Context, Challenges, and Future of Deep-Water Plays: An Overview*
Joan Flinch1
Search and Discovery Article #41417 (2014)**
Posted August 18, 2014
*Adapted from oral presentation given at Geoscience Technology Workshop, Deepwater Reservoirs, Houston, Texas, January 28-29, 2014
**AAPG©2014 Serial rights given by author. For all other rights contact author directly.
1
Repsol Services USA, The Woodlands, TX ([email protected])
Abstract
The most classical or current deepwater plays which are presently explored worldwide are Pre-Salt, Sub-Salt, Fold belts and
stratigraphic pinch outs. Presalt exploration is booming along Offshore Brazil, particularly in the Santos Basin and in the
Levantine Basin in the eastern Mediterranean area, and exploration activities are increasing in Angola, Gabon, and Namibia in
West Africa. Exploration in deepwater fold belts is very active in the Niger Delta, and booming in offshore Mozambique. The
Stratigraphic pinch out play has been recently developed mainly offshore Ghana, with the Jubilee discovery, and subsequent
exploration in Sierra Leone and Liberia.
We classify deepwater plays according to their tectonic setting as follows: 1) Extensional Passive margin with Rift, 2) PostRift and strike-slip basins and Active Margin, 3) Orogenic, which are subdivided into: a) Accretionary Wedges and b) Retro
Foreland Fold-and-Thrust Belts and Back Arc Basins. The critical challenges while exploring deepwater plays is the presence
of both, source rocks, and carbonate and/or siliciclastic potential reservoirs. Future deepwater plays will probably include
volcanic rocks, SDR related traps, ultra-deep carbonates, and extremely deep sandstone turbidite systems.
Selected References
Bracken, B.R., 1994, Syn-rift lacustrine beach and deltaic sandstone reservoirs - pre-salt (Lower Cretaceous) of Cabinda,
Angola, West Africa: in A.J. Lomando, B.C. Schreiber, and P.M. Harris (eds): Lacustrine Reservoirs and Depositional
Systems. SEPM Core Workshop No. 20, p. 173-200.
Carrus, E., 2011, The Tectono-Sedimentary Evolution of the Amazon Fan across the Central Transect, Foz do Amazonas
Basin, Brazil: Search and Discovery Article 30213 (2011), Web Assessed August 8, 2014.
http://www.searchanddiscovery.com/documents/2011/30213carrus/ndx_carrus.pdf.
Covault, J.A., A. Fildani, B.W. Romans, and T. McHargue, 2011, The natural range of submarine canyon-and-channel
longitudinal profiles: Geosphere, v. 7/2, p. 313-332. doi:10.1130/GES00610.1.
Flinch J.F., J.L.H. Huedo, H. Verzi, R. Gerster, H. González, R. Painuly, and S. Jimenez, 2008, Styles of Extension along the
Liberia Segment of the West African Transform Margin: International Conference and Exhibition, October 26–29, 2008, Cape
Town, South Africa-Abstracts, #90082.
Flinch, J.F., J.L. Huedo, H. Verzi, H. González, R. Gerster, A.K. Mansaray, L.P. Painuly, L. Rodriguez-Blanco, A. Herra, I.
Brisson, and J. Gerard, 2009, The Sierra Leone-Liberia Emerging Deepwater Province: Search and Discovery Article #10224
(2009), Web Assessed August 8, 2014. http://www.searchanddiscovery.com/documents/2009/10224flinch/ndx_flinch.pdf.
Gomes, P.O., B. Kilsdonk, J. Minken, T. Grow, and R. Barragan, 2009, The Outer High of the Santos Basin, Southern São
Paulo Plateau, Brazil: Pre-Salt Exploration Outbreak, Paleogeographic Setting, and Evolution of the Syn-Rift Structures:
Search and Discovery Article #10193 (2009), Web Assessed August 8, 2014.
http://www.searchanddiscovery.com/pdfz/documents/2009/10193gomes/images/gomes.pdf.html.
