3D seismic analysis of karstified interbedded carbonates and evaporites, Lower Permian Gipsdalen Group, Loppa High, southwestern Barents Sea

Ahlborn, Morten; Stemmerik, Lars; Kalstø, Trond-Kristian

doi:10.1016/j.marpetgeo.2014.02.015

Cited by 25 publications

(10 citation statements)

References 15 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…This indicates that organic-rich shales dominated by marine OM were deposited in proximal evaporitic settings into the Early Permian, suggesting a potentially wider stratigraphic range for these evaporite-dominated organic-rich facies in the offshore areas, e.g. associated with the Fafner unit east of the Loppa High (Ahlborn et al, 2014).…”

Section: Gipsdalen Groupmentioning

confidence: 98%

Characterization of Upper Palaeozoic Organic‐rich Units in Svalbard: Implications for the Petroleum Systems of the Norwegian Barents Shelf

Nicolaisen

Elvebakk²,

Ahokas

et al. 2018

Journal of Petroleum Geology

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Recent discoveries of hydrocarbons along the western margin of the Norwegian Barents Shelf have emphasised the need for a better understanding of the source rock potential of the Upper Palaeozoic succession. In this study, a comprehensive set of organic geochemical data have been collected from the Carboniferous – Permian interval outcropping on Svalbard in order to re‐assess the offshore potential. Four stratigraphic levels with organic‐rich facies have been identified: (i) Lower Carboniferous (Mississippian) fluvio‐lacustrine intervals with TOC between 1 and 75 wt.% and a cumulative organic‐rich section more than 100 m thick; (ii) Upper Carboniferous (Pennsylvanian) evaporite‐associated marine shales and organic‐rich carbonates with TOC up to 20 wt.%; (iii) a widespread lowermost Permian organic‐rich carbonate unit, 2–10 m thick, with 1–10 wt. % TOC; and (iv) Lower Permian organic‐rich marine shales with an average TOC content of 10 wt.%. Petroleum can potentially be tied to organic‐rich facies at formation level based on the gammacerane index, δ13C of the aromatic fraction and/or the Pr/Ph ratio. Relatively heavy δ13C values, a low gammacerane index and high Pr/Ph ratios characterize Lower Carboniferous non‐marine sediments, whereas evaporite‐associated facies have lighter δ13C, a higher gammacerane index and lower Pr/Ph ratios.

show abstract

Section: Gipsdalen Groupmentioning

confidence: 98%

Characterization of Upper Palaeozoic Organic‐rich Units in Svalbard: Implications for the Petroleum Systems of the Norwegian Barents Shelf

Nicolaisen

Elvebakk²,

Ahokas

et al. 2018

Journal of Petroleum Geology

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…11. A: The Upper Paleozoic lithostratigraphy of the Barents Sea Shelf and Spitsbergen (Colpaert et al, 2007;Ahlborn et al, 2014). B: the 1D synthetic seismic trace of the section TR (25 Hz) is superimposed on the 2D synthetic seismic profile (25 Hz) of Central Spitsbergen.…”

Section: Synthetic Seismic Profiles As Analoguementioning

confidence: 99%

Synthetic seismic model of a Permian biosiliceous carbonate – carbonate depositional system (Spitsbergen, Svalbard Archipelago)

Jafarian

Jong

Kleipool

et al. 2018

Marine and Petroleum Geology

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

The non-unique correspondence between seismic and subsurface geology is a fundamental problem when interpreting seismic data sets. Synthetic seismic models of outcrop analogs are commonly constructed to cover the gap between the small-scale outcrop observations and low-resolution seismic data. The Permian biosiliceous carbonatecarbonate sediments on Spitsbergen are characterized by a wide variability in lithologies and microfacies determining the petrophysical properties (e.g., porosity, acoustic properties) that consequently complicate seismic interpretation. This study uses 1D and 2D synthetic seismic modelling techniques (at different resolutions) to gain an understanding of how seismic reflectors are expressed with respect to the sediment distribution, aiming to facilitate real seismic interpretation. In the study area, nine microfacies were defined that were used to produce a geological model displaying small-scale microfacies variations within a well-defined sequence stratigraphic framework. Laboratory derived petrophysical properties (Vp, ρBulk and AI) were assigned to each predefined microfacies body in the geological models in order to construct acoustic impedance models that were used to produce synthetic seismograms. The appearance of the seismic reflectors in the synthetic seismic profiles is primarily controlled by changes in mineral composition and link to spatial microfacies distributions within the depositional sequences. Differences in acoustic impedance and the origin of synthetic seismic reflections within a single microfacies type are mainly caused by porosity contrasts (varying between 5 and 20%) and diagenetic modifications such as chertification and cementation. This detailed information cannot be derived from the low-frequency seismograms (25-100 Hz) resulting in changes in seismic expression when seismic resolution diminishes. Comparison with time equivalent, real and synthetic seismic data of the Finnmark Platform reveals similarities with the synthetic seismic reflection patterns of Spitsbergen. In both areas, the pronounced seismic traces follow abrupt microfacies transitions, which are coherent with cycle boundaries and timelines.

