Kinematics of the Northern Monagas mountain front, Eastern Venezuela basin
José Antonio Martínez *, PDVSA Exploration
Summary
This paper describes, using 2D seismic lines, the 3D
structural evolution and kinematic development of the
Northern Monagas mountain front, in the Eastern
Venezuela basin. The study area consists of an
allochthonous roof duplex, which involves two
imbrications of the paraautochthonous block, that were
produced by successive deformations of the Pirital thrust,
the main thrust system in the Northern Monagas mountain
front. A minimum amount of shortening to produce such a
system is estimated to be 20 km. The duplex shows an
increasing amount of the slip from east to west, which is
consistent with the higher structural relief in the west and
the eastward plunge of the structure. Therefore, the duplex
imbrications are repeat sections equivalent to the one
drilled in the Northern Monagas oil fields.
Introduction
The study area is in the allochthonous block of the Eastern
Venezuela basin, and comprises 450 km² between the
Pirital thrust in the south, and the outcrops of the Interior
range in the north, just northward of the rich oil fields of
Northern Monagas (Fig. 1).
The objective of the study is to show in 2D-seismic lines a
visualization of the structural evolution and kinematics of
duplex structures, associated with successive deformations
of the Pirital thrust system. Serial cross sections show
consistency of structural style and geometry, consistent
lateral variation for shortening, and the corresponding
relationship between slip and structural relief.
Previous works on density modeling and gravity
interpretation (Martinez, J.A, 1995, 1996, and 2000),
showed that a positive residual anomaly in the mountain
front was due to a repeat section, equivalent to the one
drilled in the paraautochthonous block of Northern
Monagas, instead of to involving the basement in the Pirital
thrust deformation (Rossi, et al, 1987, fig 13).
Methodology
The mountain front of the interior range in Northern
Monagas is a good example for the applicability of the kink
method (Suppe, 1983) to solve the interpretation of
complex structures in areas of poor seismic image and
scarce well control. The interpretation strategy consists of
1) observation of dip domains and trajectories of axial
surfaces, and 2) formulation of a qualitative working
hypothesis, by comparison of the large-scale structure with
SEG Int'l Exposition and Annual Meeting * San Antonio, Texas * September 9-14, 2001
simple constrained balanced forward models. A
straightforward duplex model best fit the dip domain
analysis, using a minimum of two imbrications. It satisfies
both structural geometry and observed seismic, surface and
well data. This hypothesis was quantitatively tested as a
unique three-dimensional solution, internally consistent,
through serial cross sections and maps.
Consistency is the key to any interpretation. Serial cross
sections are a good technique for developing a three-
dimensional interpretation They ensure consistency of
structural style and geometry, consistency of shortening
along strike and dip directions, and consistency between
the amount of slip and structural relief. Also, they allow
the interpreter through the use of adjacent cross sections to
constrain and complete the interpretation on segments with
poor and even non data. This method eases the study of the
kinematic structural evolution (Shankar, M., 1992).
Pirital Thrust System
Duplexes are common structures in fold and thrust belts. A
duplex is a thrust system that consists of a roof thrust, a
floor thrust and two or more imbrications, asymptotically
connected to both thrusts (Boyer, S. And D. Elliot, 1982).
The Pirital thrust system is an allochthonous roof duplex
(Geiser, 1988, fig. 8), in which the Interior range is
overthrusting a set of in sequence imbrications. These
blocks consist of repeat sections of the paraautochthonous
block of the Northern Monagas, which constitutes the
footwall of the duplex (Martinez, J.A, 1996, and 2000).
Serial Cross Sections
Dip and strike serial-cross sections of the Northern
Monagas mountain front were built to show the structural
style and kinematic evolution (Fig. 2 and 3). Axial surfaces
were connected to show the lateral variations of the dip
domain panels within the outer, imaged imbrication of the
duplex. Seismic and well data control the ground rules in
this interpretation. The areas of poor seismic data and no
control within the duplex imbrications were interpreted
using structural concepts and the following criteria.
The paraautochthonous block is a Cretaceous through
Miocene section drilled in the Northern Monagas oil fields,
in which the Oligocene is an outstanding seismic marker
that can be easily correlated up to its footwall cutoff against
the Pirital thrust. The allochthonous block is also drilled,
and composed of dense Cretaceous through Early Tertiary
sandstones and limestones. Out of it, the El Cantil
Formation is another strong seismic marker, easily
 Kinematics of the Northern Monagas Mountain Front
correlated throughout the area. The Manresa thrust is a well
known feature that involves only the allochthonous block
