Anglo-Dutch

Commentary

Onshore development remains difficult on both sides of the North Sea, but support for small-field development continues in the Dutch sector, where most basin activity has taken place. On the UK side, the end of new licensing and the Energy Profits Levy weigh on investment. Outlook: Neutral.

Updated

October 12, 2026

Location

Description

Source rocks include calcareous marine shales of Dinantian age, and deltaic shales, carbonaceous shales, and coals, mainly of Namurian and Westphalian (Carboniferous) age. Organic matter in these diverse source rocks ranges from small volumes of hydrogen-rich Type II kerogen related to marine deposition, to carbonaceous shales and coals of the deltaic sequences, which were deposited in the foreland north of the Variscan orogenic belt. The coals and carbonaceous shales constitute two distinct source rock components, with the coals containing approximately 60% TOC and Type III kerogen, whereas the carbonaceous shale have approximately 1% TOC and mixed Type II and Type III kerogen.

Summary

Despite being widely explored, there remains prospectivity as new exploration and completion techniques open up previously untested play types; the ADTB Basin is a member of the Southern Permian Basin super basin.