Geodynamics and basin-forming mechanisms in the provencal basin: A modeling discussion

Conference · Mon Aug 01 04:00:00 EDT 1988 · AAPG Bull.; (United States)

OSTI ID:5717425

Burrus, J; Foucher, J P

The Provencal basin is part of the Western European rift system created in Oligocene time; it has reached the oceanic stage as a result of the eastward drifting of Corsica and Sardinia. It is a well-documented example of a young extensional basin. Good-quality seismic refraction and reflection data as well as heat-flow determinations show that the basin presents many characteristics commonly observed in an extensional basin: (1) a distinct synrift structure associated with graben formation, minor block tilting, and very small horizontal extension (< 10%); the end of the synrift phase is marked by a well-defined unconformity; (2) significant crustal attenuation visible in both the upper crust and lower crust; the average vertical thinning (1.9) is by far more important than the horizontal extension (1.1 to 1.3 ); (3) asymmetric structure of the conjugated Corsican-Sardinian/provencal margins, associated with asymmetric heat flow and Bouguer profiles. As a consequence, the classic stretching mechanism or the simple shear model does not apply to the observed geometries. The paradox is that the stretching concept adequately accounts for the distribution of the heat flow and for the subsidence (after correction for recent compression). Alternative basin-forming mechanisms will be discussed in terms of crustal metamorphism and ductile flow.

• Research Organization: Institut Francais du Petrole, Rueil-Malmaison (France)
• OSTI ID: 5717425
• Report Number(s): CONF-8809346-
• Conference Information: Journal Name: AAPG Bull.; (United States) Journal Volume: 72:8
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

02 PETROLEUM
020200* -- Petroleum-- Reserves
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&amp; Exploration
03 NATURAL GAS
030200 -- Natural Gas-- Reserves
Geology
&amp; Exploration
EUROPE
FRANCE
GEOLOGIC FAULTS
GEOLOGIC FRACTURES
GEOLOGIC MODELS
GEOLOGIC STRUCTURES
GEOTHERMAL GRADIENTS
MATURATION
RIFT ZONES
SEDIMENTARY BASINS
TEMPERATURE GRADIENTS
WESTERN EUROPE