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Title: Philippine Islands: a tectonic railroad siding

Abstract

In 1976, significant quantities of oil were discovered offshore northwest of Palawan Island by a Philippine-American consortium led by Philippines-Cities Service Inc. This was the first commercial oil found in the Philippine Islands. Other exploration companies had decided that there was no commercial oil in the Philippines. They fell prey to a situation Wallace E. Pratt, who began his career in 1909 in the Philippines, later described: There are many instances where our knowledge, supported in some cases by elaborate and detailed studies has convinced us that no petroleum resources were present in areas which subsequently became sites of important oil fields. Some explorers are blinded by the negative implications of the same knowledge that successful explorers use to find important oil fields. The Palawan discoveries are examples of successful use of knowledge. Recognition that the Philippine Islands are a tectonic railroad siding may be the key to future exploration success. These islands are continental fragments, each with its own individual geologic characteristics, that have moved from elsewhere to their present positions along a major strike-slip zone. Play concepts can be developed in the Philippines for continental fragments in each of the three major present-day tectono-stratigraphic systems that are dominatedmore » by strike-slip, but include subduction and extension tectonics, with both carbonate and clastic sediments.« less

Authors:
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Occidental Oil and Gas Co., Bakersfield, CA
OSTI Identifier:
6279454
Report Number(s):
CONF-8410143-
Journal ID: CODEN: AAPGB
Resource Type:
Conference
Journal Name:
Am. Assoc. Pet. Geol., Bull.; (United States)
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 68:9; Conference: 34. annual meeting of the Gulf Coast Association of Geological Societies and Gulf Coast Section of SEPM, Shreveport, LA, USA, 24 Oct 1984
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
02 PETROLEUM; PETROLEUM DEPOSITS; EXPLORATION; RESOURCE POTENTIAL; PHILIPPINES; GEOLOGIC HISTORY; PLATE TECTONICS; GEOLOGIC FAULTS; TECTONICS; ASIA; DEVELOPING COUNTRIES; GEOLOGIC DEPOSITS; GEOLOGIC FRACTURES; GEOLOGIC STRUCTURES; ISLANDS; MINERAL RESOURCES; RESOURCES; 020200* - Petroleum- Reserves, Geology, & Exploration

Citation Formats

Gallagher, Jr, J J. Philippine Islands: a tectonic railroad siding. United States: N. p., 1984. Web.
Gallagher, Jr, J J. Philippine Islands: a tectonic railroad siding. United States.
Gallagher, Jr, J J. 1984. "Philippine Islands: a tectonic railroad siding". United States.
@article{osti_6279454,
title = {Philippine Islands: a tectonic railroad siding},
author = {Gallagher, Jr, J J},
abstractNote = {In 1976, significant quantities of oil were discovered offshore northwest of Palawan Island by a Philippine-American consortium led by Philippines-Cities Service Inc. This was the first commercial oil found in the Philippine Islands. Other exploration companies had decided that there was no commercial oil in the Philippines. They fell prey to a situation Wallace E. Pratt, who began his career in 1909 in the Philippines, later described: There are many instances where our knowledge, supported in some cases by elaborate and detailed studies has convinced us that no petroleum resources were present in areas which subsequently became sites of important oil fields. Some explorers are blinded by the negative implications of the same knowledge that successful explorers use to find important oil fields. The Palawan discoveries are examples of successful use of knowledge. Recognition that the Philippine Islands are a tectonic railroad siding may be the key to future exploration success. These islands are continental fragments, each with its own individual geologic characteristics, that have moved from elsewhere to their present positions along a major strike-slip zone. Play concepts can be developed in the Philippines for continental fragments in each of the three major present-day tectono-stratigraphic systems that are dominated by strike-slip, but include subduction and extension tectonics, with both carbonate and clastic sediments.},
doi = {},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/6279454}, journal = {Am. Assoc. Pet. Geol., Bull.; (United States)},
number = ,
volume = 68:9,
place = {United States},
year = {Sat Sep 01 00:00:00 EDT 1984},
month = {Sat Sep 01 00:00:00 EDT 1984}
}

Conference:
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