Crestal fault geometries reveal late halokinesis and collapse of the Samson Dome, Northern Norway: Implications for petroleum systems in the Barents Sea

Mattos, Nathália H.; Alves, Tiago Marcos; Omosanya, Kamaldeen Olakunle

doi:10.1016/j.tecto.2016.04.043

Cited by 41 publications

(51 citation statements)

References 90 publications

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“…In the Cenozoic strata fault linkages also occur between the first order faults and the Paleocene-Early Eocene faults, thus allowing hydrocarbons to migrate through them [16,17]. This is in agreement with shallower NW striking faults having a higher leakage potential towards the surface [73].…”

Section: Leakage and Accumulation In Shallow Trapssupporting

confidence: 69%

“…Fault reactivation and slip could have resulted from elevated pore pressures due to the increase of the hydrocarbon column height during gas expansion, oscillations in pressure due to ice loading-unloading and the overall fault orientation to the maximum horizontal stress field, S Hmax [13,72,73] and the characteristics of fault damage zones [63,74]. Additionally, gas cap expansion due to overburden removal by erosion would contribute to elevated pressures [11,75], enhancing the likelihood of fault slip and increase in permeability.…”

Section: Fault Controlled Hydrocarbon Leakagementioning

confidence: 99%

“…In the Snøhvit field (Figure 2), the orientation of the S Hmax is 135 • N in the eastern part and 35 • N in the western part of the prospect, measured in the Torsk Fm [13,17,73]. Additionally, in the Albian Kolmule Fm (Figure 2), the S Hmax orientation is 0 • N in the west and 170 • -165 • N in the east [13].…”

Section: Fault Controlled Hydrocarbon Leakagementioning

confidence: 99%

“…It is generally considered that faults and fractures oriented parallel to sub-parallel to the S Hmax direction are more likely to conduct fluids through them due to lower normal stresses along these fractures [71,72,76]. Nonetheless, there are exceptions, and some faults may be sealing at depth and become conductive at shallower stratigraphic intervals [73]. In this study, the main fault responsible for leakage (Fault B, Figure 8) is parallel to sub-parallel to the orientation of S Hmax ; however, other previously sealing faults could have also been reactivated during deglaciation [72,77,78].…”

Section: Fault Controlled Hydrocarbon Leakagementioning

confidence: 99%

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Role of Faults in Hydrocarbon Leakage in the Hammerfest Basin, SW Barents Sea: Insights from Seismic Data and Numerical Modelling

2017

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Hydrocarbon prospectivity in the Greater Barents Sea remains enigmatic as gas discoveries have dominated over oil in the past three decades. Numerous hydrocarbon-related fluid flow anomalies in the area indicate leakage and redistribution of petroleum in the subsurface. Many questions remain unanswered regarding the geological driving factors for leakage from the reservoirs and the response of deep petroleum reservoirs to the Cenozoic exhumation and the Pliocene-Pleistocene glaciations. Based on 2D and 3D seismic data interpretation, we constructed a basin-scale regional 3D petroleum systems model for the Hammerfest Basin (1 km × 1 km grid spacing). A higher resolution model (200 m × 200 m grid spacing) for the Snøhvit and Albatross fields was then nested in the regional model to further our understanding of the subsurface development over geological time. We tested the sensitivity of the modeled petroleum leakage by including and varying fault properties as a function of burial and erosion, namely fault capillary entry pressures and permeability during glacial cycles. In this study, we find that the greatest mass lost from the Jurassic reservoirs occurs during ice unloading, which accounts for a 60-80% reduction of initial accumulated mass in the reservoirs. Subsequent leakage events show a stepwise decrease of 7-25% of the remaining mass from the reservoirs. The latest episode of hydrocarbon leakage occurred following the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) when differential loading of Quaternary strata resulted in reservoir tilt and spill. The first modeled hydrocarbon leakage event coincides with a major fluid venting episode at the time of a major Upper Regional angular Unconformity (URU,~0.8 Ma), evidenced by an abundance of pockmarks at this stratigraphic interval. Our modelling results show that leakage along the faults bounding the reservoir is the dominant mechanism for hydrocarbon leakage and is in agreement with observed shallow gas leakage indicators of gas chimneys, pockmarks and fluid escape pipes. We propose a conceptual model where leaked thermogenic gases from the reservoir were also locked in gas hydrate deposits beneath the base of the glacier during glaciations of the Hammerfest Basin and decomposed rapidly during subsequent deglaciation, forming pockmarks and fluid escape pipes. This is the first study to our knowledge to integrate petroleum systems modelling with seismic mapping of hydrocarbon leakage indicators for a holistic numerical model of the subsurface geology, thus closing the gap between the seismic mapping of fluid flow events and the geological history of the area.

