History of Petroleum Exploration in Trinidad and Tobago
Abstract
Abstract
Petroleum exploration in 1857 based on seeps and currently uses sophisticated techniques like integrated basin analyses, petroleum systems concepts and 3D seismic:
Phase One…Prospecting based on Seeps
This first phase commenced in the 1850s, and continued until 1905. During this phase, prospectors, drilled on the basis of proximity to the pitch lake or oil seeps and found two fields which were never developed
Phase Two…. Petroleum Geological Mapping
Prospecting on the basis of seeps gave way to a more scientific approach as geologists entered the picture. They did mapping to look for anticlines, armed only with the traditional geological tools of a hammer and compass/clinometer. On this basis all the major land fields in Trinidad had been discovered by 1920. They have produced over 1.5 billion barrels of oil to date.
Phase Three…Conceptual Thinking and Technology…Trendology and Seismic
The Gulf Province
The second oil province was discovered in 1954 by geologists who postulated extensions of land trends into the offshore. Together these fields have produced over one billion barrels of oil.
The East Coast Province (ECMA)…the Third Oil Province and the First Gas Province
Exploration started off the East Coast of Trinidad in the late 1950s. This resulted in the discovery of three giant oil fields and a series of large gas and condensate fields.
Research from 1989 onwards resulted in the concept of evaporative fractionation of oil which, successfully predicted deep residual oil. Phase Four OBC Seismic
BPTT's recent (2013) 3D ocean bottom cable seismic revealed deep structures (below the shallow gas), which may hold deep black oil.
North Coast Marine Area…the Second Gas Province
2D seismic was run in the late 1960s followed by exploration drilling along the “Patao High” which resulted in the discovery of over 10 TCG.
Integrated Basin Studies
Exploration entered a new phase in 1979 with the recognition of the Cretaceous age of the source, concepts of the plate tectonic history and geochemical studies which allowed integrated basin histories and the identification of eleven “petroleum systems”.
Latest Discovery
BHP Billiton discovered a major oil and gas field within the Central Range Transpressive Zone Lower Oligocene sands. The field has produced over 60 million barrels of oil to end 2015
Recent Exploration Efforts
Exploration focus has turned recently to the ultra-deep waters off the East coast where BHP Billiton and BGTT ran the world's largest single 3D seismic survey in 2015.
AAPG Datapages/Search and Discovery Article #90260 © 2016 AAPG/SEG International Conference & Exhibition, Cancun, Mexico, September 6-9, 2016