show abstract

“…This depositional setting is characterised by the absence of light and the presence of cold, nutrient-rich water related to upwelling leading to the shutdown of the photozoan carbonate producers. In contrast, warm and tropical climatic conditions, represented by the photozoan association, prevailed over structural highs such as the Fafner succession on the Loppa High (SW Barents Sea; Ahlborn et al, 2014) and along the margins of the Franklinian shelf like Spitsbergen.…”

Section: Templet Membermentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The Late Sakmarian-Early Artinskian uplift along the shelf margin and over structural highs led to subaerial exposure and karstification at the top of the Fafner and Gipshuken formations indicating a very proximal setting during the sea-level fall (Groen, 2010;Ahlborn et al, 2014). Contemporaneously, a period of non-deposition and sea-floor exposure is indicated by the occurrence of silty shale with pyrite cementation and a glauconiteenriched surface within the Finnmark Platform (Ehrenberg et al, 2001;Stemmerik & Worsley, 2005).…”

Section: Templet Membermentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Facies arrangement and cyclostratigraphic architecture of the Templet Member and the Kapp Starostin Formation (Permian) on Spitsbergen, Svalbard

Jafarian¹,

Groen²,

Nooitgedacht³

et al. 2017

NJG

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Because of outstanding outcrops, Spitsbergen (Svalbard archipelago) provides unique opportunities to investigate the whole Upper Palaeozoic succession in great detail. This study can help to interpret the stratigraphic history and depositional evolution at other locations exposing coeval shelf strata along the northern margin of Pangea, e.g., the southern Barents Sea and Arctic Canada. Bed-scale outcrop observations are combined with microfacies studies to interpret the sedimentary settings and depositional environment of the Upper Palaeozoic strata. A sequencestratigraphic analysis has been carried out to evaluate the relative timing of sediment facies deposition in response to sea-level changes. The Early Artinskian to Kazanian successions of the Templet Member and the Kapp Starostin Formation were divided into five parasequences that are superimposed on a long-term, second-order, sea-level fall. These parasequences record a fundamental change of the sedimentary setting, from a restricted-marine, warm-water carbonate platform to an open-marine, cold-water, biosiliceous-carbonate ramp system. A cross-section across Svalbard comprising nine onshore sections shows that during deposition of the Kapp Starostin Formation a major depocentre marked by thick parasequences and a higher proportion of deep-water facies (bedded cherts) is located in the southwest of Spitsbergen (at Akseløya), whereas northeastern Svalbard records shallow-water microfacies. Svalbard was tectonically passive during the Permian; the local differences in accommodation space and facies were most likely linked to the rejuvenation of pre-existing structural elements, inherited from the Carboniferous. A deepening of the depositional environment combined with cold-water climatic conditions as recorded in our study area has also been documented in other Upper Palaeozoic successions around the Arctic, such as the Finnmark Platform (Norwegian Barents Sea) and the Sverdrup Basin (Arctic Canada). This transition in the depositional environment along the northern margin of Pangea is the result of large-scale changes in oceanic circulation patterns and local palaeogeographic changes during the northward movement of Pangea.

show abstract

3D seismic analysis of karstified interbedded carbonates and evaporites, Lower Permian Gipsdalen Group, Loppa High, southwestern Barents Sea

Cited by 25 publications

References 15 publications

Characterization of Upper Palaeozoic Organic‐rich Units in Svalbard: Implications for the Petroleum Systems of the Norwegian Barents Shelf

Characterization of Upper Palaeozoic Organic‐rich Units in Svalbard: Implications for the Petroleum Systems of the Norwegian Barents Shelf

Synthetic seismic model of a Permian biosiliceous carbonate – carbonate depositional system (Spitsbergen, Svalbard Archipelago)

Facies arrangement and cyclostratigraphic architecture of the Templet Member and the Kapp Starostin Formation (Permian) on Spitsbergen, Svalbard

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About