Contents

Introduction Sea-level change

Sedimentology concepts Sequence stratigraphy concepts
Fluvial environments Marine sequence stratigraphy
Deltaic environments Nonmarine sequence stratigraphy
Coastal environments Basin and reservoir modeling
Offshore marine environments Reflection

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 Sequence stratigraphy concepts

Sequence stratigraphy highlights the role of allogenic controls

on patterns of deposition, as opposed to autogenic controls that
operate within depositional environments
Eustasy (sea level)
Subsidence (basin tectonics)
Sediment supply (climate and hinterland tectonics)

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 Sequence stratigraphy concepts

Accommodation is the space available, at any given point in

time, for sediments to accumulate; accommodation is created or
destroyed by RSL changes
Water depth is controlled by changes in accommodation as well
as sedimentation
Base level is the horizontal surface to which subaerial erosion
proceeds; therefore it corresponds to sea level
Base level is a principal control of accommodation, and, hence,
whether erosion or deposition is likely to occur at any given
location; attempts to extend the concept landward are
controversial

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 Sequence stratigraphy concepts

Allostratigraphy is a relatively new approach to stratigraphic

subdivision, and is based on the separation of strata based on
unconformities or other discontinuities (e.g., paleosols)
Sequence stratigraphy is the analysis of genetically related
depositional units bounded by unconformities and their
correlative conformities
A depositional sequence is a stratigraphic unit bounded at its
top and base by unconformities or their correlative conformities
(=allostratigraphic unit), and typically embodies a continuum of
depositional environments, from updip (continental) to downdip
(deep marine)
The subtle balance between RSL and sediment supply controls
whether aggradation, regression (progradation), forced
regression, or transgression (retrogradation) will occur
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 Sequence stratigraphy concepts

Allostratigraphy is a relatively new approach to stratigraphic

subdivision, and is based on the separation of strata based on
unconformities or other discontinuities (e.g., paleosols)
Sequence stratigraphy is the analysis of genetically related
depositional units bounded by unconformities and their
correlative conformities
A depositional sequence is a stratigraphic unit bounded at its
top and base by unconformities or their correlative conformities
(=allostratigraphic unit), and typically embodies a continuum of
depositional environments, from updip (continental) to downdip
(deep marine)
The subtle balance between RSL and sediment supply controls
whether aggradation, regression (progradation), forced
regression, or transgression (retrogradation) will occur
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 Sequence stratigraphy concepts

Allostratigraphy is a relatively new approach to stratigraphic

subdivision, and is based on the separation of strata based on
unconformities or other discontinuities (e.g., paleosols)
Sequence stratigraphy is the analysis of genetically related
depositional units bounded by unconformities and their
correlative conformities
A depositional sequence is a stratigraphic unit bounded at its
top and base by unconformities or their correlative conformities
(=allostratigraphic unit), and typically embodies a continuum of
depositional environments, from updip (continental) to downdip
(deep marine)
The subtle balance between RSL and sediment supply controls
whether aggradation, regression (progradation), forced
regression, or transgression (retrogradation) will occur
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 Sequence stratigraphy concepts

A RSL fall on the order of tens of meters or more will lead to a

basinward shift of the shoreline and an associated basinward
shift of depositional environments; commonly (but not always)
this will be accompanied by subaerial exposure, erosion, and the
formation of a widespread unconformity known as a sequence
boundary
Sequence boundaries are the key stratigraphic surfaces (high-
order bounding surfaces) that separate successive sequences
and are characterized by subaerial exposure/erosion, a
basinward shift in facies, a downward shift in coastal onlap, and
onlap of overlying strata
Parasequences are lower order stratal units separated by
(marine) flooding surfaces; they are commonly autogenic and
not necessarily the result of smaller-scale RSL fluctuations

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 Sequence stratigraphy concepts

Systems tracts are contemporaneous, linked depositional

environments (or depositional systems); they are the building
blocks of sequences and different types of systems tracts
represent different limbs of a RSL curve
Falling-stage (forced regressive) systems tract (FSST)
Lowstand systems tract (LST)
Transgressive systems tract (TST)
Highstand systems tract (HST)
The various systems tracts are characterized by their position
within a sequence, by shallowing or deepening upward facies
successions, or by parasequence stacking patterns

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 Sequence stratigraphy concepts

Systems tracts are contemporaneous, linked depositional

environments (or depositional systems); they are the building
blocks of sequences and different types of systems tracts
represent different limbs of a RSL curve
Falling-stage (forced regressive) systems tract (FSST)
Lowstand systems tract (LST)
Transgressive systems tract (TST)
Highstand systems tract (HST)
The various systems tracts are characterized by their position
within a sequence, by shallowing or deepening upward facies
successions, or by parasequence stacking patterns

