Search

The Middle to Upper Triassic series in the Norwegian Barents Sea represents an important target for hydrocarbon exploration. However, the dating and correlation of these rocks are problematic due to the scarcity of age-diagnostic macrofossils, lateral facies variation and the overall thickness of the succession. Palynology has proven to be a useful dating tool but further work is necessary to improve the zonal resolution, particularly for the Upper Triassic Series. The current paper presents a detailed palynostratigraphy of the Middle – Upper Triassic succession in four exploration wells (7120/12-2, 7228/2-1s, 7-1a and 9-1s) drilled in the Hammerfest and Nordkapp basins. Eleven informal palynological zones are described from the stratigraphic interval spanning the Kobbe, Snadd and Fruholmen formations, which constitute regionally significant hydrocarbon source and reservoir rock facies. The results of this study contribute to a higher resolution palynostratigraphy for the Middle to Upper Triassic strata of the southern Barents Sea (SBS), and an improved correlation with the stratigraphy of the Svalbard Archipelago. Palynofacies data for the succession, presented here for the first time, indicates depositional environments ranging from fluvio-deltaic to offshore marine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This paper presents palynological evidence from the late Early Triassic (late Smithian) to the Late Triassic (Rhaetian) of the Barents Sea area: A continuous palynological succession from an exploration well (7228/7-1A) in the Nordkapp Basin (SW Barents Sea) and palynological data from a series of shallow cores drilled at the Svalis Dome (Central Barents Sea) representing selected Triassic intervals. These fully marine sediments are independently dated by marine faunas. Both records show significant shifts in the distribution of the main floral elements. Changing ratios of spore-pollen taxa, grouped as hygrophytes versus xerophytes and spores versus pollen, reveal major changes of the floras within the studied interval. One distinct turnover coincides with the Smithian/Spathian boundary where lycopsid and pteridophyte spores dominated assemblages change to pollen (pteridosperms and conifers) dominated assemblages. Lower Middle Triassic assemblages are again dominated by lycopsid spores while the assemblages from the upper part of the Middle Triassic and the lower part of the Late Triassic are characterised by dominance of coniferous pollen and show the decline of pteridosperms. In the latest Triassic fern spores are abundant and diverse. In contrast to the Middle Triassic the pollen assemblages are characterized by cycadophytes and Araucariacites. These distribution patterns are interpreted to reflect climatic changes. The presented results from Norwegian Boreal areas confirm the significant differences between quantitative distribution of specific taxa as well as diversity of major groups in plant assemblages from low and mid latitudes. The present survey opens new perspectives for more detailed comparisons and climatic interpretations of floras from the Triassic period, a time during which Mesozoic vegetation established. The major changes in the dominance of specific floral elements, especially the diversification and spreading of the conifers, can probably be related to climatic changes. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]