Integrated Basin and Play Assessment of Undiscovered Oil and Gas Resources in the Miskito Platform, Verolania Basin and Los Cayos Basin — Western Caribbean Sea

Abstract

Known hydrocarbon occurrences are indicative of a widespread and active, offshore petroleum system in the Nicaraguan and Colombian maritime zones where over 40 years of exploration campaigns have tested liquid hydrocarbons ranging from 21° to 45° API. In this study, the combination of both exploration results and geological characteristics were combined in order to estimate locations for petroleum occurrence within a realistic illustration of spatial distribution of undiscovered petroleum potential, under different confidence levels for exploration decision-making. The data integrated into the play analysis included 13,000 km of 2D seismic data, 32 wells with geological and drilling information, petrophysical data, heat flow measurements, and geochemical data (total organic content [TOC%], kerogen types, transformation ratio, hydrogen index, and oxygen index). The superimposed mapping of geological factors that control hydrocarbon accumulation, integrated with isopachs, lithofacies, seismic facies, structural features and paleogeography models, were used to evaluate three plays: Miskito Platform, Verolania Basin, and Los Cayos Basin. Each area was assessed as low-, medium-, and high- exploration risk, and ranked with high and low confidence levels based on data coverage. Thus, 1) the Verolania basin was ranked with high confidence level with good well and seismic control, extensive oil and gas shows, high TOC%, good to excellent reservoirs including shoreface sands, carbonate complexes, and submarine fans; 2) Miskito Platform was ranked with high confidence level based on good well density and seismic coverage, fewer oil and gas shows, low TOC % and high oxygen index of source rocks, good reservoir facies including deltaic sands and isolated carbonates reefs with uneven seal distribution; and 3) Los Cayos Basin ranked with low confidence because of sparse well data coverage and seismically-defined reservoir including deltaic sand and gravity slides, uncertain sealing units, and lack of previously identified hydrocarbons. This study concludes with a favorability map as a suitable resource of proper play risk analysis for future exploration campaigns.

AAPG Datapages/Search and Discovery Article #90259 ©2016 AAPG Annual Convention and Exhibition, Calgary, Alberta, Canada, June 19-22, 2016