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Permo-Mesozoic evolution of the western Tethyan realm: the Neo-Tethys/East-Mediterranean connection. Pre-Tethyan memoir 6: pre-Tethyanrift/wrench basins and passive margins
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... Rifting was initiated by the breakup of Gondwana and the opening of Neo-Tethys during the Permo-Triassic to Early Jurassic (Stampfli et al., 2001;Wang et al., 2022). Further deepening of the A. Mansour, J. Wang, W. Ruebsam et al. ...
... The peak abundances of the aridity indicators consist mainly of the nongnetalean Classopollis species. Relatively high abundances of conifer plants Cheirolepidiaceae infer arid to semi-arid climatic conditions (Srivastava, 1976;Vakhrameev, 1991;Abbink et al., 2004). This indicates that the Abu Roash G Member was deposited during a prolonged warm and humid climate state, which was interrupted by a short-term arid to semi-arid phase. ...
The late Albian-Cenomanian (100.5-93.9 Ma) is considered a greenhouse world without permanent ice caps and with high eustatic sea levels. The high sea-level led to the flooding of low-lying coastal plains and the formation of extensive shallow shelf seas. Depositional conditions and ecosystems at these marginal and shallow shelf settings were affected by changes in environmental conditions, such as climate and vegetational ecosystems in surrounding regions. This study conducts palynomorph and palynofacies and lithofacies analysis of fifty-nine cutting samples from the North Qarun-1x well in the Gindi Basin (North Western Desert, Egypt) to assess the evolution of depositional and paleoenvironmental conditions as well as paleo-vegetation pattern in response to changes in climate and sea level. The sediment succession comprises the upper Albian to Cenomanian upper Kharita and Bahariya formations and Abu Roash G Member. Biostratigraphic analysis of palynomorph composition led to define seven interval zones of upper Albian-Cenomanian. At this time, Egypt was inundated by the southern margin of the Tethys Ocean, which led to the deposition of thick siliciclastic and carbonate facies in a marginal marine depositional environment. Statistical cluster analysis of particulate organic matter (POM) allowed three palynofacies assemblages (PFA-1 to PFA-3) to be recognized, indicating oscillating depositional conditions that shifted between fluvio-deltaic to marginal shallow marine, proximal, and distal inner neritic shelf environments. PFA-1 comprises the highest proportions of total phytoclasts, indicating fluvio-deltaic to marginal shallow marine conditions. PFA-2 is dominated by moderate abundances of AOM and phytoclasts, characterizing a proximal inner neritic shelf environment. PFA-3 consists of a slightly higher concentration of AOM compared to phytoclasts, indicating a distal inner neritic shelf environment with diminished terrestrial input and increased abundances of marine microplankton. Organic palynomorphs are abundant in mid-Cretaceous strata of northern Egypt. Abundant records of humidity indicators, mainly fern spores, along with other gymnosperms (mainly Taxodiaceae and Araucariaceae) compared to low aridity indicators of gnetalean Elaterates and Ephedroids along with non-gnetalean Classopollis suggest predominantly warm and humid conditions. Two intervals in the lower part of the Bahariya Formation and in the middle part of the Abu Roash G Member showed moderate to high abundances of aridity indicators and thus, warm arid to semi-arid climate events during the early and late Cenomanian.
... During the Mesozoic-Cenozoic time, the northern Western Desert had witnessed multiple phases of deformation and coeval minor volcanic events that shaped the complex architecture of its sedimentary basins. First, during the Permian to Early Jurassic, several NE-SW and ENE-WSW oriented intracratonic rift basins were formed in northern Egypt as a result of the gradual opening of the Neotethys (Tethyan rifting) and the breakup of Pangea (Stampfli et al., 2001;Guiraud et al., 2005;Moustafa, 2008Moustafa, , 2020Yousef et al., 2019). The Matruh Basin owes its unique orientation most likely to reactivated Paleozoic structures (Moustafa et al., 2002). ...
