PPFG Prediction in Complex Tectonic Settings: The North Alpine Thrust Front and Foreland Basin, SE Germany

Abstract

Estimation of pore and fracture pressures in complex tectonic settings, such as fold-and-thrust belts and their adjacent foreland basins, is usually challenging and often requires local calibration. The Cenozoic North Alpine Thrust Front and Foreland Basin in SE Germany provide an interesting and challenging example for such a complex system, comprising overpressured sections in the thrust belt, the overthrusted foreland sediments below the main detachment and the undeformed foreland basin. Based on the synthesis of recent research in the study area and new analyses of additional well data from the thrust front, pore and fracture pressure models will be presented for the different parts of the North Alpine Thrust Front and Foreland Basin in SE Germany. The results demonstrate, that understanding of the geological history, stress regime variations and overpressure generation are key to estimate pore and fracture pressures in complex tectonic settings, such as the North Alpine Thrust Front and Foreland Basin in SE Germany.