Abstract
This study presents an architectural element analysis of submarine fan deposits based on facies analysis in excellent outcrops of the Andaman Flysch in South Point section at the eastern margin of South Andaman Islands. The 292 m thick section of the Andaman Flysch consists of four facies viz. thick-bedded sandstone, thin-bedded sandstone, heterolithics and shale. Greater part of the section, particularly towards the top and bottom is dominated by amalgamated, laterally persistent thick-bedded sandstone. A detailed analysis of 78 m thick section at the central part of the section reveals vertical stacking of dominantly thin-bedded sandstones, heterolithics and shale encased within amalgamated thick-bedded sandstone. The vertical stacking of facies corresponds to dominantly lobe fringe and inter-lobe elements at the central part and lobe axis and lobe flank elements at the top and bottom of the section. The occurrence of coarse-grained clastic equivalents of Andaman Flysch with erosional bases of sandstones in north and middle Andaman Islands and very fine-grained clastics in Great Nicobar Island, along with present investigation in South Andaman Islands reveals an arc-parallel transformation of architectural elements from channel, channel-lobe transition zone and lobes from north to south.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Baas JH, McCaffrey WD, Knipe RJ (2005) The deep-water architecture knowledge base: towards an objective comparison of deep-marine sedimentary systems. Pet Geosci 11:309–320
Bandopadhyay PC (2012) Reinterpretation of age and environment of deposition of Paleogene turbidites in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Western Sunda Arc. J Asian Earth Sci 45:126–137
Basu D, Bouma AH (2000) Thin-bedded turbidites of the Tanqua Karoo: physical and depositional characteristics. In: Bouma AH, Stone CG (eds) Fine-grained turbidite systems, SEPM Special Publication, vol 68, pp 263–278
Bouma AH (1992) Locations and characteristics of thin bedded turbidites in passive margin setting submarine fans. Gulf Coast Assoc Geol Soc Trans 42:425–432
Bouma AH (2000) Coarse grained and fine grained turbidite systems as end member models: applicability and dangers. Mar Pet Geol 17:137–143
Chakraborty PP, Pal T (2001) Anatomy of a fore arc submarine fan: upper Eocene-Oligocene Andaman Flysch Group, Andaman Islands, India. Gondwana Res 4:477–486
Curray JR (2005) Tectonics and history of the Andaman Sea region. J Asian Earth Sci 25:187–232
Curray JR, Moore DG, Lawver LA, Emmel FJ, Raitt RW, Henry M, Kieckhefer R (1979) Tectonics of the Andaman Sea and Burma. In: Geological and geophysical investigations of continental margins. In: American association of petroleum geologists memoir vol 29, pp 189–198
Deptuck ME, Piper DJW, Savoye B, Gervais A (2008) Dimensions and architecture of Late Pleistocene submarine lobes off the northern margin of East Corsica. Sedimentology 55:869–898
Grundvåg SA, Johannessen EP, Hansen WH, Plink- Björklund P (2014) Depositional architecture and evolution of progradationally stacked lobe complexes in the Eocene Central Basin of Spitsbergen. Sedimentology 61:535–569
Hansen L, Callow R, Kane I, Kneller B (2017) Differentiating submarine channel-related thin-bedded turbidite facies: outcrop examples from the Rosario Formation, Mexico. Sediment Geol 358:19–34
Hickson TA, Lowe DR (2002) Facies architecture of a submarine fan channel–levee complex: the Juniper Ridge Conglomerate, Coalinga, California. Sedimentology 49:335–362
Łapcik P (2017) Facies heterogeneity of a deep sea depositional lobe complex: case study from the Slonne section of Skole Nappe, Polish Outer Carpethians. In: Annales Societatis Geologorum Poloniae, vol 87, pp 301–324
Lowe DR (1982) Sedimentary gravity flows: II. Depositional models with special reference to the deposits of high-density turbidity currents. J Sediment Res 52:279–297
Misra PC, Roy TK (1984) Exploration in Andaman forearc basin: its evaluation, facies trend and prospects- a review. In: Proceedings of 5th Offshore South East Asia Conference (OFFSEA 84), Singapore, South East Asia Petroleum Exploration Society, pp 466–483
Mukhopadhay B, Chakraborty PP, Paul S (2003) Facies clustering in turbidite successions: case study from Andaman Flysch Group, Andaman Islands, India. Gondwana Res 6:918–925
Mulder T (2011) Gravity processes and deposits on continental slope, rise and abyssal plains. In: Hüneke H, Mulder, T (eds) Deep-sea Sediments. Developments in Sedimentology, vol 63, pp 25–148
Mutti E (1992) Turbidite sandstones. Agip, San Donato Milanese
Mutti E, Normark WR (1987) Comparing examples of modern and ancient turbidite systems: problems and concepts. In: Leggett JK, Zuffa GG (eds) Marine clastic sedimentology. Graham and Trotman, London
Mutti E, Lucchi KF (1975) Turbidite facies and facies associations. In: Mutti E, Parea GC, Ricci Lucchi F, Sagri M, Zanzucchi G (eds) Examples of turbidite facies and facies associations from selected formations of Northern Appennines, pp 21–36
