The Norwegian North Sea

4.
The Norwegian North Sea
Eva K. Halland (Project Leader), Ine Tørneng Gjeldvik, Wenche Tjelta Johansen, Christian Magnus, Ida Margrete Meling, Stig Pedersen, Fridtjof Riis, Terje Solbakk, Inge Tappel
29
4.1 Geology of the North Sea
Møre Central Norwegian- Southern Horda
System
Group
Tampen Spur
Eoc Olig Mio Plio Plei Holo Series
Stage
North sea Danish Basin Viking Graben Platform
Basin
Q UAT E R N A RY
Nordland
U Calabria
Gela
Pia
62°
PA L A E O G EN E N E O G EN E
Zan
r
Utsira
pu
Mess -
n
Aquit Skade
nS
Roga- Hordaland
ab e
Chat Vade
Rup
pe
n Gr
Grid Grid
Pria - Frigg
Tam
Balder
Ypres Forties Sele Fiskebank Sele
East Shetland
Hermod Hermod Hermod Sele
land
So g
Than - Maureen
Andrew Lista Lista Heimdal Heimdal Lista
Pal
Våle
Horda
Våle
Dan Ekofisk Ekofisk Ekofisk Ty Ty Våle
Basin
Utsira High
Maast Tor Tor Tor Jorsalfare Jorsalfare Hardråde
Platform Camp
Kyrre Kyrre Kyrre
Shetland
Hod
Øygarden Fault complex
U Sant Hod Hod

Coni
C R E TA C E O U S
Tryggvason Tryggvason Tryggvason
Tur
raben
Blodøks Blodøks Blodøks

Blodøks Blodøks Svarte
East Shetland
Cen Hidra Hidra Svarte Svarte

Bergen Rødby Rødby Rødby Mime
Rødby
Platform
Alb Rødby
Cromer Knoll
Apt Sola Sola Sola Ran Sola Sola Sola
Barr
Oslo L
Haut
Tuxen Tuxen Mime Mime
Åsgard
Åsgard
Viking G
Stord Valang Åsgard Åsgard Åsgard Mime
Berr Mandal Sauda

Basin Flekkefjord Draupne
Viking/ Tyne/
Tith Farsund Draupne Brae
Boknfjord
Tau Draupne
U Kimm Eldfisk Ula Sognefjord
Haugesund
Vestland
Oxf Egersund
Heather Heather Heather
Call Sandnes Hugin Fensfjord
Tarbert
JURASSIC
Bath Krossfjord .
Fladen
M Bajoc
Brent/
Ness Ness
Bryne Fm Bryne Fm Sleipner Fm Etive
Aalen Oseberg
Dunlin
Toarc Drake Drake
Utsira Stavanger L Plienc

Fjerritslev Burton
Cook Cook
Sinem Nansen Amundsen
Johansen
High Statfj.
Hett
Rhæt Gassum
Gassum ?
Eiriksson
? Raude
Jylland Mors
Grp.
U Nor Skagerrak Lunde Lunde Lunde
TRIASSIC
k
Sele Stavanger Hegre
Carn
e rra Alke Alke Alke Alke
Ladin
M Anis ag Lomvi Lomvi Lomvi
Sk
Lolland
High Platform Teist Teist Teist

Ås
Bacton L Induan
Olenek Smith Bank Smith Bank Smith Bank Smith Bank
Zechstein
ta
Zechstein Upper Rotliegend 2

Lopin- Changhsi -
Zechstein
Upper Rotliegend 2
Sø
Egersund
equ
gian Wuchi
Gr
Ce
Upper Rotliege nd 1
r ve
Guada- Capitan -
PERMIAN
Basin
ab
Farsund Basin lupian Roadian

s tla
ntr
Rotiegend
en
Kung
Cisurlian
Fjerritslev F
equ
Artin
nd
ault comple
al G
Sakm
x ?
et
Assel
?
Norwe
H
Gzel
Pennsyl-
?
CARBONIFEROUS
vanian
rab
i gh
Kasim
57° gian-D Moscov
anish B
?
Bash
en
asin Serpuk
Mississ-
ipian
Vise
Tour
Calcareous shales, limestone and marl stringers

Uplifted/eroded area Marginal evaporite deposits, sabkha
Clastic continental deposits, mainly sandstone Coastal, deltaic and flood-plain deposits
Clastic continental deposits, mainly shale and siltstone Marine deposits, mainly sandstone
Salt (halite) Shallow-marine deposits, glauconitic
Shallow-marine carbonate deposits Shallow-marine deposits, mainly shale
Deep-marine carbonate deposits Deep-marine deposits, mainly shale
Volcanic deposits Coal
Volcanic tuff
Ice rafted detritus (IRD)
Lithostratigraphic chart of the North Sea (NPD)
co2storageATLAS
norwegian continental shelf
30
Age Formations & Groups Evaluated Aquifers

3 Pliocene Piacenzian
First First First First First First
Neogene
Zanclean
6
Messinian Utsira Fm. horses whales monkeys apes hominids modern
9 Tortonian humans
11 Miocene
Serravallian Ve Mb. Utsira and Skade Formations
13 Langhian
15 Burdigalian
17 Skade Fm.
19 Aquitanian
22 Chattian
24
26 Oligocene Palaeocene Eocene Oligocene Miocene Pliocene
28 Rupelian
30
33 Priabonian 65.5 56 34 23 5 1.8
Paleogene
Grid Fm. million years

35 Bartonian
Pleistocene / Holocene
37
39
42 Eocene Lutetian First dinosaurs Last
44 First land plants First mammals dinosaurs
46
48 Ypresian First insects
50 Frigg Fm. Frigg Field Abandoned Gas Field First tetrapods First
53 Balder Fm. flowering
Thanetian First First reptiles First
55
Selandian
Fiskebank Fm. Fiskebank Fm.
shellfish First mammal- birds plants
57 Paleocene First
59 & corals like reptiles
62
Danian
fish
64
66
Maastrichtian Tor Fm.
68
Paleo- Neo-
Cambrian Ordo- Carboni- Permian Triassic
70
vician Silurian Devonian Jurassic Cretaceous gene gene

73
75
Campanian
ferous
77 Hod Fm.
79
82
Late
Santonian 542 488 444 416 359 299 251 200 145.5 65.5 0
84
86
Coniacian million years
88 Turonian
91
93 Cenomanian
Cretaceous
95
97
99
102 Albian
105
108
112
115 Aptian
118
Early
122
125 Barremian
128 Hauterivian
2 000 1 000 Paleo- Meso- 0
132
zoic zoic
135
Valanginian
million years
138
Berriasian
142
145 Tithonian
Draupne Fm. Stord Basin Jurassic Model Geological time scale
148
152
Late Kimmeridgian
Ula Fm. Stord Basin Mounds *
155 Oxfordian
158
Callovian
162 Hugin Fm. Hugin East
Bathonian
Jurassic
Sandnes Fm.
165 Middle Sleipner Fm.
Bajocian
Brent Gp. Bryne Fm. Bryne / Sandnes Formations South *
168
172
Aalenian Bryne / Sandnes Formations Farsund Basin
175 Toarcian
178 Johansen Fm.
182 Cook Fm. Johansen and Cook Formations *
Pliensbachian
185 Early
188
Sinemurian
192
195 Hettangian Statfjord Gp. Nansen Eiriksson Raude
198 Rhaetian Gassum Fm. Gassum Fm.
202
205 Skagerrak Fm.
Norian
208
Triassic
212 Late
215
218 Carnian Formations not
222
evaluated
225
228
Middle Ladinian
232
* Evaluated prospects
31
The basic structural framework of the important seal for hydrocarbon traps in
North Sea is mainly the result of Upper the North Sea area.
Jurassic/ Lower Cretaceous rifting, Cretaceous: The rifting ceased and
partly controlled by older structural was followed by thermal subsidence.
elements. The Upper Cretaceous in the North
Carboniferous-Permian: Major Sea is dominated by two contrasting
rifting with volcanism and deposition lithologies. South of 61o N there was
of reddish eolian and fluvial sandstones deposition of chalk, while to the north
(Rotliegendes). Two basins were devel- the carbonates gave way to siliclastic,
oped with deposition of thick evapo- clay-dominated sediments.
rate sequences (Zechstein). When over- Cenozoic: In the Paleocene/Eocene
lain by a sufficient amount of younger there were major earth movements
sediments, buoyancy forces caused with the onset of sea floor spreading in
the salt to move upwards (halokinesis). the north Atlantic and mountain build-
This is important for generation of ing in the Alps/Himalaya. In the North
closed structures, including hydrocar- Sea, deposition of chalk continued
bon traps, in the southern part of the until Early Paleocene. Uplift of basin
North Sea and also as a control on local margins, due to inversion, produced a Geoseismic cross section in the northern North Sea.
topography and further sedimentation. series of submarine fans transported From the Millennium atlas 2001
Triassic: Major N-S to NE-SW rifting from the Shetland Platform towards
with thick coarse fluvial sediments de- the east. These sands interfinger with
posited along rift margins, grading into marine shales in both the Rogaland
finer-grained river and lake deposits in and the Hordaland Groups. In the Mio-
the center of the basins. The transition cene a deltaic system had developed
between the Triassic and Jurassic is from the Shetland Platform towards
marked by a widespread marine trans- the Norwegian sector of the North Sea,
gression from north and south. and is represented by the Skade and
Jurassic: The marine transgression Utsira Formations. Due to major uplift
was followed by the growth of a volca- and Quaternary glacial erosion of the
nic dome centered over the triple point Norwegian mainland, thick sequences
between the Viking Graben, the Central were deposited into the North Sea
Graben and the Moray Firth Basin. The during the Neogene. This led to burial
doming caused uplift and erosion, and of the Jurassic source rocks to depths
was followed by rifting. Large deltaic where hydrocarbons could be generat-
systems containing sand, shale and ed and the seals were effective.
coal were developed in the northern
North Sea and the Horda Platform
(Brent Group). In the Norwegian-Dan-
ish Basin and the Stord Basin, the 62°
Vestland Group contains similar deltaic

sequences overlain by shallow marine/ 61°
marginal marine sandstones. The most B

B’
important Jurassic rifting phase in the
North Sea area took place during the
60°
Late Jurassic and lasted into the Early

Cretaceous. During this tectonic epi- 59°
sode, major block faulting caused uplift

and tilting, creating considerable local 58° A’
Geoseismic cross section in the Egersund basin.
topography with erosion and sediment A
From the Millennium atlas 2001
supply. In anoxic basins thick sequenc-
es of shale accumulated, producing the
57°
most important source rock and also

the Draupne Formation, which is an 56°
2° 3° 4° 5° 6° 7° 8° 9°
co2storageATLAS
32
faciesmap bajocian faciesmap Mid- to late Callovian Well log 33/9-1

62° 62°
?
?
34 35 34 35
?
30 31
30 31 32
Vestland Arch
?
?
? 25 26 27
25 27 Stord
26 Basin
Utsira
High
?
16 17 18
Sele V
16 17 18 High
?
Egersund
Basin 7 8 9 10
?
7 8 9 10
?
?
6°
Examples of mid Jurassic relationship between continental and marine deposits in central and northern
North Sea. Continental sediments in brownish colour, shallow marine in yellow and offshore marine in blue.
The map to the left displays the development of the Brent delta and the early stage of the deposition of the
Bryne Formation. The map to the right shows the development of the Sognefjord delta and the Sandnes
and Hugin Formations after the Brent delta was transgressed.
33
62° 62°
Depth to the mid Jurassic Depth to the top Jurassic

270 m 300 m
5600 m 6800 m
Brent Gp Faults
61° 61°
Bryne Fm Sognefjord Fm
Sleipner Fm Hugin Fm (east)

Faults Hugin Fm (west)
Jæren graben Sognefjord equivalent
Contour interval 200 m
Sandnes Fm
60°
Ula Fm 60°
59° 59°
58° 58°
57° 57°
56° 56°
2° 3° 4° 5° 6° 7° 8° 2° 3° 4° 5° 6° 7° 8°
Mapping of the upper and middle Jurassic forms the basis of many of the following depth and thickness maps of assessed geological
formations.
The top Jurassic refers to the top of Upper Jurassic sandstones or their equivalents.
co2storageATLAS
34
4.1 Geology of the North Sea The Statfjord Group
Uppermost Triassic and Lower Jurassic Well log 33/12-2
(Rhaetian to Sinemurian)
Depth to the Statfjord
Statfjord Fm
Gp
In the type well (33/12-2) the base of the Statfjord Gp is 1600 m
defined at the transition from the fining upward mega- 8700 m
DUNLIN GP
sequence of the Lunde Fm and a coarsening upward Contour interval 200 m 61°
mega-sequence of the Statfjord Gp. The Statfjord Gp is sub-
divided into three formations (Raude, Eiriksson and Nansen).
The upper boundary of the Statfjord Gp is sharp against the
fully marine mudstones of the overlying Dunlin Group that
could act as a regional seal.
The Statfjord Gp can be recognized in the entire area
between the East Shetland Platform to the west and the 60°
Øygarden Fault Complex against the Fennoscandian Shield

to the east. To the south the Statfjord Gp has been recog-
STATFJORD Gp
nized as far south as Norwegian blocks 25/8 and 11, and
has not to date been identified north of the Tampen Spur.
Thickness from wells in the type area varies from 140 m to
320 m. The Statfjord Gp displays large thickness variations 59°
due to regional differential subsidence as seen in a NW-SE
traverse from the Tampen Spur to the Horda Platform. The
Statfjord Group is relatively thin in the Tampen area (140 m).
On the Snorre Field it increases across the Viking Graben
and thins on the Horda Platform towards the Norwegian
mainland. 58°
Depositionally, the Statfjord Gp records the transition
from a semi-arid, alluvial plain (Raude Fm) to dominantly 2° 3° 4° 5° 6° 7°
fluvial sandstones (Eiriksson and Nansen fms) with occasion-
HEGRE
LUNDE
al marine influence in the upper part (Nansen Fm). Generally
the formation is buried in excess of 2000 m. Thickness
Thicknessto
ofthe
the Statfjord Gp
Statfjord Fm
62°
< 50 m
In the Snorre Field where the crest of the structure is 50 - 100 m
2335 m, porosities between 16-28% and permeabilities in 100 - 150 m

150 - 200 m
the order of 250-4000 mD have been reported. 200 - 250 m
The Gassum Fm in the Norwegian-Danish Basin is time

