Comment on González-Acebrón et al. Criteria for the recognition of localization and timing of multiple events of hydrothermal alteration in sandstones illustrated by petrographic, fluid inclusion, and isotopic analysis of the Tera Group, Northern Spain Int J Earth Sciences (2011) 100:1811–1826

Abstract

The paper by Gonza ´lez-Acebro ´n et al. ( 2011) deals with both regional and methodological problems about the timing of thermal events in one of the best-known and controversial basins in the Iberian microplate: the Late Jurassic-Early Cretaceous Cameros Basin. The aforementioned paper contains invaluable data about the thermal evolution of the basin, and it is an important contribution to the understanding of the post-sedimentary, pre-inversion processes in this strongly subsiding basin. It will undoubtedly add new evidence to the knowledge of hydrothermal processes in general and particularly to the paleothermal evolution of the basin.However, in our opinion, there are some problems involving important matters within the paper, namely (1) the interpretation of the data obtained, which are too constrained within a univocal line of thinking without considering other simpler and more viable options that in the discussed paper are aprioristically rejected. (2) The second

Reconstruction of inverted sedimentary basins from syn-tectonic remagnetizations. A methodological proposal

“…Large-scale drag associated with the main faults would contribute to the formation of a synclinal-like geometry in the northern basin border. Studies based on thermochronology (Mata et al 2001; see also Casas et al 2012) have shown that the thickness of syn-rift deposits could approximate the maximum depth reached by the pre-rift sequence in the basin centre, which seems to corroborate the syncline basin model. However no definitive data have been given to date to confirm either one of the two basin models.…”

Subsidence and thermal history of an inverted Late Jurassic‐Early Cretaceous extensional basin (Cameros, North‐central Spain) affected by very low‐ to low‐grade metamorphism

“…). The anomalous distribution of the vitrinite reflectance cannot be explained by increasing burial (and subsequent deeper erosion) or by assuming a higher heat flow (regional metamorphism, as suggested by Mata et al ., ; Del Río et al ., ; Casas et al ., ) because this would only result in an increase in the vitrinite reflectance with depth. Furthermore, according to Teichmüller & Teichmüller () and Taylor et al .…”

“…Several inorganic proxies (mineral paragenesis, illite crystallinity and fluid inclusions) have been used to characterise the metamorphism. Some authors (Guiraud & Séguret, ; Golberg et al ., ; Casas‐Sainz, ; Mata et al ., ; Del Río et al ., ; Casas et al ., ) have attributed this metamorphism to burial. However, others (Casquet et al ., ; Barrenechea et al ., , ; Mantilla‐Figueroa et al ., ; Alonso‐Azcárate et al ., ; Ochoa et al ., ; González‐Acebrón et al ., ; González‐Acebrón et al ., ) have interpreted the metamorphism as having a hydrothermal and allochemical origin.…”

Petroleum Systems Modelling in a Fold‐and‐thrust Belt Setting: The Inverted Cameros Basin, North‐central Spain

“…In the central-northern sector of the basin, part of the infill was affected by two low-to very low-grade hydrothermal events (Alonso-Azcárate et al, 1999;Alonso-Azcárate et al, 1995;Barrenechea et al, 1995Barrenechea et al, , 2001Casas et al, 2012;Casquet et al, 1992;Del Río et al, 2009;González-Acebrón et al, 2011Mantilla-Figueroa et al, 1998;Mantilla-Figueroa, 1999;Mas et al, 2003;Mata et al, 2001;Ochoa et al, 2007). The first event took place during the Late Albian to Coniacian with temperatures exceeding 350°C (Casquet et al, 1992;.…”