Gravity imaging of sub-Zechstein geological structures in the UK sector of the North Sea using the gravity layer stripping method

Abstract

Extensive geophysical databases, covering the UK sector of the North Sea, have been used to gravity layer strip the sedimentary layers down to the base Zechstein so that the gravity response of the Carboniferous and deeper strata can be identified and structurally interpreted. To achieve this, the average bulk density grids for each layer were derived using Gardner's functions derived from well velocity and density logs. The resulting residual gravity response of each layer and the Moho response were then removed from the Free air gravity anomaly to generate the isostatic gravity response of the crust below the base Zechstein. This gravity response was used to re-evaluate the British Geological Survey interpretation over the Mid North Sea High (MNSH) and was able to identify the same crustal structures. Using the tilt derivative method, a positive gravity anomaly was found to parallel the central fracture zone that forms a northern extension of the Dowsing fault zone. This anomaly can be traced north across the MNSH with offsets coinciding with the WSW–ENE basement lineaments. To the south, the southern North Sea basin is well defined by the stratigraphic layer depth and thickness maps as well as the residual gravity maps which identify the structures associated with the low-density Carboniferous Coal Measures.