Stratigraphy of Cuban Exclusive Economic Zone in the Gulf of Mexico

Abstract

Abstract

In the Cuban Exclusive Economic Zone in the Mexico Gulf (CEEZ-GoM) seven investigation wells and four exploration wells have been drilled. The firsts were drilled in 1981 by Deep Sea Drilling Project (DSDP); the seconds were drilled by Oil Companies which operated in Cuba between 2004-2012 years. These wells gathered a valuable stratigraphic information, almost continuously, trough drilling cuttings and both side-wall cores and conventional cores. All these information, joined with well, electrical and geochemical logs, and seismic data increased remarkably the geologic knowledge of this area. The main goal of this paper is making a stratigraphic characterization of the geologic units penetrated by these wells, by using micropaleonthological (foraminifers and calcareous nannoplankton) and lithological data generated while drilling.

Thousands of cutting samples were studied in order to establish the stratigraphic framework. Besides, the results of the DSDP wells were important to complete the study. The results of this work allow detailing the stratigraphy of the CEEZ-GoM, making more effective the regional seismic calibration, to determine more accurately unconformities zones, depositional environments for each level, calculating sedimentation rates, to estimate paleobathimetry, to establish better correlations with onshore wells and making detailed stratigraphic columns. Characterized stratigraphic levels range from Early Cretaceous Berriasian to Pliocene ages. The results allow to have an uniform stratigraphic guidance in all the basin, which impact on geologic constitution knowledge for further exploration wells to be drilled in the area.

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