Surface Gas Composition and Carbon Isotope Geochemistry and SARD-DNA Microbiology Applied to Reduce Petroleum Exploration Risk from Onshore Basins of Brazil

Mello, Marcio R.¹
 Catto, Antonio J.¹
 Elias, Vladimir¹
 Azambuja, Nilo C.¹

Over the last three years, an evolution has taken place in the understanding of application of surface gas composition and carbon isotope geochemistry and SARD-DNA microbiology to reduce petroleum exploration risk on onshore basins of

. Simultaneous developments in new technology have established surface gas geochemistry and SARD-DNA microbial exploration technology as some of the most effective tools to evaluate and characterize frontier onshore sedimentary basins in terms of source rock characteristics, thermal evolution, oil and gas migration pathways and overall geologic history. The new approach concept requires a shift in emphasis from traditional surface geochemistry methods to fully integration between geochemistry and high resolution seismic data. Such integrated approach is critical to define the relationship between the petroleum systems elements and processes in time and space, in order to understand the driving forces behind the distribution of hydrocarbon accumulations in subsurface. This paper presents case histories from the Espírito Santo onshore basin that demonstrates the central role of this new and emerging direct exploration technique in reducing the exploration risk in frontier and mature areas and identifying future exploration opportunities.

Direct geochemistry/ geophysics method is a powerful tool that enables the exploration geologist to target the most prospective oil and gas plays.