Sand injectites network as a marker of the palaeo–stress field, the structural framework and the distance to the sand source: Example in the Vocontian Basin, SE France

• We used logs to stratigraphically correlate injectites and depositional sand bodies.
• We defined the architecture of the sand injectites network.
• We defined the mechanisms and processes governing this architecture.
• Injectites can form by subtrusive forced injection.
• Injectites can form by remobilization and injection of sand.

A large sand injectite network is very well exposed in the area of Bevons, Southeast France. The associated sandstone turbiditic channel–fill and the host marls are the Aptian–Albian rocks of the Vocontian Basin. The sand injection network is composed of dykes, sills and sedimentary laccoliths ranging in thickness from mm to pluri–m. The dykes and sills have vertical and horizontal lengths of up to and over 100 m and 1 km, respectively. Outcrop observations show that the architecture and morphology of the sand injectites in the marls is governed by the local stress field during injection, pre–existing faults, the host–rock lithology, compaction, and distance to the potential sand source(s). The main set of dykes is oriented N50–60° perpendicular to the minimum compressive stress σ3 during sand injection. Two other sets of dykes are intruded along pre–existing syn–sedimentary faults oriented N140–150° (set 2) and N90° (set 3) during the Apto–Cenomanian interval. Sills and dykes thin laterally away from their potential sand sources and thin laterally away from them. The vertical thickness variations of the dykes and wings are more complex, as thinning away from the sand sources is often compensated by thickening toward the palaeo–surface. Based on field observations and measurements, we characterized the 3D architecture of the sand injectites and showed that the injectites probably formed due to a forceful injection from an overpressured sand body sealed by low–permeability lithologies.

Figure optionsDownload high-quality image (192 K)Download as PowerPoint slide