Seismic Interpretation South Sabah Transect: The Eastern Baram Delta is considered the most prospective area of Sabah,

owing to its favourable hydrocarbon habitat. Two large oil and gas fields, Champion (in Brunei, Figure SB-11) and Samarang, have been discovered to date. A number of other structures have been described on-trend with these fields, but have not yet been fully appraised, including Timbalai, Samarang Kecil and Padas. The structure of the South Sabah transect (Figure SB-4) can be subdivided into a landward fold belt, Including the offshore Labuan syncline (Figure SB-5), and the Eastern Baram Delta complex (Figure SB-8 and 9). The Morris fault system, trending in a northerly direction, separates these two structural provinces and acted as a boundary fault of a large elongated anticlinorium to the east, made up of three northwood rising structures (Timbalai, Samarang and Padas, Figure SB-4). The western flank of these megastructures expands seaward into the Frigate/Pelican counter-regional fault system (Figures SB-10 and SB-11). The Neogene depositional history of this area can be summarised as follows: A pre-early Middle Miocene phase during which mainly deep marine clastic sediments were deposited. These sediments were deformed and incorporated in the thrust belt. A post-early Middle Miocene phase during which a clastic shelf-slope system (Figure SB-3) prograded basinwards towards the NW over the underlying accretionary prism. Syndepositional deformation, which led to uplift and folding, progressively shifted basinwards in time, and gave rise to a series of unconformities which become younger and die out basinward.

Regional relative sea-level changes have been recorded during this period of time (Levell 1982) by: A Middle Miocene relative sea-level fall resulting in unconformable deposition of terrestrial deposits on a deformed Early Miocene deep-water sequence (Figure SB-3). A Middle- to Late Miocene period of sea-level rise. Early rapid relative sea-level rise resulted in transgression over the whole area, but when the rate of relative sea level rise slowed down (or when the rate of clastic input increased) during the Late Miocene rapid progradation of the shelf edge basinwards occurred (Figure SB-5). The Late Miocene/Early Pliocene relative sea-level fall accompanied with uplift in the southern part of the Sabah continental margin, resulted in a major erosional unconformity (Shallow Regional Unconformity, SRU, Figure SB-5).

SB1

Seismic Interpretation

Depositional Sequences and sequence boundaries Two main depositional sequences can be recognised, separated by a regional unconformity (depositional sequence boundary SRU). The unconformity is only developed over tectonically uplifted areas and dies out basinward into a conformable sedimentary succession (Figure SB-5). Within the Labuan syncline this depositional sequence boundary is characterised by erosional truncation and onlap indicating: A period of active tectonic uplift of the eastern block along the Morris Fault, resulting in the formation of the Labuan syncline. A major relative sea-level fall at the end of the Miocene leading to the erosion of up to 3000 metres of sedimentary strata over the uplifted flanks. A period of relative sea-level rise during which accumulation of clastic sedimentation was re-established in the Labuan syncline, leading to an onlap fill.

Within the Eastern Baram Delta a continuous up- and out-building basin margin without any sign of a major hiatus is observed displaying similar characteristics to the Ampa area in Brunei (Section 10.3.2): Corresponding to erosion on the uplifted area, a shift of the shelf edge as far basinwards as the Nosong structure is observed (low stand wedge, see Figure BN19a and b). Corresponding to the transgressive period (base IVF) a major landward shift (some 10 kilometres) of the shelf edge is recognised, indicated by progradation of subsequent regressive units (shingle facies) over former shelf topset units.

Depositional sequence 1, within the Labuan syncline, encompasses clastic sediments deposited during Middle to Late Miocene time (Figure SB-3). The upper part of the depositional unit can be traced across the Morris Fault zone into the East Baram Delta, where prograding sediments overstep and downlap onto a deformed substratum (accretionary belt). Based on reflection configurations, reflection strength and reflection continuity, a number of different facies are recognised (Figure SB-5) which, with well calibration (Fury South, Gordon) and by using the lateral relationship between the different seismic facies, can be translated into depositional environments: Topset seismic facies: Three seismic facies units in topset position are defined and interpreted as follows:

SB2

Seismic Interpretation Short, discontinuous, parallel reflections corresponding to highly channelised, vertically aggrading coastal-plain deposits. Laterally continuous, parallel reflections representing vertically aggrading shallow marine/coastal-plain deposits. Reflection-free zones corresponding to marine shales.

