Structural geology and evolution of the Mississippi Fan fold belt, deep Gulf of Mexico

Journal Article · Sat Feb 01 04:00:00 EST 1992 · AAPG Bulletin (American Association of Petroleum Geologists); (United States)

OSTI ID:5469465

Weimer, P ^[1]; Buffler, R T ^[2]

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1. Univ. of Colorado, Boulder (United States)
2. Univ. of Texas, Austin (United States)

The Mississippi Fan fold belt, located in the deep Gulf of Mexico beneath the upper and middle Mississippi Fan, is characterized mainly by basinward-verging anticlines and associated thrust faults. The fold belt extends approximately 300 km eastward and is approximately 50 km wide. Based on correlations with deep Gulf of Mexico seismic sequences (Challenger, Campeche, Lower Mexican Ridges, Middle Mexican Ridges, and Upper Mexican Ridges), the folded strata are interpreted to be Upper Jurassic through Miocene. Salt tongues or sheets in the lower slope have overridden and partly masked parts of the fold belt. In this paper, the authors concentrate on the Mississippi Fan fold belt, and (1) describe the structural geology of the Mississippi Fan fold belt, (2) document the relationships of tectonics and sedimentation within the fold belt, (3) show the timing of structural growth and evolution of the fold belt based on new ages for deep Gulf of Mexico sequences, and (4) present a model for the evolution of the fold belt. Geometric and detailed kinematic descriptions of the fold belt and their relationship to syntectonic sedimentation are not included here, but are the subject of current research. These fold belts are of particular interest to the petroleum industry because of the large size of the structures and the potential for large petroleum accumulations.

• OSTI ID: 5469465
• Journal Information: AAPG Bulletin (American Association of Petroleum Geologists); (United States), Journal Name: AAPG Bulletin (American Association of Petroleum Geologists); (United States) Vol. 76:2; ISSN 0149-1423; ISSN AABUD
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

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