and predates the Pirital thrust system.
Previously, it was thought that either the basement or a
thickened Lower Cretaceous section (Fig. 1) was involved
in the deformation. Density and gravity interpretations
disproved such hypotheses, and provided the basis for the
interpretation proposed in this paper: Repeat sections of the
paraautochthonous are involved in the successive
deformations of the Pirital thrust system.
Dip domain analyses of dip serial-cross sections (Fig. 3)
show that the slip increases from east to west. As suggested
by axial surfaces A-A' and B-B', the fold limbs of the
duplex widen to the west, while the crest of the structure
tightens. Correspondingly, the structural relief increases as
slip progresses. The roof-thrust flat rises from more than
three seconds to about two seconds, from east to west,
while the Manresa thrust-related fold is progressively
eroded by the Mio-Pliocene unconformity.
Similarly, measuring the back limb expansion from cross
sections, the amount of shortening can be estimated from
about 3 km in the east to 9 km in the west. The existence of
two dip domains in the well-imaged forelimb suggests the
presence of at least two imbrications beneath the
allochthonous block. Therefore, the minimum amount of
shortening for the Pirital thrust system can reach up to 20
km, or double of what is seen.
Strike serial-cross sections (Fig. 2) show consistent lateral
variations of the slip. Structural relief diminishes from
north to south as the crest widens. Correspondingly, the
eastern limb narrows from north to south, concomitant with
a change from two to one dip domains. Simultaneously, as
the main imbrication dies out to the east, it transfers the
shortening to another Pirital thrust-related duplex, the
Punceres anticline, with the structural relief taken by an
older imbrication in the north.
Conclusions
The Northern Monagas mountain front consists of an
allochthonous roof duplex, with at least two imbrications,
causing repeat sections of the oil bearing
paraautochthonous block. These imbrications represent
successive deformations of the Pirital thrust system, which
brings high expectations for giant accumulations of
hydrocarbons.
The slip rate increases from east to west, which is
consistent with the increase of structural relief to the west,
and the eastward plunge of the duplex. A minimum amount
of shortening for such a system can be estimated at 20 km.
SEG Int'l Exposition and Annual Meeting * San Antonio, Texas * September 9-14, 2001
References
Boyer, S. and D. Elliot, 1982, Thrust Systems, AAPG
Bull., 66 (9): 1196-1230.
Geiser, P.A., 1988, The role of kinematics in the
construction and analysis of geological cross-sections in
deformed terranes. In, Mitra, G. & S. Wojtal, (eds.),
Geometries and mechanisms of thrusting with special
reference to the Appalachians. Geol., Soc., Am., Sp. Paper
222: 47-76.
Martínez, JA, 1995, A Geological and Geophysical Study
of Structural Style along a Transect of the Maturín
Subbasin, Eastern Venezuela Basin, MS Thesis, University
of South Carolina, Columbia, 141 p.
Martínez, J.A., 1996, Proyecto Frente de Montaña,
prospectos El Macal y La Orejana, Area de Interés
Punceres, Norte de Monagas, Lagoven S.A., Internal
Report 3310.3168-05, Petróleos de Venezuela, 48 p.
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de Montaña del Norte de Monagas, Cuenca Oriental de
Venezuela. X Venezuelan Geophys. Cong., Expanded
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Mitra, S., 1992, Balanced Structural Interpretations in Fold
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Structural Geology of Fold and Thrust Belts, Johns
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giant in an old basin. In, Halbouty M. (ed.), Giant oil and
gas fields of the decade 1978 to 1988. AAPG, Memoir 54:
155-161.
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(1987), Etude Gologique de la Serrania del Interior Oriental
(Venezuela) sur le transect Cariaco-Maturin, Revue de
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Acknowledgments
The author thanks to PDVSA Exploration for supporting
this research and releasing this information. Especial thanks
to Carlos Sánchez, Rafael Martínez, Carmen Arreaza,
Marco Odehnal, Lularide Moreno, Jesús Pereira, and Daisy
Pérez, who contributed with this project, and to Edgar
Quijada and Leeis Villegas for drawing support. Thanks to
Dave Wiggins and Miguel Morales for reviewing the
manuscript.
 Fig. 1. Location of the
study area in Northern
Monagas. The area is
bounded by the outcrops of
the Interior range in the
north, and the trace of the
Pirital thrust in the south,
just north of the Northern
Monagas oil fields. The
regional cross section
shows the structural
provinces in the Eastern
Venezuela basin (after
Prieto and Valdes, 1992).
A
A'

Fig. 2. Strike serial cross

sections. Legend is the
same as Fig. 3. See text for
explanations

SEG Int'l Exposition and Annual Meeting * San Antonio, Texas * September 9-14, 2001
 Kinematics of the Northern Monagas Mountain Front

Fig. 3. Dip serial cross sections. See text for explanations.

SEG Int'l Exposition and Annual Meeting * San Antonio, Texas * September 9-14, 2001