Structural control of fluid flow:offshore fluid seepage in the Santa Barbara Basin,California

摘要

Evidence of active and dormant fluid seepage in the Santa Barbara Basin is observed as active venting of gas and oil, bacterial mats, precipitates of authigenic carbonate, and mud and tar volcanoes. Fluid seepage occurs preferentially in the proximity to faults and faulted anticlines,and to slump9 scarps. Seepage next to faults and anticlicates indictes that hydrocarbon migration and pore fluid expulsion is controlled structurally, with faults acting as preferred conduits for fluid flow across units of low matrix permeability.