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Geological Society, London, Memoirs; 2004; v. 29; p. 91-100;
DOI: 10.1144/GSL.MEM.2004.029.01.10
© 2004 Geological Society of London

Depositional Systems

3D Seismic Interpretation of the Messinian Unconformity in the Valencia Basin, Spain

Jose Frey Martinez1, Joseph A. Cartwright1, Peter M. Burgess1 & Jose Vicente Bravo2

1 3DLab, School of Earth, Ocean and Planetary Sciences, Cardiff University, , Main Building, Park Place, Cardiff C 10 3 YE, UK(e-mail: jose{at}ocean.cf.ac.uk)
2 Repsol-YPF. Paseo de la Castellana 280, , 4°, 28046, Madrid, Spain

This paper documents the complex three-dimensional geometry of the Messinian Unconformity in the Tarraco concession area on the Ebro Shelf, based on the Tortuga 3D seismic survey. A detailed map of the Messinian Unconformity Surface has been constructed in the survey area, and shows a dendritic drainage pattern with valleys that are around 1 km wide, and 6-7 km in length. The overall morphology of the surface is strongly reminiscent of badlands topography, from semi-arid zone erosion of sandstone-shale sequences. The depth of incision of the valleys into the pre-Messinian clastic sequences is around 400 m. The results obtained confirm previous models of sub-aerial exposure creating erosion of the pre-Messinian shelf and slope sequences that generated the spectacular Messinian Unconformity.