Depositional sequences and correlation of middle to Upper Miocene reef complexes, Nijar and Las Negras Areas, Southeastern Spain

Conference · Fri Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1988

OSTI ID:6469178

Franseen, E K; Mankiewicz, C; Pray, L C

During the Serravallian through Messinian, reefs fringed topographic highs that rimmed Neogene basins in the western Mediterranean. Detailed studies of middle to upper Miocene carbonate strata in the Nijar and Las Negras areas (southeastern Spain) document the effects of relative sea level change on sedimentation, biotic composition, reef development, and diagenesis. The authors have identified several previously unrecognized, regionally correlatable depositional sequences and erosional breaks that the authors interpret resulted from sea level fluctuations. Limited microfossil dating and correlation of depositional successions with third-order eustatic sea level curves suggest that most carbonate deposition occurred during the Serravallian and Tortonian, not Messinian as formerly thought. Uppermost strata (upper Tortonian> predominately comprise pack-stones and grainstones of distal to proximal reef-foreslope and reef-talus facies that dip 10/sup 0/-30/sup 0/. Reef core, mostly Porites framework, is locally preserved. Field geometries indicate minimum self-to-basin relief of 100 m. The authors' results of studies suggest that detailed field studies coupled with the use of published eustatic sea level curves may provide a powerful tool for correlation of middle to upper Miocene strata not only in Spain, but in the entire western Mediterranean.

• OSTI ID: 6469178
• Report Number(s): CONF-880301-
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

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02 PETROLEUM
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03 NATURAL GAS
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BIOGEOCHEMISTRY
CARBONATE ROCKS
CATAGENESIS
CENOZOIC ERA
CHEMISTRY
CORRELATIONS
DEPOSITION
DEVELOPING COUNTRIES
EUROPE
EXPLORATION
GEOCHEMISTRY
GEOLOGIC AGES
GEOLOGIC DEPOSITS
GEOLOGIC STRUCTURES
GEOLOGY
GEOPHYSICS
MINERAL RESOURCES
MINERALOGY
MIOCENE EPOCH
NATURAL GAS DEPOSITS
PETROGENESIS
PETROLEUM DEPOSITS
PETROLEUM GEOLOGY
REEFS
RESOURCES
ROCKS
SANDSTONES
SEDIMENTARY BASINS
SEDIMENTARY ROCKS
SEDIMENTATION
SPAIN
TERTIARY PERIOD
WESTERN EUROPE