Rift architecture and evolution: The Sirt Basin, Libya: The influence of basement fabrics and oblique tectonics

Abdunaser, Khalifa; McCaffrey, Ken

doi:10.1016/j.jafrearsci.2014.06.020

Cited by 19 publications

(17 citation statements)

References 40 publications

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“…Transect 2 extends from the onshore Sirte Basin to the Hellenic subduction system. Onshore, the architecture of the Sirte Basin is based on studies by Abadi et al () and Abdunaser and McCaffrey (). The offshore crustal and stratigraphic architecture is less constrained.…”

Section: Deep Structure Of the Ionian Basin And Of Its Margins: Regiomentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The older one is Triassic to Early Jurassic (Arsenikos, ; Keeley & Massoud, ; Yanilmaz et al, ) contemporaneous with the formation of both the Talemzane Arch onshore Tunisia (Raulin et al, ) and the Malta/Apulian margins (Figure and ). The second rifting occurred in the Early Cretaceous (Arsenikos et al, ) in the range of age accepted for the Sirte Basin (Abadi et al, ; Abdunaser & McCaffrey, ; Anketell, ; Wennekers et al, ). Limited constraints are available to unravel the transition from the Cyrene Seamount to the deeper Ionian Basin, but part of the structuration of the Cyrene Seamount seems to have occurred in the early Late Cretaceous as recorded by a correlative deepening of the depositional environments (Figure ; Biju‐Duval et al, ; Charier et al, ; Groupe‐Escarmed et al, ).…”

Section: Deep Structure Of the Ionian Basin And Of Its Margins: Regiomentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Knowledge of the Sirte Basin stratigraphy, structure, and evolution mainly relies on field observations and onshore well data (Abadi et al, 2008;Abdunaser, 2015;Abdunaser & McCaffrey, 2014;Wennekers et al, 1996), where crustal thinning was less severe than offshore (Cowie & Kusznir, 2012). As a result, the firstorder architecture and infilling history of the offshore Sirte Basin is poorly constrained, notably prior to the Upper Cretaceous ( Figures 5 and 7).…”

Section: Sirte Segmentmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…A Middle to Upper Triassic extensional event is suggested, but its lateral extension and impact on the crustal architecture are poorly constrained (Del Ben & Finetti, 1991;Massa & Delort, 1984;Thusu, 1996;Wennekers et al, 1996). The main rift events that formed the Sirte Basin took place from latest Jurassic to Cretaceous time (Abadi et al, 2008;Abdunaser & McCaffrey, 2014;Anketell, 1996;Wennekers et al, 1996). An initial rift event occurred in Early Cretaceous time (Abadi et al, 2008;Anketell, 1996;Wennekers et al, 1996) corresponding to the deposition of continental to shallow marine clastic sediments ( Figure 5; Bonnefous, 1972).…”

Section: Sirte Segmentmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Geology of the Ionian Basin and Margins: A Key to the East Mediterranean Geodynamics

et al. 2019

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We revisit the nature, structure, and evolution of the Ionian Basin and its surrounding passive margins (Apulia, Eastern Sicily/Malta, and Cyrenaica margins). Relying on geological observations (wells, dredges, and dives) and seismic calibrations from the surrounding platforms and escarpments, we present age correlations for the deepest sedimentary sequences of the Ionian Basin. Two‐ship deep refraction seismic data combined with reprocessed reflection seismic data enable us to identify, characterize, and map these thick sedimentary sequences and to present a consistent seismic stratigraphy across the basin. At a larger scale, we present new geological transects illustrating the tectonostratigraphic relationships between the Ionian Basin and its surrounding rifted margins. On this basis, we suggest that a Late Triassic‐Early Jurassic rifting preceded the late Early Jurassic to Middle Jurassic formation of the Ionian Basin. The combination of geophysical and geological arguments suggests that the entire deep basin is floored with oceanic crust of normal thickness, but with high seismic velocity in the upper part. Upscaling our results in the framework of the eastern Mediterranean, we propose that the Ionian Basin represents the remnant of a short‐lived oceanic basin resulting from the interaction between two propagating oceans: the Central Atlantic and the Neo‐Tethys.

