Yves Gou

Mayo 2014 Talleres PDVSA Exploracion – Costa Afuera 1

 Golfo de
Blanquilla-
Venezuela
Tortuga Carupano
Cariaco Golfo
de Paria
Delta
Amacuro

Mayo 2014 Talleres PDVSA Exploracion – Costa Afuera 2

Mayo 2014 Talleres PDVSA Exploracion – Costa Afuera 3
Tectonic Setting

Aves Ridge

Granada Basin
Lesser Antilles Arc
Tobago Basin
Barbados Prism

Venezuela Basin

South Caribbean
Deformed Belt

3D bathymetric/topographic view to the east across Caribbean region showing the complex morphology of the offshore area .
Major hydrocarbon areas are largely restricted to onland basins

Mayo 2014 Talleres PDVSA Exploracion – Costa Afuera 4

Tectonic Provinces

Distribution of tectonic terranes and the inferred continental edge of the SAM plate (heavy black line).
Numbers indicate the following tectonic terranes:
1) Venezuelan basin; 2) Leeward Antilles-Aves ridge island arc; 3) Grenada-Bonaire-Falcon basins; 4) Lesser Antilles arc-Cordillerade la Costa;
5) Tobago-Carupano basins; 6) Barbados accretionary prism, Eastern Venezuela, Barinas, Maracaibo, Magdalena Valley and Llanos basins;
7) Barbados-Tobago ridge, Northern Range of Trinidad and Paria Peninsula; 8) South Caribbean deformed belt; 9) Magdalena fan; 10) San Jacinto belt;
11) Panama arc terrane; 12) Western Cordillera; 13) Atrato basin; and 14) Sinu belt.

A. Escalona et al 2010

Mayo 2014 Talleres PDVSA Exploracion – Costa Afuera 5

Tectonic Provinces

Transect 1 : northern active margin

2
1

Transect 2: eastern passive margin

PDVSA (PECA 2000)

Mayo 2014 Talleres PDVSA Exploracion – Costa Afuera 6

Diachronous Deformation

Northern SAM is the site of a diachronous and oblique collision between the Caribbean and
the SAM plates.
Transpressional deformation migrated diachronously over a distance of 1500 km from western
Venezuela in Paleogene time (57 Ma) to a zone of active deformation in the eastern offshore
Trinidad.

A. Escalona et al 2010

Age and tectonic setting of onshore and offshore basins along the northern SAM
The younging of the foreland basin from Paleogene in the west and to Neogene in the east is related to the eastward motion and collision of the Caribbean plate.
Offshore, the different basins do not follow the same pattern of deformation as onshore, with a main extensional phase during the Eocene–Oligocene followed by a major
middle Miocene inversion.
Onshore, the only basin that does not follow the foreland basin pattern is Falcon basin. Falcon basin follows a similar evolutionary history of the offshore basins.

Mayo 2014 Talleres PDVSA Exploracion – Costa Afuera 7

Tectonic Models

Continental oblique collision zones, shows

partition of the deformation into synchronous
strike slip faulting parallel to the suture, and
contraction orthogonal to the suture.
This process generate pull apart basins.
In addition, where the plate edge shows previous
irregularities (salient & reentrants) the direction of
transport could vary.

Several tectonic models have been proposed to explain deformation of obliquely

convergent margins , especially for the Caribbean/SAM in arc-continent collision:
• Orogenic float model of Oldow et al. (1990);
• Arc-parallel extension model of Ave Lallemant and Guth (1990)
• Forearc rotation model of Wallace et al. ( 2009).

A common element of all three tectonic models is strain partitioning of plate convergence onto
strike-slip faults that parallel the arc-continent and :
• thrust components as in the orogenic float model,
• normal faults as in the arc-parallel extension model, and the indentor and arc rotation model.

