skip to main content
OSTI.GOV title logo U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Title: Petroleum systems of western Venezuela

Journal Article · · AAPG Bulletin
OSTI ID:421165

Integrating multidisciplinary information from western Venezuela Intevep, S.A. developed a comprehensive geological synthesis of the Maracaibo, Barinas and Apure basins which allow the description of 5 petroliferous systems with pods located within the Venezuelan borders: (1) Northeast of Maracaibo Basin, (2) Southwest of Maracaibo Basin, (3) Eastern Zulia, (4) Lara`s Nappes and (5) Barinas Subbasin. These systems comprise different structural styles: (1) basement tectonics, (2) thin-skin tectonics, (3) inversions, (4) triangular zones, (5) {open_quotes}flower and pop-up{close_quotes} structures. The main reservoirs in the region are the fractured Cretaceous limestones (K0 to K5), the Lower to Middle Eocene sandstones (T1 Misoa C and Misoa BC) and the Miocene sandstones of the Lagunillas Formation. Three source rocks were identified: the principal one of Cretaceous age, marine origin and totally located in the Maracaibo Basin (K3-K4-K5, La Luna and Capacho formations) and two located south and southwest of the Maracaibo Basin, with organic material of continental origin, of Paleocene (K7-K8, Orocue and Marcelina formations) and Oligocene age (T4, Carbonera Formation). Three expulsion periods were encountered: (a) Lower to Middle Eocene (52-40 Ma) and (b) Upper Eocene to Lower Miocene (40-21 Ma), with pods located in the northeast region of the Maracaibo Lake and (c) Lower Miocene to Holocene (2 1-0 Ma) with a pod located in the Maracaibo Lake.

OSTI ID:
421165
Report Number(s):
CONF-9609255-; ISSN 0149-1423; TRN: 96:005770-0150
Journal Information:
AAPG Bulletin, Vol. 80, Issue 8; Conference: American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG) international conferences and exhibition, Caracas (Venezuela), 8-11 Sep 1996; Other Information: PBD: Aug 1996
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English