Opening of the Gulf of Mexico: What we know, what questions remain, and how we might answer them

Filina, Irina; Austin, James A.; Doré, Tony; Johnson, Elizabeth; Minguez, Daniel; Norton, Ian O.; Snedden, John W.; Stern, Robert J.

doi:10.1016/j.tecto.2021.229150

Cited by 12 publications

(9 citation statements)

References 129 publications

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“…This NW‐SE directed extension transitioned to counterclockwise rotation of the Yucatán microplate in the Late Jurassic and was primarily accommodated by seafloor spreading, which ceased in the Early Cretaceous (Marton & Buffler, 1994; Pindell & Kennan, 2009). There is general agreement on the overall tectonic history of the GoM passive margin, but there is no consensus on the degree to which the rift‐to‐drift transition involved syn‐rift volcanism, depth‐dependent lithospheric stretching, or mantle exhumation (Curry et al., 2018; Filina et al., 2022).…”

Section: Geologic History and Current Settingmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Historically, the interpretation of presalt and crustal geology has been uncertain due to unclear seismic imaging (e.g., Sawyer et al., 1991), inconclusive potential fields data, and a lack of well penetrations in the deep water. Interpretations have been refined with the availability of improved data (e.g., Eddy et al., 2014; Filina & Beutel, 2021) but significant uncertainties remain (Filina et al., 2022). Here we describe key observations of the subsalt and crustal architecture by broadly characterizing five terrains: (a) oceanic crust, (b) exhumed lower crust/mantle, (c) continental crust, (d) upper presalt megasequence (UPM) and (e) lower presalt megasequence (LPM).…”

Section: Cross‐section Interpretations and Descriptionsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Our understanding of the geologic evolution of the GoM basin advanced significantly over the last several decades thanks to extensive research, exploration, and production efforts, which have produced an unprecedented amount of subsurface data. Several key publications describe the stratigraphy (Galloway, 2008; Snedden & Galloway, 2019), structural styles (Izquierdo‐Llavall et al., 2022; Peel et al., 1995; Rowan et al., 2004), role and nature of salt tectonics (Hudec, Jackson, & Peel, 2013; Hudec et al., 2009; Rowan et al., 1999), and large‐scale plate tectonics of the basin (Filina et al., 2022; Hudec, Norton, et al., 2013; Imbert, 2005; Pindell & Kennan, 2009; Pindell et al., 2014; Rowan, 2017). Additionally, physical and numerical models shed light on the diverse and often perplexing geology in the GoM (Costa & Vendeville, 2002; Dooley et al., 2013, 2015), while new technologies are enabling improved imaging and interpretation of the subsalt geology (Peel, 2023).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Structural Restorations of the Complete Conjugate US‐Mexico Eastern Gulf of Mexico Margin

Curry,

Hudec,

Peel

et al. 2024

Tectonics

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We present the first sequential structural restoration with flexural backstripping of the Gulf of Mexico US‐Mexico conjugate margin salt basin. We construct four large‐scale (100s of km) balanced, sequential structural restorations to investigate spatio‐temporal patterns of subsidence, geometry of the original salt basin, feedbacks between post‐salt structural and stratigraphic evolution, paleo‐bathymetry, and crustal configurations. The restorations are based on interpretations of 2D and 3D seismic data, and include sequential sedimentary decompaction, flexural isostatic backstripping, and thermal isostatic corrections. The spatially variable crustal thinning factor is directly measured from seismic data, and lithologic parameters are determined by well penetrations. We present a model for the original salt basin and discuss evidence for and implications of a deep water salt basin setting for the GoM. Our analysis suggests a salt basin that contained ∼1–2 km thick salt in a basin 175–390 km across with ∼1 km of bathymetry after salt deposition. The base of salt is mostly smooth with <1 km of local relief in the form of normal faults that disrupt a pre‐salt sedimentary section. We find that supra‐salt extension and shortening are not balanced, with measurable extension exceeding shortening by 18–30 km on each cross‐section. Our subsidence analysis reveals anomalous subsidence totaling 1–2 km during Late Jurassic and Early Cretaceous times that may reflect dynamic topography or depth‐dependent thinning. We offer an interpretation of crustal breakup invoking pre‐salt clastic sedimentation, salt deposition in a deep water syn‐thinning basin, and post‐salt lower‐crustal exhumation.

