A preliminary seismic interpretation of an area with extensive Tertiary basalts offshore central West Greenland

Abstract

A seismic and geological interpretation of the area between latitudes 67°30'N and 73°N offshore West Greenland, was completed in 1995 and has been published as an Open File Series report (Whittaker, 1995). The area is characterised by extensive Early Tertiary basalts which are the seaward extension of the plateau basalts exposed in the Disko - Nuussuaq - Svartenhuk Halvø area onshore (Clarke & Pedersen, 1976). These basalts present special problems in the processing and interpretation of seismic data. The interpretation incorporates all the seismic data acquired prior to the 1995 field season, inc1uding those lines acquired during the first phase of exploration in the 1970s. Ties to two of the exploration wells drilled offshore southem West Greenland have led to a greater understanding of the timing and kinematics of teetonie events during the Tertiary period; such events are not recorded in the onshore area. The area is considered to have significant exploration potential and warrants additional studies to determine the thickness of the basalt formation in the area.