Petroleum Basins of the Soviet Arctic

1980 ◽  
Vol 117 (2) ◽  
pp. 101-186 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. A. Meyerhoff

SummaryThe Soviet Arctic extends 6700 km from the border with Norway, on the west, to the border with the United States, on the east. The region contains the largest unexplored shelf area on earth – approximately 3917000 km2. Of the several onshore petroleum-bearing basins, at least two extend into the offshore – the Timano-Pechora basin, which passes beneath the Barents Sea, and the West Siberian basin, which includes much of the Kara Sea. The Laptev and East Siberian Seas seem to be underlain by separate offshore basins, possibly unrelated to any onshore. The Chukchi Sea is geologically a part of the Alaskan North Slope. The Vilyuy basin, along the Vilyuy and Lena Rivers, does not extend offshore. Only small basins are present along the Pacific shore; of these, two have petroleum potential – the Khatyrka basin which passes eastwards into the Navarin basin of the Bering Sea, and the Anadyr' basin which joins the St Lawrence basin. Peripheral to the Arctic, but of great importance relative to several Canadian Arctic basins, is the Irkutsk amphitheatre in which the main hydrocarbon accumulations are Proterozoic.Of the three largest onshore basins, the West Siberian is the greatest, with major production from Lower and Middle Cretaceous, and smaller production from Upper Jurassic and Upper Palaeozoic rocks. The major production from the Timano-Pechora basin is from the Middle Devonian and Upper Carboniferous–Lower Permian; minor production is from the Silurian, Lower Devonian, Upper Devonian, Lower Carboniferous, Upper Permian and Triassic. Production in the Vilyuy basin – all of it gas – is from Lower and Middle Jurassic, Triassic and Permian. Although non-commercial, known potential production from the Nordvik area is from Triassic and Permian sandstones; that from the Khatyrka basin is Oligocene and that from the Anadyr' basin is Miocene. The potential of the Soviet Arctic is huge, with major oil reserves and the largest known gas reserves on the earth.

1999 ◽  
Vol 73 (2) ◽  
pp. 164-175 ◽  
Author(s):  
David K. Brezinski

Based on range data and generic composition, four stages of evolution are recognized for late Paleozoic trilobites of the contiguous United States. Stage 1 occurs in the Lower Mississippian (Kinderhookian-Osagean) and is characterized by a generically diverse association of short-ranging, stenotopic species that are strongly provincial. Stage 2 species are present in the Upper Mississippian and consist of a single, eurytopic, pandemic genus, Paladin. Species of Stage 2 are much longer-ranging than those of Stage 1, and some species may have persisted for as long as 12 m.y. Stage 3 is present within Pennsylvanian and Lower Permian strata and consists initially of the eurytopic, endemic genera Sevillia and Ameura as well as the pandemic genus Ditomopyge. During the middle Pennsylvanian the very long-ranging species Ameura missouriensis and Ditomopyge scitula survived for more than 20 m.y. During the late Pennsylvanian and early Permian, a number of pandemic genera appear to have immigrated into what is now North America. Stage 4 is restricted to the Upper Permian (late Leonardian-Guadalupian) strata and is characterized by short-ranging, stenotopic, provincial genera.The main causal factor controlling the four-stage evolution of late Paleozoic trilobites of the United States is interpreted to be eustacy. Whereas Stage 1 represents an adaptive radiation developed during the Lower Mississippian inundation of North America by the Kaskaskia Sequence, Stage 2 is present in strata deposited during the regression of the Kaskaskia sea. Stage 3 was formed during the transgression and stillstand of the Absaroka Sequence and, although initially endemic, Stage 3 faunas are strongly pandemic in the end when oceanic circulation patterns were at a maximum. A mid-Leonardian sea-level drop caused the extinction of Stage 3 fauna. Sea-level rise near the end of the Leonardian and into the Guadalupian created an adaptive radiation of stentopic species of Stage 4 that quickly became extinct with the latest Permian regression.


