VELAJ T. K
Oil and Gas Institute Fier, Albania

Abstract: Evaponte Diapirism in Albania and Its Influence in the Thrusting Process

In Albania, the Upper Triassic evaporite diapirs may be encountered in three tectonic settings:

1. Evaporite diapirs that have erupted across or via regional fault planes associated with a marked overthrust westwards.
A.) In the western front of the Internal Ionian subzone a r regional overthrusting fault of 20-30 km magnitude can be traced. This overthrust occurs because of the presence of a large diapir sheet which outcrops in Dumrea, Zavrohon, etc. There are sufficient?data showing that some carbonate structures occur beneath this overthrusting fault.
B.) In the western front of the external Ionian subzone a regional overthrusting fault exists. The orogen overthrusts through this fault and it?s the diapiric body to the Apulian Plaform 50-100 km and, in this way, hides a zone of interest.
C.) The Kruja tectonic zone also has another thrust fault in its western front covering part of the Southern Adriatic basin and is also associated with diapir sheet.

2. Evaporite diapirs which have erupted via local faults of the individual structures of the middle Ionian subzone. The thrusting magnitude of this diapir sheet is of 8-10 km allowing masking of structural units.

3. Evaporite diapirs which have erupted nearly vertically in the center of the carbonate anticline structures.

In the internal zones the evaporites appear in tectonic windows of cupola shape (e.g. Korabi zone, Albania and Radek, Macedonia). In this case they are in contact with the Kruja Oligocene flysch and Upper Cenomanian rudist carbonate. This led to the suggestion that the Korabi evaporites have to belong to the Kruja zone, which shows a global allochthony of the internal zones.

AAPG Search and Discovery Article #90919©1999 AAPG Rocky Mountain Section Meeting, Bozeman, Montana