With the use of industry 3D seismic data in combination with existing/new borehole information, 2D seismic, and onshore data the proposed research opens a new avenue for better understanding of the history of the marine based parts of these ice sheets. This will provide a new baseline for modeling the isostatic response of Cenozoic glaciations addressing a major issue for the petroleum industry, that is their potential impact on the stability of the existing petroleum reservoirs.

GlaciPet project will model the isostatic response of Cenozoic glaciations in the Barents Sea region and northern North Sea, in order to constrain its potential impact on existing petroleum systems.

With greatly improved geological boundary conditions, that is:

•  more complete knowledge on timing and extent of glaciations through the Pleistocene

• improved understanding and quantification of glacial depositional and erosional processes

• expanded knowledge on the interaction between the Fennoscandian, the Barents Sea, and Kara Sea ice sheets and their crustal influence through the last glacial cycle, a better understanding of the processes responsible for affecting the petroleum systems can be achieved.

Redistribution of sediment mass in the Barents Sea and North Sea as a consequence of Cenozoic glaciations can have a negative effect on reservoir quality. Detailed control on the glacial erosion, sediment deposition and ice load (i.e. the glacial history) is therefore an important but poorly understood factor for identification of the remaining hydrocarbon resources in both regions.