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Structural geometrical analysis and simulation of decollement growth folds in piedmont Fauqi Anticline of Zagros Mountains, Iraq

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Abstract

This study carried out detailed structural analyses of the plane structural deformation pattern and sectional structural deformation styles of the Fauqi Anticline by the 3D seismic section with full cover collection, and carried out the kinematical simulation of the Fauqi anticlinal deep decollement coupling shallow growth folds and faults based on the fault decollement fold model and the forward balanced geological section technique. The study subsequently evaluated the differentiated petroleum enrichment mechanism of the Fauqi Anticline by utilizing the results of the structural analysis and combining the spatial-temporal relationship analysis of the source, the reservoir, and the caprock. The results showed that the differentiated plane structural deformation pattern and hierarchical sectional structural deformation style were developed by the superposed coupling of deep decollement, syntectonic sedimentation of shallow growth strata, and the compression of the south-west horizontal tectonic stress from the Zagros Mountains. It was found that the differentiated structural deformation caused the differentiated enrichment of petroleum in the Fauqi Anticline. It was also found that the horizontal slip distance of the Fauqi Anticlinal Folds reached around 3.5 km by the simulation of deep decollement coupling the movement of the shallow growth folds and the faults.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. State Key Laboratory of Oil and Gas Reservoir Geology and Exploitation, Southwest Petroleum University, Chengdu, 610500, China

    ChengHua Ou & Wei Chen

  2. State-owned Asset Management Office, Southwest Petroleum University, Chengdu, 610500, China

    ChaoChun Li

  3. Zhundong Oil Production Plant, Xinjiang Oilfield Company, PetroChina, Fukang, 831511, China

    WenJiang Zhou

Authors
  1. ChengHua Ou
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  2. Wei Chen
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  3. ChaoChun Li
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  4. WenJiang Zhou
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Correspondence to Wei Chen.

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Ou, C., Chen, W., Li, C. et al. Structural geometrical analysis and simulation of decollement growth folds in piedmont Fauqi Anticline of Zagros Mountains, Iraq. Sci. China Earth Sci. 59, 1885–1898 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11430-016-5332-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11430-016-5332-6

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