ABAL's research into faults and faulting began in 1992 with a 5 year programme of field investigation based largely in the Gulf of Suez. Gross extensional fault geometry, modification by later events and the insights this gave into cross section restoration were the initial focus of this work. Because exposure is superb, investigation into more detailed relationships between large and small scale structures, the character of fault zones themselves and properties of fault planes became the later focus. Field work from other areas, principally from good outcrop locations in northern UK, was added, and in collaboration with the University of Edinburgh, generation of damage in sandstone reservoir analogues in the lab was also included.

• Our ability to evaluate seismic interpretation and mapping (seismic scale structure) is enhanced, e.g. through better understanding of the character of fault linkage, the distribution of throw along faults, and how faults should look in 3D.
• We have developed practical applications of fault population analysis in interpretation evaluation and fault modelling.
• Our knowledge of faults and damage zones, their distribution, properties and characteristics, is now extensive (see our damage zones and granulation seams page). This work has led us to become expert in the structural characterisation of cores, correlation with image log and seismic data, reservoir damage quantification and impact on reservoir permeability modelling
• Our undestanding of fault seal processes, and our ability to evaluate fault seal and model its impact, has been enhanced.
  
  Future developments involve several modules:
  
• Improvements to our current fault properties software, including 3D modelling of faults.
• Further field based research into the character of fault and damage zone characteristics in different lithologies.
• Refining of subseismic reservoir damage modelling.
• Development of a fault modeller, which allows many of the above factors to be integrated into standard reservoir model building.

Part of this research is being undertaken in collaboration with university based geoscientists and industry software providers.


Geodynamic modelling: subsidence and faulting in areas of salt tectonics, uncertain crustal composition and unstable mantle

Since inception, geodynamic modelling has been a core part of ABAL's services. Software available for handling this type of modelling has long been available but we recognised early on that only careful application and recognition of limitations would make their results useful (see structural modelling). Several recent developments have taken our ability to model sections forward:

• New, integrated techniques for reducing exploration risks and uncertainties in salt basins - production of accurately constrained basin reconstructions defining temporal variations in rift magnitude, heat flows, stratigraphic development of the sequences, palaeobathymetries, and timings of opening of hydrocarbon migration pathways. These techniques have been very successfully applied to the SE Brazilian margin, producing results which can then be used to constrain 2D hydrocarbon system modelling.
  
• Development work which will further our expertise in modelling passive margin basins affected by multiple rift events and mantle plumes is currently underway in collaboration with a leading university. This is aimed at developing more robust methods of modelling multiple deformation phases (extensional and/or contractional), lithospheric temperature structure variations (e.g. effect of mantle plumes), and the growth of major sedimentary basins.