Petroleum Geology of the North European Margin: Proceedings of the North European Margin Symposium (NEMS ’83), organized by the Norwegian Petroleum Society and held at the Norwegian Institute of Technology (NTH) in Trondheim 9–11 May, 1983

442 Pages·1984·53.498 MB·English

by  Knut S. Heier (auth.), A. M. Spencer (eds.)

Petroleum
Ceo logy
of the
North European
Margin
Norwegian Petroleum Society
Organizing and Editing
Subcommittee
Elisabeth Holter,
Conference organizer
(Norwegian Petroleum Society)
Anthony M Spencer, Chairman
(BP Petroleum Development)
Sverre 0 Johnsen (Norwegian
Institute of Technology)
Atle Mork (Continental Shelf Institute)
Eigill Nysaether (Saga Petroleum)
Per Songstad (NOrsk Hydro)
Anon Spinnangr (Statoil)
Petroleum
Ceol ogy
of the
North European
Margin
Proceedings of the North European Margin Symposium (NEMS '83),
organized by the Norwegian petroleum Society and held at the
Norwegian Institute of Technology (NTH) in Trondheim,
9-11 May, 1983.
Edited by
A.M. Spencer et al.
Published by
Graham &T rotman Ltd.
for the Norwegian Petroleum Society
First published in 1984 by
Graham & Trotman Limited
Sterling House
66 Wilton Road
London SW1V 1D E
SOld and distributed in North America
by International Human Resource
Development Corporation (Publishers>
137 Newbury Street, Boston,
MA 02116, USA.
British Library cataloguing in
publication Data
North European Margin Symposium
(1983: Trondheim> Petroleum geology
of the North European margin.
1. Gas, Natural in submerged lands
Europe
2. Petroleum in submerged lands
Europe
3. Continental shelf - Europe
I. Title II. spencer, A.M.
III. Norwegian Petroleum Society
553.2'8'094 TN882.E9
© Norwegian Petroleum Society
Softcover reprint of the hardcover 1s t edition 1984
ISBN-13: 978-94-010-8982-1 e-ISBN-13: 978-94-009-5626-1
DO I: 10.1007/978-94-009-5626-1
This publication is protected by
international copyright law. All rights
reserved. No part of this publication
may be reproduced, stored in a
retrieval system, or transmitted in any
form or by any means, electronic,
mechanical, photocopying, recording
or otherwise, without the prior
permission of the publishers.
Typeset in Great Britain by Tek-Art,
Croydon.
CONTENTS
Foreword vii
Location map viii
Introduction 1
Chapter 1 Cenozoic Evolution of the Margin off Norway and Svalbard 3
o Eldholm, AM Myhre (University of Oslo), E Sundvor and J I Faleide (University of Bergen)
Chapter 2 Structures and Basins in the western Barents Sea 19
H R0nnevik and H P Jacobsen (Norwegian Petroleum Directorate - NPD)
Chapter 3 The Askeladden Gas Find - Troms I 33
S Westre (StatoiIJ
Chapter 4 Nomenclature of the Main Structural Features on the Norwegian Continental Shelf North
Of the 62nd Parallel 41
R H Gabrielsen (Saga petroleum),R Foerseth (Norsk Hydro), G Hamar (StatoiIJ and
H R0nnevik (NPDJ
ChapterS Depositional Environment and Diagenesis of Jurassic Reservoir Sandstones in the Eastern
part of Troms I Area 61
S Olaussen, T G GIOppen, E Johannessen (StatoiIJ and A Dolland (University of Bergen)
Chapter 6 porosity Development In Selected Jurassic Sandstones from the Norwegian and North seas,
Norway - An Overview 81
R E Larese, N L Haskell, DR Prezbindowski and D Beju (AmocO, USA)
chapter 7 Wandel Sea Basin - The North Greenland Equivalent to Svalbard and the Barents Shelf 97
