Scholars' Mine Doctoral Dissertations Student Theses and Dissertations 1972 The mio-eugeosynclinal thrust interface and related petroleum implications in the Sason-Baykan Area, Southeast Turkey Ismail Özkaya Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarsmine.mst.edu/doctoral_dissertations Part of the Geology Commons Department: Geosciences and Geological and Petroleum Engineering Recommended Citation Özkaya, Ismail, "The mio-eugeosynclinal thrust interface and related petroleum implications in the Sason- Baykan Area, Southeast Turkey" (1972). Doctoral Dissertations. 198. https://scholarsmine.mst.edu/doctoral_dissertations/198 This thesis is brought to you by Scholars' Mine, a service of the Missouri S&T Library and Learning Resources. This work is protected by U. S. Copyright Law. Unauthorized use including reproduction for redistribution requires the permission of the copyright holder. For more information, please contact [email protected]. THE MIO- EUGEOSYNCLINAL THRUST INTERFACE AND RELATED PETROLEUM IMPLICATIONS IN THE SASON-BAYKAN AREA, SOUTHEAST TURKEY by ISMAIL OZKAYA, 194 A DISSERTATION Presented to the Faculty of the Graduate School of the UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI-ROLLA In Partial Fulfi I lment of the Requirements for the Degree DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY in GEOLOGY 1972 p ·' ~&IA-~f ~ i i ABSTRACT A detailed investigation of the stratigraphy, structure and petroleum geology of the Sason-Baykan region in 600 square km area of the thrust belt of southeast Turkey was completed at a scale 1: 25 000. Geosynclinal sediments within the area were redated. Results of field study indicate a massive plate of metamorphic rocks and crystal I ine limestones was thrust southward over geosynclinal sediments. These in turn were thrust over the southern marginal basin deposits. A stratigraphic sequence of the allochthonous geosynclinal sediments was reconstructed and correlated with the autochthonous Ter­ tiary section. Contrary to earlier views the allochthonous sediments and accompanying igneous rocks are not Upper Cretaceous-Paleocene but of 01 igocene-Miocene age. Radioactive age determination of two spi lite samples from this series confirmed this result. These facts suggest that eugeosynclinal conditions and submarine basic volcanic activity persisted unti I the end of Miocene in the Foothi I Is Belt of southeast Turkey. Up I ift and sedimentation migrated from north to south in time. Geosynclinal type backdeeps existed to the north on the Bitlis Massif during Upper Cretaceous-Paleocene times. After a quiet period of shallow seas in Eocene time the northern areas were uplifted and the frontal portion of the Massif downwarped. This frontal lfce-Baykan geosyncline was I inked by a northwest trending hinge to a southern marginal basin. A non-clastic stage of sedimentation was followed by a clastic stage in the Lice-Baykan geosynclinal and southern marginal basin. Lice grey marls, shales and graywackes accumulated on the southern j i i outer flanks of the northern geosyncline. Red marl, flysch and red clastic sequence of the Sason-Baykan group with accompanying basic igneous rocks was deposited in the inner eugeosyncl inal portions of the same trough. Germik evaporites and Selmo red sandstones were deposited in the southern marginal basin. The hinge belt was the site of deposition for Si Ivan reef I imestone and lower Selmo salts. The south to north facies change of these deposits reflect changing tectono-environments from moderately negative unstable shelf into deeply subsiding eugeosyncl ina I trough. Major diastrophism occurred at the end of Miocene and resulted in southward thrusting of the geosynclinal sediments and plates of the northern massif. Orogenic activity may have also migrated southward in time. Field criteria suggest a possible early 01 igocene thrusting in the northern areas of the Bit I is Massif where Upper Cretaceous-Paleocene backdeeps had been present. Metamorphic rocks and crystal I ine I imestones were thrust over these early geosyncline sediments. Today the latter occur as a tectonic slice within the allochthonous metamorphic block. A Late Miocene orogeny affected the southern frontal areas of the Bitlis Massif where the Lice-Baykan geosyncline was present. Tangential compressional forces were the main driving mechanism of deformation. Thrusting and folding took place under the action of north to south oriented stress. A final stage of tension resulted in east-west normal faults. Gravity sliding played a minor role in outlining the structure of the area but did result in the emplacement of a few exotic I imestone and serpentine blocks within the geosynclinal sediments. iv Despite its setting within a geosyncl ina I zone and thrust belt, the area does have oi I potential. The presence of source rocks, reservoir