Quick Search:    advanced search

GSW Home   GeoRef Home   My GSW Alerts   Contact GSW   About GSW   Journals List   Help

Journal of the Geological Society

This Article Figures Only Full Text Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Færseth, R. B. Search for Related Content GeoRef GeoRef Citation

Shale smear along large faults: continuity of smear and the fault seal capacity

Norsk Hydro ASA, Research Centre, Box 7190, N-5020 Bergen, Norway (e-mail: roald.farseth@hydro.com)

Data from faults with core recovery offshore Norway and from outcrops in study areas onshore demonstrate the development and continuity of smear along large (seismic-scale) faults. Smear along these faults is typically associated with thick (tens of metres) shale source layers and fault segments that are slightly offset, where the overlap between the segments creates an extensional dip relay. It is demonstrated that rock types other than shale, such as coal, siltstones and carbonates, may smear and thereby contribute to the low- permeable fault gouge. A critical threshold for the shale smear factor (SSF), given by the fault throw divided by the thickness of the shale source layer, is established to separate continuous and discontinuous smears. An SSF 4 is likely to correspond to a continuous smear along large faults and thereby to a sealing membrane on the fault surface. For small (subseismic) faults, a continuous smear can be maintained for both shale and coal source layers for much higher smear factors compared with large faults. The continuity of smear associated with small faults also displays a greater variation (SSF in the range of 1–50), to become less predictable than smear along large faults.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				N.H. WOODCOCK, N.J. SAYERS, and J.A.D. DICKSON Fluid flow history from damage zone cements near the Dent and Rawthey faults, NW England Journal of the Geological Society, July 1, 2008; 165(4): 829 - 837. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				N. Cardozo, P. Roe, H. H. Soleng, N. Fredman, J. Tveranger, and S. Schueller A methodology for efficiently populating faulted corner point grids with strain Petroleum Geoscience, May 1, 2008; 14(2): 205 - 216. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				S. J. Jolley, H. Dijk, J. H. Lamens, Q. J. Fisher, T. Manzocchi, H. Eikmans, and Y. Huang Faulting and fault sealing in production simulation models: Brent Province, northern North Sea Petroleum Geoscience, November 1, 2007; 13(4): 321 - 340. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				R. B. Faerseth, E. Johnsen, and S. Sperrevik Methodology for risking fault seal capacity: Implications of fault zone architecture AAPG Bulletin, September 1, 2007; 91(9): 1231 - 1246. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]