I. Implications for reservoir simulations from a new depositional turbidite model. II. Evidence for generation and migration of hydrocarbons along thermally anomalous faults in the Los Angeles basin, California

The Los Angeles basin, one of the most prolific oil basins in the world, is of particular interest because of the presence of complex, active fault zones to which most of the oil fields are associated, and the abundance of subsurface data. This dissertation addresses the applicability of existing reservoir architecture models to reservoirs in the Los Angeles basin, and the role of faulting for hydrocarbon migration and fluid flow.; The outcrops at San Clemente, California have been used by industry and academia alike as a field laboratory to develop reservoir architecture analogs for the Los Angeles and other basins around the world. This study proposes a new depositional model based on the construction of a detailed photomosaic of the outcrop, mapping of three dimensional facies distribution, a new set of paleocurrent data, and the analysis of previously undescribed outcrops. The data suggest that the turbidite system at San Clemente represents the fill of a single turbidite channel. The lateral facies changes are a result of interfingering between axial and marginal facies during subvertical channel aggradation. The channel was cut into a low gradient slope, rather than representing a channel on a submarine fan.; The role of faults on heat distribution and as the generation and migration of hydrocarbons has been assessed from temperature, oil geochemistry and C isotope data. Results suggest that structural highs associated with complex fault zones in the Los Angeles basin are responsible for rapid variations of geothermal gradient, and may act as secondary petroleum generation areas for overlying structures. I propose that the fault zones may act as preferential vertical and lateral migration pathways bringing deeper, hotter fluids to shallower depths causing the observed variations in geothermal gradient. The time-temperature modeling suggest that the onset of oil generation in anomalously high geothermal gradient areas can occur hundreds of thousand years earlier than in the cooler structural lows.*; *This dissertation is a compound document (contains both a paper copy and a CD as part of the dissertation). The CD requires the following system requirements: Adobe Acrobat; Microsoft Office.