Heat Flow in Sedimentary Basins

1. Heat Flow in Sedimentary Basins Petroleum Geology Class 745 Spring 2002 Istvan Csato University of South Carolina Department of Geological Sciences

2. Heat Flow in VariousTectonic Settings Welte et al. (1997)

3. Subsidence Rates of Basins Angevine et al. (1990)

4. Heat Flow Equations Fourier’s law: q= kg q – heat fow k – thermal conductivity g – thermal gradient T= To + (q/k)Dz Heat transport equation: rC(dT/dt) = d/dz[kz (dT/dz)] – vzrwCw (dT /dz) + A r - bulk density C – bulk heat capacity rw – fluid density C – fluid heat capacity vz – fluid velocity A – radioactive heat generation per unit volume per unit time

5. Bottom-hole Temperature Deming (1997)

6. Thermal Conductivity Ungerer et al. (1990) Deming and Chapman (1988) Kpr = km(1-F)kwF k = 1.0 – 4.5 W/mK m – matrix w – pore fluid

7. Sedimentation Rate and Heat Flow Deming (1997)

8. Heat Flow and Thrusting Wygrala et al. (1990)

9. Heat Flow and Salt Heynisch et al. (1987)

10. Heat Flow and Fluid Flow Willet and Chapman (1987)

11. Heat Flow and Fluid Flow Majorovitz et al. (1985)

12. Heat Flow Data Young (<25 Ma) rift basins: 90-120 mW/m2 Foreland basins: 50-70 mW/m2 Intracratonic basins: 30-50 mW/m2 Deming (1997)