David G Roberts

Hydrocarbon habitat in rift basins: Geological Society Special Publication No. 80 Edited by J. J. Lambiase ISBN 1897799152. Price £65

Provides an overview of the geology and hydrocarbon habitat of rift basins in a variety of geographical settings and of diverse geological ages. It stems from the boom in rift basin exploration which occurred throughout the 1980s, from recognition early in the decade that lacustrine shales can be excellent source rocks, and from some notable exploration successes. This exploration activity led to a substantial increase in the available subsurface data which, in turn, fuelled a rapid expansion in the understanding of rift basin geology, a topic which remains at the forefront of geological research for both academic and petroleum industry workers.

Sedimentary and structural patterns on the Iberian continental margin: an alternative view of continental margin sedimentation

Abstract A long-range side-scan sonar (GLORIA) survey of the entire West Iberian slope and rise has provided the first overview of the interrelationship between structure and sedimentation patterns on a continental margin. The results emphasize the importance of slope-following contour currents as a depositional mechanism in fashioning this continental rise. Terrigenous sediments transported down-canyon by-pass the rise which does not consist of a series of coalescing fans. The sedimentation patterns identified on the sonographs can be interpreted in terms of facies models and caution must be exercised against over-emphasis of downslope processes in models for the construction of lower slopes and rises.