Developments in Sequence Stratigraphy

The sequence stratigraphic methodology enables the construction of stratigraphic frameworks based on the observation of stratal stacking patterns at scales defined by the purpose of study and the resolution of the data available. The method integrates the insights of process sedimentology into the stratigraphic analysis, which enables predictions with respect to the sedimentological nature of seismic facies or stratal units in areas away from data control points like outcrops or wells.

The observations that lead to the construction of sequence stratigraphic frameworks are independent of the interpretation of the underlying controls on sequence development, such as the relative contributions of tectonism, sea-level changes, climate, and autogenic processes to stratigraphic cyclicity. Methodology and modeling are distinct lines of stratigraphic research, with different goals and underlying data-driven vs. model-driven principles, respectively.

Stratigraphic frameworks are basin-specific, reflecting the interplay of global and local controls on accommodation and sedimentation. The same types of stratal stacking patterns can be observed at all stratigraphic scales, in relation to stratigraphic cycles of different magnitudes. At each scale of observation (i.e., hierarchical level), stratigraphic cycles define sequences, which consist of systems tracts and component depositional systems. Despite the nested architecture of stratigraphic cycles, the stratigraphic framework is not truly fractal because sequences of different scales may differ in terms of underlying controls, component systems tracts, and sedimentological composition.

A scale-independent approach to methodology and nomenclature is key to the standard application of sequence stratigraphy across the entire range of geological settings, stratigraphic scales, and types of data available.