... Tectonosequence 1 (TS1) is a syn-rift tectonosequence of Jurassic to Barremian age. It was deposited during the development of NNEtrending half graben basin geometry in the Matruh Basin (Moustafa et al., 2002;Tari et al., 2012;Bevan and Moustafa, 2012) as a result of Neotethyan rifting (Stampfli et al., 2001). Early Cretaceous active continental rifting is well-documented across North Africa and Arabia (Guiraud, 1998;Guiraud and Bosworth, 1999). ...
... The collision of the Arabian plate with the Eurasian plate ~ 25 Ma created a mighty mountain range in western Iran, known as the Zagros Mountains. This mountain belt, which extends over 1500 km, is characterized by folds and thrusts and is an important part of the Alpine-Himalayan orogenic belt (Alavi 1994;Stampfli et al. 2001;Takin 1972). The stress accumulation across the Zagros Mountains belt results from the continuing process of collision between the Arabian and the Eurasian plates and is manifested by the occurrence of large and frequent earthquakes (Talebian and Jackson 2004). ...
The possible seismo-ionospheric anomalies of the recent Mw 6.0 and Mw 6.4 twin earthquakes of 14 November 2021 in southern Iran were studied through Global Positioning System (GPS) and ground ionosonde observations. GPS measured total electron content observations, and ionosonde measured NmF2 and hmF2, showing ionospheric anomalies in the pre-seismic and co-seismic phases of the earthquakes. A positive increase in ΔTEC was observed at near-field stations ~ 2–7 days before the twin earthquakes. Our observations also show an increase in the estimated values of NmF2 and hmF2 in the pre-seismic phase compared to their mean values. As the “Kp” and “Dst” indices were quiet during the observation period, these anomalies are apparently generated by seismic activity. The observation of sudden co-seismic ionospheric disturbances at near-field stations immediately after the earthquakes explains the mechanism of co-seismic energy propagation through the lithosphere-atmosphere–ionosphere coupling. The estimated differential NmF2 values show a dip in the peak electron density of − 2.84 × 1011 e/m3 during the time of earthquakes. Our results also show anomalous pre-seismic enhancements in all the three parameters used in this study—TEC, NmF2, and hmF2—an indication of precursory signatures of the twin events. In addition, these parameters also show similar changes in their co-seismic phases. Thus, the observed pre- and co-seismic ionospheric anomalies reveal the characteristic signatures of the preparation processes and the co-seismic energy propagation of the twin earthquakes.
... These tectonics led to the initiation of rift basins, such as the Shushan, Matruh, Natrun, Dahab-Mireir, and Nile Delta basins in coastal parts of Egypt, whereas Abu Gharadig, Beni-Suef, Gindi, and Faghour basins were developed to the south, all of which were part of the southern Tethys passive margin [16]. During the Permian to Triassic, the Gondwana breakup took place, which was accompanied by the opening of the Tethys Ocean [17,18]. From the Triassic to the Jurassic, successive phases of rifting and spreading of the southern Tethys took place due to the Central Atlantic widening as well as the eastward displacement of Africa versus Europe, which were induced by the Alpine orogeny [15]. ...
The Jurassic Period was a significant phase of variable organic matter accumulation in paleo-shelf areas of the southern Tethys (Egypt). Reconstructing the paleoredox conditions, paleo-climate, and weathering intensity, along with the role of terrigenous sediment flux and mineralogi-cal maturity, is important for understanding basin infill history and prevalent paleoenvironmental conditions. Here, inorganic geochemical data are presented from the Middle Jurassic Khatatba Formation and two samples from the underlying Ras Qattara and the overlying Masajid formations in the Jana-1x well, Shushan Basin, Western Desert. Twenty-four (24) whole-rock samples were analyzed for their major and trace element composition and carbonate content. The Khatatba Formation represents one of the major hydrocarbon source rocks in the North Western Desert, Egypt. Redox conditions were assessed based on enrichment factors of redox-sensitive elements Mo, V, U, and Co. Results revealed that the Khatatba Formation was deposited under predominant anoxic bottom and pore water conditions, in contrast to the oxic settings that were prevalent during the deposition of the Ras Qattara and Masajid formations. Continental weathering intensity and paleoclimate were reconstructed based on several proxies, such as the chemical index of alteration (CIA), K2O/Rb, Rb/Sr, Ln(Al2O3/Na2O), and Al/K ratios, indicating that the studied succession was deposited during alternating phases between weak and moderate weathering intensity under arid and warm-humid climates, respectively. Periods of enhanced continental weathering were associated with high values of clastic ratios such as Si/Al, Ti/Al, and Zr/Al, suggesting increased terrigenous sediment supply during intensified hydrological cycling. These ratios further provided inferences about the changes in sediment grain size, such as a change from shale to coarse silt-and sand-size fractions.
