ABSTRACT
The Vienna basin is a Tertiary pull-apart basin in the Alpine-Carpathian overthrust belt. Thickness of the sedimentary sequence, including Neogene basin fill, Mesozoic overthrust complex, and Mesozoic autochthonous strata, can exceed 10,000 m (33,000 ft).
Source rocks for oil and gas are in the autochthonous Jurassic sequence beneath the overthrust. We can assume that much of the source potential of these rocks was preserved during thrusting and most of the hydrocarbon generation took place after thrusting during Neogene burial.
The vertical stacking of hydrocarbon pools indicates predominantly vertical migration through major faults.
Results of geochemical studies have influenced exploration strategy in the Vienna basin as well as in the northern Alps and the foreland basin. The Vienna basin could thus be considered a model for hydrocarbon generation in other overthrust belts.
