Neonor2, neotectonics in Nordland - implications for petroleum exploration

INFO APRIL 2015

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NEONOR2, NEOTECTONICS IN NORDLAND – IMPLICATIONS FOR PETROLEUM EXPLORATION Fig.1. Map of northern Nordland, the NEONOR2 study area, displaying indicators of neotectonic activity and related features. Earthquakes with M> 2.5 are shown together with present-day uplift contours. Pleistocene sediment redistribution is evidenced by the thickness of Naust Formation, subcropping underlying units, the catchment area of glacial erosion (green dashed line), the present shelf edge (blue line marks) and zones of deep weathering. Exploration licenses within the offshore erosion area are shown in orange and grey.

The Geological Survey of Norway (NGU) is carrying out a new geophysical research project investigating the present-day and palaeo stress and strain fields around the Vestfjorden Basin in northern Nordland.

This region is the seismically most active in mainland Norway and exhibits particularly irregular patterns of uplift and young (mainly Pleistocene) exhumation, which in turn have effects on geohazards and hydrocarbon reservoir integrity. The coinciding patterns of sediment loading/unloading and compressional/

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tensional earthquakes indicate that there is a causal relationship between the two phenomena (Fig. 1).

NEONOR2 is a collaboration between NGU, The Norwegian Mapping Authority (Kartverket), NORSAR, the University of Bergen (UiB), the University of Luleå, NORUT and The Norwegian Petroleum Directorate (NPD). This project is part of the PETROMAKS2 program of the Norwegian Research Council and co-sponsored by eleven industry partners.

MORE INFORMATION?

ODLEIV OLESEN

SOFIE GRADMANN

MARIE KEIDING

Team Leader, Continental Shelf Geophysics odleiv.olesen@ngu.no Tel: +47 990 91 743

Reseacher, Continental Shelf Geophysics sofie.gradmann@ngu.no Tel: +47 73 90 44 60

Reseacher, Continental Shelf Geophysics marie.keiding@ngu.no Tel: +47 73 90 44 88

Fig. 2. Location of geophysical measurements within the study area of the NEONOR2 project. Seismicity is recorded by temporary and permanent seismological stations. GPS data is recorded continuously since 2009. Two existing boreholes will be used for in-situ stress measurements

A detailed seismological survey together with analysis of GPS and DInSAR data as well as in-situ stress measurements (Fig. 2) will yield a comprehensive map of the present-day stress field and surface deformation. This will then be employed in a numerical modelling study to investigate the contributions of different stress field components such as topography, glacial isostatic rebound and Pleistocene sediment redistribution. With the knowledge of the offshore distribution of Pleistocene sediments, the effects of exhumation/

sedimentation on the stress regime and thermal field will further be investigated with mechanical and thermal numerical modelling.

Our study aims at reconciling how present-day deformation relates to Pleistocene uplift. The implications for petroleum systems of such processes are fundamental in terms of thermal history of the basins and of their reservoir integrity.

MAIN OBJECTIVES •

New seismicity map of the Nordland region (geohazards)

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Combined inversion of geodetic, seismic and in-situ data to determine regional stress and strain field

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Quantification of contribution of Pleistcene sediment redistributionon the present-day stress field (numerical modelling)

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Estimate of Pleistocene palaeostresses and palaeo-temperatures (numerical modelling)

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PO Box 6315 Sluppen NO-7491 Trondheim Phone: +47 73 90 40 00

Leiv Eirikssons vei 39, Trondheim E-mail: ngu@ngu.no www.ngu.no /continental_shelf_geophysics

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