Abstract

Ancient deltaic deposits have proven to be prolific petroleum provinces worldwide and are regions of hydrocarbon exploration activities globally. Tidedominated and tide-influenced deltas are one of the most abundant examples and usually represent different stages of deltaic development in a province. The difference between the two, however, has never been adequately distinguished especially in ancient systems. Tide-dominated deltas are subaqueous in nature and are tidally reworked during relative sealevel rise. Tide-influenced deltas, on the other hand, are significantly river-dominated in upper delta-plain and contain tidal indicators in delta-front and lower delta-plain areas. Similarities of depositional characteristics derived from sedimentological studies, palynological inferences and electro-log motifs only tend to provide a generalized understanding of interactions between tidal and deltaic activities. In this paper, sub-surface imaging technique derived from RGB blend and advanced seismic attribute is used to visualize distinctive depositional features suggestive of a tide-influenced deltaic deposit in Miocene sands in Tripura, India. Understanding the intrinsic nature of the depositional environment helps in de-risking future hydrocarbon exploration and development activities by predicting suitable areas with good reservoir facies.