... Complex tectonic processes and related Pan -African orogenic events triggered the formation of extensional rift basins in northeast Africa in the Early Paleozoic, which were followed by the influence of the Hercynian orogeny at the end of this Era (Said, 1962;EGPC, 1992;Guiraud and Bellion, 1995). During the Permo-Triassic, the Gondwana breakup resulted in the fragmentation of rift basins in the central and northern parts of Egypt (EGPC, 1992;Guiraud, 1998;Stampfli et al., 2001). ...
The Cretaceous Period (ca. 143-66 Ma) attested to successive phases of regional tectonic activities and large-scale submarine volcanism resulting in increased atmospheric CO2 (pCO2) concentrations, enhanced greenhouse climate and global warming, surface water bioproductivity, and well-developed pore and bottom water anoxia, especially during the mid-Cretaceous (Aptian to Turonian). These conditions triggered widespread deposition of organic carbon (OC)-rich black shales during episodes of severe oxygen exhaustion, commonly known as Oceanic Anoxic Events (OAEs). OAEs had many important consequences, including widespread mass extinction of marine and terrestrial organisms. Several intervals of enhanced oxic ventilation and deposition of OC-poor pelagic-hemipelagic red carbonates and claystone interrupted Cretaceous OAEs, which are commonly known as Cretaceous Oceanic Red Beds (CORBs). The mid-Cretaceous black shales from many parts of the world and the corresponding global carbon cycle changes indicated that OAE1 (Selli Level) and OAE2 (Bonarelli Event) are the most widespread and well-defined OAEs compared to the more regional OAE3 and Valanginian-Hauterivian black shales (Weissert Event). These appear to have been more restricted to the Atlantic and adjacent areas, a result of more regional conditions rather than being forced by global environmental perturbations.
In the course of this review, the Egyptian territory in the southern Tethys shelf is taken as a case study area for the development, evolution, and regional expression of mid-Cretaceous OAEs. The region is characterized by a thick Cretaceous sedimentary succession of OC-rich black shale and OC-poor carbonates and mudstone interbeds. The late Albian OAE1d was reported in the North Western Desert (upper Kharita Formation) based on a positive carbon isotope excursion and moderate total sulfur (TS), total organic carbon (TOC), and redox-sensitive elements. The end-Cenomanian OAE2 was reported in several regions of Egypt based on positive δ13C excursions. However, differential deposition between OC-rich and OC-poor facies took place, especially in marginal to shallow marine settings where black shales are absent such as in the Eastern Desert and Sinai. During the Coniacian-Santonian, OC-poor limestone, calcareous shale, and red claystone were deposited under enhanced water column respiration in Egypt. This indicates that enhanced oxygenated ocean circulation controlled organic matter decomposition during weak continental weathering and enhanced carbonate production, all of which led to the deposition of OC-poor CORBs in this region.
... In the south, the Midyan Basin extends into and beneath the Red Sea ( Fig. 1B) (Bayer et al., 1988;Bosworth et al., 2005;Tubbs et al., 2014). Three major structural episodes controlled the development of the Midyan Basin (Stampfli et al., 2001). Mantle upwelling initiated the active rifting during the Oligocene time (Bonatti, 1985;Meulenkamp and Sissingh, 2003), and increased the movement of Arabian Plate in a NE direction resulting in subduction along the Zagros Mountains. ...
