--> The Oil Charge Enigma of the Tampico-Misantla Basin: Where and When did the “160 Billion bbls Oil-in-Place Discovered to Date” Migrate From?

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The Oil Charge Enigma of the Tampico-Misantla Basin: Where and When did the “160 Billion bbls Oil-in-Place Discovered to Date” Migrate From?

Abstract

Abstract

Tampico – Misantla is one of the most important petroleum basins of Mexico, explored since 1904 (La Pez-1 discovery). Despite its long history, there remains considerable uncertainty as to where the 160 billion barrels of oil found-to-date comes from. This huge in-place volume is distributed through Chicontepec, Golden Lane, Ebano-Panuco and Poza Rica reservoirs, with oil gravity variation from heavy oil to wet gas observed across the basin. The present-day temperatures of the source rocks in the wells are mostly cooler than 100 degrees Centigrade, implying that the oil charge does not relate to the present-day source kitchens or comes from elsewhere, hence the Enigma - where does the 160 billion barrels oil come from and when?

Basin geometry and charge model, well data and outcrop fluid inclusion data are presented to examine some alternative explanations and their impact on future conventional and unconventional exploration in the basin.