Pre-Salt Sedimentary Tectonics and opening of the Gulf of Mexico

Abstract

The stratigraphy of northeastern Mexico has been studied since the first half of the 20th Century and the first tectonic models for the Early Mesozoic were linked to the opening of the Gulf of Mexico Basin. Later, most of the region was affected by shortening during the Late Cretaceous-Paleogene. During the last decade, development of new analytical techniques allowed determination of maximal depositional ages of siliciclastic successions and their provenances. In addition, geochemical, petrographic and heavy mineral studies offered new possibilities for the stratigraphic correlation, tectonic arrangement and paleogeographic reconstruction. The interpretation of pre-salt stratigraphy and tectonic evolution around the Gulf of Mexico is of special importance because of the great possibilities of new exploration targets and also to understand the conditions during Early Mesozoic that lead to opening of the Gulf of Mexico. Several research projects in the last decade were conducted by the "earth crust geodynamic" group of the Autonomous University San Luis Potosí with the goal to reconstruct the Early Mesozoic stratigraphy, tectonic evolution and paleogeography of northeastern Mexico. At this point, forthcoming research will focus on the generation of more plausible analytical support and experimentally or numerical development of tectonic models.

AAPG Datapages/Search and Discovery Article #90369 © 2020 AAPG Hedberg Conference, Geology and Hydrocarbon Potential of the Circum-Gulf of Mexico Pre-salt Section, Mexico City, Mexico, February 4-6, 2020