Concealed Mesozoic-Cenozoic Alpine Himalayan geosyncline and its petroleum possibilities

An alpine Mesozoic-Cenozoic geosyncline and its various zones are present in the Himalayas. Delineation is based on the synthesis of classic geologic data from the Himalayas and adjacent regions of Afghanistan, Tibet, Burma, Thailand, and Malaysia. A geotectonic model is proposed which significantly differs from earlier models and is compatible with geophysical data. The possible existence of an alpine shelf-miogeosyncline concealed below the nappes of older rocks mobilized from the hinterland zone is of scientific and economic interest in view of its petroleum potential.