--> ABSTRACT: Account of Hydrocarbon Discovery Process in Brazil, by Giuseppe Bacoccoli, Iran Garcia Da Costa, and Jose Augusto Sartori L. Brandao; #91022 (1989)

Datapages, Inc.Print this page

Account of Hydrocarbon Discovery Process in Brazil

Giuseppe Bacoccoli, Iran Garcia Da Costa, Jose Augusto Sartori L. Brandao

Regarding oil exploration activity, 29 sedimentary basins are recognized in Brazil including onshore, offshore, and coastal basins. These basins extend from the continent to the adjacent continental shelf and are classified under Klemme's types I, II, IIIA, IIIC, and IV. Oil and gas shows have been found in 23 of these basins, and subcommercial accumulations exist in 16 basins. The present production level of 600,000 bbl/day is the combined contribution of seven basins. Petrobras' exploration efforts--1 km of seismic line every 5.2 km2 of sedimentary area and one exploratory well every 1,260 km2 of basin--are modest but have resulted in the discovery of around 40 billion bbl of in-place oil equivalent. Such volume is strongly concentrated: 64% in Cam os, 80% in both Campos and Reconcavo, 97% in only four basins. During its first decade of exploration activities (1954-1963), Petrobras was not very successful; since then, discoveries of new producing basins have become more frequent. Very attractive exploration opportunities of high potential still exist. Substantial investments are required to continue this discovery process.

AAPG Search and Discovery Article #91022©1989 AAPG Annual Convention, April 23-26, 1989, San Antonio, Texas.