Evolution of the hourglass structures in the Laminaria High, Timor Sea: Implications for hydrocarbon traps

In cross-section, an hourglass structure can be visualized as an older horst block and superimposed, younger graben. Bounding faults of the horst and graben blocks represent separate conjugate fault systems formed by two distinct episodes of extension in the Timor Sea during Late Jurassic–Early Cretaceous (1st-phase) and Middle Miocene – Pliocene (2nd-phase); with an ∼120 My hiatus of limited or no fault activity in-between. Horst blocks were formed by the 1st-phase of extension and buried post-deformation. With the onset of the 2nd-phase of extension, the hourglass geometry began to form by nucleation of the graben-bounding faults in the shallow sedimentary section, in isolation from the horst-bounding faults. Location of the graben is biased by the buried horst block and graben-bounding faults grew down-dip from the shallow locus of nucleation toward the underlying horst block on which only minor reactivation occurred. Detachment of the two systems in this way was predominantly controlled by the first-order mechanical layering. A thick, shale-rich, ductile layer separates the horst- and graben-bounding fault systems and acts as a barrier to vertical fault propagation. Confinement of the graben-bounding faults into the shallow section was also facilitated by outer-arc style extension due to lithospheric flexure controlling the 2nd-phase strain in the region. The complex evolution history and the composite nature of the hourglass structures resulted in systematic along-dip variation of displacement. This variation predominantly relates to syn-kinematic deposition and location of fault tips that are controlled by the ductile layer. The presented evolution model of the hourglass structures concentrates fault tips and related stress perturbation onto the top seal and is likely to be detrimental to top-seal integrity.

► The hourglasses are composite structures formed by multiple deformation phases.
► Growth deposition and mechanical anisotropy led to the systematic throw variation.
► Lithospheric flexure favored isolated fault nucleation in the shallow carbonates.
► The deformation style is detrimental to the top-seal integrity.