250 - 300 m
> 300 m
equivalent to the Statfjord Gp. Contour interval 50 m 61°
60°
59°
1° 2° 3° 4° 5° 6° 7°
58° Core photo well 34/7-13, 2873-2878 m
35
4.1 Geology of the North Sea The Dunlin Group
Lower to Middle Jurassic Well log 31/2-1

(Hettangian to Bajocian)
The Dunlin Gp represents a major marine transgressive sequence Depth to the Dunlin Gp
overlying the Statfjord Gp. It is divided into five formations; the 1250 m
Amundsen, Johansen, Burton, Cook and Drake fms. The type well is 5900 m
well 211/29-3 (British side), and well 33/9-1 is a Norwegian refer- Contour interval 200 m
ence well. The Amundsen, Burton and Drake Fm are mainly silt and
marine mudstones, while the Johansen and Cook fm are mainly 61°
marine/marginal marine sandstones. The upper boundary is the

deltaic sequences of the Brent Gp.
The group is recognized over most of the East Shetland Basin,
fringing the East Shetland Platform, and the northern part of the
Horda Platform. To the south the Dunlin Gp has been recognized in
wells as far south as 59oN. In the type well, the thickness is 222 m 60°
and in the reference well the thickness is 255 m. The Dunlin Gp has
its maximum thickness (possible 1000 m) in the axial part of north-
ern Viking Graben, and a thickness of more than 600 m has been
drilled in the western part of the Horda Platform (well 30/11-4). Core photo well 34/4-5, 3427-3430 m
The Amundsen Fm (Sinemurian to Pliensbachian) contains
mainly marine silts and mudstones deposited on a shallow marine 59°
shelf. It is distributed widely in the East Shetland Basin and in the 2° 3° 4° 5° 6° 7°
northern Viking Graben, forming a seal to the underlying Statfjord

Gp and possibly to the Johansen Fm.
The Johansen Fm (Sinemurian to Pliensbachian) sandstones
split the Amundsen Fm in an area restricted to the eastern part of
the Horda Platform (well 31/2-1), and the formation can be mapped
northwards to approximately 600 N. The Johansen Fm is interpret-
ed in terms of deposition on a high energy shallow marine shelf
with sediment input from the east.
The Burton Fm (Sinemurian to Pliensbachian) is mainly marine
mudstones that overlie the Amundsen Fm. This formation is found 2° 3° 4° 5° 6°
over most of the area, but it is not present on the Horda Platform.
It forms mainly basinal facies and passes into the Amundsen Fm Thickness of the Cook Fm
< 50 m
towards the margins. 50 - 100 m
The Cook Fm (Pliensbachian to Toarcian) is dominated by sand-

stone tongues that interfinger with the Drake mudstones at several
distinct stratigraphic levels. Typically each of the sandstones are
characterized by a lower zone of sharp-based, upward-coarsening 61°
shoreface sand and siltstones and an upper erosive surface consist- The Drake Fm (Toarcian to Bajocian) silts and mud-
ing of thin tidal flat and thick deltaic/estuarine sandstones. stones were deposited during a continued rise in the
The Drake Fm (Toarcian to Bajocian) consisting of silt and mud- relative sea level and the formation acts as a seal
stones were deposited during a continued rise in the relative sea towards the underlying Cook sandstones. The upper
level and the formation acts as a seal towards the underlying Cook boundary of the Drake Fm is marked by the more sandy
sandstones. The upper boundary of the Drake Fm is marked by sediments at the base of the deltaic Brent Group. Locally
the more sandy sediments at the base of the deltaic Brent Group. there is some sand towards the top of the Drake Fm.
Locally there is some sand towards the top of the Drake Fm. A time A time equivalent to the Dunlin Gp is the Fjerritslev
60°
equivalent to the Dunlin Gp is the Fjerritslev Fm in the Norwegian– Fm in the Norwegian –Danish Basin.
Danish Basin.
co2storageATLAS
36
4.1 Geology of the North Sea The Dunlin Group - Johansen Formation
Lower Jurassic
(Sinemurian to Pliensbachian) Depth to the Johansen Fm
61°
1750 m
The Johansen Fm has its type area on the 3300 m

Horda Platform (type well 31/-2-1) where -800
the sandstones in the formation interfin-
gers with the marine silt and mudstones -1000
of the Amundsen Fm. Thus, the Amundsen -1200

Fm might act as a seal for the Johansen Fm.
-1400
The Johansen Fm is found in a restrict-
ed area extending from the eastern part -1600
of the Horda Platform and north towards -1800

62oN.The thickness in the type well is 96 m.
-2000
In an E-W traverse on the northern part of 60°
the Horda Platform the formation thickens -2200
to the west towards the northern Viking

-2400
Graben, where thicknesses in excess of 3° 4° 5° 6°
200 m have been drilled (well 30/11-4).
Towards the east the formation thins into a Gassnova
2° 3° 4° 5° 6°
thickness of some tens of meters towards
N S
the Øygarden Fault Complex. The Johansen Thickness of the Johansen Fm
Fm was probably deposited in a high ener- < 50 m
50 - 100 m
gy shallow marine shelf with sediment
100 - 150 m
input from the East. > 150 m
Generally the formation is buried to
a depth of more than 2000 m, increasing
towards the West into the northern Viking 61°
Graben area. In the Troll Field, where the

crest of the Johansen Fm is approximately
at 2300 m depth, porosity and permeability
is in the order of 15-24% and 100-1000 mD
respectively.
60°
Core photo well 31/2-3, 2116-2118 m
37
4.1 Geology of the North Sea The Brent Group
of coals, mudstones, siltstones and fine to medium sandstones.

Uppermost Lower Jurassic to Depth to the mid Jurassic
Characteristic features are numerous rootlet horizons and a high car-
Middle Jurassic (Upper Toarcian–Bajocian)
270 m
bonaceous content. The upper boundary is the change to the more 5600 m
The Brent Gp has its type area in the East Shetland Basin and con-
61°
massive and cleaner sandstones of the overlying Tarbert Fm. The for- Brent Gp
tains five formations; the Broom, Rannoch, Etive, Ness and Tarbert mation is interpreted to represent delta plain or coastal plain deposi-
Fm. On the Horda Platform, the Oseberg Fm is defined as part of the tion. The amount of silt and mudstones in the formation may act as a
Brent Gp. Type and reference well for the Brent Gp is well 211/29-3 local seal. The Ness Fm shows large thickness variations ranging from 60°
(UK) and well 33/9-1. For the Oseberg Fm the type well is 30/6-7. The 26 m up to about 140 m.
lower boundary is the marine silts and mudstones of the Dunlin Gp. The Tarbert Fm (Bajocian to Bathonian) consists of grey to brown
The upper boundary is the Heather/Draupne Fm marine mudstones sandstones. The base of the formation is taken at the top of the last
of the Viking Group, forming a regional seal. fining upward unit of the Ness Fm, either a coal-bearing shale or a 59°
The Brent Gp is found in the East Shetland Basin and is recogniz- coal bed. It is deposited in a marginal marine environment. Thickness
able over most of the East Shetland Platform and the northern part in the type area varies between 14 and 45 m.
of the Horda Platform. South of the Frigg area, broadly equivalent The Oseberg Fm (Upper Toarcian to Lower Bajocian) consists of 58°
sequences to the Brent Gp are defined as the Vestland Group. To the relatively homogenous coarse-grained sandstones defined from the
North, the deltaic rocks of the Brent Gp shales out into marine mud- Oseberg Field (block 30/6) between the Viking Graben and the Horda
stones between 61o30´N and 62o N. The thickness of the group varies Platform. The base of the formation is shales of the Dunlin Gp and
considerably due to differential subsidence and post Middle Jurassic the upper boundary is the micaceous sandstones of the Rannoch 57°
faulting and erosion. Variable amounts of the group may be missing, Fm. The formation has been correlated with various formations of
particularly over the crests of rotated fault blocks. the Brent Group, but whereas the Brent Group forms a deltaic unit
The deposition of the Brent Gp records the outbuilding of a building out from the south, the Oseberg Fm has its source area to
major deltaic sequence from the south and the subsequent back- the east. The thickness in the type area is between 20-60 m. The 2° 3° 4° 5° 6° 7° 8°
56°
stepping or retreat. The Oseberg sandstones form a number of fan- sandstones in the lower part are deposited in a shallow marine envi- 2° 3° 4° 5° 6°
shaped sand-bodies with a source area to the east. The sandstones ronment, overlain by alluvial sands and capped by sand reworked by 62°
Thickness of the Brent Gp
in the lower part are deposited in a shallow marine environment, waves. < 50 m
overlain by more alluvial sands and capped by sand which has been
50 - 100 m
Burial depth of the Oseberg Fm varies between 2100 and 2800 100 - 150 m
reworked by waves. m and porosities and permeabilities in the order of 23-26% and 250-
150 - 200 m
> 200 m
Due to the Upper Jurassic faulting, uplift/erosion and differential 2000 mD, respectively, are reported.
subsidence, the Brent Group is located at a wide range of depths, A time equivalent to the Brent Gp is the Vestland Gp which is
varying from 1800 m on the Gullfaks Field to more than 3500 m on defined in the southern part of the Norwegian North Sea. 61°
the Huldra Field. As a result there is a complex distribution of porosi-

ty and permeability.
The Broom Fm (Upper Toarcian to Bajocian) is thin and locally
developed. It consists of shallow marine, coarse-grained and poorly
sorted conglomeratic sandstones and is a precursor for the regres-
sive sequence of the overlying Rannoch Fm. 60°
The Rannoch Fm (Upper Toarcian to Bajocian) in the type area

is well-sorted very micaceous sandstones, showing a coarsening
upwards motif, deposited as delta front or shoreface sands. The
upper boundary is defined by cleaner sandstones of the overlying
Etive Fm. The thickness of the Rannoch Fm in the type area varies
between 35 and 63 m.
The Etive Fm (Bajocian) contains less micaceous sandstones than
the underlying Rannoch Fm. The upper boundary is the first signif-
icant shale or coal of the overlying Ness Fm. The depositional envi-
ronment for the Etive Fm is interpreted as upper shoreface, barrier
bar, mouth bar and channel deposits. The thickness of the formation
varies considerably from 11 m to more than 50 m.
The Ness Fm (Bajocian to Bathonian) consists of an association Core photo well 30/6-7, 2679-2683 m (Ness Fm)
Cross section through the Brent delta
co2storageATLAS
38
4.1 Geology of the North Sea The Viking Group
3° 4° 5° 6°
Upper Middle Jurassic to Upper Jurassic / Oxfordian to Kimmeridgian) represent three coast- Well log 31/2-1
Thickness of the Sognefjord Fm
Lower Cretaceous (Bathonian to Ryazanian) al-shallow marine sands that interfinger with the < 50 m
Heather Fm on the gigantic Troll Field on the northern

50 - 100 m
100 - 150 m
The Viking Gp has its type area in the northern part of Horda Platform. The type well is 31/2-1. The
> 150 m
North Sea north of 58oN and east of the East Shetland total thickness of the three formations is in the order
Platform boundary fault. The Viking Gp is subdivided of 400-500 m. Each of the formations has been inter-
HEATHER FM SOGNEFJORD FM
61°
into five formations: the Heather, Draupne, Krossfjord, preted in terms of a “forestepping to backstepping”
Fensfjord and the Sognefjord Fms. The lower bound- rift marginal wedge. This pattern has been interpret-
ary is marked by finer-grained sediments deposited ed as the response to eustatic sea-level changes or
over the sandy lithologies of the Brent and Vestland basin-wide changes in sediment supply, but also as a
gps. In the northernmost area, where the Brent Gp is response to three separate rift events.
missing, the Viking Gp often sits unconformably on The burial depth varies from 1500-1600 m on the
FENSFJORD FM
the Dunlin Gp. The upper boundary is, over most of Horda Platform to more than 3500 m in the Sogn
the area, an unconformity overlain by low radioactive Graben. Porosities and permeabilities in the order of
60°
Cretaceous to Paleocene sediments. 19-34% and 1-1000 mD, respectively, have been
The Heather and Draupne Fms are regionally reported from the Troll Field. The abundance of detri-
defined and contain mainly silt and mudstones. The tal mica in the sands is important in controlling the 3° 4° 5° 6°
KROSSFJORD FM
Draupne Fm in particular contains black mudstone permeability. Thickness of the Fensfjord Fm
with very high radioactivity due to high organic car- < 50 m
50 - 100 m
bon content. The Krossfjord, Fensfjord and Sognefjord 100 - 150 m

150 - 200 m
Fms represent more sandy facies and are restricted to > 200 m
the Horda Platform and northwards towards 62oN.

The thickness of the group varies considerably 61°
BRENT
since the sediments were deposited on a series of Depth to the top Jurassic
tilted fault blocks, reflecting pre and syn-depositional 300 m
fault activity and differential subsidence. The thick- 6800 m
nesses in wells vary from a few meters up to 1039 m. Viking Gp

61°
The Heather Fm (Upper Middle Jurassic to Upper

Jurassic), overlying the Brent Gp sandy sequences,
consists of mainly grey silty claystones, deposited in 60°
an open marine environment. The type well for the 60°
Heather Fm is well 211/21-1A (UK) and 33/9-1. The

upper boundary is the radioactive and carbonaceous
Draupne Fm. 3° 4° 5° 6°
The Draupne Fm (Upper Jurassic/Lower 59° Thickness of the Krossfjord Fm

Cretaceous) overlies the Heather Fm diachronically, < 50 m
50 - 100 m
and on the northern part of the Horda Platform, the 100 - 150 m
> 150 m
formation overlies the sandstones of the Sognefjord

Fm (type well 30/6-5). The Draupne Fm was deposit-
58°
ed in a marine environment with restricted bottom 61°
circulation, often with anaerobic conditions. This led

to the most prolific hydrocarbon source in the north-
ern North Sea. Time-wise and environmentally, the
Draupne Fm is equivalent to the UK Kimmeridge Clay 57°
Fm and the Tau Fm of the Norwegian-Danish Basin.