1989 ◽  
Vol 143 ◽  
pp. 21-45
Author(s):  
L Stemmerik ◽  
E Håkansson

A lithostratigraphic scheme is erected for the Lower Carboniferous to Triassic sediments of the Wandel Sea Basin, from Lockwood Ø in the west to Holm Land in the east. The scheme is based on the subdivision into the Upper Carboniferous - Lower Permian Mallemuk Mountain Group and the Upper Permian - Triassic Trolle Land Group. In addition the Upper Carboniferous Sortebakker Formation and the Upper Permian Kap Kraka Formation are defined. Three formations and four members are included in the Mallemuk Mountain Group. Lithostratigraphic units include: Kap Jungersen Formation (new) composed of interbedded limestones, sandstones and shales with minor gypsum - early Moscovian; Foldedal Formation composed of interbedded limestones and sandstones -late Moseovian to late Gzhelian; Kim Fjelde Formation composed of well bedded Iimestones - late Gzhelian to Kungurian. The Trolle Land Group includes three formations: Midnatfjeld Formation composed of dark shales, sandstones and limestones - Late Permian; Parish Bjerg Formation composed of a basal conglomeratic sandstone overlain by shales and sandstones - ?Early Triassic (Scythian); Dunken Formation composed of dark shales and sandstones - Triassic (Scythian-Anisian). The Sortebakker Formation (new) is composed of interbedded sandstones, shales and minor coal of floodplain origin. The age is Early Carboniferous. The Kap Kraka Formation (new) includes poorly known hematitic sandstones, conglomerates and shales of Late Permian age.


1914 ◽  
Vol 1 (9) ◽  
pp. 399-402 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. M. S. Watson ◽  
G. Hickling

Summary.—(1) The reptiles Gordonia, Geikia, and Elginia are shown to be slightly later than those of the Upper Permian Pariasaurus beds of Russia, or those of the equivalent Cisticephalus zone of South Africa. They therefore represent the extreme top of the Permian. (2) The remaining Elgin reptiles are Middle Triassic (? = Lettenkohle of Germany). (3) The Elgin footprints are widely distinct from Triassic forms and from those of the Lower Permian, while agreeing exactly with the group associated with the Magnesian Limestone of England. They therefore represent the extreme top of the Permian. (4) The discovery is recorded of one of the typical footprints in close proximity with the Permian reptile quarry. (5) The Permian rocks occupy the west of the ‘Triassic’ area, the true Trias the east. (6) It is suggested that the area was a landsurface during Permian and Triassic times.


1972 ◽  
Vol 109 (4) ◽  
pp. 289-314 ◽  
Author(s):  
W. B. Harland ◽  
R. A. Gayer

SummaryConsideration of the arctic configuration of the Caledonides leads to a distinction between eastern and western geosynclinal belts. The western belt, comprising the East Greenland, East Svalbard and southern Barents Sea Caledonides is postulated to continue northwards into the Lomonosov Ridge, whilst the western Spitsbergen Caledonides are thought to have originated as part of the North Greenland geosyncline which is also thought to continue northwards to form the western part of the Lomonosov Ridge. The eastern Caledonian geosynclinal belt comprising the Scandinavian Caledonides appears to swing eastwards to link with the Timan Chain and possibly the Urals.The already postulated (‘Proto-Atlantic’) ocean concept is reviewed in the light of the Arctic Caledonides and named Iapetus. Faunal provincialism suggests that the ocean was in existence up to early Ordovician but had substantially closed by mid Ordovician times. Possible relics of the suture marking the closure of this ocean suggest that it lay to the west of the Arctic Scandinavian Caledonides trending NE to latitude 70° N and thence veered eastwards separating the southern Barents Sea Caledonides from those of Arctic Scandinavia, possibly connecting with the northern Uralian ocean. A previous branch of the ocean may have separated East Svalbard and East Greenland as an ocean-like trough. A further (pre-Arctic) ocean may have existed to the north of the North Greenland–Lomonosov Ridge geosynclines. This is named Pelagus.The closure of these oceanic areas and the deformation of the bordering geosynclines delineates three principal continental plates, namely, Baltic, Greenland and Barents Plates. Their relative dominantly E–W motion up to Silurian times produced compression between the Greenland and both the Baltic and Barents plates but dextral transpression and transcurrence between the latter plates. In Late Silurian to Devonian times an increasing northward component controlled late Caledonian transpression and sinistral transcurrence between the Greenland plate and the combined Baltic and Barents plates.


