Salt tectonics in the southern North Sea, Netherlands

Conference · Wed Sep 01 00:00:00 EDT 1993 · AAPG Bulletin (American Association of Petroleum Geologists); (United States)

OSTI ID:6964371

Remmelts, G ^[1]

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1. Geological Survey of the Netherlands, Haarlem (Netherlands)

Large parts of the southern North Sea are underlain by Upper Permian Zechstein salt. A vast amount of this sequence, originally more than 1000 m thick, has migrated into salt structures. Many hydrocarbon accumulations are related to these structures. The formation of the salt structures may have created structural traps or (by influencing the sedimentation pattern) stratigraphic traps. Salt generally acts as a seal, but depletion of salt can create migration routes into higher strata for hydrocarbons originating from underlying source rocks. The thermal conductivity of the salt can influence the maturity of source rocks in its direct vicinity. Salt structures are formed almost exclusively by Zechstein salt. Minor movement occurred in Triassic evaporites. The development of salt structures is influenced strongly by regional tectonics. Basement faulting probably triggered the salt movement. The dominant structural grain is reflected in the orientation and location of the salt structures. Periods of increased growth rates coincide with tectonic phases. Long walls of salt formed in the northern area where the Triassic north-south orientated faults (which were rejuvenated in Late Jurassic) predominate. Toward the south, the northwest-southeast direction of the Late Jurassic interferes with the north-south trend and gradually becomes the dominant direction. This is reflected in the shortening of the north-south salt structures and eventually in the change in their orientation. Average vertical growth rates have been calculated to be around 0.005-0.035 mm/yr. When correction for suberosion and erosion processes could be quantified and applied to the growth rates, they were significantly higher.

• OSTI ID: 6964371
• Report Number(s): CONF-9310237-; CODEN: AABUD2
• Journal Information: AAPG Bulletin (American Association of Petroleum Geologists); (United States), Vol. 77:9; Conference: American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG) mid-continent section meeting, Amarillo, TX (United States), 10-12 Oct 1993; ISSN 0149-1423
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

02 PETROLEUM
03 NATURAL GAS
GEOLOGIC STRUCTURES
GROWTH
HYDROCARBONS
GEOLOGIC TRAPS
SALT DEPOSITS
TECTONICS
EROSION
GEOLOGIC DEPOSITS
GEOLOGIC FAULTS
GEOLOGIC STRATA
GROUND MOTION
JURASSIC PERIOD
MIGRATION
NETHERLANDS
NORTH SEA
SEDIMENTATION
SOURCE ROCKS
THERMAL CONDUCTIVITY
ATLANTIC OCEAN
DEVELOPED COUNTRIES
EUROPE
GEOLOGIC AGES
GEOLOGIC FRACTURES
MESOZOIC ERA
MOTION
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
SEAS
SURFACE WATERS
THERMODYNAMIC PROPERTIES
WESTERN EUROPE
020200* - Petroleum- Reserves
Geology
& Exploration
030200 - Natural Gas- Reserves
Geology
& Exploration