Extension of the Apulian Platform in the Northwest Greek Offshore: paleogeography update and impact on hydrocarbon prospectivity- Greece.

This presentation is about shallow water carbonate platforms and associated build-ups present the NW Greek Offshore. Its goal is to delineate the offshore extension of the Apulian platform-type series resting over the western edge of the Adria microplate present within the convergent boundary zone between the African and Eurasian plates. This study, based on careful seismic stratigraphy analysis of a multiclient 2D “Broad band” data acquired and processed by Petroleum Geo-services, has enabled to identify two shallow water isolated platforms between the Otranto Strait and the Strophades Islets. The northern “Apulian Ridge” and the southern “Strophades Ridge” present on either side of the Kefalonia dextral strike slip fault, are atoll-like rimmed carbonate platforms that developed in passive margin condition during the Mesozoic. During the Cenozoic these atolls were topped by two sets of shallow water build-ups attributed to (1) Upper Oligocene-Lower Miocene, quite unique in the Mediterranean as they formed during the Alpine orogeny climax, and (2) Upper Miocene, demised during the Messinian Salinity crisis. Despite crucial unknown about rocks age and properties, some of the identified Mesozoic build-ups or resedimented base of slope carbonates and Cenozoic fringing build-ups represent future valuable exploration targets.