Barents Continental Slope

Commentary

With licencing in the Norwegian and Russian sectors active, there is likely to be renewed impetus to explore.

Updated

August 15, 2023

Location

Description

The BCSB is one of a number of basins that comprise Barents Basin ("BRTB"). The BRTB is a sedimentary basin between the Kola Peninsula and Novaya Zemlya, bordered by the Timan-Pechora Basin to the south, the Murmansk Rise and Murmansk Plateau to the west, the Admiralty High and the island of Novaya Zemlya to the east, and rise of Franz Josef Land to the north. The development of the Basin began in the late Palaeozoic and continuing through to the early Cretaceous, with the sediments sourced from the Pangaea supercontinent. These underlie the current BRTB which was created during the break-up of Pangaea. Beginning in the Cretaceous a rift zone opened between the Baltic Plate and the Siberian Plate, parallel to and west of the old Ural Mountains suture zone.

Summary

While well defined, it is relatively under explored due to its location. There is significant resistance to oil & gas exploration due to environmental concerns.