Exploration for hydrocarbon resources In a recent hydrocarbon assessment by the
Shtokmanovskoye field in the Russian sector,
physical data have been accumulated. Most of
USGS, it has been estimated that about 30 % of
which is largest offshore gas field in the world.
our knowledge is based on industrial seismic
the world’s undiscovered gas and 13 % og the
Even though exploration activities have
data, potential field data, and data from explo-
world’s undiscovered oil may be found in the
been going on for almost 40 years, knowledge
ration wells. In addition, there exists detailed
Arctic. The Timan-Pechora region is one of the
of the petroleum potential of the Barents Sea
information from continuously cored shallow
world’s most prolific hydrocarbon provinces.
is still limited. In the Norwegian sector, fewer
boreholes on the Norwegian Barents shelf,
The adjacent Barents and Kara Seas also have
than 70 exploration and appraisal wells have
and from several onshore studies on Svalbard,
a proven, significant, petroleum potential with
been drilled to date, and exploration in this
Franz Josef Land and Novaya Zemlya.
numerous giant discoveries. Although there
vast region is still regarded as being in its early
The main hydrocarbon source rocks are
are large uncertainties regarding the Russian
stage. NPD estimates the total undiscovered re-
present in the Upper Devonian, Upper Per-
estimates, there is nevertheless little doubt that
sources in the Barents Sea at 6.2 Bboe, with an
mian, Middle Triassic and Upper Jurassic
the potential is very substantial.
uncertainty range between 2.8 and 10.7 Bboe.
successions, while the most significant res-
In the Barents Sea, hydrocarbon explo-
Oil in place is put at 1.25 Bboe. The Russian
ervoirs are proven in Devonian, Carbonifer-
ration began in the 1970s. Prior to the 1980s,
sector of the Barents Sea is estimated to con-
ous and Permian carbonates, and in Silurian,
exploration activity in the Norwegian sector
tain recoverable (P+P) resources of 430 MMbo,
Devonian, Carboniferous, Permian, Triassic,
included only seismic surveys and early NGU
180 MMbc and 96 Tcfg. The Shtokmanovskoye
Jurassic and Cretaceous sandstones. Major hy-
aeromagnetic surveys, as drilling north of the
field, discovered in 1988, contains gas reserves
drocarbon plays in the Barents Sea have been
62nd parallel had not been authorised. Subse-
(ABC1 category) of some 90 Tcf and condensate
proven by the huge gas accumulations in Mid-
quently, discoveries were made on both the
reserves of 150 MMb in several Jurassic reser-
dle-Upper Jurassic sandstones in the Russian
Russian and the Norwegian sides. The first
voirs. It is expected to be on-stream in 2010.
Shtokmanovskoye field, and in Lower-Middle
major producing field is Snøhvit in the Norwe-
During the last 25 years of exploration in
Jurassic sandstones in the Norwegian Snøhvit
gian sector. The largest discovery to date is the
the Barents Sea, substantial geological and geo-
field. In the Timan-Pechora Basin oil discover-
The observatory on Heisa Island, Franz Josef Land. Photo: VSEGEI
Memoral stone of William Barentz on the northeastern side of Novaya Zemlya. Photo: Geir Birger Larssen
Polar bear swimming ashore on Franz Josef Land. Photo: VSEGEI
12
Introduction