Browsing by Author "Escalona, Alejandro"
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Item Regional tectonics, sequence stratigraphy and reservoir properties of Eocene clastic sedimentation, Maracaibo Basin, Venezuela(2003) Escalona, Alejandro; Fisher, William L.; Mann, PaulThe Maracaibo basin of Venezuela is one of the most prolific hydrocarbon basins in the world. During the Paleogene, oblique collision between the Caribbean and South American plates produced a 4-km-thick wedge of clastic sediments, where over 40 billion barrels of hydrocarbons have been produced. Previous studies in the Eocene interval are focused either at a large regional scale or a field-size reservoir scale. Integration between both scales of observation has not been previously done, and, as a consequence, the effect of regional tectonics is not considered in the small-scale stratigraphic record. The aim of this dissertation is to study the interplay of tectonic and stratigraphic variables that controlled the Eocene sedimentation in the Maracaibo basin, and to establish a geologic model that incorporates data from a regional to reservoir scale. Interpretation of 2-D and 3-D seismic data in the central and eastern Maracaibo basin reveals two major tectonic features formed during Paleogene collision between the Caribbean and the South American plates: 1) a late Paleocene-early Eocene foreland basin; and 2) a middle-late Eocene lateral ramp fault. The lateral ramp fault forms a paleogeographic facies boundary separating a less faulted and folded shelf area to the west from a fold-thrust belt to the east. In the Eocene Maracaibo shelf area, intraplate deformation occurs by NNE-striking left-lateral faulting with pull-apart basins localized at fault stepovers. Three-dimensional seismic time slice interpretation of more than 2000 km² of 3-D seismic data allows mapping of the Icotea pull-apart basin. Extension of the Icotea pull-apart basin is localized on pre-existing NW-SE-striking normal faults, formed by Paleocene-Eocene plate flexure during the foreland basin period. Detailed sequence stratigraphic interpretation of the central Maracaibo basin was carried out using 330 wells and 3-D visualization methods that combined well and 3-D seismic data techniques providing greater vertical and lateral resolution (pseudo-seismic). These data reveal that Eocene clastic sedimentation is controlled by tectonic subsidence and to a lesser degree by changes in sediment supply and eustasy. Hydrocarbon reservoirs of the central Maracaibo basin are concentrated in distributary channels and tidal sand bar facies on structural highs produced by strike-slip motion of N-NE-striking faults. Depositional environments and fluid content of Eocene reservoirs are inferred from cross sections based on closely spaced well logs.Item Tectonostratigraphic evolution of the northeastern Maturin foreland basin, Venezuela(2009-08) Taboada, Gustavo Adolfo; Fisher, W. L. (William Lawrence), 1932-; Mann, Paul, 1956-; Steel, Ronald J.; Escalona, AlejandroThe study uses subsidence analysis of three deep wells to basement combined with sequence stratigraphic mapping to show that a 85,000 km² area of the Eastern Venezuelan foreland basin in the region of the Orinoco Delta underwent three main stages of foreland-related subsidence that followed a protracted Cretaceous - late Oligocene period of precollisional, passive margin formation. Phase 1 consists of increased foreland basin subsidence in the late Oligocene to middle Miocene (23 - 13 Ma) at average sedimentation rates of 0.14 mm/yr. Clastic rocks of Phase 1 include the Freites Formation, a 1.2 km-thick section of greenish-gray fissile shale and shaly sandstone deposited in shallow marine- neritic environments. Seismic facies show progradation of Phase 1 clastic rocks as a wedge from the NE and NNE. Clastic rocks deposited during the accelerated Phase 2 in the middle to late Miocene (13 -11 Ma at sedimentation rates of 1.45 mm/yr) include the La Pica Formation, a 2.7 km-thick section of gray silt and fine-grained sandstone deposited in shallow marine/coastal proximal environments. Seismic facies show progradation of Phase 2 clastic rocks as a wedge to the northeast. Phase 3 consists of decelerating foreland basin subsidence in the period of late Miocene-mid Pliocene (11-6 Ma at average sedimentation rates of 0.86 mm/yr). Sedimentary rocks deposited during this period include the Las Piedras Formation, a 1.45 km-thick section of sandstone, carbonaceous siltstone and shale deposited in deltaic environments. Seismic facies show a progradation of Phase 3 clastic rocks as a wedge to the northeast and east-northeast. Deeper marine environments and more rapid subsidence rates of Phases 1 and 2 are interpreted as an underfilled foreland basin controlled by active thrusting along the Serrania del Interior at the northern flank of the basin. Deltaic environments and slower rates of Phase 3 are interpreted as an overfilled foreland related to rapid seaward progradation of the Orinoco Delta and its filling of the former, dynamically- maintained interior seaway. Paleogeographic maps constrained by wells and seismic lines show a large regression of the Orinoco River towards the west across the Columbus basin and Eastern Venezuelan basin during the late Miocene and the Paleocene. In this foreland basin setting, the effects of thrust-related tectonic subsidence and early deposition of the Orinoco Delta play a larger role in the early Miocene-Pleistocene sequences than eustatic effects.