Portland Fault

E930714

The Portland Fault is a significant geological fault structure in southern England that plays a key role in the tectonic framework and sedimentary history of the Wessex Basin.

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Statements (42)

Predicate Object
instanceOf extensional fault
geological fault
normal fault
affects hydrocarbon prospectivity in the Wessex Basin
subsurface structure beneath Dorset
ageOfInitiation Mesozoic
associatedWith Mesozoic rifting in southern England
formation of the Wessex Basin
structural evolution of the English Channel margin
controls sedimentary architecture of the Wessex Basin
thickness variations in Mesozoic sedimentary sequences
country United Kingdom
currentActivity tectonically inactive at present-day surface conditions
deformationPhase Mesozoic extension phase of southern England
evidenceFrom regional geological mapping
seismic reflection data
subsurface well data
formsBoundaryBetween structural blocks within the Wessex Basin
geologicalPeriodActivity Cretaceous
Jurassic
Mesozoic NERFINISHED
influences distribution of Cretaceous sediments in the Wessex Basin
distribution of Jurassic sediments in the Wessex Basin
laterReactivation mild inversion during Cenozoic compression
lithologyInfluence controls facies changes across the fault
locatedIn Wessex Basin NERFINISHED
southern England NERFINISHED
mapScaleSignificance regional
movementType downthrow to the south
namedAfter Isle of Portland NERFINISHED
orientation approximately east–west
partOf tectonic framework of the Wessex Basin
region Dorset NERFINISHED
relatedTo Portland–Wight Fault Zone NERFINISHED
Purbeck Monocline NERFINISHED
role major structural lineament in southern England
significance key control on the tectono-sedimentary evolution of the Wessex Basin
studyDiscipline basin analysis
petroleum geology
structural geology
tectonicSetting Mesozoic extensional basin
tectonicStyle basin-bounding fault

Referenced by (1)

Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.

Wessex Basin majorFaultSystem Portland Fault