Correlation of the Upper Oligocene–Miocene deltaic to shelfal ......Correlation of the Upper Oligocene–Miocene deltaic to shelfal succession onshore Denmark with similar deposits

543

NORWEGIAN JOURNAL OF GEOLOGY Vol 99 Nr. 4

https://dx.doi.org/10.17850/njg99-4-1

Tor Eidvin1, Erik Skovbjerg Rasmussen2, Fridtjof Riis1, Karen Dybkjær2 & Kari Grøsfjeld3

1Norwegian Petroleum Directorate (NPD), Professor Olav Hanssens vei 10, P. O. Box 600, NO–4003 Stavanger, Norway.2Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland (GEUS), Øster Voldgade 10, DK–1350, Copenhagen K, Denmark.3Geological Survey of Norway, Leif Eirikssons vei 39, P. O. Box 6315 Torgarden, NO–7491 Trondheim, Norway

E-mail corresponding author (Tor Eidvin): [email protected]

The almost complete, mainly deltaic, upper Paleogene and Neogene succession in Jylland, Denmark, was previously investigated for 87Sr/86Sr ratios in 143 samples from 18 localities. In the present paper, strontium-isotope data from the Upper Oligocene–Lower Miocene parts and foraminiferal and pyritised diatoms data from 94 of these samples were used to correlate with previously published data from Norwegian wells and boreholes and one borehole in the British sector of the North Sea. For the Middle–Upper Miocene parts of the succession the correlation is based mainly on Bolboforma data. The ages of the geological formations in the Danish succession correlate readily with lithological units in the Norwegian North Sea, the Norwegian Sea shelf and the East Shetland Platform, which have all been investigated applying similar methods. The Bolboforma assemblages have their origin in the North Atlantic and the Norwegian Sea and confirm the presence of an open strait in the northern North Sea. This strait was the only seaway passage into the North Sea Basin during the Miocene. The glauconitic Utsira Formation sand (approximately 5.7–4.2 Ma), in the threshold area close to the outlet to the Norwegian Sea, overlies erosional unconformities comprising hiati of 21 my in some areas and 13 my in other areas. We believe that the unconformity below the Utsira Formation was mainly related to a fall in sea level in the Late Miocene, contemporaneous with that partly responsible for the Messinian salinity crisis. Bolboforma and dinoflagellate cysts stratigraphy indicate that the base of the Molo Formation in its southern distribution area (Draugen Field, Trøndelag Platform) is of Late Miocene age (close to 9 Ma). This part of the Molo Formation was contemporaneous with the middle/upper part of the Kai Formation.

Keywords: Sr isotope stratigraphy, foraminiferal stratigraphy, Bolboforma stratigraphy, upper Paleogene-Neogene correlation, Denmark, North Sea, Norwegian Sea shelf, Norwegian Sea.

Received 30. May 2019 / Accepted 25. September 2019 / Published online 30. October 2019

Correlation of the Upper Oligocene–Miocene deltaic to shelfal succession onshore Denmark with similar deposits in the northern North Sea and Norwegian Sea shelf based on Sr isotope-, bio- and seismic stratigraphy—a review

Introduction

A correlation between the well-dated outcropping Upper Oligocene–Miocene succession in Denmark (Eidvin et al., 2014a) and the offshore succession in the Norwegian North Sea, East Shetland Platform and Norwegian Sea shelf (Eidvin, 2016; Eidvin et al., 2013, 2014b) is a key for

understanding the palaeogeography and infill history of the North Sea basin. A proper dating of the sedimentary units and recognition of the extent of hiatuses are necessary for this purpose.

Thin-walled calcareous microfossils such as foraminifera and Bolboforma are generally sparse in the Danish

Eidvin, T., Rasmussen, E.S., Riis, F., Dybkjær, K. & Grøsfjeld, K. 2019: Correlation of the Upper Oligocene–Miocene deltaic to shelfal succession onshore Denmark with similar deposits in the northern North Sea and Norwegian Sea shelf based on Sr isotope-, bio- and seismic stratigraphy – a review. Norwegian Journal of Geology 99, 543–573. https://dx.doi.org/10.17850/njg99-4-1.

© Copyright the authors.This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.



Boreholes/wells

Studied localitiesExposures

50 km

53°N

55°N

57°N

8°E 10°E 12°E

Limfjorden

Salling

Præstbjerg

Fasterholt

Føvling

Gram

Lille TøndeHørup Hav

Bøgeskov

Fakkegrav

Klintinghoved

Sweden

Gram-2 Rødding

Sdr. Vium

Harre-1

Dykær

Sjælland

Fyn

Jylland

Germany

DenmarkLyby Strand

Jensgård

Brejning Vejle Fjord

North Sea JyllandFrida-1

Lone-1

Tove-1

S-1

100 km

Fig. 1

T. Eidvin et al.544

onshore upper Paleogene and Neogene successions. This is either due to their dissolution by humic acid in the pore water or they were not present in the most marginal marine environments. However, from the stratigraphic borehole Rødding (DGU nr. 141.1141) in southern Jylland (Fig. 1), Eidvin et al. (2013) were able to retrieve foraminifera, Bolboforma and mollusc shells from most sections (Figs. 1 & 2). In several sites, investigated for fossil dinoflagellate cysts (dinocysts) by Dybkjær & Piasecki (2010), thick-walled tests of molluscs have been quite resistant to dissolution. These are present where foraminifera are absent, and Eidvin et al. (2014a) succeeded to retrieve molluscs and/or mollusc fragments from a number of samples for strontium isotope analyses from these sites (Table 1).

Eidvin et al. (2014a) presented a comparison and a discussion of the Danish strontium-isotope and dinocyst data. They concluded that the Sr isotope ages from the lower part of the Danish Miocene succession, i.e., the latest Oligocene–Early Miocene Brejning to Odderup formations, agree with the age estimates based on dinocysts. However, the 87Sr/86Sr ratios of fossil carbonates from the Middle–Upper Miocene, Hodde to Gram formations consistently indicate ages older than those recorded by the dinocysts (Fig. 2). Post-depositional processes as an explanation for this offset are inconsistent with the good preservation of the shell material. There is also restricted reworking. Eidvin et al. (2014a) suggested that limited oceanic exchange with the inner North Sea Basin might have caused the observed Sr isotope ratios.

Figure 1. Map of onshore and offshore Denmark showing wells, boreholes and outcrops analysed for dinocysts (Dybkjær & Piasecki, 2010), Bolboforma and foraminifera (Eidvin et al. 2013). It also shows the sites where shell material has been Sr dated. Small circles: Outcrops and boreholes which formed the basis for the dinocyst study (Dybkjær & Piasecki, 2010). Large circles: Outcrops and boreholes that formed the basis for the dinocyst study (Dybkjær & Piasecki, 2010) as well as the present Sr isotope study.

NORWEGIAN JOURNAL OF GEOLOGY Correlation of the Upper Oligocene–Miocene deltaic to shelfal succession onshore Denmark with similar deposits 545Ta

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NORWEGIAN JOURNAL OF GEOLOGY Correlation of the Upper Oligocene–Miocene deltaic to shelfal succession onshore Denmark with similar deposits 547

Loca

litie

sLi

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T. Eidvin et al.548

The purpose of the present paper is to correlate the data from the Danish succession (published in Eidvin et al., 2014a) with similar data in wells in the northern North Sea (Figs. 1–3; published in Eidvin, 2016 and Eidvin et al., 2013, 2014b). Since Eidvin et al. (2014a) showed that the strontium-isotope data from the Middle–Upper Miocene part of the Danish succession are not reliable and cannot be trusted, we have only used the strontium-isotope data from the Upper Oligocene–Lower Miocene part of this succession (Table 1). For the Middle–Upper Miocene part, the correlation is based on comparing the Bolboforma and foraminiferal assemblages in the Rødding borehole with similar assemblages in the Norwegian and British wells and boreholes and the deep-sea record (Figs. 4–8). Dinocyst correlation is also used in some areas. Eidvin et al. (2013, 2014b) have substantiated the approximate synchronicity of the upper Paleogene and Neogene delta and distal sediments in different parts of the North Sea (Figs. 9–12). In the present paper we present a more detailed correlation.

In a number of previous studies, more than 2000 samples, in more than 55 Norwegian wells and boreholes and one British well, have been analysed for benthic and planktonic foraminifera, Bolboforma and pyritised diatoms. As an additional control, and in order to increase the stratigraphic resolution, around 1500 samples from the same wells and boreholes, were analysed for 87Sr/86Sr ratios (Eidvin, 2016; Eidvin et al., 2013, 2014b). Most of the analysed samples were ditch cuttings, whereas sidewall cores and conventional core samples were available in some wells. Figures 1 and 2 in Eidvin et al. (2013) and figures 17 and 18 in Eidvin et al. (2014b) show the location of the analysed sidewall cores, conventional core samples and ditch cuttings. Caved material is often a problem when analysing ditch cuttings, whereas reworked material is always a problem regardless of types of samples. This is discussed in the papers where the detailed results of the analysis are presented (Eidvin, 2016; Eidvin & Rundberg, 2007; Eidvin et al. 2007, 2013, 2014b and papers referred to in Eidvin et al. 2013, 2014b). These papers compare the ages provided by Sr isotope correlations with ages given by biostratigraphic correlations and discuss the uncertainties. In the northern North Sea, common soft-sediment deformation and sand injection in the lower part of the Utsira Formation, which are mainly restricted to the depocentres (Riis & Eidvin, 2015, 2016), may also complicate the dating of the sediments. All wells have been tied to high-quality seismic data. The strontium data, which are used for the correlations in the present paper, are based on fossil tests interpreted to be in situ or having an age which does not deviate very much from the depositional age.

The 87Sr/86Sr ratios were converted to age estimates using the Strontium isotope stratigraphy (SIS) look-up

Table 2. Comparison of the Oligocene to Pleistocene time scale of Berggren et al. (1995) and Cohen et al. (2013, updated 2018). Please note that after Berggren et al. (1995), series/epochs, sub-series/sub-epochs and stages/ages are all formal chronostratigraphic units. After Cohen et al. (2013, updated 2018), series/epochs and stages/ages are formal chronostratigraphic units.

Berggren etal. (1995)

Cohen etal. (2013,

updated 2018)

Pleistocene

Zanclean

Messinian

Tortonian

Up

per

/Lat

eU

pp

er/L

ate

Mid

dle

Low

er/E

arly

Low

er/E

arly

Serravalian

Langhian

Burdigalian

Aquitanian

Chattian

Rupelian

Priabonian

37

33.7

28.5

23.8

20.5

16.4

14.8

11.2

7.12

5.32

Piacenz. 3.5Gelasian 2.6

1.85

Plei

sto-

cene

Zanclean

Messinian

Tortonian

Serravalian

Langhian

Burdigalian

Aquitanian

Chattian

Rupelian

Priabonian

37.8

33.9

27.8

23.0

20.4

16.0

13.82

11.62

7.25

5.33

Piacenz. 3.6

0Ma

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

GelasianUpper/Late

Sub-series/sub-epochs

Stages/ages

Stages/ages

Lower/Early

Olig

ocen

eM

ioce

nePl

ioce

neSe

ries/

epoc

hs

Table 2


on the tables of Howarth & McArthur (1997, 2004) are listed (Table 1). There is currently no SIS look-up table that is based on the new time scale of Cohen et al. (2013, updated 2018). Table 2 shows that, for the post-Eocene, absolute ages for the time scales of Berggren et al. (1995) and Cohen et al. (2013, updated 2018) do not deviate very much. The most important difference is that in Cohen et al. (2013, updated 2018), the base Pleistocene is moved from 1.85 to 2.588 Ma.

table of Howarth & McArthur (1997; Eidvin et al., 2013, Fig. 3). Consequently, to facilitate correlation with successions on the Norwegian continental shelf, we have also converted the Sr ratios to age estimates using the same look-up table in the present paper. This look-up table is based on the time scale of Berggren et al. (1995), and this time scale is used throughout the present paper. The dinocyst zonation of Dybkjær & Piasecki (2010) is based on the time scale of Gradstein et al. (2004). In the paper of Eidvin et al. (2014a) age estimates are based on the revised look-up table of Howard & McArthur (2004), which in turn is based on the time scale of Gradstein et al. (2004). In the present paper, age estimates based

Plio. Zanclean

Messinian

Tortonian

Måd

e G

roup

Rib

e G

roup

Serravallian

Mio

cene

Neo

gen

e

10

15

20

25 Chattian

Langhian

Burdigalian

Aquitanian

Olig

ocen

e

Up

per

Up

per

Mid

dle

Low

er5

Pale

ogen

ePe

riod

SW NE EpochMa Age Lithostratigraphy

Sequenceboundaries andSr-datings (Ma)

Marbæk Fm

Gram Fm

Ørnhøj Fm

Hodde Fm

Arnum Fm

Stauning MbOdderup Fm

Bastrup Fm

Fasterholt Mb

Vandel MbResen Mb

Klintinghoved Fm

Vejle Fjord Fm

Brejning Fm

Brejning Fm

Skansebakke Mb

Kolding Fjord Mb

Øksenrade Mb

Billund FmHvidbjerg Mb

Addit Mb

BCD

A

ESequence boundaries:

Marine silt and clayMarine sand

Fluvial sand and gravel

Hiatus

Brackish water silt and clay

Coal

17.2♦-10.3♦

17.1♦-15.3♦

20.5-16.6

17.4-15.8

23.9-20.0

24.4-22.8

25.7-23.5

♦ = These ages are considerably older than the ages obtained from dinocyst correlations according to Eidvin et al. (2014a).

