Tectonics and hydrocarbon potential of the Barents Megatrough

Conference · Thu Aug 01 00:00:00 EDT 1991 · AAPG Bulletin (American Association of Petroleum Geologists); (United States)

OSTI ID:5893530

Baturin, D; Vinogradov, A; Yunov, A ^[1]

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1. LARGE International, Moscow (USSR)

Interpretation of geophysical data shows that the geological structure of the Eastern Barents Shelf, named Barents Megatrough (BM), extends sublongitudinally almost from the Baltic shield to the Franz Josef Land archipelago. The earth crust within the axis part of the BM is attenuated up to 28-30 km, whereas in adjacent areas its thickness exceeds 35 km. The depression is filled with of more than 15 km of Upper Paleozoic, Mesozoic, and Cenozoic sediments overlying a folded basement of probable Caledonian age. Paleozoic sediments, with exception of the Upper Permian, are composed mainly of carbonates and evaporites. Mesozoic-Cenozoic sediments are mostly terrigenous. The major force in the development of the BM was due to extensional tectonics. Three rifting phases are recognizable: Late Devonian-Early Carboniferous, Early Triassic, and Jurassic-Early Cretaceous. The principal features of the geologic structure and evolution of the BM during the late Paleozoic-Mesozoic correlate well with those of the Sverdup basin, Canadian Arctic. Significant quantity of Late Jurassic-Early Cretaceous basaltic dikes and sills were intruded within Triassic sequence during the third rifting phase. This was probably the main reason for trap disruption and hydrocarbon loss from Triassic structures. Lower Jurassic and Lower Cretaceous reservoir sandstones are most probably the main future objects for oil and gas discoveries within the BM. Upper Jurassic black shales are probably the main source rocks of the BM basin, as well as excellent structural traps for hydrocarbon fluids from the underlying sediments.

• OSTI ID: 5893530
• Report Number(s): CONF-910978--
• Journal Information: AAPG Bulletin (American Association of Petroleum Geologists); (United States), Journal Name: AAPG Bulletin (American Association of Petroleum Geologists); (United States) Vol. 75:8; ISSN AABUD; ISSN 0149-1423
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

02 PETROLEUM
020200* -- Petroleum-- Reserves
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& Exploration
58 GEOSCIENCES
580000 -- Geosciences
ASIA
BALTIC SEA
BLACK SHALES
CONTINENTAL MARGIN
CONTINENTAL SHELF
CRETACEOUS PERIOD
DEVELOPED COUNTRIES
EUROPE
EXPLORATION
GEOLOGIC AGES
GEOLOGIC DEPOSITS
GEOLOGIC HISTORY
GEOLOGIC STRUCTURES
JURASSIC PERIOD
MESOZOIC ERA
MINERAL RESOURCES
NATURAL GAS DEPOSITS
PETROLEUM DEPOSITS
RESOURCE POTENTIAL
RESOURCES
ROCKS
SEAS
SEDIMENTARY BASINS
SEDIMENTARY ROCKS
SHALES
SOURCE ROCKS
SURFACE WATERS
TECTONICS
USSR