Triassic Channel Systems on the northern Loppa High, SW Barents Sea

Abstract

During the Triassic, the Barents Sea Basin was filled with sediments from the Uralian and Caledonian mountain belts. High sediment yield and large river systems made progradation possible, resulting in an alluvial to deltaic plain stretching from the mountain belts in the south east to Spitsbergen in the north.This thesis focuses on the northwestern part of the Loppa High area, SW Barents Sea. The aim of this study is to further understand channel development in the Triassic, which is of great importance in hydrocarbon exploration. Channel systems can act as a repository for coarse-grained sediments, and hence represent promising hydrocarbon reservoirs.This study is based on the 3D seismic dataset WIN12003 together with logs from exploration well 7224/2-1. In the focus area, several channel systems are present in the middle to late Triassic succession. By identifying, mapping and visualizing Triassic channel bodies from the 3D dataset, increased knowledge of the evolution of these fluvial depositional systems are achieved, including river geomorphology, depositional mechanisms and the controlling factors.Two channels is further analyzed, interpreted and described, classified as meandering and braiding rivers. A brief theory of why these two rivers from various parts of the channel system (distal and proximal) are present in the same area is presented. The interpretation of the two fluvial channels show consistency with the westvard propagation of siliclastic sediments sourced from Caledonian and Uralian orogeny during Triassic.