Paolo Esestime | Gabriele d'Annunzio Chieti-Pescara (original) (raw)

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Papers by Paolo Esestime

First Break, 2020

present a seismic tomography method applied to the processing of 28,000 km 2 of seismic data in d... more present a seismic tomography method applied to the processing of 28,000 km 2 of seismic data in depth, which included multiple 3D seismic campaigns from 2011 to 2019.

Tectonophysics, 2021

Abstract The Pliocene-Quaternary evolution of the western margin of the Calabrian Arc has been in... more Abstract The Pliocene-Quaternary evolution of the western margin of the Calabrian Arc has been investigated by analysing the configuration and distribution of local sedimentary basins and their relationship with shallow and deep tectonic structures. Research focussed on the evolution of the more recent offshore sedimentary basins located to the east of Sicily, along the Alfeo Fault System, using multichannel seismic lines, high-resolution bathymetry and newly acquired single-channel seismic profiles. The chosen study area encompasses a crustal sector where external thrusts of the Calabrian Arc branch into the Malta Escarpment, and this zone has been interpreted as a Subduction Transform Edge Propagator (STEP) Fault. The Western Ionian Sea is bounded by regional faults that controlled the deposition of the Pliocene-Quaternary sequences and define the present-day bathymetry. In this work we identified four main seismic sequences and three main unconformities in the basins, to better understand the geometry and the depositional setting of the basins. In addition, lateral correlation and 3D reconstruction of the sedimentary basins allows us to establish the direct relationship between the Alfeo Fault System activity and the geometry, the thickness, the evolution and filling phases of the sedimentary basins in this area. Results presented show how the Alfeo Fault drove the development of separate basin depocenters in the early stages of tectonic activity, resulting in a single elongated basin in the latest phases. The inferred fault kinematics, the analysis of displacements along strike and sediment thickening suggest a link with the slab geometry, as occurs in other subduction systems that develop subduction related faults. The results and the method applied in this study can also be applied for the interpretation of similar systems with similar geological settings in other areas of the world.

First Break, 2018

challenge established exploration techniques in South Gabon by revealing new targets and prospect... more challenge established exploration techniques in South Gabon by revealing new targets and prospects in modern 3D seismic data.

Geological Society, London, Special Publications, 2021

Well penetrations on the UK East Shetland Platform (ESP) prove 1-8 km thick Devonian post-orogeni... more Well penetrations on the UK East Shetland Platform (ESP) prove 1-8 km thick Devonian post-orogenic extensional collapse-related successions. Conversely, extremely thick (1-6 km) Permo-Triassic basin fills without Devono-Carboniferous units were in the past interpreted west of the Utsira High, on the Norwegian Horda Platform and Stord Basin, albeit Pre-Triassic well penetrations are here very rare. In this work, the nature and age of Paleozoic-Triassic strata and structures in these underexplored platform regions are tentatively constrained by performing cross-border regional seismic interpretation east and west of the Viking Graben.We highlight cross-border analogies in structural style and seismic facies, with a similar evolution dominated by polyphase inversion tectonics and structural grain preservation. In the Norwegian study areas, much of the half-graben sedimentary fills may be interpreted as Devonian-?Carboniferous in age as in the ESP, rather than overly thick Permo-Triassi...

Geological Society, London, Special Publications, 2018

The Mid North Sea High (MNSH) consists of a ridge of Paleozoic strata located in the centre of th... more The Mid North Sea High (MNSH) consists of a ridge of Paleozoic strata located in the centre of the North Sea between 55° N and 56° N. In 2010, interest in the Permian of the MNSH was revived by the discovery in Quadrant 44 of the Cygnus gas field. This study focuses on the Zechstein carbonates of the MNSH and uses play concepts that draw an analogy with the Zechstein oil and gas fields discovered in Denmark and Poland, and also with the Wissey gas field in Quadrant 53.New 2D seismic establishes the presence of a significant Zechstein reef that blocks the southern entrance of the Jenyon Gap onto the MNSH. Seismic data show that the reef developed in stages and its presence can be inferred from the occurrence of isolated lagoons within the centre of the build-up. The barrier reef's existence explains both the presence of the rare hygroscopic mineral tachyhydrite in the centre of the MNSH and also the observed isopach difference in the Zechstein cycles over the MNSH, as the barrier...

