Kola-Kanin Monocline Composite Tectono-Sedimentary Element, Barents Sea

Abstract

Abstract Kola-Kanin Monocline Composite Tectono-Sedimentary Element (KKM CTSE) is located in the Eastern Barents Sea offshore the Kola Peninsula. Tectonically it represents a SW rim of the East Barents Basin, one of the largest sedimentary depocentres in the Arctic. It is also an apparent SE continuation of the Finnmark Platform in the Norwegian Barents Sea; however, there are some differences between them in tectonic history and stratigraphy. The KKM is inferred to include Lower Paleozoic sedimentary rocks. These are not present in the Finnmark Platform due to the Caledonian orogeny. The younger section includes Devonian to Lower Permian siliciclastic and carbonate rocks, Permian-Triassic, Jurassic, and Lower Cretaceous siliciclastic strata. The entire sedimentary section is up to 10 km thick and is divided into three main successions, or tectono-sedimentary elements (TSE): (i) Syn-rift upper Cambrian to lower Ordovician, (ii) Middle Ordovician to Lower Triassic passive margin, and (iii) Middle Triassic to Lower Cretaceous (Albian) intracontinental basin. The KKM represents a potential region for the hydrocarbon exploration, but numerous prospects identified there have not been drilled due to significant exploration risks caused by the monoclinal dip and erosional truncation of the most of the KKM's section.