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GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF DENMARK AND GREENLAND BULLETIN 12 2007
Lithostratigraphy of the Palaeogene Lower Neogene succession of
theDanish North Sea
Poul Schiler, Jan Andsbjerg, Ole R. Clausen, Gregers Dam,Karen
Dybkjr, Lars Hamberg, Claus Heilmann-Clausen,Erik P. Johannessen,
Lars E. Kristensen, Iain Prince andJan A. Rasmussen
GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF DENMARK AND GREENLANDDANISH MINISTRY OF THE
ENVIRONMENT
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Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland Bulletin 12
KeywordsLithostratigraphy, biostratigraphy, North Sea Basin,
Palaeogene, Neogene.
CoverComplex fabric created by multiple small-scale sand
intrusions (light) into dark mudstones such enigmatic fabrics are
commonly associatedwith the sand-rich units of the Rogaland Group
in the Siri Canyon area, offshore Denmark. The illustrated section
of core is about 10 cm acrossand is from the lower Tyr Member
(Lista Formation) in the Cecilie-1B well (2346.8 m). Photograph:
Jakob Lautrup.
Chief editor of this series: Adam A. GardeEditorial board of
this series: John A. Korstgrd, Geological Institute, University of
Aarhus; Minik Rosing, Geological Museum, University ofCopenhagen;
Finn Surlyk, Department of Geography and Geology, University of
CopenhagenScientific editors of this volume: Jon R. Ineson and
Martin SnderholmEditorial secretaries: Jane Holst and Esben W.
GlendalReferees: Paul van Veen (Norway) and Robert OB. Knox
(UK)Illustrations: Stefan SlbergDigital photographic work: Benny M.
ScharkGraphic production: Knud Gr@phic Consult, Odense,
DenmarkPrinters: Schultz Grafisk, Albertslund, DenmarkManuscript
received: 29 August 2005Final version approved: 8 September
2006Printed: 29 June 2007
ISSN 1604-8156ISBN 978-87-7871-196-0
Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland BulletinThe series
Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland Bulletin replaces
Geology of Denmark Survey Bulletin and Geology of Greenland
SurveyBulletin.
Citation of the name of this seriesIt is recommended that the
name of this series is cited in full, viz. Geological Survey of
Denmark and Greenland Bulletin.If abbreviation of this volume is
necessary, the following form is suggested: Geol. Surv. Den. Green.
Bull. 12, 77 pp.
Available fromGeological Survey of Denmark and Greenland
(GEUS)ster Voldgade 10, DK-1350 Copenhagen K, DenmarkPhone: +45 38
14 20 00, fax: +45 38 14 20 50, e-mail: [email protected]
andGeografforlaget A/SFilosofgangen 24, 1., DK-5000 Odense C,
DenmarkPhone: +45 63 44 16 83, fax: +45 63 44 16 97, e-mail:
[email protected]
or at www.geus.dk/publications/bull
De Nationale Geologiske Undersgelser for Danmark og Grnland
(GEUS), 2007For the full text of the GEUS copyright clause, please
refer to www.geus.dk/publications/bull
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Contents
Abstract . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . 5Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . 7Geological setting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . 9Previous work . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10Material and methods. . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12Offshore and onshore
lithostratigraphic nomenclature. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Chronostratigraphy and biostratigraphy. . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
16Paleocene. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . 20Eocene . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . 20Oligocene . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . 21Miocene . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . 23
Lithostratigraphy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . 24Rogaland Group . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . 24
Vle Formation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. 25Bor Member . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
30
Lista Formation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. 32Vile Member . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
36Tyr Member . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
39Ve Member . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
40Idun Member . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
41Bue Member . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
44Rind Member . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
45
Sele Formation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. 46Kolga Member . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
50
Fur Formation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
51Balder Formation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
54
Stronsay Group . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. 57Horda Formation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
57
Hefring Member . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63Westray
Group . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63
Lark Formation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
63Dufa Member . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69Freja
Member . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71
Acknowledgements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . 73References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . 73
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Abstract
Schiler, P., Andsbjerg, J., Clausen, O.R., Dam, G., Dybkjr, K.,
Hamberg, L.,Heilmann-Clausen, C., Johannessen, E.P., Kristensen,
L.E., Prince, I. & Rasmussen,J.A. 2007: Lithostratigraphy of
the Palaeogene Lower Neogene succession of theDanish North Sea.
Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland Bulletin 12, 77 pp. +5
plates.
