Regional frontier exploration in Sinu basin, northwestern Colombia
In 1983, Gulf and Ecopetrol undertook a regional hydrocarbon evaluation of northwestern Colombia, during the course of which much of the Sinu basin was mapped by field geologists aided by low-altitude aerial photographs. Additional seismic and airborne radar data were acquired to assist in developing a regional structural model. The dominant structures of the Sinu basin were produced by westward-vergent thrust faults, which are offset on the order of 10 to 20 km by northwest-southeast-trending compartmental faults. Numerous mud volcanos are surface expressions of overpressured shales, which migrate upward along both thrust and strike-slip faults. Thrust faults are expressed, on the surface, by steep-sided, asymmetrical anticlines, which are separated by broad synclines filled with clastics shed during Tertiary thrusting. The extremely thick section of Tertiary sediments is dominated by shale but contains some potential reservoir sandstones. These resistive sandstones could be accurately mapped on the radar imagery and projected into the subsurface allowing traps to be better defined. Combining field geology with geologic interpretation of aerial photographs and radar images was very effective in developing a regional structural framework of the Sinu basin.
- Research Organization:
- Chevron Overseas Petroleum, Inc., San Ramon, CA (USA)
- OSTI ID:
- 5796450
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-890404-
- Journal Information:
- AAPG Bull.; (United States), Vol. 73:3; Conference: AAPG annual convention with DPA/EMD Divisions and SEPM, San Antonio, TX, USA, 23-26 Apr 1989
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
COLOMBIA
PETROLEUM DEPOSITS
EXPLORATION
AERIAL SURVEYING
GEOLOGIC FAULTS
SANDSTONES
SEDIMENTARY BASINS
SEISMIC SURVEYS
SHALES
TERTIARY PERIOD
CENOZOIC ERA
GEOLOGIC AGES
GEOLOGIC DEPOSITS
GEOLOGIC FRACTURES
GEOLOGIC STRUCTURES
GEOPHYSICAL SURVEYS
LATIN AMERICA
MINERAL RESOURCES
RESOURCES
ROCKS
SEDIMENTARY ROCKS
SOUTH AMERICA
SURVEYS
020200* - Petroleum- Reserves
Geology
& Exploration