The complex rifting and subsidence history mentioned previously has generated a mix of stratigraphy,

Timing and structure conducive to hydrocarbon generation and entrapment (Bell and Campbell, 1990). To date, nevertheless, significant discoveries only have been situated within a few areas ( e.g. Hibernia, Terra Nova, Whiterose) regarding the Jeanne d’Arc that is northern basin where senior people meet. Main reservoirs are observed in belated Jurassic and Early Cretaceous marine that is shallow fluvial sandstones deposited throughout the 2nd rift and postrift stages. Later Jurassic shales regarding the Egret member have a marine-rich supply that matured during subsequent burial in the Belated Cretaceous and Tertiary. Traps had been created by the mid- Cretaceous from rollover anticlines ( ag e.g. Hibernia framework) and rotated fault obstructs, plus they had been mainly preserved throughout the subsequent Avalon uplift and erosion.

Figure 6. Seismic reflection profile LE 85-4 (Keen and de Voogd, 1988), remigrated and coherency filtered by J. Hall and S. Deemer (individual interaction, 2001). Seismic perspectives identified are Au/A* (Oligocene and Top Cretaceous) and U (Tucholke et al., 1989). Basement crustal kinds are defined by characteristic alterations in expression pattern.

Many research has focused in the Jeanne d’Arc basin as well as other superficial water basins from the Banking institutions. Just a wells that are few been drilled in much much deeper water. But, the sediment circulation map (Figure 5a) reveals that significant thicknesses occur beneath many aspects of the slope and rise bordering the Banking institutions ( e.g. Southern Whale, Salar, Carson-Bonnition, Flemish Pass and Orphan basins). Recently, extra seismic research has been undertaken during these much much much deeper water basins to help assess its economic potential. Past analysis regarding the much deeper overseas areas had been made making use of a couple of local seismic pages gathered in the mid- 1980’s ( ag e.g. Keen and de Voogd, 1988; Tucholke et al., 1989). A far more current group of local pages (Figure 5) now runs this protection throughout the Newfoundland that is northern basin. The much much much deeper water area of the LE85-4 profile is shown in Figure 6 (J. Hall and S. Deemer, personal interaction, 2001) and a quick element of the current Ewing2000-3 profile (Louden and Lau, 2002) over the Carson basin in Figure 7. A group of tilted basement fault obstructs is seen as much as 100 kilometer seaward through the rack break. The very first is a block that is large with a few sodium address that divides the overseas region of the Carson-Bonnition basin into shallower and much much much much deeper water parts. The deep-water area of thicker sediment and complex cellar framework may contain the potential that is best for hydrocarbons (Enachescu, 1992).

Figure 7. Reflection that is seismic Ewing 2000-3 over the exterior Carson-Bonnition basin showing basement ridge with possible sodium that separates basin into internal (shallow) from outer (deep water) components.

Seismic perspectives identified are Au/A* and U, after Tucholke et al. (1989). Remember that these perspectives pinch out and end against basement and should not be traced into shallower water.

Further seaward for the faulted cellar, a 100-km wide area exists in which a prominent reflector (U) masks the underlying cellar. This reflector seems to end against a number of elevated cellar highs. Over the U-reflector, the The u _ A * reflector defines the Tertiary change between flat-lying and bottom present dominated depositional sequences. It’s not specific if the U-reflector is related to your Avalon unconformity for the southern Banking institutions and/or the Early Cretaceous ?-reflector observed from the margin that is scotianFigure 4). The character regarding the basement that is relatively flat-lying this transitional area can be uncertain. Present drilling and seismic outcomes suggest the current presence of a broad area of serpentinized peridotite basement in a conjugate establishing beneath the Iberia margin (Louden and Lau, 2002). A model that is similar formerly proposed by Enachescu (1992) for the Newfoundland basin. Feasible drilling objectives to resolve these problems have already been selected along profile Ewing 2000-2 in the northern an element of the basin (Figure 8). A drilling leg associated with Ocean Drilling Program is planned with this work with July-Sept 2003.

Figure 8. Reflection that is seismic and location of proposed Ocean Drilling Program drilling internet internet sites into the Newfoundland basin (Tucholke et al., 2002). Seismic perspectives Au and U are defined as per Figure 7. For basic location map look at Ocean Drilling Program webpage (http: //www-odp. Tamu.edu/publications/tnotes/fy03/210ab. Html)

A very wide zone of thick sediment exists within Orphan basin to the northwest of Flemish Cap.

This region experienced rifting episodes that could have extended in to the belated Cretaceous. The majority of the basin is underlain by highly thinned continental crust but its deep water has precluded much drilling activity. The gravity highs from the rack advantage (Figure 5b) shows a difference that is significant gravity lows related to all the other basins. It has been modeled by changing the low crust with mantle, suggesting the current presence of a rift that is failed ended up being abandoned whenever continental breakup shifted further to your northeast (Chian et al., 2001). An extremely sequence that is thick of sediment within the much much much deeper water elements of Orphan basin shows a predominance of post-rift as opposed to syn-rift subsidence (Keen and Dehler, 1993).