Lithostratigraphy Offshore Norway
15 June 2004 - Discussed and Approved during Steering Mtg, 7 June 2004 at OD, Stavanger
Norwegian Offshore Stratigraphic Lexicon –
Project NORLEX
A Proposal by the NORGES Project
Introduction: Since the publication of standard lithostratigraphic schemes for the North Sea and offshore Norway (Deegan & Scull, 1977; Isaksen & Tonstad, 1989) much new information has accumulated. The direct result is
an increasingly outdated lithostratigraphic standard, leading to ongoing dissatisfaction by the petroleum geology community with the existing schemes and nomenclature.
In order to address and resolve this problem the NORGES Project (Network of Offshore Records of Geology and Stratigraphy, with consortium members Statoil, Shell, ENI, RWE-DEA, and Hydro) is proposing to systematically update the existing body of lithostratigraphic information. Rather than generating another set of conventional lexicon and/or atlas-type publications, the revised and expanded lithostratigraphy will be organised and presented in a relational data base format. Between 2001 and 2004 this was succesfull accomplished by the NORGES Project for the Mesozoic and Cenozoic exploration biostratigraphy, offshore Norway (see A direct benefit of NORLEX on the web is also that future updating is relatively easy, and economically effective.
Between December 2003 and May 2004 three open meetings were organised by the NORGES Project to formulate a plan of action: One meeting 2003 at the NaturalHistoryMuseum (Geology) of the University of Oslo, one at the Norwegian Petroleum Directorate in Stavanger, and one at Statoil in Stavanger. The participants in the meetings, including the leadership in the Norwegian Stratigraphic Committee, the Norwegian Petroleum Directorate and the Norwegian Geological Survey strongly endorsed the new offshore lithostratigraphy initiative. Together, the participants have helped to formulate and detail the present proposal and plan of action, which is scheduled to unfold and complete between 2004 and 2007.
The project is called NORLEX – Interactive Norwegian Offshore Stratigraphic Lexicon. Once completed, the new website will be hosted on the server of the Norwegian Petroleum Directorate ( and maintained jointly through the NORGES Project and NPD.
Purpose: Improve and update the Lithostratigraphic Lexicons (NPD Bulletins 1, 5, etc); place all content in a relational (MYSQL) database format; create interactive web-based interface with full colour; introduce detailed biostratigraphic information on key markers for formations in specific regions; provide crossing seismic and log displays of type sections; make wheeler-type diagrams of the formation in a regional context; show detailed (bio-) stratigraphic distribution of the type sections of the formations and members; link wells sections to digital core photographs to formations; produce simplified paleogeographic maps for formations or groups.
Project period: 2004-2007
Responsible agencies and organisations: NPD, NORGES Project, NGU, Norwegian Stratigraphic Committee.
Administration: NORGES Project at NHM
Leader: Felix Gradstein (NORGES)
Steering Committee: Iain Prince, chair (Statoil), Morten Smelror (NGU), Harald Brunstad (RWE-DEA), Jon Gjelberg (Hydro and Norw. Strat. Comm.), Elen Roaldset (NHM).
Liaison to Petrobank: Eric Toogood (NPD)
Programming, incl. GIS: Øyvind Hammer and IT groups at NPD and NGU.
Contact/Liaisons: Eric Toogood, Svein Finnestad, Harald Brekke (NPD); Erik Fjellanger (Esso); Iain Prince, Alex Cullum, Gitte Laursen, Ørjan Birkeland, Vidar Larsen (Statoil); Jon Gjelberg, Nils Tellnås, Odd Ragnar Heum, Yngve Rundberg (Hydro); Craig Harvey, Hans van Marle, Rodmar Ravnås, (Shell); Paul Milner (BP), Ole Petter Hansen (Total); Paul van Veen (Philips/Conoco); Harald Brunstad, Luis Vergara, Morten Bergan (RWE-DEA); Snorre Olaussen, Bjørn Wandås (ENI); Tormod Saether, Bjørn Tore Larsen, Terje Hellem (private); Tom Egeberg (Idemitsu); Torgny Berglund (Svensk Petr); Deborah South (Chevron); REBUS (Svein Ilebek); Atle Mørk (SINTEF); Morten Smelror (NGU); Felix Gradstein, Hans Arne Nakrem, Øyvind Hammer, Elen Roaldset, Janne Dolven, Erik Anthonissen (NHM); Jim and Gabi Ogg (Purdue U).
Stratigraphic IntervalLeaders:
Triassic/Lower Jurassic – Bergan, Mørk, van Veen
Middle/Upper Jurassic – Smelror, Hellem, Ravnås
Cretaceous – Vergara, Gradstein, Saether, Milner
Paleogene – Brunstad, Prince, Harvey
Neogene – Smelror, Rundberg
Also on NORLEX website:
Interactive stratigraphy Oslo Graben (prepared by Hans Arne Nakrem)
Interactive Stratigraphy Paleozoic Barents Sea (modify existing PDF file)
Direct links to DGU and UKOOA lithostratigraphy websites
Relational links to the complete biostratigraphy database of NORGES
Formal Stratigraphic Review: Norwegian Stratigraphic Committee (chair Atle Mørk)
Posting of completed formations prior to web adaption: Formations completed can (if desired) first be posted as PDF files on a special section of the NORGES/NORLEX website, so as to allow informal peer review.