Hovland, M., H. Svensen, C.F. Forsberg, H. Johansen, C. Fichler, J.H. Fossa, R. Jonsson, and H. Rueslatten, 2005. Complex
pockmarks with carbonate-ridges off mid-Norway: products of sediment degassing: Marine Geology, v. 218, p. 191–206.
Law, C., 2011, Northern Mozambique: True “Wildcat” Exploration in East Africa: Search and Discovery Article #110157
(2011), Web Assessed August 8, 2014. http://www.searchanddiscovery.com/documents/2011/110157law/ndx_law.pdf.
Mann, J., 2013, Broadband seismic imaging improves subsurface mapping of Santos basin pre-salt reservoirs: World Oil, v.
234/9, p. 33-38.
Schofield, O., S. Glenn, and M. Moline, 2013, Automated underwater vehicles go where people cannot, filling in crucial
details about weather, ecosystems, and Earth’s changing climate: American Scientist, v. 101/6, p. 434. DOI:
10.1511/2013.105.434.
Stow, D.A.V., A.Y. Huc, and P. Bertrand, 2001, Depositional processes of black shales in deep water: Marine Petroleum
Geology, v. 18, p. 491–498.
Joan Flinch , Repsol USA, The Woodlands, Tx
5th Annual AAPG-SPE Deepwater Reservoirs GTW
January 28-29 Houston, Texas
©
Disclaimer
This presentation may contain forward-looking statements that are subject to risks associated
with the oil, gas, power, chemicals and/or renewable energies businesses. It is believed that
the expectations reflected in these statements are reasonable, but such expectations may be
affected by a variety of factors which could cause actual results or trends to differ materially,
including, but not limited to: oil and gas price fluctuations, actual demand, currency
fluctuations, drilling and production results, reserve estimates, loss of market share, industry
competition, environmental risks, physical risks, the risks of doing business in developing
countries, legislative, tax and legal and regulatory developments, including potential litigation
and regulatory effects arising from recategorization of reserves, economic and financial market
conditions in various countries and regions, political risks, project delay or advancement,
approvals and cost estimates.
In addition, this announcement may also contains statements regarding estimates of proved
oil and gas reserves of Repsol, S.A. and/or of its affiliated companies (“Repsol”). The
estimation of proved reserves may involve complex judgments, including judgments about
expected economic, technical and other operating conditions, and are subject to changes due
to a variety of factors, many of which are beyond Repsol´s control. These factors include but
are not limited to changes in oil and gas prices, geological and operating data derived from
exploration and production activities, technological developments, budgeting, investment and
other financial decisions that Repsol and other oil and gas companies may make, political
events generally, changes in the applicable political, legal, regulatory and tax environments in
which Repsol operates, environmental risks, project delay or advancement, and technical
factors associated with the exploration and production of hydrocarbons.”
Thank You
Repsol for allowing to present this work.
Dynamics, Spectrum and TGS for permission to use some
seismic lines.
Allen Boren, Mark Norini and John Silva for GIS and drafting
support.
A.W. Bally, C. Bartolini, L. M. Bernardo, J. Blickwede, J. Covault,
M. Esteban, G. Marton, N. Rosen, J. F. Salel, J. I. Soto and P.
Weimer for comments and suggestions.
Introduction
1. Bring some thoughts on Deepwater Plays and their geological
(tectonic context) based on the author’s experience.
2. Classify in a practical scheme Deepwater Plays to open the
discussion and debate.
3. Discuss some issues related to the elements of Petroleum
Systems in Deepwater Plays that are poorly understood.
4. Suggest ideas for Deepwater Plays that could be explored in
the future.
