Basin Development and Petroleum Exploration in West Greenland: Review of Recent Data, Models and Ongoing Research

Flemming G. Christiansen
Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland (GEUS), Copenhagen, Denmark

The sedimentary basins known off West Greenland cover a very large region from approx. 60˚ N to 76˚ N. Data density is low in most areas, but there is a good regional coverage of modern seismic data from the central part (63˚ – 68˚ N). Well information is limited to only six offshore wells.

There was a high exploration level in the 70s. Recent exploration has been more or less continuous since the mid-90s. New encouraging models have been developed in the last six years by a combination of survey research and commercially driven data acquisition.

Demonstration of active petroleum systems was achieved through a combination of detailed geochemical studies of on- and offshore oil seeps combined with stratigraphic evidence from the older undrilled successions from outcrops, reworked microfossils in wells and seabed sampling from inversion structures and erosional canyons.

A good modern seismic data base integrated with gravity and magnetic data indicate deep connected basins, especially along and related to the Ungava trend, that could represent Mesozoic seaways between Canada and Greenland.

The new data challenge most published tectonic models and further developments are likely in the coming years.

Future research – and possibly also exploration activities – will probably focus on the northern part of the region (68˚ N – 71˚ N) where very large structures have been recognized close to possible deep kitchens. This region is close the area with known onshore seeps and a major deltaic source of sand.

AAPG Search and Discovery Article #90039©2005 AAPG Calgary, Alberta, June 16-19, 2005