CARDENAS, QUINTIN, and PEREZ CRUZ GUILLERMO , Pemex, Villahermosa, Tabasco, Mexico

Mexico Gas needs for the beginning of the next century are well acknowledged. Major gas demand will come from the oil industry, the growing gas driven electricity plants, transportation and other industrial and residential consumers. Aware of that, Pemex is implementing a national strategy focused on gas.

Macuspana Basin with its offshore extension is located in the States of Tabasco and Campeche in Southern Mexico. It is an elongated Neogene basin formed between the Yucatan platform to the east and the Reforma Akal folded belt to the west. This basin contains a thick sequence of fluvio-deltaic and open marine Neogene sediments cut by numerous growth faults, associated with roll over anticlines and cored by amorphous shale bodies.

Is a prolific gas province, in mature stage of exploration and production. During its 90 years of exploratory history, over 700 exploratory wells have been drilled and 36 fields discovered; so far 11 of them are commercially exploited.

Among other important issues technology practices play an important roll in facing those challenges. Following, a brief description of technology practices in Macuspana Basin is presented.

To properly plan and execute seismic activities it is very important to have a clear picture of the ground surface. The use of seismic orthomaps to honor natural and cultural obstacles during the desing and execution of seismic activities is now a common Pemex practice.

In addition to orthomaps, in some regions aeromagnetic surveys are needed to accurately identify old but in use, buried pipelines.

Based on geologic targets, access, cost and time needed for operation, a center shot cross swath was chosen for seismic acquisition since it increases the range attributes (fold, offset, and azimuth distribution) and operational simplicity in the field.

The use of AVO as a direct hydrocarbon indicator (DHI) in gas filled clastic rocks is widespread along the Gulf Coast.

Fulfillment of exploration and production targets in the Macuspana Basin for the next five years will demand intensive operations that must rely on high performance leadership and team work practices, as well as careful selection, adoption and application of best technology practices that transform Pemex investments in profitable ventures. A methodology for high quality prospect generation in reduced turnarounds was also tested. It consisted of a series of steps that included: synthetic seismograms, seismic attributes extraction, correlation between petrophysical properties and seismic attributes, depth conversion intensive training in workstation applications.

AAPG Search and Discovery Article #90908©2000 GCAGS, Houston, Texas