Petroleum Geology of the North Sea: Basic Concepts and Recent Advances

Rating:
Summary: You have no choice in North Sea textbooks.
Review: This encyclopaedic book is the only book that comprehensively covers the petroleum geology of the North Sea. It can be found on the shelves of every professional North Sea geologist, offshore geologist/mudlogger and petroleum lecturer in the UK (and presumably Holland and Norway). Combined with Ziegler's classic text on European stratigraphy, it makes for a powerful database.

For all its good points, it does not make you a master of any one stratigraphic layer. The problem lies on the authors' reliance on published articles so each edition always feels three years out of date. Instead of leading with current understanding of the geology, you are taken through a potted history of exploration (and associated advances in exploration techniques) which has lead to today's understanding. The strat and seismic sections come in particular use when drilling wildcats.

You can update your knowledge but this comes at the excessive cost that is purchasing conference proceedings.

In summary, if you will be working in the North Sea, then buy this book to prevent you losing friends when you borrow their copy of Glennie.