As a result of a lithological, sedimentological and
biostratigraphic study of well sections from theDanish sector of
the North Sea, including some recently drilled exploration wells on
the RingkbingFyn High, the lithostratigraphic framework for the
siliciclastic Palaeogene to Lower Neogene sedi-ments of the Danish
sector of the North Sea is revised. The sediment package from the
top of theChalk Group to the base of the Nordland Group is
subdivided into seven formations containingeleven new members. The
existing Vle, Lista, Sele, Fur, Balder, Horda and Lark Formations
of previ-ously published lithostratigraphic schemes are adequate
for a subdivision of the Danish sector atformation level. Bor is a
new sandstone member of the Vle Formation. The Lista Formation
issubdivided into three new mudstone members: Vile, Ve and Bue, and
three new sandstone members:Tyr, Idun and Rind. Kolga is a new
sandstone member of the Sele Formation. Hefring is a newsandstone
member of the Horda Formation. Freja and Dufa are two new sandstone
members of theLark Formation. Danish reference sections are
established for the formations, and the descriptions oftheir
lithology, biostratigraphy, age and palaeoenvironmental setting are
updated.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Authors addressesP.S.*, J.A., K.D. & L.E.K., Geological
Survey of Denmark and Greenland, ster Voldgade 10, DK-1350
Copenhagen K,Denmark. * Present address: GNS Science, 1 Fairway
Drive, Avalon, P.O. Box 30368, Lower Hutt, New Zealand.E-mail:
[email protected]. & C.H.-C., Department of Earth
Sciences, University of Aarhus, Hegh-Guldbergsgade 2, DK-8000 rhus
C,Denmark.G.D. & L.H., DONG Energy, Agern All 2426, DK-2970
Hrsholm, Denmark.I.P. & E.P.J., Statoil Norway, Forusbeen 50,
N-4035 Stavanger, Norway.J.A.R., Geological Museum, University of
Copenhagen, ster Voldgade 57, DK-1350 Copenhagen K, Denmark.
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6
Fig. 50
Fig. 56
a
Fig. 49
Fig. 56b
Fig. 61
Fig. 58
Saxo-1Wessel-1
Tordenskjold-1 Eg-1
Diamant-1
Bertel-1
Mona-1Karl-1
W. Lulu-3,-1 Cleo-1
Augusta-1
Amalie-1
Tabita-1Gulnare-1
Gwen-2 Iris-1
Baron-2
Nora-1
Elin-1W-1Ravn-1
Falk-1
U-1
E-8
Tove-1
John-Flanke-1Alma-1
Emma-1
Edna-1
Roxanne-1
Ugle-1
Frida-1L-1
Francisca-1Cecilie-1
Connie-1
Elna-1Siri-2 Siri-3
Sofie-1
Floki-1
Sandra-1
Nolde-1 Nini-1Nini-2
Nini-3
D-1
Vanessa-1 Ibenholt-1
Ida-1
R-1
C-1
K-1
F-1
Inez-1
S-1
Siri-1
V-1
G-1
Deep-Adda-1Adda-2,-1Bo-1
North-Jens-1
Lulu-1Lulu-2
Sten-1
Gert-1
Kim-1
Lone-1
5700'
400' 600'
5600'
25 km
250 km
Coffee Soil Fault
NorthSea
Denmark
N
S
UK
G
NL
P
Siri C
anyo
n
Mid NorthSea High
CentralGraben
a
b
NorwegianDanish Basin
Central G
raben
100 km
North PolishStrait
EastShetlandPlatform
Fennoscandian Shield
ScottishHigh
Vik
ing
Gra
ben
Rhenish MassifBohemian
Massif
Jylland
Sjlland
Storeblt
MorayFirth
Mid NorthSea High
RingkbingFynHighFig. 1. Location maps showing the positionof
wells used in the study (a) and majorstructural elements in the
greater North Seaarea (b) mentioned in the text. On the wellmap (a)
are indicated the locations of theseismic sections shown in Figs
49, 50, 56, 58and 61. Grey shading on this map indicatesthe margins
of the Siri Canyon; grey shadinginside the canyon indicates an area
ofpositive relief within the canyon. GGGGG,Germany; NNNNN, Norway;
NLNLNLNLNL, Netherlands; PPPPP,Poland; SSSSS, Sweden; U KU KU KU KU
K, United Kingdom.
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Introduction
Intense drilling activity following the discovery of the
SiriField in 1995 has resulted in an improved understandingof the
siliciclastic Palaeogene sediment package in the Danishsector of
the North Sea (Fig. 1). Many of the new wellswere drilled in the
search for oil reservoirs in sandstonebodies of PaleoceneEocene
age. The existing lithostrati-graphy was established on the basis
of data from a gener-ation of wells that were drilled with deeper
stratigraphictargets, with little or no interest in the overlying
Palaeo-gene sedimentary succession. This means that this
earlyscheme does not include Palaeogene sandstone units inthe
Danish sector. In order to improve the understandingof the
distribution, morphology and age of the Palaeo-gene sediments, in
particular the economically importantsandstone bodies, a detailed
study of this succession in theDanish sector has been carried out.
The main aim was toupdate the lithostratigraphic framework of the
successionon the basis of new data from recently drilled wells.
All of the widespread Palaeogene mudstone units inthe North Sea
were established with Norwegian or Unit-ed Kingdom (UK) type wells.
In the present work, theseunits have been maintained unchanged or
with only slightmodifications. Danish reference wells have been
establishedfor the units, however, and lithological descriptions
havebeen expanded to cover the characteristics of these unitsin the
Danish sector.
Many of the sandstone bodies recently discovered inthe Danish
sector have a limited spatial distribution andare derived from
sources different from those of most ofthe contemporaneous
sandstone bodies in the Norwegianand UK sectors; furthermore, the
Danish sandstone bodiesprobably neither overlap nor are in contact
with the Nor-wegian/UK sandstones. These units have therefore
beenestablished as new in the Danish sector, and have beenassigned
Danish type and reference sections.
The lithostratigraphy presented herein (Fig. 2) has itsbase at
the top of the Early Paleocene (Danian) EkofiskFormation (Chalk
Group). The top of the study section isat the unconformity between
the Late Eocene Mid-Mio-cene Westray Group and the Mid-Miocene to
RecentNordland Group.
