Discovery and Challenges of the Southern Gulf of Mexico Gas Province

Abstract

Abstract

Exploration in the Mexican Deepwater Gulf of Mexico began in the early nineties and systematically in 2002. Seven geological provinces have been identified, with more than 50% of prospective conventional resources of Mexico.

A key element to reach the goals was the implementation of an integrated exploration management. That included the identification and implementation of exploration technologies based on the technical challenges of the priority projects, skills development and collaboration with leading technology service companies through multi-year contracts.

Seismic data and regional studies have played a fundamental role to give certainty to exploration potential. More than 60,000 km of 2D seismic lines, including long offset, have been acquired in the areas along with 200,000 km² of high quality 3D seismic information. To date PEP has drilled 48 exploratory wells in deep and ultra-deepwater's.

Key exploration phases in the Holok gas province discovery started with regional geological basin analysis, petroleum systems models and plays studies with led to the definition of the most likely places for hydrocarbon accumulation. Detailed sedimentary systems interpretation was performed through the use of seismic facies, amplitude extractions and spectral decomposition calibrated with well data.

Considering the high costs of deepwater drilling, special studies of quantitative interpretation have been undertaken to give greater certainty to exploration of amplitude based prospects and reservoir characterization. The combination of seismic amplitudes like AVO, seismic inversion and resistive response of electromagnetic methods show good correlation.

The Holok area is the first gas province in the southern Gulf of Mexico. Estimated prospective resources range from 5.5 to 16.5 Tcf. In the southernmost portion of the Mexican Ridges and Catemaco Fold Belt about 5.0 Tcf of associated gas reserves (3P) have been discovered in Miocene rocks. Discovered fields include Kunah, Piklis, Lakach, Lalail, Nen, Noxal and Leek; Kunah stands out with 1.8 Tcf of gas. The recent Nat and Hem discoveries both represent about 2.6 Tcf.

The Lakach field is being developed. The production is expected to reach of 400 mmcfd of natural gas. The synergy between those gas discoveries and the Mexican Energy Reform could facilitate the development of this gas province through new business models.

AAPG Datapages/Search and Discovery Article #90260 © 2016 AAPG/SEG International Conference & Exhibition, Cancun, Mexico, September 6-9, 2016