--> ABSTRACT: North Pyrenean Interplate Basin: Evolution and Hydrocarbons, by Robert Bourrouilh, Jean-Paul Richert, and Greg Zolnai; #91032 (2010)
[First Hit]

Datapages, Inc.Print this page

North Pyrenean Interplate Basin: Evolution and Hydrocarbons

Robert Bourrouilh, Jean-Previous HitPaulTop Richert, Greg Zolnai

The Mesozoic-Tertiary North Pyrenean (Aquitaine) basin is situated between the Aquitaine margin to the north and the Iberian margin to the south. The two corresponding plates behaved differently during both the filling of the interplate basin and the later orogenic events. The Aquitaine margin, which underlies the major part of the present-day basin, is a fairly stable margin, although effects of tectonic and gravity-controlled sedimentation (halokinesis, mass flows) can be demonstrated. The Iberian margin has been active; successive phases of distensive, transform, and convergent tectonics have occurred.

The birth and growth of the basin succeeded a complex Paleozoic history, which left an intricate lithological and structural heritage upon which the "chessboard" of Mesozoic subbasins developed. The history of the Aquitaine basin is a suite of attempts in the context of the progressive opening of the Bay of Biscay. Synchronous plate motion and later convergence led to the emergence of the Pyrenean foldbelt.

The sedimentary filling of the basin comprises continental and evaporitic sequences, extensive marine carbonate platforms, and massive flysch and molasse series, reflecting successive movements of increasing intensity. Appearance or revival of synchronous sedimentary and/or structural phenomena such as conjugated fault patterns, block tilting and block faulting, emplacement of mantelic remnants, halokinesis, olistostromes, and mass flows, together with the presence of plastic layers, contributed to shape an extremely complex final image.

Gas and petroleum occurrence is controlled by the successive phases and "anomalies" of this history. We furthermore assert that events of the basin-forming extensional period contributed more to the generation of the actual hydrocarbon accumulations than did the effects of the subsequent compressive structural stresses.

Geological models proposed by various authors will be reviewed and a general new model will be attempted for the evolution of the Aquitaine basin and the Pyrenees.

AAPG Search and Discovery Article #91032©1988 Mediterranean Basins Conference and Exhibition, Nice, France, 25-28 September 1988.