Cay Sal Bank, Bahamas: a partially drowned carbonate platform

Conference · Tue Mar 01 04:00:00 EST 1983 · Am. Assoc. Pet. Geol., Bull.; (United States)

OSTI ID:6177180

Hine, A C; Steinmetz, J C

Recent high resolution seismic profiling, sediment sampling, scuba observations, and Landsat imagery show that Cay Sal Bank (CSB) has very limited reef development, no active sand shoals (ooid or otherwise), few islands, a thin to nonexistent sedimentary cover, and a relatively deep margin (20 to 30 m (66 to 100 ft)) and shelf lagoon system (10 to 20 m (33 to 66 ft)). Windward margins (facing north and east) along CSB are generally deep, rocky, sediment barren terraces supporting limited, low relief, relict(.) reefs. Seismic and grab sample data from the deep (200 to 500 m (600 to 1650 ft)) slopes seaward of the leeward margins show a thin, discontinuous unit of periplatform, shallow-water derived Halimeda, molluscan, nonskeletal sands. The apparent immature development of normal bank-top processes and facies and the absence of key modern depositional environments on CSB may be related to the rate at which this platform was submerged. The relatively rapid flooding of CSB provided little time for the shallow depositional environments to start up. The continued rapid rate of rise after drowning, plus offbank sediment transport and the export of chilled waters (formed during winter), prevented the resulting facies from catching up. Consequently, CSB appears to be partially drowned, particularly when compared to the other, healthier, rimmed Bahamian platforms. Other investigators have pointed out that drowned carbonate banks are very common in the ancient and that these features potentially provide excellent stratigraphic traps for hydrocarbons.

• Research Organization: Univ. of South Florida, St. Petersburg
• OSTI ID: 6177180
• Report Number(s): CONF-8304200-
• Conference Information: Journal Name: Am. Assoc. Pet. Geol., Bull.; (United States) Journal Volume: 67:3
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

02 PETROLEUM
020200 -- Petroleum-- Reserves
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03 NATURAL GAS
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58 GEOSCIENCES
580100* -- Geology & Hydrology-- (-1989)
BAHAMA ISLANDS
CARBONATE ROCKS
DEPOSITION
DEVELOPING COUNTRIES
GEOLOGIC DEPOSITS
GEOLOGIC HISTORY
GEOLOGIC STRUCTURES
GEOLOGIC TRAPS
GEOPHYSICAL SURVEYS
ISLANDS
MINERAL RESOURCES
NATURAL GAS DEPOSITS
PETROLEUM DEPOSITS
REEFS
REMOTE SENSING
RESERVOIR ROCK
RESOURCES
ROCKS
SEDIMENTARY ROCKS
SEISMIC SURVEYS
SURVEYS
WEST INDIES