Flexural backstripping is a technique used to place constraints on the post-rift history of a rift basin. It enables end rift geometries to be evaluated along with patterns in compaction, changes in bathymetry and subsidence rates.

Backstripping using Flex assesses the stretching factor required to produce the observed post-rift subsidence, giving important insight into:

• Reliability of top basement interpretations across rifts

• Basin geometries at end-rift and during post-rift subsidence

• Palaeobathymetry during the deposition of sequences after rifting

• Assessment of basement depth in fault blocks from overlying decompaction geometries

• 1D burial histories for footwall or hangingwall positions.