Lithofacies and Sandbody Shape of Sandstones in the Paphos-Polis Basin, Western Cyprus

Lester C. Ward

The Paphos-Polis basin, western Cyprus, an uplifted, deeply fluvially incised onshore-offshore sequence of two stacked sedimentary basins, allows detailed 3-D geometry of sandstone bodies to be determined. These can act as both predictor and norm for subsurface exploration in other tectonized Mediterranean basins. Studies demonstrate the tectonic control of location, size, and shape of sandbodies. An earlier carbonate basin (middle Eocene-late Miocene age) contains a submarine fan derived from point sources to produce stacked, elongate, lenticular, channelized calcarenite sandbodies, distal lobes, and tabular calcarenite sandstones. Associated deposits include composite stacked, tabular calcarenite sands at the distal terminations of deposits derived from carbonate banks. Very late Miocene rifting formed the neotectonic Polis graben; channel and sheet sandstones were deposited in various environments. Sequences of stacked wedge-shaped sands form ribbon sandstones and trend perpendicular to the margin on the site of known transverse faults. Other fault-bounded sandstone channels include a fan delta that has a lengthened rectangular outline. An elongate type A turbidite with amalgamated tabular beds has a depositional geometry which is rift-topography controlled. Some sandstone geometries are environmentally controlled, as illustrated by storm sand sheets (sometimes with hummocky cross-stratification) and convex-upward marine sand waves. In the Pleistocene a lenticular stacked sequence of braided fluvial sandstones accumulated, together with elongate scoop andstone lagoons, transected by pebbly-sand braided channels. Continuing tectonic activity is seen to deform sandbody geometry to create trapezoidal shapes.

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