Oil companies operating in the North Sea have collec-ted a
substantial amount of lithostratigraphic data on thePalaeogene
successions and a detailed lithostratigraphy hasbeen developed for
the Danish and Norwegian sectors (seee.g. Hamberg et al. 2005). A
number of informal litho-stratigraphic units have been introduced
that have subse-quently found their way into academia and
geologicalsurvey organisations. It has been the aim of the
presentwork formally to define these new units. This has beendone
maintaining their original (albeit informal) nameswhenever
feasible.
It has not been the aim of this work to provide a se-quence
stratigraphic model for the Palaeogene sedimentsin the central and
eastern North Sea; for this the reader isreferred to Michelsen et
al. (1992, 1995, 1998), Mudge& Bujak (1994, 1996a, b), Neal et
al. (1994) and Dan-ielsen et al. (1997). The present contribution
does notattempt to review the petroleum-related aspects of
thePalaeogene succession. Information about this may befound
elsewhere, for example in the annual reports fromthe Danish Energy
Authority.
Preliminary results from the present work, including arevised
lithostratigraphic scheme, were previously pub-lished in a brief
review paper (Schiler et al. 2005). Thepresent contribution
formally describes the new strati-graphic units suggested in the
review paper and furtherdocuments the Palaeogene Lower Neogene
lithostrati-graphy in the Danish sector of the North Sea.
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8
Danian
Selandian
Thanetian
Sparnacian
Ypresian
Lutetian
Ma
Mid
dle
Eoce
neLo
wer
Eoc
ene
Upp
er P
aleo
cene
Cha
lk G
roup
Rog
alan
d G
roup
Stro
nsay
Gro
up
Wes
tray
Gro
upSt
rons
ay G
roup
Low
er P
aleo
cene
Priabonian
Rupelian
Chattian
Aquitanian
Burdigalian
Langhian
Serravallian
15
20
25
30
35
45
50
55
60
65
Mid
dle
Mio
cene
Low
er M
ioce
ne
Low
er N
eoge
nePa
laeo
gene
Pala
eoge
ne
Upp
er O
ligoc
ene
Low
er O
ligoc
ene
Upp
er E
ocen
eM
iddl
e Eo
cene
LillebltClay Fm
Horda Fm
RsnsClay Fm
FurFm
F lstFm
StolleKlint Clay
ster-rende Clay
HolmehusFm
Ve Mb
Bue Mb RindMb
belFm
DanianLime-stone
Ekofisk Fm
Vle Fm
List
a Fo
rmat
ion
Vile Mb
Sele Fm
Balder Fm
Bartonian
Lutetian
40
SvindMarlFm
SvindMarlFm
Viborg Fm
Linde Clay
BrandenClay
VejleFjord Fm
HoddeFm
GramFm
Lark Fm
(undivided)
Horda Fm
Seri
es
Syst
em
Stag
e
Den
mar
kon
shor
e
DanishNorth Sea
KolgaMb
Hef-ringMb
TyrMb
Bor Mb
49.0
55.5
54.5
57.9
60.0
41.3
37.0
33.7
28.5
23.8
20.5
16.4
14.8
DufaMb
Odderup Fm
BastrupSand
RibeFm
FrejaMb
IdunMb
Nor
dlan
dG
roup
ArnumFm
KertemindeMarl
LellingeGreensand
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9
Geological setting
The Danish sector of the North Sea is situated in the cen-tral
and eastern North Sea and comprises three major struc-tural
elements: the Central Graben, the NorwegianDan-ish Basin (the
eastern part of the northern North Sea Ba-sin of Rhys 1974) and the
RingkbingFyn High (Fig. 1;the geographic terminology and names of
structural ele-ments in the North Sea used herein are adapted from
Rhys1974, Rnnevik et al. 1975, Deegan & Scull 1977 andFyfe et
al. 2003). The western boundary of the Danishsector largely
coincides with the eastern boundary of theMid North Sea High, the
southern boundary largely co-incides with the southern limit of the
RingkbingFynHigh, and the northern boundary is in the
NorwegianDanish Basin. This basin as well as the RingkbingFynHigh
are Early Permian structures. Active rifting occurredin the Central
Graben from the Middle to Late Jurassicalong pre-established
Palaeozoic fault trends. Major tec-tonic activity around the
Palaeozoic and Jurassic struc-tures had largely ceased by Late
Cretaceous time, and thesediment basin below the central North Sea
was largelycharacterised by regional subsidence (Ziegler
1981).During the Late Cretaceous to Danian sea-level high, pe-lagic
chalk sediments draped the structural highs and thenorthern and
southern North Sea Basins became oneNorth Sea Basin delimited by
the Fennoscandian Shieldto the north-east, the RheinishBohemian
Massif to thesouth and the British massifs, highs and platforms to
thewest (see Ziegler 1981 fig. 16 for details). Chalk
sedimen-tation continued through to the end of the Danian Stagewhen
it gave way to hemipelagic and siliciclastic sedimen-tation. This
was probably caused by uplift of the basinmargins to the west and
east (Ahmadi et al. 2003). How-ever, most of the siliciclastic
sediments were derived from
the Scottish High and the East Shetland Platform, uplift-ed by
the Iceland plume (Ahmadi et al. 2003). By thetime of peak uplift,
in the mid-Thanetian, large sandsystems were building out towards
the central North Sea.Most sediment came from the west, but the
Siri Canyonsystem, a depression in the top chalk surface, was fed
fromthe Fennoscandian Shield in the north-east and north (Fig1;
Ahmadi et al. 2003; Hamberg et al. 2005).
