Deep and ultra-deep basin brittle deformation

The aim of this special volume is to describe recent progress in understanding fracture and fault development, and structural control of fluid charge and resource recovery in deep and ultra-deep sedimentary basins, including implications to societally important issues related to hydrocarbon and geothermal energy production, CO₂ sequestration, and long-term energy storage. The volume will include a critical review of recent work, and document new approaches to analyze brittle deformation in sandstones, mudrocks, carbonates, and basement rocks. Special interest will focus on the deep and ultra-deep basins of China, but contributions from other deep and ultra-deep basins of the world is sought.

Guest editors:

• András Fall (The University of Texas at Austin) – Managing Guest Editor
• Lianbo Zeng (China University of Petroleum)
• Ronghu Zhang (PetroChina)
• Qiqi Wang (The University of Texas at Austin)
• Bo Ren (The University of Texas at Austin)
• John Hooker (University of the Incarnate World)

Special issue information:

The aim of this special volume is to describe recent progress in understanding fracture (including vug) and fault development in deep and ultra-deep (> 3 km to > 8 km) sedimentary basins and implications for fluid charge and resource recovery in siliciclastic, carbonate, and other reservoirs. The volume will include a critical review of recent work, and documentation of new approaches to analyze brittle deformation in a wide range of rock types including sandstones, mudrocks, carbonates, and basement rocks. Special interest will focus on the deep and ultra-deep basins of China (e.g., Tarim, Sichuan, Ordos, Junggar, Bohai Bay basins, among others), but contributions from other deep and ultra-deep basins of the world is sought. The structural setting of deep and tectonically active sedimentary basins undergoing exploration with extensive core data, as in several basins in China, provides an exceptional opportunity to investigate fault and fracture development and structural controls of fluid flow influencing charge mechanisms of reservoirs, with implications to societally important issues related to hydrocarbon and geothermal energy production, CO₂ sequestration, and long-term energy storage.

Potential topics include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Brittle structural geology research methodology applied for deep and ultra-deep basin environments (including geological characterization and modeling)
• Integrated fracture detection and calibration methods, combing static characterization and dynamic flow-based or advanced AI-based fracture network delineation
• Mechanical stratigraphy, and lithological and petrophysical control on the brittle deformation of ultra-deep reservoirs
• Deep-basin fracture and fault pattern development in areas of active tectonics
• Overpressure and geothermal characteristics of ultra-deep basins in the context of structural geology
• Burial and structure-controlled fluid flow history of ultra-deep basins: hydrocarbon migration and accumulation; production of hydrocarbons, water, and geothermal energy; potential for CO₂ sequestration and long-term energy storage in the context of structural geology
• Deep basin mobile structures and shale tectonics
• Case studies illustrating deep-basin fractures using subsurface data and outcrop analogs

Manuscript submission information:

Submission portal open: 1 April– 30 September 2022

You are invited to submit your manuscript at any time before the submission deadline September 30, 2022. An expression of interest in contributing to this special issue of Journal of Structural Geology would be appreciated by April 7th 2022 via email to andras.fall@beg.utexas.edu (Managing Guest Editor Dr. András Fall).

The journal’s submission platform (Editorial Manager®) is available for receiving submissions to this Special Issue. Please refer to the Guide for Authors to prepare your manuscript. When submitting your manuscripts, please choose “VSI: Deep basin deformation” from the dropdown menu.

Learn more about the benefits of publishing in a special issue: https://www.elsevier.com/authors/submit-your-paper/special-issues

Interested in becoming a guest editor? Discover the benefits of guest-editing a special issue and the valuable contribution that you can make to your field: https://www.elsevier.com/editors/role-of-an-editor/guest-editors

Learn more about the benefits of publishing in a special issue: https://www.elsevier.com/authors/submit-your-paper/special-issues

Interested in becoming a guest editor? Discover the benefits of guest editing a special issue and the valuable contribution that you can make to your field: https://www.elsevier.com/editors/role-of-an-editor/guest-editors