Final answer:
The best way to depict the geographic, stratigraphic, and temporal extent of a petroleum system is through the combined use of geologic maps, seismic patterns, and the geologic time scale, integrating seismic data, geologic mapping, and understanding of geological processes.
Step-by-step explanation:
The geographic, stratigraphic, and temporal extent of a petroleum system is a specific area that can be best depicted using a combination of geologic maps, seismic patterns, and the geologic time scale. To understand a petroleum system, it is important to analyze seismic reflections, as shown in Figure 5.18, which indicate different geological processes through the shape and termination of seismic lines.
The geologic time scale is a system used by geologists to relate chronological dating to geological strata, notable in Figure 3.1, where periods of time are color-coded, helping to identify the temporal extent of rock formations within a petroleum system. In addition, the block diagram in Figure 3.17, constructed with the help of Visible Geology, aids in visualizing the three-dimensional arrangement of geological features like sedimentary strata, faults, and igneous intrusions.
To construct a geologic map, it is necessary to synthesize information from various data points, including outcrops, stratigraphic sections, wells, and soil profiles. Such a map, which is an essential tool for geologists akin to a wrench for a mechanic, enables the depiction of rock units using standardized colors and structural notations, as stated in the instructions for creating geologic maps using the data from outcrops.
Contacts between different rock types are represented, and sedimentary units, as asked in the exercise, can show types of contacts that reflect their depositional or tectonic history. Furthermore, the geologic map of the National Petroleum Reserve of Alaska (NPRA) shown in Figure 5.19 is a practical example where glaciation has covered rock exposures, and seismic lines are used to delineate the underlying geological features.
Overall, to effectively convey the extent of the petroleum system, one must integrate seismic data, geologic mapping, stratigraphic knowledge, and an understanding of geologic time. Such comprehensive integration can accurately represent the complex interplay of geological processes that are central to petroleum geology.