Volume 20 Issue 4
Dec.  2014
Turn off MathJax
Article Contents
Article Navigation >  Journal of Geomechanics  > 2014  >  20(4): 392-403
ZHANG Chun-yu, ZHAO Yue, WANG Luo, 2014. GEOLOGICAL EVOLUTION AND HYDROCARBON RESOURCES POTENTIAL IN NORTH SLOPE, ALASKA. Journal of Geomechanics, 20 (4): 392-403.
Citation: ZHANG Chun-yu, ZHAO Yue, WANG Luo, 2014. GEOLOGICAL EVOLUTION AND HYDROCARBON RESOURCES POTENTIAL IN NORTH SLOPE, ALASKA. Journal of Geomechanics, 20 (4): 392-403.
shu

GEOLOGICAL EVOLUTION AND HYDROCARBON RESOURCES POTENTIAL IN NORTH SLOPE, ALASKA

  • 1.

    College of Geosciences, China University of Petroleum, Beijing 102249, China

  • 2.

    Institute of Geomechanics, Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences, Beijing 100081, China

More Information
  • Received: 2014-06-05
  • Published: 2014-12-01
    Abstract
  • Based on the collected data and materials, we analyze the evolution of tectonic and stratigraphy in the North Slope of Alaska and conclude the history of exploration, geological features and the hydrocarbon resources. Four major sequences are described here which are Franklinian sequence (older than Mississippian), Ellesmerian sequence (Mississippian to Triassic), Beaufortian sequence (Jurassic to Lower Cretaceous) and Brookian sequence (Lower Cretaceous to Quaternary) respectively. The North Slope of Alaska has gone complicated history of evolution where The North Slope basin evolved here. The basin has experienced three major evolutions which are Ellesmerian orogeny, rift and foreland basin tectonic stage. The North Slope has a large petroleum potential and has gone through a long exploration history. Petroleum prospective rocks in the province, are mostly Mississippian and younger, recording a sequential geological evolution through passive margin, rift and foreland basin tectonic stage. The main mean of undiscovered resources include 24.3 billion barrels of oil, 102.6 trillion cubic feet of gas, 0.94 billion barrels of shale oil and 42 trillion cubic feet of shale gas.

     

