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Role of Multiple Décollement Horizons in the Structural Style of the Sefid-Zakhur Anticline in the Fars Province, Zagros Belt

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Abstract

The geometry of the Sefid-Zakhur anticline, a gas reservoir in the Fars province, and the main controlling factors of the structural style in this anticline are studied in this research. The integration of the 2D seismic profiles, well data, and the fieldwork was used to study the geometry variations of the Sefid-Zakhur anticline. The geometry of this anticline is different vertically and horizontally. It is a chevron fault in the western part and a box fold in the eastern part. Observed growth strata in the Mishan Formations show that the folding started in the Middle Miocene time in this area. The Sefid-Zakhur anticline indicates a significant over-thickening of the middle décollement horizon (Dashtak evaporites) in their crestal domain. In this region, the Triassic Dashtak evaporites and the Cambrian Hormuz salt are the main décollement horizons. The upper Cretaceous Gurpi shales are also minor décollement horizon. Decoupling across the décollement horizons is obviously visible in the Sefid-Zakhur anticline, especially across the thick Dashtak evaporites. The decoupling across the thick Dashtak evaporites causes the shift of the anticline crest in the underlying Permo-Triassic carbonates of the Dehram Group, which form the major gas reservoir. Therefore, the investigation of the décollement horizons is of utmost importance in the management of these reservoirs. The results of this research suggest that the presence of multiple décollement horizons is the main controlling factor of the structural style in this anticline.

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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

The authors are indebted to the National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC, Tehran, Iran) for providing the wells data and seismic profiles for this study.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Islamic Azad University, Department of Geology, Shiraz Branch, Shiraz, Iran

    M. Nabiei, K. Yazdjerdi & A. Asadi

  2. National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC), P.O. 1533743911, Tehran, Iran

    B. Soleimany

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Nabiei, M., Yazdjerdi, K., Soleimany, B. et al. Role of Multiple Décollement Horizons in the Structural Style of the Sefid-Zakhur Anticline in the Fars Province, Zagros Belt. Geotecton. 55, 408–422 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1134/S0016852121030067

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