Characteristic features of salt tectonics offshore North Sinai, Egypt

Abstract

Salt tectonic along offshore North Sinai was studied using seismic reflection data. The study revealed and identified various types of salt tectonics and structures in the study area. The triggering mechanism of salt tectonics was attributed to the pressure regime initiated from overloading sediments on the Messinian evaporites. The sediment load of 3,000 m exceeds the critical load (more than 1,000 m) and hence creates a pressure zone. The salt-generated structures resulted from thin-skinned extension that is driven by gravity gliding of the overloading sediments above the Messinian evaporite boundary, which acts as a detachment layer. These structures comprise normal growth faults and keystone grabens, trending roughly perpendicular to the slope of the continental margin. Salt tectonics in the study area were also triggered by the deformation of the movement of evaporite layer that causes stretching and fragmentation of the evaporite layer. Moving salt layer took place laterally and vertically, causing lateral and vertical pressures inside the Pliocene sediments. These movements of sediments led to the formation of salt rollers, salt weld, salt diapirs, rollover structures, and fault blocks. The interpretation of seismic data illustrates that the evaporite layer was switched off between the famous reflector M at its top and another reflector N at its base. M reflector is present and can be traced across the whole study area, while the N reflector pinched out in some parts of the study area.