Nichols G (2009) Sedimentology and stratigraphy, 2nd edn. Wiley-Blackwell, US
Normark WR (1970) Growth patterns of deep sea fans. Am Assoc Pet Geol Bull 54:2170–2195
Normark WR (1978) Fan valleys, channels and depositional lobes on modern submarine fans: characters for recognition of sandy turbidite environments. Am Assoc Pet Geol Bull 62:912–931
Omoniyi BA, Stow DAV, Gardiner AR (2018) Characterization of thin-bedded turbidites in the North Brae Field, South Viking Graben, North Sea. In: Turner CC, Cronin BT (ed) Rift-related Coarse-grained Submarine Fan Reservoirs; the Brae Play, South Viking Graben, North Sea. AAPG Memoir, vol. 115, pp 257–281
Pal T, Chakraborty PP, Gupta TD, Singh CD (2003) Geodynamic evolution of the outer arc forearc belt in the Andaman islands, the central part of Burma-Java subduction complex. Geol Mag 140:289–307
Pickering K, Stow DAV, Watson M, Hiscott R (1986) Deep-water facies, processes and models: a review and classification scheme for modern and ancient sediments. Earth Sci Rev 23:75–174
Pickering KT, Hiscott RN, Hein FJ (1989) Deep marine environments: clastic sedimentation and tectonics. Unwin Hyman, London
Pickering KT, Hiscott RN, Kenyon NH, Ricci Lucchi F, Smith RDA (1995) Atlas of deep water environments: architectural style in turbidite systems. Chapman and Hall, London
Prélat A, Hodgson DM (2013) The full range of turbidite bed thickness patterns in submarine lobes: controls and implications Journal of the Geological Society. London 170:209–214
Roy TK (1983) Geology and hydrocarbon prospects of Andaman-Nicobar. Petrol Asia J 1:37–53 KDMIPE, ONGC, Dehradun
Roy SK (2017) Facies architecture of the Andaman Flysch: implications for deep water sedimentation and depositional model, Andaman basin. Unpublished Ph.D. thesis, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay
Roy SK, Banerjee S (2016) Thick bedded sandstone facies of Andaman Flysch: variability and process controls along the Andaman Island Arc. Abstracts. 33rd Convention, Indian Association of Sedimentologists, BHU, Varanasi, India Nov 2016
Roy SK, Banerjee S (2017) Commonality of Sedimentary facies of Andaman Flysch in South Andamans and Great Nicobar Island: implications for depositional model in southern part of Andaman basin Jour. Indian Assoc Sedimentol 34:75–92
Roy SK, Das Sharma S (1993) Evolution of Andaman Fore arc Basin and its hydrocarbon potential. In: Proceedings second seminar on Petroliferous Basins of India 1, 407–435
Roy SK, Paul S, Sadhu R, Banerjee S (2011) Provenance and tectonic setting of a coarse grained Flysch: case study from the Andaman Flysch at trench slope break, North Andaman Islands. GSA Minneapolis Annual Meeting, Oct 11th (Abstract, Poster session). Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs. 43, 5, 432
Shanmugam G, Moiola RJ (1988) Submarine fans: characteristics, models, classification, and reservoir potential. Earth Sci Rev 24:383–428
Shanmugam G, Moiola RJ (1991) Types of submarine fan lobes: models and implications. AAPG Bulletin 75:156–179
Stow DAV, Omoniyi BA (2018) Thin-Bedded turbidites: overview and petroleum perspective. In: Turner CC, Cronin BT (ed) Rift-related coarse-grained submarine fan reservoirs; the Brae Play, South Viking Graben, North Sea. AAPG Memoir, vol 115, pp 97–117
Sumner EJ, Talling PJ, Amy LA, Wynn RB, Stevenson C, Frenz M (2012) Facies architecture of individual basin-plain turbidites: comparison with existing models and implications for flow processes. Sedimentology 59:1850–1857
Talling PJ (2001) On the frequency distribution of turbidite thickness. Sedimentology 48:1297–1329
Talling PJ, Masson DG, Sumner EJ, Malgesini G (2012) Subaqueous sediment density flows: depositional processes and deposit types. Sedimentology 59:1937–2003
Wynn RB, Kenyon NH, Masson DG, Stow DAV, Weave R, Philip PE (2002) Characterization and recognition of deep-water channel-lobe transition zones. AAPG Bulletin 86:1441–1462
Acknowledgements
Authors are thankful to Indian institute of technology Bombay for infrastructure support. Authors are thankful to anonymous reviewers for comments and suggestions for an earlier version of the manuscript.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2020 Springer Nature Switzerland AG
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Roy, S.K., Banerjee, S. (2020). Facies Stacking of a Deep Sea Depositional Lobe: Case Study from Palaeogene Andaman Flysch, South Andaman Islands, India. In: Ray, J., Radhakrishna, M. (eds) The Andaman Islands and Adjoining Offshore: Geology, Tectonics and Palaeoclimate. Society of Earth Scientists Series. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-39843-9_3
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-39843-9_3
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-030-39842-2
Online ISBN: 978-3-030-39843-9
eBook Packages: Earth and Environmental ScienceEarth and Environmental Science (R0)