Solid Earth Discussions, 2018

The Ionian Sea in southern Italy is at the center of active interaction and convergence between t... more The Ionian Sea in southern Italy is at the center of active interaction and convergence between the Eurasian and African-Adriatic plates in the Mediterranean. This area is seismically active with instrumentally/historically-recorded Mw > 7.0 earthquakes and it is affected by recently-discovered long strike-slip faults across the active Calabrian accretionary wedge. Many mud volcanoes occur on top of the wedge. A recently-discovered one (here named Bortoluzzi Mud Volcano, BMV) was surveyed during the Seismofaults 2017 cruise (May 2017). Bathymetric-backscatter surveys, seismic reflection profiles, geochemical and earthquake data as well as a gravity core are here used to geologically, geochemically, and geophysically characterize this structure. The BMV is a circular feature 22 m high and 1100 m in diameter with steep slopes (up to a dip of 22°). It sits atop the Calabrian accretionary wedge and a system of flower-like oblique-slip faults that are probably seismically active as demonstrated by earthquake hypocentral and focal data. Geochemistry of water samples from the seawater column on top of the BMV shows a significant contamination of the bottom waters from saline (evaporite-type) CH 4-dominated crustalderived fluids similar to the fluids collected from a mud volcano located in the Calabria main land over the same accretionary wedge. These results attest for the occurrence of an open crustal conduit through the BMV down to at least the Messinian evaporites at about-3000 m. This evidence is also substantiated by Helium isotope ratios and by different geochemical data from three sea water columns located elsewhere in the Ionian Sea. Conclusions are drawn on the origin of the BMV and on the potential of this type of structures for tracking the seismic cycle of active faults. Due to the widespread diffusion of mud volcanoes in seismically active settings, this study may contribute to indicate a potential and feasible future path for the use of these ubiquitous structures in favor of the mitigation of natural hazards.

Interpretation, 2015

Positive structural inversion within foreland domains ahead of thrust belts can create structures... more Positive structural inversion within foreland domains ahead of thrust belts can create structures with significant hydrocarbon potential in mature and underexplored areas. Within this context, the Adriatic region represents a well-established hydrocarbon province constituting a foreland domain bounded by the Apennines, Southern Alps, and Dinaric fold-and-thrust belts. Newly reprocessed regional 2D seismic data and a renewed exploration interest in the area motivate a reappraisal of the regional structure and stratigraphy of the deformed Central Adriatic region of Italy (i.e., the Mid-Adriatic Ridge). Here, we developed and discussed examples of inversion structures that have different structural styles. The structural interpretations displayed on time-to-depth converted profiles had been validated by 2D structural-kinematic balancing and forward modeling. Our aim was to better define the geometry, style, and timing of the analyzed inversion-related folds. Positive inversion structur...

The outer zones of the central Apennines are charac- terized by arcuate thrusts and related NE-ve... more The outer zones of the central Apennines are charac- terized by arcuate thrusts and related NE-verging folds that affect at least 2000 m thick Mesozoic-Neogene sedi- mentary succession (LAVECCHIA, 1981; GHISETTI & VEZ- ZANI, 1990). The base of the succession is represented by a massive 800 m thick carbonate platform unit of Early Liassic age (Calcare Massiccio Fm.), that grades upwards into well-bedded pelagic carbonates, marls and silicicla- stics. The Jurassic portion of the succession displays thickness and facies variations, that are controlled by syn- sedimentary normal faults: these dismembered the Early Liassic carbonate platform into differently subsiding sea- mounts and troughs. The subsequent onset of Neogene orogenic deformation was responsible for the contraction of the sedimentary succession. A detailed analysis of some anticlines reveals the oc- currence of high-angle thrusts within the Calcare Massic- cio Fm., whose displacements are accommodated by fol- ding within the overlying pelagic succession

