Salt problems in Northwest Germany and the German North Sea sector

The historical development of salt- and diapirism research in Germany is briefly outlined. A systematic investigation of all (about 280) salt structures in NW-Germany and in the German North Sea sector reveals, that a comprehensive theory of diapirism cannot be formulated. Several factors as plate tectonic setting of salt basins, lithofacial development of evaporitic sequences, local and regional changes of the stress field in geological times and the velocity of diapirism play an important role in the development of different morphological types of salt structures. 29 examples of different salt structures from Northwest Germany and the German North Sea sector are presented as geologically interpreted and depth-converted seismic sections in order to demonstrate the great variety of salt structures in this part of the Southern Central European Permian basin.