Extent of Deep and Ultradeep water
regions : Location of examples
Deepwater ( 500 - 2000 m)
1640 - 6562 feet
u
Ultra Deepwater ( 2000 - 4000 m)
6562 - 13123 feet
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*
Examples
Oil- equivalent Resource Volumes 2012
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Onshore
<400
400-1,500 >1 ,500
metres
• Liquids
• Gas
metres
metres
* Number of discoveries
Wood Mackenzie (2013)
Currently Explored Deepwater Plays
Presalt Play
Folded Belt Play
Subsalt Play
Stratigraphic pinch-out Play
Types of Deepwater Plays based
on Geodynamic Setting
Post-Rift
Shale-based
Salt-based
Mixted SaltShale-based
Extensional
Passive Margin
Hyper-Extended
Rift
Volcanic (SDRs)
Transtensional
Transpressional
Accretionary Wedges
Active Margin
Orogenic
Compressional / Gravitational
Retro FFTB
Back-Arc Basins
Extensional Passive Margin Settings
Margin Type
Tectonic Setting
Structural Style
Shale-based
Extensional
Passive Margin
Post-Rift
Salt-based
Mixted SaltShale-based
Updip listric normal ft.
Shale ridges & diapirs
Downdip thrust ft.
Niger Delta, Nigeria, Benin. Eq.
Guinea) Foz do Amazonas,
Rovuma
Salt core Anticlines
Canopies & Mini-basins
Eastern GOM, Kwanza Angola,
Astrid , Gabon, Senegal, Nova
Scotia, Majunga, Madagascar
Listric normal faults,
Western and Southern GOM, S
Thrusts, salt cored anticlines
Levantine ( E Mediterranean)
Canopies and Mini-Basins
Hyper-Extended
Rift
Volcanic (SDRs)
Transtensional
Transpressional
Increasing amount of extension
Examples (Basin, Country)
LAF &
Core Complexes
Iberian Margin, Portugal, N Spain,
Sierra Leone, Liberia
Half-grabens
Normal faults
Santos-Campos, Brazil, AngolaCongo-Gabon
Seaward Dipping
Reflectors
N Argentina, Uruguay & S Brazil
Pelotas
Walvis, N Namibia
Strike-slip / normal faults
Strike-slip, Inversion & reverse faults
Ivory Coast, Ghana, AgulhasOutenica, South Africa
Baja California, Ivory Coast,
Active Margin / Orogenic Settings
Active Margin
Orogenic
Compressional/Gravitational
Margin Type
Tectonic Setting
Accretionary
Wedges
Retro FFTB
Back-Arc
Basins
Neighboring Compression
Intra-Plate stress
Examples (Basin, Country)
Structural Style
Thrust Imbricates
Toe-thrusts/Normal ft.
Thrusts & folds
Normal faults
Rotated blocks
Inversion structures
Bangladesh, Barbados, Colombia,
Makran,
Campeche-Reforma Mexican GOM
Baram Delta-Brunei, Borneo, Orinoco, TT
Black Sea, Ionian Sea,
Northern Levantine Basin
Extensional Structures
in a Compressional setting
Santos Basin Presalt Play
Carioca, Lula and Pao de Açucar Discoveries
SW
Pao de Açucar High
Km
0
Lula ( Tupi) High
Carioca
(proj.)
South Lula Lula
(proj.) (proj.)
NE
0
2
2
4
4
6
6
8
8
10
100 Km
12
10
12
Postsalt
Salt
Presalt
Basement
Line drawing : modified from
Gomes et al. (2009)
Santos Basin Presalt Play imaged with
Broadband Imaging
NE
SW
?
?
?
?
?
Line drawing from seismic: modified from Mann, 2013
Southern Gabon Presalt Play
SW
NE
3
3
TWT (sec)
4
3500 m WD
4
5
5
6
6
7
7
8
8
Paleogene
Cretaceous
?
9
9
10
10
11
11
12
12
SW
NE
5
5
6
6
7
7
8
8
9
Neogene
Courtesy of Spectrum
9
Basement
Mantle
Close up of Seismic Section
Southern Gabon Basin, West Africa
SW
3
SW
NE
NE
5
5
4
5
4
6
6
TWT (sec)
6
7
3
5
6
Top Salt
7
7
7
Base Salt
8
8
?
