Print this pageC. Garcia-Mojonero and W. M. Del Olmo
Repsol-YPF, Madrid, Spain
ABSTRACT: One Sea Level Fall and Four Different Gas Plays: The Gulf of Cadiz Basin, SW Spain
The small (2500 km2) Gulf of Cadiz basin is located offshore in SW Spain.
It is the most eastern segment of a marine foreland basin with a passive margin to the North (Iberian Craton) and a fold and thrust belt to the South (Betic Ridge).
The Messinian sea level fall generated three distinct but sinchronous turbiditic systems. The distance along the basin plain between the most far away systems is no greater than 80 km. The creation of three distinct systems is a result of intra and extra-basinal controls on deepwater reservoir development.
Nine biogenic gas fields have been discovered in these turbidite systems of Messinian age, with recoverable reserves of 140 BCF.
Due to the presence of the bottom current that communicates Mediterranean with Atlantic waters, there is another type of deep-water deposit in the Gulf of Cadiz area, contourites, with exploration possibilities yet to be established.
AAPG Search and Discovery Article #90906©2001 AAPG Annual Convention, Denver, Colorado