Proceedings 76th EAGE Conference and Exhibition 2014, 2014

Bollettino della Societa Geologica Italiana, 2009

ABSTRACT In the frontal sector of the Central-Southern Apennines, surface geological data integra... more ABSTRACT In the frontal sector of the Central-Southern Apennines, surface geological data integrated with seismic line interpretation provide new constraints into the reconstruction of the structural inheritance of Mesozoic pre-orogenic and Messinian-Pliocene syn-orogenic normal faults on the salient geometry of the Pliocene-Quaternary thrust system. In the Umbria-Marche-Abruzzi area, pre-orogenic normal faults commonly juxtapose the complete Jurassic succession (about 900 metres in thickness) onto coeval condensed successions (about 50 metres in thickness) deposited over structural highs. In the Sibillini Mts and Gran Sasso area, pre-orogenic normal faults are truncated and rotated into Pliocene thrust-sheets according to simple short-cut trajectories. In particular the foreland-dipping Jurassic normal faults in the Sibillini Mts area have been rotated and reactivated during the thrust propagation forming high-angle blind-thrusts in the east verging overturned folds. The Maiella anticline, which involves the Mesozoic-Miocene Apulian carbonate succession and the related slope deposits, joins the Central Apennine fold-and-thrust system to the Apulian Chain buried below the allochthonous Units of the Southern Apennines. Seismic line interpretation allowed us to reconstruct the three-dimensional pattern of the Apulian thrusts, oriented N-S, NNW-SSE and E-W, that are parallel to normal faults related to the Pliocene-Quaternary flexural extension in the foreland. Detailed reconstruction of the Setteporte and Monte Taburno structures shows main N-S/NNE-SSW trending thrusts, branching into NW-SE/E-W trending minor thrusts and back-thrusts, characterized by push-up geometry, typically referable to a transpressive deformation and/or to the positive reactivation of normal faults. Moreover, the sharp westward deepening of the base of the Apulian sedimentary succession (from 4.5 to 6.0 sec in TWT), based on the interpretation of the CROP 11 seismic reflection profile, and the concomitant increase in thickness of the Triassic sequence along the Maiella-Casoli transect, suggest the existence of west-dipping (?)Permian-Triassic normal faults that strongly controlled the distribution and thickness variation of syn-rifting sediments. An inversion of the deepest low angle portions of the pre- and syn-orogenic normal faults is in agreement with surface data (i.e., the structural elevation of the carbonate succession in the Casoli-Bomba anticline) and seismic line interpretation (i.e., deep seated location of the base of Apulian sedimentary succession below the same anticline). In the reconstructed inversion tectonics model, the N-S trending pre-thrusting normal faults are fully inverted as N-S transpressive segments of the salient structures of the chain, whereas, the NW-SE trending thrusts inverted the low angle portion of pre-thrusting normal faults in the middle-lower crust and displaced with a short-cut the normal faults in the upper portion of the crust. As a result, the pattern of the pre-existing normal faults is inherited on the salient structures of the Central and Southern Apennine Chain.

