Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-q99xh Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-18T16:11:19.823Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Inverted basins in the Netherlands, similarities and differences

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 April 2016

J. de Jager*
Affiliation:
Nederlandse Aardolie Maatschappij BV, Postbus 28000, 9400 HH Assen, the Netherlands

Abstract

Core share and HTML view are not available for this content. However, as you have access to this content, a full PDF is available via the ‘Save PDF’ action button.

All Dutch rift basins that formed during Jurassic and Early Cretaceous extension have been inverted during the Late Cretaceous and Early Tertiary. Several inversion pulses occurred more or less simultaneously in all basins. Analysis of vitrinite reflectance data, in combination with fission track and fluid inclusion data show that the magnitude of uplift and erosion generally did not exceed 2 km. Inversion was strongest in the Broad Fourteens, Central Netherlands and West Netherlands basins. The direction of maximum compressive stress was generally not at right angles to the pre-existing fault trends, and resulted in transpressional movements. Within the NW-SE striking basins, dextral strike-slip movements can often be interpreted, which is consistent with a general N-S to NNW-SSE direction of maximum compression related to Alpine structural events. Where no Zechstein salt is present, trends of flower structures formed through reverse reactivation of pre-existing faults. Where the Zechstein salt is thick, re-activated faults could not breach the salt, and a broad uplift of the post-salt succession resulted, while faulting below the salt caused acceleration of halokinesis. In areas where the Zechstein salt was thin, and where the offsets of reverse faults exceeded the thickness of the salt, impressive thrusts with the Zechstein salt as detachment horizon developed. The later Tertiary inversion pulses did not affect all basins, and caused broad basin uplift in the West and Central Netherlands basins while individual faults were no longer reactivated. It appears that due to crustal thickening during the first inversion pulses the crust could become stabilised such that further compression could only be accommodated by broad basin uplift.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Stichting Netherlands Journal of Geosciences 2003

