Silurian–Jurassic Stratigraphy and Basin Evolution of

Northwestern Argentina

Daniel Starck
Consultant
La Plata, Argentina

Abstract

N orthwestern Argentina has undergone a complex tectonosedimentary history. From Silurian through
Late Jurassic time, sedimentary sequences were deposited in intracontinental basins. The beginning of
this stage is linked to a first-order orogenic event, the Ocloyic phase. Above the Ocloyic unconformity, 6 km of
sedimentary rocks were deposited during the Silurian–Jurassic interval. This record consists of two major
unconformity-bounded sequences separated by the Lower Carboniferous Chanic unconformity. The first
sequence, spanning the Silurian–Devonian, contains predominantly marine facies arranged in cycles of
different hierarchies that were deposited in an epeiric flexural basin related to the Ocloyic orogen. The less
intense Chanic orogeny changed the subsidence style and combined flexural and thermal causes. The low
average sea level and variable climatic conditions during the late Paleozoic and early Mesozoic controlled the
environmental characteristics of this second sequence, which is represented by predominantly continental
facies of glacial and arid origin. This stage of intracontinental evolution ended with rupture and fragmentation
of the basins in response to Cretaceous rifting, which marked the Gondwana break-up.
Several of the units deposited during the studied interval produce oil or gas that were generated in the
Upper Devonian marine shales. The complex burial history led to the variable thermal maturity of these source
rocks. One of the most important control factors of commercial accumulations here is source rock availability
because the Devonian rocks were affected by erosive cycles of different ages.

Resumen

E l extremo noroeste de Argentina mantuvo durante el Fanerozoico una compleja historia tectosedimen-
taria. En particular, durante el intervalo temporal que abarca desde el Silúrico al Jurásico albergó
secuencias sedimentarias depositadas en cuencas intra-continentales. El inicio de esta etapa tectosedimentaria
está vinculada a un evento orogénico de primera magnitud acaecido a fines del Ordovícico, la fase diastrófica
Oclóyica. Sobre la discordancia generada por este acontecimiento se depositaron durante el intervalo Silúrico-
Jurásico unos 6 km de rocas sedimentarias ordenadas en dos secuencias mayores separadas por la discor-
dancia Chánica del Carbónico Inferior. La primera secuencia abarca el Silúrico y el Devónico y se caracteriza
por el predominio de facies marinas arregladas en ciclos de distintas jerarquías depositadas en una cuenca
epírica de naturaleza flexural y relacionada al orógeno Oclóyico. La fase diastrófica Chánica, de menor inten-
sidad que la Oclóyica, provocó cambios en el estilo de subsidencia de la región, la que con menor intensidad
parece haber combinado causas flexurales y termales. A su vez el bajo nivel promedio del mar y las variadas
condiciones climáticas presentes durante el Neopaleozoico y Eomesozoico condicionaron las características
ambientales de la segunda secuencia, representada por facies mayoritariamente continentales de origen glacial
y de ambientes áridos.
Varias de las unidades depositadas en el intervalo estudiado son productoras de petróleo o gas, los que han
sido generados a partir de las pelitas marinas del Devónico Superior. La compleja historia de soterramiento
que sufrieron estas rocas provocó su madurez térmica. Uno de los factores más importantes para la ocurrencia
de acumulaciones comerciales es la disponibilidad de roca madre, ya que la distribución de las rocas devónicas
fué afectada por ciclos erosivos de distinta edad.

Starck, D., 1995, Silurian–Jurassic stratigraphy and basin evolution of northwestern 251
Argentina, in A. J. Tankard, R. Suárez S., and H. J. Welsink, Petroleum basins of South
America: AAPG Memoir 62, p. 251–267.
252 Starck
INTRODUCTION
From Silurian through Late Jurassic time, north-
western Argentina was subjected to intracratonic tectonic
processes. The stratigraphic record has distinct
Gondwana affinities. This paper addresses this strati-
graphy as a basis for reconstructing the tectonic
evolution of the region.
Northwestern Argentina borders Bolivia and shares a
common geology with it. This region has long been
known as the “Northwestern basin,” ignoring the fact
that it is a complex tectonic province consisting of several
basins each of which preserves a unique record of timing
and style of deformation. Oil and gas fields have been
exploited since 1925. Hydrocarbon source rocks and
reservoir rocks accumulated during the Paleozoic and
Mesozoic. In contrast, maturation, migration, and
formation of structural traps are dated to the Neogene
Andean phase of deformation. This commercial interest
is reflected in several thousand kilometers of seismic
surveys and more than 100 exploration wells. This study
supplements these subsurface data with surface geology.
GEOLOGIC SETTING
The study area (Figure 1) is located in northwestern
Argentina and straddles the Andean mountain belt from
4000 m above sea level to the undeformed foreland
plains of the “Chaco Salteño.” Three distinct geologic
provinces are recognized: the Eastern Cordillera, the sub-
Andean ranges, and the Chacopampeana Plain. Each is a
major morphostructural unit that formed in the last 45
m.y. during the Andean orogeny. The geographic distri-
bution and boundaries of these provinces are controlled
by lateral variations in the sedimentary wedges involved
in the Andean deformation. The pre-Cenozoic structural
anisotropy influenced and modified the style of the
Andean deformation.
Four major unconformity-bounded sequences make
up the Phanerozoic succession (Figure 2). They are
believed to be linked to the behavior and organization at
plate boundaries. These stages are as follows:
1. Cambrian–Ordovician—The region behaved as a
back-arc passive margin open to the west. Thick
clastic shelf sequences (> 3000 m) were deposited
in the Eastern Cordillera region. Farther west,
contemporaneous turbidites were deposited in the
Puna trough. This sedimentary episode ended
abruptly at the end of the Ordovician when the
basin was inverted. Ramos (1986, 1988) attributed
this to the collision of the Arequipa-Antofalla
craton with the Pampean terrane, an event known
as the Ocloyic orogeny.
2. Silurian–Jurassic—Following terrane accretion, an
intracratonic phase of basin development is
recorded. Two major intervals separated by an
unconformity are recognized. The first phase of
basin subsidence spanned much of Silurian–
Figure 1—Silurian–Jurassic outcrop distribution. Localities
mentioned in text: AB, Aguas Blancas well; B, Balapuca;
Bjo, Bermejo well; C, Caspalá; CPR, Cinco Picachos
Range; H, Humahuaca; P, Angosto del Pescado; PPR, Las
Pavas–Pescada Range; SV, Santa Victoria; ZR, Zapla
Range. Geologic provinces: I, Eastern Cordillera; II,
Subandean ranges; III, Chaco–Paraná basin (= Chaco
Salteño Plain); V, Santa Bárbara System; IV, undefined
region with features similiar to other provinces.
