Tectono-stratigraphic evolution of the western margin of the Levant Basin (offshore Cyprus)

Papadimitriou, Nikolaos; Gorini, Christian; Nader, Fadi H.; Deschamps, Rémy; Symeou, Vasilis; Lecomte, J. C.

doi:10.1016/j.marpetgeo.2018.02.006

Cited by 26 publications

(25 citation statements)

References 77 publications

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“…Safadi et al () on the other hand, interpreted a 100–400 m unit overlying and onlapping the IMTS as Nile‐derived sediments prograding northeastwards based on the well data analysis of the Romi‐1 well by Almogi‐Labin et al (). Papadimitriou et al () interpreted post‐IMTS units in the western Levant Basin, around the Eratosthenes Seamount (ESM), as large deep‐sea fans in concordance with Hawie et al (), and assigned chaotic facies unconformably overlying the IMTS as Plio‐Quaternary units representing reworked evaporites or clastic mounds. They also recognized siliciclastic turbidites sourced from the Nile Delta to the south and east of the ESM.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 76%

“…Since the Late Miocene, much of the contractional movement in the basin has migrated to the onshore Dead Sea Transform (DST), and compressional structures in the post‐Miocene strata are believed to be a product of movement along the DST and radial gravity spreading of the Nile Cone (Kartveit et al, ). Margin uplift associated with the DST resulted in erosion and formation of deeply incised canyons along the Levant Margin which, supplemented by sediment supply from North African river systems, led to the deposition of carbonate–siliciclastic sediments in the deep basin during several phases extending into the Late Miocene (Druckman, Buchbinder, Martinotti, Tov, & Aharon, ; Gardosh, Druckman, Buchbinder, & Calvo, ; Papadimitriou et al, ).…”

Section: Geologic Settingmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…DST resulted in erosion and formation of deeply incised canyons along the Levant Margin which, supplemented by sediment supply from North African river systems, led to the deposition of carbonate-siliciclastic sediments in the deep basin during several phases extending into the Late Miocene (Druckman, Buchbinder, Martinotti, Tov, & Aharon, 1995;Gardosh, Druckman, Buchbinder, & Calvo, 2008;Papadimitriou et al, 2018).…”

Section: Geologic Settingmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Evidence of sea level drawdown at the end of the Messinian salinity crisis and seismic investigation of the Nahr Menashe unit in the northern Levant Basin, offshore Lebanon

2019

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Several important aspects of the Messinian salinity crisis (MSC) are still subject to controversy and debate after more than 40 years of studies. Recent work from the eastern Mediterranean have provided a renewed stratigraphic framework for the basin that is inconsistent with previous interpretation studies in the area. This study presents a description of the evolution of the depositional environment in the northern Levant Basin in a time interval surrounding the end of the famous event, from Late Messinian to the Pliocene. Through seismic mapping, we have identified a sediment package overlying the intra‐Messinian truncation surface (IMTS). This package is interpreted as an axial fluvial system running along the Levant Margin in stage 3 of the salinity crisis, likely composed of redeposited evaporites and clastic material. The system was fed primarily from a large fan system building out from the basin margin during a time of sea‐level low stand following a major erosional event, and presumably also from similar systems along the Latakia Ridge and Syria. Our interpretation also lends weight to the theory of a subaerial origin for the truncation surface after a catastrophic desiccation event succeeding the deposition of the halite‐dominated Messinian evaporite succession, based on differences in maximum erosional depth throughout the basin. After the deposition of the post‐IMTS package, deep marine settings were restored in the basin, and hemipelagic sediments from the Nile Delta and the Levant Margin have dominated the sediment deposition since.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 76%

Section: Geologic Settingmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Geologic Settingmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Evidence of sea level drawdown at the end of the Messinian salinity crisis and seismic investigation of the Nahr Menashe unit in the northern Levant Basin, offshore Lebanon

2019

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“…The sedimentary cover of the ESM is approximately 6 km thick (Montadert et al, 2014;Papadimitriou et al, 2018). Only the upper 600 meters below the seafloor (mbsf) were cored during the ODP drilling campaign Leg 160 (Emeis et al, 1996).…”

Section: Geological Backgroundmentioning

confidence: 99%

Source rock characterization of mesozoic to cenozoic organic matter rich marls and shales of the Eratosthenes Seamount, Eastern Mediterranean Sea

