The Oligo-Miocene deepwater system of the Levant Basin

- 10 -2.2 Seismic dataThe seismic interpretation of the Levant Basin is based on two large 2D reflection surveys that wereacquired in 2001 (A and B in Fig. 2). Several additional 2D reflection lines from the eastern part ofthe basin and the coastal area onshore were integrated into the seismic data set (Fig. 2). Theseinclude 4 marine lines from the marine 94 series (310, 313, 330, 333); 2 marine lines from themarine 91 (214, 232); marine line BG-99-20, three on land vibroseis lines (DS-3597, MI-3597 andMI-3772), that extend along the entire coastline of Israel, and five on land vibroseis lines form theCaesarea area (DS-587, 588, 662, LP-2139, 2239). In most of the seismic lines the existing timemigrated stacked versions were used for interpretation. Reprocessing was performed in theframework of this project on the marine line BG-99-20 and on the five vibroseis lines from theCaesarea area. The entire interpreted 2D dataset includes about 12,000 km.Time migrated cubes of three 3D marine surveys were interpreted and integrated into the seismicdata: Survey C- offshore the Caesarea-Netanya area and Surveys D and E, offshore the Ashdod-Ashqelon area (Fig. 2).3. Tertiary stratigraphy3.1 GeneralA major change in depositional style took place in the Levant region during the Late Eocene.Deposition of carbonates ceased and was replaced by siliciclastic deposition. This change reflects amajor change in depositional settings, most likely due to tectonic activity on both regional and localscale. The basinward transport of the siliciclastic erosion products was associated with extensiveerosion and incision on the Levant slope, followed by the accumulation of several kilometers thickTertiary fill (Gardosh et al., 2006; Gardosh et al., 2008) in the Levant Basin. The Oligocene toPliocene section was termed the Saqiye Group (Gvirtzman, 1970). It is characterize by marineonlaps forming cycles of different scales, separated by numerous unconformities which are partlyassociated with relative sea level changes (Fig. 3).Four major seismic events were identified in the Oligo-Miocene succession and subsequently werepresented in contour maps: (a) lower Oligocene (b) Middle Miocene (c) Late Tortonian (d) latestMessinian (Fig. 3). These events represent regional unconformities (Fig. 3). The lower Oligocene,the Late Tortonian and the latest Messinian events coincide with three major canyon incisionsevents, while the Middle Miocene seismic event apparently reflects the Serravallian crisis (unitsN10-13, Fig. 4) characterized by deteriorated climatic conditions (cooling) and by local lowstand