Vazquez-Benitez, Renato¹, Victor Valdivieso-Ramos¹ 
(1) Activo Integral Veracruz, Pemex E&P, Boca del Rio, Ver, Mexico

ABSTRACT: Exploration and Development of Gas Fields in the Tertiary Veracruz Basin

The production of hydrocarbons in the Tertiary Veracruz basin dates back to 1956, and has been reactivated in the last 5 years with the exploitation of the main fields, among these: Cocuite (104 bcf), Novillero (76 bcf) and Veinte (16 bcf). Recently new fields have been found: Playuela, Lizamba and Vistoso, the latter as an example of the new discoveries made in less than a year starting with the 3D seismic processing to its application. The dry gas reservoirs are located in terrigenous rocks that were deposited as slope and basin floor fans, submarine channels (both straight and meandering) and debris flows near the slope of the western part of the Cordoba Basin. The producing stratigraphic units are horizons belonging to the Miocene, Oligocene and Lower Pliocene. 
With the drilling of 31 exploration wells and the acquisition of 3,300 km² of 3D seismic the success rate increased in the characterization of the geological models of the reservoirs and their extension was outlined through the interpretation of seismic attributes considered as gas detectors. The production of dry gas has increased by 350% rising from 38 MMscf in the year 2000 to 172 MMscf in 2003 and is expected to reach 355 MMscf in 2006.

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