Beruflich Dokumente
Kultur Dokumente
Technical
Report
The Hydrocarbon Potential of NE Peru
Huallaga, Santiago and Maraon
Basins Study
by
PARSEP
September 2002
On the cover:
A 3D display of the Maraon Basin
as seismically mapped on the Base
of Cretaceous. View is from the
north looking towards the south.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
TABLE OF CONTENTS.................................................................................................... 1
FIGURES............................................................................................................................ 4
TABLES ............................................................................................................................. 8
ENCLOSURES................................................................................................................... 9
Digital ........................................................................................................................... 10
APPENDIX....................................................................................................................... 10
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY .............................................................................................. 12
Interpretation................................................................................................................. 12
1.0 INTRODUCTION ..................................................................................................... 16
2.0 SCOPE OF PROJECT ............................................................................................... 18
3.0 PREVIOUS WORK IN THE STUDY AREA........................................................... 22
4.0 GEOLOGY OF THE MARANON AREA................................................................ 23
4.1 GENERAL BASIN DESCRIPTION..................................................................... 23
4.2 REGIONAL GEOLOGY....................................................................................... 24
4.2.1 Pre-Andean System......................................................................................... 24
4.2.2 Andean System ............................................................................................... 28
4.3 GEOLOGY MARAON PROJECT AREA........................................................ 32
4.3.1 Mapping Project Overview ............................................................................. 32
4.3.1.1 Mapping Method...................................................................................... 32
4.3.1.2 Cretaceous Isopach Maps ........................................................................ 34
Cretaceous Isopach ........................................................................................... 34
Lower Cretaceous Isopach................................................................................ 34
Upper Cretaceous Isopach ................................................................................ 36
Vivian Formation Isopach................................................................................. 36
4.3.1.3 Tertiary Isopach Maps ............................................................................. 39
Lower Tertiary Isopach..................................................................................... 39
Lower Tertiary to Upper Cretaceous Isopach................................................... 39
4.3.1.4 Structure Maps ......................................................................................... 39
4.3.1.5 Cretaceous Sand/Shale Ratio Maps ......................................................... 40
Lower Cretaceous Sand/Shale Map ............................................................... 40
Upper Cretaceous Sand/Shale Map .................................................................. 42
4.3.2 Stratigraphy of the Maraon Area .................................................................. 42
4.3.2.1 Tertiary..................................................................................................... 44
4.3.2.2 Cretaceous................................................................................................ 45
Maraon Basin Hingeline Fault ........................................................................ 46
Maraon Basin Cretaceous Rifting................................................................... 47
Santiago Basin Cretaceous Rifting ................................................................... 47
Vivian/Chonta Contact...................................................................................... 50
Limonyacu 1X Well.......................................................................................... 50
Cretaceous aged Carbonate build-ups in the Maraon Basin ........................... 52
4.3.2.3 Jurassic (Sarayaquillo Fm) to Triassic (Mitu) ......................................... 52
Sarayaquillo Formation..................................................................................... 52
Pucar Group .................................................................................................... 55
Mitu................................................................................................................... 58
4.3.2.4 Paleozoic .................................................................................................. 58
4.3.1 Structural Analysis of Maraon Area ............................................................. 59
5.0 GEOPHYSICS........................................................................................................... 64
1
5.1 INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................. 64
5.2 MARAON BASIN SEISMIC ACQUISTION HISTORY OF PARSEP DATA
SET ............................................................................................................................... 65
5.3 SEISMIC INTERPRETATION............................................................................. 66
5.3.1 Data Quality .................................................................................................... 66
5.3.2 Well Data Seismic Ties................................................................................... 67
5.3.3 Maraon Basin Seismic Profiles..................................................................... 67
5.3.3.1 Profile 1 Orellana to Nahuapa (Enclosure 26a) ................................. 67
5.3.3.2 Profile 2 Samiria Sur to Bolognesi (Enclosure 26b)............................. 68
5.3.3.3 Profile 3 NW Ucayali to Tapiche (Enclosure 26c) ............................... 69
5.3.3.4 Profile 4 Shanusi to Zapote (Enclosure 26d) ........................................... 69
5.3.3.5 Profile 5 Huangana to Tangarana (Enclosure 26e) .............................. 69
5.3.3.6 Profile 6 Nanay to Nahuapa (Enclosure 26f)........................................ 70
5.3.3.7 Profile 7- Santiago Basin to Arabela (Enclosure 26g)............................. 70
5.3.3.8 Profile 8 Ungumayo to Otorongo (Enclosure 26h)............................... 70
5.3.3.9 Profile 9 Paiche to Piraa (Enclosure 26i)............................................ 71
5.3.3.10 Profile 10 Arabela to Corrientes (Enclosure 26j) .............................. 71
5.3.4 Maraon Basin Seismic Mapping................................................................... 71
6.0 SUMMARY OF WELLS DRILLED BETWEEN 1990 - 2000................................ 72
6.1 PUCACURO 1X.................................................................................................... 73
6.2 TIGRE 1X.............................................................................................................. 73
6.3 ARABELA 1X....................................................................................................... 73
6.4 DIANA MAE 1X................................................................................................... 74
6.5 TUCUNARE 1X.................................................................................................... 74
6.7 ZORRO 1X ............................................................................................................ 75
6.8 SANTA CATALINA 1X....................................................................................... 75
6. 9 SANTA MARTHA 1X ......................................................................................... 76
