Since the 3rd edition of this publication, emphasis within the petroleum industry has shifted from exploration to appraisal and development of existing hydrocarbon resources. This change is reflected in this new 4th edition, which has been significantly expanded to accomodate additional material. The centrepiece of the book, however, remains a series of descriptions, in stratigraphic order, of the depositional history and hydrocarbon related rock units of the North Sea.

"This book is the outcome of a two-day short course held annually in London, and is based on the manual distributed to the participants. The book falls into three broad sections. The first is a summary of the history of exploration in the North Sea, followed by a review of the structural framework and pre-Permian development of the region. The second section is a series of descriptions in stratigraphical order, of the depositional history and hydrocarbon-related rock units from the Permian to the Tertiary. The last section brings the material together with a discussion of the various exploration plays - why the oil and gas is where it is, what of the future?" --

A review of the extensive advances made in the understanding the petroleum geology of the Atlantic margin of northwest Europe, of the North Sea and of adjacent areas since the;ast conference in 1992. In particular, the volume focuses on: the development of and application of 3D seismic, time-lapse ('4D') and other innovative seismic tools; the ongoing refinement of sequence and other stratigraphic approaches, including the integration of detailed biostratigraphic data; the development of modelling at both the reservoir and basin scale which can respond to new data acquisition and be used to assess uncertainties at the reservoir scale and scenarios at the basin scale.

This volume is the record of a three day symposium entitled "Organic Geochemistry in Exploration of the Norwegian Shelf", which was sponsored by the Norwegian Petroleum Society (Norsk Petroleumsforening) and held at the Rogalands Regional College, Stavanger on 22-24 October 1984. Twenty-nine papers were presented, and all but one are published in full herein. The aim of the conference was to focus on the application of geochemical methods to the current and highly active exploration of the Norwegian offshore. Emphasis was on practical interpretation and case histories rather than laboratory methods and techniques, and a strong attendance was sought among geologists and seismic interpreters active in exploration in Norway and Northwest Europe generally. On all counts the symposium was a great success with a total of 213 participants registered. In his opening address Mr Egil Bergsager, director of the Norwegian Petroleum Directorate, observed that during the 1970s petroleum geochemistry emerged from being a somewhat academic pursuit into a practical aid in exploration for hydrocarbons. This first stage, when many of the basic methods were developed, has now led in the 1980s to an expansion into applications in regional geological studies, including mathematical modelling of thermal history, hydrocarbon migration and basin development.