In the true spirit of continuous scientific advance, we are excited to rollout the PetroStrat Northwest Europe Composite Zonation Scheme 2023. This refined zonation scheme represents the collective knowledge of the world’s largest stratigraphic team, combining industry-leading expertise to surpass previously devised schemes, both in reliability and stratigraphic resolution. Underpinning this new zonation is a robust set of bioevents (correlatable changes in fossil assemblages) that have proven reliability across Northwest Europe.
The new Northwest Europe Zonation Scheme is the result of a merging two vast industry datasets, unified from decades of accumulated well data from PetroStrat and Ichron. It also includes data sourced from our unique collection of non-proprietary, multi-client well data from Northwest Europe and around the world. The result is a simplified, integrated stratigraphic correlation tool for improving subsurface understanding and providing high-resolution, quantitative data for subsequent modelling workflows.
This integrated zonation scheme will be the new standard for all PetroStrat North Sea projects going forward.
Simplifying our biostratigraphic data and reporting
PetroStrat and Ichron’s original zonation schemes are well-known and respected in the industry, but using the two could present challenges with inter-disciplinary interpretations and reporting. To standardise the analysis, interpretation and reporting of our biostratigraphy projects our 50+ team of stratigraphers created a single unified zonation scheme defined by bioevents from all three disciplines – micropalaeontology, nannopalaeontology and palynology – which simplifies the zonation chart and reduces the number of columns used in any correlation.
Each biozone represents a defined chronostratigraphic interval corelated toa macrofossil zone, age, or lithostratigraphic unit – which are also divided into sub-biozones to give additional resolution. All biozones – and sub-biozones – are now clearly defined by robust primary bioevents; these are supported by a suite of secondary events, which are typically less commonly occurring or regionally specific, but can offer additional resolution.
A new, logical biozone naming strategy
The PetroStrat Northwest Europe Composite Zonation Scheme 2023 takes the most useful elements from each of the original Ichron and PetroStrat schemes.
Each zone consists of letters (abbreviation of the epoch) followed by a sequential number for the zone and a maximum of one sub-zone e.g. Kr1.2.
Going forward – Future-proofed and continuous improvement
Our new zonation is calibrated to the global GTS2020 scheme, bringing the North Sea stratigraphy in line with our international work and standards. Additionally, this new scheme will receive quarterly revisions and updates based on feedback from our staff and improvements from completing further routine and review work which future-proofs our zonation scheme.
Have questions?
If you have any questions regarding the new Northwest Europe Composite Zonation Scheme, its rollout or how it might affect existing datasets/interpretations, please reach out and we will be more than happy to book a call in with you to discuss.
We will be contacting our clients to discuss this new scheme further.