The Krossfjord Fm (Upper Middle Jurassic,
Bathonian), the Fensfjord Fm (Upper Middle Jurassic, Core photo well 31/2-1R, 60°
Callovian) and the Sognefjord Fm (Upper Jurassic, 56° 1459-1462 m (Sognefjord Fm)
2° 3° 4° 5° 6° 7° 8°
39
4.1 Geology of the North Sea The Hegre Group - Skagerrak Formation
Middle to Upper Triassic

The Skagerrak Fm is present throughout the or younger sediments, but in a few wells it pass- trolled basin. Minor marine incursions are
eastern part of the Central North Sea and the es up into the Gassum Fm, a time equivalent to reflected by the local occurrence of glauconite
western Skagerrak, but may be missing over the Statfjord Gp of the northern North Sea. in the uppermost part of the formation.
structural highs due to erosion and/or haloki- The thickness in the type well is 1182 m, but The burial depth of the formation in general
nesis. The type section is defined in well 10/8-1 based on seismic data a maximum thickness in exceeds 1500 m in western Skagerrak and more
in the eastern part of the Norwegian-Danish excess of 3000 m is indicated further to the east. than 3000 m in the Egersund and Farsund
Basin. The base of the formation is sharp or gra- To the north-west and south-west, well control basins. Porosity and permeability calculations
dational over claystones of the Smith Bank Fm. indicates a maximum thickness in the order of shows mean values of 12.8% and <10 mD,
Over structural highs the formation may rest on 660 and 250 m respectively. respectively.
pre-Triassic rocks. The upper boundary is nor- The sediments were mainly deposited in
mally an unconformity and overlain by Jurassic alluvial fans and plains in a structurally con-
Well log 9/4-3

Depth to the mid Jurassic
62°0'0"N 270 m
5600 m
Skagerrak Fm shallower than

2000 metres
61°0'0"N
60°0'0"N
59°0'0"N
58°0'0"N
57°0'0"N

2° 3° 4° 5° 6° 7° 8° 9°
co2storageATLAS
40
4.1 Geology of the North Sea The Gassum and Fjerritslev Formations
Uppermost Triassic to Lower Jurassic

(Rhaetian in the west, Hettangian-Sinemurian
in the northeast)
The Gassum Fm is defined from the Danish and/or in relation to the mid-Jurassic ero- Gassum and Skagerrak Fms to the claystones Well log 11/10 1
well No 1, and in the Norwegian-Danish sional episode. Seismic profiles may indicate of the Fjerritslev Fm that may form a regional
Basin, well 17/10-1 is used as the refer- that the Gassum Fm is present in the Farsund seal. The upper boundary is the overlying
ence well. The base of the formation is the Basin and sub-basins south of the Fjerritslev Middle to Upper Jurassic sandstones of the
Skagerrak Fm and the upper boundary Fault Complex. Further to the west the for- Haldager Fm. The formation is present over
is often the Lower Jurassic shales of the mation is absent or below seismic resolution. most of the Danish part of the Norwegian-
Fjerritslev Fm. In well 11/10-1 the Gassum Fm The formation represents deposition in Danish Basin. The thickness of the forma-
is overlain by marine silts and mudstones of fluvio-deltaic, deltaic and shoreface envi- tion may exceed 1000 m locally, but is very
the Boknfjord Gp forming a regional seal. ronments influenced by repeated sea level variable due to basin relief, halokineses and
The formation is considered to occur fluctuations. The mean burial depth exceeds mid-Jurassic erosion. In the Norwegian part
throughout the Norwegian-Danish Basin, 2000 m in the Norwegian part of the basin, of the basin the formation is discontinuous.
on the Sørvestlandet High and along the but is less than 1500 m over structural highs, However, similar to the Gassum Fm, seis-
north-eastern margin of the Central Graben. e.g. salt structures. Porosity and permeability mic profiles reveal intervals, locally more
In the Danish part of the basin, the thickness calculations are based on Danish well data than 300 m thick, which are thinning out or
of the Gassum Fm varies from 50 m to more and show mean values of 20.3% and 400-500 become truncated toward the flanks of salt
than 300 m northeast of the Fjerritslev Fault mD, respectively. A time equivalent to the structures. The formation represents depo-
Complex. The distribution of the formation Gassum Fm is the Statfjord Gp in northern sition in a deep offshore to lower shoreface
in the Norwegian part of the basin is more North Sea. environment.
ambiguous because few wells have penetrat- The Fjerritslev Fm is predominantly a silt
ed the unit. However, very often the wells are and mudstone sequence. The type section of
located on top or on the flanks of salt struc- the formation is defined in the Fjerritslev-2
tures where the Gassum Fm most likely has well. The lower boundary is defined at an
been removed by erosion due to halokinesis abrupt change from sandy deposits of the
6° 7° 8° 9° 10°
59°
Thickness of the Gassum Fm
< 50 m
50 - 100 m
> 100 m
58°
58°
Depth to the Gassum Fm

280 m
57°
3700 m
57°
5° 6° 7° 8° 9° 10°
41
4.1 Geology of the North Sea The Vestland Group
Middle Jurassic to Upper Jurassic

(Bajocian to Volgian)
The Vestland Gp is divided into five defined from the Southern Viking Graben shale sequences at the base with more Fm, represents mainly a near-shore,
formations: The Sleipner, Hugin, Bryne, fringing the Utsira High. The Bryne Fm is marine-influenced sands in deeper parts shallow marine sandstone. The Fm
Sandnes and Ula Fms. defined from the Central Graben and the of the basin. The upper part of the group is located in the southern Viking
The lower boundary is the Lower Norwegian-Danish Basin, the Sandnes consists mainly of fairly clean marine Graben in the northern part of the
Jurassic mudstones of the Dunlin Gp or Fm from the Norwegian Danish Basin and sands. Sørvestlandet High. The upper bound-
the Fjerritslev Fm and the upper bound- the Ula Fm from the western margin of The Sleipner Fm is defined in the ary of the formation represents a tran-
ary is defined by the incoming of mud- the Sørvestlandet High. The thickness of southern Viking Graben between approx- sition into silt and mudstones of the
stone-dominated sequences: The Viking the group varies considerably, from 123 imately 580 and 600N, in a fluvio-deltaic Viking Gp. Thicknesses, according to
Gp in the Southern Viking Graben, the to more than 450 m reported from wells. coaly setting. The Fm is broadly equivalent wells in the type area, are in the order
Tyne Gp in the Central Graben and the Seismic mapping indicate greater thick- to the Ness Fm of the Brent Gp in the East of 50 to 170 m.
Boknfjord Gp in the Norwegian-Danish nesses in syn-sedimentary fault-bounded Shetland Basin. Thickness in the type area The Bryne Fm is defined from the
Basin. These mudstone-dominated groups sub-basins related to halokinesis. On struc- varies between 40 and 50 m. Non-marine Norwegian-Danish Basin and Central
are important as regional seals. tural highs the group or part of the group sands of equivalent age in the Central Graben, representing a fluvial/deltaic
The Vestland Gp is widely distributed may be missing due to erosion. Graben and Norwegian-Danish Basin are environment. The base of the Fm is the
in the southern part of the Norwegian The depositional environment var- referred to as the Bryne Fm. partly eroded shales of the Fjerritslev
Sea. The Sleipner and Hugin fms are ies from deltaic coal-bearing, silt and The Hugin Fm, overlying the Sleipner Fm or Triassic sandy rocks. The top is
defined by siltstones and mudstones
of the Boknfjord Gp, forming a region-
62°
62° Well log 15/9-2 al seal.
Depth to the top Jurassic
The Sandnes Fm is defined from
300 m 270 m the northern part of the Åsta Graben
6800 m 5600 m
and Egersund Basin representing a
Faults
Sognefjord Fm 61°
Brent Gp
61°
coastal/shallow marine environment.
Bryne Fm
Hugin Fm (east) Sleipner Fm
The contact with the underlying Bryne
Hugin Fm (west) Faults Fm or older rocks is usually an uncon-
Sognefjord equivalent Jæren graben
Sandnes Fm Contour interval 200 m formity and it is overlain by siltstones

Ula Fm 60°
60°
and mudstones of the Boknfjord Gp.
Contour interval 200 m The Ula Fm is defined around the
eastern highs flanking the Central
Graben and represents a shallow
59°
marine deposit. The base of the Fm is
59°
towards the non-marine Bryne Fm, and
the top is where the marine sands are
overlain by the silts and mudstones of
58°
the Tyne Gp.
58°
57°
57°
Norwegian- Southern
Danish
EgersundBasin
Fm Viking Graben
Sandnes Fm Hugin
56°
Bryne Fm Sleipner Fm
56°
2° 3° 4° 5° 6° 7° 8°
2° 3° 4° 5° 6° 7° 8°
co2storageATLAS
42
4.1 Geology of the North Sea The Vestland Group - Sleipner Formation
Lithostrat. Proposed post Eocene stratigraphy of the northern North Sea

Middle Jurassic (Bajocian to Early Callovian) Well log 15/9-2
The Sleipner Fm is defined at the base of the and 600N, and is broadly equivalent to the Fm represents a continental fluvio-deltaic
Vestland Gp in the southern Viking Graben. Ness Fm of the Brent Gp in the northern North coal-bearing sequence. Burial depth of the for-
The formation lies unconformably over Lower Sea. The name Sleipner Fm should be applied mation over the Sleipner West Field is approx-
Jurassic and older rocks. The upper boundary when the marine sandstones underlying the imately 3400 m and average porosities and
in the type well (15/9-2) is the sands of the coal-bearing sequence is missing. Non-marine permeabilities of 16-20% and 0.1-4000 mD,
Hugin Fm, but the formation can also be over- sands of equivalent age in the Central Graben respectively, are reported.
lain by shales of the Viking Gp. and the Norwegian-Danish Basin are defined
The Sleipner Fm is found in the southern as the Bryne Fm. Thickness in the type area
Viking Graben between approximately 580 varies between 40 and 50 m. The Sleipner
1° 2° 3° 4° 5° 6°
60°
270 m
5600 m
61°
Sleipner Fm
60° 59°
Isopach map
Thickness of the Sleipner Fm
59° < 50 m
50 - 100 m
Geological x-section 100 - 150 m
> 150 m
58°
58°
57°
56°
2° 3° 4° 5° 6° 7° 8°
Core photo well 15/12-10 S,
3427-3432 m
43
4.1 Geology of the North Sea The Vestland Group - Hugin Formation
Middle Jurassic to Upper Jurassic Well log 15/9-2

(Lower Bathonian to Lower Oxfordian) Depth to the top Jurassic
300 m
The Hugin Fm is found in the southern Viking Graben in
the northwestern part of the Sørvestlandet High, where it
6800 m
overlies the deltaic coal-bearing Sleipner Fm. The upper
boundary is the shales of the Viking Gp. Hugin Fm 61°
Thickness in the type well 15/9-2 is 174 m. Generally the Contour interval 200 m
thickness decreases to the east and north. The thickness
distribution of the Hugin Fm is partly controlled by salt
tectonics. The depositional environment is interpreted in
terms of a near-shore, shallow marine environment with
some continental fluvio-deltaic influence. Burial depth of
60°
the formation over the Sleipner West Field is approximate-
ly 3400 m and reported average porosities and permea-
bilities is in the range between16-20% and 0.1-4000 mD,
respectively.
59°
2° 3° 4° 5° 6°
Thickness of the Hugin Fm

60° < 50 m
50 - 100 m
100 - 150 m
150 - 200 m
> 200 m
58°
59°
57°
58° 56°
2° 3° 4° 5° 6° 7° 8°
Core photo well 25/2-15R2,

3574-3579 m
co2storageATLAS
44
4.1 Geology of the North Sea The Vestland Group - Bryne Formation
3° 4° 5° 6° 7° 8° 9°
Well log 9/4-3
Middle Jurassic (Bajocian to Early Callovian) 60° Thickness of the Bryne Fm
< 50 m
50 - 100 m
The Bryne Fm forms the base of the Vestland Gp The Bryne Fm reflects deposition in fluvial, 100 - 150 m
> 150 m
in the Norwegian-Danish Basin and in the Central deltaic and lacustrine environments. Shallow
Gaben. The lower boundary represents an uncon- marine environments may in periods have pre-
formity, with partly eroded shales of the Fjerritslev vailed in the fault-controlled sub-basins. The 59°
Fm or with Triassic rocks below. The upper bound- burial depth is in general more than 1500 m,
ary is siltstones and mudstones of the Boknfjord except over structural highs where it may be less
Gp that could form a regional seal. The type than 1000 m. In the Egersund Basin the burial
section for the formation is defined in well 9/4-3 depth exceeds 3000 m. Porosity and permeability 58° A
with a thickness of 106 m. The formation is thin calculations show mean values of 20.4% and 100-
and patchy in western Skagerrak, but the seismic 200 mD, respectively. The formation corresponds
indicates thicknesses of several hundred meters to the Haldager Fm in the Danish part of the
in syn-sedimentary fault-bounded sub-basins, e.g. Norwegian-Danish Basin. 57° A’
Egersund and Farsund Basins, and local depocen-
tres south of the Fjerritslev Fault Zone.
mig320001 SKAGRE96-4
A N S
A’
Sea floor Top Balder 270 m
Base Upper Chalk Top Chalk 5600 m

61°
Bryne Fm
1000 up Contour interval 200 m
rd G ro
nfjo
Bok
Top Sandnes Top Skagerrak
2000 60°
Top Intra Bryn

e Geological x-section
GasMCU
sum Top Zechstein
2350 m
3000
59°
up
58°
Gro
nfjord
B ok 57°
Top Skagerrak
56°
The enlarged rectangle shows the Jurassic section within a salt-induced structure.
2° 3° 4° 5° 6 7° 8°
MCU is the base of the Bryne Formation.
Core photo well 3/7-4,

3479-3483 m
45
4.1 Geology of the North Sea The Vestland Group - Sandnes Formation
Well log 9/2-2
(Upper Callovian to Lower Oxfordian) Depth to the top Jurassic
300 m
The Sandnes Fm is defined from the Norwegian-Danish
6800 m
Basin. The lower boundary, the non-marine Bryne Fm or
Sandnes Fm
older rocks, is commonly defined at the base of massive and Contour interval 200 m
61°
clean sand. The upper boundary is the marine silts and mud-
stones of the Boknfjord Gp, which could form a regional seal.
The type section for the formation is well 9/4-3.
The formation is developed in the southern part of
60°
the Åsta Basin and the Egersund Basin. Based on seismic
mapping and well data in the Egersund Basin, the thickness
exceeds 100 m in large areas. Similar thicknesses may be
reached in local depocentres, elsewhere the thickness is less
than 50 m. Where the Sandnes Fm is thick, the lower part 59°
may represent a distal facies that is time equivalent to the

uppermost part of the Bryne Fm. The Sandnes Fm mainly
reflects deposition in a shallow marine (e.g. shoreface) to
offshore environment. The burial depth is in general more
than 1500 m except over structural highs where it may be 58°
less than 1000 m. In the Egersund and Farsund basins and

the south-western part of the Åsta Graben the burial depth
exceeds 2500 m. Porosity and permeability calculations
show mean values of 23.0% and 400-500 mD, respectively.
The formation is broadly comparable in lithofacies and 57°
depositional environments with the Hugin Fm in the south-

ern Viking Graben.
56°
2° 3° 4° 5° 6° 7° 8°
3° 4° 5° 6° 7° 8°
Thickness of the Sandnes Fm

