Structural Evolution and Basin Classification Test of the Tindouf Basin

Medaouri Mourad
Sonatrach Exploration, Boumerdes, Algeria

The basin type knowledge offers us the possibility to direct and orient the future hydrocarbon investigations in every sedimentary basin and avoid an anarchical exploration of the resources.
Indeed, the classification established by D.R.KINGSTON in 1983 gives us a better approach of the oil systems in each basin. This technical present and orient the exploration following the different plays that characterize every type of basin. Our study is based on this classification and adopted for the Tindouf basin case.
The Tindouf basin is located in the Northen part of the Eglab shield and integrates the west part of Saharan platform. It forms an asymmetric polyhistory foreland basin (PH). Issued from passive margin sag (MSIS) evolution, which is subsiding north-western ward the Anti– atlas trough during all Palaeozoic time. On this margin, from Silurian to Carboniferous time, strong rates of sediments are deposited relating to the uprising of the Anti-Atlas / Ougarta Fold belt. However the axe of maximum subsidence is moved progressively southern wards the Tindouf basin while the Anti-Atlas belt is build.
The basin individualisation took place during the hercynian event as a result of the dextral transpressional movement (Visean–Namurian). The hercynian formed structures have been reactivated during the transpressional and compressional alpine movements.
At the end of this study a classification formula has been established for the Tindouf basin and a petroleum system has been defined according to this formula.

AAPG Search and Discovery Article #90072 © 2007 AAPG and AAPG European Region Conference, Athens, Greece