Paleozoic plays of NW Europe: an introduction

Monaghan, A.A.; Underhill, John R.; Marshall, J.; Hewett, A. J.

doi:10.1144/sp471.13

Cited by 7 publications

(2 citation statements)

References 64 publications

(89 reference statements)

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“…One of these concerns problems with subsurface mapping; the sandstones are buried to depths of up to 3.5 km, and are overlain by Upper Permian Zechstein evaporite sequences up to several hundreds of metres thick (e.g. Peryt et al, 2010) which strongly reduce the quality of seismic imaging (Besly, 1998;Monaghan et al, 2019). Another challenge relates to primary depositional heterogeneities in the sandstone successions (e.g.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Reservoir Quality Evolution of Upper Carboniferous (Westphalian) Tight Gas Sandstones, Lower Saxony Basin, Nw Germany

Becker

Busch

Koehrer³

et al. 2019

Journal of Petroleum Geology

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This paper investigates reservoir quality development in tight Upper Carboniferous fluvial sandstones (Westphalian C/D) in the Lower Saxony Basin, NW Germany. The study integrates data from three outcrops (Piesberg, Woitzel and Hüggel) in the south of the basin with that from two wells (Wells A and B) located at gas fields approximately 50 km to the north. Petrographic and petrophysical data are related to the diagenetic evolution of the sandstones and the burial and structural history of the Lower Saxony Basin. The outcrop and subsurface data sets are compared in order to investigate the factors controlling reservoir quality evolution. Upper Carboniferous fluvial sandstones from the Woitzel and Hüggel outcrops and from Wells A and B have similar matrix permeabilities (0.01 to 10 mD), but matrix porosities vary between Well A (average 6%), Well B (average 10%), Woitzel (average 15%), and Hüggel (average 19%). Permeability reduction during burial is related to the formation of clay mineral cement, which was mainly controlled by variations in both the palaeo‐climate and in the sandstones’ depositional composition. Matrix porosity was controlled by local differences in burial history related to basin inversion tectonics. The greater amount of inversion‐related uplift at Well B (about 2.8 km) resulted in lower thermal exposure of the Westphalian sandstones at this location, which thus show higher matrix porosities than the sandstones at Well A which were uplifted by only about 1.2 km. Further increases in porosity in the outcrop sandstones may be related to the dissolution of carbonate cement during late‐stage uplift in near‐surface conditions. Upper Carboniferous fluvial sandstones from the Piesberg quarry show the poorest reservoir characteristics compared to the samples from the subsurface and the other outcrops, with matrix porosities averaging 6% and permeabilities <0.01 mD. Reservoir quality reduction was controlled by thermal anomalies associated with a large fault at the Piesberg quarry. By contrast, a few outliers in the sample data sets from Well B and the Piesberg quarry, which have permeabilities of more than 100 mD, show that faulting or natural fracturing may enhance reservoir quality within a particular area. Faults/fractures may act as potential migration pathways for leaching fluids, or may provide fracture‐permeability systems with production potential. Depositional setting, burial‐related diagenetic processes and structural characteristics in the Lower Saxony Basin need to be carefully evaluated in order to provide an improved understanding of the reservoir quality of the Upper Carboniferous sandstones.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Reservoir Quality Evolution of Upper Carboniferous (Westphalian) Tight Gas Sandstones, Lower Saxony Basin, Nw Germany

Becker

Busch

Koehrer³

et al. 2019

Journal of Petroleum Geology

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“…It is presumed that Devonian and Carboniferous rocks of the Variscan Foredeep occur here (Figure 3) [98,99]. This is especially important since the Carboniferous rocks are considered the fundamental source rock not only for the Polish Lowlands but also for plenty of gas fields in Western Europe ( [120][121][122], and citations therein). The most promising reservoirs are porous Lower and Middle Jurassic sandstones forming structural and combined structural-stratigraphic traps [123][124][125].…”

Section: Koło Tender Areamentioning

confidence: 99%

New Opportunities for Oil and Gas Exploration in Poland—A Review

et al. 2022

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Reserves totaling ~142 BCM (5 TCF) of natural gas trapped in 306 fields and ~22 MTOE (~157 MMBOE) of crude oil in 87 fields have been discovered. The prospection, exploration, and production of hydrocarbons are licensed: an entity interested in these kinds of activities needs to have concession, which is granted by the Polish Ministry of Climate and Environment for 10 to 30 years according to one of two independent ways — international tender or open door procedure. In this review, the most prospective areas for oil and gas exploration in Poland, selected by the Polish Geological Survey, and announced as dedicated for the next 6th tender round, planned in the second half of 2022, are described. These are: Block 413–414, Block 208, Cybinka–Torzym, Zielona Góra West, and Koło areas. The main exploration target of these tender areas is related to conventional and unconventional accumulations of gas and oil in the Carpathian basement, Carpathian Foredeep, and Outer Carpathians (Block 413–414), as well as in the Carboniferous, Permian Rotliegend, Zechstein Main Dolomite (Block 208, Cybinka–Torzym, Zielona Góra West), and in the Mesozoic of the Polish Lowlands (Koło). The second way of granting concession in Poland is the so-called open door procedure, in which an entity may apply for a concession for any other area selected on its own.

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Paleozoic plays of NW Europe: an introduction

Monaghan

Underhill

Marshall

et al. 2018

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Despite successful production from Carboniferous and Permian reservoirs in the Southern North Sea and onshore Netherlands and Germany, Paleozoic hydrocarbon plays across parts of NW Europe remain relatively under-explored onshore and offshore. This volume brings together new and previously unpublished knowledge about the Paleozoic plays of NW Europe. Improvements in seismic data quality and availability tied to previously unpublished well datasets form the basis for improved understanding of local to regional structural interpretations, depositional environments and basin history. New interpretations move significantly away from generalized basin development models, with improved definition of structural traps and source rock basins feeding to better constrained, locally variable burial, uplift, maturation and migration models. Particularly notable are the significant mapped extents and thickness of Paleozoic source, reservoir and seal rocks. Areas previously dismissed as regional highs and platforms are dissected by Paleozoic basins with evidence for mature source rocks into basin centres. Numerous potential Paleozoic plays or play elements result within thick organic-rich and variably mature successions. Outside or below existing Jurassic and Southern North Sea to onshore Netherlands and German Permian-Carboniferous plays, Paleozoic plays in frontier areas offer significant additional exploration opportunities.

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Paleozoic plays of NW Europe: an introduction

Cited by 7 publications

References 64 publications

Reservoir Quality Evolution of Upper Carboniferous (Westphalian) Tight Gas Sandstones, Lower Saxony Basin, Nw Germany

Reservoir Quality Evolution of Upper Carboniferous (Westphalian) Tight Gas Sandstones, Lower Saxony Basin, Nw Germany

New Opportunities for Oil and Gas Exploration in Poland—A Review

Paleozoic plays of NW Europe: an introduction

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