Understanding the distribution of sedimentary facies, their texture and diagenetic alterations in deep-marine rift systems are critical for improved reservoir quality predictions in the subsurface. Syn-rift deep-marine sandstones of the Miocene Burqan Formation, deposited by various sediment gravity flow types in the Midyan Basin (Red Sea, Saudi Arabia) are characterized using detailed sedimentological and petrographic analyses. Six distinctive lithofacies (F1-F6) have been identified within the Burqan Formation and grouped into three broad facies associations namely proximal, medial, and distal facies of a submarine fan. The proximal fan facies consists of disorganized conglomerate (F1) and structureless sandstone (F2) . The medial fan facies are represented by graded bedded and channelized sandstone (F3) and sandstone dominated heterolithics (F4) . Deposits of distal fan facies consist of mudstone dominated heterolithics (F5) and structureless mudstone (F6) . The sandstones are predominantly arkoses and lithic arkoses with a low degree of diagenetic modification (Eo- and Telo-diagenesis;≤ 2 km and ≤ 70 ◦C temperature) and low to moderate volumes of carbonate cement (mean = 7%). The structureless sandstone (F2), sandstone dominated heterolithics (F4) and mudstone dominated heterolithics (F5) have poor reservoir quality due to the presence of authigenic cement and matrix. Graded bedded and channelized sandstone (F3) lithofacies consists of excellent reservoir sandstone due to the least proportion of cement and virtual absence of detrital clay. The observed variability in composition and textural parameters within Burqan Formation indicates that sedimentological transport processes control the depositional reservoir quality which in turn dictates diagenetic modification in deep-marine sandstones with important implications for prediction of reservoir quality in deep-marine systems.
... The geological history of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and surrounding areas on the western flank of the UAE-Oman mountain range (Figure 1) is recorded in over 15 km of carbonates ( Figure 2) (Sharland et al., 2001;Stampfli, 2001). In the Late Devonian to Early Carboniferous, significant tectonic activity associated with island arcs and crustal-scale basins occurred in the Arabian Plate, leading to the reactivation of the Neoproterozoic north-south trending basement faults systems. ...
The western flank of the UAE‐Oman mountain range offers a unique geodynamic setting to study the development of a cratonic rift into a mature passive margin and its subsequent flexure under orogenic load. However, the geodynamic processes driving this evolution are not fully understood. In this study, seismic and biostratigraphic data from 283 exploration wells were utilized to assess the regional subsidence and uplift history of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and neighboring areas of the western flank of the UAE‐Oman mountain range. Three major sequences have been identified: pre‐Permian, Permian‐Turonian rifted margin, and Coniacian‐Pleistocene active margin. Backstripping of biostratigraphic data reveals Early Permian (ca. 272 Ma) and Late Jurassic (ca. 160) rift phases, that have been linked to Gondwana's early and final fragmentation. A NE‐SW‐oriented basin in central UAE suggests a Jurassic intracratonic rift that has been influenced by pre‐existing structures. Compressional phases were identified during the Late Cretaceous and in the Oligocene‐Miocene, coinciding with the emplacement of the Semail ophiolite and the Arabian‐Eurasian plates collision, respectively. These events caused additional subsidence and flank uplift, forming the Aruma foreland basin in the east and the Pabdeh foreland basin in the eastern and northern UAE. Crustal thickness following the rift episodes ranges from 30 to 36 km, resulting in a sedimentary cover thickness of 11–14 km. These estimates are in accord with Moho depths derived from teleseismic receiver functions and gravity inversion. These findings can be used to better understand Gondwana fragmentation and the opening and closing of the Neo‐Tethys Ocean.
... It is most widely accepted that a regime of oblique collision between Gondwana and Laurasia during the Late Paleozoic was responsible for the Variscan orogeny, dominated by dextral transpression (Arthaud and Matte 1977;Martínez-Catalán et al. 2007). This situation produced the westward displacement of Gondwana relative to Laurussia and favored the opening of the Paleotethys (Ziegler 1988a, b;Stampfli et al. 2001;Franke 2006;Martínez Catalán et al. 2007). Such transpressional conditions persisted during the last stages of the Carboniferous and until the Sakmarian (Lower Permian) in northwestern areas of Iberia. ...
... This trend corresponds to the Djeffara Fault System which forms the northern boundary of the Berkine basin. There may be up to 1.7 km of footwall uplift on the Jeffara Fault (Stampfli et al., 2001) and the area comprises a very thick sequence, up to 8000 m, of Late Permian and early Triassic sediments (Busson and Burollet, 1973). The absence of Late Triassic and Liassic salt deposits along the Dahar High indicates that this area was a topographic high at the time and restricted marine replenishment of the Berkine Basin (Bishop, 1975). ...