Devonian time and had typical foreland basin
affinities. Considerable thicknesses of clastic
sediments were deposited in shallow marine envi-
ronments. The polarity of this basin was opposite
to that of the pre-Silurian stage of basin develop-
ment. This phase of basin formation was termi-
nated by an episode of folding and inversion
during the Late Devonian and Early Carbonif-
erous, known as the Chanic orogeny.
The second interval spanned the rest of the
Paleozoic, the Triassic, and much of the Jurassic.
Continental sedimentation dominated the over-
filled Tarija basin. This was the start of the
Gondwana succession. Late Jurassic–Early Creta-
ceous extension closed this episode as the old
depocenters were dissected into a suite of rift
basins and intervening highs (horsts and marginal
plateaus).
3. Cretaceous–Early Tertiary—This period was char-
acterized by widespread development and filling
of extensional basins. Fault-controlled synrift subsi-
dence in the Early Cretaceous was superseded by
Late Cretaceous–early Tertiary postrift subsidence.
Continental facies dominated both phases. The
transition to a compressional regime in the Andean
orogeny and inversion of old rift structures marked
the end of this extensional period.
 Silurian–Jurassic Stratigraphy and Basin Evolution of Northwestern Argentina
Figure 2—Schematic Phanerozoic chronostratigraphic
chart of the area.
4. Early Tertiary–Recent—Growth of the Andean
orogenic belt marked the final stage of basin devel-
opment dominated by sequences attributed to
foreland basin filling. The sedimentary environ-
ments reflect dominant continental deposition.
This paper addresses the Silurian–Jurassic phase of
basin formation and sedimentation, consisting of two
unconformity-bounded sequences. The lower sequence
has a well-developed cyclicity that encourages a
sequence stratigraphic approach (Starck et al., 1992a).
SILURIAN–DEVONIAN STRATIGRAPHY
The Silurian–Devonian succession is represented by
shale and sandstone facies deposited mainly in a shallow
marine environment. Less common are littoral and conti-
nental facies. This succession is separated from the pre-
Silurian by a prominent unconformity that has a clear
regional expression. Seismic mapping and stratigraphic
correlations show the nature of this unconformity. In the
253
Eastern Cordillera, it reaches an angular relationship
(Amengual and Zanettinni, 1973). The upper boundary
of the succession is also unconformable.
The Silurian–Devonian succession consists of three
stacked, kilometer-scale, coarsening-upward packages
attributed to supersequences (Starck et al., 1992a, 1993a).
Each supersequence consists of a shaley basal section
that grades upward through interbedded lithologies to
sandstone-dominated upper sections. The sharp contacts
are the basis for defining the supersequences. This
stratigraphy reflects a history of relative sea level
changes. The abrupt contacts are interpreted as first-
order flooding surfaces and are used for correlation
purposes.
Cinco Picachos Supersequence
The Cinco Picachos supersequence has a widespread
distribution. It is exposed in the Cinco Picachos Range
along the boundary between the Eastern Cordillera and
sub-Andean ranges, where it is more than 2000 m thick,
and in the Eastern Cordillera near Santa Victoria and the
Abra de Zenta-Caspalá region (Figure 1). In the north-
western corner of Argentina, the Cinco Picachos superse-
quence also crops out in the Zapla Range and in various
structural units of the Santa Bárbara system. In the San
Antonio and Aguaragüe ranges of the sub-Andean
foothills and in the Chaco Salteño, this supersequence
has been identified in exploration wells.
Table 1 summarizes the stratigraphic nomenclature of
the Cinco Picachos supersequence and regional relation-
ships. The basal Zapla Formation is generally thinner
than 50 m and consists of massive diamictites with clasts
up to 1 m in diameter (Antelo, 1978). In Bolivia, the Zapla
equivalent is the Cancañiri Formation, which is locally
thicker than 1000 m. The upper part of the formation is
more stratified and contains interbedded sandstones and
shales.
In the Abra de Zenta–Caspalá region, the Zapla is
absent and the supersequence begins with sandstones
and conglomerates of the Caspalá Formation, which
varies in thickness from a few centimeters to 30 m
(Figure 3). The Zapla and Caspalá formations are
overlain by a thick coarsening-upward cycle composed
of the Lipeón, Baritú, and Porongal formations (Table 1).
This is also typical of regional counterparts in the Chaco
Salteño and in Bolivia (Table 1).
In the Cinco Picachos Range and the Eastern
Cordillera, the Lipeón Formation is composed of a
monotonous succession of shales, siltstones, and biotur-
bated argillaceous sandstones. Fossils include abundant
Zoophycus traces and rare brachiopods. Accounting for
deformation, thickness is estimated to be about 700 m.
The Lipeón Formation grades upward through
interbedded mudstones and sandstones into the more
arenaceous Baritú Formation. Within this transition zone,
however, a disconformable relationship marked by an
erosive contact is present. The lower Baritú is character-
ized by a variety of shallow-marine, coarsening-upward
facies sequences that show a marked cyclicity.
254 Starck
Table 1—Comparative Stratigraphy of the Study Area
The top of the Baritú Formation is more arenaceous
and characterized by medium-scale cross bedding. Tran-
sition to the Porongal Formation is via alternating
mudstone and sandstone facies. The sandstones facies
generally have erosive bases and some form fining-
upward units with plant debris in places. A fluvial depo-
sitional setting is inferred.
The Porongal Formation consists of conglomeratic
sandstones and fine, mature conglomerates with
interbedded mudstones. Trough cross bedding is
common, especially in the sandstone facies. The contacts
between depositional units have layers of quartzitic
conglomerates suggestive of winnowing processes.
The progradational supersequence was deposited
over transgressive sediments that onlapped the Ordovi-
cian substrate in an expanding epeiric basin. The Caspalá
Formation is thus a sandy transgressive body that was
deposited in a back-stepping fashion as the coastal facies
equivalent of the Lipeón shelf mudstones. Littoral and
continental facies of the Porongal and upper Baritú
formations were deposited above shallow marine facies
of the lower Baritú and Lipeón formations. However,
progradation was not uniform. Stratigraphic relation-
ships show sudden lithologic changes and facies shifts
typical of third-order variations. The Cinco Picachos
supersequence reflects progradational stacking of several
depositional sequences. Palynologic studies confirm an
increasing component of continental material toward the
top of the progradational supersequence.
In this context, the Zapla Formation was restricted to
the more actively subsiding depocenters. This basin
setting and the chaotic nature of some of its sedimenta-
tion suggest that the Zapla Formation originated as a
lowstand.
