Role of the Cretaceous normal faults on the formation of the Eocene (Pontide) fold-thrust belt structures in offshore Akcakoca-Amasra area, Western Black Sea basin, Turkey

The Western Black Sea basin formed during therifting of the Moesian Platform in Early Cretaceous. The closure of the Neotethys Ocean in the Middle Eocene resulted in the formation of the Pontide fold and thrust belt in northern Turkey. During this study, eight seismic reflection profiles were interpreted to determine the subsurface structural geometry and tectono-stratigraphic evolution of the offshore Akçakoca-Amasra area. The stratigraphy of the study area is determined based on a composite wireline well log of the Akçakoca-1 wildcat well, which was also used to construct a velocity model based onsonic data. We suggest that a major décollement surface was developed during the Eocene Pontide Orogeny. The decollement is located at the limestone clay-shale intraformational transition within the Late Cretaceous (Maastrichtian) - Paleocene Akveren Formation. Normal faults formed during the Cretaceous rifting in the region are located below the décollement surface. They provide tectonic ramps along the décollement surface and allow the decollement to develop ramp-flat thrust fault geometry. A well-developed duplex structure is also present along the seismic lines. The décollement surface serves as the floor thrust of the duplex structure. The roof thrust of the duplex is in the Pliocene Sarıkum formation, dominantly composed of claystone.