Fig. 2

Figure 2. Lithostratigraphy of the Danish uppermost Oligocene–Miocene (from Rasmussen et al., 2010). The column to the right shows the palynological stratigraphy of Dybkjær & Piasecki (2010) and the main results of the strontium-isotope datings of mollusc tests from outcrop and borehole samples. Please note that the stratigraphy of Rasmussen et al. (2010) and Dybkjær & Piasecki (2010) is based on the time scale of Gradstein et al. (2004). The strontium-isotope stratigraphy is based on the look-up table of Howarth & McArthur (1997) which again is based on the time scale of Berggren et al. (1995). The use of Howarth & McArthur’s (1997) table is to facilitate correlation with successions on the Norwegian continental shelf. In the strontium-isotope analyses (Table 1), age estimates based on Howarth & McArthur (2004) are also listed.

T. Eidvin et al.550

4°

0˚

56˚

64˚

60˚

18˚

4°

59°

9°

0˚ 9°

N

4°

Shetland

Shelf break

Part

ly e

rode

d

SWEDEN

NORWAY

0 25 50 100 kilometres

Fig. 3

Possible drainage route to Oligocene-Miocene deposit

Based on onshore morphology and o�shore deposition patterns

Based on provenance studies, onshore morphology and o�shore deposition patterns

Present water divide

Paleo water divide

Areas with abundantriver captures

Erod

ed

DENMARK

LEGENDWells and boreholes analysed for Sr isotopesOther wells/boreholes investigated or referred to Hutton sand (Oligocene - Pleistocene; mapped)Utsira Formation (Upper Miocene - Lower Pliocene; mapped)Molo Formation (Upper Miocene - Lower Pliocene) Thick Skade Formation (Lower Miocene; mapped)Thin and distal Skade Formation (Lower Miocene; mapped)Eir formation (informal; Middle Miocene; mapped)Lower Miocene (Burdigalian - early Langhian) delta sand (Denmark; mapped)Lowermost Miocene (Aquitanian) delta sand (Denmark; mapped)Oligocene sands (conceptual model)Lower Oligocene argillaceous wedge unit (conceptual model)North Sea Oligocene play (NOL-1)according to the NPD (mapped)

Fig. 12

6610/2-1 S

6610/7-16610/7-2

6609/5-1

6510/2-1

6508/5-1

6507/12-1

6407/9-2 6407/9-16407/9-5

6403/5-GB-1

6404/11-1

6607/5-2

6704/12-GB1

6607/5-1

6610/3-1

6609/11-1

6305/4-16305/5-1

34/2-434/4-6Fig. 13

30/5-2

34/4-734/8-1

34/7-1

16/1-216/2-14

16/3-5

26/10-116/1-4

24/12-125/10-2

15/9-1315/12-3

34/8-3 A

35/3-1

25/2-10 S

9/09a-A23

36/1-2

34/7-2

15/9-A-23

2/2-2

2/4-C-11

11/10-19/12-1

49-23

Lone 1Frida 1

Nini 1

R-1X

C-1X

Hjøllund

Ulfborg

Resen

MausingHolstebro

Fjand Sorring

Rødding

35/11-135/11-14 S

31/3-1

34/10-1729/3-1

30/5-2

25/1-8 S

30/6-3

6507/5-1, /5-J-1 H


Geological setting

The Norwegian–Danish Basin was formed during the Permian–Triassic rifting (Ziegler, 1982, 1990; Berthelsen, 1992). The basin is bounded to the northeast by the so-called Sorgenfrei–Tornquist Zone and the southern boundary is formed by the Ringkøbing–Fyn High. Reactivation of fault blocks took place in the Jurassic and especially salt movements were associated with the Mid-Cimmerian tectonic phase (Vejbæk & Andersen, 1987; Berthelsen, 1992; Thybo, 2001). Regional subsidence characterised the basin from the Early Cretaceous. This period was still dominated by a paralic depositional setting. During the Late Cretaceous, inversion of former graben structures occurred, and resumed reactivation of salt structures probably commenced (Mogensen & Korstgård, 1993). The Late Cretaceous period was dominated by deposition of marine chalk, and adjacent to the Sorgenfrei–Tornquist Zone a 1–2 km-thick succession of chalk was formed. However, in the marginal areas of the Fennoscandian Shield, e.g. Scania, uplift of basement resulted in progradation of siliciclastic delta systems (Erlström, 1994). Continued subsidence in the North Sea characterised the Paleogene. Marine chalk, and later on marine clay, accumulated in the basin. Along the Sorgenfrei–Tornquist Zone, minor uplift/inversion of the flanks occurred in the Late Paleocene (Nielsen et al., 2005). Deposition of marine clay continued into the Eocene. Minor reactivation of salt structures commenced at the Eocene/Oligocene boundary. From the Oligocene, mud-dominated, mica-rich, marine sediments were deposited. During the latest Early Oligocene, sandy deltaic deposits started to accumulate in the northeastern part of the basin in the Norwegian sector of the North Sea (Eidvin et al., 2013). The change from clay-dominated to mud- and sand-dominated, mica-rich sediments was associated with progradation of sediments sourced in the Southern Scandes. Inversion of the Norwegian–Danish Basin took place at the Oligocene–Miocene boundary (Rasmussen, 2009, 2013). Early Miocene uplift of the Southern Scandes and a decreasing water depth in the Norwegian–Danish basin resulted in progradation of sand-rich deltaic deposits

in the eastern North Sea Basin throughout this period. During the Middle Miocene, the regional subsidence of the central North Sea Basin accelerated while the basin flanks became uplifted (Ziegler, 1990; Knox et al., 2010; Rasmussen & Dybkjær, 2014). In Denmark, this resulted in flooding of the margins and deposition of marine mud on top of the Lower Miocene deltaic deposits. Resumed delta progradation took place during the Late Miocene (Sørensen et al., 1997), and at this time the deltas reached the central part of the Danish North Sea Basin (Rasmussen et al., 2005, 2008). The Norwegian–Danish Basin was probably a land area during the Pliocene. However, the evidence for that has been destroyed by Quaternary uplift and erosion (Japsen, 1993).

The North Sea Basin is an epicontinental basin, confined by the Scandinavian and British landmasses, with a marine connection in the north to the Norwegian–Greenland Sea (Figs. 3 & 8). In the Norwegian sector, the basin comprises several major, Mesozoic highs and grabens of which the Central Graben in its south-central region and the Viking Graben in the north are dominant (see figure 7 in Eidvin et al., 2013 or figure 15 in Eidvin et al. 2014b). Tectonism ceased in the Cretaceous and the basin was subjected to post-rift subsidence and became filled by sediments sourced by the surrounding topographical highs. In the Paleocene–Eocene, the surrounding landmasses were uplifted and the North Sea Basin deepened. Deltaic sequences prograded into the deep basin from the Shetland Platform and West Norway. Progradation continued in the Oligocene and Miocene, but the source area was then mainly confined to the Shetland Platform (Eidvin & Rundberg, 2001, 2007; Gregersen & Johannessen, 2007; Rundberg & Eidvin, 2005; Eidvin et al., 2013). The depocentres typically contain 200–600 m of Oligocene to Lower Pliocene sands.

The Norwegian Sea and its continental shelf and slope contain various structural elements (see figure 6 in Eidvin et al., 2013 or figure 10 in Eidvin et al., 2014b). The Møre and Vøring basins are characterised by exceptionally thick Cretaceous successions and a complex Cretaceous and Cenozoic tectonic history (Blystad et al., 1995; Brekke, 2000). In Oligocene to Early Pliocene times, the Møre and Vøring basins were located in a distal position relative to sediment supply from Scandinavia, and pelagic ooze makes up a significant part of the succession. Large compressional structures were formed during Eocene and Middle Miocene tectonism. The Trøndelag Platform has remained tectonically stable since the Late Cretaceous. In the Late Miocene to Early Pliocene, there was a pronounced progradation of coastal sediments along the inner Norwegian Sea continental shelf (represented by the sandy Molo Formation, typically 100–200 m thick). Farther west on the present continental shelf, deposition of fine-grained clastic sediment and pelagic ooze prevailed, and contouritic deposits are common (Laberg et al., 2005).

Figure 3. Map showing wells and boreholes containing Oligocene to Lower Pliocene deposits analysed for strontium isotopes, the location of the interpreted seismic profiles (Figs. 12 &13) and the Oligocene to Lower Pliocene sandy deposits in the North Sea, Norwegian Sea and on the Norwegian Sea shelf mentioned in the text (the sites indicated in Figure 1 are not included; modified after Eidvin et al., 2013). The extent of the Oligocene sands and wedge units are according to Rundberg & Eidvin (2005). The extent of the Utsira, Eir (informal) and Skade formations in the North Sea is according to the NPD (unpublished data). The extent of the Molo Formation is after Bullimore et al. (2005), and the extent of the Hutton sand (informal) is after Gregersen & Johannessen (2007). The extent of the North Sea Oligocene play (NOL-1) is according to the Norwegian Petroleum Directorate web page (www.npd.no). The provenance study is after Olivarius (2009) and the topographic map is after Olesen et al. (2010).

»

http://www.npd.no

T. Eidvin et al.552

Figu

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a zo

natio

n of

the

OD

P Si

tes 6

42 a

nd 6

43 o

n th

e Vør

ing

Plat

eau

(Mül

ler &

Spi

egler

, 199

3). D

etai

led a

naly

sis re

sults

and

disc

ussio

ns a

re fo

und

in E

idvi

n &

Run

dber

g (2

007)

and

Eid

vin

et a

l. (2

013)

. All

the

sam

ples

are

ditc

h cu

tting

s, bu

t the

stro

ntiu

m d

ata

are b

ased

on

foss

il te

sts in

terp

rete

d to

be i

n sit

u or

clos

e to

in si

tu. T

he IR

D cu

rve i

s afte

r Jan

sen

& S

jøho

lm (1

991)

and

Fro

nval

& Ja

nsen

(199

6). S

r dat

a on

ly fr

om th

e U

pper

Olig

ocen

e and

Low

er M

ioce

ne a

re sh

own

from

the R

øddi

ng b

oreh

ole,

since

onl

y th

ese p

artic

ular

dat

a ar

e con

sider

ed to

be r

eliab

le fro

m th

is bo

reho

le.

BOLB

O-FO

RMA

PLAN

KT.

FORA

M.

N. Pachy-derma (S.)

N. P

achy

d. (D

.)N.

atlan

t. (D.

)

N. Atlan

-tic

a (S.

)

Lowe

rN.

Atla

n-tic

a (D)

N.Ac

osta-

ensis

N. ma

yeri

B. m

etz-

mach

eriB.

laevis

B. fr

a-go

riB.

comp

r.B.

bade

n-en

sis

CALC

AREO

USMI

CROF

OSSI

LSSI

TE 64

2+64

3

B. ret

icu-

lata

(FAD) N. ACOSTAENSIS

(LAD) N.ACOSTAENSIS

2000

4000

6000

No. IR

D/g s

ed

no da

ta

SITE

644/6

42

0 2 4 6 10 12 148 16 18 20 22 24 26 28 30 32 34

NORT

H SE

A

VØRI

NG P

LATE

AU

(BAS

ED O

N FA

Ds)

(Spie

gler &

Jans

en 19

89,

Mülle

r & S

piegle

r 199

3)

(BAS

ED O

N LA

Ds)

(King

1989

)

(Ma)

PlioceneUpper UpperLower

Pleist

o-ce

ne

SERI

ES/

SUB-

SERI

ES

MiddleMiocene

LowerOligocene

Upper Lower

8a 6b7a7b

6b9a9b

7899c

8b

10

8c91011

10

1111

121314a

12c

12b

12a

14b

13a

1215

a15

b

15c

13b14

15d

16a

16b

1516x

NSP

NSB

NSA 0

This

vertic

al sc

ale (in

Ma)

diffe

rs fro

m tha

t of th

e thr

ee w

ells w

hich a

re in

metr

es.

Well

24/12

-1(S

ea flo

or =

135 m

RKB)

Well

25/10

-2(S

ea flo

or =

111.6

mRK

B)

LS

PASr (M

a)

Sr (Ma)

LS

PA

Utsira Formation Nordland Group Skade Formation Hordaland Group

Nord

land

Grou

p

Bolb

ofor

-m

a fra

gori

ass

embl

.

Globige-rina

bulloidesassembl.

