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Geology and hydrocarbon provinces of the North Sea

  • North Sea Oil and Gas
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Summary

The technically recoverable hydrocarbon reserves of the North Sea are currently estimated at 23 × 109 bbls of oil, condensate and NGL and 90 × 1012 scf of gas.

The North Sea underwent a complex geological evolution. The oil and gas occurrences in the central and northern North Sea are tied to Mesozoic and Tertiary sediments; the gas fields of the southern North Sea are mainly contained in Permian series.

The proven hydrocarbon provinces cover at best one third of the total area of the North Sea.

It is estimated that in the early 1980's the oil production from the North Sea will meet 22% of the oil demand of Western Europe.

Zusammenfassung

Die technisch ausbeutbaren Kohlenwasserstoffreserven der Nordsee werden gegenwärtig auf 23 × 109 bbls Öl, Kondensat und NGL 90 × 1012 scf Gas geschätzt.

Das Nordseegebiet durchlief eine komplexe geologische Entwicklungsgeschichte. Die Öl- und Gasfelder der zentralen und nördlichen Nordsee sind hauptsächlich and mesozoische und tertiäre Sedimente gebunden. Die Gasfelder der südlichen Nordsee sind hauptsächlich in permischen Serien enthalten.

Die nachgewiesenen Kohlenwasserstoffprovinzen bedecken höchstens ein Drittel der Gesamtoberfläche der Nordsee.

Es wird angenommen, daβ die Ölproduktion der Nordsee während der ersten Hälfte der 1980er Jahre 22 % des Ölbedarfs von West-Europa decken wird.

Résumé

Les réserves exploitables de la mer du Nord sont actuellement estimées 23 × 109 bbl de pétrole, condensat et NGL et 90 × 1012 scf de gaz.

L'évolution géologique du bassin de la mer du Nord est très complèxe. Les champs de pétrole et de gaz des parties centrales et septentrionales de la mer du Nord se trouvent surtout dans des séries mésozoiques et tertiaires, tandis que la majorité des champs de gaz des régions méridionales sont situés dans des réservoirs permiens.

Les provincespetrolfières connues couvrent moins d'un tiers de la surface totale de la mer du Nord.

La production de pétrole de la mer du Nord est estimée correspondre pour les premiěrès années de 1980 à 22 % de la demande en pétrole de l'Europe occidentale.

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Abbreviations

scf:

standard cubic feet (atmospheric conditions at 15° C)

TCF:

1012 scf

bbls:

barrels

NGL:

Natural Gas Liquids

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  1. Shell Internationale Petroleum Mij. B.V., Carel van Bylandtlaan 30, Den Haag, Netherlands

    P. A. Ziegler

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  1. P. A. Ziegler
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Ziegler, P.A. Geology and hydrocarbon provinces of the North Sea. GeoJournal 1, 7–32 (1977). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00189601

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