--> , by Hernandez-Romano, Ulises, Raul Hernandez-de-la-Fuente, Abelardo Escamilla-Hernandez, Raul Hernandez-Martel; #90026 (2004)

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ABSTRACT: Revitalizing an Old Oil Province: A Second Look at the Golden Lane Plays and Renewed Drilling Activity

Hernandez-Romano, Ulises1, Raul Hernandez-de-la-Fuente1, Abelardo Escamilla-Hernandez1, Raul Hernandez-Martel1
(1) Pemex E&P, Activo Integral Poza Rica - Altamira, Poza Rica, Ver, Mexico

ABSTRACT: Revitalizing an Old Oil Province: A Second Look at the Golden Lane Plays and Renewed Drilling Activity

Since the first discovery in 1908 the Cretaceous carbonate reservoirs of the rim of the Tuxpan Platform, better known as the Golden Lane, have produced more than 1 BBOE. Production from onshore fields peaked at 455 MB/d in 1921, whereas offshore production peaked at 37 MB/d in 1970. With only small discoveries and sporadic drilling during the last three decades, production has continually declined. Pemex is taking steps to reverse this trend and revive this oil province almost a century after its discovery. 
The integration of high-quality 3D seismic, well logs, and core data has allowed a better understanding of the stratigraphic architecture of the Tuxpan Platform, a better characterization of the producing facies, and the recognition of new plays in the Cretaceous and Jurassic section. The closures along the rim of the platform where oil has accumulated are atoll-rim faros similar to the present-day Maldive Islands. The main producing facies are not organic buildups but benthic foraminiferal/peloid/intraclastic packstones with interparticle and moldic porosity. Besides the established play, there are several hypothetical plays that could be some of the revitalizing elements for this province. 
The future of the Golden Lane relies on identifying and drilling exploration opportunities to evaluate new plays as well as on identifying reserve-growth opportunities through systematic reservoir characterization. Along this line, activity onshore has focused on drilling infill wells, whereas offshore we have started the development of reservoirs discovered in the 1970s and are drilling multitarget exploration opportunities that will test Tertiary, Cretaceous and/or Jurassic plays.

 

AAPG Search and Discovery Article #90026©2004 AAPG Annual Meeting, Dallas, Texas, April 18-21, 2004.