Globoro-talia punc-

ticulataassembl.

Uppe

rPl

ioce

ne

LowerPliocene

Nonionsp. A

assem.

Plectofr.-seminudaassembl.

Upper Miocene

NordlandGroup

Nord-land

Group

15.5

11.3

12.1

10.1

5.9

5.4

5.3

6.1

15.9

15.7

17.1

17.4

17.9

18.1

19.3

19.4

23.8

23.1

Bolboformafragori

assemblage

Globorotaliapuncticulataassemblage

Neogloboquad.atlantica (sin.)assemblage

Bolbo.metz-

macheri

Bolboformabadenen. -B. reticul.

assemblage

Globige-rina

bulloidesassembl.

Low

er N

eogl

.at

lant

ica

(dex

.) as

sem

bl.

Neo

glob

oqua

drin

apa

chyd

erm

a (d

ex.)

asse

mbl

.

UpperPliocene

MiddleMiocene

Uvigerina venustasaxonica assemblage

Lower Pliocene

Utsira Formation Skade Formation

Lower Miocene

Globorotalia zealandicaassemblage

Hordaland Group

Upper Miocene Upper OligoceneLo

wer

Olig

oc.

Diatom sp. 3assemblage


PB Uvi

ger.

sem

ior.

sapr

oph.

Ast

iger

.gu

erch

ist

aesc

h.as

sem

.

Cibicidesgrossus

assemblage

Globocassidul.subglobosaassemblage

Uvigerina tenuipustulataassemblage

Turrilina alsaticaassemblage

Plectofrondiculariaseminuda assembl.



Lower Neogloboquadrinaatlantica (dextral) assembl.

Globorotalia zealandica -Globigerina ciperoensis assemblage

Middle Miocene Lower Miocene Upper Oligocene

Bolboformabadenensisassemblage

Bolboformareticulata

assemblage

PB

RØ

DD

ING

BO

REH

OLE

LS

PAUndefined Undefined ?

UndefinedAstigerina guerich staeschei assemblage

Odderud Formation Arnum Formation Vejle FjordFormation

KlintinghovedFormationBastrup Formation

Sr (Ma)

PB

Cibi

cide

sgr

ossu

sas

sem

bl.

Mon

spel

.-ps

eudo

.as

sem

bl.

Turrilina alsaticaassemblage

Plectofrondicu-laria seminuda

assemblageUvigerina venusta

saxonica assemblageUvigerina tenuipustulata - Astigerina

guerichi staeschei assemblageUvigerina pygmea langeri -Uvigerina pygmea langen-

feldensis assemblage

480m

500

520

440

460

540

560

580

600

620

640

660

680

700

720

740

760

780

800

820

840

860

880

900

920

940

960

980

1000

1020

1040

1060

1080

1100

1120

1140

1160

1180

1200

1220

1240

1260

L

= Lit

hostr

atigr

aphic

units

S

= Se

ries /

subs

eries

PA

=

Plan

ktonic

fora

minif

eral

or fo

ssil a

ssem

blage

s

PB

= Be

nthic

foram

inifer

al as

semb

lages

mRKB

= D

epth

in me

tres b

elow

the r

ig flo

orSr

(Ma)

= St

ronti

um is

otope

ages

in m

illion

year

s ago

SOUT

HERN

VIK

ING

GRAB

EN

DENM

ARK

(ons

hore

)

Rot

alia

.bu

limoi

.as

sem

.

14.5

-15

.3

17.8

-19

5.5

5.8

9.0

18.2

-8.3

18.7

-19.

2

25.1

24.9

24.4

24.4

23.9

23.7

21.1

19.6

19.3

16.2

16.0

15.8

16.0

15.5

20.5

Bol

bofo

rma

bade

nens

is -

B. r

etic

ulat

a as

sem

bl.

Bol

bofo

rma

met

zmac

heri

asse

mbl

.B

olbo

-fo

rma

laev

isas

sem

.

Cer

ato-

bulim

ina

haue

riias

sem

.

Gra

mFm

Hod

deFm

UpperMiocene Lower Miocene

Mid

dle

Mio

cene

Ørnh

øj Fm

Par

arot

.ca

nui

Upp

erO

ligoc

.B

rej-

ning Fm

B. s

pino

sa/

B. r

otun

da a

ssem

bl.

m20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 10

0

110

120

130

140

150

160

170

180

190

200

210

220

230

240

250

Marin

e mud

stone

Marin

e san

dston

eGl

auco

nitic

sand

stone

/mud

stone

Fig.

4

Lore

m ip

sum


seaboard of the Norwegian–Greenland Sea before 2.75 Ma (Fronval & Jansen, 1996).

Description of correlated areas and deposits

Overview

The depocentre in the Norwegian–Danish Basin and Jylland (the eastern North Sea Basin) received sediments from the Southern Scandes mountains, with a general progradation from north to south during the period. The depocentre in the basinal areas of the UK and Norwegian sectors of the North Sea, north of 58°N, received sediments from the Scotland–Shetland area. Because of the sedimentary infilling there was a gradual shallowing of the northern North Sea basin in the Oligocene to the Pliocene. In other local depocentres along the coast of Norway, deposition of sandy sediments took place only occasionally (Eidvin et al., 2013).

Onshore Denmark (eastern North Sea Basin)

In Jylland, Denmark, large areas have upper Paleogene and Neogene successions below the Quaternary glacial deposits. The Lower Miocene succession is characterised by coarse-grained, dominantly sand-rich, fluvio-deltaic deposits interfingering with marine clay (Larsen & Dinesen 1959; Rasmussen & Dybkjær, 2005; Hansen & Rasmussen, 2008; Rasmussen et al., 2010). The delta was sourced from the Southern Scandes in Norway and Central Sweden and prograded towards the south and southwest (Figs. 3 & 8). The deltaic succession, referred to the Ribe Group, is composed of three discrete units referred to sequences B, C and D by Rasmussen (2004) and is approximately 200 m thick with a gross thickness of sand up to 150 m. The abrupt incursion of sand in the southern part of the Norwegian–Danish Basin in the earliest Miocene is interpreted to be the result of an inversion of the basin and a possible coincident uplift of the source area. The Ribe Group is succeeded by the mud-dominated Måde Group (Lower Nordland Group). The Måde Group was deposited in a fully marine depositional setting that lasted from Middle–Late Miocene time in the eastern North Sea Basin. Onshore, the Måde Group is up to 140 m thick and is subdivided into three sequences; E, F1 and F2 (Møller et al., 2009; Rasmussen, 2017).

These deposits have been studied palynologically in more than fifty boreholes (including some offshore boreholes) and about twenty-five outcrops (Fig. 1). Dinocysts occur in nearly all of the deposits. The palynological studies have resulted in a dinocyst zonation scheme of nineteen dinocyst zones spanning from the Oligocene–Miocene transition to the Pliocene (Dybkjær & Piasecki, 2010).

Palaeoclimate

The global deep-sea δ18O record shows that a cool climate prevailed early in the Late Oligocene, but a warming trend started in the later part of Late Oligocene (Fig. 9). This warming trend is also detected in NW Europe (Utescher et al., 2009; Larsson et al, 2011); consequently, a warm temperate and humid climate persisted in the North Sea realm during the Oligocene. This warm climate continued during the Early Miocene. The mean annual temperature was 19 to 20°C and the winters were frost free. The precipitation was in the order of 1300 to 1500 mm per year (Utescher et al., 2009; Larsson et al., 2010, 2011; Rasmussen, 2013). Minor deteriorations in climate, the so-called Mi events (glaciation events in Antarctica; Miller et al., 1998), resulted in short-spanned decreases in air temperature in the order of 2–5°C (Larsson et al., 2010, 2011; Sliwinska et al., 2014). The global mid Miocene Climatic Optimum apparently did not have any distinct influence on the air temperature in the Danish North Sea area (Larsson et al., 2011). In the Late Miocene and Pliocene, a minor climatic deterioration occurred in Central Europe (Utescher et al., 2009), but in southern Scandinavian this decline is not observed during the Late Miocene (Larsson et al., 2011). Data from Central England also indicate that a relatively warm climate persisted during the Late Miocene (Pound & Riding, 2015). Also on Iceland, a warm temperate, humid climate existed during the mid to early Late Miocene, with a shift to a cool temperate climate during the latest Late Miocene (Denk et al., 2005).

A study of continuous late Neogene sediment sections from ODP Site 907 on the Iceland Plateau and ODP Sites 642, 643 and 644 on the Vøring Plateau (Norwegian Sea; Fig. 8) showed a gradual and stepwise cooling of the deep water of the Iceland–Norwegian Sea with major cooling events at approximately 11 and 6.4 Ma (Fronval & Jansen, 1996). The oldest ice-rafted debris (IRD) detected is dated to approximately 12.6 Ma. IRD from this event is also recorded in borehole 6704/12-GB1 on the Vøring Plateau (Fig. 3; Eidvin et al., 1998, 2013). This coincides with a decrease in mean annual temperature at middle and high latitudes, an intensification of North Atlantic deep-water production, and a change in circulation patterns within the Iceland–Norwegian Sea, as indicated by a shift from extensive biogenic opal ooze deposition to carbonate accumulation on the Vøring Plateau. IRD records from both the Iceland Plateau and the Vøring Plateau suggest further intensifications of the Northern Hemisphere glaciations at approximately 6 Ma (Messinian). The onset of the large-scale Northern Hemisphere glaciations is dated to 2.75 Ma on the Vøring Plateau and 2.9 Ma on the Iceland Plateau (Fronval & Jansen, 1996). The different timing could imply that the growth of the large ice sheets did not occur simultaneously in Greenland and Scandinavia. There is no evidence for the existence of glaciers along the eastern

T. Eidvin et al.554

Nonionsp. A

assem.


RØ

DD

ING

BO

REH

OLE

LS

PAUndefined Undefined


Odderup Formation

Nordland Group

Nordland Group

Upper Pliocene

Upper Pliocene

Cibicides grossus - Elphidiellahannai assemblage

Globigerina bulloidesAssemblage

Skade Formation

Skade Formation

Lower Miocene

Lower Miocene

Hordaland Group

Hordaland Group

Upper Oligocene

Upper Oligocene

NordlandGroupMiddle

Miocene

MiddleMiocene

Buliminaelongata ass.

Asterigerina guerichistaeschei assemblage

Elphidium subnodosum assemblage

Globigerina angustiumbilicata - Globigerinapraebulloides assemblage

Undefined Diatom sp. 3 assemblage

Gyroidina soldaniigirardana assembl.

Turrilinaalsatica assem.

Uts

iraFo

rma-

tion

Low

erP

lio-

cene

Bolboformabadenensis - Bolboforma

reticulata ass.

Globigerina bulloides -Neogloboquadrina atlantica

(sinistral) assemblageGlobigerinoidesquadrilobatus

triloba assembl.

Globigerinaangustium-

bilicata assembl.

Elphidiellahannai -Cibicides

grossus ass.

Elphidiellahannai

assemblage

Florilusboueanus

assemblage

Astigerina guerichi staeschei - Bulimina elongata - Elphidium

inflata assemblage

Elphidiumsubnodosumassemblage

Almaena osnabrugensis -Gyroidina soldanii

girandana assemblage

F. b

oue-

anus

- S

.bu

lloid

esas

sem

.

Neo

glo-

boq.

atla

ntic

a(s

in.)

ass.

Glo

boro

-ta

lia p

unc-

ticul

ata

asse

m.

Glo

bige

.qu

adril

o.tri

loba

ass

.

Elph

. ex.

N. p

achy

-de

rma

(dex

.) as

s.

E. py

g. - C

.t.

Plec

tofro

n.se

minu

daas

sem

.

Arnum Formation Vejle FjordFormation


Sr (Ma)

PB

DENM

ARK

(ons

hore

)

24.9

24.4

24.4

23.9

23.7

21.1

19.6

19.3

16.2

16.0

15.8

16.0

15.5

20.5

Bol

bofo

rma

bade

nens

is -

B. r

etic

ulat

a as

sem

bl.

Bol

bofo

rma

met

zmac

heri

asse

mbl

.B

olbo

-fo

rma

laev

isas

sem

.

Cer

ato-

bulim

ina

haue

riias

sem

.

Gra

mFm

Hod

deFm


Mid

dle

Mio

cene

Ørnh

øj Fm

Par

arot

.ca

nui

Upp

erO

ligoc

.B

rej-

ning Fm

B. s

pino

sa/

B. r

otun

da a

ssem

bl.

m20

280

310

340

370

400

430

460

490

520

550

580

610

640

670

700

730

760

790

820

850

880

910

940

970

1000

1030

1060

1090

1120

1150

1180

1210

1240

1270

1300

?

?

?

1330

1360

1390

1420

1450

1480

m26

0

30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100

110

120

130

140

150

160

170

180

190

200

210

220

230

240

250

BOLB

O-FO

RMA

PLAN

KT.

FORA

M.

N. PACHY-DERMA (S.)

N. P

AC

HY

D. (

D.)

