Deltaic and Shallow Marine Deposits

Most of the thirty-four papers contained in this Special Publication arise from the Fourth International Conference on Fluvial Sedimentology held in Spain in 1989. Sections deal with various aspects of sediment transport and hydraulics in flume experiments and modern rivers, the analysis of alluvial facies, geomorphic and structural controls on alluvial sedimentation, alluvial stratigraphy and basin analysis, and finally the exploration and exploitation of ores. A professional reference to the most recent research in fluvial sedimentology. An international expert authorship.

Paralic reservoirs reflect a range of depositional environments including deltas, shoreline–shelf systems and estuaries. They provide the backbone of production in many mature basins, and contribute significantly to global conventional hydrocarbon production. However, the range of environments, together with relative sea-level and sediment supply changes, result in significant variability in their stratigraphic architecture and sedimentological heterogeneity, which translates into complex patterns of reservoir distribution and production that are challenging to predict, optimize and manage. This volume presents new research and developments in established approaches to the exploration and production of paralic reservoirs. The 13 papers in the volume are grouped into three thematic sections, which address: the sedimentological characterization of paralic reservoirs using subsurface data; lithological heterogeneity in paralic depositional systems arising from the influence of tidal currents; and paralic reservoir analogue studies of modern sediments and ancient outcrops. The volume demonstrates that heterogeneity in paralic reservoirs is increasingly well understood at all scales, but highlights gaps in our knowledge and areas of current research.