59°
< 50 m
50 - 100 m
100 - 150 m
> 150 m
58°
57°
co2storageATLAS
46
4.1 Geology of the North Sea The Vestland Group - Ula Formation
Well log 7/12-2
Upper Jurassic-Lower Cretaceous
(Oxfordian- Ryazanian) Depth to the top Jurassic
300 m
The Ula Fm is defined from the western boundary of
the Sørvestlandet High from the Ula Field. The base of 6800 m
the formation is the non-marine Bryne Fm and the top Ula Fm

61°
is the marine siltstones and mudstones of the Tyne Gp,
forming a regional seal. The Ula Fm is defined around
the eastern flanking highs of the Central Graben, in
particular on the south-west flank of the Sørvestlandet
High, and moving towards the basin, i.e. to the west, 60°
into marine shale. In the type well 7/12-2 the thickness
is 152 m. It thins rapidly towards the east, but can be
followed along the NW-SE structural grain controlled
by halokinesis. The sands of the Ula Fm are generally
deposited in a shallow marine environment.
59°
In the type area, the Ula Fm is buried to a depth
of more than 3000 m. In the Ula Field, the crest of the
structure is 3345 m and porosities and permeabilities are
reported in the range 15-22% and 0.2-2800 mD, respec-
tively.
The Ula Fm has similarities both in lithofacies and 58°
partly in age with the Hugin Fm in the southern Viking

Graben (Sleipner area) and the Sandnes Fm in the
Norwegian-Danish Basin.
57°
56°
2° 3° 4° 5° 6° 7 8°
2° 3° 4° 5° 6° 7° 8°
58°
Thickness of the Ula Fm

< 50 m
57° 50 - 100 m
100 - 150 m
> 150 m
47
4.1 Geology of the North Sea The Boknfjord Group
Well log 9/4-3
(Callovian to Ryazanian)
The Boknfjord Gp is defined from the Fiskebank and

Egersund Basin and the type well is well 9/4-3. The
Boknfjord Gp is dominated by shales and is considered as
the primary seal for the underlying potential CO2
58°
aquifers. The group is subdivided into four formations: The
Egersund (base), Tau, Sauda and Flekkefjord Fms. As all of
the formations have seal properties, they will be treated as A
one composite seal. The lower boundary is the sandstones
of the Sandnes or Bryne formations. The upper boundary
is the Cromer Knoll Gp dominated by claystones.
The Boknfjord Gp is present in the Norwegian part
of the Norwegian-Danish Basin. Well data show that the
group in general is more than 100 m thick in western
Skagerrak, and in the Egersund Basin up to 500 m thick. 57° A’
The upper boundary is the Cromer Knoll Gp dominated by Depth to the Boknfjord Gp
mudstones with a varying content of calcareous material. 5400 m
It forms a secondary seal for the underlying potential CO2
aquifers. The Boknfjord and Cromer Knoll Gp form a com- 100 m
bined seal which can be mapped seismically. The seal is
in general several hundred metres thick and may be more
than 2000 m thick in the Egersund and Farsund Basins. The 5° 6° 7° 8° 9°
sealing package is locally truncated by salt diapirs, as seen

in well 11/9-1.
The sediments of the Boknfjord Group were mainly
deposited in open marine, low energy basin environments.
mig320001 GFR-93-202
A NW 10/8-1
11/10-1 SE A’
0
Sea floor
Top Balder
1000 Top Chalk
Base Upper Chalk
Boknfjord Group
Top Sandnes
2000
MCU Intra Bryne
Top Zechstein Top Skagerrak

2352 m
3000
co2storageATLAS
48
4.1 Geology of the North Sea The Rogaland Group
Paleocene-Lower Eocene
62°
The Rogaland Gp is subdivided into twelve formations. Depth to the top Paleocene
and appears to be mostly time equivalent with the Sele Fm.
100 m
This description will focus on possible aquifers. In general The Balder Fm (Paleocene to Upper Eocene) consists
the sequences start off from the west as more proximal 3200 m of vari-coloured laminated shales, interbedded with sandy
and interfinger with more distal sediments to the east. The Ty, Heimdal,
Hermod Fm tuffs and distributed over much of the North Sea. The thick-
group is widely developed in the northern and central North Contour interval 200 m 61° ness varies between less than 20 m to more than 100 m. The
Sea. The base of the group is the contact with underlying Balder Fm was deposited in a deep marine environment and
chalk or marl sequences of the Shetland Gp. The upper the tuffaceous material probably came from more than one
boundary is the change from laminated tuffaceous shales volcanic source. The lower boundary of the Sele or Lista fms
(Balder Fm) to sediments of the Hordaland Gp. 60°
is marked by the incoming of tuffaceous material. The upper
The Rogaland Gp is thickest in the west in the UK sec- boundary is defined at the transition from the laminated
tor (about 700 m), thinning eastwards and southwards Balder Fm to the non-laminated, often glauconitic and red-
with recorded well thicknesses in the order of 100 m. dish overlying sediments of the Hordaland Gp.
Depositionally, the Rogaland Gp represents submarine fan /
gravity flow sediments transported into deeper water. The 59°
sand-bodies are generally lobe shaped and pass laterally

into silt and mudstones to the east.
Well log 9/11-1
The Ty Fm (Lower Paleocene) was deposited from the
Shetland Platform as a deep marine fan and has been iden- 58°
tified in the southern Viking Graben in the north-western

part of quadrant 25, and northern part of quadrant 15. The
formation consists mainly of clean sandstones with a thick-
ness in well 15/3-1 of 159 m. The lower boundary is calcar-
57°
eous rocks of the Shetland Gp, and the upper boundary is
transitional to the shales of the Lista Fm, but also against the
sands of the Heimdal Fm. The formation may also interfinger
with the Våle Fm to the east.
The Heimdal Fm (Paleocene) was deposited as a sub- 56°
marine fan sourced from shallow marine sands on the East 2° 3° 4° 5° 6° 7° 8° 9°

Shetland Platform. It is identified in the western parts of
quadrant 30, most of quadrant 25 and 15 and as cleaner southern part of quadrant 30. The thickness of the formation
sand in the south-eastern part of quadrant 15 into the is 140 m in the type well 25/2-6 and it thickens toward the
north-western part of quadrant 16 (Meile Mbr (informal)). central part of the distribution area. The lower boundary of
The thickness of the Heimdal Fm is 356 m in the type well Hermod Fm is usually a transition to silts and mudstones
(25/4-1) and 236 m in well 15/9-5. It thins rapidly east of of the Lista Fm or the Sele Fm. It may also rest directly on
these wells and south of well 15/9-5. The base is usually the the more varied sandstones of the Heimdal Fm. The upper
transition from the shales of the Lista Fm, but also sand- boundary of the Hermod Fm is sharp against the dark silt
stones of the Ty Fm. The upper boundary is usually a tran- and mudrocks of the time-equivalent Sele Fm.
sition from the Heimdal sandstones into the shales of the The Fiskebank Fm (Upper Paleocene) has been identified
Lista Fm. Locally it is overlain by the sands of the Hermod from the Norwegian-Danish Basin and in the type well, 9/11-
Fm. 1, with a thickness of 148 m. The lower boundary is silt and
The Hermod Fm (Upper Paleocene) consists of mainly mudstones of the Lista Fm and the upper boundary is tuffa-
fine-grained sandstones deposited in a submarine fan set- ceous shales of the Balder Fm. The formation is developed
ting connected to the deltaic Moray Gp in the UK sector. The mainly in the Åsta Graben in the Norwegian-Danish Graben.
formation is located mainly in the South Viking Graben in The thickness in wells varies between 26 to 148 m. The
the north-western part of quadrant 25 and extends into the Fiskebank Fm probably represents basin margin deposits
49
4.1 Geology of the North Sea The Hordaland Group - Skade Formation
WELL 25/2-10 S
Eocene to Middle Miocene
LITHOSTRATIGRAPHIC
SERIES / SUBSERIES
The Skade Formation of the Hordaland Group together Well log 25/2-10S
DEPTH (mRKB)
with the Eir (informal) and Utsira Formations and the
UNITS Formation
PLIOCENE
LOWER
Utsira
WELL
WELL25/2-10
25/2-10SS
LITHOLOGY
Geosection
500
Upper Pliocene sands of the Nordland Group form the 520 unkonformity
LITHOSTRATIGRAPHIC
LITHOSTRATIGRAPHIC
// SUBSERIES
SUBSERIES
GAMMA RAY
Ve member (inform.)
outer part of a large deltaic system with its source area on
MIOCENE
Unit: GAPI
Hutton sand (informal) according to Gregersen & Johannessen (2007) 0 70
600 (mRKB)
(mRKB)
the East Shetland Platform. The proximal parts of this sys-
LITHOLOGY
LITHOLOGY
MIDDLE
tem are mainly located in the UK sector, and these deposits W E
SERIES
SERIES
DEPTH
DEPTH
UNITS
UNITS
GAMMA
GAMMARAYRAY
are named the Hutton sand (informal). In the Norwegian 25/1-8S 25/2-10S Unit:
Unit:GAPI
GAPI
Seabed 00 70
70
unkonformity
ms
sector, sands belonging to the system are the Miocene–
700
200 Upper Pleistocene
Lower Pliocene Skade, Eir (informal) and Utsira Fm, and
Upper Pliocene sands of the Nordland Group (no formal Top Eir member (informal)
Upper Pliocene and
700
700
370 md Upper Pliocene wedge
Pleistocene Delta
name). 455 md
Eir member (informal)
475 md (glacial diamicton)
520 md
NT I O N
The Skade Fm, Lower Miocene, consists of marine Middle Miocene Middle Miocene Upper Miocene-
800
EC E N E
Lower Pliocene UTSIRA FORMATION
sandstones (mainly turbidites) deposited over a large area unconformity/reflector
735 md
OAN
of the Viking Graben (from 16/1-4 in the south to 30/5-2
O
T IIM
800
800
Basal Nordland Group
I OE
in the north). The maximum thickness exceeds 300m and
ART
ENN
Upper Oligocene sand SKADE FORMATION
MOA
E
CM
1000
OC
Lower Miocene
RFM
decreases rapidly towards the east, where the sands shale 1090 md
MEII R
O
OR
RWM
out or terminate towards large shale diapirs.
FEO
900
Upper Oligocene mudstones
EOR
A DF
The Eir Fm (informal), Middle Miocene, is recorded in
WLE
Nanna Oligocene shale diapirs
DEE
OW
900
900
(informal, basal
AKD
LO
several wells in the Viking Graben, including 15/9-13 in
L
Lower Miocene)
SK A
KS
the south-east and 25/2-10S and 30/6-3 further north. The © NPD
S
thickness map shows the distribution of the northern part 40 km
1000
of the formation. In the southern part of the deltaic system, OD 1111005
1000
1000
the sand is generally shaling out closer to the UK/Norway
boundary line. The Eir Fm (informal) overlies the mid
Miocene unconformity and forms the base of the Nordland Log
Log
Log
Gp. Elsewhere in the North Sea the Middle Miocene is dom-
1100
1100
1100
inantly mudstones.
0
0
10
10
20
20
30
30
40
40
50
50
60
60
70
70
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
Sea
Seafloor
Sea floor =floor==141
141 141meters
meters
meters below
below
below rig
rig rigfloor
floor(mRKB)
floor (mRKB)
(mRKB)
1° 2° 3° 4° 5° 6° DC =DCDC==Ditch
Ditch Ditchcuttings
cuttings
cuttings
gAPI
gAPI==American
AmericanPetroleum
PetroleumInstitute
Institutegamma
gammaray
rayunits
units
gAPIG=G=American Petroleum Institute gamma ray units
Depth to the Skade Fm =Abundant
Abundantglauconite
G = Abundant
glauconite
glauconite 62°
460 m ==Lignite
Lignite coal
coal
61° = Lignite coal molluscs
==Abundant
Abundant molluscsand
andmollusc
molluscfragments
fragments
61° Hypothetical GGR – Great Glen River
1193 m Thickness of the Skade Fm = Abundant molluscs and mollusc fragments
Active from Paleocene to Pliocene After
AfterEidvin,
Eidvin,Riis
Riisand
andRasmussen
Rasmussen(in
(inprep.)
prep.)
Contour interval 100 m < 100 m 60°
After Eidvin, Riis and Rasmussen (in prep.)
100 - 200 m
60°
200 - 300 m
300 - 400 m
Cenozoic
> 400 m 58°
sandy
systems
R
G
G
58°
60°
60°
56°
56°
54°
54°
59°
52°
59°
52°
10° 8° 6° 4° 2° 0° 2° 4° 6° 8° 10°
Suggested drainage patterns for Miocene deposits in the North

Sea area. Drainage through the Great Glen trend in Scotland
has not been documented.
1° 2° 3° 4° 5°
co2storageATLAS
50
WELL 24/12-1 (continued)
LITHOSTRATIGRAPHIC FORMATION
LITHOSTRATIGRAPHIC GROUP
4.1 Geology of the North Sea The Nordland Group - Utsira Formation
SERIES/SUBSERIES
GAMMA RAY LOG
DEPTH (mRKB)
LITHOLOGY
UNIT: gAPI
Uppermost Middle Miocene to 62° 62°
Well log 24/12-1
Quaternary Depth to the Utsira Fm Thickness of the Utsira Fm
PLIOC.
UPP.
262 m
< 50 m
500
The Utsira Fm of the Nordland 1459 m
50 - 100 m
100 - 150 m
PLIOCENE
Group (uppermost Middle Miocene
LOWER
150 - 200 m
to Quaternary) consists of marine 200 - 250 m

250 - 300 m 550
sandstones with source area mainly
UTSIRA FORMATION
61° 61°
300 - 350 m
to the west. The maximum thickness > 350 m
exceeds 300 m. The sands of the 600

