Miocene oil-bearing diatom ooze from the North Sea

In recent years there has been an increased interest in Neogene hydrocarbon accumulations in the North Sea. The production of gas from Pliocene–Quaternary deposits in the Dutch sector, the discovery of oil-bearing Miocene sands in the Lille John area and oil accumulation in middle Miocene deposits in the T-1 well in the northern part of the Danish Central Graben area, have documented Neogene hydrocarbon accumulations. Some of these deposits are of economic interest. This study presents an oil-bearing, middle Miocene diatom ooze in the Valhall Field (well 2/8-G-2), within the Norwegian sector (Fig. 1). The Valhall Field is located just north of the Danish–Norwegian sector boundary.