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Overview of the Geology of Cuba

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Oil and Gas Exploration in Cuba

Part of the book series: SpringerBriefs in Earth System Sciences ((BRIEFSEARTHSYST))

Abstract

The Cuban Orogen can be divided into two major structural and stratigraphic units: basement and cover. The basement is the mega complex of igneous, metamorphic, and sedimentary rocks that lies below the little deformed section of the cover. It is divided into several tectonic large units, according to its structural style and age of the rocks. We can distinguish three large complexes: (a) Proterozoic basement, (b) Mesozoic basement, and (c) Paleogene folded belt. The Proterozoic basement outcrops in very limited areas and its structure is unclear. The Mesozoic basement consists of four complexes of very different nature: the Mesozoic paleomargin of the SE North American plate, containing Jurassic-Cretaceous sequences with varying degrees of deformation; the remaining three units, the ophiolite association, successions of volcanic arcs, and southern metamorphic terrains, have traits of tectono stratigraphic terrains. The links between the four major structures of the Paleogene deformed belt are much clearer. However the outstanding deformations and horizontal transport suffered by some units, the primary spatial relationships (paleogeographic) between them are essentially preserved. At the Paleogene folded and faulted belt are distinguished: • Foreland basin successions. • Piggyback basins successions. • Sierra Maestra-Cresta Caimán volcanic arc. • Synorogenic basin of Middle and Upper Eocene S Eastern Cuba. The cover composed of deposits from Lower or Middle Eocene to Quaternary, comprises the younger deposits of the section, little deformed in relation to the underlying layers, usually separated from these by remarkable structural discordance. Throughout Cuba, the cover is completely devoid of evidences of magmatic, metamorphic, and hydrothermal activity.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Scientific-Research Unit Exploration, Centro de Investigaciones del Petróleo, El Cerro, La Habana, Cuba

    Manuel Enrique Pardo Echarte

  2. Universidad de Pinar del Río “Hermanos Saíz Montes de Oca”, Pinar del Río, Cuba

    Jorge Luis Cobiella Reguera

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  1. Manuel Enrique Pardo Echarte
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  2. Jorge Luis Cobiella Reguera
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Correspondence to Manuel Enrique Pardo Echarte .

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Pardo Echarte, M.E., Cobiella Reguera, J.L. (2017). Overview of the Geology of Cuba. In: Oil and Gas Exploration in Cuba . SpringerBriefs in Earth System Sciences. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-56744-0_2

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