STRUCTURE AND PETROLEUM POTENTIAL OF THE CHERNYSHEV SWELL (TIMAN PECHORA BASIN)
New geological and geophysical data provide opportunities for a considerable revision of geological structure and petroleum potential of the Chernyshev swell located in the north-eastern part of the Timan Pechora basin. This fold zone is separated from the Urals by the Kosyu Rogovsiy foredeep. It is proposed that the development of the Chernyshev swell was preconditioned by the delamination of the sedimentary cover of the Pre-Uralian foredeep along the Upper Ordovician salt. Along strike structural changes including shifts of thrust orientation and the development of sinistral strike-slip faulting create complex lateral segmentation of this zone. The observed structural variations are interpreted to be controlled by peculiarities of sedimentary fill, boundary of the salt development, structure of the pre-salt section, and orientations of thrust and strike-slip deformations. Significant petroleum potential is predicted to be related to the eastern flank of the Chernyshev swell in zones of backthrusts development which have salt in the bottom. They are viewed as prime traps within the migration focus areas provided by the Kosyu Rogov foredeep.