Mayo 2014 Talleres PDVSA Exploracion – Costa Afuera 8

Tectonic Models

Orogenic float model :

Explain the occurrence of strike-slip faults and outcrops of metamorphic rocks within
transpressional fold and thrust belt.
The model proposes a ‘‘floating orogen’’ above a basal thrust at middle to lower crustal
or upper mantle levels that detaches the entire crustal section from its underlying
lithosphere. The basal thrust is continuous with all overlying strike-slip faults and thrust
belts and allows regional plate tectonic motions to be accommodated by contractional
and strike-slip motions.
The orogenic float model corresponds to the mechanical separation between sediment and
crust unit from the underlying lithosphere along a doble verging decollement system (within
lower crust or upper mantle).
Subduction
Crustal detachment

Crustal detachment Audemard (2002) applied this concept to the NW Venezuela,

Subduction
where the Maracaibo block floats into a large crustal detachment
that extends from the Barinas basin in the SE to the Caribbean
plate in the N, followed by strike-slip motion along the Bocono fault
.
A. Escalona et al 2010 F.E. Audemard et al 2002

Mayo 2014 Talleres PDVSA Exploracion – Costa Afuera 9

Basin Types

"B" subduction of the Lesser Antilles (west polarity)

"B“ subduction of the Colombo-Venezuelan (south polarity)

A. Escalona et al 2010

Mayo 2014 Talleres PDVSA Exploracion – Costa Afuera 10

Mayo 2014 Talleres PDVSA Exploracion – Costa Afuera 11
Structural framework

Three main provinces:

• Platform province (southern part)
• Extensional province (central part)
• Compressional province (northern part) Modified from Deville et al 2006

Mayo 2014 Talleres PDVSA Exploracion – Costa Afuera 12

Extensional Province

Extensional province include:

1) a series of transpressional northeast-southwest trending ridges
2) northwest-southeast oriented, down-to-the-northeast normal faults.

Major HC fields trend along the basin’s principle ridges.

Normal faults are generally younger to the northeast as are the hydrocarbon traps and reservoir ages.
Hydrocarbons are trapped in a series of downthrown four-way, anticlinal structures with east-west closure formed by
two-way subsidence-driven rollover, and north-south closure formed by uplift along the thrust-cored ridges.

Fold axes and normal faults

orientation indicate a transpressional
setting rather than transtensional
setting for the Columbus Basin.

Gravity tectonics along thin-skinned

detachment surface dipping to the
ENE may have influenced these
features, as well as masked other
structures (flowers structures)

LJ. Wood 2000

Major structural feature of the Columbus Basin
Mayo 2014 Talleres PDVSA Exploracion – Costa Afuera 13
 Regional Line

SW NE
0

Pleistocene
1

Pliocene
2

Miocene

Paleogene
4

Up cretaceous

5
Lw cretaceous
Basement platform
Shaly section
6
5 km LAP-58A
Pull-down effets
7 Shelf edge

3D- arbitrary line

8

Mayo 2014 Talleres PDVSA Exploracion – Costa Afuera 14

Gravity tectonics

SW NE
0

2
Plio – Pleistocene deltaic

4
Miocene shales
Paleogene -Cretaceous
5

5 km Arbitrary line

The mobile shales exert a significant influence on the structures: large regionally gravity normal faults,
that appears to sole out above the underlying Mesozoic unirs.
Mayo 2014 Talleres PDVSA Exploracion – Costa Afuera 15
Gravity tectonics

W E
0

2
LST Fan

5
Paleogene -Cretaceous Miocene shales

LAP 59
5 km

Note the mobile shales that drives the growth extensional faulting. the structures form in
association with prograding sequences. The abrupt thickening across the main faults
difficult the corelation of the seismic markers.
Mayo 2014 Talleres PDVSA Exploracion – Costa Afuera 16
 Chanel ?

Chanel ?