Thermal subsidence centered above the Central Grabencontinued
through the Eocene as sea level fell and thetemperature decreased.
Shallow-marine sediments char-acterised the margins of the North
Sea Basin, especiallyits western margin, whereas basinal mudstone
continuedto accumulate in the basin centre and in the eastern
partof the basin (Joy 1996). Inversions controlled by com-pression
between the Atlantic spreading zone to the north-west and the
orogenesis of the Alps to the south added tofurther uplift of the
basin margins and submarine fansand turbidites were deposited near
the centre of the basin(Jones et al. 2003).
During the Oligocene, the North Sea Basin becamepart of a larger
NW European basin. Connection withthe North Atlantic broadened and
enhanced communi-cation with the oceanic water mass to the
north-west,whereas the connection to the south through the
NorthPolish Strait became closed for the deep water (Fyfe et
al.2003). Glacio-eustatic sea-level changes became more fre-quent
and controlled the sedimentary cycles. The east-ward progradation
direction of the Paleocene and Eocenesediments gave way to sediment
supply from the Euro-pean massifs to the far south (Fyfe et al.
2003). Continu-ed subsidence above the Mesozoic rift structures
createdaccommodation space for thick sediment packages of basi-nal
mudstones, and few sandstone units reached the basindepocentre
above the Mesozoic rifts (Fyfe et al. 2003). Inthe Neogene Epoch,
sediment started to be derived fromthe Fennoscandian Shield to the
north, and the prograda-tion direction changed to the south-west
and west in theDanish sector of the North Sea.
Facing page:Fig. 2. Lithostratigraphic column for the Palaeogene
and Lower Neo-gene of the Danish North Sea sector showing the
approximate corre-lation with Danish onshore stratigraphic units.
Timescale from Hard-enbol et al. (1998), except for the age of the
PaleoceneEocene bound-ary, which is adapted from Berggren &
Aubry (1996) and the age ofthe SparnacianYpresian boundary, which
is from Aubry et al. (2003).Stratigraphy and ages of pre-Chatian
onshore lithostratigraphic unitsare based on Heilmann-Clausen
(1995) and Clemmensen & Thom-sen (2005). Post-Rupelian onshore
stratigraphy and ages are fromDybkjr & Rasmussen (2000) and
Rasmussen (2004a). F, Fur For-mation.
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10
Previous work
The Permian to Recent lithostratigraphy of the North Seawas
described in two pioneering stratigraphic works. Rhys(1974)
provided an overview of the structural elements ofthe North Sea and
gave a brief description of the Palaeo-gene sediments. Deegan &
Scull (1977) compiled a de-tailed lithostratigraphic subdivision
and lithological de-scription for the central and northern North
Sea (Figs 3,4). They subdivided the siliciclastic Palaeogene,
Neogeneand Quaternary sediments into five major groups:
theMontrose, Moray, Rogaland, Hordaland and NordlandGroups. The
Montrose and Moray Groups established forthe Outer Moray Firth
Forties area are proximal equiv-alents to the Rogaland Group and
are not present in theDanish sector, whereas the Rogaland,
Hordaland andNordland Groups have widespread distribution in
theDanish sector. The succession of major mudstone forma-tions
contained within the three basinwide groups has
formed the backbone of all subsequent lithostratigraphicschemes
for the central and northern North Sea, includ-ing that of the
present contribution.
The post-Danian Cainozoic succession of the DanishCentral Graben
was divided into seven informal units byKristoffersen & Bang
(1982). The Palaeogene comprisedfive units: North Sea Marl and
CEN-14 (Fig. 4). Theranks of the units were not stated. Although
descriptionsand interpretation of the CEN units were detailed,
theyare essentially informal and have been little used.
A revised lithostratigraphy for the Palaeogene and Ne-ogene of
the Norwegian North Sea sector was publishedby Hardt et al. (1989).
Their lithostratigraphic schemeincludes a number of new Palaeogene
and Neogene sand-stone bodies observed in the Norwegian and British
sec-tors of the North Sea (Fig. 4). Some of the names of thenew
sandstone units established by Hardt et al. (1989)were subsequently
used informally for comparable sand-stone units discovered in the
Danish sector.
Mudge & Copestake (1992a, b) presented a revisedPalaeogene
stratigraphy for the Outer Moray Firth andnorthern North Sea
Basins. In their papers they redefinedthe Moray and Montrose Groups
of Deegan & Scull(1977) and abandoned the Rogaland Group. The
authorsalso demoted the previously established sandstone
forma-tions within the two former groups to the rank of mem-bers.
Besides, in an innovative approach they allowed fora greater
influence of biostratigraphic data on the charac-terisation of the
various lithostratigraphic units, an ap-proach which is also
followed herein.
Knox & Holloway (1992) updated the lithostratigra-phic
scheme for the Palaeogene in the British and Norwe-gian central and
northern North Sea (Figs 3, 4). The au-thors followed Mudge &
Copestake (1992a, b) in aban-doning the Rogaland Group of Deegan
& Scull (1977),and used Mudge & Copestakes revised
definition of theMontrose and Moray Groups for the central North
Sea aswell.
