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 volume presents an up-to-date account of the development of the North Sea Rift system and its associated sedimentary basins, with contributions by leading researchers. The work examines tectonic and palaeogeographic development, using evidence from proposed crustal models, and discusses the geological mechanism of rifting and its influence on the structure and patterns of sedimentation in the basins and their bearing on the potential for oil and gas accumulation. A comprehensive gravity map is included.

Geological Society Memoir 52 records the extraordinary 50+ year journey that has led to the development of some 458 oil and gas fields on the UKCS. It contains papers on almost 150 onshore and offshore fields in all of the UK’s main petroliferous basins. These papers range from look-backs on some of the first-developed gas fields in the Southern North Sea, to papers on fields that have only just been brought into production or may still remain undeveloped, and includes two candidate CO2 sequestration projects. These papers are intended to provide a consistent summary of the exploration, appraisal, development and production history of each field, leading to the current subsurface understanding which is described in greater detail. As such the Memoir will be an enduring reference source for those exploring for, developing, producing hydrocarbons and sequestering CO2 on the UKCS in the coming decades. It encapsulates the petroleum industry’s deep subsurface knowledge accrued over more than 50 years of exploration and production.

This long-awaited book about non-pollen palynomorphs (NPPs) aims to cover gaps in our knowledge of these abundant but understudied palynological remains. NPPs, such as fungal spores, testate amoebae, dinoflagellate cysts, acritarchs and animal remains, are routinely recovered from palynological preparations of marine or terrestrial material, from Proterozoic to recent geological times. This book gives the reader a comprehensive overview of the different types of NPPs, with examples from diverse time periods and environments. It provides guidance on sample preparation to maximize the recovery of these NPPs, detailed information on their diversity and ecological affinity, clarification on the nomenclature and demonstrates their value as environmental indicators. This volume will become the reference guide for any student, academic or practitioner interested in everything else in their palynological preparations.

The area covered by this report extends from the eastern coast of Scotland and northern England to the international median line in the North Sea where the UK sector joins Norwegian, Danish, German and Dutch waters. From south to north, the area extends from 55 degrees N to 58 degrees N, but it reaches only as far as 57 degrees 30'N to the west of 0 degrees. This report area includes much of the Central Graben and its junction with the Viking Graben and Outer Moray Firth Basin; it contains several important oilfields, the largest of which is Forties.