6.10 ORELLANA 1X .................................................................................................. 76
6.11 SUNGAROYACU 1X ......................................................................................... 76
6.12 LIMONYACU 1X ............................................................................................... 76
6.13 BLOCK 67 WELLS (Dorado 1X, Piraa 1X, Paiche 1X) .................................. 77
6.14 SUMMARY......................................................................................................... 78
7.0 PETROLEUM GEOLOGY ....................................................................................... 79
7.1 GEOCHEMISTRY ................................................................................................ 79
7.1.1 General............................................................................................................ 79
7.1.2 Source Rocks and Maturity............................................................................. 80
7.1.2.1 Tertiary..................................................................................................... 81
7.1.2.2 Cretaceous................................................................................................ 82
7.1.2.3 Triassic/Jurassic ....................................................................................... 83
7.1.2.4 Paleozoic .................................................................................................. 83
7.1.3 Oil Families..................................................................................................... 84
7.1.3.1 Maquia/Samiria oil Family (Family C).................................................... 86
7.1.3.2 The Tambo/Sungachi Oil Family (Families A and B)............................. 86
7.1.3.3 Other Oil Family Studies ......................................................................... 88
7.1.4 Oil/Oil and Oil Source Correlations ............................................................ 89
7.1.5 Migration of Hydrocarbons............................................................................. 89
7.2 THERMAL MATURITY AND HC GENERATION MODELING..................... 90
7.2.1 Introduction..................................................................................................... 90
7.2.2 Present-Day Maturity...................................................................................... 97
7.2.2 Thermal Maturity and HC Generation Modeling ........................................... 98
2
7.2.2.1 Chambira Este 1X (123X) Well............................................................... 98
7.2.2.2 Chapuli 1X Well .................................................................................... 100
7.2.2.3 Corrientes 1X Well ................................................................................ 102
7.2.2.4 Forestal 1X (3X) Well ........................................................................... 103
7.2.2.5 Jibaro 1X Well ....................................................................................... 105
7.2.2.6 La Frontera 1X (3X) Well...................................................................... 107
7.2.2.7 Loreto 1X Well ...................................................................................... 109
7.2.2.8 Mahuaca 1X (3X) Well.......................................................................... 111
7.2.2.9 Maraon 110-1 Well .............................................................................. 112
7.2.2.10 Orellana 1X (3X) Well......................................................................... 114
7.2.2.11 Piraa 1X Well..................................................................................... 116
7.2.2.12 Santa Catalina 1X (2X) Well ............................................................... 118
7.2.2.13 Santa Lucia 1X (2X) Well ................................................................... 120
7.2.2.14 Shanusi 1X (2X) Well.......................................................................... 122
7.2.2.15 Tapiche 1X (2X) Well ......................................................................... 123
7.2.2.16 Tucunare 1X Well................................................................................ 125
7.2.2.17 Valencia 1X (25X) Well ...................................................................... 127
7.2.2.18 Yanayacu 1X (27X) Well .................................................................... 129
7.2.2.19 Yaez 1X (14X) Well .......................................................................... 130
7.2.2.20 Yarina 1X (2X) Well ........................................................................... 132
7.2.3 Temperature Gradient ................................................................................... 134
7.3 EXPLORATION CONCEPTS MARAON BASIN ......................................... 135
7.3.1 Historical Exploration Strategies for Oil Exploration in the Maraon Basin135
7.3.2 Revised Exploration Strategies for Oil Exploration in the Maraon Basin.. 139
7.3.2.1 Cretaceous............................................................................................... 139
Paleo-Stratigraphic Traps................................................................................ 140
Paleo-Structural Traps .................................................................................... 141
Conclusions..................................................................................................... 144
7.3.2.2 Pucar...................................................................................................... 145
7.3.2.3 Paleozoic ................................................................................................ 146
7.3.3 Other Exploration Issues............................................................................... 147
7.3.3.1 Data Issues ............................................................................................. 147
7.3.3.2 Hydrodynamics ...................................................................................... 148
7.4 NEW PROSPECTS AND LEADS IN THE MARAON BASIN .................... 149
7.4.1 Picuro Prospect ............................................................................................. 149
7.4.2 Pastococha/Samiria Area (Enclosure 31)...................................................... 152
7.4.2.1 Nutria Prospect (Figures 124 to 126)..................................................... 155
7.4.2.1 Other Lead Areas (Figures 124 and 125)............................................... 155
7.4.3 Majaz Prospect (Enclosure 32) ..................................................................... 155
7.4.4 Southwest Maraon Pucar Prospects .......................................................... 158
7.4.4.1 Shanusi 1X Offset .................................................................................. 158
7.4.4.2 Yurimaguas Structure ............................................................................ 159
8.0 CONCLUSIONS...................................................................................................... 160
9.0 SELECTED REFERENCES ................................................................................... 162
3
FIGURES
Figure 1: Areas of investigation of the PARSEP Group Huallaga, Santiago and Maraon Basins,
and intervening areas.................................................................................................... 16
Figure 2: Map showing location of 2D SEGY Seismic Data set and the new field wildcats utilized in
the Maraon Basin Evaluation ....................................................................................... 18
Figure 3: Location of the Amerada and Oceanic data sets in the western Maraon Basin that were
interpreted off of paper copies. The results of this interpretation are included in montages
(Enclosures 30a and 30b) outside of the digital data set interpretation. ............................... 19
Figure 4: Map of the Block 1AB area showing the lack of available SEGY seismic data ............... 20
Figure 5: Geology of the Maraon/Santiago/Huallaga Basin Area ............................................. 23
Figure 6: Magnetic Intensity Map of the Maraon Basin and surrounding area .......................... 25
Figure 7: Bouguer Gravity Map of the Maraon Basin and surrounding area ............................ 25
Figure 8: Stratigraphic Column of the NE Peruvian basins - highlighted in yellow is the
