ABSTRACT

This paper presents data concerning the distribution and morphology of salt in two selected basins, together with information on hydrocarbon production. These data are analyzed in terms of salt tectonic models and lead to a better understand ing of the relationships between various types of salt structures and hydrocarbon accumulations, in particular how they relate to Gulf Coast salt and hydrocarbons. The spatial separation of salt walls and the relationship of critical depth of sediment necessary to cause buoyancy of the salt, suggest that the Zechstein salt has been essentially autochthonous since deposition, whereas the Gabon salt is manifestly allochthonous. Relation of the salt accumulations to hydrocarbon fields is also made, leading to contrasting patterns of association, and non-association of hydrocarbons with salt in the Gabon and Western Europe areas respectively. The Gabon basin is shown to be the closest analog to the Gulf of Mexico in terms solely of salt tectonics, but even here the absence of a Mississippi-type discharge means that there is a less close analog behavior in terms of rich hydrocarbon source rocks and pervasive sand reservoirs.