Sequence stratigraphy and depositional history in the south-eastern German Molasse Basin

• Published in: Marine and petroleum geology Vol. 12; no. 8; pp. 929,IN3,937,IN9,939 - 936,IN8,938,IN14,940
• Main Authors: Jin, Jiuqiang, Aigner, Thomas, Luterbacher, H.P., Bachmann, Gerhard H., Müller, Manfred
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Elsevier Ltd 1995; Elsevier Science
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Crude oil, natural gas and petroleum products; depositional history; Energy; Exact sciences and technology; Fuels; Geophysical prospecting. Seismic methods and other methods. Exploration in boreholes. Well logging; German Molasse Basin; Prospecting and exploration; Prospecting and production of crude oil, natural gas, oil shales and tar sands; sequence stratigraphy; Europe; Germany; depositional history; sequence stratigraphy; German Molasse Basin; Petroleum geology; Exploration well; Petrophysics; Eocene; Stratigraphy; Seismic profile; Sedimentation
• ISSN: 0264-8172; 1873-4073
• DOI: 10.1016/0264-8172(95)98856-Z

A study of seismic lines and well data from the region between the Isar and Inn rivers (SE Germany) indicates the presence of three main depositional cycles in the Molasse Basin: Upper Eocene-Chattian Sands, Upper Chattian Marls-Aquitanian Sandstone-Shale Series and Aquitanian Fish Shales-Upper Freshwater Molasse. The flexural subsidence caused by thrust loading has the greatest influence in increasing/reducing the accommodation space for the deposition, which controlled the displacement of the depositional axis in a N-S direction. However, eustatic sea-level changes, which caused the shoreline to shift in a W-E direction, have a strong impact on the stratigraphic development of this typical foreland basin.