlTHIII 01 AD.ACElfT JO
IASIJI WITH MIN'MAL EFfECT

b WUI(
UfECT ~FBb
~ -- /- " ........ ~ .
TIIGGERS SAlT/SKALE DlAPlRS AIlD
. :.•..••.•..' ..". ...•..... '.' .:".' C1tOWTH fAULTS

__• . . ..--.. '- ,,;' .: Le

,-, ~:::.::-:,;=:::.-::.--..:.::=~
<

e IIODDATE
D'fECT

e SinNG
, IFfECT
~FBe
­ ~::~:""::::~::::':::';;;':"" " ,

_:.:. ~ . .. . . CAUSES eKANCES 'N

; ; : IA511t nlT IASYMMETRY¡

CAU:»!i IlSlO'f r.:vns.u.

ft.OWA srallcrom.
1L:.~~'-.:':~~~rL.._....!..;:--I~- ,.."'* Of 1CAJQ2 lUMiD AJID
- ... ;un aLoeas Ir.IPS UP USSNJ
~

•
FIG. ~Tectonlc: modirJa'S of¡yiRatsi/I:...''SJa typ~ fL r;uC: FZ). .

"riOa!d/J;C sags (OS). -Oceanic sags are areas where oce­

anic crUst has bien forroed by contin~tal separation ano
the formatioh of a spteadingcentcr. Subsequent. ccot!ng Tb~ ¡t.,há majo! eJement usecl to classify basins is basin­
and subsidence of the oceanic crust ha..e caused it to sin!c" ...
ar.oo~f1~r. t\..:to:irs. D~ir·-: or Cj"clcs {crm-:¿ by ene type
The S8& arcas that have accumulat:d a significant thick· Gft'~:(l;¡:; ti "l\.'-:m·~m méo\"'ce cha"1:e-~ f'!m';!l!l ';h"¡r historv
nl."SS o( sediments are calJed oceanic sag (OS) basins. Most ~j 0-.1\.;:' :: ~·"tQl'al c~'ent;. rller~ ~~ :hit'~ types "f bas¡¡{­
o( these tbick sediment areas are near continental b!ock:i ¡n'J':i~)'!r.::; ~!::¡or.~":$:
eplsodk wr<.nJ:h·:5 (L), adjacent fold­
or'i$land 2f'tS and may be associated with either.conver.;.. belt!i (FB), and complete fcldin~ Ol n ba.'ihl area (FB3)
¡ence: or divergence:. The sediments consist of pelagic whkh is fcl¿beit (ormadon.
material, volcaniclastics, and distal turbiditeS. Like the
trench and trencb-associaled basins, oceanic SaBS appear . Definition of Epbodk: Wrmcltes and Fo'dbells
to bave vcry Iimited hydrocarbon potential. •
Oceanic sogs-wrench coup/et cycle.slbasins {OSLLj.­ EpisOdic wrenc!les áre c!esign¡Oled by the single lener
These are Ihe mini-oceans or smaU ocean basins, floored -L," and represent a wide variety of lateral movements
by oceanic.or transitional crust. Such basins are believed not connectedwith basinlcycle origino Episodic wrenches
to have bcen Cormed by a Iarge divergent wrench couplet modify basins formed by other means and.are found in
(rather than mande upwelling and sea-floor spreading) basins with a11 ages .of basement rocks. It is believed that
that opencd a mini-ocean tbrough separation of the sialic old zones of weakness in the basement, such as old
layer. Thcse basins may be fiUed with pelagic materials, sutures, interior fracture zones, plate boundaries, ete,
volcaniclastics, or distal turbidites, as in ac:eanic sags (OS) movc pcriodically OK: cpisodically in response lO plate
basins. movements. Tbesc plate movcments are manifcsted al the
 o. R. Kingston, C. o n¡<;hroon, and P. A. Williams 2185

surface by plate I.:ollisions. rotatiolls, fragmcmatinn. and without further jiggling to keep them moving. .
by subduction zones. Wrench faulting or rotational rrtove- Le and FBc iUustrate the "c" effect which is rejuvenation
/ \ ! ments are prevalent in basin histories on aU continents and of preexisting blocks. either interior fractures or base­
read in different ways at different times. Crustal blocks mento This j05tling of older blocks can cause structural
Ooating on the asthenosphere may be similar to the jos- . growth whieh may or may not reach the surface. Many of
tling of ice f10ws on the Polar seas. . the world's giant fields owe their structural growth 10 "c"
Ocnerally, the origin of an episodic wrenching or lateral effects. It is important to note that tbe Na." "b." and "c"
L movement is fairly casy to ascertain. given goad plate- ef(ects o( domes or arches may not reach lhe top of the
tectonic reconstruetions. In some places. however. one structured cycle. which was a1so·the old ground surface.
cannot directly trace the originating event for an L move- TIte 'first modifier to reach the old ground surface as .
.mento TIte event which triggers isolated wrench m<?ve-' wrench-generated faults and (olds is the Ud" effect. which
ments may be on sorne other side of the plate in question~ ~ rated as a moderate to strong evento It is convenient to
orevenonsomeother partoftheeartb. Tbeeffeetofvary- divide: the I~t of modifiers into the ones causing "weak"
t in. intensities of L mo..emenÓ is shown in Figure 9. efrects (a. b. e) and the ones causing "strons" effects (d. e.
Foldbelts are caused by convergence of two oc more .. and O. . ... . . .
arcas
plates. Basin caugbt in this convergence may be com- Ld and FBd are examples of classic wrenching. Relative .
pletelyoronlypartlyrolded. Basinsnotcompletelyfolded plate movement is enough to cause en echelon faults or
are not considered to be.foldbelts~ndare said to have been folds to be weU developed. Here are found the first nower
episodically wrenched. Basins completely folded are called struetures recognizable on seismic records or visible óri the
foldbelts (FB3). Foldbelt formulas are derived from the surface. Horsetails (a series of en echelon faultsor folds)
basin tbat was folded.1f the edge ofa large basin is folded. may be secn as fanning out of foldbelts or wrench zanes
the rormula for the f~ldbe1t is the same as that of the basin into basins. The Ld flower structures are fairly modesl
cxcept thatthe youngest evcnt will be sorne type of rold- ones and do not bring basement to the surfacé. as tbey do
íng. Complete'y folded roeks. or foldbelts (FB3) are com- in stronger wrench events. Le and FBe are strong plate tec­
manly found adjacent to relatively unfolded basins ando in.tODie effects which significantly alter basin tilt. cansing
fact. may grade into basins. TIte expression used in the marked basin asymmetry. Titt in one direction~ or change
basin formula to denote an adjac~nt foldbelt is "FB." .. oftilt direction. is an "e" effcct.
Foldbelts have varying effects on adjacent basins. as ·Lf and FBf effects are the strongest episodicwrench
shown in Figure 9. events we record in a basin. Basins are turned iliside out or
"reversed" with synclines becoming anticlines. FIower
stcuetures bring basement or ver¡ old rack! to the surface.
TectOlllc: Modiflen These •• f" effects also sec the formation of major ridges or
arches in a basin. the breakup of plates under basins. and
~nche:r (L) 11MAt/jllCent Foldbdu (FB) eonsequent formation of new smaller basins out of the old
megabasin. lbe basin can be ripped up extensively and
Tbe tectome modifiers of primary basin tiPes are lÍsteei. stiU be caDed an uf" effect. However. if the basin is «:Qm­
iD Figure 9 in order of increasing magnitude. downward pletely folded. destroyed. or altered by faulting.,we would
from "a~ to "f." Each of these effects is found associated go one step further than uf" and ca11 it a foldbelt (FB3).
with botb episodic wrencbes· (L) and adjacent foldbelts . It should be noted that any of.the characteristic teetolÚCS
(FB). The veryweak "a" effect is known 10 oCcur'within or of the weaker modifiers may be found in 80y strongerone.
adjacent to a basin witb minimal struetural efftct. La For example, salt and shale diapirs and growth faults (Lb)
wou1d mean that a wrench passed tbroughor adjacent to a may be f.ound along witb rejuvenated block movemcms
basin but caused no faulting or folding visible at the sur· (Le). All of the teclonie parameters.salt domes, jostled
face or on seismie renectiOD. Porosity and permeabiIi~ blocks. flower structures. basin tilts, etc:may be found in
bowever. may be affeeted. FBa wouldmean that a foldbelt . Lf.
wu fonned oil the side of a basin but had no effed. of .. 'Several important paints nced.. to be emphasized con­
faulting or folding. on"the basin itselr. . cerning L and FB events. Fim, the tcetOIÚC modifiers
LO and FBb iUustratlthe "b" ~ffect-stiUvery weak on affeet. in varying degrccs. basins already forroed by ~er
the scale. The "b" efféct triggers salt or shale diapirs and - proccsses•. ~nd. aJÍ episodie wrenching zone (L) Can
. growth faults within tbe basin and can cause open folds iD turn into a wrenched foldbelt (FB) along its Iength:as a
basins adjacent 10 FBb~'We believe that without. teclonie malter of degrce of wrenehiiig. \Ve believe that most fold­
evcnt of "b" intensity ór sttonger. salt and shale may not belts are caused by wrenchirig movements or convergence
be triggered to now. Tbe movement cBúld be described . al some oblique angle (other iban 180°). Third. the madi­
best as "jigg1ing." TItere are numerous examplcs. ~orld­ fien are dcscribed as to whateff.ect they have on the basin.
wide, of basins with thick salt layen and Plenty ortcad nC't on the wreneh or foldbelt. For cxample. a wrcneb
that bave never t1owed. to produce domes (e.g.• YaJcutsk. 3l0ngslde a basin may be ver¡ disruptive locally.but have
ToUUOurt. Permianbasijis). Nor do tbey exhibit any little or no effeet on the basin itself. S~arly. a foldbelt
~ther evidence of post-salt deposition strueturing. It can alongside a basin may be vaulted oc highly deformed
be concluded that sligbt plate motions 'or jiggling are mountains but have little structural effect on the adjaccnt .
rcquireci 10 initiate ()r tJiaaer salt and shale diapirs and basin. It is the struetural effect on the basin that is
growth-fault movements. Salt and shale diapies. once trig­ dcscribed in Figure 9. Ir the foldbelt is hydrocarbon­
gettd by an Lb evento could eontinue to grow by statie load prospect1ve. il wiU have its own dcscription.
 2,~" UIUOdl t'élSIfI1.13SSIJICéllIOfl ~YS(em

t.mu Foldbelts (FBJ)