E H~kansson and L Stemmerik (University ~f Copenhagen)
Chapter 8 Svalbard's post-Caledonian Strata: An Atlas of Sedimentational Patterns and
palaeogeographic Evolution 109
R J Steel (Norsk Hydro) and D worsley (University of Oslo)
Chapter 9 Outline of Arctic post-Silurian continental Displacements 137
W 8 Harland, B A Gaskell, A P Heaffard, E K Lind and P J perkins (University of Cambridge)
Chapter 10 The Lower Tertiary Balder Formation: An Organogenic and Tuffaceous Deposit In the North
Sea Region 149
o A Maim, 0 B Christensen, K L Ostby (statoiIJ, H Furnes, R L0vlie (University of Bergen) and
H Rusel~tten (NTH, Trondheim)
Chapter 11 Marginal Models 171
C Beaumont, R Boutilier (Dalhousie university) and C E Keen (Geological Survey of Canada)
Chapter 12 West Spitsbergen Fold Belt and Cretaceous opening of the N AtlantiC 187
J Hanisch (BGR, HannOver)
Chapter 13 Tertiary Structural Development of western Barents Shelf: Troms to Svalbard 199
A M Spencer, PC Home (BP Norway) and L T Berglund (NOrsk Hydro)
Chapter 14 The Continental Margin / Crustal Structure off the Lofoten Islands, Northern Norway 211
G Drivenes, M A Sellevoll (University of Bergen), v Renard, F Avedik (Centre Oceanologique de
Bretagne) and J pajchel (polish Academy of Science)
Chapter 15 Regional Interpretation and Hydrocarbon potential of the Traenabanken Area 217
R M Larsen and 0 Skarpnes (StatoiIJ
Chapter 16 Geological History of Traenabanken 237
M B Gowers and G Lunde (Norsk Hydro)
Chapter 17 Structures and Basins of the Margin From 62 to 69°N and their Development 253
F B0en, S Eggen and J Vollset (Norwegian petroleum Directorate - NPD)
Chapter 18 Bedrock Geology on the Mid-Norwegian Continental Shelf 271
T Bugge, R Knarud and A M0rk (Continental Shelf Institute -IKU)
Chapter 19 The Tyrihans Discovery - preliminary Results From Well 6407/1-2 285
S M Aasheim and v Larsen (StatoiIJ
Chapter 20 Anomalous Seismic Event In Lower Tertiary Strata, Traenabanken 293
D A Herron, A Ovretveit and J Almaas (NOrwegian Gulf Exploration Company)
Chapter 21 The Permian Basin of East Greenland 303
F Surlyk, S piasecki, F ROlle, L Stemmerik, E Thomsen and P Wrang (University of Copenhagen)
Chapter 22 The Triassic Offshore Norway North of 62 ° N 317
V Jacobsen and P van Veen (Norwegian Petroleum Directorate - NPD)
Chapter 23 Geology of East Greenland Shelf 329
H C Larsen (University of Copehhagen)
Foreword
This volume contains the papers presented at the North European Margin Symposium which was held at the
Norwegian Institute of Technology in Trondheim from 9 to 11th May 1983. The idea for the meeting was
conceived by the Geology and Geophysics Committee of the Norwegian Petroleum Society, in meetings
consisting of R P F Hardman, J Freake, I Gausland, A M Spencer, R G Todd, F Aamodt, E Nysaether and G
Kobjl,iSrnsen. The Trondheim meeting was planned and organized by an Organizing and Editing Subcommittee
consisting of E Holter, 0 S Johnsen, A Ml,iSrk, E Nysaether, P Songstad, A M Spencer and A Spinnangr.
There were 216 participants at the meeting in Trondheim and 34 papers were given, most of which were
invited. The meeting was opened by Dr K S Heier, Director of the Norwegian Geological Survey and a
concluding address was given by E Bergsager of the Norwegian Petroleum Directorate, who talked about future
exploration in Norway.
