Regional geology and petroleum potential of the United State Chukchi shelf north of Point Hope
An extensive frontier terrain that is prospective for petroleum but is as yet incompletely explored and entirely untested underlies the United States Chukchi shelf north of Point Hope. The area is in most places underlain by a thick section of sedimentary rocks prospective for oil and gas, and it contains diverse geologic structures and stratigraphic features that may have trapped hydrocarbon fluids. The prospective sedimentary section includes every geologic system from the Carboniferous to the Tertiary and includes several formations that contain petroleum deposits or strong shows of oil or gas on parts of the North Slope of Alaska. These formations have proved disappointing, however, where tested in a few exploratory wells in the western part of the National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska (NPRA), an area that lies adjacent to the Chukchi shelf. The data base consists mainly of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) multichannel seismic-reflection profiles and accompanying high-resolution seismic-reflection profiles shown in figure 10.1 and some additional USGS single-channel seismic-reflection profiles, sonobuoy refraction measurements, and seabed samples. The multichannel seismic profiles, on which the interpretations presented here are mainly based, are mostly 30 to 90 km apart, with typical line spacings of 40 to 50 km. Ice conditions during data acquisition were such, however, that profile coverage in the northern and northwestern parts of the Chukchi Sea is sparse. Because of the wide spacing and irregular distribution of the profiles, the interpretations are reconnaissance in character. Some of the profiles, particularly in the southwestern part of the study area, are affected by strong artifacts that further limit their usefulness for geologic interpretation and resource assessment.
- OSTI ID:
- 7129146
- Journal Information:
- United States Geological Survey, Professional Paper; (USA), Journal Name: United States Geological Survey, Professional Paper; (USA); ISSN XGPPA
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
Geologic framework and petroleum potential of United States Chukchi shelf north of Point Hope, Alaska
Petroleum potential of representative stratigraphic and structural elements in the National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska
Related Subjects
020200* -- Petroleum-- Reserves
Geology
& Exploration
ALASKA
ARCTIC OCEAN
CHUKCHI SEA
CLIMATES
CONSTRAINTS
ENERGY SOURCES
EXPLORATION
EXPLORATORY WELLS
FEDERAL REGION X
FLUIDS
FOSSIL FUELS
FUEL GAS
FUELS
GAS FUELS
GASES
GEOLOGIC DEPOSITS
GEOLOGIC STRUCTURES
GEOLOGIC TRAPS
GEOLOGY
GEOPHYSICAL SURVEYS
MINERAL RESOURCES
NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
NATURAL GAS
NORTH AMERICA
PETROLEUM
PETROLEUM DEPOSITS
RESERVES
RESOURCE ASSESSMENT
RESOURCE POTENTIAL
RESOURCES
ROCKS
SEAS
SEDIMENTARY ROCKS
SEISMIC SURVEYS
STRATEGIC PETROLEUM RESERVE
STRATIGRAPHY
SURFACE WATERS
SURVEYS
US DOI
US GS
US ORGANIZATIONS
USA
WELLS