. Foldbelts represent sutures where past plates have con­

verged or are still converging. This convergence results io ~
eompression and shearing motions that cause the racles to!,
be wrenched and folded. If ultrabasic rocles, serpentine,
chect, volcanic fiysch, and other oceanic scdimenu are
found in foldbelt5, it is assumed that an old area oC oceanic
HIGH CR UPLlFTEO MOUNTAINS, crust was destroyed by subduction ot plate collisioo. and
IMBRICATE STRUCTURE ' the foldbelt suture is all' tbal remains of the vanished
oceanic plate.
2. FB38 TM six different types of foldbelts (FB3) are shown in
Figure lO. Tbey are: (1) FB3U"the upJifted foldbelts or
high-mountain ranges, generally having imbricate struc­
ture, such as the Canadian Rockies; (2) FBJS, thc topo­
Iraphically low. open folds, which may be partly or
almost completely burled by youoger sediments, as in 'part
of the franian foldbelt; (3)FB3F. the topographicaDy low
bUl complex folds with imbricare StrUcture. which may be
. 'partly or almost complete1y buried by youn&r"f sedimeots,
lOW OPEN fOlOS
r - . ,
, as in the Vienna basin; (4) FB3T, folded treneg. sediments,
CrdA,Y BE BURIEO) • "
found 00 convergent ptate margins; (5) L3FB,wrenched
• # l. a
to a foldbe1t (can have horsetails), invariably former:LL
3. Fa3F .~. -<O"
basin'; an~ (6) FB3, basin comptetely Colded, Speci(lC type
, unknown: Of the six foldbelt types listcd, only ~­
FB3S, FB3F, and L3FB-presently produce commci'clal
hydrocarbons. 0;:';;

BASIN CIASSmCATION

Ali basins, worldwide, rnay be classified by using the (.-~.

, LOW COMPlEX fOlOS, structural and stratigraphic eiements prcviou~ydiscussed.
•MBRlCATE: STRUCTURE ,','-
(MAY'8E BURIEO) It is possible to combine these elements to make a formula
for each of the b2Si~s withi{l the systern. Thiformuh is a
4.F8JT "gener:Jl, cx¡;r~sion ol the ~asi.,'s 5troC[l.Jl"af'¡lÍ\(~ suati­
graphi,: histo;-y. ,It C!OCS not d:scribe u"l'.it thid:ness, rock
color, so'urce. reservoir, ,siain mes, ana nie.ny oti~r lic­
tors necessary for, i:'asin anaIysis. There(or~, the.~ is, no
mágic iC'rq1~I~ which '=i1n s~~:!ra~": s~-:'jm~!t:~ ~i!-.:a ~~'J
oil-and gas-prone versus barren. Formulas are simply USe­
fui mearoS ler !urnr.!2ri~iC\, the ir.lpor¡am p-:>i.-:ts in :1
b&sin's strueturil1 and depositiona! history. Lo c1assifyiug n
basin and writing its lo;'mula, it is import2llt .to cudine
ody thé mai:o e"cmt:l in the basir. hisrol'/~ and not iO
att::~óJt t<.' C!',~s=ribc aU c!et3ü. ~'bo rnucb' c!t:taii rcscli:¡ ~:\!
!o'JIJ Bl1d 11~les5iy complic:ated fOl'mulas, which'm: Cit"­
'­ fic-.dt to uso. . . ..
S.L3F8 Basins O1ay bc c1assiñed by COJnparing basin pataInercrs.
as shown' in Figure 11. TlÍe d:Ha nee<kd are r¿gio!l3! maps
a..:d cross seaions, well 10gs or surfac!= seaions, and
regional seismie Iines, if avaI1ablc. From the rcaps and
eroS5 sections, the ¡cologie and pUle tcctonic hisiol"'J of
the basin may be d:duced. Major unconforJpity brca!ís
within the cross sections should be r~"tored lo thc old
, paleosurface, and a series oC histoñca11y restored cross sec­
WRENCHED TO A FOlDBElT WITH lioos should be made. From these, the basin historycan be
HORSETAIlSUSUAllY AFTER U·321 brokcn down into cyc1es, stages, and tecionic evcnts.
Thesc may be compitcd a:; shown in Figure 11 to derive thc (.~
proper basin c1assification and formula.
.. f8J. bSUI COMrum.T fOlDED, nrt: UlnulOWII
Fisure 11 shows how the (1) cycles. (2) stages, and (3) tec­
nG.lo-FoIdbelt tJpa (FBJ). tonic evenU of a potyhistory lJasin arc combinerl to create
 O. R. Kingston, C. P. Oishroon, and P. A. Williams 2187

A. CROSS SECTION Of AH ATLAHTIC MARGIN SAG

BASIN SHOWING CYCLE POSITIONS, BURIAL
HISTORY AND OIL MATURATION .
suma, ••
.-=.::=:;=....-r-----::::-:=::::t====:o---+--~~---+-=r--T--.

-2

-J

_t

-.
-1

-,
-.-.
'[Inca&.
SC.lll

B. COMPARISON Of BASIH PARAMETERS

.:....... ...J'. ., .,. ~'I'
fOlIlUU: lIS· 21/Lc111S· UIILc/IS· nllll • JI

• .lIIIKYeu Tt~ HPOSIIIlIll.... 1'IlOlI. ""ti

'~ !!!;
-
.lca me
-
lYlIm
.
IUca

(MARINE. WEDGE
2 I
MIDDlE)
, QUAT.
MARGaN SAG:
4 l 10
MS INONMARINE.
E. MIO.
Le
1 . TRANSGRESSIVQ
.
(NON MARINE,
,.
- 3
E. MIO. .
.. REGRESSIVE) .
MARCIN SAG
3
• TO
.. CRET.
.. MS
2 SALl SlRUCTURES
ClAS1IC RESERVOIIS

. Le l'
3
.. . ,
M. CRET. ~
INTERIOR SAG 2 (SAll) DRAPE OVER BASEMOO
Z C 10 FAUlT BLOCK.
IS

-i;
LCRO. 1 CLASnC RESERVOII'

L C8ET.

:{
. '
INTERIOR All SUB-l!NCONFORMln
1 D TO FRACTURE' NONMARIN[ ; ON BASEM€Nl FAULT
L JUR. IF BLOCK STRUCTURE,
CLASnC RESmOIR .
... .
AG. ll-Comparúon o, bll$in panmclen oslng cumple (A) 'rom Aí'anlic margino Formuti lor basin is given allop riahl of B.la
len colum., cycles are numbered in ascending order, oldesllo youngesl; lhis gives a syslem ofidenlifying geologicevenls as lhey devel­
o,
oped duriDl blstory o'basln. Second c:oluma, labeled "sequcnce," is inventon column 1, usinglellen; lhis enables identiritadon 01 .
qda or cnnts from youngesllo oIdest as lbey would be encounlered in driUin¡ a wcll. Thlrdcolumn lies cydes lo geologk alt.
Fourlll col.... (bases) ¡iYa groSt cyde type anel abbreYialloa. Ncxt columa' showllectonk "enls a"edln, baslns, their slrength.
aad wben theJ occulftd i. relatloa to olher nenls,; Sixth minan shows depositlOnaI sta¡es 01 weclle 10p (3), middle (2), and base (l).
"Uh or without unc:onformity. Right column shows hydroc:arbon.proclucln& playl.
 ;. Ir.
'-,t..

2188 Global Basin Classification Svstem

lIfTUlOR fRACTURE 11F·3211 _D'

1.
..
example DI inleriof Iraeture baSln (IF·321) com­
pIelely SlnlCluted by lotdlleII. May also indude
_ wrenchlng. Formula FB3IIF 321. (FB3
mean. enlire basin toIded.)

'OUIIUT -..n.
8
1. EJoample DI ~ sag basin (M5 321)aHecllld
on _ side by a toIdbell. FCIIdb9I1 and remain­

•
fOUIIIlC cIer 01 original M5 basin _ now sepatale enl¡'
ties. Tlle lormula IoJr remaining basin js
FBalMSl5-321.(FBlwilhoul a FS3 means loId­
beIt allecling onIy pan 01 basin.)

.
:
IIlUIOIt fIIACTVIlf ("·321'

..
fOUllJlC t.
e
TM eumpIe is \hlI_ as B abowv 'Ul:epllhe
fu1ding is on . - sidH DI basin iMln., 01 just
_ .... TIIe enlire basin is not 31lo<:1ecI. TIIet e­
lote lDrmuIa is FBcIlF·32 l.