The symposium in Trondheim was the latest in a generally biennial series of meetings* organized by the
Norwegian Petroleum Society (Norsk Petroleumsforening - NPF) comprising:
Jurassic Northern North Sea Symposium (JNNSS), Stavanger (1975)
Mesozoic Northern North Sea Symposium (MNNSS), Oslo (1977)
Norwegian Sea Symposium (NSS), Tromsl,iS (1979)
The Sedimentation of the North Sea reservoir rocks, Geilo (1980)
Norwegian Symposium on Exploration (NSE), Bergen (1981)
North European Margin Symposium (NEMS), Trondheim (1983)
In view of the current significance of the subject of the meeting, a new method of publication has been adopted
by NPF in order to ensure fuller distribution and more permanent record of the articles presented. This has
involved refereeing the articles and we thank all of the referees who helped with this difficult task. The NPF is
most grateful to the Norwegian Institute of Technology for making available appropriate facilities.
Organizing and Editing Subcommittee
"Information on the earlier symposia and their publications can be obtained from: Norsk Petroleumsforening, Postboks 1897, Vika,
Oslo 1, Norway
vii

Introduction
Knut S. Heier
Director General, The Geological Survey of Norway
Two hundred years of mapping and drilling have that take place today at the active margins we may
given us a reasonable model of the continents, and hope to gain insight on the formation of our own
nearly two decades of deep sea drilling have shown stratabound sulphide deposits in the Caledonian
at least a cartoon of the oceanic crust. The transition mountain chain that formed several hundred million
between continent and ocean remains, however, years ago. This insight may ultimately lead to the
almost unknown, the 'new frontier' of geological finding of new ore deposits in such areas.
exploration. Much current research in earth science When a spreading centre splits, a continent and
is based on applying the plate tectonic model to a new ocean basin is formed, the two halves of the
problems as diverse as continental orogeny, palaeo old continent move apart and their margins gradu
oceanography, and metallogeny. Plate tectonics, ally subside. These margins, which do not coincide
developed in large part from geophysical and geo-· with plate boundaries, are known as passive margins.
logical information gathered from the world's They contain the geologic history of rifting; they
oceans, is now playing a key role in explaining the show the chemical transition between continental
geological events and processes that shaped the and oceanic crust, and they contain the oldest
continents. The continental margins play key roles marine sediments of the present spreading cycle.
in the plate tectonic model. Moreover, they repre Lying atop the deeper crust of passive margins is a
sent the largest unexplored area where we might thick wedge of sediments. Indeed, about half of all
find gas and oil. the.marine sediments deposited in the ocean basins
We speak of two types of continental margin, during the past 200 Ma is on the lower continental
active and passive. A third type, transform margins, slopes and continental rise. Because of their thick
of which the San Andreas fault system is an ness and their proximity to the continents, these
example, may occur in conjunction with either sediments are potential sources of oil and gas.
active or passive margins. An active margin is In this symposium, the North European Margin
occasioned by the collision or the convergence of Symposium, we shall discuss the development of
two crustal plates, one of which carries a continent the sedimentary basins at a passive margin during
at its edge. The active margin along the Pacific late Palaeozoic to Tertiary tiJ;Iles. Their setting,
coast of South America is formed by the Nazca structure, stratigraphy and history have been
Plate being subducted or drawn down beneath the intensively studied during the last 20 years, all with
American plate, upon which rides the continent of the purpose of exploration for hydrocarbons. In
South America. retrospect our geological understanding of this area
This type of continental margin is characterized before 1960 was ridiculously primitive. Rocks of
by deep ocean trenches, volcanoes and earthquakes. the Jurassic and Cretaceous were known from
It is also the probable breeding ground for some of Norway at Andl,6ya and from some scattered
our more valuable sulphide ores, especially those localities elsewhere without their true significance
known as massive sulphides and porphyry coppers. and relationship to the geology of the continental
Therefore a study of active margins can contribute shelf being realized.
to our knowledge of tectonic forces, ore deposits Seismic measurements carried out by the Lamont
and earthquakes. Through a study of the processes Geological Observatory during the years 1951 to
1953 in the Norwegian and Greenland seas and off
the coast of Trl,6ndelag (the landward side of the
Petroleum Geology of the North European Margin ©
Norwegian Petroleum Society (Graham & Trotman, 1984) southern part of the Vl,6ring plateau) showed a
pp.1-2. 'seismic depth' to the underlying crystalline
2 Petroleum Geology of The North European Margin
basement rocks of approximately 5000 metres. As delineated.
