Development and hydrocarbon potential of Mesozoic sedimentary basins around margins of North Atlantic
The Late Triassic-Early Jurassic rift basins of Iberia, offshore eastern Canada, and the continental shelf of western Europe are fragments of a formerly coherent northeast-trending rift system that probably formed as a result of tensional stress between Europe, Africa, and North America. The separation of Europe, North America, and Iberia was preceded by a Late Jurassic-Early Cretaceous rifting phase that is clearly distinct from the earlier Mesozoic rifting episode and was little influenced by it. The two periods of rifting are separated by a Middle Jurassic relatively tectonically quiet period. The distribution of hydrocarbon finds within the rift basin suggests that the best prospects are in areas where the two rifting episodes are superimposed. Lack of mature source rocks in the later Mesozoic rift basins and an unfavorable temporal relationship between hydrocarbon generation and tectonic activity in the early Mesozoic basins are proposed as explanations for the apparently poor hydrocarbon prospectivity of large areas of the Mesozoic basins.
- Research Organization:
- Institute of Oceanographic Sciences, Godalming, England
- OSTI ID:
- 7247610
- Journal Information:
- Am. Assoc. Pet. Geol., Bull.; (United States), Journal Name: Am. Assoc. Pet. Geol., Bull.; (United States) Vol. 70:6; ISSN AAPGB
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
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Geology
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03 NATURAL GAS
030200 -- Natural Gas-- Reserves
Geology
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ATLANTIC OCEAN
CONTINENTAL MARGIN
EXPLORATION
GEOLOGIC AGES
GEOLOGIC DEPOSITS
GEOLOGIC STRUCTURES
JURASSIC PERIOD
MESOZOIC ERA
MINERAL RESOURCES
NATURAL GAS DEPOSITS
PETROLEUM DEPOSITS
RESOURCES
SEAS
SEDIMENTARY BASINS
SURFACE WATERS
TECTONICS