First Break, 2020

Tectonophysics, 2021

First Break, 2018

Geological Society, London, Special Publications, 2021

Geological Society, London, Special Publications, 2018

Solid Earth Discussions, 2018

Interpretation, 2015

Proceedings 76th EAGE Conference and Exhibition 2014, 2014

Bollettino della Societa Geologica Italiana, 2009

Positive inversion structures usually own a significant oil-bearing potential being important hyd... more Positive inversion structures usually own a significant oil-bearing potential being important hydrocarbon plays in both mature and under-explored areas. The Adriatic hydrocarbon province recorded in the past a successful exploration history with two main proved plays represented by biogenic gas in the shallow Pliocene-Pleistocene sequence and light-to-heavy oil and gas discoveries in the underlying Cretaceous-Miocene carbonates. The Adriatic represents a common foreland shared among the Apennines, the Southern Alps, and the Dinaric fold-and-thrust belts. This area recorded a long-lived tectonic history being repeatedly affected by both extension and compression. Normal faulting was mainly connected to rifting (Permian-Triassic and Jurassic in age) and subordinately by syn-orogenic foreland flexure during Neogene time. In the Central Adriatic, Eocene-Oligocene (outer Dinarides stage) and Oligocene-to-Present (Apennine stage) compressive-transpressive deformations developed a NW-SE trending ridge that obliquely transects the entire foreland. The tectonic significance of this so-called Mid-Adriatic ridge is still debated and it considered either as related to the NE-verging Apennine, or SW-verging Dinaric thrust fronts, or as an intraplate deformation within the Adriatic foreland itself. In the mid-2011 Spectrum has completed the reprocessing of 8,200 km of regional vintage 2D seismic data in the Italian side of the Adriatic, which were acquired by the Italian government between the 60's and 70's. The spectacularly improved seismic imagery enhances and brings out the details of structures nicely, allowing a better reconstruction of their geometry. The digital seismic interpretation revealed that most of the compressional structures involving the Mesozoic carbonate sequence and the overlying Pliocene-Quaternary siliciclastic sediments are thrust-related inversion anticlines that developed by the transpressional reactivation of pre-existing Permian(?)-Triassic normal faults. These structures, appear as asymmetric harpoon-shaped anticlines facing toward the footwall and riding over high-angle blind thrust faults, or as more symmetric push-ups with complex conjugate anticlines. The positive basin inversion process involved both symmetric graben-like and asymmetric half-graben type Permian(?)-Triassic and Jurassic basins. The geometrical characteristics of these anticline structures related to positive inversion tectonics are consistent with an intraplate foreland deformation, in which the contractional deformation that triggered the reverse reactivation of the inherited Mesozoic normal faults is potentially connected to a far-field deformation transmitted from the advancing fold-and-thrust belts to the adjoining Adriatic foreland, mostly during the outer Dinarides and Apennines stages. Within this context of intraplate deformation, the deep hydrocarbon potential of the Adriatic Sea dealing with both contractional inversion-related and extensional rift-related structural traps needs to be further revaluated deserving renewed exploration efforts.

The Adriatic represents a foreland area surrounded by three distinct fold-and-thrust belts: the A... more The Adriatic represents a foreland area surrounded by three distinct fold-and-thrust belts: the Apennines to the west, the Southern Alps to the north, and the Dinarides to the east. A NW-SE-trending compressional ridge (Mid-Adriatic Ridge) extending from more than 100 km affects the middle zone of the Adriatic foreland. The interpretation of recently reprocessed seismic data from the Italian sector of the Adriatic offshore reveals that most of the thrust-related folds belonging to the Mid-Adriatic Ridge are positive inversion structures. On seismic, they typically appear as asymmetric inversion anticlines developed by the Neogene reverse reactivation of inherited Mesozoic graben and half-graben basin-bounding normal faults. Some of these structures are undrilled and they may potentially be attractive carbonate targets.

The Italian sector of the Adriatic Basin is a long-established hydrocarbon province that recorded... more The Italian sector of the Adriatic Basin is a long-established hydrocarbon province that recorded in the past a successful exploration history. In the northern Adriatic (Zones A and B), the main discoveries revealed numerous biogenic gas fields within the recent Pleistocene and Tertiary sedimentary cover. Toward the south of the Adriatic basin some heavy oil fields occurs in the Mesozoic carbonates of the Apulian shallow-water platform and in the transition to the pelagic basin. However, the deeper hydrocarbon potential of the entire Adriatic basin is long far to be fully explored. In the early 2011, Spectrum has completed the reprocessing of 8,200 km of regional vintage 2D seismic data in the Italian sector of the Adriatic Basin, that were acquired by the Italian government between the 1960s and 1970s. This new data library has been confidentially provided by Spectrum to INGEO Department of Chieti University. The spectacular improvement in seismic imaging performed by the grateful Spectrum's reprocessing, allows to better understanding: i) the structural evolution of the deformed Adriatic foreland that experienced a complex multi-phase tectonic history (e.g., basin inversion); ii) the structuralstratigraphical setting of the platform-to-basin transition and iii) the hydrocarbon potential within the Adriatic Basin. The high quality of the reprocessed seismic shows many undrilled structures associated to extension, compression or combination of both and several amplitude anomalies (most in Zone B) including DHI features of existing gas discoveries. The still in progress regional seismic interpretation and the geological-structural modeling is revealing some new interesting leads that could be potential future prospects. This Adriatic project aims to bring new life to this forgotten petroleum province to and to inspire and stimulate the future hydrocarbon exploration.