,_'..>l

D
example 01 a margin sag basin allecled by
wreneh faulling late in its cfevelopment Proba­

•
. .OC" bIy Old Precambrian sutures I1Iactivalecl. Unear
-enc:tln c:auSll ridges or an:tIes lo Ionn Íft
bas;". May also activale sall ridgn. lsoIaled
ridges Iomt-wilhin·basin or·aIong ORe silSot. .

.mlOl SAC (1S-1211

•
WlIOlCll
Example 01 ínlllrior sag basin :lw !'as !lHn
OIourprimed tr' ....
e ndl hulling ;;¡Is in ó!II deY~:'
DpmlNlL Wntnc:hing rutl1I amund CN or lIolh
sides al Dasín. .

flG. 11-ElCImples uf polyblslory b:uins, showin~ simplediver¡ml bll!llu ~Yerprinled b)' roidbelt snd ~~ching:K1'~'::':S.

the basin formula. Figure IIA is a cross section ol" tIae c!:»me mo\·cmerlt in thc basin and prot-abiy afft:et:d t.'1e
basin to be formulated. Figure 11B traiubtes the erOss sec­ unconforrnity. The neAt cydc down is an interior sag. IS­
tiO:l even!s into the formula. It shoutd be rioted ti::lt '=i::i~,; Z'ü, wil~ tt.~ck salt in th.: St'1g-: 2 po(ti~n. Ti:.: bttom
are ended by any of foue cvents: (1) a change in cyc~e typ<: cide, 3n ir.tcrior fracture, u-31, has an u~confor;:lit)·zt
(basin-forming tectonies); (2) the occurr~nce of i1 s¡~nifi­ tite :op which i~ not relate<! to L or FE eV:~"lts. The otdest
cant wrench or folding cvent, such as L, FB, Oi' FBJ (t:c~ C"¡clt: 15 entire!)" nonrnarine. Combinaticn of these r.)clc:~,
tonics affccting. basins); (3) a major sedimentuy stJges, and e".Icms rcsults in tb~ formula bcing written
transgression andi'egrcssion; or (4) a regional uncon(orm­ yaungt.'St to o!dest as follows: MS-21/Lc/MS-32!iLdIS­
ity which may be caused by L, FB, or FB3 events but com­ 321/IF-31. Tbe abbreviated ages of each c¡-de :r.ay be
monly occurs without them. writtcn aboye the formula, as shown in Figure lIB.
Viewing the events in the example shown on Figure 11, as Figure 12 shows examples or how single-cycle basins are
they would become apparcnt in driUing aweU, the young­ afrected by foldbclts and wrenching. and how tbe formu­
est cyclc is a maegin sag (MS) which is '$liU in stage 2 las are written.
bccause the continental margin is under water. Tite marine - Figure 13 is a series oí cross scctions showing the step by
wedge overlie.. a wedgc base of early Miocene age and an step development of thc Persian Gulf basin, and its for­
unconformity; this unconformity corresponds to an epi­ mula. The basin stans out in thc carly Paleózoic as an inte·
in
sodic ~Tench which may have, part, caused the uncon­ -rior sag, as evidenced by thc Hormuz Salto The next cycle
formity. This Lc event rcaetivated the salt domes. The next appe:us to be a margin sag, cxisting from the PerIllian
older cvent is another margin saS (MS) crcle with wcdge through the Jurassic. An Le cvcnt at thc cnd of Jurassic
topo midi:lte, and base (3,2,1) foUowed by another Le cvent was causcd probably by convcrgence in the Tethyan lone
in thc middlc Cretaccous. Tbis cvent initiated thc salt and jostling collision of Thrkish and Iranian microplates
• r

U. n. "IIIY __ IVII, C. P. Dishroon, <l _ ...

LATE MIOfDE-HOlOCENE
w E ENDCYeLE3
Iranian loIdbeh lormed as India. Asia. anc:l AIro­
Arabian plaleScoIIided. Z..,oa MounIain&/orm.
... Evaporil" (Fars) and elasllCs deposiled it1 Ironl
01 lhe mounlains. Wrench sltUC!UfH c:ontinue lo
be aclive. F"1fI81 formula.
fleflS.:3.2,1Jlc/MSJS.3,2.1/UlJS.3,2, t

(;vCLe,
Inlerior ~-'ubsidenee 01 basin wilh deposi­
lion 01 Ctetll:eous sandslone. sh.... and caro
bonates. and Iower Tartlaty WIe. limeslone.
and evaporite. Wrench laull slruclUres petiodí­
eally ectiv.. .
JS.3,2,lIlc1l1SJS.W/UlIS.3,Z.t

lATE JURASSIC.EARlY CRETACEOUS

---.~~Lc
CYCLE2
- ---...-- - H
..... ,"-

.
• -
. .:. ...
' l .
,11
.

•
-- .---
• """...
.
• •• • 11
.

_,'
E
Margin sa~ermian-TriassicdoIomiIe and
Shale• .Jur~ carbonales. some evaporilel.
open sea lO !he ealt.
..... - ­ J"" • -' .... ~~ ~.,,- ._.~•.._.. ~ •• : . . . . . . ._ ... ", ,~. '. • -' .... "­
MSIs-J,1,VIMIS.J,2,1

w. . .CYCLE 2 ­ PERMIAM • JURASSIC E

ENDCYCLE2

~.~-S.
Citl\n\erian collision 01 A/to.ArIlbian block wilh
- 'ranian and Asialic plales. episodic wrench
laulll aeti>latecl in Arabian plata. iniliating 1trUC·
tures.
lcIMSlS.J.2,1ILa'JS.J,l,t

w _ CYCtE.! - CAMIRIAM, • CARIONIFEROUS I

. , s: nst:;It':·.;"::x_';::;
CYCLI!1
";';;:;';'W:'-;¡;::'3'=:¡;;;~;.• '. ~ .••. r ..~
'WQ!
.... .' "4' .. '
Interior sag-8asaI sandslone. massive
dolomile. and 1IIlaIe.
saJI.
LalJS.UI

'. nG. n-:Eyoludon

-- . 01polyhistéJrJ buin showing successln mies.ud formula denlopmeaL Example from Penian Gulf.
~, ' . .,.~

apinst tbe Afro-Arabiañ shield. TItis Le cvent also dosed global basis, about two-t~irds ol tbe basins in the system
off tbe eastern sea margin, and ebanged tbe pr~ous mar· may be ealled simple or single-qc:lc basins. These bave
¡in sas cycle' to an MSIS cyele. TIte Persian GulC basin only one basin-forming teclonie eyelc or, ¡ftbey nave other
rem:Wxd closed from that time to the presento The fiñal cycles ánd tectonie events, are dominatc:cl by one lype_
events show late Mesozoie and Tertia7 interior sags, bere These basins arc grouped undcr tbc namc of this dominant
shown as a single cycle, and tbe fmal Colding oC tbe zagros cyc1e such as intcrior fracture basins, intcrior sa:s, mzrgin
MountainsalonJtbeeasternmarginoftbebasin•. · ':., sap, wr.eneh or sbear basins, occanicsags, occanie
. Figure 14 shows a formwe have found useCuI in swnma....· wrcnches,. trcnehes, and trench-associated' basins•. Thc
. .' . rizins by chiaraetcristics oC basins for c1assification, anal.. . more complo, polyhistory basins that cannot be catego­
..,.. ysis,~.lbe Conn has bcen complcted usina rized with the eigbt basie cycle typcs, malee up!he rcmain­
o the Penian Oult basinas áD exatDPIc. Tbevarious paiam~ in¡ one-third oftbe basin~ classifled globaU~ Tbese are
eters ofbasindassifleation and asscssmeni are Usted vcrti· -refemd to simply as complcx poJyhistory basins. and fur­
o caDy on tbe left oC tbe form, whereas tbe lcologic ases are tber subdivision is nOl propo~ al this tinte. .
sbowá horizontaD~ from youn¡est to oIdest, across tbe ;.
. topo This pcrmits us to locate, in time, the vanous leC}'. Re&lonal Cr'oss ScctioDl .
parameters within a basin sueb as cycles and stages, basin- o

formín¡ or modifyilll tcctomcs, t)'pe of scdiment rall, trap· siÍt regionalsectioos, drawn aCcoss a variety of polyhis­
typcs" ancl hydrocarbon reserve information. TI)is form tory basins, are presented in Figure 15 to iIIustrate exam­
may be used to descnDe eitbec en individual basln or an oU pIes of how the more complex basins are classified. Thc
fleld, far comparison witb others." •. f9rmula for each basin is eonstnJcted mini lhe informa­
St. Joba (l980rhás published a map showing'tbe loca· tion available 00 tbe section.ln alI cases, the eross sections
tion oC world scdimentary basins. We have included will be describcd in tbeir order o( deposition-from the
approximately 600 of tbese basins in me global c1assifica· bottom up. 'tbe eonstruction of tbese regional eross sec­
. lian S)'Stcm. Itis obviously too compUcated to refer to tions is both ail aid to basin c1assification ando a useful tool
cach ORe by its spec:ific formula; so anotber dcsaiption in rapidly exptaining the t~onic history oC a basin to'otb­
., must be avaUable for more ¡cncnl usc.The writersbave ers. . .. . .
. Cound it convenient to use tbe fonowina catcgories. On a Cross S«tion AA' .-This is a scction oC a series of sags
 2190 Global Basln Classification System

'ASlN _, PERSIAN GULF COUNTII' SAUDI ARaliA, .U.AIT, IRAq. STRIA. IVRIl[T.~C_. _ _

,
1IlSC0V':~\D,:~

CYC:U I ¡
-,..---------­
, ,.

