The geochemical investigation of shales from the Early to Middle Cretaceous Chichali Formation in the Hazara Basin was conducted to determine the origin, tectonic setting and evolution, paleo-weathering conditions, and paleo-oceanographic reconstruction. The research included a comprehensive field survey, sample collection, and analysis of a variety of main, trace, and rare-earth elements using an X-ray fluorescence spectrometer (XRF). Bivariate plots and ternary diagrams were used to determine the provenance, tectonic setting, and paleo-weathering conditions that existed during the development of the Chichali Formation in the Hazara Basin. The values of Ba/Sc, Ba/Co, Th/Sc, Cr/Th, Cr/Zr, Th/Co, Th/Cr, Sc/Th, bivariate plots of Al₂O₃ vs. TiO₂, TiO₂ vs. Zr, TiO₂ vs. Ni, Df1–Df2, Zr vs. Nb, and La/Sc vs. Th/Co, and ternary diagram of K₂O–Fe₂O₃–Al₂O₃ were used to illustrate the passive continental margin setting of Chichali Formation shales. The detailed chemical analysis also provides an understanding of the marine geochemical cycle, which reflects the origin of these sediments. The average K₂O/Al₂O₃ value is less than 0.4, indicating that the shale contains clay minerals. The Chichali Formation’s Chemical Index of Alteration (mean = 71) and Index of Compositional Variation (mean = 1.12) values show a modest degree of chemical weathering in the source locations. From an environmental standpoint, the Chichali Formation is richer in toxic elements such as Ba, Zn, Ni, Cr, and Cu, which may be damaging to agricultural soils and drinking water when present in excess. These metals are incorporated into the formation during the weathering process.

NNW‒SSE-trending Jacobabad‒Khairpur High (JKH) is a part of Sukkur rift zone in the Lower Indus Basin (Pakistan), and it evolved during Jurassic rifting when Indian Plate separated from Australian‒Antarctic Plate. At that time, fractures developed due to the upwelling of magma which resulted in the development of detached blocks which dropped relatively to the other ones. Jacobabad‒Khairpur High represents one of those blocks which maintained its original position. This study works out the causes of failure of exploration wells drilled at and in the vicinity of Jacobabad‒Khairpur High (JKH), and comprehends the tectonics, structural trends, and subsurface geology of the region to delineate role of JKH in distribution of source, reservoir and seal rocks for future prospects. This work is based on construction of stratigraphic cross-sections along and across Jacobabad‒Khairpur High, isopach and depth maps to delineate paleo- and present shapes of JKH and its impacts on the petroleum system of the region. This study indicates that Jacobabad‒Khairpur High developed in three stages from Jurassic to Early Eocene. Initially, JKH developed after the deposition of Middle Jurassic Chiltan Limestone and remained uplifted. This interpretation is supported by the absence of main source rocks ‒ Cretaceous Sembar Formation, of the basin on the northern and southern crest of the Jacobabad‒Khairpur High and absence of entire Cretaceous succession on the northern part of the JKH indicating subaerial conditions. Moreover, Cretaceous reservoir rocks—Lower Goru Sand, is also absent in the northern portion of the Jacobabad‒Khairpur High as Paleocene Dunghan Formation is directly overlying the Chiltan Limestone. Furthermore, due to absence of marl and shale of Upper Cretaceous Goru Formation (seal rocks) proper seals are absent in the area. It resulted in the dry holes like Kandra-01, Khairpur-01, Khairpur-02 and Jhatpat-01. However, rocks of petroleum system were deposited all around Jacobabad‒Khairpur High. At the same time, presence of Cretaceous source (Sembar Formation), reservoir (Lower Goru Sand) and seal (Goru Shale) rocks around Jacobabad‒Khairpur High resulted in many discoveries of oil and gas in the Middle and Lower Indus Basin. The Jacobabad‒Khairpur High submerged again during Paleocene when the Indian Plate passed over Kerguelen Hot Spot and became a part of the carbonate shelf to deposit Dunghan Formation over Chiltan Limestone in the northern part of the high. Finally, the Jacobabad‒Khairpur High again reactivated and uplifted to the present position, after the deposition of early Eocene Ghazij Formation when Indian Plate collided with Eurasian Plate.

Comparative analysis of three randomly chosen salt structures (diapir A, diapir B and diapir C) of the Southern North Sea has been presented through the interpretation and reconstruction of the 2D seismic data set (SNSTI-NL-87 & SNST-NL-83). The study area lies in the Southern North Sea, Dutch offshore and it was tectonically active in the Permian or prior to that, as the basement was faulted at several locations before the deposition of salt in the Late Permian. The salt started to move in the Late Triassic to the Early Jurassic and the resulting salt structures developed until the Mid-Miocene. In most of the cases salt started to move due to the basement faults but buoyancy and differential loading are also main factors for the initiation of the salt movement. Two main time periods are believed to enhance the salt movement in the study area i.e. the Late Jurassic to the Early Cretaceous (extension), and the Late Cretaceous to the Early Tertiary (inversion). The results show thick Triassic and Jurassic sediments in the graben area. In contrast, due to the possible erosion, thin layers of sediments observed on the structural highs. The Late Cretaceous was reported as the compressional period resulting thickness variations of sediments in the area.

Inversion structures including folds, reverse faults are observed along the Bjørnøyrenna Fault Complex in the western Barents Sea, although the fault complex is extensional in origin and developed in mid-Jurassic to Early Cretaceous. Subsidence along the fault complex was interrupted in Early Cretaceous (Valanginian to early Barremian) because of syn-rift localized tectonic inversion, itself related to the uplift of the Loppa High. The Early Cretaceous inversion caused dextral transpression along the boundary faults adjacent to the Loppa High. The second phase of inversion is interpreted to be Late Cretaceous (mid-Cenomanian) in age, coeval to the deposition of the Kolmule Formation in the Bjørnøyrenna Fault Complex. The later phase of compression is of regional significance and related to NW‒SE directed far field stresses in Late Cretaceous which caused head-on inversion in the study area. The aim of present study is to identify and decipher eventual Cretaceous inversion structures in the Bjørnøyrenna Fault Complex by means of structural restoration. To these aims, 2D MOVE ^TM , structural modeling and analysis software by Midland Valley Exploration Ltd (Glasgow, Scotland), is used and three key seismic lines crossing the central and northern segments of the Bjørnøyrenna Fault Complex are restored. Key profiles 1 and 2 reveal null point positions at the base of the Cretaceous (Hekkingen Formation). Null point positions show progressive compressional inversion of syn-rift Early Cretaceous deposits (Knurr Formation). Below and above null points the geometries of the restored faults show normal and reverse faulting respectively. The results of the restored key profiles 1 and 2 confirm reverse faulting at the Lower Cretaceous triggered by inversion of the study area. The restored sections also show positive inversion features associated with folding of the hanging wall of the base of the Upper Cretaceous (Kolmule Formation). The reconstruction of the amount of eroded material on the footwall block also suggests reverse faulting of the base of the Upper Cretaceous. In key profile 3 the footwall block is eroded up to the base of the Upper Cretaceous (Kolmule Formation) due to the uplift of the Loppa High. The corresponding restored section shows a compressional anticline associated with both Early and Late Cretaceous inversion events.