Multidisciplinary studies of the Silurian succession from Severnaya Zemlya of the Eurasian high Arctic

The Severnaya Zemlya Archipelago is located north of the Taimyr Peninsula of eastern Siberia, separating the Kara and Laptev seas, two potentially vast and apparently different hydrocarbon provinces. A continuous succession of Neoproterozoic to late Palaeozoic strata and its position on the edge of the Eurasian margin make Severnaya Zemlya one of the key areas for geological studies in the Arctic.

We discuss the Silurian succession of Severnaya Zemlya, and our studies focus on the central part of October Revolution Island. Carbonate rocks with abundant shelly fossils, algal and coral bioherms and biostroms dominate the studied area. The Telychian sequences contain the organic-rich black shale interval which corresponds to the early-mid Telychian sea-level high stand recorded in the other basins. The distribution of cephalopod limestone biofacies reflects episodes of upwelling along the marine shelves. In the Ludlow and Pridoli, clastic rocks occur showing more restricted marine sedimentation and a transition to lagoonal facies.

Multidisciplinary studies of the Silurian succession have been undertaken to map the rocks, document the stratigraphy, identify the fossils, establish and describe facies, reconstruct the palaeogeography, analyse organic geochemistry and to determine possible hydrocarbon plays. Data obtained from these studies are important for understanding the geological evolution and petroleum potential of this area.