Thermal history of deeply buried sedimentary rocks in the vicinity of salt diapirs (Schleswig-Holstein area)

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A detailed study of the thermal evolution of deeply buried Mesozoic and Palaeozoic sedimentary rocks in the Schleswig-Holstein area is proposed to bridge the gap to adjacent areas in the Central European Basin studied previously. The Schleswig-Holstein area has a complex basin evolution reaching maximum burial and hence thermal maturation partly during Mesozoic (Jurassic) times and partly during the Neogene. Furthermore, it is characterized by the most intensive salt tectonics within the entire basin. As salt has a much higher thermal conductivity than other sedimentary rocks, the temperature and maturity distribution in the basin will be significantly affected by salt tectonics. Accordingly, it is one major goal of this project to study maturity evolution in the vicinity of salt domes. Many other sedimentary basins, including major oil and gas provinces, are also charaterized by abundant salt diapirs and other salt structures. Therefore, the results of this part can be applied to other basins as well. The German petroleum industry meanwhile agreed to allow sampling in the vicinity of two important salt structures within the Central European Basin. Finally high levels of maturation are to be expected in the Palaeozoic section of the Schleswig-Holstein area, but evolution of vitrinite maturation at such high maturation levels has not been studied sufficiently. Therefore laboratory experiments on maturation of prematured vitrinite should be perfomed. The results can be of great importance in other numerical basin modelling studies.