Seabed Shaping Processes offshore West Greenland: Sustainable Environmental Management in Arctic Petroleum Exploration areas

Tove Nielsen and Antoon Kuijpers
Geophysical, GEUS, Copenhagen, Denmark.

Increasing exploration activities of hydrocarbon resources in Arctic areas have documented a series of seabed features which require careful study before entering a stage of active exploitation. These features not only originate from processes found also elsewhere in the world ocean, but also from processes that are specifically related to polar environments.

Using a large database of conventional 2D seismics and results from three selected cruises, we have studied seabed features and controlling processes offshore West Greenland. Here iceberg scouring at great ( > 800 m) depth creates considerable disturbance even beyond the shelf edge and thick lag deposits of boulder-sized ice-rafted material are also found widespread in the deep-sea environment. Moreover, the occurrence of glacigenic debris flow deposits can be demonstrated along most of West Greenland margin, and major canyon systems have been found as well. Strong bottom current activity has affected sediment distribution and stability along the NE Labrador Sea margin and in the Davis Strait area.

An overview and understanding of these seabed shaping processes is a prerequisite for sustainable environmental management for the ongoing and future hydrocarbon related activities.

AAPG Search and Discovery Article #90130©2011 3P Arctic, The Polar Petroleum Potential Conference & Exhibition, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, 30 August-2 September, 2011.