Baltica related articles
Abstract
Palaeogeographic and tectono-stratigraphic considerations in the greater Barents Sea show that the distribution of reservoirs and hydrocarbon source rocks from the Late Palaeozoic to the Palaeogene can be related to three tectonic phases. Firstly, the Palaeozoic Caledonain Orogeny caused uplift to the west, followed by eastward sediment distribution across the shelf, towards carbonate platforms to the east. Secondly the Late Palaeozoic–Mesozoic Uralide Orogeny induced uplift to the east, causing widespread clastic deposition and reversal of the sediment distribution pattern. Thirdly, major Late Mesozoic–Cenozoic rifting and crustal breakup in the western Barents Sea led to the current basin configuration. Reservoir rocks comprise Late Palaeozoic carbonates and spiculites, Mesozoic terrestrial and marine sandstones and Palaeogene deep-water sandstones. Hydrocarbon source rocks range in age from Silurian to Early Cretaceous, and are grouped into three petroleum systems derived from Late Palaeozoic, Triassic and Late Jurassic source rocks. Multiple tectonic episodes caused formation of a variety of trap types, of which extensional fault blocks and gently folded domes have been the most prospective. Volumetric considerations of generated petroleum indicate that charging is not a limiting factor, except in the western margin.
Figures & Tables
Contents
Arctic Petroleum Geology

The vast Arctic region contains nine proven petroleum provinces with giant resources but over half of the sedimentary basins are completely undrilled, making the region the last major frontier for conventional oil and gas exploration. This book provides a comprehensive overview of the geology and the petroleum potential of the Arctic. Nine papers offer a circum-Arctic perspective on the Phanerozoic tectonic and palaeogeographic evolution, the currently recognized sedimentary basins, the gravity and magnetic fields and, perhaps most importantly, the petroleum resources and yet-to-find potential of the basins. The remaining 41 papers provide data-rich, geological and geophysical analyses and individual oil and gas assessments of specific basins throughout the Arctic. These detailed and well illustrated studies cover the continental areas of Laurentia, Baltica and Siberia and the Arctic Ocean. Of special interest are the 13 papers providing new data and interpretations on the extensive, little known, but promising, basins of Russia.
A DVD is provided inside the back of the book, that contains PDFs of all papers plus all related Supplementary Publications.