Tectono-geophysical model of the Southern Caspian in the context of the presence of oil and gas

Abstract

In the paper, the subduction of the South Caspian microplate beneath the continental lithosphere of Central Caspian is substantiated based on the GPS measurements, crustal density model, seismological data, and seismic section along the Elburs–Apsheron–Balkhan Sill regional profile. In this context, the geodynamical model is suggested for the formation and spatial distribution of the oil and gas fields in the South Caspian Basin (SCB). It is shown that the heterogeneous oil-and-gas saturation of the sedimentary section within the South Caspian Depression (SCD), which was revealed by the long-term prospecting and exploration works, is, according to the suggested model, controlled by the subduction zone. The developed geodynamical approach to the problem of the formation of hydrocarbon deposits in the South Caspian Basin calls for rethinking the strategy of further prospecting for hydrocarbons in this region.