Foreset seismic facies: Clinoform reflection geometries interpreted as shale-prone prograding slope sediments. Bottomset seismic facies: Parallel reflection patterns passing landwards into foreset seismic facies are interpreted as deep marine base-of-slope sediments. The overall transgressive nature of the lower topset unit in the Labuan syncline is expressed by the retrograding (landwards) arrangement of high amplitude parallel reflections passing basinwards into a reflection free zone. The overall regressive nature of the upper part of depositional sequence 1 is indicated by the prograding slope (foreset) and by the lateral arrangement of discontinuous and continuous seismic facies which clearly exhibit proximal/distal relationship and thus mark a basinward change from channelised lower coastal-plain to marine coastal deposits to slope and base-of-slope deposits. Depositional sequence II contains a sedimentary unit of post Early Pleistocene age. This sequence, reduced in its development within the Labuan syncline, thickens abruptly across to Morris fault expanding into an approximately 2500 metres thick sedimentary wedge against the Frigate/Pelican counter-regional fault system (Figure SB-10). During this time interval a pronounced northwestward progradation of the shelf edge occurred, which lasted up to sub-recent time. Several transgressive and regressive cycles are clearly expressed on the seismic data. This cyclicity is controlled either by sediment supply or subsidence rate, and is indicated by the sub-division of the foresetted packages into several separate prograding units. Repeated shelf-edge instability is demonstrated by the presence of well defined slump scars. These may have been formed during periods of rapid regression resulting in over-steepening of the shelf-slope giving rise to turbidite accumulations at the base of the slope. Such turbidite deposits have proven to be hydrocarbon bearing in the vicinity as the Sabah/Brunei border (Pelican) and in the northern areas of block SB1 (Kinarut and Tembungo).

SB3

Seismic Interpretation

Figure SB-1. Seismic profile across the NW flank of the Iron Duke structure
SB4

Seismic Interpretation

Figure SB-2. Migrating shallow marine and coastal facies belts

SB5

Seismic Interpretation

Figure SB-3. South Sabah stratigraphy (after SSPC, 1988)

SB6

Seismic Interpretation

Figure SB-4. South Sabah regional cross-section (after SSPB, 1988)

SB7

Seismic Interpretation

SB8

Seismic Interpretation

Figure SB-5
SB9

Seismic Interpretation

Figure SB-6. Stratigraphic framework of Middle-Upper Miocene Labuan syncline

SB10

Seismic Interpretation

Figure SB-7. Different Seismic Facies Units

SB11

Seismic Interpretation

Figure SB-8. Seismic Profile 87SB1100

SB12

Seismic Interpretation

Figure SB-9. Detail of the Pliocene up- and outbuilding shelf margin showing foresetted slope and slump features at the margin.
SB13

Seismic Interpretation

Figure SB-10
SB14

Seismic Interpretation

Figure SB-11. Interpretation of the Frigate/Pelican Depocentre, c.f. Figure SB-10.

SB15

Seismic Interpretation

Figure SB-12. Seismic profile across the Frigate counter-regional fault showing the reflection patterns associated with the growth fault system. These reflection patterns are translated into stratal patterns and a depositional environment in the geological interpretation shown below the seismic.

SB16

Seismic Interpretation

Figure SB-13. Models for sedimentation patterns associated with counterregional faults; depending upon the position of the coast at the onset of faulting. Thick line indicates boundary between pre- and post-faulting deposits. Length of arrows is proportional to relative rate of sea-level rise. The case of sediment supply being always greater than rates of relative sea-level rise, which would lead to interrupted progradation, is not shown.
Sedimentation patterns associated with the counter-regional Frigate/Pelican fault system (after Levell, 1981). Sedimentation in large parts of the Neogene Baram Delta was controlled by syndepositional normal faults of different magnitude (cf Figs BN-6a,b,c, BN-11, BN-12 and SB-11), which hade in the principal direction of clastic transport. The synsedimentary counter-regional fault system in the Pelican area controlled the accumulation of sedimentary wedges that have thicknesses up to some 12000 metres. General features of the counter-regional faults are:

SB17

Seismic Interpretation Displacement along counter-regional faults results in rapid subsidence in narrow zones close to the faults. This results in up-building sequences and the faults act as sediment traps. Since subsidence rates increase away from the clastic source (rotational subsidence, Figures BN-18a and 18b), and sediment supply rates decrease in this direction, counter-regional faults are commonly associated with deeper-water deposition in the fault zone and on the relatively up-thrown block, Figure SB-11. Subsidence along the fault zone occurs independently of loading by the prograding clastic wedge. There is evidence from the foresetted fill, Figure SB10, that episodic subsidence along the fault created accommodation space that was subsequently filled by progradation, Figure SB-12. The apparent episodic fault movement could have been caused either by intermittent strike-slip movements or mimicked by the combination of continuous subsidence and intermittent, limited sediment supply. The lack of slump scars suggests that the fault scarps themselves had only a relatively subdued relief. This is in contrast to the relief created by the filling prograding shelf slope, where slope instability resulted in sediment gliding. The effect of the counter-regional fault on the sedimentation pattern depends on the position of the fault relative to the shelf edge.

