Turbidite Reservoirs of the Sele Formation, Central North Sea

These cored sections have been chosen to illustrate variation in the Forties reservoir from relatively proximal in the main Forties fan (Nelson) to more distal (Pierce) and distal with significant deformation in a lateral fan (Merganser). The two Nelson cores show the contrast between what have been defined as channel and interchannel areas, with channel areas carrying permeabilities of the order of 300 mD. Three sections from the Pierce well 23/22a-3 have been selected to show the persistence of channelised sands into distal areas of the fan, along with finer grained intervals. The two Merganser sections show relatively undeformed Forties sandstones with a basal faulted contact, overlying Lista heterolithics with the pervasive deformation that often occurs where fields are affected by salt growth during and shortly after deposition.