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Section: Geologic History and Current Settingmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Cross‐section Interpretations and Descriptionsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Structural Restorations of the Complete Conjugate US‐Mexico Eastern Gulf of Mexico Margin

Curry,

Hudec,

Peel

et al. 2024

Tectonics

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“…The Gulf of Mexico (GoM) is a sedimentary basin that initiated with localised crustal rifting and extension after the Late Paleozoic joining of Laurentia and Gondwana (Filina et al, 2021;Salvador, 1987Salvador, , 1991Snedden, Cunningham, et al, 2020). In regions devoid of rifting, sedimentation filled a series of small successor basins or a pre-rift topographic low in the north central GoM including the pre-salt Eagle Mills section (Frederick et al, 2020).…”

Section: Basin Setting and Depositional Historymentioning

confidence: 99%

Late Mesozoic sandstone volumes recorded in Gulf of Mexico subsurface depocentres: Deciphering long‐term sediment supply trends and contributions by paleo river systems

et al. 2022

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Quantitative assessment of terrigenous sediment flux to the deep basin has mainly been limited to the Cenozoic Era, given challenges with reconstruction of more ancient source to sink systems. Subsurface mapping in the northern Gulf of Mexico basin, where there is a robust database of wells and seismic data, allows estimation of sand-size grain volumes within 12 chronostratigraphically defined Late Mesozoic supersequences. Five subsurface depocentres with thicknesses of >400 m are identified, revealing a history of sediment routing via major fluvial axes (paleo rivers) southward from a mid-continent drainage divide. The interpreted paleo-rivers are further confirmed by compilation and synthesis of published and novel detrital zircon provenance data showing combinations of age peak subsets that vary considerably between depocentres. This study quantifies sediment volumes within each depocentre by inverting porosity over defined gross rock volumes derived from subsurface well | 1271 EAGE SNEDDEN et al.

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“…These findings together show strong variation in crustal structures along the rifted margins surrounding the GOM that could hold key insights to the processes of continental breakup. Although great progress has been made in the overall understanding of the opening history of the GOM, detail kinematics and geodynamics regarding the lithospheric evolution during basin formation remain to be fully revealed (Filina et al., 2022).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Insights on Formation of the Gulf of Mexico by Rayleigh Surface Wave Imaging

Nguyen

Levander

Niu

et al. 2022

Geochem Geophys Geosyst

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Introduction Geographic SettingPassive margins mark the region where the lithospheric plates break apart and the transition from continental to an oceanic domain takes place. This geologic region preserves a record of the tectonic, magmatic, and sedimentary processes that accompany continental extension and therefore is important to the understanding of plate tectonics. In this study, we investigated the margins surrounding the Gulf of Mexico (GOM), as well as the deep GOM ocean itself, to better understand the Triassic-Jurassic breakup of the North and South American plates during the opening of the Atlantic. The GOM is a relatively small ocean basin situated south of the continental US that is surrounded on the east, north, and west by the North American plate, and on the south by Cuba. The GOM is connected to the Atlantic Ocean through the Florida Straits and to the Caribbean Sea through the Yucatan Channel (Figure 1). A large part of the GOM is occupied by continental margins made up of stretched continental lithosphere with a small ocean basin in the center. The US Gulf Coast margin and the margin offshore Yucatan formed as a conjugate pair during a period of rifting beginning in Late Triassic (∼200 Ma) followed by seafloor spreading starting and ceasing between ∼160 and ∼140 Ma (

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Opening of the Gulf of Mexico: What we know, what questions remain, and how we might answer them

Cited by 12 publications

References 129 publications

Structural Restorations of the Complete Conjugate US‐Mexico Eastern Gulf of Mexico Margin

Structural Restorations of the Complete Conjugate US‐Mexico Eastern Gulf of Mexico Margin

Late Mesozoic sandstone volumes recorded in Gulf of Mexico subsurface depocentres: Deciphering long‐term sediment supply trends and contributions by paleo river systems

Insights on Formation of the Gulf of Mexico by Rayleigh Surface Wave Imaging

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