Influence of North Kopeh Dagh Oblique-Slip Fault Zone on the En Echelon Arrangement of the Nader Anticline Culminations in the Kopeh Dagh Fold- Thrust Belt

The folding style analysis is one of the initial investigations on hydrocarbon reservoirs anticlines. Nader Anticline is located in the western part of the Eastern Kopeh Dagh zone and on hanging wall of the North Kopeh Dagh Reverse Fault. The structural analysis of the anticline is carried out along eight structural transects across the fold. This analysis showed that the Nader Anticline has two culminations with an en echelon arrangement. These culminations as well as the other folds in the study area are cross cut by a series of NW- and N- trending strikeslip faults. The Nader Anticline first culmination is analyzed as fault propagation fold geometry, while its second culmination is examined as fault detachment fold geometry. Since the Nader Hidden Fault cuts the north limb of the first culmination; the geometry of this culmination can also be considered as faulted detachment fold. The study area faults though havedifferent trends but they dominantly have strike-slip mechanism or strike-slip component and thus, can be considered as Riddle shear faults.Geometric and kinematic analysis of these faults showed that a series of these faults could be considered as shear fractures related to a NW-trending PDZ, while the other faults can be examined as Riddle shears related to a N-trending PDZ. Such development of the Riddle shears faults as well as en echelon arrangement of the Nader Anticline culminations imply that the study area is structurally evolved during a NW trending oblique-slip fault system more likely related to transpressional activity of the North Kopeh Dagh Reverse fault zone.