Architecture and Origin of Deepwater Sinuous Channel on the Slope of Northern South China Sea

Key words: 
• northern South China Sea

Abstract: The deepwater channel is one important element of deepwater sedimentary system, and is becoming more important to the oil industry for its potential hydrocarbon reserve. Most of the deepwater channels were buried in the submarine sedimentary formation, and are difficult to observe and study directly. Based on the new required 2D and 3D seismic data, this paper used attribute analysis technologies, likewise 3D ESP coherence time slices(flattened on the seafloor), RMS and 3D visualization to realize and study the deepwater channel developed on the slope of northern South China Sea. This channel was a deepwater sinuous channel developed in Pleistocene period, and was formed by the turbidite flow from the IndoChina peninsula. The channel is SWNE extend, the lateral erosional features is apparent. The 3D amplitude visualization map shows that the axis fill of the channel is high amplitude reflection, and was supposed to be sandrich fill, the other part of the channel fill is low amplitude reflection, and was supposed to be mudrich fill, which are similar with the deepwater channel drilled in the world. The deepwater sinuous channel has complex inner fill and composition architecture, the sand and shale layer are always interbedded, the shale layer could either hinder the migration of the flow and form overpressure or be a better seal to the flow, and we should pay more attention to this problem under the exploration and development to deepwater sinuous channel.