9
8
10
8
Courtesy of Spectrum
9
Top Basement
9
10
9
11
11
12
12
Presalt Structures , Eastern Levantine
Basin , Eastern Mediterranean
Strike Depth Seismic Section
W
1
Leviathan Discovery
Tamar Discovery
16 TCF
7 TCF
E
1500-1700 m WD
2
3
Messinian Salt
4
Km
5
6
7
8
Top Messinian Salt
9
Courtesy of Spectrum
100 Km
Messinian Salt
Base Messinian Salt
Top Lower Cretaceous
Top Jurassic
PreSalt Play with possible
Hyper- extension , Eastern GOM
1000-2500 m WD
NW
SE
Aprox 40 Km
Postsalt
Presalt
Basement
Mantle
Louann Salt
Line Drawing from Seismic
(Dynamic Data Services)
Sierra Leone Margin, West Africa
Cross-Section sketch
SW
0
NE
NE
SW
0
Km
1
2
5
4
3
?
5
6
7
8
?
9
10
?
10 Km
MOHO
10
Pliocene - Pleistocene
Basement/Continental Crust
Miocene
SDR
Oligocene
Oceanic Crust
Pliocene - Pleistocene
Miocene
Paleocene - Eocene
Upper Cretaceous
Oligocene
Lower Cretaceous
Paleocene
- Eocene
Jurassic
Upper Cretaceous
Lower Cretaceous
Jurassic
Flinch et al. (2009)
MOHO
Basement/Continental Crust
SDR
Oceanic Crust
?
0
10 Km
?
South Liberia Margin
West Africa
Line Drawing & Seismic
Line Drawing Section 1
A
0
0
Courtesy of TGS
1
2
1
B
2
?
4
4
5
5
6
6
?
?
3
4
Miocene to
Holocene
Oligocene
5
6
TWT, sec
TWT sec
3
Paleogene
7
7
Upper Cretaceous
88
Lower Cretaceous
10 Km
9
9
10
MOHO
10 Km
0
Low Angle Fault
Moho ?
5
7
8
10 Km
Basement
9
10
Flinch et al. (2008)
Depth Section through the Liberia Margin
REPJOL
-
1
J , __ . -
5
10
13
Courtesy of TGS
Foz do Amazonas, Brazil
SW
TWT ( SEC )
1
1500-2600 m WD
NE
1
2
2
3
3
4
4
5
5
6
6
7
7
8
8
9
9
10
50 Km
10
Neogene
Paleogene
Cretaceous
Basement
Line drawing : modified
from Carrus (2011)
Niger Delta, Nigeria - Equatorial Guinea
Extension
Usan-Ukot
500 MBO
Compression
Translation
700 m
Km
2000 m
Oligocene
Pleistocene
Pliocene
Miocene
Eocene
Paleocene
Cretaceous
Rovuma Basin, Offshore Mozambique
E
W
Extension
Compression
Km
500 - 1700 m
15 TCF ?
NW
5
10 TCF ? Windjammer Discovery
150 m net gas pay
Mambo
Contourites
SE
1500 m WD
Plio-Pleist
Km
Mio
Ol
Eoc
K
Pg
Line drawings: modified from Law (2011)
Northern Colombia Accretionary Prism
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Sinu Accretionary Prism, Northern Colombia
Miocene-Pliocene
Outer Accretionary Wedge
Paleocene-Oligocene
Inner Accretionary Wedge
Plato-San Jorge
Retro-Flexural Basin
NW
SE
50 Km
NW
Seaward younging Toe-thrusting
SE
0
2
4
6
10 Km
Barbados Accretionary Wedge
PSTM Section
E
W
4
4
5
5
TWT ( sec)
3000-4500 m
6
6
7
7
8
8
10 Km
9
9
Courtesy of Spectrum
Challenges of Deepwater Plays :
• Deepwater Source Rocks
• Deepwater Carbonate Reservoirs
• Deepwater Erosion
©
Source Rocks in Deepwater Plays
Shallow water SR subsided
into Deepwater
Lacustrine to Shallow marine
Restricted environment
Kerogen Type I
SR originally deposited in
Deepwater
Deepwater “Black Shales”
Pelagic, Outer Neritic environment
Kerogen type II
Onshore and Exploration wells
Example :
Bucomazi Shale, Cabinda (Angola)
Neocomian-Lower Aptian
TOC > 20 %, 46 Tn HC/m²
