Мain stages in the formation and development of Сaspian depression
https://doi.org/10.32454/0016-7762-2025-67-4-158-170
Abstract
Background. The article examines and discusses a possible scenario for the formation and development of the Caspian Depression as a result of fragmentation of the southeastern corner of the East European Platform and the advancement of a rigid block — Ustyurt — from this platform along a three-ray fault system.
Aim. To reconstruct the history of formation and geological development of the Caspian Depression.
Materials and methods. The authors’ own data, as well as numerous publications on the problem of geological structure and geological development of the area under study, were used.
Results. The study reconstructs the evolution of the Caspian Depression from the formation of the marginal basin sea of Paleotethys toward a platform syneclise. The advancement of the rigid block — Ustyurt — led, upon the removal of the load, to the uplift of the entire southeastern part of the platform and denudation of pre-Devonian deposits. These deposits are partially and strictly locally were preserved as relics in graben-like depressions and on the slopes of the newly formed deep-water depression. During the movement of this block toward the east or southeast, individual blocks split off therefrom, on which, as shoal areas, isolated carbonate platforms and reefs were formed. At the end of the Early Permian, in connection with the closure of Paleotethys, a marginal basin sea formed in the place of the modern Caspian Depression. It was isolated from the east by the mountain structures of the Urals, from the south — by the Karpinsky Ridge and dislocations within the modern Mangyshlak. Under arid climate conditions, this led to the formation of a thick salt-bearing stratum of the Kungurian stage, which filled the deep-water depression.
Supporting agencies: the research is partly funded through the task FMME-2025-0012, ORGI RAS
About the Authors
V. G. Kuznetsov
National University of Oil and Gas “Gubkin University”; Oil and Gas Research Institute of the RAS
Russian Federation
Competing Interests:
Russian Federation
Vitaly G. Kuznetsov — Dr. Sci. (Geol.-Mineral.), Professor of the Department of Lithology; Chief Researcher
65, Leninsky ave., Moscow 119991
3, Gubkin str., Moscow 119333
tel.: +7 (499) 507-91-72
Competing Interests:
the authors declare no conflict of interest
L. M. Zhuravleva
National University of Oil and Gas “Gubkin University”
Russian Federation
Competing Interests:
Russian Federation
Liliya M. Zhuravleva — Cand. Sci. (Geol.-Mineral.), Associate Professor of the Department of Lithology
65, Leninsky ave., Moscow 119991
tel.: + 7 (499) 507-91-71
Competing Interests:
the authors declare no conflict of interest
References
1. Antipov M.R., Volozh Ju.A., Dmitrievskij A.N., Heraskova T.P., Parasyna V.S., Tokman A.K., Tanakin O.V., Il’in A.R., Brodskiy A.Ya., Glogovskij V.M., Sapozhnikov R.B. Astrakhan carbonate massif. Structure and oil and gas potential. Moscow: Scientific World, 2008. 221 p. (In Russ.).
2. Arkhangelsky A.D. The geological structure of the USSR. Moscow — Leningrad: State Scientific and Technical Geological Exploration Publishing House, 1932. 196 p. (In Russ.).
3. Bankovsky S.Yu., Ivanova T.D., Shein V.S. Facies-paleogeographic mapping of oil and gas-bearing regions, taking into account paleogeodynamic reconstructions of plates (on the example of the southeastern part of the East European continent). Geology and geodynamics of oil and gas basins of the USSR. Moscow, 1990. 196 p. (In Russ.).
4. Volozh Yu.A., Antipov M.P., Hafizov S.F. On the conditions of formation of the Caspian basin. Oil Industry. 2024. No. 5. P. 8—15 (In Russ.).
5. Volozh Yu.A., Melnikov P.N., Miletenko N.V., Oreshkin I.V., Petrov E.I., Hafizov S.F. Development of hydrocarbon resources in the deep horizons of the Caspian oil and gas province. Oil and Gas Geology. 2024. No. 5. P. 5—16 (In Russ.).
6. Volozh Yu.A., Sapozhnikov R.B. The structure of the base of Western Kazakhstan according to geophysical data. Soviet Geology. 1974. No. 2. P. 78—93 (In Russ.).
