f Basin analysis of the Gosau Group of the Northern Calcareous Alps (Upper Cretaceous-Eocene)

The Gosau Group of the Northern Calcareous Alps (Late Turonian - Eocene) was deposited unconformably upon mid-Cretaceous deformed structures. The Northern Calcareous Alps exhibit a prominent part of the Austroalpiné unit of the Eastern Alps. Palaeogeógraphically, this unit was situated at the northern margin of the Apulian microplate. Since the mid- Cretaceous tectonic events, the entire Northern Calcareous Alps represents a pile of cover nappes which have been sheared off from their former crystalline basement. After the deposition of the Gosau Group, the Northern Calcareous Alps suffered Tertiary multi-phase deformation. Most of the sediments of the Gosau Group were eroded. In spite of their recently minor distribution, the sediments of this Group play an important role in the hydrocarbon exploration and production within the Northern Calcareous Alps because the sediments are sealing traps in the Upper Triassic Hauptdolomite (basement of the Vienna basin).