Gravity anomalies of the United Arab Emirates: Implications for basement structures and infra-Cambrian salt distribution

Geoarabia Pub Date : 2014-01-01 DOI:10.2113/geoarabia1901143
Mohammed Y. Ali, A. Watts, A. Farid
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引用次数: 48

Abstract

Gravity measurements onshore and offshore of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have been used to construct a new Bouguer gravity anomaly map of the region. The gravity data, which has been gridded at 2,700 m × 2,700 m interval, has been used to constrain the tectonic elements, major lineation trends and structures of the Neoproterozoic basement of the Arabian Plate and the distribution of infra-Cambrian salt basins. Advanced transformation techniques (including first vertical derivative, total horizontal derivative, tilt derivative and Euler deconvolution) were applied to identify gravity source edges as an aid to structural interpretation and geological modelling of the study area. Three major structural provinces (fold-and-thrust belt, foreland and salt tectonic provinces) were identified based on the residual Bouguer gravity anomaly field. The eastern fold-and-thrust belt province is associated with short-wavelength positive gravity anomalies, which are attributed to the allochthonous series of the Semail Ophiolite and its related thrust sheets. The central foreland basin province is characterised by NNW-oriented negative gravity anomalies associated with deepening of the basement and thickening of Aruma and Pabdeh sediments in the foredeep basins and flexure of the top and base of the crust by the load of the Semail Ophiolite. The western salt tectonic province displays well-defined local gravity lows superimposed on a regional gravity high, which probably reflects the swelling of infra-Cambrian salt above a shallowing of the basement and thinning of the foredeep sediments. In addition, gravity modelling constrained by seismic and well data indicates the presence of substantial infra-Cambrian salt bodies in all basins of the UAE both onshore and offshore including the southern area of the Rub’ Al-Khali Basin. An extensive array of previously unmapped N-S, NW- and SW-trending lineaments affecting the basement and possibly overlying sediments are mapped in the UAE. The N-S Arabian trending lineament represents the effect of a major structure, along which many important oilfields are located (e.g. Bu Hasa). The SW trend has regular spacing and is dominant in the southern and central part of Abu Dhabi, east of the Falaha syncline. The NW-SE lineament is the most striking and includes two well-defined trends that cross Abu Dhabi Emirate, which in this paper are named as the Abu Dhabi Lineaments. These lineaments are associated with a linear gravity high extending from the southwestern border with Oman to the offshore close to Zakum oilfield. They are probably related to the Najd Fault System.
阿拉伯联合酋长国重力异常:对基底构造和下寒武纪盐分布的影响
利用阿拉伯联合酋长国(UAE)陆上和海上的重力测量数据,构建了该地区新的布格重力异常图。利用2700 m × 2700 m格网的重力资料,对阿拉伯板块新元古代基底的构造要素、主要线理走向和构造以及下寒武统盐盆地的分布进行了约束。利用一次垂直导数、总水平导数、倾斜导数和欧拉反褶积等先进变换技术识别重力源边缘,辅助研究区构造解释和地质建模。根据残余布格重力异常,确定了褶皱冲断带、前陆构造和盐构造3个主要构造省。东部褶皱冲断带省与短波长正重力异常有关,其成因是塞梅尔蛇绿岩及其相关逆冲片的异质系列。中部前陆盆地省以nnw向负重力异常为特征,与前深盆地基底加深、Aruma和Pabdeh沉积物增厚以及塞梅尔蛇绿岩负荷下地壳顶底弯曲有关。西部盐构造省显示出明显的局部重力低叠加在区域重力高上,这可能反映了下寒武统盐在基底上的膨胀和前深沉积的减薄。此外,受地震和井数据约束的重力模型表明,阿联酋所有盆地(包括Rub ' Al-Khali盆地南部)的陆上和海上都存在大量的下寒武纪盐体。在阿联酋绘制了一系列以前未绘制的N-S、NW和sw走向的线条,这些线条影响着基底和可能的上覆沉积物。北-南阿拉伯向线代表了一个主要构造的影响,沿着这个构造有许多重要的油田(如布哈萨)。西南走向间距规整,主要分布在阿布扎比南部和中部,法拉哈向斜以东。西北-东南线是最引人注目的,包括两个明确的趋势,穿过阿布扎比酋长国,在本文中被命名为阿布扎比线。这些特征与从阿曼西南边界延伸到Zakum油田附近的线性重力高压有关。它们可能与Najd断裂系统有关。
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来源期刊
Geoarabia
Geoarabia 地学-地球科学综合
自引率
0.00%
发文量
0
审稿时长
>12 weeks
期刊介绍: Cessation. Published from 1996 to 2015, GeoArabia, The Journal of the Middle Eastern Geosciences was a quarterly journal covering the petroleum geosciences in the Middle East. The journal covers subjects such as: - sedimentology - tectonics - geophysics - petroleum reservoir characterization
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