Deep structure and oil potential of the Valencia Trough (western Mediterranean) - contribution of deep seismic reflection profiling

The Valencia Trough (western Mediterranean) is a NE-trending feature located between the Spanish mainland and the Balearic islands (Figs 1 and 2). Different geodynamic hypotheses have been proposed to explain the origin of the Valencia Trough: (1) an aborted rift representing the southwestern extension of the continental rift system that developed after late Eqcene times in western Europe in relation to the Alpine collision (Tapponnier 1977), (2) a back-are basin associated with the subduction of the Tethys Ocean beneath the Iberian-European plate (Mauffret 1977; Biju-Duval et al. 1979) or (3) a complex basin resulting from the superimposition of an extension affecting the northwestern part of the trough in the late Oligocene-early Miocene, and a compressional event affecting its southeastern part in the late Oligocene-middle Miocene (Fontboté et al. 1990; Roca et al. 1990; Roca and Desegaulx 1992). The structural and therm al development of the basin and, consequently, the hydrocarbon potential may differ if one interpretation or another is considered.