nomenclature used in this report .................................................................................... 26
Figure 9: Location of the Paleozoic penetrations in the Maraon Basin ...................................... 28
Figure 10: Seismic line OR-95-08 in the southwestern most Maraon Basin showing the evolution of
a Late Permian to early Mesozoic extensional basin through the use of different datums
(flattenings) (PARSEP, 2002) ......................................................................................... 29
Figure 11: (After Tankard, 2001) Late Jurassic Early Cretaceous paleogeography, showing two
principal styles of basin formation, viz. strike-slip associated extensional basins in which the
extensional normal faults are approximately northward oriented, and NW-oriented strike-slip
basins. The locus of extensional subsidence was between the Contaya and Jambeli-Naranjal-
Vuana shear zones. Ac, Acre basin; bsz, Biabo shear zone; C, Cutucu depocenter; co, Contaya
high; csz, Contaya shear zone; H, Huallaga Basin; ia, Iquitos Arch; jnvsz, Jambeli-Naranjal-
Vuana shear zone; jsz, Juru shear zone; lT ftb, late Tertiary fold thrust belt of the Madre de
Dios range; N, Napo depocenter; pa, Paragua shear zone; psz, Pucalpa shear zone; S, Santiago
Basin; sh, Shanusi fault (Chazuta Thrust-PARSEP); U, Ucayali Basin. ............................... 31
Figure 12: Structure Map on Top of Chonta Limestone showing the depositional edge of the unit . 33
Figure 13: Cretaceous Isopach Map ....................................................................................... 33
Figure 14: Isopach of the Upper Cretaceous (Top Vivian to Chonta Limestone Marker) .............. 35
Figure 15: Isopach of the Lower Cretaceous (Chonta Limestone Marker to Base Cretaceous) ...... 35
Figure 16: Isopach of the Vivian Formation ............................................................................ 37
Figure 17: Isopach of the Lower Tertiary (Pozo Shale to the Top of Vivian) ............................... 37
Figure 18: Isopach of the Lower Tertiary (Pozo Shale) to the Chonta Limestone Marker ............. 38
Figure 19: Structure Map Top of the Vivian Formation ........................................................... 38
Figure 20: Sand/Shale Ratio Map of the Lower Cretaceous (excluding the Cushabatay Formation)
................................................................................................................................... 41
Figure 21: Sand/Shale Ratio Map of the Upper Cretaceous....................................................... 41
Figure 22: West to east composite seismic line through the Maraon Basin showing several cycles of
Pozo deposition ............................................................................................................ 43
Figure 23: Seismic Line OXY-23 across the Maraon Basin Hingeline fault showing its influence on
Cretaceous deposition ................................................................................................... 46
Figure 24: Seismic line OXY 9 across the Situchi Graben showing evidence of transtensional
tectonics that were active in the northwest Maraon Basin during Cretaceous to Early Tertiary
time. ........................................................................................................................... 48
Figure 25: A seismic example from the Santiago Basin demonstrating Cretaceous syn-depositional
extensional tectonics. Note the dramatic thinning of the Cretaceous section from south to
north........................................................................................................................... 49
Figure 26: Cross-Section from Capahuari Sur to the Tucunare well showing the prograding
relationship of the Vivian and Upper Chonta Formations ................................................. 50
Figure 27: Location of Tambo 3D (southern Block 1AB area) ................................................... 51
Figure 28: Amplitude time slice through Tambo 3D survey 475ms below a flattened Pozo datum
showing location of composite seismic line ....................................................................... 51
4
Figure 29: Composite 3D line through two buildups associated with the Chonta Limestone, with
Pozo datum.................................................................................................................. 51
Figure 30: Carbonate anomalies detailed and datumed on near Base Chonta Limestone. ............. 51
Figure 31: As in Figure 30 above but displayed as an instantaneous amplitude section ................. 51
Figure 32: Composite Seismic Line in the southern Maraon Basin showing the inter-Sarayaquillo
event separating the Upper and Lower Sarayaquillo Units. ............................................... 53
Figure 33: Isochron Map of the Lower Sarayaquillo Unit ......................................................... 54
Figure 34: Isochron Map of the Upper Sarayaquillo Unit ......................................................... 54
Figure 35: Coastal seismic line CP-739802 flattened on the Base Cretaceous Unconformity showing
westward progradational relationship between the Sarayaquillo and Pucar sequences. See
Figure 33 for location. ................................................................................................... 55
Figure 36: Isochron Map of the Pucar Group in the Maraon Basin ........................................ 56
Figure 37: Isochron map of Chonta to Paleozoic/Basement interval showing paleo-highs and lows in
the vicinity of Shanusi and Loreto wells that would have had an influence on the deposition of
the Pucar Formation. .................................................................................................. 57
Figure 38: Series of flattenings across the Mitu graben located east of the Shanusi well (Figure 37).
................................................................................................................................... 58
Figure 39: TWT Structure Map on the Contaya showing the distribution of Paleozoic rocks in the
Southern Maraon Basin .............................................................................................. 59
Figure 40: Preserved Paleozoic section in the southern Maraon Basin showing the horst and graben
system that developed at the beginning of the Andean Orogeny. Many of the normal faults
cutting the Paleozoic section have undergone later minor compressional reactivation. The
Paleozoic intervals noted on the seismic line are approximations only ................................. 60
Figure 41: Deflection of the Shanusi fault around the Tiraco Dome (Modified from Ingemmet
digital quadrangle maps). .............................................................................................. 60
Figure 42: Isochron of the Pozo to Base Cretaceous interval ..................................................... 61
Figure 43: Seismic example of the vertical uplift of the northern Campanquiz Mountains separating
the Santiago and Maraon Basins .................................................................................. 62
Figure 44: Seismic line MPH 23 across the southern plunge of the Tiraco Dome. This line is
orientated SW to NE and is located just south of the Tiraco Dome as shown in Figure 41. ..... 63
Figure 45: SW-NE seismic line through the northeast Maraon Basin (Block 67 Area) showing a
proliferation of faults with a very young origin that were formed during the Quechua III
compressional tectonic event. ......................................................................................... 63
Figure 46: Map on left shows locations of the majority of seismic shot in the Maraon Basin since
1970. Map on right is a display of the SEGY Seismic data set that was used in this
interpretation. Included in both are the available data sets in the Santiago and Huallaga
Basins. ........................................................................................................................ 64
Figure 47: Map of the Maraon Basin showing the location of the ten Seismic Profiles ................ 68
Figure 48: Location of exploration wells drilled in the Maraon Basin between 1990 and 2000. .... 72
Figure 49: Distribution of Oil Families in the Maraon, Santiago and Huallaga Basins with the
Tambo/ Sungachi Family in the northern areas and the Maquia/Samiria Family in the south.
