Development Zone Forecast of Possible Hydrocarbon Accumulation Features on the North Barents Shelf

The work presents the generalized results of the regional integrated geophysical surveys conducted by JSC Marine arctic geological expedition (MAGE) in the North Barents shelf water area, including reflection seismic surveys, gravity and differential hydromagnetic measurements in the volume of 30 000 line kilometers. The works were performed under order of the Federal Subsoil Resources Management Agency (Rosnedra) within the frame of “Long-term government program of study and recovery of the Russian mineral resources base”.

The conducted thematic studies allowed to reveal the trends for distribution of reservoir zones, cap rocks and source rock strata as well as development zones of possible hydrocarbon traps of different types - anticline traps, massive and combined - lithologic-stratigraphic ones. On the basis of the performed studies, a forecast for hydrocarbon potential of the studied region was made and classification of possible hydrocarbon accumulations depending on their prospectivity was carried out.