Abstract: “Physiographic Setting” refers to a geographic region influenced by unique climatic and other

environmental controls that impact shallow-marine carbonate deposition. At both a global and

local scale, physiographic setting should be factored into the exploration for most subsurface

carbonate plays. By doing so, the geographic areas for delineating prospective carbonate plays

are greatly expanded.

Physiographic setting at a global scale determines a basin’s proximity to the paleoequator and