Modified from CTI (2000) ............................................................................................. 85
Figure 50: Detail of Oil Families in the northern Maraon Basin, modified from Arco (1996) ....... 85
Figure 51: Comparison of Sterane biomarker patterns of Sungachi and Tambo oils. Note close
correlation due to close genetic relationship. (Modified from CTI, 2000). ............................ 87
Figure 52: Distribution patterns of C25 and C26 Tricyclic Trepanes (T25 and T26) and C24-
Tetracyclic Terpane (Tet) in Sungachi 1,Samiria oils and Tiraco Dome Seep (Modified from
CTI, 2000). .................................................................................................................. 87
Figure 53: Oil Families in the Maraon Basin Crude oils, from Arco (1996) ............................... 88
Figure 54: Migration pathways of Chonta and Pucar oils in the Maraon/Oriente Basin. Note
orientation of oil fields and Pucar subcrop. Modified from CTI (2000) .............................. 90
Figure 55: Index map of Maraon Basin wells which were modeled with BasinMod and cross
sections with present day maturity depths ....................................................................... 91
Figure 56: Present-Day Maturity in the Maraon Basin at Top Chonta level .............................. 92
5
Figure 57: Present-Day Maturity in the Maraon Basin at bottom Chonta level. Maturity increases
to the deep Western basin and to the NE where the Basement is at shallow depths ............... 92
Figure 58: Present-Day Maturity in the Maraon Basin at Top Pucar level............................... 93
Figure 59: Present-Day Maturity in the Maraon Basin at bottom Pucar level. Maturity increases
to the deep Western basin and to the NE where the Basement is at shallow depths ............... 93
Figure 60: Present day maturity in the northwestern and northern Maraon Basin .................... 94
Figure 61: Present day maturity in the southwestern and central Maraon Basin ....................... 95
Figure 62: Present day maturity in the southern and southeastern Maraon Basin. A pre-Cretaceous
maturity history is implied east of the Santa Lucia 2X well ................................................ 96
Figure 63: Maturity burial in Chambira Este 123X Well shows the Pozo and Chonta in the early-
mature oil window and the Cretaceous Raya in the mid-mature oil window ........................ 99
Figure 64: Maturity versus Time plot in the Chambira Este 123X Well.................................... 100
Figure 65: Maturity burial in Chapuli 1X Well shows the Pozo in the early-mature oil window, all
Cretaceous in the mid-mature oil window and the Pucar mainly in the late-mature oil window.
................................................................................................................................. 101
Figure 66: Maturity versus Time plot in the Chapuli 1X Well ................................................. 101
Figure 67: Maturity burial in Corrientes 1X Well shows the Pozo and Chonta Formations in the top
and middle of the early-mature oil window and the Raya the top of the mid-mature oil window
................................................................................................................................. 102
Figure 68: Maturity versus Time plot in the Corrientes 1X Well ............................................. 103
Figure 69: Maturity burial in the Forestal 3X Well shows the Pozo in the early-mature oil window
and all the Cretaceous in the mid-mature oil windows .................................................... 104
Figure 70: Maturity versus Time plot in the Forestal 3X Well ................................................. 105
Figure 71: Maturity burial in the Jibaro 1X Well shows the Pozo in the early-mature oil window and
all the Cretaceous in the mid-mature oil window ............................................................ 106
Figure 72: Maturity versus Time plot in the Jibaro 1X Well ................................................... 106
Figure 73: Maturity burial in the La Frontera 3X Well shows the Cretaceous Chonta and Raya
Formations in the early-mature oil window and the Devonian Cabanillas in the main gas
generation window ..................................................................................................... 108
Figure 74: Maturity versus Time plot in the La Frontera 3X Well ........................................... 108
Figure 75: Maturity versus Depth plot in the La Frontera 1X Well .......................................... 109
Figure 76: Maturity burial in the Loreto 1X Well shows the Pozo in the early-mature oil window, the
Cretaceous Chonta and Raya in the mid-mature oil window and the Pucar in the main gas
generation window ..................................................................................................... 110
Figure 77: Maturity versus Depth plot in the Loreto 1X Well.................................................. 110
Figure 78: Maturity burial in the Mahuaca 3X Well shows the Pozo in the early-mature oil window,
the Cretaceous Chonta and Raya in the mid-mature oil window and the Pucar mainly in the
top of the main gas generation window.......................................................................... 111
Figure 79: Maturity versus Time plot in the Mahuaca 3X Well ............................................... 112
Figure 80: Maturity burial in the Maraon 110 Well shows the Chonta and Raya Formations in the
early-mature oil window, and Devonian Cabanillas in the main gas generation window ...... 113
Figure 81: Maturity versus Depth plot in the Maraon 110 Well ............................................. 114
Figure 82: Maturity burial in the Orellana 3X Well shows the Pozo Shale at the top of the early-
mature oil window, the Cretaceous Chonta and Raya Formations in the early-and mid-mature
oil windows, respectively, and the Pucar in the late-mature oil window and top of the main gas
generation window ..................................................................................................... 115
Figure 83: Maturity versus Time plot in the Orellana 3X Well ................................................ 115
Figure 84: Maturity burial in the Piraa 1X well shows most of the Cretaceous in the late-mature oil
window and the Pozo in the mid-mature oil window ....................................................... 117
Figure 85: Maturity versus Time plot in the Piraa 1X Well ................................................... 117
Figure 86: Maturity versus Depth plot in the Piraa 1X Well.................................................. 118
Figure 87: Maturity burial in the Santa Catalina 2X well shows the Cretaceous Chonta and Raya
Formations in the early- and mid-mature oil windows, respectively, and the Pucar in the main
gas generation window ................................................................................................ 119
6
Figure 88: Maturity versus Time plot in the Santa Catalina 2X Well ....................................... 119
Figure 89: Maturity burial in the Santa Lucia 2X Well shows the Cretaceous mainly in the early-
mature oil window and the Pucar in the late-mature oil window ..................................... 121
Figure 90: Maturity versus Time plot in the Santa Lucia 2X Well ........................................... 121
Figure 91: Maturity burial in the Shanusi 2X Well shows the Pozo and Chonta Formations in the
early-mature oil window, the Raya Formation in the mid-mature oil window and the Pucar
between the late-mature oil window and the main gas generation window ......................... 122
Figure 92: Maturity versus Depth plot in the Shanusi 2X well ................................................. 123
