Isolated carbonate platforms and buildups of the Likas Formation provide a long
record of carbonate sedimentation in the southern end of the Southwest Palawan Basin.
While most carbonate platforms terminated in early Miocene and middle Miocene time
in northern parts of western offshore Palawan (i.e. Northwest Palawan Basin and central
South Palawan), carbonate deposition began later in the south during late middle
Miocene time.
Carbonate platforms of the Likas Formation developed in the Paragua sub-basin,
which is interpreted to be a depozone eastward of the Palawan accretionary wedge in the
structurally complex Southwest Palawan Basin. A regional 2D seismic grid and borehole
data from four wells were used to analyze the growth patterns of the carbonate
platforms, identify seismic facies, and reconstruct the evolution of the platforms.
The carbonate platforms developed on the folded and faulted middle to premiddle
Miocene siliciclastic strata. These older siliciclastic units were thrusted onto the
southern end of the North Palawan microcontinental fragment, which represents a block
of continental crust that drifted southward from South China during early Tertiary time.
The platforms aggraded over time and backstepped to keep pace with increasing rates of
relative sea level rise. Karst features are recognizable on seismic sections and indicate that the platforms were subaerially exposed at various times during their development.
The platforms exhibit variable morphology from faulting and tilting. The platforms
terminated in early Pliocene time, as relative sea level continued to rise, and were buried
by deep-marine siliciclastic units.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:tamu.edu/oai:repository.tamu.edu:1969.1/ETD-TAMU-1796 |
| Date | 02 June 2009 |
| Creators | Sta. Ana, Ma. Corazon Victor |
| Contributors | Dorobek, Steven L. |
| Source Sets | Texas A and M University |
| Language | en_US |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Book, Thesis, Electronic Thesis, text |
| Format | electronic, application/pdf, born digital |
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