N. AT

LANT

. (D.)

N. AT

LAN-

TICA (

S.)

LOWE

RN.

ATLA

N-TIC

A (D)

N.AC

OSTA

-EN

SISN.

MAYE

RI

B. M

ETZ-

MACH

ERI

B. LA

EVIS

B. FR

A-GO

RIB.

COM

PR.

B. BA

DEN-

ENSIS

CALC

AREO

USMI

CROF

OSSI

LSSI

TE 64

2+64

3

B. RE

TICU-

LATA


(LAD) N.ACOSTAENSIS

2000

4000

6000

No. IR

D/g s

ed

no da

ta

SITE

644/6

42

0 2 4 6 10 12 148 16 18 20 22 24 26 28 30 32 34

NORT

H SE

A

VØRI

NG P

LATE

AU

(BAS

ED O

N FA

Ds)

(Spie

gler &

Jans

en 19

89,

Mülle

r & S

piegle

r 199

3)

(BAS

ED O

N LA

Ds)

(King

1989

)

(Ma)

PLIOCENEUPPER UPPERLOWER

PLEI

STO-

CENE

SERI

ES/

SUB-

SERI

ES

MIDDLEMIOCENE

LOWEROLIGOCENE

UPPER LOWER

8a 6b7a7b

6b9a9b

7899c

8b

10

8c91011

10

1111

121314a

12c

12b

12a

14b

13a

1215

a15

b

15c

13b14

15d

16a

16b

1516x

NSP

NSB

NSA 0

This

verti

cal s

cale

(in M

a) di

ffers

from

that o

f the t

hree

well

s whic

h are

in m

etres

.

200

230

260

290

320

350

380

410

440

470

500

530

560

590

620

650

680

710

740

770

800

830

860

890

900

m

Well

25/1-

8 S(S

ea flo

or =

127 m

RKB)

Sr (Ma)

LS

PAPB

Well

25/2-

10 S

(Sea

floor

= 14

1 mRK

B)

Sr (Ma)

LS

PAPB

Low

erO

ligo-

cene

Rot

alia

.bu

llim

oi.

asse

m.

G. s.

mam

.

26.2

23.9

25.8

24.1

23.9

23.3

22.1

20.5

20.5

20.5

20.3

20.6

19.9

19.4

13.4

13.4

13.3

5.2

4.5

Boliv

ina

cf. a

ntiq

ua

26.2

15.5

14.4

13.1

17.7

18.0

18.5

19.2

20.8

21.4

21.4

22.1

22.1

23.5

24.0

24.4

23.6

24.8

24.3

24.2

24.9

25.9

22.5

21.8

12.9

16.4

L

= Lit

hostr

atigr

aphic

units

S

= Se

ries /

subs

eries

PA

=

Plan

ktonic

fora

minif

eral

or fo

ssil a

ssem

blage

s

PB

= Be

nthic

foram

inifer

al as

semb

lages

mRKB

= D

epth

in me

tres b

elow

the r

ig flo

orSr

(Ma)

= St

ronti

um is

otope

ages

in m

illion

year

s ago

SOUT

HERN

VIK

ING

GRAB

EN

Fig.

5

Marin

e mud

stone

Marin

e san

dston

eGl

auco

nitic

sand

stone

/mud

stone


Central and northern North Sea

According to Eidvin et al. (2013), during late Rupelian to Chattian, sediments in the northernmost part of the North Sea Basin were sourced from the northwestern part of the South Scandes Dome, which was a topographic high throughout the Paleogene. In the northeastern part of the northern North Sea off Nordfjord, sandy gravity-flow sediments were deposited (Ull formation, an informal name suggested by Eidvin et al., 2013). Farther south off Hordaland and Sogn and Fjordane, a distinct wedge of Rupelian organic-rich mudstones was formed along the coast. Deltaic complexes prograded southwards into the Norwegian–Danish Basin (Vade Formation and the sand-rich part of the Lark Formation, and the Dufa and Freja members in Danish waters). In the latest Rupelian to Chattian there was a large input of sandy sediments from the Shetland Platform into the northern North Sea. Most of the sediments were laid down in the southern Tampen area (the informal Ull formation). Farther south, Chattian deposits are recorded below the Skade Formation in the Frigg Field area, i.e., within the area belonging to the Hutton Sand according to Gregersen & Johannessen (2007). Elsewhere, in the central and northern North Sea, mainly argillaceous sediments were deposited.

In large parts of the Viking Graben (northern North Sea), a sandy section, sourced from the East Shetland Platform, makes up a great proportion of the Lower Miocene Skade Formation. More than 500 exploration wells have penetrated the Lower Miocene deposits, and selected wells have been investigated for benthic and planktonic foraminifera, pyritised diatoms and 87Sr/86Sr ratios (marked with red dots in Fig. 3; Eidvin et al., 2013). One well from the East Shetland Platform, in the British North Sea sector, has also been investigated (Eidvin, 2016). The Skade Formation reaches a maximum thickness of up to 400 m (Eidvin et al., 2013). In the British sector, the Lower Miocene sandy deposits constitute a part of the Hutton sand succession. Hutton sand is an informal term used in the UK sector by several oil companies to describe all sands above the Lower Eocene Balder Formation in the Northern North Sea (British Geological Survey, 2000). The Skade Formation comprises a succession of amalgamated sands

in alternation with thinner mudstones. In most parts, the deposits are probably turbiditic in origin and were probably deposited in quite deep parts of the shelf. The sandy successions in the wells 25/2-10 S and 25/1-8 S and the British well 9/09a-A 23 (Fig. 3) contain common mollusc fragments and lignite coal and have probably been deposited in mainly shallow water (Eidvin et al., 2013; Eidvin, 2016). All of these wells are situated within the deltaic Hutton sand area as defined by Gregersen & Johannessen (2007). As seen in figure 3, the Hutton sand extends into the Norwegian sector and continues into the deeper water Skade Formation. The Skade sands pinch out towards the lower slope of the Norwegian margin to the east. It has been suggested that the sandy deposits are a result of an Early Miocene tectonic uplift event affecting the East Shetland Platform, possibly associated with a renewed compressional tectonic phase along the northwestern European margin (Rundberg & Eidvin, 2005).

During the Middle Miocene, sediments continued to be deposited from the East Shetland Platform. In the northern North Sea, these deposits form a part of the Hutton sand succession in the UK sector and represent the basal part of the Nordland Group occurring as an infilling unit within the Viking Graben in the Norwegian sector. The sediments are sandy on the East Shetland Platform and in the western and northern parts of the Viking Graben. In the eastern and southern parts and south of the Viking Graben, the deposits are mainly silty and clayey. Sandy Middle Miocene sediments are recorded in wells 25/1-8 S, 25/2-10 S (western Viking Graben), 26/10-1 (southeastern Viking Graben), 9/09a-A 23 (East Shetland Platform, UK sector), 16/3-5 (southern Viking Graben, may be part of an injectite), 15/9-13 (southern Viking Graben) and 30/5-2 and 30/6-3 (170 m thick; northern Viking Graben; Fig. 3; Eidvin et al., 2013; Eidvin, 2016). Especially the Middle Miocene section in well 25/1-8 S was probably deposited at a very shallow-marine site. In the shallow-marine environment it may be difficult to distinguish these sands from sands of the Utsira Formation above and the Skade Formation below, and they are believed to act as one aquifer system (Halland et al., 2011, updated 2019; Eidvin et al., 2013). In spite of being noisy, seismic data show that in the Middle Miocene or possible Lower Miocene, an eastward-prograding delta system was developed in the Frigg area. Wells 25/1-8 S and 9/09a-A 23 penetrated the sandy deposits in the delta plain while well 25/2-10 S was drilled east of the clinoform belt. A thick depocentre of Middle Miocene sands was developed east and north of the Frigg area in a more distal shelf environment (sands penetrated in wells 30/5-2 and 30/6-3; figure 12 in Eidvin et al., 2013). The Middle Miocene sandy sections appear to form mappable units which are clearly younger than the Skade Formation and older than the Utsira Formation in the Viking Graben. Eidvin et al. (2013) tentatively introduced the name Eir formation, after an Æsir (god) in Norse mythology, for these units in the

Figure 5. Correlation of fossil assemblages and selected, main results of strontium-isotope analyses between the Rødding borehole and wells 25/2-10 S and 25/1-8 S calibrated to King’s (1989) North Sea zonation and the Bolboforma zonation of the ODP Sites 642 and 643 on the Vøring Plateau (Müller & Spiegler, 1993). Detailed analysis results and discussions are found in Eidvin & Rundberg (2007) and Eidvin et al. (2013). All the samples are ditch cuttings, but the strontium data are based on fossil tests interpreted to be in situ or close to in situ. The IRD curve is after Jansen & Sjøholm (1991) and Fronval & Jansen (1996). Sr data only from the Upper Oligocene and Lower Miocene are shown from the Rødding borehole, since only these particular data are considered to be reliable from this borehole.

»

T. Eidvin et al.556

Nonionsp. A

assem.


RØ

DD

ING

BO

REH

OLE

LS

PA

Undefined Undefined


Odderup Formation

Nordland Group

Upper Pliocene

Skade Formation

Lower Miocene

Hordaland Group

Upper OligoceneMiddleMiocene




triloba assembl.


grossus ass.

Elphidiellahannai

assemblage

Florilusboueanus

assemblage


inflata assemblage




N. p

achy

-de

rma

(dex

.) as

s.Arnum Formation Vejle Fjord

Formation

Undif-feren-tiatedNord-land

Group

NordlandGroup (Eir

Form. (inform.)

Florilusboueanus

assemblage


UtsiraForma-

tion

Und

e-fin

ed

Und

e-fin

ed

UpperMiocene -Lower

Pliocene

Plei

sto-

cene

U. P

lio.

E. h

anna

i

E. e

xcav

. -H

. ord

ic.

asse

mbl

.

N. p

achy

-de

rma

(sin

) ass

.

B. bade-nensis

assembl.

Globige-rina

bulloidesassembl.

Lark Formation

Skade Formation Hordaland GroupHordaland Group(Ull Formation (informal)

Globigerina prae-bulloides asemblage

Globigerina angustiumbilicata -Globigerina praebulloides assemblage

Lower MioceneMiddleMiocene

Astigerina guerichistaeschei assembl.

Upper Oligocene Lower Oligocene


Sr (Ma)

PB

DENM

ARK

(ons

hore

)

24.9

24.4

24.4

23.9

23.7

21.1

19.6

19.3

16.2

16.0

15.8

16.0

15.5

20.5

Bol

bofo

rma

bade

nens

is -

B. r

etic

ulat

a as

sem

bl.

Bol

bofo

rma

met

zmac

heri

asse

mbl

.B

olbo

-fo

rma

laev

isas

sem

.

Cer

ato-

bulim

ina

haue

riias

sem

.

Gra

mFm

Hod

deFm


Hutton Sand (informal)

Gyroidina soldanii girardana assemblage

Undefined

Mid

dle

Mio

cene

Ørnh

øj Fm

Par

arot

.ca

nui

Upp

erO

ligoc

.B

rej-

ning Fm

B. s

pino

sa/

B. r

otun

da a

ssem

bl.

m20

260

290

320

350

380

410

440

470

500

530

560

590

620

650

680

710

740

770

800

830

860

890

920

950

960

?

m25

0

30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100

110

120

130

140

150

160

170

180

190

200

210

220

230

240

250

BOLB

O-FO

RMA

PLAN

KT.

FORA

M.

N. PACHY-DERMA (S.)

N. P

AC

HY

D. (

D.)

N. AT

LANT

. (D.)

N. AT

LAN-

TICA (

S.)

LOWE

RN.

ATLA

N-TIC

A (D)

N.AC

OSTA

-EN

SISN.

MAYE

RI

B. M

ETZ-

MACH

ERI

B. LA

EVIS

B. FR

A-GO

RIB.

COM

PR.

B. BA

DEN-

ENSIS

CALC

AREO

USMI

CROF

OSSI

LSSI

TE 64

2+64

3

B. RE

TICU-

LATA


(LAD) N.ACOSTAENSIS

2000

4000

6000

No. IR

D/g s

ed

no da

ta

SITE

644/6

42

0 2 4 6 10 12 148 16 18 20 22 24 26 28 30 32 34

NORT

H SE

A

VØRI

NG P

LATE

AU

(BAS

ED O

N FA

Ds)

(Spie

gler &

Jans

en 19

89,

Mülle

r & S

piegle

r 199

3)

(BAS

ED O

N LA

Ds)

(King

1989

)

(Ma)


PLEI

STO-

CENE

SERI

ES/

SUB-

SERI

ES

MIDDLEMIOCENE

LOWEROLIGOCENE

UPPER LOWER

8a 6b7a7b

6b9a9b

7899c

8b

10

8c91011

10

1111

121314a

12c

12b

12a

14b

13a

1215

a15

b

15c

13b14

15d

16a

16b

1516x

NSP

NSB

NSA 0

This

vertic

al sc

ale (in

Ma)

diffe

rs fro

m tha

t of th

e thr

ee w

ells w

hich a

re in

metr

es.