Figure 93: Maturity burial in the La Frontera 3X Well shows the Cretaceous Chonta and Raya
Formations in the early-mature oil window and the Devonian Cabanillas in the main gas
generation window ..................................................................................................... 124
Figure 94: Maturity versus Depth plot in the Tapiche 2X Well ................................................ 125
Figure 95: Maturity burial in Tucunare 1X Well shows the Pozo in the early-mature oil window, the
Cretaceous between mid- and upper late-mature oil windows and the Pucar in the top of the
main gas generation window ........................................................................................ 126
Figure 96: Maturity versus Depth plot in the Tucunare 1X Well ............................................. 126
Figure 97: Maturity burial in Valencia 25X Well shows the Pozo and Chonta Formations in the
early-mature oil window and the Raya Formation in the mid-mature oil window ............... 128
Figure 98: Maturity versus Time plot in the Valencia 25X Well .............................................. 129
Figure 99: Maturity burial in the Yanayacu 27X Well shows the Pozo Shale in the early-mature oil
window, the Cretaceous Chonta in the early- to mid-mature oil window and the Raya in the
mid-mature oil window ............................................................................................... 129
Figure 100: Maturity versus Depth plot in the Yanayacu 27X Well.......................................... 130
Figure 101: Maturity burial in the Yaez 14X Well shows the Pozo in the early-mature oil window,
all the Cretaceous in the mid-mature oil window and the Pucar mainly in the late-mature oil
window entering the top of the main gas generation window............................................ 131
Figure 102: Maturity versus Depth plot in the Yaez 14X Well ............................................... 132
Figure 103: Maturity burial in the Yarina 2X Well shows the Chonta and Raya in the early-mature
oil window and the Devonian Cabanillas in the main gas generation window ..................... 133
Figure 104: Detailed Maturity burial chart for the Yarina 2X Well ......................................... 133
Figure 105: Maturity versus Depth plot in the Yarina 2X Well................................................ 134
Figure 106: Temperature Gradient map in the Maraon Basin w/Data from over 100 NFW (only
modeled wells shown).................................................................................................. 135
Figure 107: Seismic Line through Huitayacu 1X Well showing present day structure (left) and a
paleo-structural section (right) which has been flattened on the Pozo. Note the absence of a
paleo-structure associated with the Huitayacu 1X Well ................................................... 136
Figure 108: Seismic Line Oxy-23 through several productive structures in the northern Maraon
Basin. The upper display is in present-day 2WT section and the lower display is flattened on
the Pozo showing structure development during early Tertiary time................................. 137
Figure 109: Location of Seismic Line Oxy 23 ........................................................................ 138
Figure 110: Seismic Line through the Corrientes structure showing present day structure (above)
and paleo-structure (below) which has been flattened on the Pozo. Productive reservoirs are
highlighted. Note the absence of paleo-structure. ........................................................... 138
Figure 111: Seismic Line through the Capirona and Pavayacu structures showing present day
structure (above) and paleo-structure (below) which has been flattened on the Pozo.
Productive reservoirs are highlighted. Note the absence of paleo-structure. ...................... 139
Figure 112: Unflattened and Flattened (Pozo) seismic line (PK3-256) through the Yanayacu field.
Note the lack of any paleo-structure at Pozo depositional time ......................................... 141
Figure 113: Pozo to Base Cretaceous Isochron showing the presence of a large paleo-structure just
north of the Pastococha well. The seismic line highlighted is shown in Figures 114 and 115 . 142
Figure 114: Seismic Line PHI-10 flattened on the Pozo showing the presence of a sizable paleo-
structure that existed in the Pastococha/Samiria area in early Tertiary time...................... 143
Figure 115: Present day time section of Seismic Line PHI-10 showing how the high as mapped in
Figure 113, has disappeared......................................................................................... 143
7
Figure 116: Amplitude time slices through the Tucunare 3D survey showing how Tucunare
Structure disappears at shallower depths ...................................................................... 144
Figure 117: Composite log through the Cabanillas section of the Tapiche 1X well ..................... 147
Figure 118: Location of the Picuro group of prospects ........................................................... 149
Figure 119: TWT Top Vivian Map showing the Picuro Vivian Prospect ................................... 150
Figure 120: 3D display of the Picuro Vivian Prospect. This Map was generated from the one
displayed in Figure 119. .............................................................................................. 150
Figure 121: TWT Structure Map on top of the Pucar ........................................................... 151
Figure 122: Seismic Line AH73-1 (Figure 121) through the east verging fault trend that creates the
series of closures at Pucar level, colored yellow in Figure 121 ......................................... 151
Figure 123: Location of the recommended Block in the Pastococha/Samiria area ...................... 152
Figure 124: TWT Structure Map on the Pozo. Note the structural elevation of the Nutria structure
relative to the one tested by the Samiria Sur 1X well. Highlighted seismic line displayed in
Figure 9..................................................................................................................... 153
Figure 125: 3D TWT map on the Base Cretaceous (from seismic map on Enclosure 2 of 3 this series)
with cross sections AA and BB of wells (Pozo to Base Cretaceous in depth) projected onto the
surface. Note the off-structure locations of the Samiria 1X and possibly the Viracocha 1X wells
................................................................................................................................. 154
Figure 126: composite seismic line (located on Figure 7) through the Nutria Prospect, the Samiria 1X
well and the Samiria Sur 1X wells................................................................................. 155
Figure 127: Location Map showing seismic lines used for this evaluation (thick dark blue); examined
Prakla and GSI lines not used due to serious mistie problems (thin dark blue); and the seismic
lines that were not available for this evaluation (thin black)............................................. 156
Figure 128: The maximum size of the structure when mapped on the top of the Vivian if closed at
the 2655ms level as indicated above, is approximately 100 km2 ........................................ 156
Figure 129: Composite line (Figure 128) across the corner of the Majaz prospect and Diana Mae
locations .................................................................................................................... 157
Figure 130: West to east seismic line GW95-Q4 (Figure 128) across the Majaz structure............ 157
Figure 131: Shanusi area time-structure map on top of Pucar. The Shanusi 1X well tested gas on a