The frontal sector of the Central-Southern Apennines is characterized by an arcuate-shaped geomet... more The frontal sector of the Central-Southern Apennines is characterized by an arcuate-shaped geometry defined by NNE-SSW and WNW-ESE trending folds and thrusts. Geological data integrated with seismic line interpretation allowed us to reconstruct the structural inheritance of Mesozoic and Messinian-Pliocene normal faults on the Pliocene-Quaternary development of salient geometry within the Apennine chain.

The Sangro-Volturno and the Olevano-Antrodoco transversal tectonic structures, trending NNE-SSW, ... more The Sangro-Volturno and the Olevano-Antrodoco transversal tectonic structures, trending NNE-SSW, separate the Central Apennines from the Southern and the Northern Apennines, respectively. The purpose of this work is to realize a structural and kinematic analysis of the Sangro-Volturno line, combining surface and sub-surface data derived from seismic lines interpretation. The Central Apennines are characterized by NW-SE trending thrusts and related anticlines involving the Triassic-Miocene carbonate succession related to the Apulian carbonate platform (e.g., the Maiella and Monte Morrone anticlines) and to the slope-to-basin (e.g., the Monte Genzana and Monte Marrone anticlines) paleodomains. Toward SE, these thrusts are oriented NNE-SSW and they merge onto the transversal Sangro-Volturno Line. Normal faults, trending NW-SE, are located in the backlimbs (i.e., in the western limbs) of the main anticlines. These normal faults terminate along the Sangro-Volturno line and their pre-thrusting activity is suggested by reverse conjugate shear planes that displace the faults. Moreover, these pre-thrusting normal faults were reactivated during the Quaternary extensional tectonics and they are responsible of the seismicity in the area and of the development of fault-bounded continental basins. The interpretation of seismic reflection profiles allowed us to define the Apulian structures buried underneath the Allocthonous Molise Units along the Sangro-Volturno transversal lineament and to the east in the Southern Apennines. The buried thrusts involving the Apulian carbonate succession display an arcuate-shaped geometry and both hangingwall and footwall ramp relationships, defining the oblique thrust ramps of the Sangro-Volturno and Setteporte transversal structures. The footwall and the hangingwall cut-off angles and the short longitudinal continuity, ranging from 5 to 10 km, of the thrusts and related folds suggest a limited contractional deformation with shortening values of few kilometers (about 1-3km). The structural elevation of the Maiella, Porrara and Monte Greco anticlines is consequently compatible with high-angle crustal thrust planes and with a thick-skinned tectonic style. The structural data collected in the M. Greco forelimb revealed the presence of shear-planes oriented NNE-SSW with S/C fabric indicating strike-slip, transpressive and reverse dip-slip movements. These kinematic indicators are compatible with strain partitioning and transpressive deformation achieved along the Sangro-Volturno oblique thrust ramp.

"Sulla base di dati geologico-strutturali e dell’interpretazione di profili sismici a riflessione... more "Sulla base di dati geologico-strutturali e dell’interpretazione di profili sismici a riflessione viene proposto un modello di tettonica d’inversione per le strutture arcuate dell’Appennino centrale (Monti Sibillini-Olevano-Antrodoco, Montagna dei Fiori-Gran Sasso e Maiella-Sangro-Volturno) e della catena apula sepolta dell’Appennino meridionale (Struttura di Setteporte) che considera i sovrascorrimenti ad andamento N-S prodotti dalla completa inversione in transpressione delle faglie normali pre-thrusting, con sviluppo di anticlinali d’inversione debolmente asimmetriche. Mentre per i sovrascorrimenti ad andamento NW-SE con cinematica inversa, il modello propone l’inversione dei tratti a basso angolo delle faglie normali pre-sovrascorrimenti nella crosta medio-inferiore e una loro traiettoria di short-cut attraverso le faglie preesistenti nel settore superiore della crosta, con sviluppo di anticlinali di short-cut, marcatamente asimmetriche.
In tale contesto, il pattern delle faglie normali pre-thrusting è ereditato nelle strutture arcuate della catena dell’Appennino centrale e meridionale, ove i back-limb delle anticlinali di short-cut sono poco sviluppati e caratterizzate da faglie normali pre-thrusting che terminano in prossimità dei settori ad andamento N-S dei salienti stessi della catena, generalmente riattivate durante l’estensione quaternaria.
Key words: Salient structures, structural inheritance, Adria paleomargin, Central Apennines, Southern Apennines."