5 km TS 1500 ms

Mayo 2014 Talleres PDVSA Exploracion – Costa Afuera 17

 Down-to-the-basin growth fault
SW Down-to-the-basin fault system NE
0

DHI
1

Paleogene-Cretaceous
5 Miocene mobile shales
fold

5 km LAP 57

The mobile shales separate an upper tectonic level characterized by an extensional gravity regime
from a lower level which appears to be affected by a compressional tectonic regime.
Mayo 2014 Talleres PDVSA Exploracion – Costa Afuera 18
Counter regional growth fault

Seaward/Basinward NE
SW
0
Regional
Fault
1

DHI

2 Counter
Regional
Fault

Mobile Miocene shales

2 km LAP-50A LAP-50

Sediments thicken in the seaward / basinward direction along counter-regional faults.

Mayo 2014 Talleres PDVSA Exploracion – Costa Afuera 19
Regional & Counter regional faults

NW Landward Seaward SE
0

Regional
fault system Counter Regional
fault system
1
DHI
DHI

Mobile shales

LAP 59
2 km
Sediments thicken in the landward directions along normal down-to-the-basin growth
faults and in the basinward direction along counter-regional faults.
Mayo 2014 Talleres PDVSA Exploracion – Costa Afuera 20
Gravity glide

W E
0

4 shale

5 Paleogene - Cretaceous

Shale
6 evacuation

5 km 3D-Line 2200

Fault activity and growth is reflected by stratigraphic thickening in their downthrown side.
Note two main episodes of extensional tectonics above the decolement level, as indicated by rotated
fault blocks in the basal eastern part
Mayo 2014 Talleres PDVSA Exploracion – Costa Afuera 21
Bow-tie anticline

Sediment accumulation in the developing accommodation space exacerbates shale

evacuation beneath the prograding wedge. Shales evacuate to the east along the gently
dipping detachment surface to form diapirs. Sediments thicken to the west in response to
accommodation developing in the hanging wall of the roller faults, and they thicken to the
east in response to accommodation developing along counter-regional glide plane surfaces
associated with the evacuated shale diapirs.

Significant secondary rollover faults forming from structural crest migration basinward will
have a significant impact on hydrocarbon distribution as fluids fill-and-spill their way across
the structure.

Schematic illustration of a bow-tie anticline

Mayo 2014 Talleres PDVSA Exploracion – Costa Afuera 22
 Bow-tie anticline
SW Galleota NE
0

Basinward
migrating crest

4
Glide plane Shale
Roller
Shale
5 Roller
Shale evacuation

5 km LAP 45

A bow-tie anticline structure develops in the hanging wall of a roller faults , between down-to-the-basin and
counter regional glide plane.
Sediments thicken in the landward directions along normal growth faults and in the basinward direction
along counter-regional glide plane associated with large shale diapirs.
Mayo 2014 Talleres PDVSA Exploracion – Costa Afuera 23
 Trapping mechanisms
N S
0

1
DHI

DHI

4 Listric fan

5 km 3D-Trace 5600
Note the complex roll over anticline
Mayo 2014 Talleres PDVSA Exploracion – Costa Afuera 24
 SW NE
0 Cocuina ?

DHI
2

3 hanging wall
foot wall

Paleocene - Cretaceous

2 km LAP 55

Mayo 2014 Talleres PDVSA Exploracion – Costa Afuera 25

 Sequential seismic stratigraphy

Poui field / East Mayaro field (Colombus basin)

Typical Gamma-ray and Resistivity log signatures associated with depositional facies that make up
the prograding megasequences
Note the abrupt thickening across the major normal growth faults
L. Wood 2000

Mayo 2014 Talleres PDVSA Exploracion – Costa Afuera 26

 Sequential seismic stratigraphy
SW NE

channels

1 Chaotic facies
(slumps, mud flow…)

2
Chaotic facies
(mud flow, slumps)
DA 69B-1

2 km Arbitrary line (merge 3d)

Complex stratigraphy
Tectonically active hanging wall block focus slope and fan deposits feed by the shoreline system, and
pounded thick sediments
Mayo 2014 Talleres PDVSA Exploracion – Costa Afuera 27
 Peninsula de Paraguana
Mayo 2014 Talleres PDVSA Exploracion – Costa Afuera A. Allais
28
 W Urumaco Trough E