200

230

260

290

320

350

380

410

440

470

500

530

560

590

620

650

680

710

740

770

800

830

860

890

900

m

Well

25/1-

8 S(S

ea flo

or =

127 m

RKB)

Sr (Ma)

LS

PAPB

Well

9/09

a-A2

3 (UK

)(S

ea flo

or =

173 m

RKB)

Sr (Ma)

SLU

LS

PAPB

25.8

Boliv

ina

cf. a

ntiq

ua

26.2

15.5

14.4

13.1

17.7

18.0

18.5

19.2

20.8

21.4

21.4

22.1

22.1

23.5

24.0

24.4

23.6

24.8

24.3

24.2

24.9

25.9

22.5

21.8

12.9

4.1+

5.0+

10.0

+10.

1

14.6

+17.

1

2x18

.6+1

8.7

19.0

+19.

5+19

.7+2

0.3

19.1

+19.

4+20

.1+2

0.3

20.2

+21.

5+21

.8

22.6

+23.

5+23

.6

20.4

+22.

7+23

.6

28.9

29.2

29.4

30.4

+31.

0+31

.1

13.0

+13.

9

16.4

+2x1

7.1

17.5

+18.

6+18

.7

2x24

.9+2

5.3

25.1

+25.

2+25

.3+2

7.7+

28.1

25.9

+26.

9

25.3

+25.

6+26

.8

30.0

25.1

+26.

9+27

.4+2

7.6+

29.0

24.3

+2x2

4.5+

27.6

2x13

.5+1

4.6

16.4

L

= Lit

hostr

atigr

aphic

units

SL

U =

Sug

geste

d cor

resp

ondin

g lith

ostra

tigra

phic

units

(Nor

w. sh

elf; b

ased

on ag

e)

S =

Serie

s / su

bser

ies

PA

= Pl

ankto

nic fo

rami

nifer

al or

foss

il ass

embla

ges

PB

=

Benth

ic for

amini

feral

asse

mblag

esmR

KB =

Dep

th in

metre

s belo

w th

e rig

floor

Sr (M

a) =

Stro

ntium

isoto

pe ag

es in

milli

on ye

ars a

go

SOUT

HERN

VIK

ING

GRAB

EN

EAST

SHE

TLAN

D PL

ATFO

RM

Marin

e mud

stone

Marin

e san

dston

eGl

auco

nitic

sand

stone

/mud

stone

?

?

Fig.

6

Nonionsp. A

assem.


RØ

DD

ING

BO

REH

OLE

LS

PA

Undefined Undefined


Odderup Formation

Nordland Group

Upper Pliocene

Skade Formation

Lower Miocene

Hordaland Group

Upper OligoceneMiddleMiocene




triloba assembl.


grossus ass.

Elphidiellahannai

assemblage

Florilusboueanus

assemblage


inflata assemblage




N. p

achy

-de

rma

(dex

.) as

s.

Arnum Formation VejlefjordFormation

Undif-feren-tiatedNord-land

Group

NordlandGroup (Eir

Form. (inform.)

Florilusboueanus

assemblage


UtsiraForma-

tion

Und

e-fin

ed

Und

e-fin

edUpper

Miocene -Lower

Pliocene

Plei

sto-

cene

U. P

lio.

E. h

anna

i

E. e

xcav

. -H

. ord

ic.

asse

mbl

.

N. p

achy

-de

rma

(sin

) ass

.

B. bade-nensis

assembl.

Globige-rina

bulloidesassembl.

Lark Formation

Skade Formation Hordaland GroupHordaland Group(Ull Formation (informal)

Globigerina prae-bulloides asemblage

Globigerina angustiumbilicata -Globigerina praebulloides assemblage

Lower MioceneMiddleMiocene

Astigerina guerichistaeschei assembl.

Upper Oligocene Lower Oligocene


Sr (Ma)

PB

DENM

ARK

(ons

hore

)

24.9

24.4

24.4

23.9

23.7

21.1

19.6

19.3

16.2

16.0

15.8

16.0

15.5

20.5

Bol

bofo

rma

bade

nens

is -

B. r

etic

ulat

a as

sem

bl.

Bol

bofo

rma

met

zmac

heri

asse

mbl

.B

olbo

-fo

rma

laev

isas

sem

.

Cer

ato-

bulim

ina

haue

riias

sem

.

Gra

mFm

Hod

deFm


Hutton Sand (informal)

Gyroidina soldanii girardana assemblage

Undefined

Mid

dle

Mio

cene

Ørnh

øj Fm

Par

arot

.ca

nui

Upp

erO

ligoc

.B

rej-

ning Fm

B. s

pino

sa/

B. r

otun

da a

ssem

bl.

m20

260

290

320

350

380

410

440

470

500

530

560

590

620

650

680

710

740

770

800

830

860

890

920

950

960

?

m25

0

30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100

110

120

130

140

150

160

170

180

190

200

210

220

230

240

250

BOLB

O-FO

RMA

PLAN

KT.

FORA

M.

N. PACHY-DERMA (S.)

N. P

AC

HY

D. (

D.)

N. AT

LANT

. (D.)

N. AT

LAN-

TICA (

S.)

LOWE

RN.

ATLA

N-TIC

A (D)

N.AC

OSTA

-EN

SISN.

MAYE

RI

B. M

ETZ-

MACH

ERI

B. LA

EVIS

B. FR

A-GO

RIB.

COM

PR.

B. BA

DEN-

ENSIS

CALC

AREO

USMI

CROF

OSSI

LSSI

TE 64

2+64

3

B. RE

TICU-

LATA


(LAD) N.ACOSTAENSIS

2000

4000

6000

No. IR

D/g s

ed

no da

ta

SITE

644/6

42

0 2 4 6 10 12 148 16 18 20 22 24 26 28 30 32 34

NORT

H SE

A

VØRI

NG P

LATE

AU

(BAS

ED O

N FA

Ds)

(Spie

gler &

Jans

en 19

89,

Mülle

r & S

piegle

r 199

3)

(BAS

ED O

N LA

Ds)

(King

1989

)

(Ma)


PLEI

STO-

CENE

SERI

ES/

SUB-

SERI

ES

MIDDLEMIOCENE

LOWEROLIGOCENE

UPPER LOWER

8a 6b7a7b

6b9a9b

7899c

8b

10

8c91011

10

1111

121314a

12c

12b

12a

14b

13a

1215

a15

b

15c

13b14

15d

16a

16b

1516x

NSP

NSB

NSA 0

This

vertic

al sc

ale (in

Ma)

diffe

rs fro

m tha

t of th

e thr

ee w

ells w

hich a

re in

metr

es.

200

230

260

290

320

350

380

410

440

470

500

530

560

590

620

650

680

710

740

770

800

830

860

890

900

m

Well

25/1-

8 S(S

ea flo

or =

127 m

RKB)

Sr (Ma)

LS

PAPB

Well

9/09

a-A2

3 (UK

)(S

ea flo

or =

173 m

RKB)

Sr (Ma)

SLU

LS

PAPB

25.8

Boliv

ina

cf. a

ntiq

ua

26.2

15.5

14.4

13.1

17.7

18.0

18.5

19.2

20.8

21.4

21.4

22.1

22.1

23.5

24.0

24.4

23.6

24.8

24.3

24.2

24.9

25.9

22.5

21.8

12.9

4.1+

5.0+

10.0

+10.

1

14.6

+17.

1

2x18

.6+1

8.7

19.0

+19.

5+19

.7+2

0.3

19.1

+19.

4+20

.1+2

0.3

20.2

+21.

5+21

.8

22.6

+23.

5+23

.6

20.4

+22.

7+23

.6

28.9

29.2

29.4

30.4

+31.

0+31

.1

13.0

+13.

9

16.4

+2x1

7.1

17.5

+18.

6+18

.7

2x24

.9+2

5.3

25.1

+25.

2+25

.3+2

7.7+

28.1

25.9

+26.

9

25.3

+25.

6+26

.8

30.0

25.1

+26.

9+27

.4+2

7.6+

29.0

24.3

+2x2

4.5+

27.6

2x13

.5+1

4.6

16.4

L

= Lit

hostr

atigr

aphic

units

SL

U =

Sug

geste

d cor

resp

ondin

g lith

ostra

tigra

phic

units

(Nor

w. sh

elf; b

ased

on ag

e)

S =

Serie

s / su

bser

ies

PA

= Pl

ankto

nic fo

rami

nifer

al or

foss

il ass

embla

ges

PB

=

Benth

ic for

amini

feral

asse

mblag

esmR

KB =

Dep

th in

metre

s belo

w th

e rig

floor

Sr (M

a) =

Stro

ntium

isoto

pe ag

es in

milli

on ye

ars a

go

SOUT

HERN

VIK

ING

GRAB

EN

EAST

SHE

TLAN

D PL

ATFO

RM

Marin

e mud

stone

Marin

e san

dston

eGl

auco

nitic

sand

stone

/mud

stone

?

?

Fig.

6Fi

gure

6. C

orre

latio

n of

foss

il as

sem

blag

es a

nd se

lecte

d m

ain

resu

lts o

f str

ontiu

m-is

otop

e ana

lyse

s bet

wee

n th

e Rød

ding

bor

ehol

e and

well

s 9/0

9a-A

23

(UK

) and

25/

1-8

S ca

libra

ted

to K

ing’s

(198

9) N

orth

Sea

zon

atio

n an

d th

e Bol

bofo

rma

zona

tion

of th

e OD

P Si

tes 6

42 a

nd 6

43 o

n th

e Vør

ing

Plat

eau

(Mül

ler &

Spi

egler

, 199

3). D

etai

led a

naly

sis re

sults

and

disc

ussio

ns a

re fo

und

in E

idvi

n et

al.

(201

3) a

nd E

idvi

n (2

016)

. All

the s

ampl

es

are d

itch

cutti

ngs,

but t

he st

ront

ium

dat

a ar

e mai

nly

base

d on

foss

il te

sts in

terp

rete

d to

be i

n sit

u or

clos

e to

in si

tu. T

he IR

D cu

rve i

s afte

r Jan

sen

& S

jøho

lm (1

991)

and

Fro

nval

& Ja

nsen

(199

6). S

r dat

a on

ly fr

om th

e U

pper

Olig

ocen

e and

Low

er M

ioce

ne a

re sh

own

from

the R

øddi

ng b

oreh

ole,

since

onl

y th

ese p

artic

ular

dat

a ar

e con

sider

ed to

be r

eliab

le fro

m th

is bo

reho

le.


Material and methods

Strontium isotope analyses

Eidvin et al. (2014a) obtained 87Sr/86Sr ratios of 143 samples from 18 localities from the Upper Oligocene to Upper Miocene Danish succession. Fifty-four of these samples were from the Rødding well (Fig. 1). The analyses were mainly carried out on fragments of mollusc shells, tests of foraminifera and Bolboforma, in addition to one sample representing a shark tooth. The collected shell material was supplemented with mollusc shells picked from the collection of Leif Banke Rasmussen, stored at the Geological Museum in Copenhagen (Rasmussen, 1966). The results were presented in Eidvin et al. (2014a). However, since the strontium isotope data from the Middle–Upper Miocene are uncertain, as mentioned above, only strontium isotope data from the Upper Oligocene–Lower Miocene part (94 samples from 18 localities) have been used for the correlation in the present paper. These are listed in Table 1.

Biostratigraphy

Micropalaeontological investigations in the Rødding borehole were based on analyses of planktonic and benthic foraminifera and Bolboforma. Pyritised diatoms were also used to establish a stratigraphy for the Upper Oligocene–Lower Miocene part (see Eidvin et al., 2013).

The fossil assemblages are mainly correlated with the micropalaeontological zonation for Cenozoic sediments of King (1983, 1989). The zonations based on Bolboforma species (Spiegler & Müller, 1992; Müller & Spiegler, 1993; Spiegler, 1999) from ODP and DSDP drillings in the Norwegian Sea and the North Atlantic are very important for dating the Middle–Upper Miocene part of the column. Correlation with these zones yields the most accurate age determinations, because the zones are calibrated with both nannoplankton and palaeomagnetic data.

Correlation

The strontium isotope analyses of samples from the Danish Brejning, Vejle Fjord, Klintinghoved, Arnum and Odderup formations gave ages between 25.7 (Late Oligocene) and 15.5 Ma (early Middle Miocene; Fig. 2). These sediments, which have also been analysed for foraminifera and pyritised diatoms in the Rødding borehole (Figs. 1 and 3; Eidvin et al., 2013), can be correlated with deposits from a number of lithological units in the Norwegian North Sea and the East Shetland

Norwegian sector, representing a new formation in the Nordland Group (Fig. 10).

