Permo-Triassic unconformities in the Central European Basin: Their petrographic, geochemical and petrophysical fingerprints and tectonic implications

• Applicant: Professor Dr. Harald Stollhofen
• Subject Area: Palaeontology
• Term: from 2002 to 2010
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 5367871

The Late Permian/Early Triassic succession of the Central European Basin was repeatedly affected by tectonic pulses associated with the earliest phases of Tethyan and Arctic-North Atlantic rifting. Effects of differential tectonic subsidence are particularly well recorded by unconformities which form widespread sequence boundaries. The anatomy, thickness of erosion and the petrographic, geochemical and petrophysical characteristics of such unconformities will be examined by an integrated analysis of available seismic sections, wireline logs and field outcrop data. Sequence stratigraphic concepts are used to establish a high-resolution correlation between time-equivalent sequences from (A) contrasting depositional settings (marine influenced Alpine Triassic vs non-marine fluvial and aeolian of N. Europe) and (B) contrasting tectonic (rift vs "cratonic" basin) settings. The proposed project aims to identify, separate and quantify tectonic controls on sequence development. Priority questions are: How are unconformities expressed in these contrasting depositional and tectonic settings and what is the relevant tectonic input to the provision of accommodation space? Knowledge of the distribution, geometry, and erosional thickness of unconformities provides not only key information on the palaeotectonic setting of the Central European basin but is also of great importance for HC reservoir modelling and seismic section analysis. Published results will evaluate the potential relative importance of tectonism in the development of sequences generally and thus will stand as a baseline study by which to calibrate sequence stratigraphic and hydrocarbon reservoir investigations elsewhere.

• DFG Programme: Priority Programmes
• Subproject of: SPP 1135: Dynamics of Sedimentary Systems under Varying Stress Regimes: The Example of the Central European Basin System
• Participating Person: Professor Peter Kukla, Ph.D.