Late Paleozoic plays in East Greenland

Abstract

A series of Late Paleozoic–Mesozoic basins, which formed as the result of rifting between Greenland and Norway following the Caledonian orogeny, are exposed in East Greenland between 70° and 76°N. The Paleozoic part of the sedimentary basin fill has a cumulative thickness of up to 13 km. The region seems prospective but exploration is still at an early stage without exploration wells. Basic petroleum-related studies of outcrops have been carried out throughout the region, and 1800 km of high-quality multi-fold seismic data have been acquired in Jameson Land between 70° and 72°N. A number of pre-, syn- and post-rift play types are suggested on the basis of inferred source and reservoir rock distribution as well as structural and thermal history. Some of the play concepts have been identified in outcrop, others have been recognized during the seismic interpretation. The principal Upper Paleozoic source rocks include Upper Devonian shales (freshwater), Upper Carboniferous lacustrine shales (freshwater to slightly saline), and Upper Permian marine shales (some carbonate influence). The main reservoir facies are fluvial sandstones in the Upper Devonian to Lower Permian succession and Upper Permian platform and build-up carbonates. Syn-rift Carboniferous plays (mainly structural) and post-rift Upper Permian carbonate plays (essentially stratigraphic) seem most promising. The syn-rift plays have lacustrine shales as source rocks, fluvial Carboniferous to Lower Permian sandstones as reservoirs, and overlying fluvial/lacustrine shales as seal. The post-rift Upper Permian plays have carbonate build-ups and platforms as reservoir targets and the juxtaposed marine shales as source rock and seal.