PHYSIOGRAPHY OF MODERN MAHAKAM DELTA

Sedimentary environments of the

modern Mahakam Delta (from
Allen et al., 1979):

Offshore bathymetry is shown at

the 10 and 70 111 contours.
 MODERN MAHAKAM DELTA

SCHEMATIC ILLUSTRATION OF A REGRESSIVE SEDIMENTARY SUCCESSION FORMED BY A PROGRADING DELTA AS IT FILLS

IN THE SHELF WATER COLUMN. THE MAIN PARAMETER CONTROLLING THE THICKNESS OF THE SECTION IS THE WATER
DEPTH INTO WHICH THE DELTA PROGRADES

Sedimentation in the Modern and Miocene Mahakam Delta, George P. Allen, John L.C Chambers IPA 1998
 TYPICAL DELTAIC FACIES SUCCESSION

SCHEMATIC ILLUSTRATION OF PROGRADATION IN DELTAIC AND NON-DELTAIC COASTS. ON DELTAIC COASTS,

PROGRADATION IS DUE TO A LOCAL SOURCE OF FLUVIAL SEDIMENT, WHEREAS ON NON-DELTAIC COASTS THE SEDIMENT
IS TRANSPORTED ALONG THE COAST FROM A DISTANT FLUVIAL SOURCE

Sedimentation in the Modern and Miocene Mahakam Delta, George P. Allen, John L.C Chambers IPA 1998
 TYPICAL DELTAIC FACIES SUCCESSION

SCHEMATIC VERTICAL SECTION FORMED BY A PROGRADING DELTA. ALL DELTAS FORM REGRESSIVE, UPWARD
SHALLOWING AND GENERALLY UPWARD COARSENING SUCCESSIONS. THE TOTAL THICKNESS OF THE SECTION IS A
FUNCTION OF THE WATER DEPTH AND SEA LEVEL CHANGE. THICKNESSES INDICATED REPRESENT AVERAGE VALUES

Sedimentation in the Modern and Miocene Mahakam Delta, George P. Allen, John L.C Chambers IPA 1998
 TYPICAL DELTAIC FACIES SUCCESSION

MORPHOLOGY AND SAND ACCUMULATION IN THE UPPER DELTA PLAIN DISTRIBUTARY CHANNELS. THE THALWEG
MEANDERS BETWEEN THE RECTILINIEAR CHANNEL MARGINS AND SAND ACCUMULATES AS SIDE, OR LATERAL BARS IN
THE THALWEG MEANDERS. THE CHANNEL CROSS SECTION IS ASYMMETRIC AND IN TIME THE SIDE BARS MIGRATE
DOWNSTREAM IN THE SAME MANNER AS POINT BARS, FORMING AN ERROSIVE BANK ON THE CONCAVE SIDE OF THE
THALWEG MEANDERS AND A DEPOSITIONAL BANK ON THE CONVEX SIDE.

Sedimentation in the Modern and Miocene Mahakam Delta, George P. Allen, John L.C Chambers IPA 1998
 TYPICAL DELTAIC FACIES SUCCESSION

SCHEMATIC VISUALIZATION OF A DIP SECTION THROUGH THE DELTA SHOWING IDEALISED LITHOLOGY AND FACIES
VARIATIONS.

Sedimentation in the Modern and Miocene Mahakam Delta, George P. Allen, John L.C Chambers IPA 1998
TYPICAL DELTAIC FACIES SUCCESSION COMPARISON WITH
ELECTROFACIES PATTERN

(Walker dan James, 1992)

 TYPICAL DELTAIC FACIES SUCCESSION

EXAMPLE OF A SECTION FORMED BY A PROGRADING DELTA IN THE MIOCENE KUTAI BASIN. THE SUCCESSIONS IS
COMPLETE, i.e. IT HAS ENTIRELY FILLED THE SHELF WATER COLUMN AND CONTAINS PRODELTA, DELTA FRONT, AND
DELTA PLAIN DEPOSITS. NOTE THAT DISTRIBUTARY CHANNEL HAS ERODED INTO THE UNDERLYING DELTA FRONT
MOUTH BAR. NOTE ALSO THAT THE DIPMETER RESISTIVITY TOOL FURNISHES AS A GOOD LOG OF THE DETAILED
VARIATIONS IN SEDIMENT FACIES AND BED THICKNESS (FROM ALLEN AND MERCIER, 1988)