Utsira Fm display a complex architec-
UPPER MIOCENE
ture and the elongated sand body
NORDLAND GROUP
extends some 450 km N-S and 90 60° 60° 650
km E-W. The northern and southern
parts consist mainly of large mound-
ed sand systems. In the middle part 700
the deposits are thinner, and in the
northernmost part (Tampen area)
MIDDLE MIOCENE
they consist of thin beds of glauconit-
59° 59°
750
ic sands.
Upper Pliocene deltaic sand
deposits overlie the Utsira Formation 800
and Eir formation (informal) with a
hiatus. In the wells we have inves-
0
40
80
120
58° 58°
tigated, there is sand-sand contact Sea floor = 138,5 meters below rig floor (mRKB)
gAPI = American Petroleum Institute gamma ray units
1° 2° 3° 4° 5° 6° 1° 2° 3° 4° 5° 6°
at the boundary, consequently we = Abundant molluscs or mollusc fragments

regard the Upper Pliocene sand as a G = Abundant glauconite
part of the large Utsira-Skade aquifer DC = Ditch cuttings
61°
Thickness of M. Miocene sand * = Caved
system. The Upper Pliocene sand has Depth to the Pliocene sand < 50 m = Limestone
previously often been assigned to 260 m 50 - 100 m
After Eidvin, Riis and Rasmussen (in prep)
the Utsira Formation. The top of the 650 m
100 - 150 m
150 - 200 m
sand is found at about 150 m below Contour interval 100 m 200 - 250 m
the sea floor in the Norwegian sector. 250 - 300 m

> 300 m
Seismic data indicates that the latest 60° Contour Interval 50 m
active progradation of these sands 61°
took place towards the north-east in

the Tampen area, where their distal
parts interfinger with glacial sedi-
ments derived from Scandinavia. 1° 2° 3° 4° 5° 6°
61° 59°
Thickness of the Pliocene sand

1° 2° 3° 4° 5°< 50 m 6°
50 - 100 m
100 - 150 m
> 150 m
60°
60°
2° 3° 4°
59°
51
4.1 Geology of the North Sea The Hordaland Group - Claystones
Eocene to Lower Miocene, possibly

Middle Miocene in the Central Graben
The Hordaland Gp has its type area in the North Sea Basin. The Grid Fm (Middle to Upper Eocene) consists of a series Well log 2/2-1
The main lithology of the group is marine claystones with of sand-bodies probably sourced from the East Shetland
minor sandstones. Within the Hordaland Gp, four sandstone Platform and located in the Viking Graben between 58o30’N
formations are defined: The Frigg, Grid, Skade and Vade Fms. and approximately 60o30’N. The type well is 15/3-3. The
Maximum thickness of the group varies from 1100-1400 lower and upper boundaries are towards marine claystones
m in the central and southern part of the Viking Graben, of the Hordaland Gp. The thickness in the type well is 370 m.
thinning towards the margins. Thicknesses of wells in the The formation thins eastward. There is a considerable differ-
type area (wells 2/2-1 and 24/12-1) are 1060 m and 1365 m. In ence in thickness north and south of 590N. To the north the
the northern Viking Graben the group is only a few hundred thickness is less than 200 m and to the south nearly 400 m.
meters thick. The group was deposited in an open marine This is due to the fact that sand deposition started earlier in
environment. The base of the Hordaland Gp is the Balder Fm the south. Due to soft sediment deformation, there may be
or sands of the Frigg Fm. poor connectivity between individual sand bodies, and some
The Skade Fm is in communication with overlying sands may be interpreted as injectites. The deposition of the
Miocene and Pliocene sands and is described above. formation took place in an open marine environment during
The Frigg Fm (Lower Eocene) was deposited as submarine regression.
fans sourced from the East Shetland Platform to the west. The The Vade Fm (Upper Oligocene) is defined in well 2/2-1
Formation is located in the south-western part of quadrant located on the Sørvestlandet High, east of the Central Graben.
30 and north-western part of quadrant 25. At about 59030’N, The lower and upper boundaries are claystones of the
the Frigg sands are connected to the sands in the UK sector. Hordaland Gp. In the type well the thickness is 72 m, but the
The thickness of the Frigg Fm is 279 m in type well (25/1-1) formation has only been penetrated by a few wells. Regional
and it is located in a depocentre with a maximum thickness considerations indicate a source area for the Vade Fm sand-
of approximately 300 m. The lower boundary is the Balder Fm stones to the east or north-east. They were deposited in a
and the upper boundary is claystones of the Hordaland Gp shallow marine environment in 11/10-1 and prograded into
that could form a regional seal. The crest of the Frigg Field is deeper waters to the west as shown in well 2/2-2.
approximately 1850 m and porosities and permeabilities are
reported in the range of 27-32% and 1-4 Darcy, respectively.
co2storageATLAS
52
53
4.2 Storage options in the North Sea
4.2.1 Saline aquifers Introduction
In the western provinces, west of the red doned fields, in particular the gas fields.
62°
Approximate limit for significant Oil

63°
hydrocarbon migration
line in the lower middle figure, Paleogene Consequently, an indication of the storage Heimdal Fm
Gas
Oil w/gas
and older aquifers contain hydrocarbons. capacity of the fields has been given, but
Sognefjord Fm
Gas/Condensate
Ula Fm
Statfjord Fm
East of the line, discoveries have only been no aquifer volumes have been calculated.
Bryne Fm
Brent Gp 61° Medium overpressure
62°
made in local basins where the Jurassic Some of the oil fields are considered to Oil
Gas
Weak overpressure
Highly overpressured
source rock has been buried to a sufficiently have a potential for use of CO2 to enhance Oil w/gas
Gas/Condensate
Gullfaks
high temperature to generate hydrocar- oil recovery (EOR, section 8). Some of the 61°
60°
bons. CO2 used for EOR will remain trapped. The Troll
In the eastern area, all the large aquifers capacity for this type of CO2 trapping has
have been selected based on the estab- not been calculated. 60°
lished criteria (section 3.3) and storage The Sognefjord Delta aquifer and the 59°
capacity is estimated by the method Statfjord Formation aquifer (figure) are

described in section 3.4. In the petroleum developed both within the petroleum prov-
59°
provinces, it is considered that exploration inces in the west and as saline aquifers with 58°
and production activities will continue for small amounts or no petroleum in the east. 58°
many years to come. The most realistic sites In these cases, only the eastern parts have
of CO2 storage will be some of the aban- been evaluated for CO2 storage.
57°
57°
Ekofisk
56°
56°
1° 2° 3° 4° 5° 6° 7° 8° 9° 2° 3° 4° 5° 6° 7° 8°
Distribution of major aquifers at the Jurassic levels relative to the petroleum provinces
Age Formations & Groups Evaluated Aquifers

2° 3° 4° 5° 6° 7° 8° 9° 10° 11° 12° 3 Pliocene Piacenzian
Neogene
Zanclean
6
Messinian Utsira Fm.
9 Tortonian
11 Miocene
Serravallian Ve Mb. Utsira and Skade Formations
13 Langhian
Subcrop of Jurassic sediments 15

17
Burdigalian
Aquitanian
Skade Fm.
19
below the Quaternary 22
24
Chattian
26 Oligocene
28 Rupelian
< 50 m
Skagerrak Fm
30
33 Priabonian
Paleogene
61°
50 - 100 m 35
37
Bartonian Grid Fm.
Gassum Fm
39
Lutetian
100 - 150 m 42
44
Eocene
46
150 - 200 m
Statfjord Gp East
48 Ypresian
50 Frigg Fm. Frigg Field Abandoned Gas Field
53 Balder Fm.
200 - 250 m 55
Thanetian
Fiskebank Fm. Fiskebank Fm.
Bryne Fm 57 Paleocene Selandian
250 - 300 m 59
62
Danian
64
Sandnes Fm Tor Fm.

Maastrichtian
> 300 m 66
68
60° 70
73
Campanian
75
77 Hod Fm.
79 Late
82 Santonian
84 Coniacian
86
Fiskebank Fm Contourite
88
91
93
Turonian
in the Cenomanian
Cretaceous
95
97
Stord Basin 99
102 Albian
59°
Mounds 105
in the 108
112
Stord Basin 115 Aptian
118
Early
122
125 Barremian
128 Hauterivian
132
Valanginian
The Sognefjord Delta 58°

135
138
Berriasian
142
145 Tithonian
148
Draupne Fm. Stord Basin Jurassic Model
152
Late Kimmeridgian
Ula Fm. Stord Basin Mounds *
Utsira and 155

158
Oxfordian
Skade Formations
Callovian
162 Hugin Fm. Hugin East
Bathonian
Jurassic
Sandnes Fm.
165 Middle Sleipner Fm.
Bajocian
Brent Gp. Bryne Fm. Bryne / Sandnes Formations South *
168
172
Aalenian Bryne / Sandnes Formations Farsund Basin
57° 175 Toarcian
The Frigg
178 Johansen Fm.
182 Cook Fm. Johansen and Cook Formations *
Pliensbachian
185 Early
and Heimdal Conceptual sketch showing location of 188

192
Sinemurian
Nansen Eiriksson Raude

Field Aquifer aquifers relative to depositional systems
195 Hettangian Statfjord Gp.
Thickness of Quaternary deposits and Jurassic subcrop 198 Rhaetian Gassum Fm. Gassum Fm.
202
205 Skagerrak Fm.
Norian
208
Triassic
212 Late
215
218 Carnian Formations not
222
evaluated
225
228
Middle Ladinian
232
* Evaluated prospects
co2storageATLAS
54
4.2.1 Saline aquifers Stord basin - long distance CO2 migration

Seismic panel including well 26/4-1, Stord basin
SW ESE
Modelling of CO2 injection and migration in the Stord basin. 26/4-1
The aquifers in the eastern part of the North Sea typically have NE WNW
a consistent dip of about one degree from the Norwegian coast Top Quaternary 350 ms TWT
down to the basinal areas. In the case that there are permea-
ble beds along this dip slope, there is a risk that CO2 injected
in the downdip aquifer can migrate up to where the aquifer is Base Quaternary
truncated by Quaternary glacial sediments. At that depth, the
CO2 will be in gas phase. The glacial sediments mainly consist
of clay and tills and their thickness ranges from about 50 m
and up to more than 200 m (figure). Understanding the timing
Crystalline
and extent of long distance CO2 migration is of importance for Intra Paleocene basement
the evaluation of the storage capacity of outcropping aquifers. n d?
ds , s a
Consequently, a modelling study was set up on a possible aqui- M oun
t co m pl ex
fer in the Stord Basin. Top Rogaland Gp
lta?
The Stord Basin is bordered by faults between the Utsira Top Cretaceous S an d y de
High in the west and the Øygarden fault complex in the east. Top Jurassic
Ø yg ar de n fa ul
The syn-rift basin acted as a depocentre for infilling sediments Viking Gp
from all surrounding highs, the main source being the eastern Bryne Fm
2775 ms TWT
hinterland. The basin is overlain by post-rift sediments ranging Early Jurassic and Triassic
10 km
from late Jurassic to Quaternary age. Sand is mainly found in
the Triassic and Jurassic. The main risks of leakage of injected
Seismic panel including well 26/4-1, Stord basin
CO2 in the Stord basin area are sideways migration towards
the east, and migration along fault planes. Absence of syn-rift
sedimentary rocks on the upthrown side of the Øygarden fault Møre
complex may reduce the risk of sideways migration in this sec- Basin
Top Jurassic
High: 300 m
tion. 62° Low: 6800 m
A simulation model of a possible Upper Jurassic sand

r
Progradational
pu
n
system
nS
ab e
deposit (referred to as Sandy delta in the cross section) was

pe
n Gr
Tam
built based on a geological model derived from seismic inter-

East Shetland
So g
Horda
Basin
pretation. The model shown in the figure has been used to Platform
Øygarden Fault complex
simulate CO2 injection in the sand deposit, which will act as an

raben
East Shetland
Bergen
Platform
aquifer. Oslo
The modeled depositional system has not been drilled, and
Viking G
Stord
Basin
the interpretation is based on seismic 2D data. Although there
is a reservoir risk in this particular model, the results can be
applied to analogous aquifers with gentle dips. Utsira Stavanger
Three injection wells are shown in the areas with highest High
permeability (green). A water producer is located on the east Sele Stavanger

High Platform
side of the grid, acting as a leaking point in the shallowest part.
Ås
ta
Sø
Egersund
Gr
The permeability and porosity distribution around well 1 is

Ce
r ve
Basin
ab
Farsund Basin
s tla
ntr
en
shown in the profiles. The model was run with 50 years of injec- Fjerritslev Fa
nd
ult compl
al G
ex
et
tion with different rates. After shut-in of injection, migration Norwe

H
rab
i gh
57° gian-D
continued until the CO2 had migrated up to the east side of the anish B
en
asin
model and begun to enter the Quaternary formations above. Polygon depicting modelled aquifer
The simulations were run with one, three and five wells.
55
4.2.1 Saline aquifers Stord basin - long distance CO2 migration
HIGH
Three cases with different x-y permeabilities were
run. Near well 1 the permeabilities vary from 0.14
mD in the bottom layer, to 199 mD in the top layer.
The cases were run with the following
LOW model setups:
1. Base model
2. High perm model (permeability 20 times base
case in top layer)
3. Low perm model (0.5 times base permeability
in all layers)
The results for the different models are shown in

the figure, with three and five wells.
The results show that in the base model with 3 mill
Sm3/d, the reservoir can store 100 Mt CO2 before Volume of CO2 injected vs. migration time
Permeability in upper layer 1 CO2 reaches the eastern boundary of the reservoir
in the year 10 000. If extrapolated to 10 000 years of
storage, the maximum amount stored will be about Conclusions
75 Mt. With a high permeability layer at the top The results show that the CO2 plume is distributed mostly in
(high case), and 3 mill Sm3/d, the CO2 will reach the high permeability (upper) layers of the reservoir.
the boundary in year 2416 after about 400 years of With the base permeability model, about 100 Mt is the
migration. maximum storage capacity with migration for about 8000
When the CO2 reaches the eastern boundary it years to boundary (year 10 000), if 3 mill Sm3/d is injected in
is in gas phase and might migrate slowly upwards three wells. Higher rates will give a shorter migration time.
into the overlying Quaternary layers as discussed With the low perm model and 9 mill Sm3/d with five wells, the
above. injected volume might be up to 140 Mt. A high permeability
streak in the top layer will result in a short migration time,
about 400 years. Low permeability and favourable communi-
cation reduces the risk of CO2 escape. The results indicate that
migration velocities are slow unless the permeability and com-
munication are very high, implying that subcropping aquifers
Porosity distribution near well 1 could be of interest for CO2 storage.
Year 2416 Year 5616 Year 9916
Porosity distribution near well 1 Volume of CO2 injected vs. migration time
co2storageATLAS
56
Paleogene Mounds, Stord Basin
4.2.1 Saline aquifers The Hugin East Formation aquifer
3° 4°
60°
Paleogene mounds thickness Paleocene mounds