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Section: Deep Structure Of the Ionian Basin And Of Its Margins: Regiomentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Deep Structure Of the Ionian Basin And Of Its Margins: Regiomentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Sirte Segmentmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Sirte Segmentmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Geology of the Ionian Basin and Margins: A Key to the East Mediterranean Geodynamics

et al. 2019

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“…Because well-bore penetrations of the Paleozoic section are relatively few, led it to be assumed. From Abdunaser and McCaffrey, 2014. juxtaposed against the Sirte Shale source rock, making it a potential play. However, there is uncertainty concerning adequate top seals as the Bahi sandstone usually overlies it.…”

Section: Western Sirt Basin Areamentioning

confidence: 99%

Review of the petroleum geology of the western part of the Sirt Basin, Libya

Abdunaser

2015

Journal of African Earth Sciences

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Control of Hercynian Orogeny on basin evolution on the southern margin of the Tethyan region: A review and new insights

et al. 2023

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The Hercynian Orogeny was caused by the collision of Gondwana and Laurussia in the Mid‐/Late Carboniferous–Early Permian. This orogeny strongly influenced the pattern and evolution of basins and hydrocarbon accumulation on the southern margin of the Tethyan region (i.e., North Africa and the Middle East). Research on the Carboniferous–Early Permian Hercynian Orogeny is of great value in both plate tectonic reconstructions and hydrocarbon exploration. For its influence on basin evolution, some previous studies have considered the modification of the early Palaeozoic basins, but there has been less work on the evolution of the post‐Hercynian Mesozoic basins. We review the available data and re‐analyse the spatiotemporal impacts of this key tectonic event on the evolution of the basins in this region. The Carboniferous–Early Permian Hercynian Orogeny was an important turning point in basin evolution in North Africa and the Middle East. It interrupted the stability of the Gondwana platform and heralded a huge change in the pattern of basins from the uniform pre‐Hercynian Palaeozoic basins to the post‐Hercynian Mesozoic basins characterized by strong segmentation. The Carboniferous–Early Permian Hercynian Orogeny not only modified the pre‐Hercynian Palaeozoic basins but also controlled the distribution and evolution of the post‐Hercynian Mesozoic basins. Large‐scale uplifts were generated among the basins through modification of the inherited palaeohighs and five large NE‐trending arches were newly formed. These uplifts divided the early unified basin into multiple separate basins. Five large‐scale, almost equidistant, NE‐trending arches were generated on the northern margin of Gondwana (the Allala, Sirte, Levant, Al‐Batin and Oman arches), forming the present‐day Palaeozoic Basin pattern with an alternating distribution of uplifts and depressions. The northern part of the large, NE‐trending Hercynian arches collapsed as a result of the extensional stress caused by the opening of the Neotethys Ocean in the Late Permian–Triassic and formed Mesozoic basin depocenters (the Oued Mya–Pelagian basins, the Sirte Basin, the Eastern Mediterranean Basin and the Central Arabian Basin). These depocenters are important oil and gas enrichment zones. The NE‐trending Hercynian arches, the Mesozoic basin depocenters, the opening of the Neotethys Ocean and the segmentation of the basins by the Alpine Orogeny all show relatively consistent east–west‐directed segmentation on the northern margin of Gondwana. This shows that they may have a unified dynamic genetic background. The zone of structural weakness formed by the collision of multiple terranes during the Pan‐African Orogeny may have controlled this segmentation. The inheritance between reformation of the pre‐Hercynian Palaeozoic basins and influence on the post‐Hercynian Mesozoic basins by Carboniferous–Early Permian Hercynian Orogeny, is the result of the tectonics repetitively focused in pre‐existing weaker domains, under the lithospheric mantle modification in the polyphase assembly and break‐up of the supercontinent.

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Rift architecture and evolution: The Sirt Basin, Libya: The influence of basement fabrics and oblique tectonics

Cited by 19 publications

References 40 publications

Geology of the Ionian Basin and Margins: A Key to the East Mediterranean Geodynamics

Geology of the Ionian Basin and Margins: A Key to the East Mediterranean Geodynamics

Review of the petroleum geology of the western part of the Sirt Basin, Libya

Control of Hercynian Orogeny on basin evolution on the southern margin of the Tethyan region: A review and new insights

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