Las Pavas Supersequence
The Las Pavas supersequence is exposed in the Cinco
Picachos Range and forms much of the core of the Las
Pavas–Pescado Range (Figure 1). In the Eastern
Cordillera, it also crops out in the Abra de Zenta–Caspalá
area before finally disappearing at Caspalá latitude
where it was eroded to form the pre-Carboniferous
unconformity (Starck et al., 1992a, 1993a). It is probable
that the Las Pavas also occurs in the Zapla Range and
Santa Bárbara system because fossils characteristic of this
supersequence have been reported there (Feruglio, 1929).
This stratigraphy has been extensively drilled in the sub-
Andean ranges where the Icla and Huamampampa
formations are recorded. Their counterparts in the Chaco
Salteño are the Rincón and Michicola formations (Table 1).
The Las Pavas, with thicknesses on the order of 900 m,
is separated from the underlying Cinco Picachos by a
prominent flooding surface. Five depositional sequences
are progradationally stacked over this flooding surface.
Each sequence displays thickening- and coarsening-
 Silurian–Jurassic Stratigraphy and Basin Evolution of Northwestern Argentina
Figure 3—The basal unconformity of the Silurian–Devonian
succession near Caspalá, Eastern Cordillera.
upward trends. The sequences become more argillaceous
distally (eastward). The lithostratigraphic boundary
between the Icla and Huamampampa formations climbs
through these sequences in a progradational direction.
On a regional scale, the Icla–Huamampampa boundary
is diachronous. The Icla contains variable thicknesses of
the finer grained lower parts; the Huamampampa
provides a topset cap of sandstone facies.
The lowest depositional sequence is the thickest,
locally exceeding 300 m; its base forms the Cerro Piedras
shales. Overlying sequences average about 100 m in
thickness. Each sequence typically begins with a shale-
draped flooding surface, above which distal shales are
replaced vertically by proximal sandstones. Continental
facies are only locally preserved. Flooding surfaces rather
than unconformities form sequence boundaries.
However, several sandstone bodies in wells in the sub-
Andean ranges have sharp, erosive bases. These are
interpreted as lowstand system tracts. Similar relation-
ships are observed in Bolivian outcrops.
Coarsening-upward cycles are well developed in
some sequences, especially the fifth depositional
sequence in the Las Pavas–Pescado Range. This fifth
sequence contains a stack of parasequences resembling
those of the lower Baritú Formation. These parase-
255
quences have extensively bioturbated topsets and are
laterally continuous. They are easily correlatable between
the Las Pavas–Pescado Range and wells located to the
east (Figure 4).
Malvinokaffric invertebrate assemblages are common
in the toesets of the lower three sequences; brachiopods
dominate these assemblages. Fossil plants occur in the
upper sequences.
Aguaragüe Supersequence
A major flooding surface separates the Aguaragüe
and Las Pavas supersequences. The Aguaragüe consists
of the Los Monos and Iquiri formations (Table 1). It also
typically coarsens upward due to the superimposition of
the sandy Iquiri Formation over the Los Monos
mudstones. In Argentina, these units are best developed
in the subsurface. The pre-Carboniferous erosion has
largely stripped the Devonian section in the outcropping
part of the basin, thus explaining why Los Monos
outcrops are rare in Argentina (Starck et al., 1993a). In the
Eastern Cordillera this supersequence is entirely eroded.
The thickest surface sections are less than 200 m thick
compared to the nearly 1000-m thickness in the sub-
Andean foothills and Chaco Salteño.
The Los Monos Formation comprises black laminated
shales with centimeter-scale sandstone partings. Biotur-
bation is generally moderate and macrofossils are rare.
The Argentinian outcrops contain some crinoids and
plant fossils. Haplostigma furquei is the most common
fossil in the Bolivian section.
A widespread sandstone body with a gradational
base is present in outcrops and wells near the base of the
supersequence. It represents the upper part of the
lowermost of the several depositional sequences that
make up the Aguaragüe supersequence.
Interpretation of the Silurian–Devonian
Succession
Stratigraphic analysis implies an overall relative sea
level or base level control on sedimentation and cyclicity.
This sequence stratigraphic approach distinguishes
several genetically related sequences of variable thick-
nesses within the Silurian–Devonian succession. There
are likewise different scales of investigation and correla-
tion. On the smallest scale, parasequences within the
upper Las Pavas supersequence are correlatable for more
than 30 km (Figure 4). Depositional sequences of the Las
Pavas can be traced, albeit with difficulty, from the Cinco
Picachos Range to the wells drilled in the sub-Andean
ranges 100 km to the east. On the largest scale, the super-
sequences are major stratigraphic bodies that span the
entire basin.
This hierarchy of northwestern Argentinian sequences
is believed to have global significance. Comparison of
southwestern Gondwana sequences with global sea level
curves has been attempted, for example, South Africa
(Cooper, 1986) and Brazil (Melo, 1989). There are strong
similarities between the Devonian basins of south-
western Gondwana. The flooding surface that marks the
256 Starck
beginning of the Las Pavas supersequence, and coincides
with the Malvinokaffric faunal paleogeography, is wide-
spread. This event is believed to mark the base of the
Ponta Grossa Formation in the Paraná basin of Brazil, the
base of the Lolén Formation in the Ventania basin of
Argentina, the base of the Fox Bay Formation in the
Malvinas Islands, and the base of the Bokkeveld Group
in South Africa. The flooding surface at the base of the
Aguaragüe supersequence may also have had a wide-
spread distribution, but it was eroded in several places
prior to Carboniferous deposition.
The well-preserved stratigraphic succession in the
Cape basin of South Africa bears comparison with the
Silurian–Devonian basin of northwestern Argentina and
Bolivia. The South African units are the Table Mountain
Group, the upper part of which correlates with the Cinco
Picachos supersequence; the Bokkeveld Group, which is
equivalent to the Las Pavas supersequence; and the
Witteberg Group, which is a counterpart of the
Aguaragüe supersequence. The Bokkeveld Group is
subdivided into several formations, each consisting of an
upward-coarsening unit as much as 100 m thick
(Tankard and Barwis, 1982; Theron and Loock, 1989).
These cycles match the depositional sequences recog-
nized in the Las Pavas supersequence. The similarities
include lithostratigraphy as well as faunal associations in
the Bokkeveld Group (Tankard and Barwis, 1982; Hiller
and Theron, 1989).
Figure 4—Stratigraphic
correlation of the uppermost
depositional sequence of
the Las Pavas superse-
quence. Location of wells
and surface sections are
shown in Figure 1. Note the
lateral continuity of parase-
quences and parasequence
sets.