Bracken 1994
Scientific & Exploration wells
DSDP/ODP/IODP
357 hits on Petroleum
57 hits on Butane
44 hits on Bitumen
Hovland et al. 2005
Pliocene to Recent Deepwater Source
Rocks encountered by DSDP/ODP wells
6
2
1,8
1,8
2,5
3,5
3,5
1,6
3,5
1,5
4,5
4
DSDP / ODP Location
Numbers are average TOC % values
Stow et al. (2001)
Deepwater Carbonates in Shallow water or
Onshore Fields
Oil/Gas
Field
Region/Country
Sea Bottom /
Reservoir Depth
Reserve
Estimates
Facies Type & Age
Cantarell
Campeche, Mexico
WD 40-60 m, 1500
m RD
408.000 bl/d
14 BBO
Slope breccias, calciturbidites
Ekofisk
North Sea, Norway
60-70 m WD, 30003300 m RD
65-75 MBC
1TCF
Chalks, debris flows &
turbidites
Tengiz
Caspian Basin,
Kazahstan
0 m WD, 4000 m
RD
6-13,5 BBO
Boundstone debris
Kirkuk
Kirkuk, Northern Iraq
0 m WD,
10 BBO
Mudstones and
Wackstones with
Globigerina, radiolarian
& tintinnids
Shallow water Carbonates in Deepwater Fields
Oil/Gas Field
Region/Country
Sea Bottom /
Reservoir Depth
Reserve
Estimates
Facies Type
Lula, Iara
Santos Basin,
Brazil
2000 m, WD 40005000 m RD
30 BBO
Lacustrine
Microbialites
Malampaya
Palawan Basin
Philippines
840-1200 m WD,
2700-3000 m RD
41 MBC, 3.7 TCF
Red algae &
foramminiferal
mounds
Automated Underwater Vehicles (AUVs)
and Remote Operated Vehicles (ROVs)
ROV
AUV
AUV
ROV
Automated Underwater Vehicles
Bouyancy-driven AUV
3,568 Active Floats Worldwide
Schofield,Glenn and Moline 2013
American Scientist
Monterrey Canyon, Offshore California
CFTH
Paull et al. 2012
Canyon and Channel Longitudinal Profiles
REPJOL
DOWN-SYSTEM LENGTH (m)
400000
0
1200000
800000
0
-
1000
--
2000
E
0....
(8) Rhone
-
(15) Carlsbad
_
(16) Oceanside
--(2) Nigeria X
--(9) Hudson
_(3) Barbados A
- (10) Mississippi _
(17) Newport
_
- (11) Zai re
(18) Var
- (5) Kushiro
-
(19) Ascension
-
- ( 13) Laurentian
I
r-
(1) East Breaks -
(4) SanAntonio
(6) Aoga
(12) Amazon
(20) Monterey
- (14) La Jolla
3000
UJ
9
0
a:
UJ
4000
r-
«
5:
13
5000
6000
7000
Covault et al. 2011
Courtesy of J. Covault
Future Deepwater Plays
©
Future Deepwater Plays
REPJOL
Artic and Antartic Deepwater Exploration ?
REPJOL
.
Arctic Ocean
Canada
Greenland
Geology.com
In NSIDC from NASA
Gulf of Mexico Deepwater Corals
Lophelia Corals
995 m below sea level, Zinc Platform
2012 Expedition
NOAA-OER/BOEM
Conclusions
1. Most current Deep water plays Subsalt, Presalt, Folded Belt and
Stratigraphic pinch-out plays
2. Deep water plays can be subdivided according to their Geodynamic
setting.
3. Source Rocks are common in Deep water regions, Rich lacustrine or
restricted marine SR later subsided or Deep water Black Shales
deposited in pelagic or Outer neritic environments as indicated by
Exploration but also Scientific wells.
4. Knowledge of Deep water erosion has strongly improve thanks to
High Quality seismic data, HR bathymetry and to AUV/ROV
observations.
5. Deep water carbonate plays related to drown/subsided shallow water
facies or deep water carbonate facies
Thank You
©