--> Abstract: Tectonic Control of the Petroleum Systems in the Northern Region of the Santos Basin, Southeast Brazil, by Juliano M. Macedo, Luiz H. Drehmer, Davilson E. Andrade, Robert Tscherny, Bjorn Wygrala, and Marcio R. Mello; #90039 (2005)

Datapages, Inc.Print this page

Tectonic Control of the Petroleum Systems in the Northern Region of the Santos Basin, Southeast Brazil

Juliano M. Macedo1, Luiz H. Drehmer2, Davilson E. Andrade3, Robert Tscherny4, Bjorn Wygrala4, and Marcio R. Mello5
1 Petroinsight, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
2 Stratageo Solucoes Tecnologicas, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
3 RepsolYpf, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
4 IES GmbH, 52428 Juelich, Germany
5 High Resolution Technology, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

The Cabo Frio Fault Zone – CFFZ is not a regular tectonic feature. Besides it's large-scale along the northern part of the Santos basin it also displays an unique formation mechanism, and it imprinted a paramount effect in the petroleum systems. That area is one of the most attractive regions in the offshore basins of Brazil. This is demonstrated by the latest discovery of large gas reserves (about 4 Tcf in the region of BS-400 block). This paper demonstrates quantitatively and illustrates all the effects of the development of the CFFZ in the petroleum systems of the region, by means of a structurally controlled 2D modeling.

The CFFZ is a combination of three major geologic processes: intense sedimentation rates, salt diapirism, and basement tectonic movements. The development of the CFFZ affected the generation, migration, accumulation and preservation of the petroleum systems in the northern region of the Santos basin. The horizontal displacement of the CFFZ facilitated the formation of an effective hydrodynamic link between the petroleum generated in the rift section with the drift sequences, and in terms of trap formation, the CFFZ created a major trough in which coarse sediments may have deposited, as suggested by seismic interpretation. Moreover, the CFFZ also allowed cold waters to have migrated downwards and favoured biodegradation processes to take place. The understanding of the origin of the CFFZ and its quantitative structural restauration linked direct to Petroleum System Modeling is, therefore, a crucial step to achieve an accurate geologic assessment of the petroleum systems of the northen region of the Santos Basin.

AAPG Search and Discovery Article #90039©2005 AAPG Calgary, Alberta, June 16-19, 2005