Evolution of the Miocene deposits of the Carpathian Foredeep in the vicinity of Rzeszów (the Sokołów-Smolarzyny 3D seismic survey area)

The Miocene Carpathian foredeep basin in Poland (CFB) developed in front of the Outer Carpathian fold-and-thrust belt, at the junction of the East European craton and the Palaeozoic platform. 3D seismic data, cores and well logs from Sokołów area (vicinity of Rzeszów) were used in order to construct new depositional model of the Miocene succession of the Carpathian foredeep. The gas-bearing Miocene infill of the CFB is characterized by a shallowing-upward trend of sedimentation and consists of hemipelagic, turbiditic and deltaic and nearshore-to-estuarine facies associations. Lowermost part of the Miocene infill seems to has been deposited from the North. Such direction of sediment supply was related to influence of existing relief of the pre-Miocene basement, where very deep (up to 1,5 km) erosional valleys cut into the pre-Miocene (Precambrian) basement due to inversion and uplift of the SE segment of theMid-Polish Trough are located. Upper part of theMiocene infill reflects sediment progradation from the South, from the Carpathian area into the foredeep basin. In the Rzeszów area existence of the so-called anhydrite-less island, i.e. relatively large area devoid of the Badenian evaporitic cover caused by the post-Badenian uplift and widespread erosion of evaporites,has been postulated for many years. Interpretation of 3D seismic data showed that such model should be abandoned. In the studied part of the CFB, Late Badenian evaporitic sedimentation was restricted to the axial parts of deep paleovalleys. Evaporites deposited in these valleys have been rarely encountered by exploration wells as such wells were almost exclusively located above basement highs separating erosional paleovalleys, hence giving incorrect assumption regarding regional lack of evaporitic cover. It is possible that in axial parts of these valleys important gas accumulations might exist, charged from the South and sealed by the Badenian evaporites

100 years of the Polish Geological Society (1921-2021)

The Polish Geological Society (PGS) was established on April 24, 1921. The seat of the PGS Board is in Kraków, as the Jagiellonian University in Kraków was the most active centre of geological sciences before Poland regained independence in 1918. Forover100years, the main forms of the Society's activity have been annual conferences in various parts of Poland and the publication of the journal Annales Societatis Geologorum Poloniae. There are three main periods in the history of the Society. During the first period, covering the years 1921-1939, the activities of PGS focused on the integration of the geological community and the development of regional branches (Warszawa, Lwów, Borysław and Wilno). During this period, the tradition of annual scientific meetings of PGS in various parts of Poland was established. Additionally, PGS members were instrumental in establishing the Carpatho-Balkan Geological Association and the INQUA. The development of PGS was abruptly stopped in September 1939 by World War II, during which several dozens of Society's members lost their lives. The third period covers the post-war period. The most intense development of the society took place in the 1960s and 1970s, when membership reached almost 1,500 active members, and the attendance at the annual meetings was in the order of hundreds of participants, often including foreign guests. During this period, many regional branches and specialist sections were established. The society's activity was high also during the crisis years of the1980s. After the political changes in 1989-1990, PGS significantly developed international contacts. In the1990s, representatives of the Society were invited to AEGS, EFG and AAPG, which resulted in the organization of numerous international conferences. One of the most important initiatives of the 21st century was the organization of the Polish Geological Congresses in 2008, 2012 and 2016. The most important element of the Society's activities is still the very popular annual PGS Scientific Meetings together with the accompanying field trips and seminars