Depositional sequences and correlation of middle to Upper Miocene reef complexes, Nijar and Las Negras Areas, Southeastern Spain
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-
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: Annual meeting of the American Association of Petroleum Geologists, Houston, TX, USA, 20 Mar 1988
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
Miocene reef corals: A review
Similarities in the dolomitization of upper Miocene reef complexes in Mallorca and the Las Negras areas, Spain: Possible evidence for a Mediterranean dolomitizing event during the Messinian
Related Subjects
03 NATURAL GAS
NATURAL GAS DEPOSITS
MINERALOGY
PETROLEUM DEPOSITS
REEFS
PETROGENESIS
SPAIN
PETROLEUM GEOLOGY
BIOGEOCHEMISTRY
CARBONATE ROCKS
CATAGENESIS
CORRELATIONS
DEPOSITION
EXPLORATION
GEOPHYSICS
MIOCENE EPOCH
SANDSTONES
SEDIMENTARY BASINS
SEDIMENTATION
CENOZOIC ERA
CHEMISTRY
DEVELOPING COUNTRIES
EUROPE
GEOCHEMISTRY
GEOLOGIC AGES
GEOLOGIC DEPOSITS
GEOLOGIC STRUCTURES
GEOLOGY
MINERAL RESOURCES
RESOURCES
ROCKS
SEDIMENTARY ROCKS
TERTIARY PERIOD
WESTERN EUROPE
020200* - Petroleum- Reserves
Geology
& Exploration
030200 - Natural Gas- Reserves
Geology
& Exploration