During the Late Miocene to Early Pliocene, the northern North Sea apparently formed a narrow seaway between the deeper water in the Møre Basin and the central North Sea. The central North Sea received large amounts of coarse sand (Utsira Formation). The Utsira Formation represents a huge sedimentary depositional system in the northern North Sea (about 450 km long and 90 km wide; Fig. 3), comprising one large sandy depocentre (250–300 m in the southern Viking Graben) and an area with 80–100 m-thick sandy deposits in the northern Viking Graben (figure 11 in Eidvin et al., 2013; Halland et al., 2011, updated 2019). The western central area of the Viking Graben comprises a large deltaic system which prograded eastwards in the Early and Middle Miocene. Here, Upper Miocene to Lower Pliocene sediments of the Utsira Formation are thin or absent due to lack of accommodation space (Fig. 10). Numerous wells have penetrated these deposits, and several of these have been investigated for benthic and planktonic foraminifera, Bolboforma and 87Sr/86Sr ratios (marked with red dots in Fig. 3; Eidvin et al., 2013). Apparently, the progradation of the delta front stopped in the Middle/Late Miocene. The sediments were transported to the delta slope and the shallow shelf beyond the delta, suggesting a relative fall in sea level. In the Tampen area to the north, the Utsira Formation is represented by a thin glauconitic unit dated to the latest Miocene to Early Pliocene. There, it is overlying Oligocene and Lower Miocene deposits. Offshore western Norway, north of the Troll Field a sandy deltaic system developed. This delta was probably fed by the Sognefjorden paleo-valley (Fig. 13). In the western part of the Norwegian sector blocks 30 and 25, the Utsira Formation merges with parts of the Hutton sand (see Fig. 3).

Norwegian Sea shelf

In the Late Miocene, coastal plains and deltas of the Molo Formation built out along the inner continental shelf of the Norwegian Sea (Eidvin et al., 2013; Grøsfjeld et al., in press and unpublished dinocyst data (personal observations)). In the northern distribution area off Vesterålen, this has been interpreted to be due to a relative sea-level fall probably mainly caused by uplift of the coastal zone/mainland (Grøsfjeld et al., in press). Here, in the northeastern part of the distribution of the Molo Formation (well 6610/3-1), the progradation of coastal sand initiated in the Tortonian (Grøsfjeld et al., in press). In the southern part of its distribution, the Molo Formation (Draugen Field, Trøndelag Platform) contains glauconite sand (Eidvin et al., 2013). On the shelf to the west, clayey and hemipelagic sediments accumulated, whereas on the slope and rise pelagic ooze was deposited (middle/upper part of the Kai Formation).

T. Eidvin et al.558

BOLB

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Lower Pliocene

Upper Miocene - Lower Pliocene Upper Miocene Lower - Middle

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Uvigerina venusta saxonicaassemblage

Eponides pygmeus assembl.

Cibicides grossusassemblage

Cenosphaera sp.assemblage

Bolboforma subfragori -B. fragori assemblage

Neogloboquadrinaatlantica (sin.) assembl.

Globigerina bulloidesassemblage

Spiroplec-tammina spec-

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Lower Oligocene

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UpperMiocene

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Odderup Formation Arnum Formation Vejle FjordFormation


Sr (Ma)

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Platform, which have been investigated applying similar methodology. These include the Hutton sand (informal; East Shetland Platform), clay-rich deposits of the Hordaland Group (central, southeastern and northern North Sea), the sandy Skade Formation (northern North Sea) and the sandy Eir formation (informal; Figs. 10 & 11). Some of these correlations are visualised in detail (Figs. 4–7).

Figure 4 shows that, based on Sr isotope and benthic foraminiferal data, the Brejning Formation in the Rødding borehole correlates with the Upper Oligocene part of the Hordaland Group in wells 24/12-1 and 25/10-2 in the southern Viking Graben and King’s (1989) NSB Zone 8 from the North Sea. The Vejle Fjord Formation in the Rødding borehole correlates with the Lower Miocene part of the Hordaland Group, below the Skade Formation, in well 24/12-1, the Lower Miocene part of the Hordaland Group, lower part of the Skade Formation in well 25/10-2 and the lower main part of the NSB Zone 9 of King (1989). The Klintinghoved, Bastrup, Arnum and Odderup formations correlate with the main part of the Skade Formation in well 24/12-1 and the upper main part of the Skade Formation in well 25/10-2 and King’s (1989) NSB Zone 10 and the upper part of NSB Zone 9.

The correlation of the Hodde, Ørnhøj and Gram formations in the Rødding borehole is based on Bolboforma assemblages. Similar Bolboforma assemblages, in the Hodde and Gram formations, are recorded from the Gram, Lille Tønde and Borg-1 boreholes on the Ringkøbing High and in the North German Basin (southern Jylland) by Laursen & Kristoffersen (1999, Fig. 8). Figure 4 shows that the Bolboforma badenensis–Bolboforma reticulata assemblage in the Hodde Formation correlates with similar assemblages in the fine-grained lowermost part of the Nordland Group situated between the sandy Skade and Utsira formations in wells 24/12-1 and 25/10-2 (see also Eidvin et al., 2013). These assemblages correlate in turn with the Bolboforma badenensis–Bolboforma reticulata Zone of Müller & Spiegler (1993) from the Vøring Plateau (Norwegian Sea; Fig. 8), which has been dated accurately to slightly older than 14 to 11.7 Ma (Middle Miocene; Spiegler & Müller, 1992). Bolboforma of a Bolboforma laevis assemblage and a Bolboforma

metzmacheri assemblage are recorded in the Ørnhøj and Gram formations. In well 24/12-1, a Bolboforma fragori assemblage is recorded from the lowermost part of the Utsira Formation. In well 25/10-2 a Bolboforma fragori assemblage and a Bolboforma metzmacheri assemblage are recorded from the lower part of the Utsira Formation (see also Eidvin et al., 2013). These assemblages correlate with a Bolboforma fragori/Bolboforma subfragori Zone (accurately dated to 11.7–10.3 Ma, earliest Late Miocene), Bolboforma laevis Zone (10.3–10.0 Ma, Late Miocene; B. laevis is also present in the B. fragori/Bolboforma subfragori Zone) and Bolboforma metzmacheri Zone (10.0–8.7 Ma, Late Miocene) on the Vøring Plateau (Quale & Spiegler, 1989; Spiegler & Müller, 1992; Müller & Spiegler, 1993).

Based on Sr and benthic foraminiferal data, the Brejning Formation in the Rødding borehole correlates with the Upper Oligocene part of the Hordaland group in wells 25/2-10 S and 25/1-8 S in the southern Viking Graben and King’s (1989) NSB Zone 8 from the North Sea (Fig. 5). The Vejle Fjord, Klintinghoved and Bastrup formations and the lower part of the Arnum Formation in the Rødding borehole correlate with the Skade Formation in well 25/2-10 S. The Vejle Fjord, Klintinghoved and Bastrup formations and the whole of the Arnum Formation correlate with the Skade Formation in well 25/1-8 S. All of these units correlate in turn with the NSB 9 Zone and NSB 10 Zone of King (1989).

According to Figure 5, the correlation of the Hodde Formation in the Rødding borehole is based mainly on Bolboforma assemblages. The Bolboforma badenensis–Bolboforma reticulata assemblage correlates with similar assemblages in the sandy lowermost part of the Nordland Group (suggested to be named the Eir formation by Eidvin et al., 2013) situated between the Skade and Utsira formations in wells 25/2-10 S and 25/1-8 S. These assemblages correlate in turn with the Bolboforma badenensis–Bolboforma reticulata Zone of Müller & Spiegler (1993) from the Vøring Plateau (Norwegian Sea; Fig. 8), dated to slightly older than 14 to 11.7 Ma (Middle Miocene). Sediments with the same age as the Ørnhøj and Gram formations in the Rødding borehole are not present in the wells 25/2-10 S and 25/1-8 S (Fig. 5).

Figure 6 shows that, based mainly on Sr data, the Vejle Fjord, Klintinghoved, Bastrup, Arnum and Odderup formations in the Rødding borehole correlate with the upper main part of the Hutton sand in well 9/09a-A 23.

The Hodde Formation, based on the Bolboforma badenensis–Bolboforma reticulata assemblage in the Rødding borehole, is correlated with a similar assemblage in well 9/09a-A 23. These assemblages correlate again with the Bolboforma badenensis–Bolboforma reticulata Zone of Müller & Spiegler (1993) from the Vøring Plateau (Norwegian Sea; Fig. 8) which, as noted above,

Figure 7. Correlation of Bolboforma between the Rødding borehole and wells 6407/9-5 and 6508/5-1, calibrated to King’s (1989) North Sea zonation and the Bolboforma zonation of the ODP Sites 642 and 643 on the Vøring Plateau (Müller & Spiegler, 1993). Detailed analysis results and discussions are found in Eidvin et al. (2007, 2013). All the samples are ditch cuttings, but the strontium data are mainly based on fossil tests interpreted to be in situ or close to in situ. The IRD curve is after Jansen & Sjøholm (1991) and Fronval & Jansen (1996). Sr data only from the Upper Oligocene and Lower Miocene are shown from the Rødding borehole, since only these particular data are considered to be reliable from this borehole.

»

T. Eidvin et al.560

has been dated accurately to slightly older than 14 to 11.7 Ma (Middle Miocene; Spiegler & Müller, 1992). The Ørnhøj and Gram formations in the Rødding borehole are tentatively correlated with the uppermost part of the Hutton sand in well 9/09a-A 23.

Figure 6 also shows that, based on Sr and benthic foraminiferal data, most of the lower part of the Hutton sand in well 9/09a-A 23 correlates with the Hordaland Group in well 25/1-8 S and King’s (1989) NSB Zone 8 from the North Sea. Based on the same kind of data, the middle part of the Hutton sand in well 9/09a-A 23 correlates with the Skade Formation in well 25/1-8 S and the NSB 9 Zone and NSB 10 Zone of King (1989). Based on Sr and benthic foraminiferal data, Figure 6 also shows that the Middle Miocene part of the Hutton sand in well 9/09a-A 23 correlates with the lower part of the Nordland Group in well 25/1-8 S. Sediments with a similar age as the uppermost part of the Hutton sand in well 9/09a-A 23 are not present in well 25/1-8 S.

Figure 7 shows that, based on Sr and pyritised diatoms (Diatom sp. 4 assemblage), the Klintinghoved and Bastrup formations and lower part of the Arnum Formation in the Rødding borehole correlate with the upper part of the Brygge Formation in well 6407/9-5 (Trøndelag Platform) and Zone NSP 10 of King (1989) from the North Sea. This correlation is verified by unpublished dinocyst data (personal observations). The upper part of the Gram Formation in the Rødding borehole is of a similar age as the lower part of the Molo Formation in well 6407/9-5 and the middle part of the Kai Formation in well 6508/5-1 (Helgeland Basin; see Fig. 14), which again correlates with the Bolboforma metzmacheri Zone (10.0–8.7 Ma, Late Miocene) on the Vøring Plateau (Spiegler & Müller, 1992; Müller & Spiegler, 1993; also verified by unpublished dinocyst data (personal observations)).

Discussion

The idealised palaeogeography for the Middle–Late Miocene advocated by Løseth & Henriksen (2005) shows a situation with a large land area stretching from present-day Shetland Island to southern Norway (their figure 15). Our divergent views on the geological history have led to a discussion in geoscience journals including the following articles: Eidvin et al. (2013, 2014b), Løseth et al. (2013), Rundberg & Eidvin (2016ab), Løseth et al. (2016b), Løseth & Øygarden (2016), Eidvin & Rundberg (2016a, b) and Løseth (2016). In the present paper we want to document and elaborate our view more thoroughly.