References

Baldschuhn, R., Best, G. &. Kockel, F., 1991. Inversion tectonics in the north-west German basin. In: Spencer, A.M. (ed.) Generation, accumulation and production of Europe’s hydrocarbons. Special publication of the European Association of Petroleum Geoscientists: 149–159.Google Scholar
Baldschuhn, R. &. Kockel, F., 1999. Das Osning-Lineament am Südrand de Niedersachsen Beckens. Zeitschrift der deutschen Geologischen Gesellschaft 150/4: 673–695.Google Scholar
Betz, D., Führer, F., Greiner, G. & Plein, E., 1987. Evolution of the Lower Saxony Basin. Tectonophysics 137: 127–170.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bodenhausen, J.W.A. & Ott, W.F., 1981. Habitat of the Rijswijk oil province, onshore The Netherlands. In: Illing, L.V. & Hobson, G.D. (Eds) Petroleum Geology of the Continental Shelf of NW Europe. Heyden (London): 301–309.Google Scholar
De Jager, J., Doyle, M.A., Grantham, P.J. & Mabillard, J.E., 1996. Hydrocarbon habitat of the West Netherlands Basin. In: Rondeel, H.E., Batjes, D.A.J. & Nieuwenhuijs, W.H. (Eds) Geology of oil and gas under the Netherlands. Royal Geological and Mining Society, Kluwer (Dordrecht): 191–209.Google Scholar
Dronkers, A.J. & Mrozek, F.J., 1991. Inverted basins of The Netherlands. First Break 9: 409–425.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Geluk, M.C., Duin, E.J.Th., Dusar, M., Rijkers, R.H.B., van den Berg, M.W. & van Rooijen, P., 1994. Stratigraphy and tectonics of the Roer Valley Graben. Geologie en Mijnbouw 73: 129–141.Google Scholar
Gras, R., 1995. Late Cretaceous sedimentation and tectonic inversion, southern Netherlands. Geologie en Mijnbouw 74: 117–127.Google Scholar
Gras, R. & Geluk, M.C., 1999. Late Cretaceous-Early Tertiary sedimentation and tectonic inversion in the southern Netherlands. Geologie en Mijnbouw 78: 1–19.Google Scholar
Hayward, A.B. & Graham, R.H., 1989. Some geometrical characteristics of inversuion. In: Cooper, M.A. & Williams, G.D. (Eds) Inversion tectonics. Geological Society Special Publication 44 (London): 17–39.Google Scholar
Heybroek, P., 1975. On the structure of the Dutch part of the Central North Sea Graben. In: Woodland, A.W. (Ed.) Petroleum and the Continental Shelf of Northwest Europe. Applied Science Publishers (Barking): 339–351.Google Scholar
Hooper, R.J., Goh, L.S. & Dewey, F., 1995. The inversion history of the northeastern margin of the Broad Fourteens Basin. In: Buchanan, J.G. & Buchanan, P.G. (Eds) Basin Inversion. Special Publication 88, Geological Society (London): 307–319.Google Scholar
Huyghe, P. & Mugnier, J.L., 1994. Intra-plate stresses and basin inversion: a case from the soputhern North Sea. In: Roure, F. (Ed) Pre-Tethyan platforms. Éditions Technip (Paris): 211–226.Google Scholar
Huyghe, P. & Mugnier, J.L., 1995. A comparison of inverted basins of the southern North Sea and inverted structures of the external Alps. In: Buchanan, J.G. & Buchanan, P.G. (Eds) Basin Inversion. Special Publication 88, Geological Society (London): 339–353.Google Scholar
Kockel, F., this volume. Inversion structures in Central Europe: Expressions and reasons, an open discussion.Google Scholar
Nalpas, Th., Le Douaran, S., Brun, J.P., Unternehr, P. & Richert, J.P., 1995. Inversion of the Broad Fourteens Basin (offshore Netherlands), a small scale-model investigation. Sedimentary Geology 95: 237–250.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Oele, J.A., Hol, A.C.P.J. & Tiemens, J., 1981. Some Rotliegend gas fields of the K and L blocks, Netherlands offshore (1968-1978) - A case history. In: Illing, L.V. & Hobson, G.P. (Eds) Petroleum Geology of the continental shelf of north-west Europe. Institute of Petroleum (London): 289–300.Google Scholar
Oudmayer, B.C. & De Jager, J., 1993. Fault reactivation and oblique-slip in the Southern North Sea. In: Parker, J.R. (Ed.) Petroleum Geology of Northwest Europe. Proceedings of the 4th Conference. Geological Society (London): 1281–1290.Google Scholar
Racero-Baena, A. & Drake, S.J., 1996. Structural style and reservoir development in the West Netherlands oil province. In: Rondeel, H.E., Batjes, D.A.J. & Nieuwenhuijs, W.H. (Eds) Geology of oil and gas under the Netherlands. Royal Geological and Mining Society, kluwer (Dordrecht): 211–228.Google Scholar
Van den Berg, M.W., 1994. Neotectonics of the Roer Valley rift system. Style and rate of crustal deformation inferred from syntectonic sedimentation. Geologie en Mijnbouw 73: 143–156.Google Scholar
Van den Berg, M.W., Groenewoud, W., Lorenz, G.K., Lubbers, P.J., Brus, D.J. & Kroonenberg, S.B., 1994. Patterns and velocities of recent crustal movements in the Dutch part of the Roer Valley rift system. Geologie en Mijnbouw 73: 157–168.Google Scholar
Van Hoorn, B., 1987. Structural evolution, timing and tectonic style of the Sole Pit inversion. Tectonophysics 137: 309–334.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Van Wijhe, D.H., 1987a. The structural evolution of the Broad Fourteens Basin. In: Brooks, J. & Glennie, K. (eds). Petroleum Geology of North West Europe. Graham & Trotman (London): 315–323.Google Scholar
Van Wijhe, D.H., 1987b. Structural evolution of inverted basins in the Dutch offshore. Tectonophysics 137: 171–219.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ziegler, P.A., 1987a. Compressional intra-plate deformations in the Alpine foreland-and introduction. Tectonophysics, 137: 1–5.Google Scholar
Ziegler, P.A., 1987b. Late Cretaceous and Cenozoic intra-plate compressional deformations in the Alpine foreland - a geodynamic model. Tectonophysics, 137: 389–420.Google Scholar
Ziegler, P.A., 1988. Evolution of the Arctic, North Atlantic and western Tethys. AAPG Memoir 43: pp 108.Google Scholar
Ziegler, P.A., 1990a. Geological Atlas of Western and Central Europe, 2nd edition. Shell Internationale Petroleum Maatschappij, Geological Society Publishing House (Bath; distributors) 239 p, 56 encl.Google Scholar
Ziegler, P.A., 1990b. Tectonic and paleogeographic development of the North Sea rift system. In: Blundell, D.J. & Gibbs, A.D. (Eds) Tectonic evolution of the North Sea rifts. Oxford Science Publications (Oxford): 1–36.Google Scholar
Ziegler, P.A., 1994. Cenozoic rift system of western and central Europe: an overview. Geologie en Mijnbouw 73: 99–127.Google Scholar
Ziegler, P.A., Cloetingh, S. & Van Wees, J.D., 1995. Dynamics of intra-plate compressional deformation: the Alpine foreland and other examples. Tectonophysics 252: 7–59.CrossRefGoogle Scholar