,
lGl 1I PLt MIO au
, fOII.U~A _'

IOC
J
PAI.
_n.ns.
__1_Z._lIlcI
can
- ~2
JUa In ,,-
S_'S._J_.z._ll_~_IS-_J_,2_,._

,.. DI sI o I e
I I
pe
•
-, i
....
2 $lAGI
2
I

INTIIIlOA lAG • YAAI"noNS ... I 2 I

I
-, 2

I
L.......
I

i
••
!
~
.
1 I
~.- "TUtOII FlIACTVIII I
·.,-:O .....N
•,¡ FOlIMlNG
NAlIGlItlAG • YAIttAllONS 11I11 MSlS........--1 1 1 I !
011 NODlFT.NG TUNCH + TIIt!NCH A$$OC. fl' • TAl 'l. I
1
I I 1
Tt!CTONICS f'OLon~TS ""III'IJI !-+- r--; I Le La !
. $l1I11I1I5U" .IPISOlIlC WlllMeN lUJ +1LI
OCIANIC lAG IOSIlOIUI . I - -
-
1-
,
...

I
+ __ ~
I
I

i
..¡.
1 I
:
~N
I

•t "SIIIENT • TDVNGIIIIGN.lCIIUS''''' Q.JlSS.I : I I 1 1 I ;

! I CSUB. CON n.) ,+
WCM.CANO CUIllCS .. I I I : I , i I
IASlN
RDI"INT .,::
P1I.~
cusncs
.
CMIONATt!S . .....i..,.
- '-r-
I
¡.
1 ~
1-
.- ,-1- .- .i ! i

•
1:
Ilt!I'OSlTIONA~
IlNVlIlONMENT
SAU·..,AJOOIIITU

-"""'1"AIlINE
StlA~_
DlI....AIllNI!
POIIOUS IS. If'N NAMEl
.-
EJIOSION-
!
I
,ARS
-.'
I
I
1
!

!
!
RUS

l
!

:
--, --H4TH

I
.-
!
!
--• ""'-L
I I
I ,
;
!

1
; --:-­
~,

! !
!
-­1
I

1lEIIIIVOIII ... ¡­ 1".... 8)+ -<- I ,

IlOCII TYPE POIIOUS CAlla. ",.. IlAMI!I
OTIIEII~~II~MHAM~ " -,
!-~
. . i
IKHUFF)
i ; 1
I
I
I

• StlAU
. . .a "Mine. I i _M,;!!
, , I ~_I
·
• ~IICE
• ;'1"
11 lipE ­
CAlIIOHATI
..... Non "..-irte
. i
I I
.. I ,¡ .I
~
I

-'M.:"
- r - '" .
l
I
:
1
i
i :
,
~-'
;'-',1&"'­
.
, '-~
" . - . 1 .~ ¡ I -i i r
.... IYlIflS" • OTMIII
, ·l'AU~T I ~
+. -1- I
I
i

1 I .
i
I
,
"
:'"'PlIi''-A'''
TIIAP"H
e, ; A.ANllCUNl '-.0"
:
!
I A5. A7
..
...
¡
i
1
;
: i
I
• ·&TIlAT. TIIAP i I 1 i
-.... - --. ­
.Ii
OIt.CM" 'k) ; I
!
t' . l'
.-. ­ • .QCM. . . .U I !
~ ClASIICI') I ; ¡
....¡,. -
~''''' HC CMM 1011 I t
¡¡¡lO lNFO
1·~"u~.JI
GIIOSI PIIOO. INT. cr..... _ ....·FII I
I
,.;- FIIOD. IIATIS III _ n i I
' .. --.
., "t
.
.... CONTAMlHANTS IS. HJS. C031
IASIII ..... DISCJllIl!~D..... fIIIOO.
I .: .
AVI Z % SUlFUR
.78%11 I .. t
I
I i
.ljl
I I
·sc.-t;II~ IIOCItI "wn ··Gl.NnlC TRAP nPEI t. 'O'IOIIT1'...... ItA.IIUn' .... ::ttovT a. ea- 1. "'u:ec.an:;.. TIIP & . . . .6\. caaPe-JJ aoca ".w'. f
• • .AlR t :& Toe . . . . .IICH.AUMI:.J)FAlAT . . . .WTM ..AlrL' l ..........'......... ~or.... COII.:1tI8D
G oooD t - 3TOC
.. • IltCH J + TOC '

FiG. l~BasiD c1auifit2tIo~ mmma:..] formo

~ .. ' ' ( .
."'~ ·With _ttñc:hing aJon¡ one side. Tbree major unconformi­ major unconiOrrnit~es.exclucting the prese:lt surrac.ee, and
'ties in tlio' seetion inelude 'the post·Prec:ambrian. bot the structuring i~ coincident with q'C1es er unconformi·
exclude lh:: present surfacé. The major t«tomc events aJe tieso Cycle 1 appear:: to be an interior fracture of L&te Cre­
. 'assoclated with these unc:onformities so that cycln-corres. .taeeoU$ age, contci"'lb~ sandstones foc stages 1 and 3,
" ¡)ond tothe int~ in bCtween. lbe bottom cYclc {lj lies m:J.rine male for litase 2, and endh'"1J wi:h an unconform·
0.-" the JlreCarnbrlan baSement and shows no strueture cor­ ky. Cy~ 2, of PalOO6~~e-Dge,appcmsto bean interior S<"lg
. responding to the cycfe. Sandstone appears to be coming with marine shale ánd limestone in stage 2 and saD(l~ones
into the. buiIÍ f{Qm"both lides with marine shate in the c.en­ being introduced fTom both sities. 'tbe cyd~ ends with :ln
ter. CycIe 1 appears to be an interior sag and would be writ­ unconformity whid: coincides wiili wrenching aaivity
ten 150321. The second cYcle, which is late Paleozoic in aJang the right side of tbe eross section: Tbe wrencbing
age, also has sandstone comipg in from tbesides and lime­ .ppears to be an Ld evento Cycle 3. the Neogene, is dearly
lione aitd shaJe. in the center. This c:ycle appears lo be another interior sa¡ witb sandstones comiag in foom the
another interior sas and shotiJd be written 1S-321. Corres­ , sides 'and limestone in the middle. The final formula can
pondina to thC unconformitY at the top of cycle 2 is an L be written 150321/Ld11S-321/1F-32l.
- event which affects both oIder cycles but not tbe Permian. Cross Section CC' .-lbis eross scction'exhibits a rever­
Tbis wrench appears to be an Ld evento The tbird or final sal oftl1t in the middle of its depositIonal lUstory of tbree
qcIe, of Permian age, is another interior sag, apparently ·cycles. The bottom c:ycle is Late Cretaceous in age. It has a
with no marine stage 2, which would be written 1S-31. Tbe wedae base, carbonate platform with shales for stage; 2,
final formula for the cross section. written left to right, and 3D unconformity cutting off the wedae top for stage 3.
youngest to oldest, would be IS·3 ilLd/lS-3211150321. Thereis no way of knowing from the eross section if lhis is
Ooss Section BB' .-In section BB'. there are three an IS or MSIS cycle. Either would be correcto From rela­
 D. R. Km9sCon, C. P. Dishroon, and P. A. Willlams 2191

•• E
, E'

,.
•
Z
-1-_--
-~;:.-.

.-•
4-,.._ _-

.
t:

•• Q Q'

•
Z

~
•• D
I
J' D'
I

• X

•
•
,"
. '.
., ~!

!lG. lS-~qionalcross sccdons 01 eomplex basins, sbowing formulas developed lrom dassiflCalloL
~ ·-f
. . ...
." .­

- . .
tivcly flat Late Cretaeeous cycle. the basin tilted Co the Late Cretaceous cycles'appear lo 'be interior sags with
ri&bt, beginning in. the early Eocene. The Paleocene may sandscones coming.in from both sideS, At the end or the
also be missing. This basin tUt corresponds to an Le event. Cretaceous, a tectonic event affected the left side or the
The Iower Eocene elastic wedge, thicleening to the right, basin, formingafoldbelt. Theeffectofthis roldbeltonthe
ap¡jears to be an IS cyele with three stagcs: wcdge base, basin has been to change tbe'dcgÍ'ee of lilt bot nOl radically
middle, andtopplus unconformity. Attheendoltbeearly enough to caII it an 4Oc"-strength evento Therefore, we
Miocene, there was another basin tilt reversing tbe.4i1cc- would probably designaee it FBd. During Late Cretaecous
tion to the; left. This is considered to be another Le.,event. lO Paleolt!Jte, the mountains formed, the basin subsided,
The Iast cycle of late Miocene-Pliocene would be nOnma- and c1astics were shed off ~he rising mountains into the
rine interior sag. The rmal formula for the basin would be basin. This cycle is another IS cycle. The formula now
1S-311LeIlS·3211Le1MSIS-321. : ' . .' reads: 1S.31IFBd1IS-321/IS-321IMSIS-32111F-3211IS­
Cross Sect;on DD' .~ross sCcti9~ DO' iUustrates the 321. This ~ould have been the end ofthe formula, but in
eomplexity tbat may be caused when foómaqy ~inareas this extended basin area a new ocean margin formed in tbe
are included in the lame fornítü~'Fifst. from the bottom Tertiary at the rigbt side 01 the eross section. If tbese geo­
up, there are two faidy thin PfJeOzoic ~eles. The bottom . logic events were added. the formula would read M5-211
cycle appears to be an interior sag Cut by interior fractures IF-311IS-311FBdlIS-321/I5-3211MSIS-3211IF-321/IS-'
oC cycle 2. The Jurassic: rocks appear to.be directed into a 321. This cumbenome geologic-history formula ilIus-.
deepei basin lO the left, with no sign of the other side. We trates one of the pitfalls or includinl too targe án arca
can desi¡nate th~ cycle M51S.321. Bolh the Early and within the basin boundarics. Tbe solution would uve .
.. :"'~
 2~92 Global Basin Clac:c:ification System