Polar Record ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 53 (1) ◽  
pp. 100-101
Author(s):  
William Barr

On 26 October 2015 the keel was laid for a remarkable new tanker at the Samsung Heavy Industries Shipyard, in Geoje, South Korea, the order having been placed by Sovcomflot, which operates the largest tanker fleet in Russia (Unicom Management Services (Cyprus) Ltd. 2015). The vessel was launched on 20 February 1916 and was named Shturman Albanov (Fig. 1). It is a shallow-draft icebreaking tanker of 42000 dwt (Unicom Management Services (Cyprus) Ltd. 2016) with a length of 249 m and the unusually large breadth for its tonnage, of 34 m, and a loaded draft of 9.5 m. Its ice-class is Arc7. Propelled by two 11 MW azipods (Fig. 2) (Sergey Frank, CEO of Sovcomflot, personal communication, July 2016) Shturman Albanov is capable of a speed of 14 knots. The azipods give it great manoeuverability and the capability of breaking ice up to 1.4 m thick when going ahead and 1.8 m thick when going astern. Registered in St. Petersburg and described as a shuttle tanker, it is designed specifically to haul oil from the Vorota Arktika (Gates of the Arctic) terminal near Mys Kamennyy, the terminal for Gazpromneft's Novoportovskoye field (Sergey Frank, CEO of Sovcmflot, personal communication, July 2016). The terminal is located on the east side of the Yamal Poluostrov, that is on the west shore of southern Obskaya Guba. This water-body is only about 10 m deep in places, which explains the need for a shallow-draft vessel, and for its unusually great breadth, in order to achieve maximum capacity. Another feature dictated by the shallow depths is that it is a bow-loading vessel. It will transport the oil year-round, west via Yuogorskiy Shar or Karskiye Vorota and across the Barents Sea to Murmansk where it will transfer its cargo to the storage tanker Umba. The delivery date for Shturman Albanov was 30 July (Staalesen 2016). In fact delivery and the naming ceremony took place on 20 July at Pusan, South Korea. The ship's captain is Vyacheslav Gafurov (Sergey Frank, CEO of Sovcomflot, personal communication, July 2016).


Author(s):  
Natalia Yu. Ivanova

Abstract Haliactis arctica is a poorly known species of sea anemone of the family Halcampactinidae known only from the Arctic. So far, there have been no reports of it after the original description, based on a few specimens from Greenland, Spitsbergen, the Barents Sea, Novaya Zemlya and the Chukchi Sea. The rich collection of the Zoological Institute RAS, which includes more than 100 specimens, has allowed a detailed morpho-anatomical study of this sea anemone. Examination of the external and internal morphology of H. arctica indicates a noticeable variability of structural features, especially the retractor muscles, parietal muscles and acontia. Comparison of characters between H. arctica with the other representatives of Halcampactinidae shows significant differences in the organization of these anemones. Their morphological differences and also significant geographic remoteness suggest that they should be attributed to different families, however, at present it is impossible to conduct thorough molecular genetic studies that can confirm or refute this assumption.


