Initial geologic hydrocarbon resources of the Laptev Sea shelf

Formation of the passive continental margin of the Laptev Sea (Laptev Plate), which was part of the Siberian Platform till the Late Cretaceous, was related to the Late Mesozoic–Cenozoic rifting of the Arctic geodepression. The regime of the passive continental margin still continues. The maximum thickness of the deposits of this age seems to exceed 6 km in the northeastern part of the shelf. The hydrocarbon resources of the Late Precambrian–Cenozoic deposits forming the Laptev Plate cover are evaluated. Based on the concept of the similar evolution of the Laptev Plate and Vilyui syneclise, the geochemical characteristics of dispersed organic matter of the coeval deposits of the Vilyui syneclise are used.