been to separate thearea into two basins at point "X" on The basin formula would be wrinen TA-2I/TA-321/
the section, and to give each basin a separate formula. FB3T.
. Cross Seclion EE' .-In tbis section, there are four
major unconformities separating the' cycles. At the bot­ CONCLUSIONS
tom, is a Permian-Triassic interior fracture with a thick
salt layer as astage 2. No tectonic event is \'isible at the end This slobal basin classific~ion S'fltem identifies and
cif,g-c1e l. Cycle 2100ks like an interior sag with sandstone compares basins inspecific as wen as seneral ternlS. The
coi1'iing in trom both sides of tlie basin and carbonates in system is ba~ 00 the genesis and evolution of basins in
the rdiddle. At the e:ld of cycle 2 (Jurassic).· the large the context of their geologic histQry. The main e!ements
nowcrstruClure at the right of center was activated by used to c1assify basins a!'e basin-forming tectonics, deposi­
wrenching (Ld) and then truncated. Possibly some salt tional cycles. and basin-modifying tectonics. Basin­
movement was triuercd at this time aIso. but the diapirs forming ttetonics are deduced by knowledge of the type of
have younger mov«:ments which obscure the older evi­ underlying crust. past plate tectomc history. basin location
dence; therefóre 80y old m~C1Jlents are unconfirmed. on the plate, and type of primary structuraJ movement
Tbe Lower and.Upper Crctaceous are lumped together involvcdin the básin fo!'mation-such as sagging or fault­
into onc cycle which appears to be 3D interior sag owiog to ing. The res~.lt is eisht single teetonic-cycle or simple basin
the presence of Lower Cretaceous salto because no evapo­ types that 'are termed interior sag. margin 581. interior
rites are found in margin sag (MS) cycles. At the close Gf fracture:, \Vrench. trench, trcnch associated. occanic sag,
the third cycle is a ttetonic evento A foldbelt formed on ( ; and oceanic wrench.
left side that caused the salt to now; but it does nQt appe.. r Basin-modiiying tectonics include episodic wrenches.
to have jostlcd bascment blocks. It probably shollld ra(~ basin-adjacent-foldbelts, and 'cQmpletely folded basins:
aboutan FBb.l'he flllal cycle is another inlerior sag. prob­ These have beco identified and pbced 00 a· scale o.f
"
ably nonmarine•.Tbe fmal'Cormula for tbe basin would be increasing magnitude. from' mo\'ements of slight to majol.
IS-3I1FBb/lS-3íIlLdlIS-320iF-321. ' ~ structuraleffcets. More complex basiris may contain KV;
eross Sect;onFF' 'cln Jhis section. a divergent eral differeot teetonic cycles, plus basin-modifying teé-'
continent~!-:':1¡Ugin basiri. four major unconformities out­ tOllic events. Tbese are called polyhist(Jr)' basins. The eight·
Une basin cyclcs. The oldest cycle is an interior fracture simple basin types, their depositionaJ fills.· and tectonk
with nonn~¡l;lesediments only. The second cycle is Lower modifiers have becn given lener and numbe. symbols so
CretacéOus"'and ineludes a thick salt bed. This means ii that the' specific geologic hi5tOry oC C8ch basin may be
must be anrnFerior basin inasmuch as there is no salt dep<>­ wriUen as a formula. These formulas may then be com­ /~.
sition on open-OCC80 margins. Cycle 2 is called aro interior I
pared betwcen basins,anc! similarities or differences
sag, and may haveended with sorne L-event tectonic activ­ noted. . .
ily during middle CretaceoUs time; however. titere is no The 'prlmar;; uses of the global basin classification are
conclusive evidence on this eroSs section. Cycte 3. midd!~ sumM:!rized as follows: (l) to loc..ttc al1d ie~tify all basin.~
and Late Cr;:tact:ous. has been cut offon the left side ay an oi the world iú one ira.-neworlc (the s:'stcm c:m ex~ar.d the
unconfl)fmity. It is thecefere impOssible to determine, . explürationist's \'iewPQim to incluc!,. aH pouibk basín
(rom L'ie evidence on the crQSS section,'if this cycle \"as ac types, an~ nN just tho~ with whki: ~e o. s~ has b:!d per­
interi~r sag cr a margin 5a&. However, because the b~sinis sor-~ 1e;'(p¡:rient;-:- it ~ a:l ate! te e~p!Qra!ior.thinkil1g); (2)
an opening continental margino this cycle should be mure: ti) p'::I.li;: the ~Cpét.·éa¡¡Oll uf C.úi;.V:~;'; "~¡II" ¡Jltu li.cir sim­
marginal t¡,an the previous cycle. The best guess is that i: is ple component parts, for an:l!Y~¡J lb s-i..:al'lt: uniB; (3) to
MS.J21. The end ofcycle 3 was accompanied by a strong c~mp:!=-e plays wi:!1in or.e ór two bm::nS oi the sa..n~ t)'pe.
uplift orthe ridge in the basin center which changed the tilt or !WO or more b:!!:ins' c1assified ~ c!ifiercnt types; (4) to
ofthe basin, truncated the previolls cycles. and caused :;n!t ~;o'lic'e :5~lS:~~Y. ~or ~""~~J:a!:n; f;:¡,....,;..:!.~k ;.!a:ls ::!1~: risks
domes lO ri3e",Thisactivity correspond'.l to an episodic fo:- ezch basm t:lpe. ¡"'.':31!SC rlsks· sftml!d be !! " . :'~~ood
w.cnch oC Le1ót~ty,Tb~ (..~31 cycle (4) is c1early a mar­ hefcr-.~ venturc c~Í5k'::; é5j te· prerliq Wile( 5COk -' :; ·;:vcnts
gin 53a (MSj which occurroo asthe continental. margir: I&.tut be fOl'r.d -:u oC 't~i.:l to :m,rovr. c.i! ~ospecti ...ene5s;
sank in lJl,: Tertiary~ Tbe fmal formula Cor lhis basin (6) to en~anc:: theprecictiol1 of oii poc:nlia! in unknown
wouldread~ MS-2I/Le/MS-32IltS-321/IF-31 •. or liule lenown basiA~ by i't:ferring to known basins of r~
Cross Secl;on 00' . -The type of basín found on this same classified c~; (7) to provide a sy!tem wher~ the
cross .scction is commonly fOllnd .around. the margins oC paleonlology. seismic stratigraphy, Seochcrr.istry. ar.d sedi·
the Pacific Oc:an. It is a wrcnch or shearLL basin over­ mentary history oflik~ (and c!iiferer.t) ból!ins can be com­
. lain by an interior¡ag.The formulaof this eross section -pared and evaluated; (&) t" :;.ermit location.and assesSr.l~n!
would be"IS-2l/LL-321.: Tbe FB3T basement of folded ofthe bcstspeciflc-play arc:as ina basin. nctjust totalsedi­
trench sedimcnts included in the formula is considered to ment volume; and (9) to act as a \'ehicle fue comparative
be a key mdicator of a convergent margin basin. assessment of hydrocarbon basins. worldwide..
Cross Secl;on HH' . -This cross section shows a conver­
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gent continental maÍ'gin with \'olcanic are. basin. and
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trench sediments in the Mioccne. From the eross seetion, it lOme: evolution of wC5lern Nortb America: OSA BuUetia, v. 81. p.
3513-3536.
is not possible too teU whether or not the trcnch-associated Rally, A. W.• I97S, A aeodynamic scenaño for hydrocarbon ~cnccs:
(fA) cycle contains a marine stage 2; because most TA 9th World Petroleum Con¡ress Proceedinas. v. 2, p. 33-44.
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--- (~.~_. p

O. R. Kingston, C. P. Dishroon. :Ind P. A. Williams 2193

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'" ..,""""
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 ...,..~ .-, ... ,..

