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1 Geology & Cartography Division, Oxford Brookes University, Gipsy Lane Campus, Headington, Oxford OX3 0BP, UK
2 STRAT Group, Department of Earth Sciences, University of Liverpool, PO Box 147, Brownlow St, Liverpool L69 3BX, UK
In recent years there has been a huge expansion in studies using high resolution sequence strati-graphic techniques. Sequence stratigraphy has evolved from the original concepts of seismic stratigraphy to a scale above seismic resolution. Concepts developed at outcrop are now being successfully applied to subsurface data sets and are providing a greatly improved understanding of facies geometries and reservoir architecture. Sequence stratigraphy has developed into a powerful, predictive facies analysis tool for both the hydrocarbon industry and academic research. The papers in this volume illustrate the depth and breadth of current sequence stratigraphic research.
Although sequence stratigraphy has a long history (Sloss 1988 and papers cited therein), the interpretation of ancient sediments has traditionally relied on comparisons with modern depositional environments and transport processes within the context of facies models and Walther’s Law (e.g. Walker 1984; Reading 1986). The more widespread application of a chronostratigraphic approach was initiated by the development of seismic stratigraphy (Vail et al. 1977b). Seismic stratigraphy is a tool applicable at hydrocarbon exploration scale whereas sequence stratigraphy uses a chronostratigraphic approach at hydrocarbon production scales to cores, wireline logs and outcrops, and brings the Vail concepts to the everyday working environment of most academic geologists.
Modern, high resolution, reservoir scale sequence stratigraphy was formalized by the publications of Jervey (1988), Posamentier & Vail (1988), Posamentier et al. (1988) and Van Wagoner et al. (1990). These publications have generated much discussion about the application of sequence stratigraphic concepts (e.g. Miall 1986, 1991, 1992;
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