P.N. Mel’nikov, A.V. Solov’ev, O.V. Grushevskaya, M.N. Kravchenko, A.R. Abuseva, L.S. Grekova, S.V. Shimanskii, K.A. Knipper
Refining the petroleum geological zoning and total initial hydrocarbon resource assessment for the Barents Sea shelf
DOI 10.47148/0016-7894-2026-3-5-34
Key words: Barents Sea; integrated geological and geophysical studies; geopetroleum zoning; petroleum systems; natural resource potential.
For citation: Mel’nikov P.N., Solov’ev A.V., Grushevskaya O.V., Kravchenko M.N., Abuseva A.R., Grekova L.S., Shimanskii S.V., Knipper K.A. Refining the petroleum geological zoning and total initial hydrocarbon resource assessment for the Barents Sea shelf. Geologiya nefti i gaza. 2026;(3):5–34. DOI: 10.47148/0016-7894-2026-3-5-34. In Russ.
Enhancing geological exploration and hydrocarbon resource base development in the Arctic offshore areas of the Russian Federation is a priority objective for the country’s oil and gas sector. Within the framework of the state assignment to FSBI VNIGNI, an updated quantitative assessment of Russia’s oil and gas resources was completed in 2023. In addition, regional geological exploration activities completed in 2022 resulted in the creation of a network of reference geological and geophysical sections aimed at studying geological structure, tectonic framework, and petroleum potential of the Barents Sea sedimentary basins. Further exploration activities completed in 2025 focused on the North Barents syneclise and the Prednovozemel’sky structural region. Based on these studies, the boundaries of geopetroleum zoning elements were updated, and the petroleum potential of the offshore area was reassessed. Boundaries of geopetroleum elements in the Barents Sea were studied and delineated in more details in accordance with the updated structural and tectonic zoning. The authors discuss geopetroleum zoning elements, oil and gas bearing, and potentially productive sequences. The paper presents an assessment and structure of total initial hydrocarbon resources in the offshore area, which are differentiated in accordance with phase composition and elements of geopetroleum zoning. The authors also compared the results of quantitative oil and gas resource assessments for the Barents Sea based on the exploration maturity as on 01.01.2017 and 01.01.2024.
Pavel N. Mel’nikov ORCiD Scopus
Candidate of Geological and Mineralogical Sciences,
Director General
All-Russian Research
Geological Oil Institute,
36, Shosse Entuziastov, Moscow, 105118, Russia
e-mail: melnikov@vnigni.ru
SPIN: 2575-2221
Aleksei V. Soloviev ORCiD Scopus
Doctor of Geological and Mineralogical Sciences, Professor RAS,
Deputy Director General
All-Russian Research
Geological Oil Institute,
36, Shosse Entuziastov, Moscow, 105118, Russia
e-mail: soloviev@vnigni.ru
ResearcherID: K-1314-2012
SPIN: 6570-8607
Olesya V. Grushevskaya ORCiD
Candidate of Geological and Mineralogical Sciences,
Head of Sector
All‑Russian Research
Geological Oil Institute,
36, Shosse Entuziastov, Moscow, 105118, Russia
e‑mail: grushevskaya@vnigni.ru
Mariya N. Kravchenko
Candidate of Geological and Mineralogical Sciences,
Head of a Department
All‑Russian Research
Geological Oil Institute,
36, Shosse Entuziastov, Moscow, 105118, Russia
e-mail: kravchenko@vnigni.ru
Aliya R. Abuseva
Geologist of the I category
All‑Russian Research
Geological Oil Institute,
36, Shosse Entuziastov, Moscow, 105118, Russia
e-mail: abuseva@vnigni.ru
Lyubov’ S. Grekova
Candidate of Geological and Mineralogical Sciences,
Senior Researcher
All‑Russian Research
Geological Oil Institute,
36, Shosse Entuziastov, Moscow, 105118, Russia
e-mail: Grekova@vnigni.ru
Sergei V. Shimanskii ORCiD Scopus
Candidate of Geological and Mineralogical Sciences,
Deputy Head of Directorate, Head of Department
The Federal Agency for Mineral Resources (Rosnedra),
4/6, ul. Bolshaya Gruzinskaya, Moscow, 123995, Russia
e-mail: sshimanskii@rosnedra.gov.ru
SPIN: 3713-6878
AuthorID: 807678
Researcher ID: O-8697-2015
Kirill A. Knipper
Junior research assistant
All‑Russian Research
Geological Oil Institute,
36, Shosse Entuziastov, Moscow, 105118, Russia
e-mail: kirillknipper@vnigni.ru
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