New Insights in Salt Tectonics in the Northern Dutch Offshore - A Framework for Exploration

The deposition and subsequent migration of Late-Permian salt has significantly affected the geological development of the northern Dutch offshore. Plays are impacted on several aspects by this salt movement and it is therefore crucial for exploration in this area to obtain a better understanding of the salt tectonic development. This is the first study to look specifically at the role of Zechstein salt movement in this area, which was allowed by recently acquired 3D seismic data, covering most of the northern Dutch offshore.

The presentation will start with a brief review of the Zechstein salt deposition and halokinesis in the Southern Permian Basin, with examples from wells and seismic. The second and largest part of the presentation will discuss the halokinesis study and the results. Examples of the seismic interpretation and the inventory will be shown to illustrate the range of salt configurations present in the area, and the differences in their development through time. The geological framework emerging from this regional inventory will be discussed. In the third and final part, results of the restoration of the section will be shown and discussed.