Unexplored hydrocarbon potential of subthrust structures in Timan-Pechora petroleum province

In the Timan-Pechora Petroleum Province, where systematic exploration work has been carried out for about a hundred years, more than 240 hydrocarbon deposits have been discovered, and a powerful oil and gas industry has been created. In recent years, previously achieved levels of oil and especially gas production are not supported by raw hydrocarbon resources. At the same time, exploration maturity of predicted resources is slightly more than 50 % for oil and 30 % for gas. One of highly promising exploration trends is related to subthrust zones. The authors consider the unexplored potential of the subthrust structures of the province on the basis of structural-tectonic, lithofacies and morphogenetic analyses. They substantiate identification of different types of subthrust zones in the platform part and foredeep of the Timan-Pechora Province. Four types of subthrust zones are distinguished: platform intracontinental and continental marginal riftogenic, suture, foredeeps, and folded belts. The considered structural-tectonic, lithofacies and geochemical criteria allow concluding that the subthrust structures of the Timan-Pechora Petroleum Province have a high hydrocarbon potential. Methodological recommendations for subthrust zone development are given