Triassic-Early Jurassic evaporites of the Saharan Platform, Algeria:
Astronomical and geodynamic constraints on stratigraphy
and sedimentation
Peter Turner a,* , Rafik Baouche b , Nordine Sabaou c
a CanCambria Energy Corp, 5626 Larch Street, Suite 202, Vancouver, BC, V6M 4E1, Canada b Department of Geophysics, Laboratory of Resources Min´erals at Energ´etiques, Faculty of Hydrocarbons and Chemistry (FHC), University M’Hamed Bougara
Boumerdes, 35000, Boumerd`es, Algeria c Woodside Energy, 1500 Post Oak Blvd, Houston, TX, 77056, USA
ARTICLE INFO
Handling Editor: Dr Mohamed Mohamed G
Abdelsalam
Keywords: Berkine Evaporite Triassic Halite Anhydrite Jurassic
Astronomical Algeria
ABSTRACT
The sequence stratigraphy of the Late Triassic - Early Jurassic evaporites of the Berkine Basin is described.
Disconformities occur between all the major evaporitic units but lack of biostratigraphy (or other) chro�nostratigraphic control precludes their precise dating. The S4 and S3 Halites are predominantly non-marine halites deposited in low-lying salinas with a barrier to the north. The top of the S4 depositional sequence is marked by the D2, usually regarded as the Tr-J boundary in the Berkine Basin. Both the S3 and S4 salt deposits thin rapidly to the south-east and are thicker in the basin centre coincident with a subcrop of Carnian? aged volcanics. A combination of thermal cooling, rifting and reactivation of N–S lineaments parallel to the Hassi Messaoud-El Biod Arch controlled the (~1500 m thick) depocenter.
Time series analysis shows that astronomical forcing played a key role in the deposition of the S3 and S4 bedded halites. The prevailing climate was monsoonal with major replenishment of the basin indicated by long eccentricity cycles (405 kyr). Sedimentation rates were estimated using eCOCO analysis with average rates of 15
cm/kyr. Well to well comparisons shows that in marginal areas thinner sedimentary sequences relate to slower accumulation rates and periods of non-deposition or deflation. The pattern is similar in the S4 and S3 halite, but the reduced mud content and amalgamation of halite beds suggests a more arid climate in S3 times.
The S1+S2 unit marks the first widespread deposition of sulphate in the basin. The lowermost anhydrite beds of the S1 + S2 rest unconformably on the underlying S3 and overstep the basin margins in the south-east; the sequence is capped by the B Horizon a basin-wide carbonate shelf deposit about 25 m thick indicating increased
marine influence. Above there is a rapid return to thinly bedded mudstone-halite dominated sedimentation (Lias
Salif`ere) which is overlain by the Lias Anhydritique an alternating sequence of halite and anhydrite deposits.
Astronomical parameters of the whole sequence indicate an average sedimentation rate of ~10 cm/kyr in this
marine-influenced section, slower than the halite units. Although the time series analysis cannot provide pre�cision dating of the evaporitic sequences the results indicate that there are important breaks in the depositional record. The combined S4 and S3 halites account for 4.75 Ma and the rest of the Liassic 9.4 Ma. It seems clear that much of the depositional record is missing.
These Saharan Platform basins bear much in common with other western Mediterranean evaporite basins.
Many show the same overall pattern of sedimentation with increased sulphate deposition above the Tr-J boundary. In late Triassic time they formed a contiguous low-lying zone flanked by cratonic highlands. This
zone spanned the Gondwana-Laurussia boundary immediately prior to its break-up and Greater Adria formed a
barrier between these basins and the developing Neotethys to the east. The major changes seen in the Saharan
Platform are mirrored by the break-up of Adria and the separation of Gondwana and Laurasia and the ultimate
connection of the western Mediterranean and the central Atlantic.