10 - 20 m
Hugin Fm (east) Top Paleocene
20 - 60 m
60 - 100 m Oil 100 m
100 - 140 m Gas
140 - 160 m Oil w/gas
Gas/Condensate
3200 m
Paleogene mounds
60°0'0"N
59°0'0"N
59°
3° 4° 5° 6°
3° 4° 5° 6°
Paleogene mounds Hugin East Aquifer

This prospect is based on seismic 2D interpretation on a mounded reflector in the Paleocene/ One well has been drilled in this aquifer, which has been mapped
Eocene sequence in the central part of the Stord Basin. The reflection pattern has been interpreted on 2D seismic data. The reservoir rock is equivalent to the Hugin
as a possible deep marine fan system which could have a high content of reservoir sand. There are and Sandnes Formations, and is believed to have good quality. A
few wells in the area, and sand have not been proved by drilling in this particular interval. If sand is simplified calculation of theoretical storage capacity was carried
present, the mapped structure can be regarded as a structural/stratigraphical trap with good seals. out, using a constant net gross value and a porosity trend similar to
The aquifer outside the mapped structure is considered to be limited. Calculation of storage capaci- the Sandnes Formation.
ty is based on 28 % porosity and a net gross ratio of 0.8 within a closed aquifer volume.
Mounds, Stord basin Hugin fm east of the Utsira High

Storage system half open Storage system half open
Rock volume 45 Gm3 Rock volume 19 Gm3
Pore volume 9.7 Gm3 Pore volume 2.4 Gm3
Average depth 1900 m Average depth 1700 m
Average permeability 1000 mD Average permeability 500 mD
Storage efficiency 0.8 % Storage efficiency 5.5 %
Storage capacity aquifer Storage capacity aquifer 100 Mt
Storage capacity prospectivity 50 Mt Storage capacity prospectivity
Reservoir quality Reservoir quality
capacity 2 capacity 1
injectivity 2 injectivity 3
Seal quality Seal quality
seal 3 seal 3
fractured seal 3 fractured seal 3
wells 3 wells 3
Data quality Data quality
Maturation Maturation
57
4.2.1 Saline aquifers The Utsira and Skade aquifer
Approximately 1 Mt CO2 from the Sleipner 1. The southern part of the Utsira Formation 179
200 0.00
SSTVD HGR
25/2-10 S [SSTVD]
150.00 0.45 HNPHI -0.15
1:3618 1.95 HRHOB 2.95
Field has been successfully injected annually below approximately 750 m. This area
in the Utsira Formation since 1996, proving has several structures which could accu-
Pliocene Sand
300
that the formation is an excellent reservoir mulate CO2 and prevent it from migrat-
for CO2 storage. Due to its size, the formation ing upslope. Large volumes can also be
has been regarded as attractive for storage of trapped as residual and dissolved CO2 in 400
large volumes. However, the formation is part the aquifer.
Utsira
Fm
of a much larger sandy deltaic complex locat- 2. Volume in the NE part of the Utsira 500
ed at both sides of the UK-Norway boundary. Formation. This part of the Utsira
Ve Mbr
The upper parts of this system are buried to Formation is in communication with 600
less than 200 m below the sea floor, and the a delta which was built out from the
communication between the different sandy Sognefjord area in the east. The top of
formations has not yet been studied in detail. the eastern fan reaches the base of the
700
In this atlas we present the results of an NPD Quaternary and it has not been evaluated
Skade Fm
study based on 3D seismic interpretation and for storage. 800
biostratigraphy. The Miocene and Pliocene 3. The outer part of the Skade Formation
aquifer is subdivided into four major units where it is sealed by Middle Miocene 900
which are in communication towards the shale and could be trapped within struc-
west. The largest pore volumes in the system tures formed by clay diapirism. 1000
are in the Utsira and Skade Formations, which Pore volumes for this aquifer are presented 1051
appear to be separated by a Middle Miocene together with storage capacities calculated for Cross section and top surface of the aquifer model. Cross section shows
shale in the eastern/distale parts. There is a the three suggested sub- areas. net-gross values.
regional dip upward towards the west, and
consequently there is a risk that injected CO2
will migrate updip to levels which are too shal-
low to be accepted for storage. Three areas
are assumed suitable for CO2 injection:
Utsira and Skade Fms

Storage system half open to fully open
Rock volume 2500 Gm3
Pore volume 526 Gm3
Average depth 900 m
Average permeability >1000 mD
Storage efficiency 4 %
Storage capacity aquifer 16 Gt
Storage capacity prospectivity 0,5-1,5 Gt
Reservoir quality
capacity 3
injectivity 3
Seal quality
seal 2
fractured seal 3
wells 2 Top of Skade Formation. The white polygon indi- Top of Utsira Formation. The black polygons indi-
Data quality cates area which may be favorable for CO2 storage. cate areas which may be favorable for CO2 storage.
Maturation Red dot shows Sleipner injection area. The grid
squares are 20 km x 20 km.
co2storageATLAS
58
4.2.1 Saline aquifers The Utsira and Skade aquifer

Utsira Skade
Formation Formation
To estimate the capacity of CO2 storage in a southern
part of Utsira/Skade aquifer, a reservoir model was built
to simulate the long-term behavior of CO2 injection.
The model covers 1600km2 in the southern part of the
15/6
Norwegian sector. The study illustrates potential migra-
tion and forecast possible migration of CO2 from the
Skade Formation into the Utsira Formation above.
CO2 injected in the Skade sand may penetrate 15/9
through a intermediate clay layer into Utsira sand

if the clay has permeability from 0.1 mD or higher.
Approximately 170 Mt CO2 can be injected in Utsira-
Skade aquifer within the segment model, with four
horizontal wells injecting over 50 years, with BHP
change of 10 bars, and with no water production. After
8000 years of storage, the dissolved part is nearly 70%,
residual trapping is less than 1%, and mobile CO2 has
decreased to 29% of the total amount of injected CO2.
Red boundary defines the southern depocenter of the Utsira
These results are based on a residual saturation of Formation. Skade Formation thins rapidly towards south and
CO2 of 0.02. If a residual saturation of CO2 is 0.3, CO2 east, and is only observed as a few meters thick in well 15/6-7. A A’
trapped by residual mechanisms is 13% of total CO2 The simulation model covers an area of 1600 m2 within the
injected after 8000 years. Mineral trapping by geo- southern depocenter.
chemical reactions was not considered in the simula-
Thickness map (right) of Utsira and Skade Formations illustrat-
tion, but will add additional storage capacity. ing the extent of the formations and the area which is above
The NPD has calculated that 0.5-1.5 Gt of CO2 can be 700 meters depth and thereby unsuitable for CO2 storage.
stored in the southern area of the Utsira-Skade aquifer,
based on in house simulation calculations.
A 15/6-9S 15/6-7 A’
W E
0
Seabed
250
Glacial channels
Quarternary
500
Pliocene wedge
750
SB 8000 years after injection
Utsira Formation the CO2 migrates and fol-
1000 Middle Miocene shale lows the topography and
Skade Formation accumulates in surround-
ing structures. The graph
1250 Oligocene illustrates that there is not
55 km much difference using 4
1500
or 5 injection wells. The
biggest difference occurs
The Skade Fm, Lower Miocene, consists of marine sandstones (mainly turbidites) deposited over when there is an increase
a large area of the Viking Graben (From 30/5-2 in the north, to 15/6-7 in the south ). The maximum in the bottom hole pres-
thickness exceeds 300 m and decreases rapidly towards the south and east, where the sands termi- sure from 10 to 15 bars.
nate towards large shale diapirs.
59
4.2.1 Saline aquifers The Bryne and Sandnes Formations
The southern part of the Norwegian Sea has a well devel-

outlines the Farsund Basin. This basin is bounded by a base-
oped sandy sequence, which is made up of the Lower ment high to the south, and has been treated as a separate
Jurassic, Sandnes and Bryne formations with occasional
segment within the aquifer.
contact with the sands of the Triassic Gassum and SkagerrakThere is a limited amount of well data for constructing
formations. The fine grained, lowermost Jurassic Fjerritslev
detailed petrophysical maps. In the present aquifer model,
Formation, is partly developed as a seal between the an average thickness is presented. For the porosity a gen-
Gassum and Bryne Formations. eral depth trend was applied, and for the net gross factor, a
The Sandnes formation is generally developed as a well
correlation to the formation thickness was attempted.
sorted and widely distributed sand, above the thicker silt The aquifer is considered quite well suited for CO2 stor-
and sandstones of the Bryne formation. The vertical perme-
age due to the well developed reservoir rocks. The aquifer
ability of the Bryne formation is lowered by the coaly layers
is capped by the generally thick and robust mud- and clay-
developed in most of the formation. The connectivity in the
stones of the Boknfjord Formation.
Bryne formation is hampered by the typical development of Seal integrity should be investigated further above salt
isolated channels and channel belts of the delta plain. The
structures and in major faults. To get an idea of the storage
two formations typically thin on the crests of salt structures
capacity of these structures is an estimation of two structur-
and thicken in the basins. The yellow polygon in the figure
al closures presented in the table. The smaller structure is
thought to be representative for the aquifer. There
also seems to be a possibility for larger structures
Farsund Basin in the saddle area between the Stord Basin and
Storage system half open the Egersund Basin. Assuming that the aquifer
Rock volume 855 Gm3 could contain a few of the bigger structures and
Pore volume 82 Gm3 that there are many salt structures which could
Average depth form prospects, a capacity range of 0.5 to 2 Gt for
Average permeability
the prospects is assumed. The integrity and res-
Storage efficiency 4 The Bryne and Sandnes aquifer. Yellow polygon shows Farsund Basin, white
ervoir quality of each prospect would have to be polygons show evaluated prospects.
investigated, hence they are assigned to level 2 in
the pyramid.
Bryne and Sandnes Fms
Storage system half open
Rock volume 500 Gm3 0
3
Pore volume 440 Gm -500 0 0,05 0,1 0,15 0,2 0,25 0,3 0,35
Average depth 1700 m
-1000
Average permeability 150 mD Sandnes model porosity
Storage efficiency 4,5 % -1500
Storage capacity aquifer 14 Gt -2000 Bryne model porosity
Storage capacity prospectivity 0,5-2 Gt -2500 Bryne porosity data
Reservoir quality
-3000
capacity 3 Sandnes porosity data
injectivity 2 -3500
Seal quality -4000
seal 3 -4500
0
-500 0 0,05 0,1 0,15 0,2 0,25 0,3 0,35
fractured seal 2 -1000
wells 3 -1500
Sandnes model porosity
-2000 Bryne model porosity

Data quality -2500 Bryne porosity data
Maturation -3000
Sandnes porosity data
-3500 Top surface and cross section of the Bryne-Sandnes aquifer.
-4000
-4500
co2storageATLAS
60
4.2.1 Saline aquifers Egersund Basin case study
Geological model
The main target for CO2 injection is the extensive mid-
dle Jurassic sands of the Sandnes and Bryne Formations
in the Egersund Basin southwest of Stavanger. The
Egersund Basin is a local deepening between the
Norwegian-Danish Basin and the Stavanger Platform
in the North Sea. The southern part of the basin is the
focus for this study. The Egersund Basin has a small local
oil kitchen to the NW, charging the Yme Field which is
situated in the northern part of the basin. The develop-
ment of lower and middle Jurassic sandstones is partly
influenced by the tectonic structuring and salt move-
ment. Later, the upper Jurassic – Lower Cretaceous
tectonic development created a series of NW-SE faults.
In the late Neogene the basin was lifted obliquely east-
ward and up towards the Norwegian mainland. Porosity map of the uppermost layer of the Sandnes Formation
This is a promising area with good reservoir sand, well used in the simulation
suited for containment of substantial volumes of CO2. The simulated part of the Egersund Basin area.
Migration of CO2 into to salt structures penetrating the
post Permian sequences and further into the Neogene,
should however be avoided. Results from the reservoir simulation of the Egersund Basin.
The Sandnes Formation contains marine sands with A segment model (48km x 62km) of the Egersund Basin was con-
a high net/gross ratio, whereas the underlying Bryne tructed to estimate the storage capacity and the migration paths.
Formation represents continental sand deposits with Different cases were run with 1-3 injection wells and injection
marine incursions. The lateral and vertical communica- rates from 2 to 10 MSm3 CO2/year in 50 years. Bottomhole pressure
tion of the Bryne Formation is considered to be uncer- change is limited to 30 bar. Faults in the model were simulated with
tain, and consequently it is not as suitable for large open and closed scenarios. Results showed that the volume of CO2
scale CO2 injection. However, the Bryne Formation and injected is not very different between open and closed faults cases,
some of the upper Triassic sands will contribute to the but the distribution of the CO2 plume is different (se figure).
active aquifer volume. The reservoir sands are sealed by
thick Jurassic and Cretaceous shales.
CO2 distribution after 50 years injection in
three wells.
Conclusion
Using the model and relative permea-
bility curves from the Frigg field with a
residual CO2 saturation of 0.3, the
storage capacity is:
• 180 GSm3 or 0.36 Gigatons
assuming a reservoir pressure
buildup of 9 bar with 1 injector
• 546 GSm3 or 1.1 Gigatons
assuming a reservoir pressure
buildup of 26 bar with 3 injectors
CO2 distribution after 1000 year from injection start. With closed faults (left), and open
faults (right). A part of the CO2 migrates through the faults to the west.
61
4.2.1 Saline aquifers The Sognefjord Delta aquifer
The Sognefjord delta aquifer includes the The eastern part of the Sognefjord Delta Well 32/4-1
sandstones belonging to the Viking Group. aquifer (within the black polygon in the fig- 1171
SSTVD 0.00
32/4-1 [SSTVD]
HGR 150.00 140.00 HAC 40.00
The Krossfjord, Fensfjord and Sognefjord ure) is structured by faults in the Øygarden
1:2146
1200
Formations are partly separated by thin Fault Complex. Two water-filled structural
Sognefjord
shale units (Heather Formation). Oil and gas traps have been drilled in this area. This part
Fm
1250
production from the giant Troll Field has of the aquifer is considered to be outside
caused pressure reduction in all the three the area of large scale hydrocarbon migra- 1300
Heather
Fm
formations. The three formations are here tion, and closed structures may be attractive
treated as one aquifer. Influence of the for CO2 storage. 1350
Troll depletion on the aquifers in the older The porosity used for volume calcula-
Jurassic formations is less pronounced. tion is based on depth trends derived from 1400
These sandy formations will be in commu- wells in the area.
F e n s fj o r d F m
nication through local juxtaposition along Several gas accumulations in the west- 1450
faults or by local sand-sand contact. In the ern part of the aquifer indicate a good
area east of the Troll Field the sands are in quality seal. The sealing capacity of the fault 1500
direct contact with each other and consti- zones in the Øygarden Fault Complex has
tute a good reservoir. to be investigated further. The aquifer sub- 1550
The storage capacity of the western part crops below the Quaternary in the east, and
Brent Krossfjord
of the Sognefjord delta has not been includ- there might be a risk of lateral migration of 1600
Fm
ed because it forms reservoir rock of the injected CO2 towards the subcrop area. Cross sections showing the Krossfjord, Fensfjord and Sognefjord
formations with modelled porosity values above the Top Brent
Troll field and other fields north of Troll. The
Gp
1650 surface within the Sognefjord Delta.
aquifer is treated in the same way as in the
1689
main petroleum provinces.
0
Total aquifer East aquifer
-500
Sognefjord Delta Summary Summary
-1000
Rock volume 2670 Gm3 554 Gm3 -1500
Pore volume 480 Gm 3 110 Gm3 -2000
Average depth 1750 m 1750 m -2500
Average permeability 300 mD 300 mD -3000
Storage efficiency 5,5 % 5,5 % -3500
Storage capacity aquifer 18 Gt 4 Gt -4000

