North Sea basinal area, Europe - an important oil and gas province.

Abstract

(Forkortet) The North Sea covers the offshore part of a major sedimentary basin which extends from Norway, Scotland, and Denmark across northern Germany and the Netherlands into eastern England. Information gained from exploration efforts over the last 10 years shows that the North Sea covers several smaller sedimentary and structural basins of different geological ages, but for descriptive purposes these can be divided into southern and northern areas. The rocks range in age from Paleozoic to Tertiary and consist of sandstone, shale, carbonates and evaporites. The most important reservoir rocks are the Lower Permian sandstones of the Rotliegendes Formation, the Upper Permian dolomites of the Zechstein Formation, the Triassi sandstone of the Bunter Formation, the Jurassic sandstones, the Maestrichtian-Danian chalk, and the Paleocene and Eocene sandstones. Significant shows of hydrocarbons have been found in 10 formations. The main source rocks are Carboniferous coal measures, Mesozoic shale and carbonates, and Tertiary shale and carbonates. The significant traps are folds and fault blocks associated with salt movement and basement faulting.