According to several authors, including Knox et al. (2010) and Rasmussen et al. (2008), during the Miocene

the North Sea was not in contact with an open ocean towards the east, west and south (Fig. 8). According to Løseth & Henriksen (2005) and Løseth et al. (2013) a compressional phase and related major regression would have led to an isolation of the North Sea Basin. This compressional phase is shown as terminating approximately at the top Miocene (their figure 17). This partly reflects their estimate of the age of the Utsira Formation to the Early Pliocene. An opening to the south, in addition an opening to the north, formed first as late as in the late Pleistocene when repetitive mega-floodings, caused by breaching of rock dams at the Dover Strait, instigated catastrophic drainages of large pro-glacial lakes in the southern North Sea Basin. Two periods with catastrophic floods, after 450,000 but before 180,000 years ago, formed bedrock-floored valleys. Thus, Britain was isolated from continental Europe during high sea-level stands during the Eemian and Holocene (Sanjeev et al., 2007; Gibbard, 2007, Gibbard & Cohen, 2015). A major sea-level fall within the Late Miocene is indicated by a number of features, including deep channelling beneath the Tortonian Deurne Member in Belgium (Houthuys, 2014; Vandenberghe, 2014), incision of Upper Miocene delta systems within the central North Sea (Møller et al., 2009) and the rapid progradation of the Eridanos Delta into the central North Sea Basin (Overeem et al., 2014; Kuhlmann et al., 2006; Patruno et al., 2019). However, there are no stratigraphic or sedimentological data suggesting a closure of the basin. The incision of the pre-Deurne Member channels implies strong tidal currents, which are unlikely to have been generated in a closed sea. In addition, in the thick and apparently continuous Upper Miocene succession in the central North Sea there are no signs of stratification, reduced salinity or lowered oxygenation which can be deduced from the sediments or the microfauna. The key evidence is provided by the plankton. Several Bolboforma zones, described from and accurately dated in scientific boreholes from the Norwegian Sea and North Atlantic, up to and including the B. metzmacheri Zone (c. 10.0–8.7 Ma, through the Serravallian to mid Tortonian; Spiegler & Müller, 1992; Müller & Spiegler, 1993), are represented in the central North Sea Basin, onshore southern Denmark and in other onshore areas (King, 1989; Laursen & Kristoffersen, 1999; Eidvin & Rundberg, 2007; Eidvin et al., 2013), indicating the existence of an open connection to the North Atlantic/Nordic seas throughout this period. The succeeding B. intermedia Zone (c. 8.8–5.9 Ma: late Tortonian and Messinian; Spiegler & Müller, 1992) is also identified (though rarely) in both onshore and offshore areas (Chris King, personal communication). Planktonic foraminifera are represented throughout almost all this interval in some areas. A succession of pteropod zones is identified through the early Tortonian (Gürs & Jansen, 2002). Planktonic foraminifera are represented (quite commonly) through the Upper Miocene in the central North Sea Basin (e.g., well 2/4-C-11 (Eidvin et


Fig. 8

Lower Miocene delta and fan deposits

Tortonian - Zanclean delta 1: Lille Tønde borehole2: Borg-1 borehole3: Gram borehole4: Rødding borehole5: Well 2/4-C-116: Well 24/12-17: Well 25/10-28: Well 9/09a-A 23 (UK)9: Well 25/2-10 S10: Well 25/1-8 S11: Well 6407/9-512: Well 6508/5-113: ODP Site 64414: ODP Site 642

Drainage routesHypothetical drainage routes

Wells and boreholes shown inthe correlation diagrams(Figs. 4-7)Scienti�c deep-sea boreholesBoreholes investigated byLaursen and Kristo�ersen (1999)Well investigated by Eidvin et al. (1999, 2013)

1413

12

11

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1 23 4

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Fig. 13

Fig. 13

Figure 8. Palaeogeographic reconstruction of the North Sea Basin and adjacent areas in the Miocene (after Knox et al., 2010; Rasmussen et al., 2008; Dybkjær & Piasecki, 2010). The extents of the Miocene deltas and fan deposits and possible drainage routes in Denmark are from figure 3. Hypothetical drainage routes for the Hutton sand and Skade Formation are modified from Halland et al. (2014) and Gjeldvik et al., (2011). The approximate positions of the wells and boreholes from the correlation diagrams in Figures 4–7 are indicated with red dots and numbers. Other wells and boreholes are indicated with black, green and blue dots.

T. Eidvin et al.562

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5 10 15 20 25 3029

.2-3

0.3

Ma

26-2

6.3

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4 M

a

32.7

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7 M

a

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Ma

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5 M

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-10.

9 M

a12

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Ma

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Ma

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5.2

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5.2-

4.5

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Ma

5.3

Ma

11.3

Ma

11.8

-11.

5 M

a10

.9-1

0.7

Ma

14.7

Ma

16.7

-14.

7 M

a

27.9

Ma

25.3

Ma

20.7

Ma

16.7

Ma

15.5

Ma

7.4

Ma

6.6

Ma

5.6-

5.2

Ma

5.7-

3.7

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4 M

a

Hia

tus

Hia

tus

Figu

re 1

0. P

ost-E

ocen

e lith

ostr

atig

raph

y of

the N

orw

egia

n N

orth

Sea

inclu

ding

mai

n re

sults

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he st

ront

ium

isot

ope a

naly

ses b

ased

on

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il te

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be i

n sit

u (a

fter E

idvi

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al.,

201

3).

T. Eidvin et al.564

al., 1999, 2013)). The late Tortonian (7.5 Ma) transition from dextral to sinistral Neogloboquadrina atlantica is also identified in the central North Sea (Spiegler & Jansen, 1989; King, 1989). Dinocyst assemblages also indicate continuing oceanic connections, and there is no stratigraphical break in the Miocene–Pliocene succession in Denmark (Dybkjær & Piasecki, 2010).

In the correlation chapter and Figures 4–7 we described the correlations of Bolboforma assemblages from the Ringkøbing–Fyn High, in the southeast, through the Central and Viking grabens to the Norwegian Sea shelf and Vøring Plateau (Norwegian Sea) in the north (see Fig. 8). Figure 14 synthesises the Bolboforma correlation. The Bolboforma badenensis-Bolboforma reticulata assemblage, the oldest assemblage, is recorded from the Hodde Formation in the Gram-1 borehole (Laursen & Kristoffersen, 1999) and the Rødding borehole (both from the Ringkøbing–Fyn High). Laursen & Kristoffersen (1999) also recorded this assemblage farther south from the Borg-1 and Lille Tønde boreholes in the North German Basin (Fig. 8; not included in Fig. 14). The assemblage is not recorded in well 2/4-C-11 (Central Graben) since there is a local hiatus in the Middle Miocene in that area, possibly due to salt tectonics and polygonal faulting (Eidvin et al., 2013). In the Viking Graben, the B. badenensis-B. reticulata assemblage is recorded from the Nordland Group, including the lowermost part of the Utsira Formation, in wells 24/12-1 and 25/10-2 as well as

in the Nordland Group in well 25/2-10 S. The lack of the top of the assemblage in the latter well is probably due to a break in the stratigraphy. Towards the west, the B. badenensis-B. reticulata assemblage is recorded in the UK well 9/09a-A 23 on the East Shetland Platform. As seen in Figure 14, in the scientific boreholes at ODP Sites 642 and 644 on the Vøring Plateau the occurrence of B. badenensis and B. reticulata is estimated to be slightly older than 14 to c. 11.7 Ma (Middle Miocene; Spiegler & Müller, 1992; Müller & Spiegler, 1993).

Higher up in the sections at ODP Sites 642 and 644, Spiegler & Müller (1992) and Müller & Spiegler (1993) described a B. fragori/B. subfragori Zone from sediments with an age of approximately 11.7–10.3 Ma (earliest Late Miocene). Between the B. badenensis-B. reticulata Zone and the B. fragori/B. subfragori Zone they described a very thin Bolboforma compressispinosa Zone. Immediately above the B. fragori/B. subfragori Zone, Spiegler & Müller (1992) and Müller & Spiegler (1993) described a Bolboforma laevis Zone extending up to sediments estimated to c. 10 Ma in age. B. laevis and B. clodiusi are also common in the B. fragori/B. subfragori Zone (Quale & Spiegler, 1989; Müller & Spiegler, 1993).

Laursen & Kristoffersen (1999) recorded B. clodiusi assemblages from the Gram Formation in the Borg-1 and Lille Tønde boreholes (North German Basin) and the Gram-1 borehole (Ringkøbing-Fyn High; Fig. 8). Eidvin et al. (2013) recorded a B. laevis assemblage from the

0.70800

0.70810

0.70820

0.70830

0.70840

0.70850

0.70860

0.70870

0.70880

0.70890

0.70900

0.70910

5 10 15 20 25

87Sr

/ 8

6 Sr

Numerical Age, Ma

Miocene 5.32 to 23.8

Eir fm (informal)

Utsira Fm

Skade Fm

Arnum Fm

Klintinghoved Fm

Vejle Fjord Fm

Brejning Fm

Odderup Fm

Hutton sand(informal)

Fig. 11Figure 11. Curve showing strontium-isotope evolution of seawater from 25 to 5 Ma (from Howarth & McArthur, 1997). For clairity, the obtained 87Sr/86Sr ratios (y-axis) and corresponding ages (x-axis; mean values) for the Norwegian Skade, Eir (informal) and Utsira formations, the Danish Brejning, Vejle Fjord, Klintinghoved, Arnum and Odderup formations and the British Hutton sand (informal; from Figs. 2, 6 & 10) are indicated with different colours.


Ba

??

Fjand

Eg-3

St. Vorslunde

Gadbjerg

Jelling-1

Frid

a-1

R-1X

C-1X

Lone

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1

??

??

1/3-

1

15/9

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-425

/10-

2

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Ska

de

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a

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iraU

pper

Plio

cene

san

d

Bas

e N

ordl

and

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upU

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ira

Bill

und

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p

Nor

way

Den

mar

k

Bas

e N

ordl

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Gro

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ine

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e

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arin

e sa

ndst

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llow

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ine

and

non-

mar

ine

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Ash

-laye

r

Top

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cene

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m F

m)

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a U

pper

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cene

Intr

a M

iddl

e M

ioce

ne (T

op A

rnum

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tra

Low

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ne (T

op K

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ed F

m)

Intr

a Lo

wer

Mio

cene

(Top

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rd F

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Top

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ocen

e (T

op B

rejn

ing

Fm)

Intr

a U

pper

Olig

ocen

e (T

op B

rand

en F

m)

ResenMausing

UlfborgFjand

Holstebro

Fig. 12Sorring

Figu

re 1

2. C

orre

latio

n pa

nel o

f the

Olig

ocen

e to

Plio

cene

succ

essio

n fro

m ce

ntra

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land

, Den

mar

k, in

to th

e Nor

th S

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orth

war

d to

just

wes

t of S

tadt

, wes

tern

Nor

way

. The

dat

um (h

oriz

onta

l blu

e lin

e) is

the b

ase

of th

e H

odde

For

mat

ion

in th

e D

anish

and

sout

hern

Nor

weg

ian

sect

or. N

orth

of 5

8°30

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ne co

rres

pond

s to

the

so-c

alled

Mid

dle

Mio

cene

unc

onfo

rmity

(see

also

Fig

. 3 fo

r loc

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n et

al.

(201

0,

2013

)).

T. Eidvin et al.566

Ørnhøj and Gram formations in the Rødding borehole (Ringkøbing-Fyn High; Fig. 14). A B. fragori-B. subfragori assemblage is recorded from the Nordland Group in well 2/4-C-11 (Central Graben). B. fragori assemblages are recorded from the Utsira Formation in the wells 24/12-1 and 25/10-2 (Viking Graben; Fig. 14). In well 25/2-10 S (Viking Graben), sediments with a similar age as the B. fragori assemblage are eroded.

Above the B. laevis Zone in the boreholes at ODP Sites 642 and 644, Spiegler & Müller (1992) and Müller & Spiegler (1993) described a B. metzmacheri Zone from sediments with an age of c. 10–8.7 Ma (Late Miocene). B. metzmacheri assemblages are recorded in the Gram Formation from the Borg-1 and Lille Tønde boreholes (North German Basin; Laursen & Kristoffersen, 1999), from the Gram-1 and Rødding boreholes (Ringkøbing–Fyn High), from the Nordland Group in well 2/4-C-11 (Central Graben), from the Utsira Formation in well 25/10-2 (Viking Graben), from the lower part of the Molo Formation in well 6407/9-5 (Trøndelag Platform) and from the middle part of the Kai Formation in well 6508/5-1 (Helgeland Basin; Figs. 8 & 14).

Planktonic foraminifera of Late Miocene age (Spiegler & Jansen, 1989; Figs. 4–7), as sinistral and dextral coiled N. atlantica, Globigerina bulloides and Globorotalia puncticulata, occur in the upper part of the Utsira Formation in the wells we have investigated in the Viking Graben and in the Nordland Group in the Central Graben (Eidvin et al., 2013).

All these observations clearly show that planktonic deep-sea forms, which have their origin in the North Atlantic and the Norwegian Sea, have been brought by ocean currents through an open strait into the northern and central North Sea during the entire Serravallian, Tortonian, Messinian and Zanclean time interval (approximately 14.5–3.5 Ma).

Deposited in a shelf setting, the sandy Utsira Formation (about 12.5–3.5 Ma; Eidvin et al., 2013) overlies Middle Miocene shales (about 15–12.5 Ma; Eidvin et al., 2013) in a large area in the Norwegian sector of the North Sea. The Utsira Formation thins and appears to be condensed towards the west, shaling out towards the south, east and north. It appears to consist of a lower unit (approximately 12.5–6 Ma), which is mainly restricted to the depo-centres and being commonly strongly affected by soft-sediment deformation, and an upper unit (approximately 5–3.5 Ma) which is less deformed and has a wider distribution (Riis & Eidvin, 2015, 2016). In the northernmost part of the Norwegian North Sea (Tampen area) there is a 10–50 m-thick sheet of glauconite sand (approximately 5.7–4.2 Ma; Fig. 15; Eidvin & Rundberg, 2001; Eidvin, 2009; Eidvin & Øverland, 2009; Eidvin et al., 2013). The glauconite sand overlies an erosional unconformity. Løseth & Henriksen (2005) suggested that the erosion was related to Middle Miocene uplift and they correlated it to the uplift of southern Scandinavia. Our alternative interpretation is that there was Early–Middle Miocene uplift along the margin of the Møre Basin which created a submarine

Intra Oligocene unc.