Storage capacity prospectivity -4500
0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4
Reservoir quality
capacity 3 3 Sognefjord porosity model
Johansen porosity model
injectivity 3 3
Seal quality
seal 3 3
fractured seal 2 2
wells 2 2
Data quality Top of the Sognefjord delta
aquifer. The eastern past of the
Maturation
aquifer, outlined by the black
polygon, is outside the
petroleum province.
co2storageATLAS
62
4.2.1 Saline aquifers The Johansen and Cook Formation aquifer

The Johansen and Cook Formations 3D seismic data in the most promising 2054 31/5-2 [SSTVD]
SSTVD 0.00 HGR 150.00 1.95 HRHO 2.95
Top of the aquifer in the Troll area and the
are mainly separated by shales and silt- area. The studies indicate that the for- 1:1465 0.45 HPHI -0.15 outline of the total Johansen formation.
2075
The line shows the location of the lower
stones, but due to fault juxtaposition, mation has sufficient capacity to store left cross section.
they will be treated as one aquifer. The the volumes from Mongstad, but a well 2100
Drake Fm
Johansen Formation sandstones have is important to clarify the reservoir and
good reservoir properties in several seal properties in the area south of 2125
wells in the Troll Field, and seismic data Troll. Migration of CO2 to the surface is
imply that the sand distribution is sim- unlikely due to the large capacity of the 2150
Cook
Fm
ilar to the overlying Sognefjord Delta. Sognefjord Delta aquifer.
The Cook Formation and the underly- The capacity of the Johansen and 2175
ing Statfjord Formation extend to the Cook aquifer depends on the commu-
2200
Tampen Spur. The upper part of the nication within the aquifer, and if it is in
Dunlin Group in the Troll area consists of communication with the Statfjord and/
2225
the thick Drake Formation shale which is or the Sognefjord Delta aquifers across
the main seal (figure). major faults. 2250
The Johansen Formation south of The pore volume and the storage
Johansen Fm
the Troll Field was suggested by the capacity in prospects given in the table 2275
NPD in 2007 as a potential storage site are based on calculations by Gassnova.

for CO2 from Mongstad, and several These calculations do not include the 2300
studies have been carried out in order northernmost part of the aquifer in the
to qualify the aquifer for CO2 storage. area north of Troll, see figure. 2325
The NPD and Gassnova have acquired

2350
Statfjord Fm
2375
2401
Cook Johansen aquifer

Rock volume 590 Gm3
Pore volume 90 Gm3
Average permeability 400 mD
Storage efficiency 3 %
Storage capacity prospectivity 150 Mt
Reservoir quality
capacity 3
injectivity 2
Seal quality
seal 3
fractured seal 3
wells 3
Data quality
Maturation Cross section of the porosity model of the Sognefjord Several cross sections showing juxtaposition of porous
delta. The Johansen and Cook Formations are the two formations across faults. The basal surface is the top of the
deepest porous layers. Statfjord Formation.
63
4.2.1 Saline aquifers The Statfjord Formation aquifer
The Statfjord Formation contains tion properties nor its distribution and
hydrocarbons in the Viking Graben, thickness are well known.
Tampen High and north of the Stord A heterogeneous formation with
Basin. South of the Horda Platform, it is locally good quality reservoirs, but with
assumed to be mainly water bearing. In limited lateral and vertical continuity
the Stord Basin and its surroundings, it can be expected. For the purpose of
is separated from the overlying Jurassic calculation of theoretical storage capac-
aquifers by the Dunlin Group which ity, an average net gross of 50 % has
is expected to form the seal. Towards been applied to the whole area and
the south and towards the Norwegian a porosity-depth trend similar to the
coast, the Lower Jurassic and large parts Bryne Formation was applied. This is
of the Middle Jurassic pinch out, and based on the general geological under-
there may be communication between standing of the area. In the Stord Basin
the Statfjord Formation aquifer and the (fig), parts of the formation are located
shallower aquifers. below 3500 m, and has been excluded
Stord Basin
Few wells have been drilled in the from the volume calculation.
Stord Basin area, and neither the forma-
Statfjord Gp East
Storage system half open The top of the Statfjord Formation above 3500 m. The Tampen area to the NW was not
Rock volume 1130 Gm3 included in the volume calculations.
Pore volume 120 Gm3
Average permeability 200 mD
Storage efficiency 4,5 %
Storage capacity prospectivity
Reservoir quality
capacity 3 TFJ
O RD
GP
STA
injectivity 2
Seal quality
seal 3
fractured seal 3 STATFJO
RD GP
wells 3
Data quality
Maturation
SW-NE cross section in the northern part of the Stord Basin
co2storageATLAS
64
The Gassum Formation aquifer
4.2.1 Saline aquifers and the Skagerrak Formation
The aquifer was developed as river dom- than 600 m. Migration of CO2 into these
inated system in the latest Triassic time, areas should be avoided. The Gassum
mainly as a well drained braided river sys- Formation can be a candidate for CO2
tem . The sandstones are believed to be injection in the Skagerrak area, but more
of good quality. The type wells for these data is required to investigate its poten-
sandstones are in the Danish sector, and tial.
the Norwegian part is not explored in the The underlying Skagerrak formation
same detail. Outside the mapped area is developed as a braidplain in an arid
indicated in the figure, the latest Triassic desert environment and as alluvium bor-
fluvial systems are more clay rich and are dering the emergent land area east of the
developed as discontinuous river sands. Danish-Norwegian Basin. Scarce well data
In the area indicated, the formation is indicate that the thick sandy sequences
sealed by the Fjerritslev Formation. of the formation have low permeability,
In the Skagerrak area, the Gassum but locally they could interact with the
Formation outcrops to the sea floor, and is overlying Gassum aquifer. The Skagerrak
covered by a Quaternary section which is Formation in the Norwegian sector is
typically less than 100 m thick. The sealing poorly known, and with more data it is
risks include faults, fracturing above salt possible that a storage potential could be
structures and long distance migration defined. In the figure, the outlined area
towards the sea floor. The red areas in the indicates where the Skagerrak Formation
map shows where the burial depth is less is buried to less than 2000 m.
A'
Top of the Gassum Formation

N S
Gassum Fm ms
500
Rock volume 6500 Gm3
Pore volume 756 Gm3 1000

Average permeability 450 mD 1500
Storage efficiency 5,5 %
Storage capacity prospectivity 2000
Reservoir quality
capacity 2 2500
Top Balder Fm
injectivity 3 Top Cretaceous
Seal quality Base upper Cretaceous
Near base Boknfjord Fm
seal 3 3000 Top Sandnes Fm
Intra Bryne Fm
fractured seal 2 Top Fjerritslev Fm
wells 3 3500
Top Gassum Fm
Top Skagerrak Fm
Data quality Top Permian
Maturation
2350 m
Seismic section across the Farsund Basin. The Gassum aquifer is located between the red and the
dark blue horizon at the base of the Jurassic section.
65
Paleogene Mounds, Stord Basin
4.2.1 Saline aquifers The Hugin East Formation aquifer
3° 4°
60°
Paleogene mounds thickness Paleocene mounds

10 - 20 m
Hugin Fm (east) Top Paleocene
20 - 60 m
60 - 100 m Oil 100 m
100 - 140 m Gas
140 - 160 m Oil w/gas
Gas/Condensate
3200 m
Paleogene mounds
60°0'0"N
59°0'0"N
59°
3° 4° 5° 6°
3° 4° 5° 6°
Paleogene mounds Hugin East Aquifer

This prospect is based on seismic 2D interpretation on a mounded reflector in the Paleocene/ One well has been drilled in this aquifer, which has been mapped
Eocene sequence in the central part of the Stord Basin. The reflection pattern has been interpreted on 2D seismic data. The reservoir rock is equivalent to the Hugin
as a possible deep marine fan system which could have a high content of reservoir sand. There are and Sandnes Formations, and is believed to have good quality. A
few wells in the area, and sand have not been proved by drilling in this particular interval. If sand is simplified calculation of theoretical storage capacity was carried
present, the mapped structure can be regarded as a structural/stratigraphical trap with good seals. out, using a constant net gross value and a porosity trend similar to
The aquifer outside the mapped structure is considered to be limited. Calculation of storage capaci- the Sandnes Formation.
ty is based on 28 % porosity and a net gross ratio of 0.8 within a closed aquifer volume.
Mounds, Stord basin Hugin fm east of the Utsira High

Storage system half open Storage system half open
Rock volume 45 Gm3 Rock volume 19 Gm3
Pore volume 10 Gm3 Pore volume 2.5 Gm3
Average depth 1900 m Average depth 1700 m
Average permeability 1000 mD Average permeability 500 mD
Storage efficiency 0.8 % Storage efficiency 5,5 %
Storage capacity aquifer Storage capacity aquifer 100 Mt
Storage capacity prospectivity 50 Mt Storage capacity prospectivity
Reservoir quality Reservoir quality
capacity 2 capacity 1
injectivity 2 injectivity 3
Seal quality Seal quality
seal 3 seal 3
fractured seal 3 fractured seal 3
wells 3 wells 3
Data quality Data quality
Maturation Maturation
co2storageATLAS
66
4.2.1 Saline aquifers The Fiskebank Formation aquifer (The Siri trend)
In the Norwegian-Danish Basin, deep water sandstones Well log 9/11-1

of upper Palaeocene age, hold some smaller hydrocarbon
fields and discoveries on the Danish sector close to the
border with Norway. The sands on the Norwegian side have
been drilled by the dry well 3/6-1 and are highly porous and
permeable.
The suggested Fiskebank Formation aquifer is located
in a depression in the top chalk surface as shown in the fig-
ure. More wells are needed to confirm the existence of high
quality sands.
There is some hydrocarbon exploration activity in this
area, which is not considered to be fully explored.
The sealing capacity of the Paleocene caprocks is generally
thought to be good. Fracturing related to salt structures
may occur.
nd
tre
iri
,S
Fm
a nk
k eb
Fi s
Fiskebank Fm, (Siri trend)

Storage system half open 0
Rock volume 100 Gm3
Pore volume 25 Gm3 -500
Average depth
-1000
Average permeability 1000 mD Top of the chalk surface. The polygon shows the location of the
Storage efficiency 5.5 % Fiskebank Formation aquifer. -1500
Storage capacity prospectivity -2000
Reservoir quality
-2500
capacity 3
injectivity 3 -3000
Seal quality
seal 3 -3500
fractured seal 3 -4000

wells 3 0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5
Data quality Paleocene model porosity

Maturation Paleocene porosity data
67
4.2.2 Abandoned hydrocarbon fields
Storage in abandoned fields The Frigg field is studied in more detail and simu- Abandoned fields Storage capacity, Gt
The estimate of CO2 storage potential in the petroleum lated due to its large storage potential. The fields and
provinces is based on abandoned fields. This is in accor- the main aquifers in the petroleum CO2 storage in depleted fields 3 Gt
dance with the Governmental policy that any negative provinces in the North Sea are shown in the maps. Producing fields
consequences of CO2 storage projects for existing and Many of the big fields in the Lower –Middle
future petroleum activity should be minimized. Jurassic Statfjord, Brent and Sleipner aquifers are locat- Close of production in 2030 4 Gt
At the end of 2013 there are 12 abandoned fields ed in areas with weak to moderate overpressure. In Close of production in 2050 6 Gt
on the Norwegian shelf. Of these three oil fields, four parts of the aquifers, the pressure has been depleted
Storage potensial in the
gas-condensate fields and five gas fields. Of the 12 due to production. The highly overpressured parts of
Troll field is not included,
fields, CO2 storage volumes have been calculated for the aquifers (red color in the pressure maps) are not
expected to be available after 2050.
nine. The chosen fields have been pressure depleted, suitable for CO2 injection.
and the calculations are based on material balance, The Sognefjord and Hugin aquifers are hydrostati-
taking into account the produced volumes of oil, con- cally pressured to weakly overpressured. The aquifers
densate and gas. Some of the fields are chalk fields in surrounding the big gas fields have been depleted The Paleocene and Eocene Ty, Heimdal, Hermod,
the Ekofisk area with low permeability reservoirs. To get due to gas production. The Ula Formation has oil fields Balder and Frigg Formations constitute a large hydrostat-
decent injection rates, the wells need to be long with which are weakly overpressured and relatively deeply ically pressured aquifer with both oil and gas fields. There
advanced completions. The fields have an EOR poten- buried. is a significant pressure depletion due to gas production
tial because they contain a rest of hydrocarbons that The chalk formations in the southern part of the in Frigg and Heimdal. The storage potential in the aban-
might be mobilized and produced during the injection. Norwegian sector have low permeabilities and have doned Frigg Field is presented in the following section.
The CO2 storage capacity for today’s producing fields not been evaluated for CO2 storage. The large oil fields The table shows an evaluation of
are estimated based on the close of the production have interesting potential for use of CO2 to enhance storage potential in abandoned fields and in today's pro-
year, and summarized for the years 2030 and 2050. the recovery (section 8). ducing fields, based on close of production year.
62°0'0"N 62°
Oil Oil
Gas Gas
Oil w/gas Oil w/gas
Gas/Condensate Gas/Condensate
Brent Gp Sognefjord Fm
61°0'0"N Sleipner Fm 61° Hugin Fm
Medium overpressure Ula Fm
Weak overpressure Medium overpressure
60° Highly overpressured Weak overpressure
Highly overpressured
60°0'0"N 60°
59°0'0"N 59°
59°
58°0'0"N 58°
Approximate limit for significant

