Cretaceous source rock sedimentation and its relation to transgressive peaks and geodynamic events for the Central Tethys

Conference · Sun Jan 31 23:00:00 EST 1993 · AAPG Bulletin (American Association of Petroleum Geologists); (United States)

OSTI ID:6105156

Flexer, A ^[1]; Honigstein, A; Rosenfeld, A ^[2]; Lipson, S ^[3]; Tarnenbaum, E ^[4]

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1. Tel Aviv Univ. (Israel)
2. Geological Survey of Israel, Jerusalem (Israel)
3. Institute of petroleum and energy, Tel Aviv (Israel)
4. Consultant, Tel Aviv (Israel)

The reconstruction of the Mesozoic continents shows a wide triangle-shaped Tethys (or Neotethys) between Africa and Eurasia. The Arabian Craton comprised the central part of its southern margins. The Cretaceous period started with extension, volcanism, continued by accelerated divergence during Aptian-Turonian and terminated by convergence and folding. The sea level stand, after a major fall at the commencement, is characterized by a steady stepwise rise with some minor retreats. The global oceanic anoxic events correspond to large-extent transgressions and associated with organic rich sedimentation. The accelerated building up of mid-oceanic ridges is possibly connected to a mantle plume, active around 120-80 Ma. Sea level rise and sea floor spreading is felt mainly at these times in the passive southern margins of the central Tethys. The Senonian compressive tectonic regime transforms them into active margins (destruction of oceanic crust, obduction and thrusting); sea level highstands control dysoxic sedimentation. Dysoxic sediments were observed in the Gevaram shales (Tithonian-Hauterivian). Talme Yafe marls (Late Aptian-Albian), Daliyya Formation (latest Cenomanian-Turonian) and the Mount Scopus Group (Santonian-Maastrichtian). The organic matter in the Gevaram shales is mixed marine and terrestrial (2.6% TOC) and in the Daliyya marls mostly marine (2.5% TOC). Both units have source rock possibilities and yield petroleum upon appropriate burial. The Senonian bituminous rocks (oil shales) are rich in marine organic matter (20% TOC) and are excellent source rocks in the Dead Sea area.

• OSTI ID: 6105156
• Report Number(s): CONF-930306--
• Journal Information: AAPG Bulletin (American Association of Petroleum Geologists); (United States), Journal Name: AAPG Bulletin (American Association of Petroleum Geologists); (United States) Vol. 77:2; ISSN 0149-1423; ISSN AABUD2
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

02 PETROLEUM
020200* -- Petroleum-- Reserves
Geology
& Exploration
ARAB COUNTRIES
BITUMINOUS MATERIALS
CARBONACEOUS MATERIALS
CRETACEOUS PERIOD
DEAD SEA
EARTH CRUST
ENERGY SOURCES
FOSSIL FUELS
FUELS
GEOLOGIC AGES
GEOLOGIC DEPOSITS
GEOLOGY
GEOMORPHOLOGY
LAKES
LEVELS
MARLSTONE
MATERIALS
MATTER
MESOZOIC ERA
MINERAL RESOURCES
OCEANIC CRUST
OIL SHALE DEPOSITS
OIL SHALES
ORGANIC MATTER
PETROLEUM
RESOURCE POTENTIAL
RESOURCES
ROCKS
SEA LEVEL
SEA-FLOOR SPREADING
SEDIMENTARY ROCKS
SEDIMENTATION
SHALES
SOURCE ROCKS
SURFACE WATERS
TECTONICS
VOLCANISM