Grohmann

Fietz

Littke

et al. 2018

Oil Gas Sci. Technol. – Rev. IFP Energies nouvelles

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Several significant hydrocarbon accumulations were discovered over the past decade in the Levant Basin, Eastern Mediterranean Sea. Onshore studies have investigated potential source rock intervals to the east and south of the Levant Basin, whereas its offshore western margin is still relatively underexplored. Only a few cores were recovered from four boreholes offshore southern Cyprus by the Ocean Drilling Program (ODP) during the drilling campaign Leg 160 in 1995. These wells transect the Eratosthenes Seamount, a drowned bathymetric high, and recovered a thick sequence of both pre- and post-Messinian sedimentary rocks, containing mainly marine marls and shales. In this study, 122 core samples of Late Cretaceous to Messinian age were analyzed in order to identify organic-matter-rich intervals and to determine their depositional environment as well as their source rock potential and thermal maturity. Both Total Organic and Inorganic Carbon (TOC, TIC) analyses as well as Rock-Eval pyrolysis were firstly performed for the complete set of samples whereas Total Sulfur (TS) analysis was only carried out on samples containing significant amount of organic matter (>0.3 wt.% TOC). Based on the Rock-Eval results, eight samples were selected for organic petrographic investigations and twelve samples for analysis of major aliphatic hydrocarbon compounds. The organic content is highly variable in the analyzed samples (0–9.3 wt.%). TS/TOC as well as several biomarker ratios (e.g. Pr/Ph < 2) indicate a deposition under dysoxic conditions for the organic matter-rich sections, which were probably reached during sporadically active upwelling periods. Results prove potential oil prone Type II kerogen source rock intervals of fair to very good quality being present in Turonian to Coniacian (average: TOC = 0.93 wt.%, HI = 319 mg HC/g TOC) and in Bartonian to Priabonian (average: TOC = 4.8 wt.%, HI = 469 mg HC/g TOC) intervals. A precise determination of the actual source rock thickness is prevented by low core recovery rates for the respective intervals. All analyzed samples are immature to early mature. However, the presence of deeper buried, thermally mature source rocks and hydrocarbon migration is indicated by the observation of solid bitumen impregnation in one Upper Cretaceous and in one Lower Eocene sample.

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“…Recent research projects, focusing on the northern part of the Levant Basin, provided substantial new data and concepts for better understanding the crustal, structural, and stratigraphic characteristics of this region, as well as its key petroleum systems (e.g. Hawie et al, 2015;Bou Daher et al, 2016;Inati et al, 2016Inati et al, , 2018Ghalayini et al, 2017aGhalayini et al, , 2017bGhalayini et al, , 2018Symeou et al, 2017;Grohmann et al, 2018;Papadimitriou et al, 2018aPapadimitriou et al, , 2018b. These studies also led to the distinction between the basin and the margins of the Levant.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Key geological characteristics of the Saida-Tyr Platform along the eastern margin of the Levant Basin, offshore Lebanon: implications for hydrocarbon exploration

Nader

Inati

Ghalayini³

et al. 2018

Oil Gas Sci. Technol. – Rev. IFP Energies nouvelles

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More than 60 trillion cubic feet (Tcf) of natural gas have been recently discovered in the Levant Basin (eastern Mediterranean region) offshore Cyprus, Egypt and Israel, Palestine. Un-explored areas, such as the Lebanese offshore, may yield additional discoveries. This contribution focuses the Saida-Tyr Platform (STP), an offshore geological feature adjacent to the southern Lebanese coastline -part of the eastern margin of the Levant Basin. First, an extensive synthesis of recent published research work, tackling crustal modeling, structural geology and stratigraphy will be presented. Then, a new local crustal model and the interpretation of seismic reflection specifically on the STP are discussed and emplaced in the context of the upcoming petroleum exploration activities in this region. Characteristic structural features form the limits of the STP which is believed to be an extension of the Arabian continent into the Levant Basin. Its westernmost limit consists of the extension of the crustal interface, previously termed ''hinge zone'', where major plate-scale deformations are preferentially localized. The northward extension of this ''hinge zone'' beyond the STP can be mapped by means of major similar deformation structures (i.e. S-N-trending anticlines) and can be associated to the Levant Fracture System (LFS) -the northwestern border of the Arabian plate. The northern limit of the STP (i.e. the Saida Fault) is a typical E-W, presently active, structure that is inherited from an older, deeply rooted regional fault system, extending eastward throughout the Palmyra Basin. The STP is characterized by a variety of potential plays for hydrocarbon exploration. Jurassic and Cretaceous clastics and carbonates are believed to include reservoir plays, which could have been charged by deeper Mesozoic source rocks, and sealed by Upper Cretaceous marly layers. The edge of the Cretaceous carbonate platforms and potential carbonate buildups are well recognizable on seismic reflection profiles. The western and northern anticlinal structures bordering the STP are excellent targets for Oligo-Miocene biogenic gas charging systems. Based on integrating geodynamics, tectono-stratigraphic interpretations and petroleum systems analyses, such plays are well constrained and the exploration risk is therefore lowered.

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Tectono-stratigraphic evolution of the western margin of the Levant Basin (offshore Cyprus)

Cited by 26 publications

References 77 publications

Evidence of sea level drawdown at the end of the Messinian salinity crisis and seismic investigation of the Nahr Menashe unit in the northern Levant Basin, offshore Lebanon

Evidence of sea level drawdown at the end of the Messinian salinity crisis and seismic investigation of the Nahr Menashe unit in the northern Levant Basin, offshore Lebanon

Source rock characterization of mesozoic to cenozoic organic matter rich marls and shales of the Eratosthenes Seamount, Eastern Mediterranean Sea

Key geological characteristics of the Saida-Tyr Platform along the eastern margin of the Levant Basin, offshore Lebanon: implications for hydrocarbon exploration

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