Furthermore,
the
thick
and hitherto undivided Horda-
land Group was subdivided into two new groups, theStronsay Group
succeeded by the Westray Group, eachcontaining a distal and a
proximal formation. The twodistal formations of the two groups, the
Horda and LarkFormations, together constitute the bulk of the
Palaeo-gene sediments in the Danish sector of the North Sea andare
adopted herein (Figs 24). Although sandstone unitsoccur in both the
Horda and Lark Formations in the Dan-ish sector, the two proximal
sandstone formations of the
Fig. 3. Correlation chart showing the approximate correlation
betweenkey lithostratigraphic schemes for the central and eastern
North Seaat group and formation levels.
Fur
Deegan & Scull(1977)
Hardt et al. (1989)
Knox & Holloway(1992)
This study
Chalk Group Chalk Group Chalk Group
Hordaland Group
Lista
Unnamedunit/Vle
Sele
Balder Balder Balder
Lista
Maureen
MontroseGroup
MorayGroup
Lark
Mou
saSk
ade
Horda
Sele
RogalandGroup
RogalandGroup
StronsayGroup
WestrayGroup
StronsayGroup
WestrayGroup
Lista
Sele
Horda
Lark
Vle
Nordland Group Nordland Group Nordland Group
-
11
Stronsay and Westray Groups, the Mousa and Skade For-mations,
are absent from the Danish sector.
Following detailed analysis of new, high-resolutionseismic
surveys covering the succession in the eastern NorthSea area,
efforts were focused on establishing a sequencestratigraphic
subdivision of the PalaeogeneNeogene sedi-ment package. The
sedimentary succession was interpre-ted in a series of publications
from a working group at theUniversity of Aarhus (e.g. Michelsen et
al. 1992, 1995,1998; Michelsen 1993; Danielsen et al. 1997; Huuse
&
Clausen 2001). The result of that work was a subdivisionof the
Palaeogene to mid-Neogene sediment packagecovered by the present
work into six genetic units (Fig. 4).The sequence stratigraphy of
the upper Oligocene to Mi-ocene in the eastern North Sea was dealt
with by Rasmus-sen (2004b). Further sequence stratigraphic
contributionscovering the larger North Sea Basin including the
Britishand Norwegian sectors are given by Armentrout et al.(1993),
Mudge & Bujak (1994, 1996a, b) and Neal et al.(1994).
Coastal onlap
Basinward7
Michelsen et al. (1998)
6
6.3
6.2
6.1
5.4
5.3
5.2
5.1
4.4
4.3
4.2
4.1
1.2
1.1
5
4
3
2
1
NordlandGroup
HordalandGroup
Balder
Sele
Lista
UnnamedUnit
Ekofisk
CEN-5
CEN-4
CEN-3
CEN-2
CEN-1
NorthSeaMarl
Chalk-6
NordlandGroup
HordalandGroup
Balder
Sele Sele
Lista
Lista
Vle
Ekofisk
NordlandGroup
Lark
Horda
Balder
Tay
Mo
usa
Ska
de
Frej
a
Kol
gaF
ur
Rin
dId
unTy
rBo
r
Sele
Lista
Lis
ta
Fort
ies
Cro
-m
arty
Mey
Vad
e
Fort
ies
An
dre
w
Hei
md
alH
erm
od
Fis
keb
ank
Fis
keb
ank
Fri
ggR
ogal
and
Gro
up
Maureen
Mau
reen
Ekofisk Ekofisk Ekofisk
NordlandGroup
Lark
Horda
Balder
Sele
Bue
Ve
Vile
VleVle
Deegan &Scull
(1977) NorthernNorth SeaCentral
North Sea
Kristoffersen& Bang(1982)
Hardt et al. (1989) Knox &Holloway
(1992)
This study
NordlandGroup
Balder
Ty
Grid
Ekofisk
Frigg
Hef
-ri
ngD
ufa
Skade
Fig. 4. Correlation chart showingapproximate correlation between
keylithostratigraphic schemes for the centraland eastern North Sea
and the Norwegianpart of the northern North Sea atformation and
member levels. Thesequence stratigraphic subdivision ofMichelsen et
al. (1998) is added forcomparison. Sandstone-dominated
unitsindicated in yellow.
-
12
Material and methods
The present lithostratigraphic subdivision represents
thecombined
results
from
studies
of
petrophysical
logs,
bio-
stratigraphy and
seismic
profiles,
cuttings samples and cored
sections. Petrophysical logs from c. 70 wells in the
Danishsector have been scrutinised (see Fig. 1 for well
locations).The wells have been correlated using petrophysical
logs,predominantly gamma-ray
and
sonic
logs. Five
log
panels
form the
basis
for
the
log
correlation
(Plates
15).