small satellite structure that opens up to a much larger feature to its SE. .......................... 158
Figure 132: Subsea structural map on Top Vivian showing the relative structural relationship of the
Yurimaguas well to that of the Shanusi 1X well. Highlighted area is potential reservoir
fairway trend of the Pucar identified in the Shanusi well ............................................... 159
TABLES
Table 1: List of Maraon Basin wells penetrating the Paleozoic Section and the Formation tops .. 27
Table 2: Seismic acquisition history of the data used by PARSEP in the Maraon Basin ............. 66
Table 3: Summary of Source Rock Data ................................................................................ 81
Table 4: Geochemical Characteristics of Genetic Oil Families in the Maraon, Santiago and
Huallaga Basins (CoreLab, 1996) ................................................................................... 86
Table 5: Chambira Este 123X Well Formations and Events ...................................................... 99
Table 6: Chapuli 1X Well Formations and Events ................................................................. 100
Table 7: Corrientes 1X Well Formations and Events.............................................................. 102
Table 8: Forestal 3X well Formations and Events .................................................................. 104
Table 9: Jibaro 1X Well Formations and Events ................................................................... 105
Table 10: La Frontera 3X Well Formations and Events.......................................................... 107
Table 11: Loreto 1X Well Formations and Events ................................................................. 109
Table 12: Mahuaca 3X Well Formations and Events .............................................................. 111
Table 13: Maraon 110-1 Formations and Events ................................................................. 113
Table 14: Orellana 3X Well Formations and Events .............................................................. 114
8
Table 15: Piraa 1X Well Formations and Events ................................................................. 116
Table 16: Santa Catalina 2X Well Formations and Events ...................................................... 118
Table 17: Santa Lucia 2X Well Formations and Events .......................................................... 120
Table 18: Shanusi 2X Well Formations and Events ................................................................ 122
Table 19: Tapiche 2X well Formations and Events ................................................................ 124
Table 20: Tucunare 1X Well Formations and Events ............................................................. 125
Table 21: Valencia 25X Well Formations and Events ............................................................. 127
Table 22: Yanayacu 27X Well Formations and Events ........................................................... 129
Table 23: Yaez 14X Well Formations and Events ................................................................ 131
Table 24: Yarina 2X Well Formations and Events ................................................................. 132
ENCLOSURES
1. Maraon Basin Location Maps
a. Location map of blocks, wells, and seismic
b. Location map of cross-sections, wells, and seismic
c. Location map of seismic profiles, wells, and seismic
2. Bouguer Gravity Map Maraon Basin
3. Magnetic Intensity Map Maraon Basin
4. Top Vivian Structural Map
5. Top Chonta Limestone Marker Structural Map
6. Top Cushabatay Structural Map
7. Pozo Shale to Top Cretaceous Isopach Map
8. Pozo Shale to Chonta Limestone Marker Isopach Map
9. Cretaceous Isopach Map
10. Top Cretaceous to Chonta Limestone Marker Isopach Map
11. Chonta Limestone Marker to Base Cretaceous Isopach Map
12. Chonta Limestone Isopach Map
13. Top Cretaceous to Chonta Limestone Marker Sand/Shale Ratio Map
14. Chonta Limestone Marker to Top Cushabatay Sand/Shale Ratio Map
15. Pozo TWT Structure Map
16. Chonta TWT Structure Map
17. Chonta Limestone TWT Structure Map
18. Base Cretaceous TWT Structure Map
19. Pozo to Base Cretaceous Isochron Map
20. Upper Sarayaquillo Isochron Map
21. Lower Sarayaquillo Isochron Map
22. Pucar Group
a. Pucar Facies Map NE Peru.
b. Isochron Map
23. Cabanillas TWT Structure Map
24. Contaya TWT Structure Map
25. Base Cretaceous to Cabanillas Isochron Map
26. Seismic Profiles
a. Profile 1 Orellana to Nahuapa
b. Profile 2 Samiria Sur to Bolognesi
c. Profile 3 NW Ucayali to Tapiche
d. Profile 4 Shanusi to Zapote
e. Profile 5 Tangarana to Huangana
f. Profile 6 Nanay to Nahuapa
9
g. Profile 7 Santiago Basin to Arabela
h. Profile 8 Ungumayo to Otorongo
i. Profile 9 Paiche to Piraa
j. Profile 10 Arabela to Corrientes
27. Maraon Geochemical Modeling Montage
28. Southern Maraon Basin - Seismic Examples of Producing Fields
29. Representative Seismic line through several Block 1AB Structures
30. Picuro Prospect Western Maraon Basin
a. Vivian Prospect
b. Pucar Prospects
31. Pastococha/Samiria Area Southeast Maraon Basin Hydrocarbon Accumulations and
Leads (3 sheets)
32. Diana Mae Area Majaz Prospect
Digital
33. Maraon Basin SEGY Data on Exabyte Tape
34. CD containing
a. Report
b. Appendices
c. Enclosures
APPENDICES
10
c. Rakhit Petroleum Consulting Ltd. Maraon Basin Hydrodynamic Study
Some graphics referred to in the content may not appear due to their size.
Should be required please contact PERUPETRO S.A. to be delivered
11
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Project Description
The Maraon Basin Technical Report was conducted approximately over a two-year span
by PARSEP, Proyecto de Asistencia para La Reglamentacin del Sector Energtico del
Per which is a joint venture between the governments of Peru and Canada. The
objective of this study was to reexamine the geological and geophysical data from within
the archives of Perupetro and produce a final report on the future hydrocarbon potential
of the Maraon Basin. Due to the immense quantity of data and limited time and
resources, a decision was made early in the study to handle the well and seismic data in
only a digital format so interpretation could be done using computer workstations.
Almost the first year of the project was spent on data collection, quality control and
review. LAS files for all new field wildcats were gathered and when not available, well
curves were digitized. Standardized composite well logs were made for all from this data
set, which were utilized to create a cross-section grid tied to seismic across the Basin.
Seismic SEGY data collection and quality control was considerable more problematic.
As much of this study was seismic driven, it was difficult to make any forward progress
in the project until a reasonable amount of seismic data was loaded on the workstation.
Of the more than 50,000 km of data in the Maraon Basin it took at least one year to
locate just over 12,000 km of data and get it loaded. Seismic SEGY data collection is an
ongoing process and at the time of the this report, over 30,000 km of 2D seismic lines
and nine 3D seismic surveys have been loaded for the Maraon Basin. Within the
context of this report, however, as there were time constraints, a cutoff date of December
1, 2001 was set after which no new data was be utilized in the interpretation. By this
date, 22,723 km (777 lines) from approximately 30 different seismic surveys had been
loaded and constitutes the SEGY data set included in this report. It was proposed that
any data acquired after that date be utilized in future studies when a much more detailed
evaluation of Maraon Basin could be completed.