    • FullText(HTML)
  • loading
    • References(38)
  • [1]
    Bank K, Gibson K, Houle J, et al. Regional Geology of the North slope of Alaska [J/OL]. http://dog.dnr.alaska.gov/GIS/Data/NSResourceSeries/NorthSlope_Resource_Series_Regional_Geology.pdf, 2008.
    [2]
    Arlen E. Oil and Gas Basins Map of Alaska[R]. Sepcial Report 32. Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical Surveys, 1983.
    [3]
    Decker P L. Brookian Sequence Stratigraphic Correlations, Umiat Field to Milne Point Field, West-central North Slope, Alaska[R]. Preliminary Interpretive Report 2007-2 Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical Surveys, 2007.
    [4]
    Hubbard R J, Edrich S P, Rattery R P. Geologic evolution and hydrocarbon habitat of the 'Arctic Alaska microplate'[J]. Marine and Petroleum Geology, 1987, 4(1): 2~34. doi: 10.1016/0264-8172(87)90019-5
    [5]
    Lane L S. Devonian-Carboniferous paleogeography and orogenesis, northern Yukon and adjacent Arctic Alaska[J]. Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences, 2007, 44(5): 679~94. doi: 10.1139/e06-131
    [6]
    Strauss J V, Macdonald F A, Taylor J F, et al. Laurentian origin for the North Slope of Alaska: Implications for the tectonic evolution of the Arctic[J]. Lithosphere, 2013, 5(5): 477~482. doi: 10.1130/L284.1
    [7]
    Embry A F. Geological and geophysical evidence in support of the hypothesis of anticlockwise rotation of northern Alaska[J]. Marine Geology, 1990, 93: 317~329. doi: 10.1016/0025-3227(90)90090-7
    [8]
    Wahrhaftig C. Physiographic divisions of Alaska[M/OL]. http://pubs.usgs.gov/pp/0482/report.pdf, 1965.
    [9]
    Mayfield C F, Tailleur I L, Ellersieck I. Stratigraphy, structure, and palinspastic synthesis of the western Brooks Range, northwestern Alaska[C]//Geology and Exploration of the National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska, 1974-1982G. US Geological Survey Professional Paper, 1988: 143-186.
    [10]
    Moore T E, Potter C J, O'Sullivan P B, et al. Two stages of deformation and fluid migration in the west-central Brooks Range fold and thrust belt, northern Alaska[J]. AAPG Hedberg Series, 2004, 1: 157~186.
    [11]
    Lerand M. Beaufort Sea[C]//McCrossan R G. The future petroleum provinces of Canada: Their geology and potential. Alberta: Canadian Society of Petroleum Geologists, 1973: 315~386.
    [12]
    Kulander C S, Grow J A, Potter C J, et al. Interpreted regional seismic reflection lines, National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska[R]. U S Geological Survey, 2005.
    [13]
    Grantz A M, May S D, Hart P E. Geology of the Arctic continental margin of Alaska[C]//Grantz A, Johnson L, Sweeney J F. The geology of North America: The Arctic Ocean region.Colorado: Geologic Society of America, 1990: 257~288.
    [14]
    Bird K J, Molenaar C M. The North Slope foreland basin, Alaska[C]//AAPG. AAPG memoir: Foreland basins and fold belts. Tulsa: AAPG, 1992: 363~393.
    [15]
    Moore T E, Wallace W K, Bird K J, et al. Geology of northern Alaska[M]. Colorado: Geological Society of America, 1994: 49~140.
    [16]
    Houseknecht D W, Bird K J. Sequence stratigraphy of the Kingak shale (Jurassic-Lower Cretaceous), National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska[J]. AAPG Bulletin, 2004, 88(3): 279~302. doi: 10.1306/10220303068
    [17]
    Bird K J, Houseknecht D W. Geology and petroleum potential of the Arctic Alaska petroleum province[M]. London: Geological Society, 2011: 485~499.
    [18]
    Holenaar C M. Depositional history and seismic stratigraphy of Lower Cretaceous rocks, National Petroleum Reserve, Alaska and adjacent areas[R]. U S Geological Survey, 1981.
    [19]
    Nilsen T H. Upper Devonian and Lower Mississippian redbeds, Brooks Range, Alaska[C]//Sedimentation and tectonics in alluvial basins: Geological Association of Canada Special Paper, 1981: 187~219.
    [20]
    Decker P L. Brookian sequence stratigraphic framework of the northern Colville foreland basin, central North Slope, Alaska[R]. Anchorage: Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical Surveys, 2010.
    [21]
    Grantz A M, Eittreim S, Dinter D A. Geology and tectonic development of the continental margin north of Alaska[J]. Tectonophysics, 1979, 59(1): 263~291.
    [22]
    Noonan W G. Post-Ellesmerian depositional sequences of the North Slope subsurface[J]. AAPG Bulletin, 1987, 65(4): 674~686.
    [23]
    Houseknecht D W. Brookian stratigraphic plays in the National Petroleum Reserve, Alaska (NPRA)[R]. U S Geological Survey, 2003.
    [24]
    Houseknecht D W, Bird K J, Schenk C J. Seismic analysis of clinoform depositional sequences and shelf-margin trajectories in Lower Cretaceous (Albian) strata, Alaska North Slope[J]. Basin Research, 2009, 21(5): 644~654. doi: 10.1111/bre.2009.21.issue-5
    [25]
    Plafker G, Berg H C. Overview of the geology and tectonic evolution of Alaska[C]//The geology of Alaska. Colorado: Geological Society of America, 1994: 989~1021.
    [26]
    Miller E L, Gehrels G E, Pease V, et al. Stratigraphy and U-Pb detrital zircon geochronology of Wrangel Island, Russia: Implications for Arctic paleogeography[J]. AAPG Bulletin, 2010, 94(5): 665~692. doi: 10.1306/10200909036
    [27]
    Magoon L B. Alaska North Slope oil-rock correlation study: Analysis of North Slope crude[M]. Tulsa: U S American Association of Petroleum Geologists, 1985.
    [28]
    O'Sullivan P B, Murphy J M, Blythe A E. Late Mesozoic and Cenozoic thermotectonic evolution of the central Brooks Range and adjacent North Slope foreland basin, Alaska: Including fission track results from the Trans-Alaska Crustal Transect (TACT)[J]. Journal of Geophysical Research, 1997, 102(B9): 20821~20845. doi: 10.1029/96JB03411
    [29]
    Kelley J S, Foland R L. Structural style and framework geology of the coastal plain and adjacent Brooks Range[J]. US Geological Survey Bulletin, 1987, 1778: 255~270.
    [30]
    Moore T E, Nilsen T H. Regional variations in the fluvial Upper Devonian and Lower Mississippian(?) Kanayut Conglomerate, Brooks Range, Alaska[J]. Sedimentary Geology, 1984, 38(1/4): 465~497.
    [31]
    Attanasi E D, Freeman P A. Economics of undiscovered oil and gas in the North Slope of Alaska:Economic update and synthesis[R]. US Geological Survey, 2009.
    [32]
    Alaska Division of Oil & Gas. Annual Report 2013[J/OL]. http://dog.dnr.alaska.gov/Publications/Documents/AnnualReports/2013_Annual_Report.pdf, 2014.
    [33]
    Morgridge D L. Geology and Discovery of Prudhoe Bay Field, Eastern Arctic Slope, Alaska[J]. AAPG Bulletin, 1970, 54(10): 489~501.
    [34]
    Bird K J. Petroleum exploration of the North Slope in Alaska, USA[R]. U S Geological Survey, 1981.
    [35]
    高新详.北海和阿拉斯加油气区[M].北京:石油工业出版社, 1988.

    GAO Xin-xiang. Oil and Gas provinces in North Sea and Alaska[M]. Beijing: Petroleum Industry Press, 1988.
    [36]
    Peters K E, Magoon L B, Bird K J, et al. North Slope, Alaska: Source rock distribution, richness, thermal maturity, and petroleum charge[J]. AAPG Bulletin, 2006, 90(2): 261~292. doi: 10.1306/09210505095
    [37]
    Gautier D L, Bird K J, Charpentier R R, et al. Oil and gas resource potential north of the Arctic Circle[J]. London Geological Society Memoirs, 2011, 35(1): 151~161. doi: 10.1144/M35.9
    [38]
    Houseknecht D W, William A R, Christopher P G. Assessment of potential oil and gas resources in source rocks of the Alaska North Slope[R]. U S Geological Survey, 2012.
    • Relative Articles
    • Supplements(0)
    • Cited By
  • 加载中

Catalog

    Figures(6)  / Tables(1)

    Get Citation
    PDF
    XML

    Article Metrics

    Article views (243) PDF downloads(14) Cited by()
    Proportional views
    Related

    Website Copyright © Journal of Geomechanics  京ICP备18031784号  Total visits：

    Supported by: Beijing Renhe Information Technology Co., Ltd.    

    /

    DownLoad:  Full-Size Img  PowerPoint
    Return
    Return