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Analysis of shallow gas and fluid migration within the Plio-Pleistocene sedimentary succession of the SW Barents Sea continental margin using 3D seismic data

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Abstract

Three-dimensional (3D) seismic data acquired for hydrocarbon exploration reveal that gas accumulations are common within the 2–3 km thick Plio-Pleistocene stratigraphic column of the south-western Barents Sea continental margin. The 3D seismic data have relatively low-frequency content (<40 Hz) but, due to dense spatial sampling, long source-receiver offsets, 3D migration and advanced interpretation techniques, they provide surprisingly detailed images of inferred gas accumulations and the sedimentary environments in which they occur. The presence of gas is inferred from seismic reflection segments with anomalously high amplitude and reversed phase, compared with the seafloor reflection, so-called bright spots. Fluid migration is inferred from vertical zones of acoustic masking and acoustic pipes. The 3D seismic volume allows a spatial analysis of amplitude anomalies inferred to reflect the presence of gas and fluids. At several locations, seismic attribute maps reveal detailed images of flat spots, inferred to represent gas–water interfaces. The data indicate a focused fluid migration system, where sub-vertical faults and zones of highly fractured sediments are conduits for the migration of gas-bearing fluids in Plio-Pleistocene sediments. Gas is interpreted to appear in high-porosity fan-shaped sediment lobes, channel and delta deposits, glacigenic debris flows and sediment blocks, probably sealed by low-permeability, clayey till and/or (glacio)marine sediments. Gas and fluid flow are here attributed mainly to rapid Plio-Pleistocene sedimentation that loaded large amounts of sedimentary material over lower-density, fine-grained Eocene oozes. This probably caused pore-fluid dewatering of the high-fluid content oozes through a network of polygonal faults. The study area is suggested to have experienced cycles of fluid expulsion and hydrocarbon migration associated with glacial–interglacial cycles.

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Acknowledgements

This manuscript is a contribution to the PetroMax projects “Depositional Models for Cenozoic Sandy Systems” and “Quantification of Geological Processes that Govern Basin Scale Fluid Flow” funded by the Research Council of Norway and Statoil. The University of Tromsø acknowledges GeoQuest for seismic interpretation software, and Statoil and Norsk Hydro ASA for providing data. Particular thanks are due to Ståle Schwencke and Stefan Buenz for keeping the GeoQuest software running, and to Lena Charlotte Nilssen for making some of the figures. Careful reviews by Daniel Praeg and David C. Mosher greatly improved the manuscript.

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  1. Christian M. Ødegaard

    Present address: Norsk Hydro, Bergen, Norway

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Geology, University of Tromsø, 9037, Tromsø, Norway

    Karin Andreassen, Espen Glad Nilssen & Christian M. Ødegaard

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  1. Karin Andreassen
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Correspondence to Karin Andreassen.

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Andreassen, K., Nilssen, E.G. & Ødegaard, C.M. Analysis of shallow gas and fluid migration within the Plio-Pleistocene sedimentary succession of the SW Barents Sea continental margin using 3D seismic data. Geo-Mar Lett 27, 155–171 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00367-007-0071-5

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