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Detailed Reference Information |
Birchwood, R.A. and Turcotte, D.L. (1994). A unified approach to geopressuring, low-permeability zone formation, and secondary porosity generation in sedimentary basins. Journal of Geophysical Research 99: doi: 10.1029/93JB02388. issn: 0148-0227. |
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Geopressuring, secondary porosity, and low-permeability zones occur in many of the world's sedimentary basins and are often associated with major petroleum reservoirs. We present a mechanical model which simultaneously reproduces these phenomena. Assuming pressure solution to be the dominant rock deformation mechanism, a solid-state rock skeleton viscosity is introduced which relates the deformation of the rock skeleton to the effective stress. Numerical solutions for compaction indicate that a soft sedimentary layer preferentially compacts to form a low-permeability zone. There is a large liquid pressure gradient through the low-permeability zone. In the more slowly compacting region beneath the low-permeability zone, the pressure gradient remains hydrostatic but the absolute pressure can exceed the lithostatic pressure in the absence of hydraulic fracturing. This results in the formation of secondary porosity. ¿ American Geophysical Union 1994 |
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Abstract |
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Keywords
Physical Properties of Rocks, Permeability and porosity, Tectonophysics, Dynamics of lithosphere and mantle—general, Tectonophysics, Rheology—general |
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Publisher
American Geophysical Union 2000 Florida Avenue N.W. Washington, D.C. 20009-1277 USA 1-202-462-6900 1-202-328-0566 service@agu.org |
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