7. Zhuravlev V.S. Comparative tectonics of the Pechora, Caspian, and North-Sea exogonal hollows of the European Platform. Works of GIN RAS. Issue 232. Moscow: Nauka Publ., 1972. 407 p. (In Russ.).
8. Zonenschein L.P., Kuzmin M.I., Natapov L.M. Tectonics of the lithospheric plates of the USSR territory. Moscow: Nedra Publ., 1990. Book 1. 328 p. Book 2. 334 p. (In Russ.).
9. Karpov P.A., Nazarenko A.M., Nechaeva M.A., Shevchenko V.I. Stratigraphy of Devonian deposits of the Don-Medveditsk Shaft and the Tersin Depression. Tr. Volgograd region Oil and Gas Research Institute. Issue 1. Moscow: Gostoptekhizdat, 1962. P. 17—38 (In Russ.).
10. Kirjuhin L.G., Sapozhnikov R.B., Shlezinger A.E., Yanshin A.L. The Caspian Paleozoic deep-sea basin. Article 1. Bulletin of Moscow Society of Naturalists. Section geology, 1980. Vol. 5. Issue. 6. P. 40—53. Article 2. In the same place, 1981. Vol. 56. Issue 5. P. 29—39 (In Russ.).
11. Kuznecov V.G. Some features of the development of the Caspian basin. Fundamental basis of new technologies of the oil and gas industry. Moscow: Nauka Publ., 2000. P. 35—39 (In Russ.).
12. Kuznecov V.G. Paleozoic reefs of the Caspian basin and their oil and gas potential. Article 1. Geological development of the Caspian basin and reef distribution. Proceedings of higher educational establishments. Geology and Exploration, 2007. No. 2. P. 6—14 (In Russ.).
13. Kuznecov V.G. Paleozoic reefs of the Caspian basin and their oil and gas potential. Article 2. reefs types of the Caspian Depression and their oil and gas content. Proceedings of higher educational establishments. Geology and Exploration, 2007. No. 3. P. 6—14 (In Russ.).
14. Ozdoev S.M. Tectonics and oil and gas potential of Northern Ustyurt. Alma Ata: Nauka Publ., 1977. 101 p. (In Russ.).
15. Rihter Ja.A. Modern problems of geology and oil and gas potential of the Caspian basin. Proceedings of the Saratov University. Earth Sciences. Vol. 21. Issue 4. P. 281—290 (In Russ.).
16. Timonin N.I. The Pechora Plate: the history of geological development in the Phanerozoic / Yekaterinburg. Ural Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 1998. 240 p. (In Russ.).
17. The base, the main faults of the Turanian plate in connection with its oil and gas potential. Moscow: Nedra Publ., 1970. 248 p. (In Russ.).
18. Heraskova T.N., Volozh Ju.A., Antipov M.R., Bykadorov V.A., Postnikova I.S. Correlation of Late Precambrian and Paleozoic Events on the East European Platform and Adjacent Paleotectonic Regions // Geotectonics. 2015. No. 1. P. 31—59 (In Russ.).
19. Heraskova T.N., Volozh Ju.A., Antipov M.R., Bykadorov V.A., Postnikova I.S. Features of the structure and development of the southeastern part of the East European Platform and the Caspian Basin. Geotectonics, 2020. No. 5. P. 29—54 (In Russ.).
20. Bosellini A. Progradation geometry of carbonate platforms: examples from the Triassic of Dolomites, Northern Italy. Sedimentology. 1984. V. 31. P. 1—24.
21. Bosellini A. Dynamics of Tethian Carbonate Platforms // Controls on Carbonate Platform and Basin Development. SEPM Sp. Publ. 1989. No. 44. P. 3—13.
22. Föllmi K.B. Evolution the Mid-Cretaceous Triad. Lectures Notes in Earth Sciences. Springer Verlag, Heidelberg, 1989. V. 23. 159 p.
Review
For citations:
Kuznetsov V.G., Zhuravleva L.M. Мain stages in the formation and development of Сaspian depression. Proceedings of higher educational establishments. Geology and Exploration. 2025;67(4):158-170. (In Russ.) https://doi.org/10.32454/0016-7762-2025-67-4-158-170
Views:
13
Email this article 