The integrated exploitation of the geological heritage: a proposal of geotourist itineraries in the Alto Molise area (Italy)
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Despite its small area, the Molise region is characterized by a high geodiversity and a considerable geological heritage, as highlighted by the recently completed regional geosite inventory. Especially its western, prevailingly mountainous portion is very rich in geosites and one of the most interesting sectors is the Alto Molise area which is characterized by a high tourism potential due especially to its considerable natural and cultural heritage.In order to valorize and promote the geological heritage of the Alto Molise area and contribute to the development of a sustainable and qualified tourism in Molise region, we have developed five geotourist itineraries. These itineraries, two of them will be presented in this paper, allow the integrated visit of selected geosites and valuable natural and cultural sites, and are illustrated by specific informative material (itinerary maps, cards, etc.) so as to be enjoyable even by a non-scientific audience.The proposed integrated exploitation of geological, natural and cultural heritage may provide a valid model also for the promotion of the geological heritage of other sectors of the Molise region.Fluvial fans represent one of the dominant sedimentary systems at the active margins of non-marine foreland basins. The Puig-reig anticline at the north-eastern margin of the Ebro Foreland Basin (SE Pyrenees, Spain) exposes continuous outcrops of Late Eocene-Early Oligocene fluvial deposits, from proximal to medial fluvial fan environments. The proximal deposits are found in the north limb of the anticline, especially in the northwest zone. These deposits are characterised by conglomerates with minor interbedded sandstones, with thick and wide sheet-like geometries with unscoured or variably scoured basal surfaces. These are interpreted to be the deposits of unconfined flash floods and wide-shallow channel streams. The medial deposits, covering the rest of the anticline, consist of interbedded conglomerates, sandstones and claystones. These are interpreted to have been deposited from braided to meandering channel streams and overbank areas. Distal deposits are found towards the south, beyond the anticline, and are characterised by sandstone and clay deposits of terminal lobes and lacustrine deltas. This study assesses the impact of the primary depositional characteristics, diagenesis and deformation of the most heterolithic portion of the system, with implications for increasing our understanding of folded fluvial reservoirs. Diagenetic processes, mainly mechanical compaction and calcite cementation, resulted in overall low intergranular porosity, with limited relatively high porosity developed in sandstone lithofacies in the medial deposits. Deformation associated with thrusting and fold growth resulted in the formation of abundant fractures, with relatively high fracture intensities observed in sandstone lithofacies in the anticline crest. This study shows that post-depositional processes can both improve and diminish the reservoir potential of basin proximal fluvial deposits, through the development of fracture networks and by compaction-cementation. The comparison of the Puig-reig anticline with other similar settings worldwide indicates that foreland basin margin locations may be potential areas for effective reservoirs, even in the case of low intergranular porosity.
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Pennsylvanian foreland deformation associated with the Ouachita orogene reactivated a west-northwest-east-southeast Cambrian basement trend, the southern Oklahoma aulacogen, to form the Wichita uplift, southwest Oklahoma. The 30-km-wide subsurface Frontal fault zone separates the uplift from the Anadarko basin to the north. Horizontal shortening across this fault zone is estimated at 7-15 km (20-40%), vertical displacement totals 9-10 km from the uplift to the basin. Folds are mapped on an interformational scale within the Frontal fault zone, and on an intraformational scale (Cambro-Ordovician Arbuckle Group) in the Slick Hills, southwest Oklahoma. Additional shortening occurred along southwest dipping mountain flank thrusts and on bedding plane thrusts, respectively. Hanging wall blocks of major faults contain the shallow dipping limb and anticlinal hinge zone of the interformational scale folds. Oil and gas production is generally restricted to these anticlinal crests within Paleozoic rocks. Deep wells (> 6000 m) that have penetrated footwall imbricates of the mountain flank thrusts have drilled through steep-overturned beds and tight recumbent folds before passing through faults into a normal stratigraphic sequence. Basement thrust loading of the southern margin of the Anadarko basin controlled the trend (west-northwest-east-southeast) of the axis of maximum deposition within the basin during the Pennsylvanian.
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