Although the cyclostratigraphy can tell us much about the absolute duration of sedimentation, the lack of
significant anchor points forbids the construction of a detailed chronostratigraphic framework. In particular, the
precise location of the Tr-J boundary remains unclear. Although it is usually placed at the base of the D2 Horizon,
* Corresponding author.
E-mail address: peter.turner@cancambria.com (P. Turner).
Contents lists available at ScienceDirect
Journal of African Earth Sciences
journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/jafrearsci
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jafrearsci.2023.104994
Received 7 February 2023; Received in revised form 13 June 2023; Accepted 13 June 2023
... During the Early Paleozoic, Pan-African orogenic events resulted in the formation of active rift basins and fault zones in northeast Africa that were subjected to further tectonics due to the impact of the Hercynian orogeny by the end of the Paleozoic [19]. The coastal basins of the Matruh, Shushan, Dahab-Mireir, and Natrun were initially formed during the Permo-Triassic due to the breakup of Gondwana and the formation of extensional rifts and fragmentation [3,20,21]. Consequently, the active opening of the New-Tethys Ocean took place, and all coastal basins became pull-apart basins with enhanced marine conditions. Subsequently, successive phases of spreading and rifting tectonism took place in the Tethys as well as in the Central Atlantic with respect to the Alpine orogeny, which triggered a left-lateral drift of Africa versus Europe [22]. ...
The Middle Jurassic was a time of marginal to shallow shelf settings dominated by organic matter-rich deposition in northern Egypt, southern Tethys. Paleoenvironmental and sequence stratigraphic reconstructions are of paramount significance for a better understanding of basin history and related reservoirs and source rock units. For this purpose, a detailed palynomorph and palynofacies analysis of the Middle Jurassic Khatatba Formation in the Dahab-Mireir Basin, north Western Desert, was conducted. A moderately to well-preserved, moderately diverse palynomorph assemblage of spores, pollen, and dinoflagellate cysts is identified. Marker dinoflagellate cysts, including Dichadogonyaulax sellwoodii, Escharisphaeridia pocokii, Gonyaulacysta adecta, Korystocysta gochtii, Pareodinia ceratophora, and Wanaea acollaris, defined a Bajocian to Callovian age. Palynofacies analysis of the Khatatba Formation revealed two assemblages, whereby PFA-1 is the most abundant in the study well and is comprised mainly of terrestrial phytoclasts deposited nearby fluvio-deltaic sources. The infrequently reported PFA-2 consists of moderate abundances of phytoclasts and AOM, deposited in an inner shelf environment. A more reliable paleoenvironmental interpretation was indicated based on three palynomorph assemblages. The spore-dominated assemblage indicated deposition in a deltaic environment, while the mixed palynomorph assemblage revealed fluvio-deltaic to marginal shallow marine conditions. The microplankton-dominated assemblage is represented by minor samples and reflects an offshore inner shelf condition. Furthermore, the Middle Jurassic relative sea level was reconstructed based on the quantitative variations in the terrestrial/marine (T:M) ratios and abundances of spores, pollen, and dinoflagellate cysts. This led to the subdivide of the Khatatba Formation into thirteen third-order transgressive-regressive sequences, which can be correlated with the global Jurassic short-term sea level changes. Active tectonics and accelerated drifting of the Eurasian Plate during the Middle Jurassic are suggested to control basin uplift/subsidence and, therefore, recurring patterns of relative sea level change.
Microscopic organic-walled fossils are found in most sedimentary rocks. The organic particles - spores, pollens and other land and marine derived microfossils, representing animals, plants, fungi and protists - can be extracted and used to date the rock, reveal details of the original sedimentary environment and provide information on the climate of the time. The mix within a sediment of whole organic particles - palynomorphs - and organic fragments - palynodebris - form palynofacies. This book presents research work on the sedimentation of components of palynofacies and details their importance for sequence stratigraphy and the interpretation of ancient biologic and geologic environments. A comprehensive introduction to the subject is presented in the first chapter. Palynosedimentation in modern environments, the reconstruction of terrestrial vegetation and the application of the data to sequence stratigraphy are then considered. Later chapters detail various quantitative methods and their specific applications in the subject. This is a valuable reference work for palynologists and sedimentologists and also for paleobiologists, and for professionals working in the hydrocarbons industries.
