Abstract
The Tertiary Central Valley of Luzon is a remarkably well-exposed fore-arc basin, with both the trenchward and arc flanks uplifted and dissected. A study of outcrop geology, drilling results, and seismic reflection records determined the changing geometry of the basin through time, facies distributions, sediment-distribution patterns, and hydrocarbon potential for the basin. The uplifted western flank exposes an ophiolite sequence, pelagic deposits, and deep-sea to shallow-marine clastics that document the emplacement and uplift of the seaward side of the basin. The eastern flank shows non-marine and shallow-marine volcaniclastic aprons shed off the arc, overlain by reefs, shallow-water clastics, and a progressively deepening slope/basin turbidite sequence. Basin geometries and detrital mineralogy suggest that the Central Valley formed as an elongate geomorphic feature in the middle Miocene and progressively subsided and filled into Pliocene time. Over 35,000 ft (10,668 m) of sediment accumulated prior to a westward jump of the fore-arc basin to a site nearer to the Manila Trench. The positions of shelf/slope boundaries and prograding deltas can be documented from seismic-stratigraphic analysis. The history of basin formation and relative positions of possible source and reservoir rocks suggest that the Central Valley has undiscovered hydrocarbon potential. End_of_Article - Last_Page 544------------
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