far as I know this was the first indication of the During the three days of the Symposium a total
presence of thick layers of consolidated sediments of 30 papers were given, covering the whole range
between the crystalline basement and the Quater from the evolution of the margins and mechanisms
nary surface deposits. The results were not published of basin subsidence to the detailed geology of
until 1959. individual basins. A major section of the conference
The Geological Survey of Norway did their first deals with syntheses of results obtained during the
aeromagnetic measurements over the continental exploration for hydrocarbons on the Norwegian
shelf in 1962. As this work continued the different Continental Shelf north of 62°N.
basins of sedimentary rocks were discovered and
1 Cenozoic evolution of the
continental margin off Norway
and western Svalbard
*
Olav Eldholm, Eirik,Sundvor, t Annik M. Myhre* and Jan Inge Faleide*
*Department of Geology, University of Oslo, Norway
t Seismological Observatory, University of Bergen,-Norway
Following the Mesozoic phases of crustal extension the region between Norway and Greenland became relatively
quiet, with regional subsidence dominating in a large basinal area which extended into the North Sea and the
Barents Sea. At about Palaeocene/Eocene time the mid·Atlantic rift progressed northward and sea·floor spreading
started along the newly formed plate boundary. The initiation of Cenozoic rifting and the subsequent drifting
phase has fundamentally defined the structural and depositional framework of the present day margin off Norway
and. western Svalbard. Particularly important observations are: the existence of marginal highs apparently asso·
ciated with one or several episodes of volcanic activity; the remarkably different amounts of marginal subsidence,
with respect to both region and time; the effects of the mid·Oligocene change in relative plate motion on the
margin structures; the two·stage evolution of the Greenland Sea with its associated shear movements.
INTRODUCTION of the plate tectonic evolution of the Norwegian
Greenland Sea. Therefore, the passive margin also
The continental margin off Norway and western varies in age along its strike.
Svalbard has developed as a passive margin since The objective of this paper is to describe, in
late Palaeocene time, its history being closely related regional terms, the Cenozoic evolution of the
to the progressive northward opening of the North margin. This requires a first-order plate tectonic
Atlantic-Arctic oceans. A physiographic map of the model for the post-Palaeocene opening of the
Norwegian-Greenland Sea reveals quite clearly that Norwegian-Greenland Sea. Moreover, the history
the margin changes character along its strike (see of the margin depends upon the geological con
Fig. 1). A few observations are partiCUlarly note ditions that existed prior to the initiation of
worthy. The width of the continental shelf changes Cenozoic sea-floor spreading, as well as an under
from a maximum of about 220 km at 66°N to only standing of the marginal highs which have been
20 km off Vesteralen and about 30 km at 79°N. mapped in several areas. Then, we will proceed to
The continental slope gradient also varies consider describe the main margin provinces by selected
ably, being steepest off the Vesterruen islands. The regional type sections and discuss some of the
marginal V cpring Plateau, which covers an area of features which will focus centrally in forthcoming
about 35000 km2, breaks the continental slope investigations.
between 65 and 67°N. Two major regional sedi This paper covers the margin from the northern
mentary basin provinces, the North Sea and the most part of the Faeroe-Shetland Channel in the
Barents Sea basins, extend on to the continental south to the Spitsbergen Fracture Zone in the
margin. The present day plate boundary, the north (Fig. 1). We have attempted to inclUde most
Knipovich Ridge spreading centre, lies as close as of the recent studies off Norway and Svalbard. A
80 km to the Svalbard coastline. more comprehensive listing of earlier work is
These observations suggest variety in structural given by Eldholm and Talwani (1981). Obviously,
style and depositional regime along the margin. It an understanding of the eastern margin of the
is evident that the formation of the present margin Norwegian-Greenland Sea is closely related to the
has been governed by the main events in the history geology of its conjugate part; here we refer to the
accompanying papers of Hakansson and Stemme rik
(1984), Larsen (1984) and Surlyk et al. (1984)
Petroleum Geology of the North European Margin © dealing with East Greenland. The main results from
Norwegian Petroleum Society (Graham & Trotman, 1984)
the Jan Mayen Ridge have been summarized by
pp.3-18.
Myhre et al. (in press).