To supplement the work of PARSEP Group, four additional studies were conducted by
outside consultants who are considered to be experts in their field. The four studies are
all included as Appendices in this report, and were as follows,
Interpretation
The Maraon Basin is a large sub-Andean Basin extending north from the Ucayali Basin,
through Peru into Ecuador and Colombia where it is know as the Oriente and Putumayo
Basins respectively. The Basins evolution begins in the Late Permian to Early Triassic
with a major extensional event that dissected the underlying Paleozoic platform and
basement rocks into a series of roughly northwest-southeast grabens and half grabens. In
the western extremes, deep rift basins were formed containing sequences of synrift
12
continentally derived sediments that are overlain by a Triassic to Jurassic-aged marine to
transitional (sabkha) unit dominated by carbonate deposition and evaporites. This in turn
is overlain by regressive continental redbeds of Jurassic age.
The eastern Maraon is very different with the remnants of the Late Permian to Early
Triassic extensional event being persevered only as a series of half grabens that contain a
preserved section of Paleozoic rocks within the lows with early Cretaceous peneplanation
stripping off most if not all, of the intervening sediments. In the eastern Maraon the
amount of preserved Paleozoic rocks beneath the Cretaceous decreases considerably from
south to north to the point where the Cretaceous is seen overlying rocks of only basement
affinity as the border with Ecuador is approached.
With this difference it is easy to divide the Basin into two distinct regions, the western
and eastern Maraon Basin divided by a major hinge zone. This hinge zone is supported
with both magnetic and gravity data. It represents the line of flexure separating the stable
Maraon platform in the east from the subsiding Basin to the west during the Basins
thermal sag phase from Late Triassic to Jurassic (+Cretaceous?) time and the rapidly
subsiding Maraon foredeep during Tertiary time.
The Maraon Basin started to take on its present-day configuration through a sequence of
tectonic events that spans the Tertiary and culminated in the Miocene to near Recent with
the highly deforming Quechua orogeny. The present day western margin was formed
through a complex combination of wrench related high angle faults, basin inversions and
thin-skinned deformation fronts that now separate the Maraon Basin from the Santiago
Basin to its northwest and the Huallaga Basin to its southwest.
To standardize the Cretaceous stratigraphy of the Maraon Basin, nine regional cross-
sections were constructed across the Basin and datumed just above the Chonta
Limestone, which is close to the maximum flooding surface during the Cretaceous.
When possible, this data was tied to seismic. The data was exported to a database from
which a series of maps were generated. These maps were found to support previous
interpretations provided in literature on the Basin. When seismic data was integrated into
the stratigraphic interpretation, however, several important issues surfaced that were not
evident with just well data.
1. The significance of the Maraon Hingeline across which there are major
changes in stratigraphy within the Cretaceous
2. The Hingeline fault system was intermittently active through geological time
and affects more of the geological column than just the Cretaceous
3. A significant Upper Cretaceous to Early Tertiary WNW-ESE trending wrench
related extensional event can be documented in the northwestern Maraon and
Santiago Basins that greatly effect the stratigraphy of the Cretaceous section
4. The presence of a Chonta-aged patch reef, which nucleated on the Chonta
Limestone. These features significantly affected later depositional patterns in
the overlying Chonta and Vivian sections.
Geochemical studies in the Basin have recognized two significant petroleum source rocks
that have generated the hydrocarbons found in the Cretaceous reservoirs of the Maraon
Basin. These are, the Cretaceous Chonta/Raya Formations and the Triassic/Jurassic
Pucar Group. A third less known source rock for the Maraon Basin is also present
within the Devonian Cabanillas sequence. It, however is confined exclusively to
13
southeastern portion of the Basin. The Chonta and Pucar source rocks in the Basin and
neighboring areas are sufficiently rich enough to have generated the commercial amounts
of hydrocarbons presently found in the oil fields of the Maraon Basin in addition to a
sizeable amount of as of yet, undiscovered reserves. A long-range migration from these
source rock kitchen areas to reservoir is implied for the accumulations found to date.
Three major episodes of HC generation and migration can be documented in the Basin.
The first event occurs during Carboniferous/early Permian time with the generation of
hydrocarbons from the Devonian Cabanillas and Ordovician Contaya Formations. The
survival of this early hydrocarbon generation phase due to tectonics and over-maturity is
questionable, however. The second event occurred in late Jurassic time, which triggered
Pucar hydrocarbon generation. The third hydrocarbon generation event occurred during
Neogene time and affected the Mesozoic and partially the Tertiary sequences. It
generated a second pulse of mature oil and gas from the Pucar where Pucar
hydrocarbon generation had not terminated. Chonta HC generation and migration,
however, is an ongoing process that has continued through to the present.
Exploration models in the Maraon Basin for last 20 years have been more or less driven
by the same concepts. This is quite evident when one examines literature and reviews the
NFW wells drilled in the Basin between 1990 and 2000. The critical criteria for defining
Cretaceous exploration targets historically in the Maraon Basin, was the presence of
paleo-structures. The logic behind this is sound in that the paleo-structures needed to be
in place in the Early Tertiary, to catch the primary and principal pulse of Chonta
generated oils. This is a philosophy that has dictated exploration in Maraon Basin for
quite some time despite the numerous accumulations with,
No paleo-structure
Paleo-structures too small to account for the amount of presently trapped oil
Present day structures with well developed paleo-structures that are dry or with
insignificant oil columns.
With these inconsistencies there are clearly other mechanisms at work. Where oil has
been found in younger structures, the explanation is one utilizing the remigration of oil
from an older breached or tilted accumulation. This is widely accepted and in this report,
one of the most critical aspect for future oil exploration in the Maraon Basin. The
shortcomings of the paleo-structure hypothesis are that it misses two very important
issues, large-scale paleo-stratigraphic traps and paleo-structures that are no longer closed.
As long as traps of both these styles were in place and proximal to the later developing
Andean Late Tertiary aged structures, the remigration from these paleo-accumulations
into younger aged structures is far from difficult to imagine. Obviously, some of these
paleo-traps would be coincidental with the younger structures and others not. The key to
exploration in the Maraon Basin is in the definition of paleo-traps, not just structures,
and in the remigration route of that hydrocarbon during the Quechua deformation.
