Subsidence history and basin-fill evolution in the South Caspian Basin from geophysical mapping, flexural backstripping, forward lithospheric modelling and gravity modelling

Abdullayev, N. A.; Kadirov, Fakhraddin A.; Guliyev, Ibrahim S.

doi:10.1144/sp427.5

Cited by 27 publications

(25 citation statements)

References 35 publications

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“…Since its formation, the South Caspian Basin has gradually evolved in to an isolated and enclosed (lake) basin that has experienced extreme shifts in lake level. The basin then experienced an increase in sedimentation rate thought to be associated with post-Oligocene orogeny in the Caucasus, as a result of the (still ongoing) collision between the Eurasian and Arabian plates (Abdullayev, Kadirov, & Guliyev, 2015;Allen et al, 2003;Avdeev & Niemi, 2011;McClusky et al, 2000;Reilinger et al, 2006;Vernant et al, 2004). The basin then experienced an increase in sedimentation rate thought to be associated with post-Oligocene orogeny in the Caucasus, as a result of the (still ongoing) collision between the Eurasian and Arabian plates (Abdullayev, Kadirov, & Guliyev, 2015;Allen et al, 2003;Avdeev & Niemi, 2011;McClusky et al, 2000;Reilinger et al, 2006;Vernant et al, 2004).…”

Section: Basin Evolutionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Detrital zircon and apatite constraints on depositional ages, sedimentation rates and provenance: Pliocene Productive Series, South Caspian Basin, Azerbaijan

et al. 2018

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We used detrital zircon U/Pb geochronology and apatite (U-Th-Sm)/He thermochronology to better constrain depositional ages and sedimentation rates for the Pliocene Productive Series in Azerbaijan. U/Pb analysis of 1,379 detrital zircon grains and (U-Th-Sm)/He analysis of 57 apatite grains-from Kirmaky Valley and Yasamal Valley onshore sections, Absheron Peninsula-yielded two distinct sub-populations: "young" Neogene grains and "old" Mesozoic, Palaeozoic and Proterozoic/Archean grains. The large numbers of Neogene age grains (around 10% of all grain ages) provided a new absolute age constraint on the maximum depositional age of the Lower Productive Series of 4.0 Myr. These "young" Neogene zircon grains most likely originated from volcanic ash falls sourced from the Lesser Caucasus or Talesh Mountains. In this paper we propose a timescale scenario using the maximum depositional age of the Productive Series from detrital zircon grain U/Pb constraints. Potential consequences and limitations of using apatite (U-Th-Sm)/He dating method in estimating maximum depositional ages are also discussed. These new age constraints for the Lower Productive Series gave much faster sedimentation rates than previously estimated: 1.3 km/Myr in the South Caspian Basin margin outcrops and up to 3.9 km/Myr in the basin centre. The sedimentation rates are one of the highest in comparison to other sedimentary basins and coeval to global increase in sedimentation rates 2-4 Myr. The older group of detrital zircon grains constitutes the majority of grains in all sample sets (~80%). These older ages are inferred to reflect the provenance of the Productive Series sediment. This sediment is interpreted to have been derived from the Proterozoic and Archean crystalline basement rocks and Phanerozoic cover of the East European Craton, Proterozoic/Palaeozoic rocks of the Ural Mountains and Mesozoic sedimentary rocks of the Greater Caucasus.This sediment was likely supplied from northerly sourced drainage that emptied into the South Caspian Basin.---

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Section: Basin Evolutionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Detrital zircon and apatite constraints on depositional ages, sedimentation rates and provenance: Pliocene Productive Series, South Caspian Basin, Azerbaijan

et al. 2018

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“…The evolution of these two basins was closely linked from the Late Palaeozoic onwards; indeed, during Jurassic times the two basins were connected. A similar connection existed to the WSW between the South Caspian and the Kopet Dagh basins, which formed in the Jurassic (Brunet et al 2003;Taheri et al 2009;Robert et al 2014;Abdullayev et al 2015). The Jurassic -Cretaceous was characterized by a general planation of the previously formed relief (e.g.…”

Section: Geological Evolution Of Central Asian Basins and The Westernmentioning

confidence: 71%

“…Subsidence declined markedly from Middle Callovian times onwards, coeval with the deposition of the Middle Late Jurassic carbonate succession, passing upwards into a phase of thermal subsidence during the Cretaceous. Abdullayev et al (2015) integrate geophysical observations as well as subsidence and gravity modelling of selected 2D profiles from the South Caspian Basin region. Based on their results, they suggest that the observed pattern of subsidence and sedimentation within the basin can be explained by a process of thermal subsidence following Jurassic rifting, and a period of enhanced subsidence that resulted from sediment-induced loading in the Late Tertiary.…”

Section: Regional Evolution and Extensional Sedimentary Basinsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Geological evolution of Central Asian Basins and the western Tien Shan Range