Tankard and Barwis (1982) attributed Bokkeveld
cyclicity to variable subsidence rates superimposed on an
approximately constant eustatic rise. In contrast, Cooper
(1986) related Bokkeveld facies shifts entirely to sea level
changes. The proposed correlation of the Bokkeveld
Group with the Las Pavas supersequence and their rela-
tionship to the Johnson et al. (1985) eustatic curve is
shown in Figure 5. The comparison of the Las Pavas
supersequence and the eustatic curve is based on correla-
tion of flooding surfaces that bound the supersequence.
The micropaleontologic data support a late Emsian–early
Givetian age. In this sense, the Las Pavas spans the Ic to
If transgressive–regressive cycles of Johnson et al. (1985).
The Cinco Picachos supersequence spans approxi-
mately 45 m.y. from the uppermost Ordovician (Monaldi
and Boso, 1986) with the Zapla diamictites to the Emsian.
The top of the supersequence is equated to the Ib trans-
gressive–regressive cycle of Johnson et al. (1985). In
contrast, the Las Pavas supersequence is believed to have
had a 13-m.y. span from the late Emsian to middle
Givetian (Ic to If cycles of Johnson et al., 1985) (see Figure
5). The Aguaragüe supersequence lasted 20 m.y. from
the middle Givetian (IIa cycle) to possibly the Early
Carboniferous. Internally, the duration of each sequence
within the Las Pavas had a periodicity of 2–4 m.y., equiv-
alent to the third-order cycles of Vail et al. (1977). These
interpretations are tenuous and require further biostrati-
graphic testing.
 Silurian–Jurassic Stratigraphy and Basin Evolution of Northwestern Argentina 257

Figure 5—Comparison of Middle Devonian records of South Africa with northwestern Argentina and global sea level trends.
(a) Devonian eustatic curve (Johnson et al., 1985). (b) South African section (modified from Tankard and Barwis, 1982). (b)
Northwestern Argentinian section; I–V are depositional sequences.

This study has focused on a Paleozoic intracontinental
basin setting in northwestern Argentina where
sequences accumulated on a ramp-type passive margin
(see Van Wagoner et al., 1990). Progressive flexural
subsidence has limited the development of widespread
unconformities. Instead, sequence boundaries are marked
by maximum flooding surfaces. Lowstand system tracts
are poorly developed and are difficult to separate from
the preceding sequence. Possible lowstand deposits may
be the sharp-based sandstone bodies in the upper Las
Pavas supersequence, the widely dispersed Porongal
conglomerates, and the sharp-based lower Baritú
Formation sandstones. Posamentier et al. (1992) have
attributed similar associations to forced regressions.
CARBONIFEROUS–JURASSIC
STRATIGRAPHY
The Carboniferous–Jurassic stratigraphic interval is
characterized by a succession of depositional sequences
deposited in the Tarija basin. Each sequence is separated
from the next by an unconformity. Terrestrial deposi-
tional environments in an overfilled basin setting are
ubiquitous.
The base of the succession overlies a major regional
unconformity that is locally modified by deep erosion.
Gentle regional tilting of the pre-Carboniferous strati-
graphy is expressed in angular relationships (approxi-
mately 1˚). This unconformity is most pronounced in the
southwestern part of the area, where the Silurian–
Devonian section in parts of the Eastern Cordillera is
completely eroded (Figure 6). There the Carboniferous
overlies Ordovician rocks. A network of deeply eroded
paleovalleys is superimposed on this regional unconfor-
mity, incising different levels of the Devonian (Starck et
al., 1992a, 1993a). The top of the Carboniferous–Jurassic
succession is marked by another major unconformity.
This unconformity is the most conspicuous in northern
Argentina (Figure 2), where the pre-Cretaceous record
has been stripped over large areas.
The succession is subdivided into four groups that are
genetically distinct and separated by unconformities: the
Macharetí, Mandiyutí, Cuevo, and Tacurú superse-
quences.
Macharetí Supersequence
Filling of the Tarija basin began with deposition of the
Macharetí Group above an unconformity that had
beveled the Silurian–Devonian substrate. Three of the six
formations making up this group in Bolivia occur in
northern Argentina. These are the Tupambi, Itacuami,
and Tarija formations (Table 1). The Itacuami and Tarija
formations appear to be genetically related and will be
discussed together.
258 Starck
Figure 6—Stratigraphic relationships at the southwestern border of the basin (Eastern Cordillera). See Figure 1 for location.
(a) Southern end of Cianzo syncline; (b) Caspala Creek; (c) Pluma Verde Creek.
Tupambi Formation
The Tupambi Formation consists of whitish sand-
stones that range from a few meters to several hundred
meters thick. These sediments were deposited in paleo-
valleys. The valley fills are irregularly stacked, coars-
ening-upward sequences characterized by synsedimen-
tary deformation and slumping in their lower half.
Diamictites are present at the toes of some cycles.
Tupambi paleogeography included braided fluvial
deposits and deltaic mouth bars, mainly confined to the
paleovalley network. High sedimentation rates and
possible basin tectonism are reflected in the widespread
synsedimentary deformation. The diamictites are attrib-
uted to distal glacial influences.
Tarija Formation
The Tarija Formation is a blanket of dark-colored
diamictites that are locally more than 600 m thick. In
some parts of the Eastern Cordillera, it overlies a striated
pavement. Conglomerates, sandstones, and mudstones
are interbedded with the diamictites. One 70-m-thick
varved or laminated mudstone at the base of the Tarija
(the Itacuami Formation of some authors) contains drop-
stones.
The Tarija diamictites are generally homogeneous,
have practically no stratification, and contain clasts up to
1 m in diameter. Faceted, polished, and striated clasts are
common. The conglomerate and sandstone intercalations
are common, especially near the top of the Tarija
Formation. (In Bolivia, this sandstone-dominated upper
Tarija has been given the name Chorro Formation.)
These sandstone units have an irregular distribution and
are not obviously related to the margins of the basin.
Starck et al. (1992b, 1993b) have documented the
glacial origin of these diamictites. The evidence includes
striated pavements with northwest-southeast oriented
striations, dropstones, and true tillite characteristics of
the diamictites. The tillites are believed to have origi-
nated as lodgement tills and locally as glaciomarine
deposits. Ice flow direction was toward the northwest.
The Chorro sandstone facies in the upper Tarija are
interpreted as periglacial fluvial sediments that were fed
into the basin through valleys incised along the edge of
the basin, there forming small sandy deltas.
Mandiyutí Supersequence
The Mandiyutí Group is separated from the
Macharetí by a prominent unconformity. Along the
southwestern margin of the basin in the Eastern
Cordillera, the Mandiyutí Group oversteps the Macharetí
and directly overlies pre-Carboniferous (Ordovician)
stratigraphy (Figure 6). The basal unconformity is deeply
eroded by paleovalleys. Seismic reflection and well data
show that these valleys are widespread in the Chaco
Salteño and in the Bolivian Chaco (Salinas et al., 1978;
Tankard et al., 1995). Two contrasting lithologic units are
recognized: the Las Peñas and San Telmo formations.