Lithostratigraphic well correlation has been supportedby
biostratigraphic data: biostratigraphic reports from 29
wells have been re-assessed with the aim of identifyingkey
micropalaeontological and palynological events thatoccur
consistently within the study area (taxa used areplanktonic and
benthic foraminifers, diatoms, radiolaria,sporomorphs and
dinoflagellate cysts). Moreover, biostrati-graphic sample suites
from 11 North Sea wells have beenprepared at the Geological Survey
of Denmark and Green-land in order to further determine the
biostratigraphicevent succession. The bulk of material studied for
bio-stratigraphy is based on cuttings samples, and only few
Table 1. Well data for the new type and reference wells in the
Danish sector of the North Sea
Augusta-1
Cecilie-1
Cleo-1
Connie-1
E-8
F-1
Floki-1
Francisca-1
Frida-1
Inez-1
K-1
Mona-1
Nini-3
Sandra-1
Siri-1
Siri-2
Siri-3
Tabita-1
Bor Mb(t), Bue Mb(t),Ve Mb(t)
Bor Mb(r), Tyr Mb(r)
Bue Mb(r), Lista Fm(r), Ve Mb(r), Vile Mb(r) Idun Mb(t), Rind
Mb(t)
Bue Mb(r), Lista Fm(r), Ve Mb(r), Vile Mb(r), Vle Fm(r)Dufa
Mb(r)
Hefring Mb(t)
Freja Mb(t)
Freja Mb(r)
Dufa Mb(t), Fur Fm(r)
Fur Fm(r)
Balder Fm(r), Horda Fm(r), Lark Fm(r)Kolga Mb(r), Tyr Mb(t)
Rind Mb(r)
Horda Fm(r), Lark Fm(r), Sele Fm(r), Vle Fm(r)Idun Mb(r)
Balder Fm(r), Kolga Mb(t), Vile Mb(t)Sele Fm(r)
561757.40 N042404.64 E 562423.73 N044542.00 E562323.54
N042522.70 E562428.34 N044230.36 E553813.42 N045911.96 E570153.4
N065428.6 E562748.58 N051647.11 E562227.95 N044805.30 E561714.15
N050150.20 E565028.39 N065741.62 E570737.74 N070943.11 E561635.94
N040015.81 E564131.96 N052412.35 E563513.33 N050135.19 E562911.10
N045457.49 E562940.53 N045213.26 E563034.92 N050348.27 E561337.50
N042347.56 E
04.03.2001 2991.0 MDRT 37.8 RT 65
15.10.2000 2361.0 MDRT 37.8 RT 59.4
06.02.1984 4866.1 MDKB 40.5 KB 63.1
02.02.2001 2351.8 MDRT 37.8 RT 61.5
08.04.1994 2527.4 MDKB 36.6 KB 43.6
06.10.1968 2421.6 MDKB 37.19 KB 40.8
29.08.2000 1878 MDRT 35.8 RT 53.2
20.07.1998 1888.5 MDRT 36.4 KB 60
26.07.1997 2274 MDRT 39.0 RT 54.3
11.09.1977 1983.9 MDKB 35.1 KB 35.4
22.01.1970 2292.4 MDKB 37.2 KB 56.4
03.10.1982 4241.6 MDKB 36.6 KB 65.5
12.01.2001 1851.2 MDRT 37.3 RT 58.2
18.06.1998 2139 MDRT 36 KB 65
28.11.1995 2220 MDKB 23 KB 60
03.08.1996 2297.5 MDRT 36.6 RT 60.6
30.08.1996 2171.5 MDRT 36.6 RT 60.1
10.09.1983 4353 MDKB 40 KB 65
DONG E&P a/s
DONG E&P a/s
Chevron Petroleum Co.
DONG E&P a/s
Maersk Oil & Gas a/s
Gulf Oil Company
Kerr-McGee Int. aps
Dansk Operatrselskab i/s
Dansk Operatrselskab i/s
Chevron Petroleum Co.
California Oil Co.
Chevron Petroleum Co.
DONG E&P a/s
Statoil E&P a/s
Statoil E&P a/s
Statoil E&P a/s
Statoil E&P a/s
Statoil E&P a/s
Type (t) or reference (r) well Coordinates Operator Spud
date
TD (loggers KB/RT elevation Waterfor listed units: depth in m)
(m above msl) depth (m)Well
Fm: Formation. Mb: Member. MDRT: Measured Depth below Rotary
Table. MDKB: Measured Depth below Kelly Bushing.
-
13
Fig. 5. Chronostratigraphy and biostratigraphy of the Paleocene
Middle Miocene. a: PaleoceneEocene. b: EoceneOligocene. c:
Oligocene Middle Miocene. Calibration of chronostratigraphic units
follows Hardenbol et al. (1998), Berggren & Aubry (1996) for
the PaleoceneEoceneboundary and Aubry et al. (2003) for the
SparnacianYpresian boundary. Key dinoflagellate datums are
calibrated mainly using age estimatesfrom Hardenbol et al. (1998)
and Williams et al. (2004). Key microfossil datums are calibrated
via their correlation with calibrated dinoflagellatedatums as
suggested by Mudge & Bujak (1996b), using age estimates from
Hardenbol et al. (1998) and Williams et al. (2004). The
combinedevent succession is correlated with the North Sea
microfossil zonation of King (1989) and lithostratigraphic units
treated herein. In the microfos-sil event column, the planktonic
foraminifer events appear in normal font, benthic foraminifers in
italics; diatoms and radiolarians are under-lined.
Senoniasphaera inornata
Palynodinium grallator, Dinogymnium spp.