horizons, cap rocks and broad fold structures within the autochthonous block of Tertiary sediments, absence of Upper Cretaceous subsurface intraformational ophiolites, and the surficial nature of thrust plates which cover the Tertiary section are all favorable factors. v ACKNOWLEDGEMENT I express my grateful thanks to Dr. Paul Dean Proctor, Director of Water Resources Research Center, and professor of geology and geo- logical engineering, Department of Geology and Geophysics at the Uni­ versity of Missouri-Rei Ia, for suggesting the thesis topic and for his continued advice and guidance. My special thanks are due him for his visit to my field area in Turkey, and supervision and useful suggestions offered during that period. The Turkish Petroleum Corporation provided financial support, transportation and other facilities during the field work in Turkey, and also met the expenses connected with the radioactive analysis of spilite samples. I express my gratitude for the help given. I also thank the Turkish Petroleum Corporation for the permission I was granted to use their geologic information pertinent to the area of investigation. I am also grateful to Mr. Okan Ozdemir, geologist and district coordinator of the exploration group, Turkish Petroleum Corporation, for the enthusiastic interest shown by him in my work and for alI help rendered by him. I am indebted to Prof. Melih Tokay, Chairman, Department of Geological Engineering, The Middle East Technical University, Turkey, Mithat Tolgay, head, geological and geophysical exploration group, Turgut Bolgi, chief of the geological exploration group, Zeynel Malal, chief geologist and Orhan Gokmenler, general manager of the explo­ ration group of the Turkish Petroleum Corporation, for the assistance given, and facilities provided. vi I extend my thanks to Mrs. Fikriye Gungor, paleontologist, Turkish Petroleum Corporation, for her critical micropaleontologic study of my rock samples for age determination. It is with a deep sense of gratitude that I express my thanks to the Scientific Research Counci I of Turkey for providing a generous scholarship and defraying part of my travel I ing expenses. My aopre­ ciation is extended to the V. H. McNutt Memorial Foundation of the Geology Department of the University of Missouri-Rolla for providing financial aid to cover part of my travel ling exoeses. My thanks are also due to Fahri luran, driver, Turkish Petroleum Corporation, for the patience with which he shared the hardships of field work with me. Also acknowledged are several people of the Turkish Petroleum Corporation for their generous helo in laboratory work and drafting. Dr. Don Frizzel I of the University of Missouri-Rol Ia, and Dr. Orvi I le Bandy of the University of Southern California kindly identified and confirmed some microfossi Is. vii TABLE OF CONTENTS Page ABSTRACT •••••.••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••.•.••••...•••.•....• i i ACKNOWLEDGEMENT • ••••••.•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••.••••.•.••• v LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS ••••••••.•••••••.••••••.•.•.••.••••.••••••••.• x I • I NTRODUCT I ON •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• I A. Foreword •.••••.•..•..••.......•..•..•.........•..••.•• I B. Purpose and scope of investigation •......•.....•.....• ! C. Method of study • ...•••....••....•....••...•........... 4 D. Location and geography ••.....••.....•................. 6 I I • GENERAL GEOLOGIC SETTING •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• 8 A. Geo I ogy of Turkey .••...••.•.......•.••........••..••.• 8 B. Summary of the geology of southeast Turkey ....•...... II II I . PREVIOUS WORK •••••••••••••••••.••••••..•.••••.••••••••••.•• 13 IV. STRATIGRAPHY . •••••.•••••••.•.••••.••.•••••.•..•••••.••.••.. 25 A. Summary of the stratigraphy of southeast Turkey ...... 25 B. Stratigraphy of the Sason-Baykan area •.........•..... 29 I. AI lochthonous massif .....••.•...•................• 30 a. Metamorphic rocks ..••••••...•.••..•.•.•........ 31 b. Massive limestone and dolomite group ....•...•.. 33 c. Backdeep sediments .•.........•....•.•.......... 37 2. Autochthonous Tertiary sequence .•.••.............. 42 a. Antak formation •.•....•...........•............ 42 b. Midyat limestone ...•.•.....•.••.•.....•..•..... 43 c. Post-Eocene Germik, Si Ivan, and Selmo formations .•.•••.•..•••••••....••............•. 45 viii Page i. Germik formation .•••••.•••••••••.•.•.••.•••• 46 i i . S i Ivan I i mes tone ••••••••••••••.•••.••...•.•. 4 7 i i 1 • Se Imo formation •••••••••••.••.••.•••••.•.•.. 48 d. PI iocene-Pieistocene deposits .••....••••••••••. 50 i. Lahti formation •••••••.•••••••••.•.•••.••.•• 50 i i. Fi rki clastics ••..••••.•••••••.•.•••.•.••••. 50 e. Quaternary terrace and alluvium deposits ..••.•. 52 3. AI Iochthonous geosync I ina I sediments ••.••••..••..