Las Peñas Formation
The Las Peñas Formation and its Bolivian counterpart,
the Escarpment Formation, comprise stacked channel
sandstone units occupying deeply incised paleovalleys.
Thickness varies up to 500 m. In outcrop this is a major
 Silurian–Jurassic Stratigraphy and Basin Evolution of Northwestern Argentina
Figure 7—The Tarija basin succession in the Eastern
Cordillera (section c of Figure 6). The Las Peñas Formation
onlaps a paleovalley and pinches out to the right (north).
cliff-forming unit (Figure 7). Like the Tupambi
Formation, the Las Peñas displays widespread deforma-
tion. Deposition is attributed to sandy fluvial systems
and overstepping, short-headed delta systems confined
by the valley margins.
San Telmo Formation
In contrast, the succeeding San Telmo Formation is
composed of alternating beds of very fine sandstones,
mudstones, and bright red diamictites. The diamictites
contain cross-bedded sandstone units. The thickness of
this formation is up to 400 m in the sub-Andean ranges,
and less than 150 m in the Eastern Cordillera. Deposition
is believed to have occurred in glacial, fluvial, and lacus-
trine environments.
Cuevo Supersequence
Preserved remnants of the Cuevo Group are restricted
to isolated structures in the sub-Andean ranges in the
northern part of the study area. Starck et al. (1992b,
1993b) have described Cuevo outcrops in the Rio Cañas
area. This group consists of three formations: Cangapi,
Vitiacua, and Ipaguazu (Table 1). Sempere (1995) assigns
a Pennsylvanian–Early Triassic age to the Cuevo super-
sequence.
259
Cangapi Formation
The Cangapi Formation is a homogeneous, white
sandstone overlying a thin basal conglomerate, for
example, in the Cinco Picachos Range. Interbedded
siliceous and calcareous layers near the top mark the
transition to the overlying Vitiacua Formation. The 100-
m-thick Cangapi is attributed to eolian processes.
Vitiacua Formation
The Cangapi grades vertically into the Vitiacua
Formation, a 30- to 90-m-thick interval of calcareous
mudstones and limestones with sandstone interbeds.
Conspicuous meter-scale limestone cycles with chert
nodule caps are recognized. Green and purple
mudstones are several meters thick. The sandstone units
are cross bedded and locally herringbone cross bedded.
Sempere (1995) suggests a middle Permian–Early
Triassic age. The calcareous mudstones resemble the Iratí
Formation of the Paraná basin.
The calcareous mudstones and limestones with fossils
and herringbone cross stratification are indicative of
deposition in a carbonate shelf setting (Beltan et al., 1987;
Sempere et al., 1992). The meter-scale limestones form
shallowing-upward cycles in which the crests are brec-
ciated, karstic, and preserve evidence of subaerial
exposure. Flooding surfaces mark the beginning of each
cycle. Eolian dune fields surrounded the basin, as
evidenced by Cangapi sandstones and eolian sandstone
tongues within the Vitiacua.
Ipaguazu Formation
Overlying an unconformable base of karstic and brec-
ciated limestones, the Ipaguazu Formation consists of
red siltstones with interbedded mudstones and very fine
grained sandstones in a sequence 60–90 m thick. The
most common sedimentary structures are current and
wave ripples and less common hummocky cross stratifi-
cation. In the northern part of the study area gypsum
evaporites occur. This formation was probably deposited
in an arid lacustrine environment. In Bolivia the evapor-
ites are more abundant and consist of gypsum and halite.
Tacurú Supersequence
The Tacurú Group is extensively preserved in Bolivia
and in the Argentinian sub-Andean ranges that border
Bolivia. Starck et al. (1992b, 1993b) have documented
Tacurú outliers even farther south in the Eastern
Cordillera. The pre-Tacurú unconformity erodes deep
into the underlying units. However, it is uncertain
whether this unconformity reflects structuring or a drop
of base level.
This group is composed mainly of reddish sandstones
with large-scale cross bedding. In northern outcrop
areas, thinly bedded mudstones and fine-grained
conglomerates intertongue with the sandstones. There is
also a basin margin facies in the Eastern Cordillera;
substantial thicknesses of breccia crop out in the Cianzo
zone and along the eastern edge of the Humahuaca
Valley. Although Amengual and Zanettinni (1973) assign
260 Starck
Figure 8—Angular unconformity between Tacurú and Salta
groups in Eastern Cordillera. In this position, the Tacurú
(Jurassic?) is the floor of a half-graben filled by more than
5 km of Salta Group (Cretaceous–early Tertiary) sedimen-
tary rocks.
these breccias to the younger Pirgua Subgroup, they are
laterally related to cross-bedded Tacurú sandstones and
have an angular unconformable relationship with the
overlying Pirgua Subgroup (Figure 8).
Tacurú paleogeography consisted mainly of eolian
dune fields and small lakes that deposited the intrafor-
mational mudstones. In Bolivia, these lacustrine
sediments are more extensive, warranting a unique
description as the Castellón Formation. The breccias in
the Eastern Cordillera with angular meter-size boulders
reflect proximal alluvial fan environments adjacent to
fault scarps.
Interpretation of the Carboniferous–
Jurassic Succession
The Carboniferous–Jurassic succession was con-
structed by a suite of unconformity-bounded deposi-
tional sequences. Although tenuous, their chronology is
derived from regional correlations; unfortunately, too
little detailed biostratigraphic information is available.
The Carboniferous stratigraphy is separated from the
Devonian by a major unconformity. Starck et al. (1992a,
1993a) have correlated this unconformity to the Chanic
event as well as to global sea level history (see Ross and
Ross, 1988; Veevers and Powell, 1987), suggesting a
hiatus of approximately 50 m.y.
It was on this erosional platform that the Macharetí
and Mandiyutí supersequences accumulated. Microfos-
sils in the thick glacial deposits indicate a Middle–Late
Carboniferous age (Azcuy and Laffitte, 1981; Azcuy et
al., 1984). Recent palynologic analysis suggests a West-
phalian or younger age for these supersequences or
groups. These ages match those of other glacial
sequences throughout southwestern Gondwana
(Tankard et al., 1995). Consequently, the Macharetí and
Mandiyutí groups were deposited during the Late
Carboniferous–Early Permian, following a well-docu-
mented eustatic sea level drop (Veevers and Powell,
1987; Ross and Ross, 1988). These supersequences are
correlated with the Sachayoj, Charata, and Chacabuco
formations of the Chaco-Paraná basin, the Itararé Group
of the Paraná basin, the Sauce Grande Formation of
Ventania, the Malvinas Lafonia Formation, and the
Dwyka Group of the South African Karoo basin.
