On the Maintenance of Anomalous Fluid Pressures: I. Thick Sedimentary Sequences

Research Article| September 01, 1968 On the Maintenance of Anomalous Fluid Pressures: I. Thick Sedimentary Sequences J. D BREDEHOEFT; J. D BREDEHOEFT U. S. Geological Survey, Washington, D. C. Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar B. B HANSHAW B. B HANSHAW U. S. Geological Survey, Washington, D. C. Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar GSA Bulletin (1968) 79 (9): 1097–1106. https://doi.org/10.1130/0016-7606(1968)791097:OTMOAF2.0.CO;2 Article history received: 12 Jul 1967 received: 07 Mar 1968 first online: 02 Mar 2017 Cite View This Citation Add to Citation Manager Share Icon Share Facebook Twitter LinkedIn MailTo Tools Icon Tools Get Permissions Search Site Citation J. D BREDEHOEFT, B. B HANSHAW; On the Maintenance of Anomalous Fluid Pressures: I. Thick Sedimentary Sequences. GSA Bulletin 1968;; 79 (9): 1097–1106. doi: https://doi.org/10.1130/0016-7606(1968)791097:OTMOAF2.0.CO;2 Download citation file: Ris (Zotero) Refmanager EasyBib Bookends Mendeley Papers EndNote RefWorks BibTex toolbar search Search Dropdown Menu toolbar search search input Search input auto suggest filter your search All ContentBy SocietyGSA Bulletin Search Advanced Search Abstract Various physical and chemical processes may be envisioned which will cause anomalous pressures on an underground fluid. In order to consider the maintenance of anomalous pressure, it is necessary to consider the problem as one of nonsteady fluid flow. The time rate of pressure change and maintenance depends upon the hydrodynamics of flow through porous media and the particular boundary conditions. This paper presents a series of general solutions to hydrodynamic models which are germane to the problem of creating and maintaining excess-fluid pressures in a thick sedimentary sequence.The creation and maintenance of fluid pressures approaching lithostatic pressure through a process of continuous sedimentation was evaluated. Our results indicate that a sedimentation rate of 500 m/106 yr (reasonable for the Gulf Coast) will create fluid pressures approaching lithostatic in a sedimentary column that has a hydraulic conductivity of 10−8 cm sec−1, or lower.It is apparent that the creation of anomalous pressure and its maintenance depends, to a large degree, upon the hydraulic conductivity and, to a lesser extent, upon the specific storage of clay layers within the system. This content is PDF only. Please click on the PDF icon to access. First Page Preview Close Modal You do not have access to this content, please speak to your institutional administrator if you feel you should have access.