Major Tectonic Lineaments Influencing the Oilfields of the Zagros Fold-Thrust Belt, SW Iran: Insights from Integration of Surface and Subsurface Data

Abstract

The Zagros fold-thrust belt (ZFTB) formed from the progressive collision between the African-Arabian and Eurasian plates. This study focuses on the major tectonic lineaments concerned with the distribution of oilfields in the southern Dezful Embayment as an extremely rich hydrocarbon province in the ZFTB, SW Iran. Integration of surface, near-surface and sub-surface data (e.g., remote sensing, overburden rocks, reservoir and aeromagnetic data) were used for locating major tectonic lineaments in the study area. The results show that the southern Dezful Embayment area was influenced by tectonic lineaments oriented in the NW-SE, NE-SW, E-W and N-S trends, which are possible fault indicators corresponding to surface, shallow subsurface and basement faults. The dominant N-S and E-W tectonic lineaments possibly highlight the stress regime inherited from old structures in the Arabian Shield basement while the NE-SW, NW-SE trends are interpreted as effects of the Zagros orogeny. Generally, these tectonic lineaments influenced both the basement and sedimentary rocks and are used here to divide the belt into several faulted blocks with different structural frameworks. A clear picture of the tectonic trends influencing the Zagros fold-thrust belt oilfields as well as guidance for delineating hydrocarbon reservoirs in the future are presented.