Source‐sink System and Sedimentary Model of Progradational Fan Delta Controlled by Restricted Ancient Gully: An Example in the Enping Formation in the Southern Baiyun Sag, Pearl River Mouth Basin, Northern South China Sea

Abstract

AbstractTectonic activity occurred during the depositional period of the Enping Formation in the southern Baiyun Sag in the Pearl River Mouth Basin, with a series of synsedimentary faults and a set of large fan delta reservoir bodies developing. There is no data from drilling, cores, etc. for this area, so this paper applies three‐dimensional seismic data to study the structural style of the steep slope zone, the seismic facies characteristics of fan deltas, and the source‐sink system and sedimentary model of the Enping Formation. The control action of tectonic activity on fan deltaic sedimentary systems is studied by combining interpretation of fault systems, dissection of structural styles, seismic reflection structure, seismic facies geometry, and seismic attribute analysis, together with theoretical analysis of the source‐sink deposition process. The Baiyun Sag has experienced tectonic activity since the Eocene, and a series of synsedimentary faults are developed in the southern steep slope zone. Under the common control of multiple large synsedimentary faults, a large ancient gully formed in the steep slope zone in the south, which gradually widened from south to north. The uplift area in the southern part of the sag was exposed for a long time during the deposition of the Enping Formation and consequently suffered weathering and erosion. The resulting sediments were transported through a system of provenance channels composed of slopes and an ancient gully to the depression area, where they were deposited and eventually converged to form a large fan delta. The fan delta presents the overall characteristics of NS strong wedge reflection and EW strong domal reflection—thick in the middle part and thin in the wings. It displays a lobe‐shaped distribution on the plane, with the fan root pointing to the south slope. According to differences in reflection intensity from bottom to top, it can be subdivided into three stages of progradational sedimentary bodies—the southern uplift and denudation zone, the large ancient gully, and the fan delta—which together constitute a complete source‐sink system. This represents a sedimentary model of progradational fan delta under the overall joint control of the restricted ancient gully and syndepositional faults.