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Section: Leakage and Accumulation In Shallow Trapssupporting

confidence: 69%

Section: Fault Controlled Hydrocarbon Leakagementioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Fault Controlled Hydrocarbon Leakagementioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Fault Controlled Hydrocarbon Leakagementioning

confidence: 99%

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Role of Faults in Hydrocarbon Leakage in the Hammerfest Basin, SW Barents Sea: Insights from Seismic Data and Numerical Modelling

2017

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“…Those events generated a complex geological setting with deep basins, platforms, highs and the associated deposition and erosion history (Gabrielsen, 1984;Doré, 1991;Ritzmann & Faleide, 2007;Faleide et al, 2008;Omosanya et al, 2015;Mattos et al, 2016). The sedimentary succession of the southeastern Barents Sea basins does not show evidence of any large extensional movements being located on the stable continental platform since the Late Palaeozoic (Faleide et al, 1993;Ebbing et al, 2007;Klitzke et al, 2015).…”

Section: Cenozoic Evolution Of the Southern Barents Seamentioning

confidence: 99%

A flexural isostasy model for the Pleistocene evolution of the Barents Sea bathymetry

Zięba¹,

Omosanya²,

Knies³

2017

NJG

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The topographic relief of the Barents Sea was subjected to major changes during the past 1.5 million years mostly due to sediment redistribution driven by glacial activity. This paper addresses the problem of Pleistocene bathymetric evolution of the southern Barents Sea using a numerical modelling approach that considers the influence of regional isostasy on relief development. The model presented in this work shows that most of the bathymetric features were initiated prior to the first documented, shelf-edge glaciations at around 1.5 Ma. During the Early Pleistocene (Calabrian), the Barents Sea shelf was close to sea level with some areas elevated to about 300 m. Most of the shelf experienced up to 200 m topography reduction during the Early to Middle Pleistocene (1.5-0.7 Ma) facilitating bifurcation of the North Atlantic waters into the Barents Sea. Later during the Middle Pleistocene-Present (0.7-0.0 Ma) the relief deepened by 0 to 250 m. Our results demonstrate that the present-day topography of the southern Barents Sea is the consequence of glacial activity influenced by a regional isostatic component, which is the result of selective trough erosion and significant sediment deposition at the Barents Sea margins during the Pleistocene.

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Strike‐Slip Tectonics in the SW Barents Sea During North Atlantic Rifting (Swaen Graben, Northern Norway)

et al. 2017

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This study uses high‐quality, three‐dimensional (3‐D) seismic data to investigate the occurrence of strike‐slip faults in the Swaen Graben, SW Barents Sea. The Swaen Graben is divided into two principal subbasins: SSB1 and SSB2. The along‐strike and along‐dip displacement variations and scale relationships are analyzed for 42 faults. The displacement profiles for these faults are complex in the Swaen Graben, showing clear evidence for polycyclic fault growth and marked synsedimentary activity. The observed variations in the displacement profiles indicate complex along‐strike segmentation, linkage, and mechanical interactions at distinct structural levels. Along‐dip displacement minima indicate fault reactivation by dip linkage. Importantly, geometric evidence for strike‐slip faulting in the Swaen Graben includes the presence of extensional horsetail splay faults, positive flower structures, and minor transfer faults. This study shows that the faults in the Swaen Graben developed under extensional regimes during Late Jurassic to Early Cretaceous rifting and were reactivated by regional stresses during the Late Cretaceous. The two principal strike‐slip faults in the Swaen Graben reveal sinistral movement and are linked at a shallow depth by minor transfer faults at a relay zone. Our work further demonstrates the occurrence of Late Mesozoic strike‐slip movements in the SW Barents Sea, which were induced by regional tectonics, halokinesis, and fault block rotation. Importantly, strike‐slip faulting in the region extends perhaps into the Cenozoic interacting with extension during the North Atlantic rifting.

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Crestal fault geometries reveal late halokinesis and collapse of the Samson Dome, Northern Norway: Implications for petroleum systems in the Barents Sea

Cited by 41 publications

References 90 publications

Role of Faults in Hydrocarbon Leakage in the Hammerfest Basin, SW Barents Sea: Insights from Seismic Data and Numerical Modelling

Role of Faults in Hydrocarbon Leakage in the Hammerfest Basin, SW Barents Sea: Insights from Seismic Data and Numerical Modelling

A flexural isostasy model for the Pleistocene evolution of the Barents Sea bathymetry

Strike‐Slip Tectonics in the SW Barents Sea During North Atlantic Rifting (Swaen Graben, Northern Norway)

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