.; Hydrocarbon Plays and Global 'Basin Ciassific~tion'

D~ R. KINGSTON,ZC. ~ DISHROON,Z and ~ A. WILLIAMSJ

ABSTRACf -ered hYdroc~bon -reserv~ for cacho of lbese productive

cyeles, worldwide, may then be tabulated, ud evaluations
Hydroearbon plays and the global basin dassific:ation of the various cycle types can be made. Productive cycles
1JIt:,a uve important connections. After a basin has in explored basins may be compared to similar cycles ando
bten dassirted. ib linularities or differena5 with other tectonic events in unexplored areas. Assessment proce­
basi~ ...y be compáred. Prolific hydrocarbon basins are dures for new buin areas are not discussed bere. However,
megorized, ....d tbe plays ~ compared to spedfic tec­ we pcjint out general oil-play controls for eacb of tbe cycle
tG~ ud dq)o5itional ennCs. Some plays are controllcd typcs that we have foUnd to be or value in basin-play pre­
by bula-initiating tectopic ennts. such as interior frae­ dictions. .- ­
.I1Ire orinlerior5ag. and the tJpe of sedimenfation inherent
in each basin type. In more complex poIyhislory basins, oil '. Interlor Sag (IS) C)'deslBuins
.nd gas plaYI are commollly as.4iOciafed with combinations
of yariou~ cycles. or by basin·modifying lectonies 5uch as Interior sags ~e: stable éyeÍes, commonly remnanlS 01
.' episadic wrenching, subsidence, loldbelts, and buio tilt. .larger Paleozoic basins. Oil may have milrated up from
. ,. , older preexisting larger basins into tbese sags when the
INTRODUCfION former were broken up JJy orogeny. Thcse cycles have ~
interior, restricted. depositional environmeüt, normally
This amele was written in c~nj~~ction'witb the preced­ load for source rock development. SbaIIow marine an~
in! paper in tbis issue, "A Olobal Basin Classification Sys­ .nonmarine conditions also prornot~ the widespread atent
tem," bythe same autbors: Cross reference to the previous ofblanket-type reservoirs and evaporite sea~. Poor struc­
paper \tG"..ade. especially 10 various baSin types, basin for­ tural focus is a common problem in interior sag cycles.
mula'~.and figures. The principal purpose of this paper is Stratigrapbic traps are commonly found in interior sag
to-identify th~ main hydrocarbon associations and param­ (lS) cycl~s. Thc oil plays in tbese cycles leneraUy are asso­
.ciers coupled witb each cyc-Ie type. Also, we desclibe sorne ciated with básement arcbes, noses, and other topographic
~ples ofcomplex polyhistóry basins and bow tbey m:!.y fatures within tbe b a s i n . .
.. be analyzed to identiiy tbeir play-Iocation cycles Cl:ld Larger interior sag basins generally are more prospee~: ,
evcnls. .' tive; small ones commoal1 are too sballow to generate
Various authors, Weeles (1952),K.nebel and Rodriguez­ bydrocarbons, with too little buriaJ for bydrocarbon mat­
Araso(19S6), Halbouty et al (19703, b), and Hufi(I978), uration, especially fcr Mesazcic and Tertia,ry rocJr.s. Inte~
bave discussed bydroearbon r~!"\'es in relation to varlocs rior $aS cycles/basins, thougIl commonly large in size;­
buin types. Tbe habitat ofgiant oil and gas fidds has ~n rnay be very shaUow. Tbose larger and deeper basins o(
tite subjcct of numerous papees: KJemme (1971a, b, c; Paleozoic ase general!y are the mostprospcctive (or
1975), Nehring (1973). and St.' Jobn (1980). Various hydrocarbons. Most interior sag (IS) bagOS are ver¡ shal­
a~pects or bydrocarbon aCcumulations, ir.c:luding tectonic 10'N.· líave few strl!ctures, ant! in places have poor saurce
style and c1assification, bave been report~d by r«les. Most simpl: interior 528 (lS)basins contain poor
USpeóslcaya (l967), Harding (1973), Ziegler (l975),&Uy !liospects or few prospectS in sm:tll 6elds. Polyhistory
(1975),,·and Huff -(1978). The age and distrib.ution or basiru¡ that contain interior sag (lS) cycles affected by later
pctioJeum reserves bave been discussed by Bois et al structuring may tecome very prospectNe. Forty-nin~ per­
(1982).- . . , eent of 211 interior sag (IS) cycIes studied worldwide were
found to produce comrncrcinI qu:ultities of hydrocarbons.'
. , OIL-PLAY PREDICIlON
Interior Fracture (IF) C1d esIBasins
In the precedbg paper, tbe mctbods of basin c1assifica:
tionMe explainec:l. After abasin is dassiried, it is possible
Intcrior fracture basins inelude some of the most prolific
to identify tbe productiv~,CYcleor cycles within it. Discov­
oil basins in the world, such asSifte in f.ibya, west Siberia
in tbe USSR, and the Gulf ofSuez in E¡ypt. Normally two
eCopplght 1983. The American AsaOdatlon ot PelrOleum GeoIogists. AII
righ'-~. " .- . . mabi plays a;re in an interior fracture cycle:.(l) stage I non­
lManuKript receNed. Februa1y 22. 1983; accepted. May 13. 1983. : ma.rine sediments on basement block faults as are found in
2EAe&ploqtlon Inc.• Houston. Tu.. 77024. lhe North Sea at Brent, and at Waha and Sarir in the Sirte
3&ao Elrp/oratlon Inc. (retlrecl). 203 Pompano. Surfsld.. Freeport. Texas
n~.. . ' basin, Libya; and (2) younger stage 2 marine reservoirs
Ttle....,. Shank fIe managemenl af Esso E1plorallon Inc.. b permlssion draped over block fault struetures as are found in the West
la pubIiIIIlhia paper. 'He aIIo acknowledge the helplut COIMIents af T. A.
Fitzgerlld. H. M. Oehman, Jr.• D. S. McPMrron. T. H. NeIson, and J. B. San­
Siberia and Sirte basi~ (see kingston et al. 1983, Figure
gr... wllDlIdviIed Id on c:ontent ancI revilionl. 4).

2194
 O. R. Kingston, C. t". Uishroon, and P. A. Wil/iams 2195

Active block faulting normally continues throughout the shaJe may be tbe best oil play in margin basins. Unfortu­
~ history of the basin. therebyconstantly rejuvenating struc- nately. it is generally not at optimum drilliRg depth. In the
. ) turargrowth. Episodic wrench movements may aJso occur. basin center. it is probably. buried too deeply (20,000 to
Bettcr rc:servoirs are associated with structural highs. and 30.000 ft. 6.000 to 9.000 m) to be drilled economically, or it
souree rocks with the lows throughout the development of wiJl be gas prone with low porosities at these depths. Near
the cycle-an ideal conditioll for local migration and the margins of the basin the play isnorm:dly too shallow
entrapment. The cycle 1 nonmarine play, with its built-m ( <·6.000 ft. 2,000 m) and it is immature. This play must be
sauree. rescrvoir. and strueture, attains its best dC\lClop- found at the propcr depth to be considered feasibte. To
ment in interior fracture (IF) cydes. . date. not mueh drilling has been conductcd for basal cycle
A semirestricted depositional environment. 'eommonly interior fracture (lF) plays in margin sag (MS) basins.
found in basal interior fracture (IF) ·eycles. may produce Most eycle '1 fauIt bloca. the best .potentialstnJctur~,."
widespread occurrence.ofevaporites. or blanket ~~~ and freezc or ceaSe differential movernents after continentáI
richoU source rocks such as the Socna shale in Lib,a. No separation. Because there is no struetural growth. there is
m~ regional tilting of interior fracture cycIeslbasins is . normally no drapc or elosure of cycle 2 younger beds oyer
likely to aceur as in margin sag basins. so there is much less the old blocks. Tbis is different from other main cyclc
chance of pooled oil spilling out oC structures. A few smalI types. and the play must be downgraded aS aresult.
interior fracture basins have oaIfone active side. however, Aboye the basal interior fracture '(IF) cycle, younger
.and in these a halC-graben is forrncd with strong tilt. Size is unilS may consist of interior sag or margin sag cycles: Sim­
an important factor in interior fracture buias. Oenera1lY. pIe margin deposition and sag witb no other tectonic
the bigaer basins have a bettcr manee for exploration suc., movements appear to be detrimental lo preservation oC
cess. altbough a few smaDcr basins.like Vienna inAustría, hydroc:arboos in these basins. Contemporaneous or yooo­
and thc Gutf of Suez. 'iuM: 8000 produetion. SeveraJ . ger saJt 'dome uplift, growth Caults. and wrench faulting
smallcr interior fracture basins are too shallow. and the appear to ¡nerease the incidenee of oil discovery in these
~. souree rocksare i'nunature. lbe burial history of tbese basios.
basins must be studied caréfuUy before maturation and Thesizeofmarginsagbasinsleyclesis ánimportant Cac­
migration ofhydrocarbons can be assumcd. Many smaJIcr toro If the continental sbclf is narrow and small, tbe cycle
interior fracturC'basins contain red beds and volcanics that wiJl be higbly tUteci. Most younS Tertiary margin sag
do not appear to be good oil-generating roclcL . ' , cycles are depositeci as thick sediment pods or elinoform·
Interior fracture basinslcycles. whosedevelopm~was .. wcdges just off the outer sbelf. Thcy have a fairly low sedi­
'1estcd durina the carly initial ñfting stase. are very bigIt: ment 'yolume tbat does nOl prograde like a delta or keep
_.,¡lt· with minima! knowll procluetion in other basins. ~ ..paée with subsidence. and consists predominantIy of.deepo­
Tbese basins normally contain a thin sedimentary section water dinofórm clastics. The subsidence and sea\Vard tiII:
oC coarse clastics or volcanic:s. Some oC the rift 9aJIeys of are perhaps the- most important negatiye factOR. In mar­
ACriea.are examples. The. interior fracture basiDs, whOse : sin sag cycles. marine shales are locateei seaward. down-'
development reachcd a more mature stage/are the most dip. and witb porosity (~) increasing upcUp to the
fayoced for hy~rocarbonoccúrmice and accumulation in· outcrop. In the Late Cretaeeous and Tertiary. rapld sub­
eitber early riftin¡ or middJe sraben stages. Interiorfrac-. sidencc of the outcr basiR margin tiltcd many gentle to
ture cydes are foY.md commonly as simple basins. lbey" moderate strueturaI cI.>sures. and the oil has been 1051
may also be foune: ~ cycIes witIün polyhistory basins. par- updip. Margin sag basins with a strong oceanward tilt may
ticularly the initiating eycle. Interior fracture basins. .have lost oD from both the olderand younger struetures.
~hich have been separated by continental "pull-apart~·,.The updip flanks oC some musiD sag basins contain exten­
and now comprise the bottom cycle in margin sal basill5, . sive tar deposits at the' o\lterop. cvidencc of oil lost by .
are larady unexplored at ~.Th date. production has basin tilting. Examples oC tbis are COllnd in the Upper CTe- .
. been establisbed io these continental margin interior Crac- 1aceous margin sag outcrops oC Nilerla. c;:¡abon. Camer­
ture cycIes in Oabon, Angola. and Brazil~',; :.'; : " . oon. Congo. and AngOIL' .',.
The maJor plap:n interior frac:ture buins are aJl related - ',' Some margin sag cycles have normal or gentle oceanic
to the horst and ¡:aben featura that domínate the struc- . tUt aud subsidenee. Tbese cycles are commonly 'found in
tuce and stratigra¡:áy. Tbe largea plays are Cound in reser- . the middle stages of margin sag development. Sediments
yoirs dired1y Oy¿ymg high basement blocks; cxamples deposited in sballow-water marsinsaz cycIes generaDy are
are sandstoncs (Sa::notlor in west Siberia) and carbonates' 'thin-beddcd platform deposits of sandstone. limestone.
(Romashkino in té'~ Volp Urals). bothÜl the USSR. Of aIi and shale. Thesethin cyelie unit5 are normal1y nol condu­
, interior fracture br--5iDs studicd worldwi~. 35.. of them cive to th~ gencration and preservation oflargevoluines of
producecommerciall quantitiesofhydrocarbons. . oil. ~. .
", .. Some margin sag cYcJes lfre major riyer deltas having a
, M~ Sal (MS) CydcslBasins ., . . high sediment volume which eommonly mIs the subsiding
" • , < '~.,' < .' _ . ' • nu
basir. (see Kingston el al. 1983. Figure 6). rcsults in'
!'"'\ diverge~t continental margin basins are a eOmplex- cxtensive shallow-water deposits in the del!&' ~ea. w~icb
. 81 .'. Tbey have ;L \'arietyofpoteotial plays. startin¡ With progr3de ioto decp water. Most explorauomsts belleve
block faul~ and D::mmarine deposition of the basal inte- .tJ'tat modern deltas are lood placc:s to look for 1t~­
rior fracture (lF) :ycle. This combination oC basement .' bons. Thewriters háve analyzed the 60 prescnt-day maJor
block Cault strua:ure, lood r~oir sand. and sourcc riyer delta systems around the world. and only Cour oC
 .. ~: ..

