Deep-seated Cenozoic and Mesozoic sediments of the Mediterranean Ridge: Biostratigraphic and geochemical evidence from mud volcanoes

Summary This project attempts to extract information regarding the stratigraphy and source rock potential of the deeply buried deposits in the Mediterranean Ridge (South of Crete marine region). Due to the lack of deep wells in the region, the only avaliable material comes from mud volcanic (mud breccia) samples recovered from various scientific expeditions. Sedimentary cores from Gelendzhik, Moscow, Nice, Toronto and Dublin mud volcanoes were used. The actual samples of this study consists of consolidated clasts that were included in the mud breccia deposits of each core. The stratigraphic origin of the clasts were determined by studying its calcareous nannoplankton content and subsequently, rock eval pyrolysis and vitrinite reflectance measurements were performed. Combining the study’s results with seismic reflection profile images, leads to a higher-level understanding of the region’s stratigraphy and source rock distribution.