YILMAZ, P. O., Exxon Production Research Company, Houston, TX; D. A. LEARY, Exxon Exploration Company, Houston, TX; and I. O. NORTON and R. J. CHUCHLA, Exxon Production Research Company, Houston, TX

ABSTRACT: Tectonic Evolution and Paleogeography of Europe

The goal of this study was to use the tectonic framework of European craton to constrain our understanding of the sedimentary basins of Europe. An understanding of the amalgamation of the crustal blocks of Europe during the Caledonian, Hercynian, and Alpine orogenies was accomplished using an Evans and Sutherland system. Paleogeographic maps were made and integrated with the plate reconstruction with an eye toward how regional plate-scale events affect play elements in the basins.

Europe is an artifact of Phanerozoic tectonic history, an amalgamation of crustal blocks without a Precambrian nucleus of its own. This is in direct contrast to Africa, Asia, and North America. Multiple riftings and collisions created extremely complex mountain building during the Caledonian, Hercynian, Cimmerian, and Alpine orogenies. Basins are diverse, superimposed, and have long-lived tectonic histories with complex structuring and highly variable play elements. The Hercynian orogene set up the framework for northern European hydrocarbon systems. Its collapse set up the Apulian Mesozoic hydrocarbon system. Alpine deformation and tectonically related extension in turn set up the Neogene hydrocarbon systems of the Carpathians Pannonian basin and the Apennines.

Eleven paleogeographic maps were completed at a scale of 1:5,000,000. There are four for the Paleozoic to show the Hercynian orogeny and its subsequent foredeeps, and four for the Mesozoic, showing Tethyan rifting and associated subsidence, as well as the Cimmerian orogenies and start of Alpine deformation. The three time slices in the Cenozoic show the Alpine orogene and its foredeeps and the tectonically related extensional basins.

AAPG Search and Discovery Article #90990©1993 AAPG International Conference and Exhibition, The Hague, Netherlands, October 17-20, 1993.