All of these glacially derived units unconformably
overlie Devonian strata and to a great extent are the
record of a massive continental ice cap. Glacial striations
(Salinas et al., 1978; Starck et al., 1992b, 1993b) indicate a
northwest-directed ice flow in the Tarija basin, consistent
with a radial advance from a paleopole located east of
South Africa. The petrology and ice flow direction in the
Tarija basin suggest a Brazilian shield provenance (also
see López Gamundi, 1986).
The unconformity between the Macharetí and
Mandiyutí groups is also attributed to a eustatic drop. In
both groups, lowering of base level induced deep valley
incision. For this reason, both supersequences start with
sand-prone deposition on a highly irregular surface
(e.g., Tupambi and Las Peñas formations) and are
blanketed by widespread glacial or periglacial deposits
(e.g., Tarija and San Telmo formations). Elsewhere, the
Itararé Group of the Paraná basin contains three genetic
units of arenaceous deposits and diamictites (França and
Potter, 1991; Eyles et al., 1993), not unlike the Tarija
basin stratigraphy.
The Cuevo supersequence was deposited on an
unconformity of regional scale, and internally contains a
secondary unconformity that separates the Cangapi-
Vitiacua pair from the Ipaguazu Formation (Table 1).
This group has traditionally been assigned a Late Triassic
(Norian) age (Beltan et al., 1987). However, more recent
studies (Starck et al., 1992b, 1993b; Sempere et al., 1992;
Sempere, 1995) suggest a Late Carboniferous–Early
Triassic age for the Cuevo. Deposition of the Cuevo
(Tarija basin), Passa Dois (Paraná basin), and Ecca (Karoo
basin) groups occurred after the Gondwana glaciation.
The Iratí and Whitehill transgression (Visser, 1991),
warm climatic conditions, and reptile and palynomorph
fossils indicate a Permian age.
The overlying Ipaguazu Formation is probably of
Triassic age. The Ipaguazu may be part of the Sereré
supersequence (Oller and Sempere, 1990; Sempere, 1995)
for which a Middle Triassic to possibly Middle Jurassic
age is inferred.
The approximate age of the Tacurú supersequence is
based on regional correlations and structural considera-
tions. This group is part (together with the previous
stratigraphy) of the prerift succession of the Cretaceous
extensional stage. Its age is thus pre-Cretaceous. It could
also be argued that the Tacurú Group is a counterpart of
the Tacuarembó and Botocatú eolianites of the Chaco-
Paraná and Paraná basins, respectively, in which case it
could date to the Early Jurassic. The implication is that
during latest Triassic–Jurassic time, extremely arid condi-
tions prevailed over much of southwestern Gondwana,
resulting in large deserts of which the Tacurú was a local
expression.
 Silurian–Jurassic Stratigraphy and Basin Evolution of Northwestern Argentina
IMPLICATIONS FOR BASIN EVOLUTION
The dynamics of basin evolution in northwestern
Argentina are poorly understood. Mesozoic and Tertiary
tectonism have largely reactivated old basin-forming
structures and deformed the stratigraphic column. These
effects, combined with erosion, have resulted in a poorly
preserved record of early basin architecture. Neverthe-
less, throughout much of the Silurian–Jurassic interval,
the basins appear to have had intracratonic affinities with
an overall north-south continuity along the Pacific
margin of Gondwana. There also appears to have been a
broadscale continuity in Paleozoic time of the north-
western Argentinian, Chaco, Chaco-Paraná, and Paraná
depocenters. For most of the Paleozoic, these depocen-
ters were yoked together. Only in Mesozoic time did
extension dissect this landscape into isolated rift basins.
As incomplete as it is, the stratigraphic record and the
distribution of its unconformities preserve some of the
tectonic history of these basins.
The Silurian–Devonian cycle had a depositional
border or basin margin in the west. Facies trends show a
western provenance. Transgressive relationships within
the Lipeon Formation confirm this interpretation.
The Macharetí and Mandiyutí supersequences also
record the basin geometry in the Eastern Cordillera.
Whereas the Macharetí supersequence onlaps and
pinches out against pre-Carboniferous strata, the
Mandiyutí oversteps even farther to the west beyond
outcrop control. The fluvial paleovalley fills of the
Tupambi Formation have eastward-directed paleocur-
rents (Starck et al., 1992b, 1993b).
The Cuevo supersequence has a tabular or saucer-
shaped geometry on a regional scale, suggesting low rates
of regional subsidence. In outcrops of the Cinco Picachos
Range, the Cangapi Formation has a southward-
onlapping internal geometry. The Vitiacua Formation
also suggests low rates of subsidence with its dark
mudstones and thin but laterally continuous limestone
cycles.
The Ipaguazu Formation unconformably overlies the
Vitiacua with a depocenter in the Entre Rios area of
southern Bolivia. Oller and Sempere (1990) have inferred
a period of extensional subsidence for the Ipaguazu.
However, I have been unable to find any evidence of
fault-controlled subsidence in northwestern Argentina
that would separate the Vitiacua and Ipaguazu styles of
subsidence. The unconformable relationship is believed
to reflect a drop of base level and restriction of Ipaguazu
sediments to the more actively subsiding parts of the
basin, such as Entre Rios, where thick evaporites occur.
The upper Ipaguazu marks expansion of the basin and
onlapping of its margins. In contrast, thick breccias
stacked about the margin of the Tacurú basin imply
fault-controlled or extensional subsidence in the west.
The stratigraphic evidence is overwhelming that, from
Silurian time on, northwestern Argentinian and Bolivian
basins were bordered to the west by a highland area
large enough to supply enormous amounts of relatively
coarse sediments. Between this orogenic belt and the
Brazilian shield, the basins subsided intermittently.
261
Unconformities are deeply incised and form wedges
toward the western highland. For example, the Ocloyic
and Chanic unconformities are markedly angular in the
Caspalá area, as is the basal Tacurú unconformity.
Faulting in the Eastern Cordillera was contemporaneous
with Tacurú deposition.
The western margin of the basins is represented by an
orogenic belt. This belt, located in the Eastern Cordillera,
developed as a highland in the middle Paleozoic, sepa-
rating the Paleozoic Puna basins from those of the sub-
Andean realm (Salfity et al., 1975; Vistalli, 1989). Ramos
(1986, 1988) attributed this uplift to the effects of a
collision orogen formed by the accretion of the Antofalla-
Belen-Arequipa terrane. The Puna basins are interpreted
as peripheral basins (Ramos, 1986; Palma and Irigoyen,
1987) separated from the sub-Andean flexural foreland
basins. The Silurian–Devonian succession also overlies
an angular unconformity in the Puna realm (Donato and
Vergani, 1985).