1972 ◽  
Vol 102 ◽  
pp. 1-48
Author(s):  
J.D Collinson

The Røde Ø Conglomerate is a formation of red sandstones and conglomerates in the inner part of Scoresby Sund. It has an elongated north-south outcrop within an area of high-grade metamorphic rocks. It is bounded on the west by a normal fault, downthrowing to the east and dying out northwards. The sediments rest unconformably on migmatites along their eastern boundary. Within the Røde Ø Conglomerate, four lithofacies associations are recognised. A conglomerate association is the most abundant and occurs along the western side of the outcrop against the fault. It is coarse and poorly sorted, and easterly palaeocurrents are suggested. The association is interpreted as the product of alluvial fans building eastwards. This association passes laterally eastwards through an interbedded complex into a silty sandstone association which, in turn, passes into a gypsiferous sandstone association. These are both thought to be largely suspension deposits at the distal limit of the fans. The gypsum is the result of near surface precipitation due to high evaporation. On Storø, on the eastern side of Rødefjord and east of the other associations, a cross-bedded sandstone association referable to a normal fluviatile model occurs. Palaeocurrents here were to the north and north-west. It is suggested that movements along the western boundary fault were probably the cause of the rapid uplift needed to supply the coarse sediment. The rocks west of the Schuchert Flod were described by Kempter (1961) who recognised three major subdivisions, the Bjørnbos Corner Formation of alleged Carboniferous age, the Gurreholmsdal Formation (Lower Permian) and the Karstryggen Group (Upper Permian). The Bjørnbos Corner Formation is an arkosic conglomerate whose sedimentation is not obviously related to any presently observed tectonic feature. The Gurreholmsdal Formation shows a pattern of sedimentation broadly similar to the Røde ø Conglomerate with conglomerates in the west, near the Stauning Alper Fault passing eastwards and downcurrent into finer arkoses and eventually into micaceous sandstones which have northerly palaeocurrents. Sediment supply is again thought to have been due to movement on the western fault margin. It is not possible to date the Røde Ø Conglomerate by comparison with the Schuchert sequence in any conclusive way, though it can be tentatively suggested that the same regional tensional event might have been responsible for both sedimentary events.


1986 ◽  
Vol 128 ◽  
pp. 103-121
Author(s):  
F Surlyk ◽  
S Piasecki ◽  
F Rolle

Active petroleum exploration in East Greenland is of fairly recent date and was preceded by a much longer history of scientific work and mineral exploration. The discovery in 1948 of lead-zinc mineralisation at Mestersvig resulted in the formation of Nordisk Mineselskab AIS in 1952. In the beginning of the seventies Nordisk Mineselskab initiated cooperation with the American oil company Atlantic Richfield (ARCO) in order to undertake petroleum exploration in Jameson Land. The Jameson Land basin contains a very thick Upper Palaeozoic - Mesozoic sedimentary sequence. Important potential source rocks are Lower Permian lacustrine mudstone, Upper Permian black marine mudstone, Middle Triassic dark marine limestone, uppermost Triassic black marginal marine mudstone, Lower Jurassic black mudstone and Upper Jurassic deep shelf black mudstone. Tbe Upper Permian mudstone, which is the most promising source rock, is immature to weakly mature along the western basin margin and is expected to be in the oil or gas-generating zone when deeply buried in the central part of the basin. Potential reservoir rocks include Upper Permian bank and mound limestones, uppermost Permian fan delta sandstones, Lower Triassic aeolian and braided river sandstones, and Lower, Middle and Upper Jurassic sandstones. The most important trap types are expected to be stratigraphic, such as Upper Permian limestone bodies, or combination stratigraphic-structural such as uppermost Permian or Lower Triassic sandstones in Early Triassic tilted fault blocks. In the offshore areas additional play types are probably to be found in tilted Jurassic fault blocks containing thick Lower, Middle and Upper Jurassic sandstones and lowermost Cretaceous sandstones and conglomerates. The recognition of the potential of the Upper Permian in petroleum exploration in East Greenland has important implications for petroleum exploration on the Norwegian shelf.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shelly Bhagat ◽  

One of the greatest threats to humanity is climate change, the effects of which have become evident in recent years with wildfires raging through the west coast of the United States, glaciers and icecaps melting in the arctic, and an increasing number of seasonal hurricanes. Scientists predict that we have approximately ten years to reverse climate change before its effects become permanent.


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