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 Sequence stratigraphy concepts

Maximum flooding surfaces form during the culmination of

RSL rise, and maximum landward translation of the shoreline,
and constitute the stratigraphic surface that separates the TST
and HST
In the downdip realm (deep sea), where sedimentation rates
can be very low during maximum flooding, condensed
sections may develop
LSTs are separated from overlying TSTs by transgressive
surfaces; transgression is further characterized by coastal
onlap
An alternative approach to sequence analysis uses genetic
stratigraphic sequences that are bounded by maximum
flooding surfaces

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 Sequence stratigraphy concepts

Maximum flooding surfaces form during the culmination of

RSL rise, and maximum landward translation of the shoreline,
and constitute the stratigraphic surface that separates the TST
and HST
In the downdip realm (deep sea), where sedimentation rates
can be very low during maximum flooding, condensed
sections may develop
LSTs are separated from overlying TSTs by transgressive
surfaces; transgression is further characterized by coastal
onlap
An alternative approach to sequence analysis uses genetic
stratigraphic sequences that are bounded by maximum
flooding surfaces

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 Sequence stratigraphy concepts

In a very general sense, RSL fall leads to reduced deposition

and formation of sequence boundaries in updip areas, and
increased deposition in downdip settings (e.g., submarine fans)
RSL rise leads to trapping of sediment in the updip areas (e.g.,
coastal plains with a littoral energy fence) and reduced transfer
of sediment to the deep sea (hemipelagic deposition; condensed
sections)

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 Sequence stratigraphy concepts

Seismic stratigraphy is based on the principle that seismic

reflectors follow stratal patterns and approximate isochrons
(time lines)
Reflection terminations provide the data used to identify
sequence-stratigraphic surfaces, systems tracts, and their
internal stacking patterns
Technological developments have been prolific:
Vertical resolution improved to a few tens of meters
Widespread use of 3D seismic
Seismic data should preferably always be interpreted in
conjunction with well log or core data

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 Sequence stratigraphy concepts

Seismic stratigraphy is based on the principle that seismic

reflectors follow stratal patterns and approximate isochrons
(time lines)
Reflection terminations provide the data used to identify
sequence-stratigraphic surfaces, systems tracts, and their
internal stacking patterns
Technological developments have been prolific:
Vertical resolution improved to a few tens of meters
Widespread use of 3D seismic
Seismic data should preferably always be interpreted in
conjunction with well log or core data

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 Sequence stratigraphy concepts

Seismic stratigraphy is based on the principle that seismic

reflectors follow stratal patterns and approximate isochrons
(time lines)
Reflection terminations provide the data used to identify
sequence-stratigraphic surfaces, systems tracts, and their
internal stacking patterns
Technological developments have been prolific:
Vertical resolution improved to a few tens of meters
Widespread use of 3D seismic
Seismic data should preferably always be interpreted in
conjunction with well log or core data

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 Sequence stratigraphy concepts

A better understanding of stratigraphic sequences can be

obtained by the construction of chronostratigraphic charts
(Wheeler diagrams); these can subsequently be used to infer
coastal-onlap curves
Variations in sediment supply can produce stratal patterns that
are very similar to those formed by RSL change (except for
forced regression); in addition, variations in sediment supply
can cause stratigraphic surfaces at different locations to be out
of phase
In principle, sequence-stratigraphic concepts could be applied
with some modifications to sedimentary successions that are
entirely controlled by climate change and/or tectonics (outside
the realm of RSL control)

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 Sequence stratigraphy concepts

A better understanding of stratigraphic sequences can be

obtained by the construction of chronostratigraphic charts
(Wheeler diagrams); these can subsequently be used to infer
coastal-onlap curves
Variations in sediment supply can produce stratal patterns that
are very similar to those formed by RSL change (except for
forced regression); in addition, variations in sediment supply
can cause stratigraphic surfaces at different locations to be out
of phase
In principle, sequence-stratigraphic concepts could be applied
with some modifications to sedimentary successions that are
entirely controlled by climate change and/or tectonics (outside
the realm of RSL control)

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 Sequence stratigraphy concepts

The global sea-level curve for the Mesozoic and Cenozoic

(inferred from coastal-onlap curves) contains first, second, and
third-order eustatic cycles that are supposed to be globally
synchronous, but it is a highly questionable generalization
Conceptual problems: spatially variable RSL change due to
differential isostatic and tectonic movements undermines the
notion of a globally uniform control
Dating problems: correlation is primarily based on biostratigraphy
that typically has a resolving power comparable to the period of
third-order cycles

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