High resolution description of the geology and geochemistry of organic rich Oligo-/ Miocene sediments of the Central and Eastern Paratethys

During the Oliogo-/ Miocene (approximately 34-17 Mio years ago) organic rich sediments were deposited in an epicontinental sea, the so called Paratethys. These sediments belong to one of the most important oil source rocks of Central and Eastern Europe. This Dissertation aims to comply a high resolution description of the geology and geochemistry of three cross sections along the eastern, southern and western shore of the Paratethys Ocean in today’s Georgia, Turkey and Romania. The sections in Georgia and Turkey belong to the Maikop Formation of the eastern Paratethys, the Romanian section to the Menelite Formation of the Central Paratethys. Over 200 samples were analysed for their salinity, redox-potential, isotopy and biomarkers. The Mineralogy and the organic material should be further analysed to gain information about the timeline of deposition (nano-plankton). The purpose of the study is to gain information on the source rock potential and to compare the different profiles of the various parts of the Paratethys with known petroleum systems (e.g. Vienna Basin). Additionally the vertical and lateral variability in combination with the timeline allows a characterisation of the geographical history of the area and its importance in Europe’s climate evolution.