Tectoni Style in Western Albania Thrustbelt and Its Implication on Hydrocarbon Exploration

Velaj, Telo ¹
(1)Retire, Warminster, PA.

A conventional Thrusbelt-Platform system and relationship between them characterize the present architecture of Albanian Thrusbelt.

The Thrusbelt in Western Albania consists of some tectonics zone (Ionian and Kruja zones), which are westward overthrusted with a large amplitude ( 50-100 - 100 km ) over the South Adriatic basin and Apulian platform. This overthrusting process is mainly developed due to the compressional regime ( J3 - N2 ) and it has helped by the presence of the Upper Triassic evaporite sheets under the carbonate section ( T3-Pg2 ). In the Thrustbelt are distinguished two main tectonic styles:imbricate and duplex style.Sometimes triplex style is encountered as well.

The Ionian zone consists of some anticlinal belts ( Berat , Kurveleshi and Cika ) which are overthrusted westwards ( 20 - 30 km.) .The Thrustbelt consists of the suprsalt complex , while the authochtonous ( Apulia platform and South Adriatic basin ) consists of subsalt complex. The suprsalt complex is characterized by a development of the tectonics features ( thrust, overthrust ,strike-slip etc ) which developed during the collision ( J3-N1) and postcollision stage causing:

1. The structural anticlinal belts are founded ,which in their western side have the overthrusting faults.These faults are related with detachment horizon of evaporites which mask folded structures in subthrust depicted by drilling ( Shpiragu-1, Dumre-7, Kanina-1, Delvina, Ardenica etc. ) and seismic data.

2. The overthrusting of the tectonics zone of the orogenetic front above the western authochtonoues (Apulian platform and South Adriatic basin ) has masked the structures with perspective . These structures belong duplex and triplex styles.

3. The overthrusting of the a nticline units have local character and are more developed in Kurveleshi belt and less in the Kruja zone .Its magnitude is about 3-10 km. As a result of these overthrusting several imbrication and duplexes structures are formed.The masked structures of the subthrust complex are of high interest such as in Delvina and Kremenara prospect (buried duplex).

Subsalt complex is very important for oil and gas prospective. sec This complex has the form of a regional monoclinal, folded in its eastern part (under the Thrusbelt) and unfolded in its western one. Over this is set the Periadriatic depression and South Adriatic basin.

AAPG Search and Discovery Article #90135©2011 AAPG International Conference and Exhibition, Milan, Italy, 23-26 October 2011.