2-Day Post-Conference Field Trip (28-29 April 2016)

Cretaceous Carbonates of the Gagano Promontory: Facies, Depositional Geometries, Deformation Structures and Dolomitization


Day 1: A facies transect from the Apulian Carbonate Platform to the Adriatic-Ionian Basin: looking for outcrop analogues for the Adriatic offshore plays

Field Trip Leaders
Michele Morsilli (Department of Physics and Earth Sciences, University of Ferrara),
Mariano Parente (Department of Earth Sciences, University of Naples Federico II)

The main goal of this first day of the field trip is to observe the facies and stratigraphic architecture of the Upper Jurassic to Cretaceous carbonates of the Apulian Platform and adjacent Adriatic-Ionian Basin. Well exposed cliffs offer the opportunity of observing spectacular depositional geometries documenting different stages of evolution of the Apulian Platform margin and slope, from progradational to aggradational and from erosional to by-pass. Easily accessible outcrops along roadcuts through the rock-cliffs and their crests give the chance of observing in detail many different facies from theLower Cretaceous inner platform peritidal carbonates, to the middle Cretaceous coarse bioclastic resediments originated by platform margin collapses, to the Lower Cretaceous pelagic sediments of the Maiolica Formation, with its breccias and dolomite bodies, to the Upper Cretaceous calcareous resediments.The platform to basin carbonates exposed in the Gargano promontory offer excellent outcrop analogues for the reservoirs of the Adriatic offshore.

Itinerary: Bari-Borgo Celano-Belvedere di Ruggiano-Monte Sant’Angelo-Monte Saraceno-Mattinata-Ripe Rosse. Overnight in Mattinata.




Day 2: Distinguishing tectonically- and gravity-driven synsedimentary deformation structures along the Apulian Platform margin (Gargano promontory, southern Italy)

Field Trip Leaders
Emanuele Tondi, Claudio di Celma, Danica Jablonska, Geology Division, School of Sciences and Technology, University of Camerino Alessandro Iannace, Department of Earth Sciences, University of Naples Federico II

This second day of the field trip will be held along the coastal road SP53 Vieste-Mattinata where Cretaceous slope-to-basinal carbonates crop out. Present outcrops belong to the Maiolica Formation that accumulated approximately 500 m below sea level. This Formation, composed of thin-bedded whitish micritic limestones with chert layers, is affected by several depositional, gravitational and syn-sedimentary tectonic processes and represents an ideal place to document and distinguish tectonically- and gravity-driven deformation structures within slope-to-basin carbonates. The detailed description of rooted (tectonically-induced) and superficial (gravity-driven) structures, provided in this field trip, can be a helpful guide for their recognition from subsurface data in similar carbonate reservoirs. We will also discuss some fault and fracture-related dolomite bodies within the Maiolica Formation which represent useful surface analogues for some plays in the offshore of the Adriatic Sea.

Itinerary Stops and lunch along the road SP53 Mattinata-Vieste. Vieste – Bari.