Brunet

Sobel

McCann³

2017

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The geological evolution of Central Asia commenced with the evolution of a complex Precambrian–Palaeozoic orogen. Cimmerian blocks were then accreted to the southern margin during the Mesozoic, leading to tectonic reactivation of older structures and discrete episodes of basin formation. The Indian and Arabian blocks collided with Asia during the Cenozoic, leading to renewed structural reactivation, intracontinental deformation and basin development. This complex evolution resulted in the present-day setting of an elongated Tien Shan range flanked by large Mesozoic–Cenozoic sedimentary basins with smaller intramontane basins distributed within the range. The aim of this volume is to present multidisciplinary results and reviews from research groups in Europe and Central Asia that focus on the western part of the Tien Shan and some of the large sedimentary basins in that area. These works elucidate the Late Palaeozoic–Cenozoic tectono-sedimentary evolution of the area. Emphasis is placed on the collision of terranes and/or continents and the ensuing fault reactivation; the impact of changes in climate on the sedimentation is also examined.

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“…1.5 km of sediment deposited in only the last 1 Ma (e.g. Abdullayev et al, 2017). Thus, geothermal gradients are as low as 16-17°C/km over the uppermost 4 km of sediment at Shah Deniz, based on temperature data acquired during well tests.…”

Section: Basin Modelling and Implications For The Petroleum Systemmentioning

confidence: 94%

“…1). Loading associated flexure of oceanic crust due to the large volumes of sediment delivered into the basin by the palaeo Volga and Amu Darya rivers may account for much of the accommodation space required (Abdullayev et al, 2017).…”

Section: Geological Settingmentioning

confidence: 99%

Diamondoids and Basin Modelling Reveal One of the World's Deepest Petroleum Systems, South Caspian Basin, Azerbaijan

Goodwin

Abdullayev²,

Javadova³

et al. 2020

Journal of Petroleum Geology

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The South Caspian Basin has been one of the world's most prolific petroleum provinces since the 19th Century. However, despite the large number of discovered petroleum accumulations, the source rock sequence has not been penetrated by the drill in the offshore basin and is therefore poorly defined. In this paper, geochemistry together with broad estimates of in‐place volumes of petroleum fluids, onshore outcrop data and basin modelling have been used to place constraints on the source rock description. Diamondoids, the most thermally stable group of hydrocarbons, have been measured in a suite of liquid petroleum samples from Pliocene fluvio‐deltaic sandstone reservoirs at the Shah Deniz gas‐condensate field and the Azeri‐Chirag‐Gunashli oil field, offshore Azerbaijan. Samples from both fields exhibit elevated concentrations of diamondoids and C29 steranes, indicating a mixture of thermally cracked and non‐cracked petroleum. We use diamondoid concentrations to estimate that 4.8 B brl of oil may have been cracked to 12 Tcf of gas below the Shah Deniz reservoirs. Source rock properties from the outcropping Oligocene – Miocene Maikop and Diatom Formations have been used to model source rock maturation. The results indicate that pre‐cracking volumes of petroleum could be explained reasonably by the presence of source rock intervals in the offshore that are of similar richness but increased thickness compared to measured onshore outcrops. Relatively high diamondoid concentrations in Shah Deniz condensate (up to 160 ppm 3‐ + 4‐methyldiamantanes) are in agreement with gas isotope compositions (δ13C1 – δ13C3) with respect to thermal maturity. Both parameters indicate the presence of source rock that is at a high level of thermal maturity at a vitrinite reflectance equivalent (VRE) of ca. 1.5–2.0% Ro. Given the low geothermal gradients in the South Caspian Basin (16 – 17°C/km at Shah Deniz) and the relatively high temperatures required for maturation due to rapid, relatively recent burial and heating, the source rock must be buried to depths in excess of 13 km in the Shah Deniz drainage area. In the absence of any evidence of a working Mesozoic petroleum system in the South Caspian Basin, this depth of burial highlights the significant thickness of Paleogene sediments in the offshore basin. Of prolific petroleum‐producing basins, only in the deep‐water Gulf of Mexico are actively‐generating source rocks buried to similar depths.

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Subsidence history and basin-fill evolution in the South Caspian Basin from geophysical mapping, flexural backstripping, forward lithospheric modelling and gravity modelling

Cited by 27 publications

References 35 publications

Detrital zircon and apatite constraints on depositional ages, sedimentation rates and provenance: Pliocene Productive Series, South Caspian Basin, Azerbaijan

Detrital zircon and apatite constraints on depositional ages, sedimentation rates and provenance: Pliocene Productive Series, South Caspian Basin, Azerbaijan

Geological evolution of Central Asian Basins and the western Tien Shan Range

Diamondoids and Basin Modelling Reveal One of the World's Deepest Petroleum Systems, South Caspian Basin, Azerbaijan

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