STRUCTURAL STYLE OF THE WESTERN ALBANIA THRUSTBELT AND ITS IMPLICATION ON HYDROCARBON EXPLORATION

The Western Albania represents a very complicated sector which dominated by overthrusting of Thrustbelt of Albanides ( 50-100 km.) above South Adriatic basin and the Apulian platform,hiding a transitive zone with very potential oil and gas prospect.

The front of Thrusbelt is represented by the Ionian and Kruja zones.The most oilfields discovered in Albania extend in these zones in carbonate anticline structures ( Cr₂-Pg_1-2) delivered by thrusting of adjacent units.There is and another new prospect with high prospective:The carbonate structures under overthrust of different units (sub- thrust complex) of Thrusbelt.

The Ionian zone consists of three structural belts ( Berati, Kurveleshi and Cika belts ) with trend according to western orogen front.The main characteristic of these is the westward thrusting (20-30 km. )and in some cases eastward backthrusting (5-8 km.).The phenomenon of backthrust is frequently developed in the eastern flanks of the units.The large scale of the thrusting and backthrusting ,approaching of the belts and covering of the other adjacent stuctures are the joint argument for the presence of new hydrocarbon prospect in subthrust complexes.

The thrusting of the units exists only in the Kurveleshi belt with amplitude 8-10 km., whereas backthrusting phenomenon exist in all units of Ionian zone.In this belt two oilfields are located in buried duplexes,beneath the Mali I Gjere and Kremenara thrusts.

The Kruja zone consists of succession of tectonic duplexes and expected to discovery in future much more.It is represented by some structural lines complicated by a regi- onal overthrusting fault in the western front,which separate this zone from South Adriatic basin,masking perspective structures.

The Apulian platform and South Adriatic basin represent in generally a big monocli- ne that dips gradually under the Thrustbelt.The South Adriatic basin represents platform, but with basin facies.The platform slop is subjected to action of orogeny by forming several carbonate structures of considerable dimensions with high perspective.In the Vlora region it is obviously seen a tectonic collision between the Ionian zone and Apulian platform.