Dionisio Rodriguez¹, Francisco Gonzalez¹

(1) Pemex Exploracion y Produccion, Villahermosa, Tabasco, Mexico

ABSTRACT: Mesozoic Plays in the Continental Shelf of the Tampico Basin

The objective of this paper is to show the results obtained from multidisciplinary groups in the search for new reservoirs on the continental shelf of the Gulf of Mexico.

Offshore Tampico is a hydrocarbon-producing zone since 1968 when the well Arenque-2 discovered the main producing oil field. Nowadays, new reserves have not been incorporated yet, however, the complex distribution of the reservoir-quality rock is being interpreted from recently acquired 3D seismic data.

The new concept of the Upper Jurassic geological model consists of faulted and rotated blocks that form half grabens, where the source rocks were deposited, whereas basal sands (Nayade field) and carbonated banks (Arenque Field) were deposited in the upper parts. During the Cretaceous, at the ends of the subsidence stage, basin carbonates were deposited, folded and fractured in the margin of these blocks due to synrift differential compaction (Jurel Field).

In this way, good expectations are opened for evaluating the offshore Mesozoic hydrocarbon potential, reinterpreting the main oil field, and limiting the Nayade and Jurel Fields. The reprocessing of 3D seismic data on Sardina and Nayade fields has been proposed to extract and calibrate proper attributes as a help to improve the knowledge of the porous facies distribution. The integrated approach will allow establishing proper schemes for oil production and reducing the geologic-economic risk in future prospect evaluations.

AAPG Search and Discovery Article #90906©2001 AAPG Annual Convention, Denver, Colorado