2196 Hydrocarhnn Plays and Global Basin Classifir.ation

them, are áble to produce more than marginally commer- tors can result in highly productive basins. such as the Los
dal quantities of hydrocarbons. The four major deltas are Angeles basin in California. However. optimum factors
the Mississippi. Niger. Mahakain. and Mackenzie. The ~re not always present, and basins may be too'young. and~
other 56 ddtas (most have been drilled at least once). have unmature or too old and overstructured. In these Sltua;; " \ , '
produced only very small amounts. OIder marsin sag delta lions. the basios must be considered to be very high tislc.
c:ydes. perhaps buried or structured tiy younger cycles or A critical factor in shear basinsis the presence or absence .
events. aenerally are proliflC próducers. Overpressured of quartz sand for reservoi.r roco. Mesozoic and older age ,
shale sections are common features of margin sag river basement usuaUy contaim quartz sánd sou~'::'s. Terti&ry
ddtiu:,ycles. ' '' ,- , crust. however. is normally composcd of o..:eanic basaIt
Exteii$ive Carbonate banJcs with recfs are found in il'lar.y and volcanogenic sediments. which substantially degrade'
margin aag cycles; however, tbese carbónate bank edges. reservoir quality. Wrench basins must be situated on or
which appear to be so prospective in divergent continental adjacent to good quartz-sand yielding arcas to insure the'
marsin basins: -have had minimal succcss when driUed. existence of predictable quartz sand reservoirs; tbis lcoer­
ScVeraI brOad carbonate platforms that have been struc- ally means Mesozoic or older crust. Carbo~te rocks ud
turcd by )'ounger ~onic events. occasionally may pro- chen. as in California, are also found occasionaUy as res­
vide reservoirs, fOf__ su~~tantial oil, plays, as in tbe ervoirs in this type of basin. ' , . . -,
Tabasco-Salinas basurof Mexico. Cretaceous and Temary' Normally a high heat fiow exists io active wrencli (LL)
paleoslope unconformities often are found that have cut basins. Some cycles may be too hot, and therefore gas
ioto sediment l?-arSins, exposing reservoirs to ecosion. oil 'prOlle or ovecDlature in the di:epec pacts•. Because most
Ioss, ór Wat~ contamination, as in Tarfa)'a, Morocco. The wrcnch basios are ver¡ YOU!lg, the source shales gene rally
perceúl of produc"ive divergent margin sag cycles world- are immalure. even at intermediate depthS (8,OOO:to
~I(' widej-tompared to those nonproductive. is approximately 10.000 ft. 2.S00 to 3,000 m). An exploration pitfall orBtis
'( ~•• Most mar¡Ui sag basins should be considcred high typc basin is the potentiál immaturity of the uppcrsouh:e,
ñsk explof~on ventures. '.' '.. . >;' shalcs, whereas the deep portian of tbe basin may be Ofer­
-' ,. - - mature, with shales cooked and sandstone porosity law­
M;;.;¿In Sal- taterior Sal (MSIS) CydeslBasins _ ered by diagenesis. This results in a very thin optimúín
. -..¡¡ . zone bctween focks that are too shaUow or too d~.
~, _.M;uaw -sag-interior sal (MSIS) cycleslbasins have . Unless.reservoir sands and struetural c10sures are found in
many attributes of interior sag cyclcs, beinl found in the tbis optimum zone, dry holes or gas may be lhe result.. ,
interiQf un, continental plates and nol associated with The composition of the two converging plates haS a pro­
pr~nt~aycontinental margins. Most of the MSIS cycles found effect upon the sedimem m~ in the resulting wrcoch '\"_
Weré de¡;usitÑ on older continental plate margins. which basios. 1\vo converging oceanic plates will result in volea"': ­
apPeii' lo have becn broad. flal, and onIy slight1y tiltcd.- nogenic and deep-marine sediments such as chert and
lbesc Slable. shelvcs accumuJated extcnsive rcservoirs, pel:lgic material. with $Ome cae~nate. This t"¡pé of báiin
(~: such a~. b13nkc::t sa.,ds and carbonates. Thick source rocks hes had'vel')" Ulde exploration success. A continental b~k
and.5dls commonly were deposited as well. Subsequent overriding óccanic crust can be goad if the upper block iS a
.• r:.tUctunns produced the world's mas: prolific basinlcycle load sourceóf sand; both marine ilIld nonmarine rdtt:s
~;. type in the Pcrsian Oulf, the MSIS cycle with wrench anti- .may be deposited. 1\voconvergi:Jg continéntaI blocb iii~y
c1iDe5, blanket carbonate reservoirs. and evaPQrite seaIs. provide primarily nonmarin~ c!epositiona! conditions!'~
,. Approximately SOO¡o of the MSIS cydes produce commer- places with saIt. Basins of this typc are foulld within fold­
,dal hydrocarbons, one of tbe highest ratios of cycles \Ve bctts and aresometim:s caJ!ec! "foldbelt microplates." ,
have studied. Tbe key parameters roc gi:mt field potential Wreach or shear basins presently in stage 1 may nol be
io these MSIS CYI.:fes are large !lruetures and extensive res· very prospccti·¡c. bccause tbe scdiments :md structure are
ervoirs with.eiCecuve seals. In the MSIS cycles of the Per- loo immature (sce Kingston et al, 1983. Figure 3). Stage 2
mlán basUl oC 1:635, the blanket-f'~rvoirsare missing, can be better. Sands may have been deposit~d on the (a~lt
but the sOUr~ rócu' are proUfie.Goodevaporite seals are block highs and souree sha!es in the IOW5. Wrench·
, pr~nt. and a1though the MSIS cycle has aImost 6 billion generated structures may liave formed. At this stage, oii
bbl o( oil equivalént, mostofthe fields are small. In west- fields may be associated with tbe tops of en echelon folds,
ero Canada. theAlberta basin has extensive reservoirs and the tops of flower structures, and stage 1 block fau!t clo­
source racks. but the basin is primarily unstructured. Cae- sures. At sUlge 3. sOnie of the more active wr:ncb %ones or'
bonate reefs. which are really suatigraphic traps, are the fiower strueturcs may have been uplifted :md en'ded. 105­
main trap av¡&Jabk in lhe ~Ie and are lman. However, ing the on on topo New fields may then befound on the
MSIS cycles should be examined carefuUy Cor they have an fianles oC such fcaturcs eather tban on the wrench axes, on
enviable record of productivity. noses or thc plunge ofold en echelon {oId sets. or on youn­
- ger folds forminl basinward of the wrench welt. Strati-
Wrench or Sheat (LL) CydeslBaslns grapbic traps and tear {ault oc trap-door faIJlt structures
also may be productive. When the hasin evolvés beyond
Probably th-: most important factor affeeting wrench stage 3, oil prospects generaUy ar~ progressively destroyed (~,
(LL) basins is timing. Many LL basins are Corroed, fiUed, by folding.
struetured, and destroyed in a rclatively short geologic lo proliflC shear basios. oil miarates from older to youn­
time. Tbe optimum combination or these short-term fac- aer struetures as tbe wrenching progresses. Older strue­
 ,
D. R. Kingston, C. P. Dishroon, and P. A. Williams 2197 •

