The project aimed to improve the understanding of the formation and evolution of foreland basins. Very few basins of this type have been thoroughly investigated. The project therefore represented an excellent opportunity to bring together the expertise of two European geological research institutes to develop a new and innovative computer simulation model able to predict the development of a foreland basin.
Foreland or extensional basins are known to be important sites for the formation and accumulation of hydrocarbons. In Europe, foreland basins are located in the Alpine and Pyrenean mountain belts. This project therefore selected the Vic area of the southern Pyrenean foreland as the focus for more detailed work. Recent developments in computer modelling make it possible to test conceptual models of tectonic/sedimentary systems interactively and quantitatively. This allows geologists to develop detailed models of the evolution of extensional basins.