Renewed petroleum geological studies onshore West Greenland

Abstract

As a consequence of renewed interest in petroleum exploration in West Greenland (e.g. Pulvertaft, 1991: Christiansen & Pulvertaft 1992; Gil & Gas Journal, 1991; Chalmers & Pulvertaft, in press) the Geological Survey of Greenland (GGU) has begun a new series of petroleum geological investigations of the Upper Cretaceous – Lower Tertiary sediments exposed on Disko. Nugssuoq and Svartenhuk Halvø (69°–72°N) (Fig. 1). These sediments include the only marine sediments of this age exposed in the entire Labrador Sea–Baffin Bay region. and studies of these are essential for a detailed interpretation of the offshore geology (Chalmers, 1990, 1991; Ottesen, 1991a, b). Field work on the marine succession has been concentrated on three main tasks: detailed sedimentological studies; sampling for palynological and organic geochemical studies; and mapping and structural analysis, in order to gain a detailed knowledge of both early basin development in West Greenland the three-dimensional architecture of deltas and submarine fans. The petroleum geological studies are being coordinated with ongoing studies of age-equivalent non-marine strata being carried out by the University of Copenhagen, and with several other externally finance projects.