Forming Giant Salt Deposits in Ultra-Deep Brine Settings by Dynamic Inflow and Evaporation: The Aptian South Atlantic Example

Abstract

Summary In this talk, we will demonstrate that the common assumptions of brine depth, salt paleotopography and desiccation cycles during salt deposition are inconsistent with the observations from the Mediterranean and South Atlantic salt basins. We propose an ultra-deep basin, ultra-deep (g750 m) brine model for these salt giants and demonstrate using numerical modeling that Dynamic Inflow and Evaporation is a favorable mechanism to generate them. These insights can help us reconcile the paleogeography of the basins during and before salt deposition, which could have significant impact on interpreting the environment of deposition of pre-salt strata.