The Cinco Picachos, Las Pavas, and Aguaragüe super-
sequences fill a wide basin in which they display a
pronounced facies asymmetry as a result of sediment
supply from the west. This basin is believed to have had
similarities to the Laramide foreland basin of North
America (see Cross, 1986). A flanking foldbelt in the west
supports this interpretation. This foldbelt is believed to
have been formed by the Ocloyic orogeny.
Ramos et al. (1984) have interpreted the Early
Carboniferous Chanic orogeny in southern latitudes as a
collisional event in plate tectonic terms. Although this
orogeny was not intense in the study area, the dias-
trophism and hiatus represent the onset of a new
tectonostratigraphic cycle and formation of the Tarija
basin. These various stages of basin development are
summarized in Figure 9 as calculated subsidence curves
for Caspalá, Cinco Picachos Range, and Chaco Salteño.
The increasing angularity of the Lower Carboniferous
Chanic unconformity toward the west reflects the farfield
effects of the compressive Pacific–Gondwana plate
margin. These effects can also explain the subsidence
along the western fringe of the basin during Carbonif-
erous–Permian time. Eyles and Eyles (1993) have noted
the farfield effects of the Pacific plate margin as far east
as the Paraná basin. Figure 9 shows that during Tacurú
time, the Tarija basin followed a course of subsidence
different from earlier episodes. Although the base of this
interval is a regional unconformity, there were no
obvious tectonic climaxes. Faulting along the margins of
the basin were extensional in nature and probably
presaged the late Mesozoic rifting.
Finally, Table 2 summarizes this tectonostratigraphic
interpretation for northwestern Argentina. The pre-
Silurian part of the geology not covered in this study
includes igneous and sedimentary rock assemblages
attributed to a Late Proterozoic–early Paleozoic passive
margin (González Bonorino and González Bonorino,
1991). An Ordovician magmatic arc or Puna eruptive belt
created a fore-arc basin and flysch depocenters (Méndez
et al., 1972; Coira et al., 1982; Spalletti et al., 1989). The
Silurian–Jurassic stratigraphy of the present study
explores the subsequent evolution of this orogenic belt.
262 Starck
Figure 9—Subsidence curves calculated at different basin positions. Note the different Silurian–Devonian, Carboniferous–
Middle Triassic, and Jurassic evolutive stages. Note also the increasing intensity of the unconformities toward the Eastern
Cordillera (Caspalá).
DISCUSSION
At the end of the Ordovician, collision of the
Arequipa-Antofalla craton produced a fold and thrust
belt along the trend of the Eastern Cordillera. This belt
continued southward into the Pampean ranges. A
foreland basin subsided in front (east) of this compres-
sive load. Due to the high sea level during the Silurian–-
Devonian, the various southwestern Gondwana basins
were generally yoked together as underfilled shallow
marine basins (see published maps, e.g., Melo, 1989;
Barret and Isaacson, 1989; Isaacson and Sablock, 1990).
An overall fining of the succession may imply a gradual
lowering of topographic relief.
At the end of the Devonian, or more likely at the
beginning of the Carboniferous, another diastrophic
event occurred. This event was probably related to a
minor reorganization of the Pacific plate edge relative to
Gondwana. This event is the Chanic orogeny, which
induced gentle tilting of the pre-Carboniferous succes-
sion and development of a regional angular unconfor-
mity. This unconformity increases in angularity toward
the west. Seismic sections show that this unconformity
persists through the Chaco-Paraná basin (especially in
the Alhuampa subbasin). The Chanic diastrophism and a
marked eustatic drop in the Middle Carboniferous
combined to inhibit sedimentation in the region until the
Late Carboniferous.
In spite of the middle Paleozoic diastrophic events, the
late Paleozoic Tarija basin had a distribution similar to
the earlier Silurian–Devonian basins, probably because
they reused older structural fabrics. Onlap relationships
(Figure 6) show that the Tarija basin was more restricted
than its predecessors. Rates of subsidence were also
lower (Figure 9), possibly due to thermal behavior of the
lithosphere. These lower rates of subsidence emphasized
the unconformities cut by glacioeustatic oscillations that
characterized the late Paleozoic ice age.
The Cuevo supersequence closed the late Paleozoic–
Triassic phase of basin formation with the lowest rates of
subsidence (Figure 9). Cuevo subsidence appears to have
been restricted to the center of the basin. By the end of
this episode, however, a new diastrophism resulted in a
widespread unconformity and marked a change in
regional stress fields as extensional processes started to
partition the Paleozoic landscape in Tacurú time. Exten-
sional subsidence was not yet intense. Tacurú sedimenta-
tion appears to have blanketed this incipient and
restricted extensional topography.
In northwestern Argentina, a fundamental change in
the style of subsidence occurred with the Late Jurassic
(Oxfordian–Kimmeridgian) Araucanian diastrophism,
which effectively terminated the Tarija basin (the
Bolivian counterpart is known as the Condo event).
Extension dissected the old epeiric basin into a suite of
fault-controlled half-grabens and intervening highs. The
Cretaceous–lower Tertiary Salta Group developed as a
rift basin fill. The prerift successions of this study were
systematically eroded from the rift margins as a result of
rift flank uplift (Figure 10). For example, the southern
edge of the Tarija basin was uplifted along a basin
margin arch known as the Michicola high, south of
which the Lomas de Olmedo half-graben formed (see
Cominguez and Ramos, 1995). Figure 10 shows the struc-
tural asymmetry of the Lomas de Olmedo rift. Its
northern margin consists of a narrow zone of south-
dipping listric normal faults, interpreted here as a major
basin-forming fault system. The southern part of the
basin is a fault-terraced ramp. Reflection seismic profiles
show the essential structural architecture of this basin
(Figure 11). Some of the deeper reflection patterns
suggest that Paleozoic strata may occur in fault blocks
beneath the synrift Salta succession (Starck et al., 1992b,
1993b; Cominguez and Ramos, 1995). Silurian–Jurassic
outcrops in the Abra de Zenta–Caspalá region also owe
their preservation to extensional processes.