SB18

Seismic Interpretation North Sabah transect: The seismic transect (Figure NB-1) across the Bunbury St. Joseph Ridge illustrates the interaction of the rapid Late Miocene progradation of the shelf edge With a major NE trending wrench fault system, paralleling the Crocker accretionary prism. This resulted in the formation of tectonically unstable marine slopes which slumped to produce substantial quantities of turbidites and left behind dramatic slope unconformities as slump scars. These slump scars are observed along the fault trend known as the Bunbury-St Joseph Ridge for a distance of 90 kilometres The palaeogeographic coastline was controlled by the development of the ridge. Landward of the ridge the mid-Miocene to Pliocene successions overlie a deformed substratum and consist of two depositional sequences (Figure NB-2), which developed in topset facies (coastal-plain Figure NB-3). They are separated by a subaerial erosional unconformity. Seaward of the ridge the mid-Miocene and younger sedimentary successions are much thicker. The mid-Miocene contains a very thick deep marine sequence which is sandwiched between two topset units (Figure NB-4). The transition from a discontinuous seismic facies to a continuous seismic facies and then into the lump scar belt is interpreted as a landward coastal facies belt passing seaward into shallow marine shelf margin facies. During the Late Miocene the Bunbury-St Joseph Ridge was a rotating, seawarddipping flank above a buried wrench fault zone. The slumps along this trend are found seawards of the intensely faulted crest of the ridge. They formed a slump belt, which have a minimum with a 5 kilometres, as it was progressively rotated to dip northwestward. Slumping continued for relatively long period of time, with a section of some 2 kilometres total thickness being involved in repeated slump events. Downflank of the slump scar belt, a complex seismic facies of discontinuous reflections of variable amplitude (sometimes mounded) are observed to onlap the base of the slump scars. This facies is partially downlapped by prograding seismic foresets of latest Miocene age (Figure NB-4). The facies is interpreted as the seismic response of turbiditic bottomsets. Wells have penetrated up to 1.8 kilometres of turbidites containing up to 500 metres of net sand. The mounded seismic facies dies out away from the foot of the ridge. Although the mounds are probably indicative of sandy turbidite lobes, well penetrations show that also bottomsets with a continuous-parallel seismic facies may contain reasonable amounts of sand.

SB19

Seismic Interpretation

Figure NB-1. Schematic cross-section of NW Sabah

Figure NB-2. Map of the Bunbury-St. Joseph area.

SB20

Seismic Interpretation

SB21

Seismic Interpretation

Figure NB-3. Migrated Seismic Section 76-3680

SB22

Seismic Interpretation The seismic profile shown in Figure NB-3 runs obliquely in a NE-SW direction, across the Bunbury St Joseph Ridge and illustrates the transition of facies belts from coastal shallow marine into the foresetted slope with dramatic, continuous slump failures, producing a slump scars belt. The slump scars are found largely on the northwestern flank of the ridge. Their lateral equivalents, which are turbidites, were deposited in the adjacent deep marine basin (Figure NB-4). The seismic strike section has been squeezed to give a clearer view of the slump scar. Note the lenticular remnants of parallel-bedded topsets resting on weakly reflective (or faintly foresetted) slope deposits and cut into by coalescing slump scars. These lenses represent potential stratigraphic traps. The following features suggest that these unconformities are scars left by the downslope movement of large blocks of sediments in the form of slumps, slides, debris flows or turbidites: They are only found within sequences displaying seismic foresetting (clinoforms), indicating a genetic relationship to a depositional slope (Figure NB-3). They can usually be shown to occur only in those parts of the prograding slope sequence that are adjacent to major fault lines (Figure NB-2). The unconformities map out as shallow, spoon-shaped scars. Some are more elongate but they generally widen rapidly seawards and do not have the elongate sinuous form of well-developed canyons. Bedding down-dip and above the unconformities differs from that updip below. They are therefore not simple faults. Many unconformities are immediately overlain by seismically low amplitude, relatively homogeneous, foresetted units. The unconformities cut into topset (shallow shelf) facies.

SB23

Seismic Interpretation

Figure NB-4.

SB24

Seismic Interpretation Figure NB-4 shows a dip section through the southeastern margin of the Bunbury-St. Joseph turbidite basin (Levell et al., 1982). Rotation of the northwest flank of the ridge began in the Late Miocene as shown by the deepest angular unconformity. Rotation continues during progradation of a clastic wedge from the southeast and was interrupted several times by slumping, resulting in the repeated vertical sequence: foresetted slope clays, parallel topsets (including reservoir sands), slump scar unconformities. The discontinuous mounded facies down-dip is interpreted as a base of slope turbidite apron.

Figure NB-5. View from the North illustrating the alternation of slope construction and destruction which probably varied in both time and space along the ridge.
SB25