Justification of windward and leeward carbonate geometry using experimental approach

Windward and leeward positioning on carbonate system gives significant effect on structure formation. Since the location of oil and gas reserve is affected by the position, it is important to establish the relation between surface and subsurface carbonate geometry. An experimental approach using flume tank modelling was performed to replicate the natural process which formed the windward and leeward geometry. The model was based on actual recent atoll with ideal characteristics, scaled down spatially and temporally to lab-sized experiment. The effect of windward and leeward positioning was replicated successfully and the density difference between the sediments used in the experiment was proven not to give any observable effects on geometry formation. Given the same ocean condition between the present and the past, the model gives insight to the shape of subsurface carbonate geometry found by seismic imagery.