hydrocarbon migration
58° Heimdal Fm 57°
57°0'0"N
Frigg Fm
Oil
Gas
Oil w/gas
Gas/Condensate
56°0'0"N 56°
2° 3° 4° 5° 6° 2°0'0"E 3°0'0"E 4°0'0"E 5°0'0"E 6°0'0"E 7°0'0"E 8°0'0"E 2° 3° 4° 5° 6° 7° 8°
Frigg and Heimdal Formations. Brent Gp and Sleipner Fm, and overpressured areas. Sognefjord, Hugin and Ula Formations
Hydrostatic pressure/underpressure
co2storageATLAS
68
Lower Jurassic Bridport sandstone, Dorset, England. High porosity, good reservoir quality sandstone with calcite cemented beds and nodules, deposited in a shallow marine environ-
ment. The thickness of the sandstone formation in this area is 40-50 m. The Bridport sandstone has been regarded as a reservoir analog for the Sognefjord Formation in the Troll area.
Photo: NPD
69
Frigg field depth in the area is about 100 m. compaction regions. The main cases run in Table 5.2.1. The range in methane gas
The Frigg field was abandoned in 2004 The initial gas in-place volume was were the following: volume produced is due to the uncertain-
after 27 years of gas production. The field 247 GSm3, of which about 191 GSm3 has 1. Production of remaining gas together ty in trapped gas saturation, where low
was produced together with Nordøst been recovered. with CO2 injection values of trapped gas correspond to high
Frigg, Lille-Frigg, Øst Frigg and Odin, A CO2 injection study was done by the 2. Injection with closed aquifer, no gas volumes produced. Base case trapped gas
which used the process facilities on Frigg. NPD in 2010 to see if the abandoned field production saturation (Sgr) is 0.28 and gives 0.3 Gsm3.
The field is located approximately 190 km and its satellites might be a candidate for 3. Injection with leaking aquifer, no gas An Sgr of 0.14 gives 18.8 GSm3.
west of Haugesund in Norway. Frigg is a future CO2 storage. A reservoir simulation production. In cases 2 and 3, pressure builds up
transboundary field between Norway and model made by Total for the full field was from about 183 bar in Frigg, which is
the UK. used and converted to an Eclipse E300 In case 1, 10 mill Sm3/d of CO2 was about 20 bars below initial pressure, to
The reservoir consists of unconsolidat- compositional model. The model was injected for 55 years from one well in 208 bars in case 2 and 278 bars in case 3.
ed sand in the upper part. The properties matched both with regard to PVT and pro- the aquifer, and remaining methane gas The behaviour of CO2 in the formation
are generally very good with porosity duction history. The fluid was described was produced from the top of the Frigg water has a long-term effect, as more and
ranging from 27% to 32% and permeabili- with four component groups: CO2, N2+C1, field. In cases 2 and 3, CO2 injection with more of the free CO2 will dissolve. This
ty from 1 to 5 Darcy. C2-C6 and water. 10 and 50 mill Sm3/d was applied in an leads to heavier formation water which
The initial gas pressure was 197.9 bars The simulation model included a huge open aquifer. An open aquifer was simu- will start to move downward as shown in
at 1900 m MSL, and the initial aquifer aquifer around the Frigg fields. The model lated by producing water in the corners the figure.
pressure (Sele/Lista formations) was found is shown in the lower right figure with grid of the aquifer, thus keeping the pressure
to be 223.4 bars at 2191 m MSL. The water cells, hydrocarbon accumulation and rock increase quite slow. The results are shown
FRIGGOMRÅDET
Odin
Nordøst Frigg
30/11-7
60°N Lille-frigg
Frigg
Øst Frigg
25/2-17
Frøy
Vale
Vilje
24/6-1 Peik Skirne
Alvheim Heimdal
25/4-10 A
Volund
59°30'N 25/4-10 S Jotun
25/8-17
Frigg field with satellites. Hydrocarbon

fields in the Frigg area
2°E
Structural map of the Frigg field with all wells
co2storageATLAS
70
Case Description Gas produced, Injection Injection rate Pressure CO2 injected Storage efficiency,
GSm3 period, years increase, bar Mt % of PV (incl. aquifer)
1 Gas production and CO2 injection 0.3 – 18.8 55 10 445 0.06
2 Injection in half open aquifer 85 10 25 689 0.09
3 Injection in half open aquifer 85 50 95 3443 0.46
The results show that remaining gas can be produced without CO2 contamination into the gas.
Conclusion production out of the aquifer.

The Frigg field has a large potential for CO2 storage due Some thought should be given to the abandoned
to remaining gas in the field itself and a huge aquifer wells on the Frigg field and its satellites as their seal-
that is connected to the field. The simulation shows ing capacity for CO2 has not been studied in detail. If
that there is a higher potential than what is simulated if storage is implemented in Frigg, integrity studies and
the pressure increase is compensated with more water monitoring of the old wells will be an important issue. Simulation model
Diffusion coefficient for CO2 in water

Gas saturations through massive injection and production
CO2 injuction phase
2015 2050 2100
Gas saturation
Mole fraction of CO2

in water CO2 production phase
2200 2250 2300
Water density
Long term effects of CO2 injection for two alternative values of

diffusion coefficient.
The figure shows the gas saturation during the injection and production. Some of the CO2 will be
trapped behind the waterfront due to relative permeability effects. No diffusion is assumed in this case.
50 MSm3/d. CO2 injection during 2015-2100 and reproduction from year 2200 at 5 MSm3/d.
71
4.2.3 Summary
The results of the evaluation of theoretical storage

Evaluated Aquifers Bulk Pore Density Storage
capacity in the North Sea are summarized in the tables. Avg Depth volume volume Avg K Open/closed Storage eff Storage Vol in reservoir Capasity
Excluding the aquifers in the petroleum systems, two
Unit m Gm3 Gm3 mD % GRm3 kg/m3 Gt
aquifers with significantly greater theoretical storage
potential than the others have been identified. These Utsira Formasjon and Skade 1000 2500 530 >1000 Open 4 21 750 15.77
are the Utsira – Skade Formation aquifer and the Bryne – Bryne/Sandnes Formations 1700 5000 440 150 Half open 4.5 20 690 13.60
Sandnes Formation aquifer. Sognefjord Delta East 1750 550 110 300 Half open 5.5 5.9 690 4.09
The Utsira Formation is already used by the petro-
Statfjord Gp East 2400 1100 120 200 Half open 4.5 5.4 660 3.59
leum industry for CO2 storage. Structures in the Utsira
Formation which are equivalent to the site used for the Gassum Formation 1700 650 76 450 Half open 5.5 4.2 680 2.85
Sleipner injection have been classified within the 3rd Farsund Basin 2000 860 82 150 Half open 4 3.3 700 2.30
level of the maturation pyramid. Only about 25 % of Johansen and Cook Form. 1700 N/A 91 300 Faults 3 2.7 650 1.78
the total pore volume of the Utsira – Skade aquifer has
Fiskebank Formation 1600 100 25 1000 Half open 5.5 1.4 700 0.96
been included in the calculation of storage capacity. The
reason is that the top of the aquifer is too shallow to be Stord basin, Jurassic model 1450 270 16 5 - 20 Half open 0.8 0.14 710 0.10
suitable for CO2 storage. Hugin East 1700 19 2 500 Half open 5.5 0.13 700 0.09
The Bryne-Sandnes aquifer has a lower level of
maturity than the Utsira formation. In any proposed
storage site, reservoir quality and seal integrity must be
studied carefully. The aquifer is located in a salt basin, Evaluated Prospects Bulk Pore Density Storage
and closed structures formed by salt tectonics may be Avg Depth volume volume Avg K Open/closed Storage eff Storage Vol in reservoir Capacity
attractive for CO2 injection. Unit m Gm3 Gm3 mD % GRm3 kg/m3 Mt
The Johansen – Cook Formation aquifer has a small- Bryne/Sandnes1 1700 13 1.6 150 Open 20 0.32 0.69 220
er pore volume than the two aquifers mentioned above,
Bryne/Sandnes2 1700 3.3 0.15 150 Open 20 0.030 0.69 21
but it has good reservoir and seal properties. A potential
storage site in the Johansen Formation has recently Johansen 2900 N/A N/A 300 Half Open N/A N/A N/A 150
been matured by Gassnova, and is here included in the Stord Basin mounds 1900 45 9.7 1000 Closed 0.8 0.078 0.69 53
3rd step of the pyramid.
In the petroleum provinces, the storage potential
Bulk Pore
was calculated from the extracted volume of hydro- Total aquifers
Avg Depth Avg K Open/closed
volume volume
carbons in depleted fields. The main contribution to Unit m Gm3 Gm3 mD
the present theoretical storage capacity comes from
Utsira total 1000 8500 1800 >1000 Open
the abandoned Frigg Field and its satellites, which are
located in the huge Frigg-Heimdal Formation aquifer. Sognefjorddelta total 1750 2700 480 300 Half open
The increase of storage capacity in abandoned fields has
been estimated for 2030 and 2050. The storage capacity Storage Capacity
of that part of the large Sognefjord Delta aquifer which Abandoned and producing Fields
Gt
belongs to the Troll Field has been grouped together Abandoned fields 3
with the abandoned fields. Producing fields
CO2 storage in abandoned and depleted fields will
Close of production within 2030 4
usually require a careful study of the integrity of the
wells which have been drilled into the field. If oil has Close of production within 2050 6
been present, it is relevant to study the potential for
enhanced recovery by CO2 injection. The CO2 storage
potential achieved by potential EOR projects is dis-
cussed, but has not been quantified in this study.
co2storageATLAS
72
4.2.3 Summary
Storage capacity in Gt and technical maturity

Aquifers

Basin/reservoir Storage capacity Maturity
Total Blue Green Yellow
Utsira and Skade 15.8 14.8 1
Bryne/Sandnes southern parts 13.6 13.6
Sognefjord Delta East 4.1 4.1
Statfjord Gp East 3.6 3.6
Gassum 2.9 2.9
Bryne/Sandnes Farsund basin 2.3 2.3
Johansen and Cook 1.8 1.7 0.1
Fiskebank 1 1
Hugin East 0.1 0.1
Stord basin, Jura 0.1 0.1
Stord basin , mounds 0.05 0.05
Based on injection history

Field related
Blue Green Yellow
Abandoned fields 3 3 Development of injection site
Fields in production 2030 4 4
2050 6 6
Sognefjord delta including Troll 14 14 Suitable for long term storage
Injectio
n
Effectiv Gt )
Exploration
ea nd safe
storage
1,1 elds
(fi
Cut off Gt
c riteria 24
on volu
me/con Gt+
flict of
interes
t
43
Volume
t
4G
calcula
ted on increased TECHNICAL
averag MATURITY
ep orosity
and thi
ckness
73

The Norwegian North Sea

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

The Norwegian North Sea

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

4.

The Norwegian North Sea

Møre Central Norwegian- Southern Horda

Eoc Olig Mio Plio Plei Holo Series

Hermod Hermod Hermod Sele

U Sant Hod Hod

Blodøks Blodøks Blodøks

Cen Hidra Hidra Svarte Svarte

Stord Valang Åsgard Åsgard Åsgard Mime

Berr Mandal Sauda

Utsira Stavanger L Plienc

U Nor Skagerrak Lunde Lunde Lunde

High Platform Teist Teist Teist

Zechstein Upper Rotliegend 2

Farsund Basin lupian Roadian

Calcareous shales, limestone and marl stringers

Lithostratigraphic chart of the North Sea (NPD)

Age Formations & Groups Evaluated Aquifers

Grid Fm. million years

vician Silurian Devonian Jurassic Cretaceous gene gene

Vestland Group contains similar deltaic

marginal marine sandstones. The most B

Late Jurassic and lasted into the Early

sode, major block faulting caused uplift

most important source rock and also

faciesmap bajocian faciesmap Mid- to late Callovian Well log 33/9-1

Depth to the mid Jurassic Depth to the top Jurassic

Sleipner Fm Hugin Fm (east)

Contour interval 200 m

In the type well (33/12-2) the base of the Statfjord Gp is 1600 m

defined at the transition from the fining upward mega- 8700 m

Øygarden Fault Complex against the Fennoscandian Shield

2335 m, porosities between 16-28% and permeabilities in 100 - 150 m

the order of 250-4000 mD have been reported. 200 - 250 m

The Gassum Fm in the Norwegian-Danish Basin is time

equivalent to the Statfjord Gp. Contour interval 50 m 61°

Lower to Middle Jurassic Well log 31/2-1

marine/marginal marine sandstones. The upper boundary is the

shelf. It is distributed widely in the East Shetland Basin and in the 2° 3° 4° 5° 6° 7°

northern Viking Graben, forming a seal to the underlying Statfjord

The Cook Fm (Pliensbachian to Toarcian) is dominated by sand-

The Johansen Fm has its type area on the 3300 m

of the Amundsen Fm. Thus, the Amundsen -1200

of the Horda Platform and north towards -1800

the Horda Platform the formation thickens -2200

to the west towards the northern Viking

Graben area. In the Troll Field, where the

Core photo well 31/2-3, 2116-2118 m

of coals, mudstones, siltstones and fine to medium sandstones.

the Huldra Field. As a result there is a complex distribution of porosi-

The Rannoch Fm (Upper Toarcian to Bajocian) in the type area

Heather Fm on the gigantic Troll Field on the northern

bon content. The Krossfjord, Fensfjord and Sognefjord 100 - 150 m

the Horda Platform and northwards towards 62oN.

tilted fault blocks, reflecting pre and syn-depositional 300 m

fault activity and differential subsidence. The thick- 6800 m

nesses in wells vary from a few meters up to 1039 m. Viking Gp

The Heather Fm (Upper Middle Jurassic to Upper

an open marine environment. The type well for the 60°

Heather Fm is well 211/21-1A (UK) and 33/9-1. The

The Draupne Fm (Upper Jurassic/Lower 59° Thickness of the Krossfjord Fm

formation overlies the sandstones of the Sognefjord

circulation, often with anaerobic conditions. This led