Early Mesozoic structure and stratigraphy of the northwestern Florida shelf
- Conoco Inc., Houston, TX (United States)
The pre-Mesozoic basement of the northwestern Florida shelf is composed of attenuated continental crust deformed during the late Triassic and Early Jurassic rifting of the Gulf of Mexico. Two distinct areas with different rift basin orientations are defined on the northwestern Florida shelf. The northeastern set of rifts has axes parallel to the rift basins of the Atlantic margin. The southwestern rift axes are orthogonal to the first set. These two areas are separated by an undisturbed northwest-southwest linear zone previously termed the Bahama fault zone. Margins of a major asymmetric rift basin, north of the Middle Ground arch, parallel the Bahamas fault zone. The asymmetric plan view and degree of crustal extension calculated for this basin suggests the Middle Ground arch formed by a counterclockwise rotation of 16{degree}. The geometries of the Upper Jurassic postrift sediments are related to rift morphology. Louann Salt updip limits are parallel to or coincident with the margins of the rift basins and the salt is thickest over the deepest portions of the rift basins. The distribution of Smackover-Haynesville and Cotton Valley Group sediments is strongly influenced by the underlying rift basins.
- OSTI ID:
- 7158893
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-910403--
- Journal Information:
- AAPG Bulletin (American Association of Petroleum Geologists); (United States), Journal Name: AAPG Bulletin (American Association of Petroleum Geologists); (United States) Vol. 75:3; ISSN AABUD; ISSN 0149-1423
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
580000* -- Geosciences
BASEMENT ROCK
CONTINENTAL CRUST
CONTINENTAL MARGIN
CONTINENTAL SHELF
DEVELOPED COUNTRIES
EARTH CRUST
FLORIDA
GEOLOGIC FAULTS
GEOLOGIC FRACTURES
GEOLOGIC STRUCTURES
GEOLOGY
GEOMETRY
MATHEMATICS
NORTH AMERICA
ORIENTATION
RIFT ZONES
SEDIMENTARY BASINS
STRATIGRAPHY
USA