Behavior of Evaporitic Material During the Structuration of the Eastern Saharian Atlas, Impact on Oil Prospects

Abstract

The study’s area is located at the Eastern part of the Oriental Saharan Atlas. This structure is characterized by a succession of anticlines and synclines oriented North East-South West to East North East-West South West, diapirs occupying the hearts of some folds, rifts globally oriented North West-South East and a dense network of accidents principally oriented, North West-South East, North East-South West, East West and North South; associated or affecting these structures. The terrains encountered in the area are mainly Meso-Cenozoic, characterized by marine facies, clay and carbonate interspersed occasionally by clay-sandstone deposits corresponding to the Neocomian, Barremian, Albian and Miocene. The Triassic basins in this region underwent an important evolution controlled by geodynamic factors that existed during Mesozoic. These factors are the causes of the remobilization of the Triassic evaporite material. The beginning of this movement took place during the Albo-Aptian. This period is characterized by a tilted blocks geometry, the mechanism that can be used for the development of diapirs of the Oriental Saharan Atlas which seems to be linked to the reactivation of an accident affecting the basement [1]. The interest in the study of diapirism is the result of hydrocarbon discoveries related to this movement (Gulf of Mexico, North Sea, Iran).