Alisocysta reticulata
abundant P. pyrophorumIsabelidinium? viborgense
P. pyrophorum, P. australinum
acme A. gippingensis
Alisocysta margarita
common Cerodinium wardenense
Apectodinium augustumApectodinium augustum, acme Apectodinium
spp.
acme D. oebisfeldensis, influx Inaperturopollenites spp.,common
H. tubiferum
Deflandrea oebisfeldensis
Dracodinium condylos
NSP6(pars)
NSP5b
NSP5a
NSP4
NSP3
NSP2
NSP1
a
b
c
NSB4(pars)
NSB3b
NSB3a
NSB2
NSB1
a
b
c
Horda
Balder
Sele
Ekofisk
Tor
Vle
Bue
Ve
Vile
Lista
Planktonic foraminifersBenthic foraminifers
Diatoms and radiolaria
Planktonicmicrofossils
North Sea Biozones(King 1989)
Litho-stratigraphy
Selected biostratigraphic eventsused in the present
studyGeo-
chronologyMa
a Chronostratigraphy(Berggren et al. 1995)
Cre
tace
ous
(par
s)Pa
leoc
ene
Eoce
ne (p
ars)
Upp
er (p
ars)
Low
erU
pper
Low
er (p
ars)
Fm MbDinoflagellate cysts
Ypresian(pars)
Maastrictian(pars)
Thanetian
Sparnacian
Selandian
Danian
54.5
55.5
57.9
60.0
65.0
50
55
60
65
Uvigerina batjesiTurrillina brevispiraGaudryina hiltermanni
common Subbotinaex gr. linaperta
Fenestrella antiqua,foraminifers very rare
impoverished benthicagglutinated assemblage
common Globoconusadaubjergensis
Globanomalinacf. compressa, S. trivialisincreasing diversityof
calcareous foraminifers
reappearance ofplanktonic foraminifers
increasing diversity of cal-careous benthic foraminifers
Cenodiscus spp.,Cenosphaera spp.
Cretaceous foraminifers
common F. antiqua andCoscinodiscus morsianus
Pseudotextularia elegans
BenthicmicrofossilsStageSeries
-
14
35
40
50
45
LarkFormation
Rupelian(pars)
Olig
ocen
e (p
ars)
Eoce
ne (
pars
)
Priabonian
41.3
Bartonian
Lutetian
Ypresian(pars)
NSB7a
NSB6b
NSB6a
NSB5c
NSB5b
NSB5a
NSB4
NSB3a
NSB2 (pars)
NSB3b
Planulina costata
Pseudohastigerina spp.
abundant radiolaria (Cenosphaera spp.), Cyclammina
amplectens
Lenticulina gutticostata,Spiroplectammina spectabilis
Balder
Horda
Eatonicysta ursulae
Diphyes ficusoides
Areosphaeridium michoudii
Heteraulacacysta porosa
Diphyes colligerum
Areosphaeridium diktyoplokum
common E. ursulae
Phthanoperidinium clithridium
Globigerinatheka index
Cibicidoides truncanusVaginulinopsis decorata
49.0
37.0
33.7
Uvigerina batjesiTurrillina brevispiraGaudryina
hiltermannicommon Subbotina patagonica Dracodinium condylos
Deflandrea oebisfeldensisacme D. oebisfeldensis, influx
Inaperturopollenites spp., common H. tubiferum
Fenestrella antiqua, foraminifers very rare
Cerebrocysta bartonensis
Uvigerina germanicaKarrulina conversa
Corrudinium incompositum
Sele (pars)
NSP9b
NSP9a
NSP8c
NSP8b
NSP8a
NSP7
NSP6
NSP5b
NSP4 (pars)
NSP5a
Low
er (
pars
)U
pper
Mid
dle
Low
er (
pars
)
Planktonic foraminifersBenthic foraminifers
Diatoms and radiolaria
Planktonicmicrofossils
North Sea Biozones(King 1989)
Litho-stratigraphy
Selected biostratigraphic eventsused in the present study
Chronostratigraphy(Berggren et al. 1995)
Fm MbDinoflagellate cystsBenthic
microfossilsStageSeries
Geo-chronology
Ma
b
Fig. 5b. Chronostratigraphy and biostratigraphy of the
EoceneOligocene.
-
15
Lark
NSP9a(pars)
NSB6b(pars)
Uvigerina germanicaKarrulina conversa
NSP14b NSB13a
NSP14a NSB12c
NSP13NSB12b
NSB12a
NSP12 NSB11
NSP11
NSP10
NSB10
NSB9
NSP9c
NSB8c
NSB8b
NSB8a
NSB7b
NSB7aNSP9b
Aulacodiscus allorgeiTurrillina alsatica
Bolboforma spiralis
Asterigerina staeschei, Elphidium inflatum, Meonis
pompilioides
Uvigerina tenuipustulata
Plectofrondicularia seminuda
Aulacodiscus insignisquadrata (small),B. antiqua, G.
girardana
common Elphidium subnodosum, common Paragloborotalia nana
Rotaliatina bulimoides
Turborotalia ampliapertura
common A. guerichi, Paragloborotalia opima s.s.