tUTesare deforme<:! and destroyed, and the oil migrares or temperatures, poor volcanogenic reservoir rocks: and
n, .;tops,
IOSl in lhe process. Ifconvergence betwccn rhe two pIates
ihe wrench faulting will cease, and the basins and
probable lack of strueture combine with the presence of
deep water to make these basins extremely high rist. Some
polenlial play¡ could remain frozen in lheir lasl evolution­ of the oceanic sags contain deep-water fans from river.del-:
ary slale. Examples of lhis are presenl in the Pennsylva­ [as that have built out over oceanic crust, as are found in
nian wrench system in Oklahoma in the Ardmore, the south Caspian and Black Seas in the USSR. One oil
Anadarko. and Arkoma basins. Size is not a critica! factor prospective area. p3ssibly underlain by oceanic crust and
in LL shear basins. as most of them are relatively small. which has these features. is orrshore from the Niger delta.
. LL shear basins are moderare risk prospects. They have Its seismic signature. indicating oceanic crust. is one of
many conslructive and destructive features lO considero nato featureless overlying sediments in deep water. Unless
and they are short lived. The main play¡ in LL shear basins these sediments are activated by struetural movemenl.
are sandstonereservoirs and wrench-generated block they do not s~.pw gravity tectonic features. Because of this
f a . Of anticlines. Most fields' are moderate in size; the lack of structure, and thermal histories of low tempera­
largest we have listed is Minas in central Sumatra, witb . lures. most oceamc basin arcas associated with continental
almosi S billian bbl of oil equivalent. Sorne LLshear blocks must be considered high nsk. Most sediment
basins have prolific source rocks, such as those in Califor­ wedges fillingoceanic sags are c1assified with margin sags .
nia and Sumatra; producible slraligraphic traps are (basin nank}and nol with the basin center.
found. as well as slruetures, as the oH seeks to fill all avail­
able porosity. Approximately 47070 of all wrench (LL) PolybistoQ' Ruina
cycles studied worldwide were found to produce commer­
cial hydrocarbons. Most large hydrocarbon~producing basins are the poly­
history type, containing numerous and perhaps varied
Trenct, Associ8ted <TA) Cydes/Hasins cycles and tectoDie events. The oil-play controls of single
cycles apply in a general way to polyhistory basins, bul
Trench associated (fA) cycleslbasins are found along they are commonly modified by tectonies, The evaluation
ancienl or modern SUbduclion zones al convergenl plate of polyhistory basins is a complex subject. and only a few .'
boundaries. Trench associaled cycles are commonly devel­ salient points are discussed here.
oped on lhe continental. or high side of the oceanic trench. Oassification and the writing of formulas are very use­
~ aceanward oC the flTSt volcanic or magmatic are, The
fuI in the evaluation of complex polyhistory basins. The
r )urce of lhe sédiment is mainly the landward side with formulas provide a shorthand history of each basin, per­
~hallow-water c1astics or carbonates. aild some deep­ mitting identification of the geologic events that form the
marine deposition offshore. Volcanogenic sediments com­ basis for the oil plays. Once lhe plays are identified. they
prise lhe b,.lk of the c1astic rock. and may be compared with those in other similar polyhistory
porosily/permeability is Iikely to be destroyed by dia­ basins. Change in struetural genesis :lppears to eahanee oil
genesis at depths aboye the hydrocarbon maturation zone.
, OoIy a few of4he trench associated cycles. worldwide.
prospects. In Kingston el al (1983. Figure 13). a series of
restored cross sections shows lhe evolution of the Persian
¡..
conlained any quartz-prone reservoirs (e.g.. Sabah. Gulf. In this diagram lhe main even15 are: (1) basin torma­
Malaysia). Carbonates and chert are aIso found on occa­ tion, (2) subsidence and fill. (3) structuring, and (4)
sion. Strueturing. if present, is related to subduction, and renewed subsidence and "Ioading'· of the structures. This
wrench faull features are commonly presento The crust sequence is common to many produet1ve polyhistory
under lhese basins is eomposed of tectonized or folded basins. The.loading of lhe structures by more subsidence
trench sediments (~T). Trench associaled cycles will and fill. commonly appears lo be critical. Polyhistory
evenlually self-destruet and become FBJ T folded trench basins ending wilh interior sag (lS) appear to be the best
foldbelts. situated for the generalion and preservation of oil and gas.
To date, only a few commercial fields have becn found The final interior sag generally joes not cause titting of the
in lrench associated cyclés. MoSl of these fields are in slructures. bul commonly provides lhe sediment loading
sandstone or chert reservoirs and wrench antielines. The which lriggers maturation and migration of bydrocar­
fields are small and have poor producing characteristies. bons. Too much structuring at the end of the polyhistory
Trench associated basins are numerous and are found on . basin formation is generally more destructive than con­
most convergent margins. Exploration drilling in basins. struetive to the pooHng and preserving of hydrocarbons.
such as Mentawi and south Java in Idonesia, Abukuma in
Japan, the Gulf of Alaska. and others has produeed a REFERENCES CITEO
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decp-~~c pelagic sedíments. thermal historiel of low 1270.
 ~ ~,t: ~~~?: ., '
2198 Hydrocarbon Plays and Global Basin Classification
.. ": '" -
'-}~t!C
~
~

l~/';
Halbouty, M. T.. A. A. ~eyelhoff, R. E. IGng, R. H. Dou, Sr., H. D. aiants: Oillnd Gas Journal, Y. 69, n. 11, p. ~ lOO.
Klemme, and T. Shabad, 19703, World's aiant oil and aas fields, ,eo­ - 1975, Giant oil fields related to their ,coleaí.: setting-a possible
loP: faetOlS arrc~aina their formatiao, ud buin dassifQUon, Part luidc 10 CllPIoration: Bulletin ofCanadian PetrQ!eum Qeolo,y, Y. 23.
l. ¡ianl oil and ¡a¡ fields, in Cieology of ¡iant peuoJeum fields: 'p.»66. " . o ( ' ,

AAPCi Manoir'14, p. 502·j28. ICncbel, O. M., and O. Rodri¡ua-Eraso, 1956, Habillt of some Gil:
---.:... R. E. KinI, H. D. ICJemme~ R. H. Don, Sr., and A. A. Meycr· AAPG BuJletin, v. 40, p. 547·561.
hoff, 191Ob, .rId's ¡iant oi1 and 'IS fldds. ,coto¡ic fldon affea­
in, thcir formation,and basinc1usiflCation. Pan 11, fllCtors arfa:tin¡
Ndlrinl, R., 1978, Giant oiI fidds and world 011 rcsoun:a (prcpared lar
che Central IntellÍJenl."C Agcncy): Rand Corporation, R·1184-ClA.
formadon oC¡iant oil and PI flC1ds, anO basin dassirlCltion. in Ocol· 16Zp.' , . .. .
OSYIPf pani pctroleurr. flCklS: AAPCi Mcmoit 14, p. j2l-j55. St. JobA, B~. 1980, Scdimcnwy basins oC &he worId ami ¡iant bydroar­
Hardln,. T. P.. 1m, Ncwport-lnJlewood trcnd, CaJifornia~anexample bon accumuJations: AAPG SpeciaI Publiadon, 23 p., 1map.

, . 01 ~as Slyle 01 def'ormation: AAPG 8uIIetin, v. S7, p. 97-116.

Huff, K. F., 197•• frontien al world oil cxpIoratlon: 0iI ud Gas lour·
nal. Y. 76, Do 40, p.ll4-220. .
ICinptort, D. R., C. P. Dishroon, arod P. A. WiUiams, 1983, Global buin
Uspensltaya, N. Yu., ~967, Principies oC oi1 Dad ps tmitQries, sl1bdivi·
siofts. aad thc dlSSific:uioa of ell and ps accumulations: Amstcr·
cIam, Elltvier Puhlishin, Co.; 7th World Petrolcum COftgras
~,Y.2.p.961~.
classifu:ation system: AAPG BuDetin, v. 60$ (precedes tbis papcr). Wet:ks"L. G., 19'2, factan 01 scdimcnwy basin de'IcIoprncnt that con­
K!cmme. H. D., 1971a, Wb.al ¡ianu and thcir basins luve in common: ltO! oiI ClCCUrrcna:: A:APO Bulledn, v. J6, p. ~1.1124.
0i1 _Gls~, Y. 69,11. 9, p. 85·90. Zielkr, Po A.,l975, NorthSc:l basinhistOf)' In tlletectonic lratneWOIkof
- - &97 lb, To fmcl a ¡iaat. f&nd che riahl basill:'Oil and 01.1 Journat, .....-wcstern Et:rope, in A. W•. WoodIan4. ed."Pcrrolcum and thc
y. 69, D. lO. p. 103-110. •. ' " COllUncatIlI sbdr of aonb-wat Europc: New York. John WiIey aad
- - 1971c. Loolt in Pcrmbn ~oirs ~ youn,c:' lO fmd super­ Sons. v. l. p. 131.. 1~. ~ . "_'.~ ..":' .' "':
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