Salt tectonism in the Destin dome region, northeastern Gulf of Mexico

Conference · Fri Mar 01 00:00:00 EST 1991 · AAPG Bulletin (American Association of Petroleum Geologists); (United States)

OSTI ID:7013214

Macrae, G ^[1]

---

1. Texas A and M Univ., College Station (United States)

The continental margin of the northeastern Gulf of Mexico consists of a thick sequence of Mesozoic and Cenozoic sediments that have accumulated almost continuously since the Middle Jurassic in a relatively stable, slowly subsiding, tectonic environment. The distribution of Middle Jurassic (Callovian-age ) salt is widespread with an estimated minimum accumulation thickness of 760 m. Salt movement and associated listric normal growth faulting are the most significant tectonic elements affecting the structural development of the overlying sediments. Structural and stratigraphic relationships indicated by seismic reflection data suggest two phases of salt tectonism in the Destin dome region. The earliest record of movement of Middle Jurassic salt is in the Oxfordian-age Smackover interval sediments on the Mississippi-Alabama shelf. The development of expanded Smackover interval sedimentary sections is directly related to the regional basinward dip of the presalt surface and to the growth of salt pillows, or rollers, in response to sediment loading. Syndepositional listric normal growth faults occur on the seaward flanks of these salt structures. Growth of the Destin dome anticline on the Florida shelf reflects a significant late phase of salt movement from Late Cretaceous through early Cenozoic time. Differential sediment loading by thick salt updip onto the Florida shelf, is the interpreted mechanism for growth of the Destin dome anticline. The presalt basement surface appears to be a common detachment surface, or decollement, for salt movement.

• OSTI ID: 7013214
• Report Number(s): CONF-910403-; CODEN: AABUD
• Journal Information: AAPG Bulletin (American Association of Petroleum Geologists); (United States), Vol. 75:3; Conference: Annual meeting of the American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG), Dallas, TX (United States), 7-10 Apr 1991; ISSN 0149-1423
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

58 GEOSCIENCES
FLORIDA
SALT DEPOSITS
SEDIMENTARY BASINS
TECTONICS
GEOLOGIC FAULTS
GEOLOGIC HISTORY
GULF OF MEXICO
SEDIMENTS
SEISMIC SURVEYS
STRATIGRAPHY
US GULF COAST
ATLANTIC OCEAN
CARIBBEAN SEA
DEVELOPED COUNTRIES
GEOLOGIC DEPOSITS
GEOLOGIC FRACTURES
GEOLOGIC STRUCTURES
GEOLOGY
GEOPHYSICAL SURVEYS
NORTH AMERICA
SEAS
SURFACE WATERS
SURVEYS
USA
580000* - Geosciences