A new look at the petroleum system of the foothills of the Sierra de Perija, Western Maracaibo Basin

Conference · Mon Feb 01 00:00:00 EST 1993 · AAPG Bulletin (American Association of Petroleum Geologists); (United States)

OSTI ID:5941260

Serrano, I; Perdomo, J L; Catlin, T; Esteves, J; Gonzales, E; Peralta, J; Sage, L ^[1]

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1. Maraven S.A., Caracas (Venezuela)

Since 1991, Maraven S.A., affiliate of petroleos de Venezuela, has conducted a multidisciplinary study over the Perija foothills in order to establish their hydrocarbon potential. An extensive seimic survey was recorded and thirty oil seepages and six key surface sections were sampled for geochemical and biostratigraphic analyses. Chronostratigraphic correlation was the starting point for sequence analysis used to integrate the new data with that of eleven oil fields present in the adjacent plains. As a result of this study, the existence of two oil-prone Cretaceous marine source rocks was confirmed. Both are presently within the oil window and generation started during the lower Miocene. The oils from seeps and wells are of marine origin. However, terrestrial sourced oils exist in the northern part of the range. Multiple reservoirs are present, ranging from fractured lower Cretaceous limestones with low matrix porosity (av. 4%) to widespread thick, highly porous (15 to 25%) middle to upper Eocene sandstones. The best targets are structures of Eocene age. However, most structures are Mio-Pliocene faulted anticlines and blocks thrusted to the east. Timing and lateral seals are critical aspects and constitute the main risks. In the light of the new studies, the petroleum potential of the area looks promising. As much as 800 million bbl of medium to very light oil could have accumulated, not only in structural, but also in stratigraphic and combination traps.

• OSTI ID: 5941260
• Report Number(s): CONF-930306-; CODEN: AABUD2
• Journal Information: AAPG Bulletin (American Association of Petroleum Geologists); (United States), Vol. 77:2; Conference: International congress of the American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG), Caracas (Venezuela), 14-17 Mar 1993; ISSN 0149-1423
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

02 PETROLEUM
GEOLOGIC STRUCTURES
EOCENE EPOCH
PETROLEUM DEPOSITS
FORECASTING
SOURCE ROCKS
RESOURCE POTENTIAL
VENEZUELA
OIL FIELDS
ANTICLINES
CRETACEOUS PERIOD
FRACTURES
LIMESTONE
ORIGIN
PETROLEUM
POROSITY
SANDSTONES
SEALS
SEISMIC SURVEYS
STRATIGRAPHY
CARBONATE ROCKS
CENOZOIC ERA
DEVELOPING COUNTRIES
ENERGY SOURCES
FAILURES
FOSSIL FUELS
FUELS
GEOLOGIC AGES
GEOLOGIC DEPOSITS
GEOLOGY
GEOPHYSICAL SURVEYS
LATIN AMERICA
MESOZOIC ERA
MINERAL RESOURCES
RESOURCES
ROCKS
SEDIMENTARY ROCKS
SOUTH AMERICA
SURVEYS
TERTIARY PERIOD
020200* - Petroleum- Reserves
Geology
& Exploration