Journal of Petroleum Geology, Vol.1, No.3, pp. 35-53, 1979

©Copyright 2000 Scientific Press, Ltd.

SEGMENTATION OF ISLAND ARCS AND APPLICATION TO PETROLEUM GEOLOGY+

T. S. M. Ranneft*

+This paper was presented at the 1976 convention of The American Association of Petroleum Geologists in New Orleans. An abstract was published in the Bulletin of The American Association of Petroleum Geologists (Ranneft, 1976a. p. 710, 711) and a condensed version appeared in the Oil and Gas Journal (Ranneft 1976b, p 114). This is the first publication of the complete article, with minor changes.

*Consulting Geologist, Suite 222, Frontenac Plaza, 6800 Main Street, Houston, Texas 77030, USA.

Abstract

Island arcs are commonly depicted as smoothly curved or sinuous structures. This presentation almost certainly is incorrect. Most island arcs, perhaps all, are composed of more or less straight segments whose trend changes direction suddenly at specific hinge or boundary zones; these zones seem to consist of multiple transverse faults. Each straight segment itself is cut by transverse faults. The presence of the transverse structural systems is evident from geological and geophysical data.