 Silurian–Jurassic Stratigraphy and Basin Evolution of Northwestern Argentina
Table 2—Tectonic Evolution of Northwestern Argentina
Cretaceous–early Tertiary extension and subsequent
Andean compressive deformation reactivated old crustal
fabrics, many of them of Eocambrian origin. The impor-
tance of these rift basins, their rift flank uplifts, and
arches (e.g., the Michicola and Pampean arches of
Argentina and the Izozog arch of Bolivia) is that they
effectively dismembered the Silurian–Jurassic epeiric
basin. The Chaco, Tarija, and Chaco-Paraná system is
believed to have been a continent-wide basin complex,
consisting of several depocenters that were generally
yoked together (Starck et al., 1991b, 1992b). The strati-
graphic record of northwestern Argentina reflects the
broadscale history of southwestern Gondwana. The
Paleozoic succession records the processes of terrane
accretion, continent building, and compressive deforma-
tion that are emphasized in the Ocloyic and Chanic
events. In contrast, the Mesozoic was dominated by
extensional processes that culminated in continental frag-
mentation and opening of the Atlantic Ocean. The
earliest extensional record in northwestern Argentina
can be dated at the base of the Tacurú Group, whereas
the Late Jurassic Araucanian diastrophism marks the
climax of widespread extensional stresses. Elsewhere in
Patagonia, extension is dated as far back as the Late
Triassic (Uliana et al., 1989).
The study area straddles four geologic provinces (see
Turner, 1979). Provinces of the Andean mountains
include the Puna, the Eastern Cordillera, and the sub-
Andean ranges. To the east is the undeformed foreland
of the Chacopampean Plain or Chaco Salteño. The sub-
Andean ranges are a thin-skinned fold and thrust belt
with prominent detachments in the Lipeón and Los
Monos formations. The erosion of the Los Monos
Formation represented by the Araucanian unconformity
along the Michicola arch controlled the southern termi-
nation of the sub-Andean ranges. At the latitudes of the
Lomas de Olmedo rift system, the Eastern Cordillera
263
Figure 10—Paleogeologic map of the early Salta Group
(Cretaceous–early Tertiary) synrift fill. Note the increasing
stripping of prerift sequences from the north toward the
Lomas de Olmedo rift margin (= Michicola high) and the
normal fault system. Symbols: Ag, Aguaragüe superse-
quence; CP, Cinco Picachos supersequence; Cue, Cuevo
Group; LP, Las Pavas supersequence; Mch, Macharetí
Group; My, Mandiyutí Group; Ord, Ordovician; Tac, Tacurú
Group.
absorbed most of the shortening. The normal faults of the
Lomas de Olmedo basin were little inverted because
their orientations paralleled the direction of maximum
compressional stress of the Andean deformation.
Farther south, the Santa Bárbara system is a geologic
province (Rolleri, 1976) consisting of short, broad,
basement-involved anticlines. High-angle reverse faults
display varying strikes and vergences where they have
inverted normal faults. These Santa Bárbara extensional
faults were more favorably oriented relative to the
compressive stress field than those of Lomas de Olmedo
and thus were more susceptible to inversion. Much of
the Eastern Cordillera was subjected to inversion. For
example, Abra de Zenta–Caspalá outcrops are inverted
parts of the prerift substrate of a Salta Group half-graben.
The pre-Tertiary tectonostratigraphic framework
affected the style of Andean deformation in two ways.
First, the stratigraphy determined the way sedimentary
wedges were involved in deformation. Second, the orien-
tation and shape of Salta-age extensional faults influ-
enced their reactivation. The present-day distribution of
the Silurian–Jurassic succession reflects erosion related to
Cretaceous extension, especially the Late Jurassic Arau-
canian diastrophism.
The commercial consequences of this geologic history
have long been understood, particularly the Devonian
source rocks, the mainly Carboniferous reservoirs, and
Tertiary trap formation. Dynamic studies of the strati-
264 Starck

Figure 11—Seismic section across Lomas de Olmedo rift. See Figure 10 for location. Note the asymmetry of major basin-
forming faults along the northern flank and minor faults on the opposite side. The northern flank corresponds to the
Michicola high, where the entire stratigraphic section discussed in the text has been eroded. Symbols: Pr, prerift sequence
(Paleozoic–Jurassic); Sr, synrift sequence (Early–Late Cretaceous); Po, postrift sequence (Maastrichtian–Oligocene?); To,
distal Andean foreland basin infill. (From Cominguez and Ramos, 1995.)
 Silurian–Jurassic Stratigraphy and Basin Evolution of Northwestern Argentina
Figure 12—Oil and gas field distribution. Fields related to
the Paleozoic are in black; fields belonging to the Creta-
ceous–lower Tertiary Salta Group basin are in gray. All
Paleozoic fields have developed where the Los Monos
Formation is present. Reservoir ages: D, Devonian; C,
Carboniferous; T, Tertiary.
graphy and basin evolution enable us to understand
these parameters better.
Source rock geochemistry confirms that the Los
Monos Formation of the Aguaragüe supersequence is
the major source rock interval. Although the TOC
content of this formation generally does not exeed 1%, its
great thickness (approximately 1000 m of organic-rich
shales) is able to generate large volumes of hydrocar-
bons. There is a strong relationship between this unit and
the reservoired hydrocarbons. Outside the erosive edge
of the Los Monos Formation (Figure 12), there are no
commercial fields, in spite of the broader distribution of
the Lipeón and Icla mudstones. This is also reflected in
the organic content and degree of bioturbation. The
Kirusillas and Icla formations are generally more biotur-
bated and have a greater abundance of benthonic fauna
than the Los Monos Formation. This biotic activity has
prevented the preservation of the organic matter in the
Kirusillas and Icla sediments. The general increase in
preserved organic matter toward the end of the
Devonian is a phenomenon that occurs worldwide and is
attributed to a global anoxic event (Johnson et al., 1985).
Reservoirs and traps span the entire stratigraphic
column where there are several levels of primary
porosity, as well as areas of secondary porosity formed
by fracturing. Although potential reservoirs and traps
span the entire Silurian–Tertiary section, the best fields
are developed mainly in the Huamampampa and
Tupambi formations, both of which are in stratigraphic
contact with the Los Monos source rocks. The largest
accumulations are related to north-south anticlines in the
sub-Andean belt. The network of Tupambi paleovalleys
forms stratigraphic traps in the Chaco Salteño.
265
Hydrocarbon generation began several million years
after deposition of the Los Monos shales. The complex
geologic evolution of this region, including several major
unconformities, makes maturation and expulsion
modeling difficult (e.g., Lopatin, 1971). Nevertheless, the
beginning of maturation is believed to have occurred in
the Jurassic. Because of the Late Jurassic deformation,
regional variations in erosion, and thermal history, the
Los Monos source rock followed different maturation
paths in different parts of the basin. Much of the Los
Monos still appears to be within the generative window.
The expulsion and migration are believed to be related to
Andean deformation.
Aknowledgments This study is the result of my work at
YPF. I gratefully thank all the YPF personnel, especially those
who accompainied me in the 4th Geologic Commision. I also
thank the editors and referees (H. Belotti and M. Mozetic) for
their constructive comments and suggestions.
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