34/7-1

TWT(ms)400 –

600 – P L E I S T O C E N E

S E A F L O O R

TA M P E N S P U R M E M B E R ( i n f o r m a l )

Line NVGTI-92-105

800 –

1000 –

1200 –

1400 –

34/8-3A

P L E I S T O C E N E P R O G R A D I N G C O M P L E X

0 10 20 25 km

W

Northern Viking Graben - 61°N

E

L O W E R M I O C E N EB A S A L P L E I S TO C E N E

O L I G O C E N E

UTSIRA FORMATION(GLAUCONITE;Messinian - Zanclean)

mid-Mioceneunconformity

35/11-1

?

UTSIRA FORMATION SAND

middle Miocene - lower Pliocene

Messinian unconformity

Fig. 13

Figure 13. East–west transect of the northern North Sea at about 61°N illustrating the main sequences and sedimentary architecture of the post-Eocene strata (see Fig. 3 for location; modified after Eidvin & Rundberg, 2001, Rundberg & Eidvin, 2005 and Eidvin et al., 2013).


BOLB

O-FO

RMA

PLAN

KT.

FORA

M.

N. PACHY-DERMA (S.)

N. P

ACHY

D. (D

.)N.

ATLA

NT. (D

.)

N. AT

LAN-

TICA (

S.)

LOWE

RN.

ATLA

N-TIC

A (D)

N.AC

OSTA

-EN

SISN.

MAY

ERI

B. M

ETZ-

MACH

ERI

B. LA

EVIS

B. FR

A-GO

RIB.

COM

PR.

B. BA

DEN-

ENSIS

CALC

AREO

USMI

CROF

OSSI

LSSI

TE 64

2+64

3

B. RE

TICU-

LATA

(FAD) N. ACOSTAENSIS(LAD) N. ACOSTAENSIS

2000

4000

6000

No. IR

D/g s

ed

no da

ta

SITE

644/6

42

0 2 4 6 10 12 148

5.3 7.3 9.0 11.3

13.1

15.1

17.0

19.0

21.5

23.5

25.5

27.5

29.5

31.4

32.7

34.7

35.7 39 44 47 50

(BAS

ED O

N FA

Ds)

(Spie

gler a

nd Ja

nsen

1989

,Mü

ller a

nd S

piegle

r 199

3)

(Ma)

0

This

vertic

al sc

ale (in

Ma)

diffe

rs fro

m tha

t of th

e eigh

t we

lls w

hich h

ave m

etres

.

21 25 30 35 40 45

1530

1550

1600

1650

1700

700

750

800

850

680

620

310

350

390

600

550

500

480

1130

1150

1200

1250

1300

1350

1400

725

750

775

800

650

700

750

800

OdderupFormation?Hodde FormationGram FormationLithostratigraphic

units

Bolboformaassemblages

Lithostratigraphicunits

Depth (mRKB)


Lithohstratigraphicunits

Depth (mRKB)



Depth (mRKB)



Depth (mRKB)



Depth (mRKB)Bo

lbof

orm

a m

etzm

achh

eri a

ssem

bla

ge

Bolb

ofor

ma

bade

nens

is -

B. re

ticul

ata

asse

mb

lage

Bolb

ofor

ma

frag

ori -

B. s

ubfr

agor

i, B.

laev

is a

ndB.

clo

dius

i ass

emb

lage

sBolboformaassemblages


Depth (mRKB)



Depth (mRKB)


Sample depthm below surface

Gram Formation

Nordland Group

Nordland Group

Nordland Group

Nordland Group

Hodde FormationØrnhøjFormation

OdderupFormation

HordalandGroup

UtsiraFormation

UtsiraFormation

BryggeFormation

Utsira Formation

Kai Formation

Hutton sand (informal)

Molo Formation

Bolboformametzmacheri assem.

Bolboformametzmacheri ass.

Bolboforma fragori -B. subfragori assem.

Bolboforma fragoriassemblage

Bolbof.fragori -assem.

Bolboforma laevis assemblage

Bolboforma badenensis -B. reticulata assem.

Bolboforma badenensisassemblage

Bolboforma badenensisassemblage

Bolboformareticulata ass.

B. badenensis -B. reticulata ass.

B. badenensis -B. reticulata assem.

Bolbofor.clodiusi

assembl.

Bolb

of-

met

zma.

Naust FmBrygge

Formation

Log

Unde-�ned

Bolboforma badenensis - Bolbo-forma reticulata assemblage

Bolboformasubfragori -

B. fragori ass.


Bolboforma metz-macheri assemblage

Rødd

ing

2/4-

C-11

24/1

2-1

25/1

0-2

25/2

-10

S64

07/9

-5


Depth (mRKB)


6508

/5-1

Colo

ur K

ey

9/09

a-A

23 (U

K)G

ram

-1

Ring

købi

ng -

Fyn

Hig

hCe

ntra

l Gra

ben

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ng G

rabe

nVi

king

Gra

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East

Shet

land

Plat

form

Trøn

dela

gPl

atfo

rmH

elge

land

Basi

nVø

ring

Plat

eau

(Nor

weg

ian

Sea)

CORR

ELAT

ION

OF

BOLB

OFO

RMA

ASS

EMBL

AG

ES

Fig.

14


Figu

re 1

4. C

orre

latio

n of

Mid

dle

and

Upp

er M

ioce

ne B

olbo

form

a as

sem

blag

es fr

om th

e w

ells i

n Fi

gure

s 4–7

and

from

oth

er se

lecte

d w

ells a

nd b

oreh

oles

to th

e Bo

lbof

orm

a zo

natio

n of

the

OD

P Si

tes 6

42

and

643

on th

e Vør

ing P

late

au (M

ülle

r & S

pieg

ler,

1993

). Th

e IRD

curv

e is a

fter J

anse

n &

Sjø

holm

(199

1) a

nd F

rond

val &

Jans

en (1

996)

.

T. Eidvin et al.568

34/8

-A-1

H34

/7-234

/8-1

34/8

-9 S

34/7

-134

/8-3

A

34/4

-734

/4-634

/2-4

61°

61°

2°4°

2°4°

Mål

øy

Flor

ø

Tam

pen

Spur

mem

ber (

info

rmal

)

> 2.

75 M

a(N

aust

For

mat

ion

equi

vale

nt)

5.1+

5.5

Ma

BASA

LG

ELA

SIA

N

GLA

UCO

NIT

ICSA

ND

LOW

ERM

IOCE

NE

OLI

GO

CEN

E

PRO

GRA

DIN

GG

ELA

SIA

N

5.7

Ma

App

roxi

mat

ely

23-1

8 M

a (H

orda

land

Gro

up)

5.1

Ma

(Uts

ira

Form

atio

n)

App

roxi

mat

ely

29-2

6 M

a (H

orda

land

Gro

up)

B)A)

C)

5.0

Ma

Fig.

15


topographic high where probably only small amounts of Miocene sediments accumulated. The erosion that gave rise to the unconformity could have been mainly related to a sea-level drop in the Late Miocene, concurrent with the Messinian salinity crises (Fig. 15). This interpretation is consistent with our view that there was an open seaway in the North Sea throughout the Middle Miocene. It is noted that the unconformity itself is affected by soft-sediment deformation. The pre-deformational tectonic structure is not easy to reconstruct in the seismic data.

Based on the marine palynomorphs in two ditch-cutting samples at 1190 and 1180 m in well 34/4-6 in the glauconitic Utsira Formation, De Schepper & Mangerud (2017) assigned a maximum age of 3.0 Ma for the upper part of this formation and a minimum age of 4.6 Ma for the lowermost part. However, as the sediments represent ditch-cutting samples and it was difficult to differentiate between reworked, in situ and caved specimens, they considered this age to be uncertain.

Strontium-isotope ages based on tests of foraminifera which have their last occurrence in the Late Miocene to Early Pliocene in the North Sea (King, 1989), picked from ditch-cutting samples and a sidewall core in wells from the Snorre and Visund fields, gave ages of 5.7–5.2 Ma. Records from a sidewall core from the Tordis Field gave ages of 4.7 and 4.2 Ma (Fig. 15). These ages are substantiated by the fact that glauconite was precipitated, most commonly, during periods with transgression on outer shelves at 200–300 metres water depths (Odin & Matter, 1981 and Van Houten & Purucker, 1984). According to Hardenbol et al. (1998) a global transgression started in the middle of the Messinian and a regression in the middle Zanclean.

According to Løseth & Henriksen (2005) and Løseth et al. (2016a. 2017), the Molo Formation postdates the Kai Formation. The occurrences of the Bolboforma metzmacheri assemblage in the lower part of the Molo Formation in well 6407/9-5, in the middle part of the

Kai Formation in well 6508/5-1 (Fig. 14), in the lower middle part of the Kai Formation in well 6607/5-1 and in the middle to upper part of the Kai Formation in well 6609/5-1 (Eidvin et al., 2013 and unpublished data) suggest that the Molo Formation, in its southern distribution area, correlates with the middle/upper part of the Kai Formation.

Conclusions

Strontium-isotope data (87Sr/86Sr ratios) from the Upper Oligocene–Lower Miocene succession in Jylland, Denmark (94 samples from 18 localities; Eidvin et al., 2014a), were utilised for correlation with Norwegian wells and boreholes (Eidvin, 2016 and Eidvin et al., 2013, 2014b) together with foraminiferal and pyritised diatom data. Dinocyst correlation is also used in some areas. For the Middle–Upper Miocene parts of the succession the correlations are based mainly on Bolboforma data from a stratigraphic borehole at Rødding in southern Jylland.

The Sr isotope investigations of samples from the Danish, Brejning, Vejle Fjord, Klintinghoved, Arnum and Odderup formations gave ages between 25.7 and 15.5 Ma. These sediments can be correlated with deposits from a number of sedimentological units in the Norwegian North Sea, Norwegian Sea shelf and one well on the East Shetland Platform in UK waters. These include clay-rich deposits of the Hordaland Group (central, southeastern and northern North Sea), Hutton sand (informal; East Shetland Platform), the sandy Skade Formation (northern North Sea) and the Brygge Formation (Norwegian Sea shelf). A Bolboforma assemblage in the Hodde Formation in the Rødding borehole was correlated with sandy and fine-grained deposits in the lower part of the Nordland Group, situated between the Skade and Utsira formations, in the Viking Graben and the upper part of the Hutton sand (informal) on the East Shetland Platform. Bolboforma assemblages in the Ørnhøj and Gram formations in the Rødding borehole were correlated with the lower part of the sandy Utsira Formation (northern North Sea), the lower part of the Molo Formation (in its southern distribution area), middle/upper part of the Kai Formation (Norwegian Sea shelf) and with the ODP boreholes on the Vøring Plateau (Norwegian Sea; Figs. 2, 4–7, 10, 11 & 14). This demonstrates that there must have existed a seaway between the North Sea and the Norwegian Sea during the Middle, Late Miocene and Early Pliocene.

Acknowledgements. The authors are especially grateful to the late Chris King for very important discussions. Many thanks also to Rune Goa (NPD) for drawing most of the figures, Tone Tjelta Hansen (NPD) for technical assistance, Stephan Piasecki (Natural History Museum

Figure 15. (A) Log correlation diagram of wells from the Visund area (block 34/8), wells from the Snorre area (blocks 34/4 and 34/7) and well 34/2-4 on the northern Tampen Spur (northernmost North Sea; modified after Eidvin & Rundberg, 2001). (B) Distribution of Utsira Formation sands in the Snorre and Visund Field areas at Tampen. Light and dark yellow areas show the outlines of the main Utsira quartzose sands. Hatched area (with green stars) shows the assumed outline of the thin glauconitic member extending beyond the main Utsira sand. Red lines indicate top Oligocene truncation, whereas red arrows show sediment transport directions (note also well 34/7-2 in the Tordis Field area; modified after Eidvin & Rundberg, 2001; Rundberg & Eidvin, 2005). (C) Global sea-level curves of Hardenbol et al. (1998; light-grey shading) and Miller et al. (2005; black line), as well as the 4th-order eustatic cycles of Esteban et al. (1996; dark-grey shading; modified after Pérez-Asensio, 2013). Please note that the glauconitic Utsira Formation sand was deposited coevally with the period of transgression after the Messinian lowstand.

»

T. Eidvin et al.570

of Denmark) for collecting molluscs, David Roberts (Geological Survey of Norway, NGU) for improving the language, Yuval Ronen (University of Bergen) for executing the strontium isotope analyses and Robert Williams (NPD) for discussions. We acknowledge Morten Smelror (NGU) and Roel Verreussel (TNO Geological Survey of the Netherlands) for their constructive review and NPD, GEUS and the Natural History Museum of Denmark for permission to publish this manuscript.

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Correlation of the Upper Oligocene–Miocene deltaic to shelfal ......Correlation of the Upper Oligocene–Miocene deltaic to shelfal succession onshore Denmark with similar deposits

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