Core descriptions: Tormod Saether?
Seismic and well log displays and verification: Filippos Tsikalas and Michel Heeremans, Blindern/UiO
Drafting: Janne Dolven; Gabi Ogg
Geologic Standard Time Scale: Felix Gradstein, James Ogg
Sponsors: NORLEX is a multi-client based on sponsorship of petroleum companies active offshore Norway.
Project schedule:
Year 1 = 2004
May and June: Finalize project proposal, seek consortium funding commitments
Monday 7 June, 10.00 am – 1200 am.: NORLEX Steering Committee meeting, NPD, Stavanger
Tuesday 21 September: NORGES workshop on Exploration Stratigraphy and Geologic Problem Solving
Monday 18 October: NORLEX Workshop at Statoil on Paleocene Formations; project leader Iain Prince
Monday 22 November NORLEX workshop on Upper Cretaceous Formations; project leader ……
Year 2 = 2005
Monday 17 January 2005 NORLEX workshop at RWE-DEA on Lower Cretaceous Formations; project leader Luis Vergara
Monday 14 february NORLEX Workshop at Hydro on Paleogene Formations; Project leader ……..
Monday 18 April NORLEX workshop at NGU on Neogene Formations; Project leader Morten Smelror
Monday 12 September NORLEX workshop on Lower-Middle Jurassic Formations; Project leader …………….
Monday 21 November NORLEX workshop on Upper Jurassic Formations; Project leader ……………
Year 3 = 2006
Several workshops to synthesize formal lithostratigraphy, peer review results, and test website
Year 4 = 2007
Inauguration of interactive NORLEX website at NPD, October 2007
Excursions and Field trips 2005, 2006 and 2007
Three fieldtrips may be organised for Consortium members only (at cost) to get first hand insight in the stratigraphic framework of major siliciclast groups and formations on land in Europe. A choice of four basins is proposed, maximizing stratigraphic resemblance to North Sea and offshore Norway.
1. Cretaceous of NW German Basins (leader Jorgen Mutterlose)
2. Jurassic-Lower Cretaceous of W. Portugal (Leaders Chris Wilson, Rodmar Ravnås and Felix Gradstein)
3. Paleogene and Neogene of UK.
NORLEX website (2007): Finalized interactive, relational lithostratigraphic database and lexicon tobe hosted on public high-speed server.
NORLEX Usage: Interactive website freely available; petroleum companies will support the project with minor yearly maintenance fee.
References:
Deegan, C.E. & Scull, B.J., 1977. A standard lithostratigraphic nomenclature for the Central and Northern North Sea. Inst. Geol. Sciences, report 77/25; NPD-Bulletin # 1.
Isaksen, D. & Tonstad, K., 1989. A revised Cretaceous and Tertiary lithostratigraphic nomenclature for the Norwegian North Sea. NPD Bull # 5.
Appendix 1
Participants in NORGES meeting on 17 December 2003 – Natural History Museum (Geology), U of Oslo:
Øyvind Hammer NHM)
Eric Toogood (NPD; Petrobank)
Atle Mørk (SINTEF; Norw. Strat. Comm),
Mike Kaminski (UcL)
Morten Bergan (RWE-DEA)
Tormod Saether
Paul van Veen (Phillips)
Lisbeth Søyseth (Hydro)
Filippos Tsikalas (Geology Dept., UiO)
Hans Arne Nakrem (NHM, UiO)
Elen Roaldset (NHM)
Felix Gradstein (NHM)
Harald Brunstadt (RWE-DEA)
Terje Hellem
Iain Prince (Statoil)
Bjørn Wåndas (ENI)
Morten Smelror (NGU)
Jane Dolven (NHM)
Deborah South (Chevron)
Callum Hetherington (NHM)
Participants in the NORGES meeting on 10 Febr 2004 – Norwegian Petroleum Directorate, Stavanger
Eric Toogood (NPD)
Dag Behring (NPD)
Bente Nyland (NPD)
Harald Brekke (NPD)
Robert Williams (NPD)
Svein Finnestad (NPD)
Felix Gradstein (NHM)
Elen Roaldset (NHM)
Participants in the NORGES meeting on 26 April 2004 – Statoil, Stavanger
Iain Prince (Statoil)
Alex Cullum (Statoil)
Gitte Laursen (Statoil)
Lisbeth Søyseth (Hydro)
Craig Harvey (Shell)
Rodmar Ravnås (Shell)
Felix Gradstein (NHM)
Bjørn Wåndas (ENI)
Luis Vergara (RWE-DEA)
Participants in NORLEX steering mtg on 7 June – OD, Stavanger
Eric Toogood (OD)
Alex Cullum (Statoil)
Craig Harvey (Shell)
Elen Roaldset (NHM)
Felix Gradstein (NHM)
Guest status: Paul Milner (BP)
Appendix 2
Potential biostrat contractors for Stratigraphic Data Analysis:
Biostrat Ltd
Ichron Ltd
Petrostrat Ltd
Stan Duxbury
Millenia
RRI
InteBios (Ron Wollam)
DataCo – well data management
Terje Hellem
Tormod Saether
Bjørn Tore Larsen