Bolboforma metzmacheri
Pararotalia canui
Aulacodiscus insignisquadrata (large)
Spirosigmoilinella compressa
Cibicidoides mexicanus
Gyroidina mamillata
Wetzeliella gochtii
Phthanoperidinium amoenum
Chiropteridium spp.Membranophoridiumaspinatum
Distatodinium biffi
Cordosphaeridium cantharellus
Apteodinium spiridoides
Caligodinium amiculum
Thalassiphora pelagica
Hystrichokolpoma cinctum
Rhombodinium draco
Corrudinium incompositum
Achilleodinium biformoides
Enneadocysta pectiniformis
Burdigalian
Aquitanian
Mio
cene
(par
s)
Low
er
Chattian
Upp
er
Rupelian(pars)
Low
er (p
ars)O
ligoc
ene
(par
s)
Mid
dle
Langhian
Serravallian
28.5
23.8
20.5
16.4
14.8
11.2
Cousteaudinium aubryae
Nordland Group
Bulimina elongata
Bolboforma clodiusi
P. comatum
15
20
30
25
Cannosphaeropsis passio
Tortonian (pars)U
pper
(p
ars)
Planktonic foraminifersBenthic foraminifers
Diatoms and radiolaria
Planktonicmicrofossils
North Sea Biozones(King 1989)
Litho-stratigraphy
Selected biostratigraphic eventsused in the present study
Chronostratigraphy(Berggren et al. 1995)
Fm MbDinoflagellate cystsBenthic
microfossilsStageSeries
Geo-chronology
Ma
c
Fig 5c. Chronostratigraphy and biostratigraphy of the Oligocene
Middle Miocene.
-
16
core samples have been available. As the use of
stratigraphiclowest occurrences (LO) of taxa in cuttings samples
maybe hampered due to downhole caving, the event succes-sion
comprises almost exclusively stratigraphic highestoccurrences (HO)
of taxa (a single significant LO is in-cluded in the succession).
The event succession is shownin Fig. 5ac; its correlation with
international and NorthSea biozones is shown in Fig. 6ac.
Seismic sections from the 2-D and 3-D seismic surveysCGD85,
DK-1, RTD81RE94, UCG96 and UCGE97have been used to further support
the well correlation andto map the stratigraphic units in areas
with only scatteredwell coverage. The combined results from the
correlationand mapping procedures are presented as isochore mapsfor
individual stratigraphic units.
Inspection of cuttings samples from 16 key wells sup-plemented
with sedimentological studies of cored inter-
vals from 23 wells have formed the basis for the litholog-ical
and sedimentological descriptions of the units.
The well depths mentioned in the lithostratigraphy sec-tion are
loggers depths measured either from rotary table(MDRT) or kelly
bushing (MDKB). Supplementary datafor new type and reference wells
are provided in Table 1.
The names assigned to the new lithostratigraphic
unitsdefined
herein
are derived from Nordic mythology and thus
follow the nomenclatural tradition previously establishedfor
the
Norwegian
North
Sea
(Isaksen
&
Tonstad 1989).
It should be noted that the
micropalaeontology-basedpalaeoenvironmental terminology used herein
was origi-nally developed for a passive margin situation (e.g.
theterms neritic and bathyal to indicate the physiographiczones
shelf and shelf- slope, respectively). Its applicationherein to the
epicontinental North Sea Basin solely relatesto depositional
depth.
Offshore and onshore lithostratigraphic nomenclature
There is a high degree of lithological similarity betweenthe
PalaeogeneNeogene mudstone succession in Danishoffshore boreholes
and that in onshore exposures and bore-holes. However, the status
of the Danish onshore units isquite varied since many units were
named before a stan-dard for description of a lithostratigraphic
unit was estab-lished; some fulfil these requirements, whereas
others arestill informal. If a previously established onshore unit
andan offshore unit can be demonstrated to be identical (e.g.the
Holmehus Formation and the new Ve Member pro-posed herein), the
name of the onshore unit theoreticallyhas priority over the name of
the offshore unit (Salvador1994). In other cases, names of offshore
units can be ar-gued to have priority over onshore units (e.g. Sele
andBalder Formations over lst Formation). However, inorder to
acknowledge the traditional distinction betweenoffshore and onshore
stratigraphic nomenclature, the twosets of nomenclature are kept
separate herein. Wheneverpossible, comments are given in the text
to explain therelationship between offshore and onshore Danish
strati-graphic nomenclature. A correlation between the two setsof
nomenclature is shown in Fig. 2.
Chronostratigraphy and biostratigraphyAge assessment of the
lithostratigraphic units in the NorthSea sedimentary succession is
based on correlation betweenkey biostratigraphic events encountered
in the units andthe calibrated standard chronostratigraphy
published byBerggren et al. (1995), with modification for the
Pale-oceneEocene boundary following ratification of its posi-tion
by the International Union of Geological Scientists(Aubry et al.
2002). The key events are from biostrati-graphic zonation schemes
established for the North Seaarea. Planktonic and benthic
microfossils are covered bythe zonation schemes of King (1983,
1989; Figs 5ac,6ac). Dinoflagellates from the Paleocene and
EoceneEpochs are covered by the zonation scheme of Mudge &Bujak
(1996b; Fig. 6a, b); the Oligocene and MioceneEpochs are covered by
the zonation schemes of Costa &Manum (1988) with modifications
by Kthe (1990, 2003;Fig. 6b, c). Key events from these schemes used
in thisstudy are listed in Fig. 5ac.
For the dinoflagellate events, geochronological calibra-tion has
been largely established using age estimates fromHardenbol et al.
(1998), Munsterman & Brinkhuis (2004)and Williams et al.
(2004). For events not mentioned inthese three publications, the
works of Mudge & Bujak