Salt Involvement in the Jujo-Tecominoacán Thrust Belt, Chiapas-Tabasco Region, South East Basin, Mexico

Hugo Martinez-Kemp¹, Fernando Gonzalez-Posadas¹, and Peter Bartok^2
1 Pemex (PEP), Villahermosa, Mexico
² Bartok Inc, Houston, TX

The Jujo-Tecominoacan structure was drilled in 1980 and discovered a giant accumulation associated with thrust faulting. The close proximity to the fully developed Tecominoacðn salt diapir spurred interest as to their relationship. Previous 2D seismic, recorded to 4 and 5 seconds, did not allow for clear description of the thrust fault or the influence of salt. Deep 3D seismic opened up new opportunities. The Jujo-Tecominoacan structure forms part of a series of thrust structures associated with the NW-SE trending Chiapas range fold belt. The Tecominoacðn portion of the structure consists, from north to south, of a major salt diapir and a fault propagation fold ramped on a salt pillow. The Jujo structure is a fault-bend-fold cored with salt resulting in complex geometries and an inverted lateral ramp. The principal hydrocarbon accumulations lie on both fold types with the principal accumulations in close vicinity to the major lateral ramp that has undergone inversion. Good quality deep seismic (8 seconds) permitted an interpretation of the sub-salt reflector and thus defined the role played by salt in the region. Salt acts both as a build-up barrier or ramp and as a collapse element giving rise to a complex structural system. The objective of the study was to unravel the structural complexity of Jujo-Teco and consider additional exploration opportunities.