Pliocene

Miocene

2 km 3D (gobarr10) _ Arbitrary

Mayo 2014 Talleres PDVSA Exploracion – Costa Afuera 29

 W Urumaco Trough E
0

1 Pliocene

Paleocene
Miocene
2

4 km 3D (gobarr10) _ Arbitrary

Mayo 2014 Talleres PDVSA Exploracion – Costa Afuera 30

 Coherence Horizon Slice
Base Miocene

Note: Thin-skin extension at Base Miocene unconformity

Mayo 2014 Talleres PDVSA Exploracion – Costa Afuera 31

 W E
0

Intra Tortonian

Base Miocene Unc.

MFS 62
2

Colon
TWT (s)

Top Cogollo

3
2 km Gobarr10-Arbitrary 1
10 km

Note: Superimposed thin-skinned extension systems,

Large-scale within Miocene, Small-scale at Base Miocene unconformity, medium-scale
within Paleocene.

Mayo 2014 Talleres PDVSA Exploracion – Costa Afuera 32

 Coherence horizon slice
mfs 62 Ma

Note: Thin-skin extension within Paleocene

Mayo 2014 Talleres PDVSA Exploracion – Costa Afuera 33

 TWT Structure Map
mfs 62 Ma

Note: Thin-skin extension within Paleocene

Mayo 2014 Talleres PDVSA Exploracion – Costa Afuera 34

 W E
1

Base Miocene Unc.

Intra Paleocene Unc.

Up Paleocene

Up Paleocene
2
MFS 62

N
Lw Paleocene
TWT (s)

Colon
Cogollo
3

10 km

2 km Gobarr10- Arbitrary

Note: Two superimposed gravity-driven extensional systems, Lower and Upper Paleocene
detaching within Colon shales and top mfs 62, respectively.
Upper Paleocene tilted blocks shows two phases (lower part of Up. Paleoc. with growth,
reactivation in upper part of Up. Paleoc.)

Mayo 2014 Talleres PDVSA Exploracion – Costa Afuera 35

 SW
NE

3
TWT (s)

2 km Gobarr10- Arbitrary 2

Mayo 2014 Talleres PDVSA Exploracion – Costa Afuera 36

 W Alto de Barracuda Surco de Urumaco E

MFS 62
Paleocene
Colon

3 Cogollo

Oligocene
4

4 km 10 km
Gobarr10- L 1290

• Varios sistemas de fallas normales asociados a diferentes nivelles de despegue caracterizan la

parte oriental del Alto de Barracuda
• Despegues en Colón, tope MFS 62, tope discordancia intra Paleoceno, y base Mioceno

Mayo 2014 Talleres PDVSA Exploracion – Costa Afuera 37

 W Alto de Barracuda Surco de Urumaco E

Área NW

MFS 62
Paleocene

Colon Base Langhien

Cogollo
3

N
Oligocene

Eocene
5

10 km

4 km Gobarr10- L 1360

Mayo 2014 Talleres PDVSA Exploracion – Costa Afuera 38

 Fault shadow
Fault shadow

Mayo 2014 Talleres PDVSA Exploracion – Costa Afuera 39

 E
W

Socorro fm

Agua Clara fm Pedregoso fm

Upper Eocene to
Oligocene
3
Basement
UK volcanic arc

4
2 km
Trace 5200

Mayo 2014 Talleres PDVSA Exploracion – Costa Afuera 40

 Isla La Tortuga H. García 2008
Mayo 2014 Talleres PDVSA Exploracion – Costa Afuera 41
 La Tortuga High
Cariaco basin La Blanquilla basin N
S
0

? Eocene
3

mult
4
Basement

6
4 km VEN-5A CC-D1G-13

Mayo 2014 Talleres PDVSA Exploracion – Costa Afuera 42

 Estilo Estructural
Dominio Compresivo Dominio Extensivo
SE
NW
0

Top Mioceno
3 Calizas Eoceno

4
Basement

LAB-01G-07 3D _ XL 2016

Nota: Linea sísmica “Dip”

Neógeno afectado por tectónica de gravedad. Plano de despegue por encima del intervalo
competente de las calizas de edad Eoceno.

