A Renaissance of Central North Sea Salt Tectonics (ZechTec)

Aims to provide a regional-scale synthesis of salt behaviour and influence during the Late Permian- and Triassic (approximately 259-201 Ma) in the Central North Sea

Oblique view, looking northeast, of the top Zechstein Supergroup horizon in the Norwegian sector of the Central North Sea. Note the large number of salt structures and the varying styles across the basin. The ZechTec project aims to investigate the main controls on this variability in style and the evolution of the salt structures and the tectono-sedimentary evolution of the mini-basins developed between them

Photo:

Rob Gawthorpe

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Objectives

The ZechTec project aims to provide a regional-scale synthesis of salt behaviour and influence during the Late Permian- and Triassic (approximately 259-201 Ma) in the Central North Sea. We will blend observations from seismic and well data with those from physical and numerical models that mimic the behaviour and influence of salt in the Central North Sea. The project comprises four work packages to tackle core questions such as: (i) What is the compositional/lithological variability of the Zechstein salts’? (ii) What triggered the movement of salt in different parts of the Central North Sea? (iii) What types of salt structures developed in different parts of the Central North Sea and why? (iv) How has Zechstein salt movement influenced landscape development and the deposition of sediments?

Project Period: 01/12/2021 to 01/03/2025

Funding: NFR Project no 326965

Project Leader: Rob Gawthorpe (UiB-GEO)

Involved people at UiB: Rob Gawthorpe and Atle Rotevatn

Project Partners: UiB, University of Texas (Austin), DNO Norge, Chrysaor Norge, Harbour Energy

23.06.2022