KUKOWSKI, ROBERT F. , Consulting Geophysicist, Houston, TX

The OCS sale 181 deepwater clastic and carbonate play area covers all or part of 724 offshore blocks, about 4.2 MM acres adjacent to the Florida Escarpment. Water depth here ranges from 1000' in southwest Destin Dome to over 10,000' in Lloyd with the largest land area greater than 5,000' water depth. The stratigraphy consists of a Tertiary age clastic section dominated by Miocene age rocks overlying a Cretaceous and Jurassic age deepwater carbonate section. The carbonate section is the deepwater equivalent of the Mesozoic carbonate shelf area to the north in Destin Dome and Viosca Knoll. Lithology of the deepwater carbonate section is unknown, but is anticipated to be fine grained with a minor amount of coarser grained sediment. Salt tectonics played a major role in the structural and stratigraphic development of the area. A variety of play concepts and trap types exist. Hydrocarbon accumulations associated with these play concepts are most likely sourced by Cretaceous or Jurassic rocks present in the deeper part of the stratigraphic section. Hydrocarbon accumulations will be comparable in size to current deepwater discoveries and producing fields. OCS sale 181 will present the unique opportunity for oil companies to enter the play at the same time as competing oil companies in order to add significant value to corporation assets. Recent royalty roll back in the deepwater GOM and technological advances combined with a very stable political climate make this an extremely attractive "world class" play.

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