Style and Age of Deformation in the Northwest Persian Gulf

The study area is located in the foreland of the Zagros (Persian Gulf) where important oil and gas fields are present. Data consist of two orthogonal sets of 2D seismic sections. Both NNE-SSW folds (Arabian trend) and NW-SE folds (Zagros trend) are documented. These folds formed during two folding stages: the older one Late Cretaceous in age and the younger one Plio-Quaternary. Older folds formed according to the Arabian trend. During the younger folding stage older folds has been reactivated and tightened, and some of the new folds also with Arabian trend formed on top of them. This occurs in front of the advancing Zagros trend folds front.