Mayo 2014 Talleres PDVSA Exploracion – Costa Afuera 43

 Estilo Estructural

NW SE
0

3 Top Mioceno
Calizas Eoceno

Basement

LAB-01G-09 3D-XL 2426

Nota: Linea sísmica “Dip”

Neógeno afectado por tectónica de gravedad. Plano de despegue por encima del intervalo
competente de las calizas de edad Eoceno.

Mayo 2014 Talleres PDVSA Exploracion – Costa Afuera 44

 NE SW
0

1
DHI ?
Top Plioceno

Diapir
Turbidites
Top Mioceno
3

Calizas Eoceno
4

3d _XL 2824
LAB-01G-11

Nota: Línea sísmica “Dip”

Tectónica de cobertura y tectónica de basamento, así como diapirismo de lodo
Fuertes amplitudes en ambiente batial pueden interpretarse como areniscas turbiditicas
Posible presencia de una indicación sísmica de gas
Mayo 2014 Talleres PDVSA Exploracion – Costa Afuera 45
 Estilo Estructural (frente de deformación)
NW SE

2
Top Plioceno

3
Top Mioceno

4
Calizas Eoceno

LAB-01G-27
Nota: Linea sísmica “strike”
Frente caracterizado por abanico de corrimientos (“splay”)
Mayo 2014 Talleres PDVSA Exploracion – Costa Afuera 46
 NW SE

Top Plioceno

Top Mioceno

Calizas Eoceno

LAB-01G-21
Nota: Linea sísmica “strike”
Frente caracterizado por pliegues disharmonicos y fallas de tipo “out of syncline” posiblemente
Mayo 2014 generados por movimentos transcurrentes
Talleres PDVSA Exploracion – Costa Afuera 47
 S N

100 km

2 km
NP-80B-24

Mayo 2014 Talleres PDVSA Exploracion – Costa Afuera 48

 Gulf of Paria
Mayo 2014 Talleres PDVSA Exploracion – Costa Afuera 49
 PECA 2000
La Blanquilla basin:
Water depth : 200-2000m
Sediment thickness : up to 6000m, Eocene to Recent
Basement: igneo-metamophic Cretaceous rocks
Two sub basins (Western Blanquilla/ La Tortuga, Eastern Blanquilla)
separated by the Margarita dextral strike slip fault
Petroleum Systems: no comercial oil and gas-condensate
discoveries

Structural province: back arc basin type associated to the Atlantic

plate subduction below Carribbean plate , mainly during Paleogene
time

Source rock: Eocene/Oligocene marine shales (enter oil window

during early Oligocene, presently within gas window in the deepest
areas) , generaly immature Miocene

Riks: reservoir presence is the main risk and additionally HC

charge
 PECA 2000
Orinoco delta basin:
Water depth : 100-4000m
Sediment thickness : up to 6000m, Eocene to Recent
Basement: igneo-metamophic Cretaceous rocks
Petroleum Systems: comercial oil, gas and condensate discoveries

Structural province: Delta filling a foreland basin/ passive margin . Also affected by the
Atlantic plate subduction below the Caribbean plate.
Two main structural provinces: Northern domain affected by compression (delta inversion)
& southern domain passive margin
High sedimentation rates associated to large accomodation space leads to margin failure
and down-to-the basin faults

Source rock: Cretaceous (Querecual) , vertical migration through listric faulst Deepest parts
within gas window_ Lower Miocene source

Riks: reservoir presence is the main risk and additionally HC charge

Normal faults // to the platforme edge (NNW-SSE)_ Growth Faults formed during
regresive Neogene due to the sediment charge; Decollment within prodelta shales
Sequence of faulting to the East, basinwards
Play Plioc-Pleistocene (rollover folds) HC charge from Cret or Miocene source during