Malvinas Basin

Malvinas Basin
Cuenca de Malvinas
Map showing the location of Malvinas Basin
Coordinates 51°30′S 63°30′W / 51.500°S 63.500°W / -51.500; -63.500
Etymology Islas Malvinas
Location Argentine Shelf, Southern Atlantic
Region Patagonia
Country  Argentina
 United Kingdom
State(s) Santa Cruz Province
Falkland Islands
Characteristics
On/Offshore Offshore
Boundaries Río Chico-Dungeness High (W)
Scotia-South American plate boundary (S)
Part of Circum-Atlantic basins
Area ~180,000 km2 (69,000 sq mi)
Hydrology
Sea(s) Southern Atlantic Ocean
Geology
Basin type Rift basin
Orogeny Break-up of Pangea
Age Early Jurassic-Holocene
Stratigraphy Stratigraphy
Field(s) non-commercial

The Malvinas Basin (Spanish: Cuenca de Malvinas) is a major sedimentary basin in the Argentine Shelf offshore southern Patagonia. The basin borders to the west with the Río Chico-Dungeness High that separates it from the Magallanes Basin.[1] The southern boundary is formed by the Scotia plate boundary.[2] Contrary to the neighbouring North Falkland and Magallanes Basins, the Malvinas Basin is not known to have commercial hydrocarbon reserves.[3]

Tectonic history

The Malvinas Basin started to form with the break-up of Pangea since the Early Jurassic.

Stratigraphy

Though poorly understood due to the lack of well data, several formations were identified in the basin on the basis of 2D seismic, of which some also crop out in onshore Patagonia and the Austral Basin:[4]

AgeFormationLithologies
NeogeneundefinedClaystones and sandstones
PaleogeneArenas Glauconíticas & Magallaniano FormationsSandstones and claystones
Late CretaceousMargas Verdes & Arroyo Alfa FormationsClaystones and sandstones
Early CretaceousSpringhill & Pampa Rincón FormationsClaystones and sandstones
Late Jurassic
Middle JurassicTobífera FormationVolcanics and claystones
Early JurassicHiatus
PaleozoicBasementQuartzites and shales

See also

References

  1. ↑ Gallardo, 2014, p.51
  2. ↑ Foschi & Cartwright, s.a., p.42
  3. ↑ Baristeas et al., 2013
  4. ↑ Foschi & Cartwright, s.a., p.44

Bibliography

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