JOHANSEN, KJELL BUGGE, Nopec a.s., Naersnes, Norway; VALERY MARTIROSIAN and ALEXANDER SIMONOV, Sevmorneftegeofizika, Murmansk, Russia; and PETER W. JONES, Simon Petroleum Technology, Wales

Exploration Models and Future Hydrocarbon Potential in the East Barents and Pechora Seas

The East Barents and Pechora Seas have been unevenly explored. More than 30 exploration and deliniation wells have been drilled to date, with the discovery of 9 oil, gas and condensate fields. Since 1979 approximately 340,000 km of seismic data have been acquired by Sevmorneftegeofizika.

The South and North Barents Basins were formed as rift basins in Late Permian-Early Mesozoic and represent the main structural elements in the area. These basins are fringed by the Central Barents Plateau, Frans Josef Land, Pal-Hoi-Novaja Zemlja Orogen Zone and, in the south by the Paleozoic

Pechora Platform.

Four major play types have been proved by drilling: Barents Sea: (1) Three major gas/condensate and gas fields have been discovered in low relief, Jurassic structural traps. The reservoirs comprise Middle/Upper Jurassic sandstones, deposited as submarine fans. (2) Triassic, structural/stratigraphic traps. Two gas fields have been discovered in the South Barents Basins in lenses of sand and siltstones deposited in a continental environment.

And Pechora Sea (offshore continuation of Pechora Platform): (3) Upper Permian structural traps related to oblique compressional movements. One oil field in Upper Permian carbonates has been discovered. And (4) Permo/Carboniferous and Devonian structural/stratigraphic traps related to carbonate build-ups. Three oil and gas/condensate fields have been discovered. There is still a significant potential in these proven play types. In addition there are other untested play types, which involve structural traps and more subtle structural/stratigraphical traps.

AAPG Search and Discovery Article #90987©1993 AAPG Annual Convention, New Orleans, Louisiana, April 25-28, 1993.