Seismic-Stratigraphic Complexes and Hydrocarbon Prospects of the Lower Cretaceous in the Barents Sea

Cretaceous strata of the Barents Sea shelf are still poorly studied in the aspect of petroleum exploration.Barents sea is also confirmed by the presence of uncommercial fields in the Lower Cretaceous of Hammerfest basin and Loppa high, gas shows in the Cretaceous strata of the Ludlovskoe gas field and of gas-hydrates in the South Barents trough. The main stage in the hydrocarbon potential evaluation is development of seismic-stratigraphic framework. The major sedimentary complexes are distinguished based on the seismic-stratigraphic, sequence and cyclostratigraphic analysis. Analysis of sequence boundaries, thickness and distribution result to reconstruction of history of sedimentation and paleogeography. The study includes regional seismic profiles and offshore wells data purposely to generalize a lot of scattered data and make a regional seismic-stratigraphic framework for Cretaceous strata.