Sedimentation of the Montserrat fan-delta occurred during Bartonian/Priabonian times as a response to basement uplift due to transpressive faulting in the Catalan Coastal Ranges. The sediments are heavily fractured as a result of post-Middle Eocene tectonism associated with subsequent movements along the Catalan Coastal Ranges. By use of cross-cutting relations, mineralisation, fracture morphologies and kinematic indicators, relative dating of the fracture sets, and correlation to regional tectonic stresses have been performed. NNE-SSW-oriented fractures (Set A) are suggested to initiate during Rupelian time, as a system of sub-vertical (Mode I) and conjugate (Mode II) fractures, which indicate vertical S Z = σ 1 and WNW-ESE-oriented S h = σ 3. During Middle to Late Oligocene times several episodes of fracturing occurred within the Montserrat fan-delta. Reactivation of Set A (NNE-SSW) fractures by sinistral oblique displacement, was associated with shift in principal stress from vertical S Z = σ 1 to a horizontal N-S-oriented stress S H = σ 1. Conjugate fractures (Set B NE and Set B NW oriented, respectively, NE-SW and NW-SE) developed as a response to a sub-horizontal approximately N-S-oriented S H = σ 1. Set C fractures (oriented WNW-ESE) characterize orthogonal fracture patterns with Set A fractures, suggesting that Set C represents the younger generation. Observations of Set C fractures in the southeasternmost part of the Montserrat fan-delta prove reverse displacement, and transport towards the north-northeast, indicating a horizontal NNE-SSW-oriented S H = σ 1, east-westerly-oriented S h = σ 2, and vertical S Z = σ 3. Changing stress situations in the Montserrat fan-delta during Oligocene times correspond with successive change in the regional stress. A second phase of reactivation of Set A occurred during latest Oligocene-Early Miocene times. Hanging-wall blocks faulted down-to-the-east propose vertical S Z = σ 1 and WNW-ESE-oriented S h = σ 3 during this phase, which is most likely to be correlated with the regional latest Oligocene-Early Miocene extension in NE Spain.