THE USE OF STATISTICAL ANALYSIS IN THE LITHOSTRATIGRAPHY OF SUBMARINE FAN DEPOSITS. AN EXAMPLE FROM SOUTHEAST GREECE (KARPATHOS ISLAND)

Τα τελευταία χρόνια γίνεται προσπάθεια από πολλούς γεωλόγους στην κατεύθυνση της ποσοτικοποίησης και στατιστικής ανάλυσης των γεωλογικών δεδομένων. Ένα από τα πεδία αυτής της έρευνας είναι οι αποθέσεις υποθαλάσσιων ριπιδίων («φλύσχης»). Η στατιστική ανάλυση σε τέτοιου είδους αποθέσεις εστιάζεται κυρίως στο πάχος των στρωμάτων και έχει σαν στόχο τον προσδιορισμό παραμέτρων όπως το περιβάλλον απόθεσης, η πηγή τροφοδοσίας ιζήματος, οι υδροδυναμικές συνθήκες απόθεσης κτλ. Κύρια εργαλεία ανάλυσης είναι οι λογαριθμικές κατανομές του πάχους των στρωμάτων. Στην παρουσίαση δίνονται παραδείγματα διαφόρων ειδών λογαριθμικών κατανομών που έχουν προταθεί τα τελευταία χρόνια, καθώς και ένα παράδειγμα εφαρμογής τους σε αποθέσεις υποθαλάσσιων ριπιδίων στη ΝΑ Ελλάδα (Κάρπαθος).Examples of various types of statistical analysis of submarine fan bed thickness distributions that have been proposed in the past are reported, as well as an example of their application in Late Eocene-Oligocene submarine fan deposits of SE Greece (Karpathos Island). Generally, the sandstone bed thickness data measured in two outcrops of Karpathos submarine fans seems to follow power law (fractal) cumulative distributions. A deviation from the power law was observed as amalgamationprocedures become more frequent. These observations gave important information about Tertiary turbidite sedimentation in the area which probably was punctuated and had a single main sediment source. Information taken from statistical analysis of submarine fans bed thickness data has immediate applicability in hydrocarbon exploration because sandstones constitute ideal reservoirs

APPLICATION OF BED THICKNESS DISTRIBUTIONS IN LATE EOCENE-OLIGOCENE TURBIDITE DEPOSITS OF GREECE: SOME PRELIMINARY RESULTS

Μια απλή εφαρμογή των κατανομών πάχους στρωμάτων επιχειρήθηκε σε φυσικές τομές τουρβιδιτών Άνω Ηωκαινικής - Ολιγοκαινικής ηλικίας σε τρεις διαφορετικές περιοχές της Ελλάδας. Οι τρεις τομές που με^ήθηκαν βρίσκονται στο Ευηνοχώρι Αιτ/νίας (Δυτική Ελλάδα), το νησί της Καρπάθου (ΝΑ Ελλάδα) και το νησί της Λήμνου (ΒΑ Ελλάδα). Όλες οι τομές παρουσιάζουν παρόμοια ιζηματολογικά χαρακτηριστικά. Τρία είδη διαγραμμάτων χρησιμοποιήθηκαν: διάγραμμα λογαρίθμου- λογαρίθμου, λογαρίθμου-κλίμακας πιθανότητας και καμπύλης συχνότητας. Οι κατανομές του πάχους των στρωμάτων και στα τρία είδη διαγραμμάτων δείχνουν ομοιότητα ανάμεσα στους τουρβιδίτες Δυτικής και ΝΑ Ελλάδας και διαφορά τους από αυτούς της ΒΑ Ελλάδας. Το γεγονός αυτό πιθανά οφείλεται σε διαφορετική μορφολογία των λεκανών ιζηματογένεσης των τουρβιδιτών, λόγω διαφορετικών τεκτονικών διεργασιών.A simple application of bed thickness distributions was attempted in outcrops of Late Eocene-Oligocene turbidites in three dispersed localities of Greece. The three studied sections are located at Evinohori area (West Greece), Karpathos Island (SE Greece) and Limnos Island (NE Greece). All outcrops show similar sedimentological characteristics. Three types of plots were used: log-log, log-probability and frequency curves. Bed thickness data indicate similarity between West-SE Greece turbidites and discrimination from NE Greece turbidites which is attributed to different basin morphology due to different tectonic processes

The implication of transfer faults in foreland basin evolution: application on Pindos foreland basin, West Peloponnesus, Greece

Pindos foreland basin in west Peloponnesus (Tritea, Hrisovitsi and Finikounda sub-basins) during Late Eocene to Early Oligocene was an underfilled foreland basin. The basin's geometry was affected by the presence of internal thrusting and transfer faults, causing changes in depth and width. Due to internal thrusting, the foreland basin changed through time from a uniform to non-uniform configuration, whereas transfer faults have an intensive impact on depositional environments within the basin. Internal thrusting (Gavrovo, internal and middle Ionian thrusts) activated synchronously with the major Pindos Thrust, creating intrabasinal highs that influenced palaeocurrent directions. The transfer faults cross-cut the intrabasinal highs and produced low relief areas that act as pathways for sediment distribution. The sediments are thicker and sandstone-rich on the downthrown sides of the transfer faults. In these areas, sandstone reservoirs could be produced. Such tectonically active areas constitute promise for oil and gas reservoirs and traps

Stratigraphic evolution and source rock potential of a lower oligocene to lower-middle miocene continental slope system, hellenic fold and thrust belt, Ionian Sea, northwest Greece

The Western flanks of the Hellenic Fold and Thrust Belt are similar to the nearby prolific Albanian oil and gas provinces, where commercial volumes of oil have been produced. The Lower Oligocene to Lower-Middle Miocene slope series at this part of the Hellenic Fold and Thrust Belt provides a unique opportunity to evaluate the anatomy and source rock potential of such a system from an outcrop perspective. Slope progradation is manifested as a vertical pattern exhibiting an increasing amount of sediment bypass upwards, which is interpreted as reflecting increasing gradient conditions. The palaeoflow trend exhibits a western direction during the Late Oligocene but since the Early Miocene has shifted to the East. The occurrence of reliable index species allowed us to recognize several nannoplankton biozones (NP23 to NN5). Organic geochemical data indicate that the containing organic matter is present in sufficient abundance and with good enough quality to be regarded as potential source rocks. The present Rock-Eval II pyrolytic yields and calculated values of hydrogen and oxygen indexes imply that the recent organic matter type is of type III kerogen. A terrestrial origin is suggested and is attributed to short transportation distance and accumulation at rather low water depth. The succession is immature with respect to oil generation and has not experienced high temperature during burial. However, its eastern down-slope equivalent deep-sea mudstone facies should be considered as good gas-prone source rocks onshore since they may have experienced higher thermal evolution. In addition, they may have improved organic geochemical parameters because there is no oxidization of the organic matter