--> Abstract: Tectono-Stratigraphic Development and Petroleum Potential of the Falkland Islands Continental Shelf, by P. Richards and N. Fannin; #90987 (1993).

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RICHARDS, PHIL, and NIGEL FANNIN, British Geological Survey, Edinburgh, Scotland, UK

ABSTRACT: Tectono-Stratigraphic Development and Petroleum Potential of the Falkland Islands Continental Shelf

Several large sedimentary basins occur in the Falklands offshore area.

The Falkland Plateau Basin formed during opening of the South Atlantic, and is infilled by 7 km of Mesozoic to Cenozoic sediment. The basin contains proven source rocks and significant potential for reservoirs. Faults appear to terminate within the Jurassic interval.

The Malvinas basin results from post-Middle Jurassic east-west extension coupled with strike-slip pull-apart during sinistral movement of the southern bounding fault separating the South American and Scotian plates. It is infilled by 2 km of Mesozoic and 5 km of Cenozoic sediments. There are proven source rocks and reservoirs.

The San Julian Basin north of the Falklands opened due to NE-SW directed stretching. The eastern part of the basin is offset and rotated anti-clockwise through 70 degrees along a strike-slip fault that extends southwards into the Malvinas Basin. The infill (up to 4.5 km) may be similar to that of the San Jorge Basin, with thick source and reservoir rocks.

Other apparently structurally isolated basins to the north of the Falkland Islands double the size of the basinal areas of this region. They have considerable petroleum potential given their tectonic setting and estimated depth of several kilometers.

Approximately 200,000 sq km of the Falklands offshore area comprises prospective basins. Existing seismic data are of some vintage and based on open grids. New seismic to be acquired in 1993 will provide more detail on the potential of this area for the discovery of numerous giant oil fields.

AAPG Search and Discovery Article #90987©1993 AAPG Annual Convention, New Orleans, Louisiana, April 25-28, 1993.