Geology of Western Cuba and Surrounding Areas
J. G. Lopez-Rivera, R. Tenreyro-Perez, J. O. Lopez-Quintero, J. Fernandez-Carmona, G. Barcelo-Carol
This study focuses on the structural geology and evolution of Western Cuba.
The structural interpretations are based by integrating surface geology,
gravimetric surveys, deep wells and seismic data. The regional structure is
determined by the collision and obduction of the Cretaceous volcanic arc over
the continental margin of North America. Three tectonic regimes are highlighted:
extensional (Jurassic-Middle Cretaceous), compressional (Late Cretaceous-Early
Eocene) and transtensional (Late Eocene-Quaternary). During the extensional
regime
the continental margin sediments were formed in two tectono-stratigraphic
domains: Pinar, associated to the Yucatan block, and Las Villas associated to
the Bahamas Block, divided by a transformed
fault
. In the Pinar domain we
recognize he Organos, Esperanza and Coco units; in the Las Villas domain, the
Rosario, Placetas, Camajuani and Coco units. To the South the Cretaceous
volcanic are and its fore-are and back-arc basins were formed. During the
compressional
regime
the collision and obduction of the volcanic are with the
continental margin formed different synorogenic sediments that were folded,
faulted and overthrusted to the North with the continental margin rocks, forming
a great tectonic stacking with a very complex structure. During the
transtensional
regime
the overthrust belt was isostatically readjusted, with the
formation of postorogenic basins more than 3.5 kilometers deep and uplifted
blocks, that conform the actual structure of the region. We include typical
seismic lines, stratigraphic correlations and d ep well data.
AAPG Search and Discovery Article #91020©1995 AAPG Annual Convention, Houston, Texas, May 5-8, 1995