The other shortcoming concerning past exploration activities in the Maraon Basin has
been its focus on Cretaceous reservoirs. In this and a previous PARSEP study in
Huallaga Basin and surrounding area, it became evident that carbonates of the Pucar
Group represent viable exploration targets in western Maraon Basin. In the south half
of the Maraon Basin for example, there are only four penetrations into the Pucar and all
are located in the southwestern most corner of the Basin. Of these, three intersected the
14
Pucar in a non-prospective supratidal to continental facies and the one well, Shanusi 1X,
which intersected the Pucar in a prospective facies encountered gas bearing porous
carbonates. Our current model has the Shanusi 1X well penetrating a high-energy
intratidal carbonate along a paleo-high trend created by the late Permian to early Triassic
rifting event. This is a potentially productive fairway that may be extrapolated to both
the north and south of the well.
The remaining significant under-explored section in the Maraon Basin is that of the
Paleozoic. Although studied little in this investigation, it is acknowledged that just to the
east across the border in Brazil, a similar section is productive and that similar potential
may exist in the Maraon Basin of Peru.
Through the hydrodynamic study sponsored by PARSEP, it was possible to identify areas
where hydrodynamic tilting occurs. Tilts are expected to be very severe in the western
Maraon Basin where high hydrologic heads can be mapped within the Cretaceous
section, near the highly elevated recharge areas in the fold and thrust belt of the western
Basin margin. The effect diminishes to the east and southeast across the Basin and the
measured data fits closely with what is observed in the fields. Tilted oil/water contacts
have only been found in the productive area of the northern Maraon Basin (Block 1AB
Area) and not in the southern production area (Block 8 Area). Hydrodynamics are
clearly an important component to understanding the dynamics of the petroleum systems
operative in the Basin.
The Maraon Basin Study was intended to be a regional work, integrating as much data
as possible within the Basin to investigate whether new exploration concepts, exploration
fairways, etc., could be defined. It was not intended to be an exploration exercise where
the ultimate goal is in defining drillable prospects. However, prospects and leads did
emerge and identified as the a) Picuro Vivian Prospect, b) Picuro Pucar Prospect, c)
Nutria Prospect, and d) Majaz Prospect. The later two have multiple objectives within
the Cretaceous section.
15
1.0 INTRODUCTION
The Maraon Basin Technical Study is the last in a series of reports released by the
PARSEP Group on the evaluation of the hydrocarbon potential of NE Peru. The three
basins evaluated in this study were, the Huallaga, Santiago and Maraon Basins (Figure
1). PARSEP is an acronym for Proyecto de Asistencia para La Reglamentacin del
Sector Energtico del Per and is a joint venture between the governments of Peru and
Canada. The parties comprising PARSEP are: the Canadian International Development
Agency (CIDA), the Canadian Petroleum Institute (CPI), Teknica Overseas Ltd. (TOL),
and PERUPETRO. The technical work on this project is being done by personal from
TOL and PERUPETRO
Maraon
Basin Study
Figure 1: Areas of investigation of the PARSEP Group Huallaga, Santiago and Maraon Basins, and
intervening areas
Unlike other projects done in this area in recent years, such as the Robertson Research
1990 Study Informe Final Evaluacion Geologica y Geofisica por Hidrocarburos Selva
Peruana, the goal of this project was to complete the interpretation of the study area
utilizing a standardized digital database that could later be exported with ease to any
interested outside party. One of the challenges in the early stages of the Maraon project
was in the gathering and the quality control of the available digital data such as seismic
SEGY data and log curve data. Where digital well data was not available, well curves
were digitized and included in the database. The seismic data interpreted was almost
done exclusively with workstations. Where SEGY data was not available from
16
Perupetro, paper sections of selected lines were scanned to fill in important holes in the
data set. In only one area, the west central Maraon Basin, were paper copies used
exclusively for interpretation. This was done as no SEGY data was available in this
critical area that was needed to link the seismic interpretation done in the Huallaga and
Santiago Basins together via the Maraon Basin. The horizons from this interpretation
were later digitized and are included as a subset to the workstation interpreted horizons.
All the SEGY data utilized in this project was supplied by Perupetro and was interpreted
primarily on a Schulmberger GeoQuest Workstation. Seismic line tying (bulk shift,
amplitude and phase rotation) was done with Kernel Technologys WinPics and SMAC
seismic interpretation software.
On the geological side, Geographixs and DigiRule software were used extensively for
mapping, well log preparation and cross-section construction, Platte Rivers 1D
BasinMod software was used as our basin-modeling tool and finally, Microsoft Access
was utilized to design a standardized, exportable well database.
Apart from the above-mentioned objectives, a secondary goal of this study is to assist
Perupetro in the promotion of this area to Industry. This includes making
recommendations to Perupetro concerning block size, configuration and location for
tendering purposes.
The PARSEP Team would like to thank Perupetro for their support on this project and for
making all the data so readily available to us, despite our never ending demands for more.
Furthermore we would like to thank CPI for their logistical support, Teknica for their
technical support and finally, CIDA for their financial support and making this project a
possibility.
17
2.0 SCOPE OF PROJECT
When this project was first conceived, it was intended to be a regional geological and
geophysical evaluation of the northeastern Peruvian Sub-Andean Basins focusing on the
identification of new play types. It was hoped not to be a rework of previous Maraon
Basin studies of which there have been a number of excellent ones. The focus was to
examine the Basin in a slightly different manner than others had before in the past.
Paiche 1X
Dorado 1X
ECUADOR Piraa 1X
Cunambo 1
Arabela 1X
Tangarana 1
Forestal Extension 1
San Jacinto 01
Location of Figure 4
Forestal 01
Shiviyacu Norteste 1
Carmen Central 5X
Carmen 1
Bartra 01
Shiviyacu 01 1X
Pilar
Shiviyacu Sureste 1X
Huayuri 19X
Macusari 1X
0 km 100 km
Huayuri S 33X
Tigre 1
Capahuari Norte 1
Jibaro 1X
0 Miles 100 Miles
Dorissa 01
Capahuari Central 1 Jibarito 27X
Capahuari S 01
Jibarito Sur X 1
Ceci X 1
Tambo
Tambo 1 XD 1
Sur
Margarita 1X
Andoas 1
Maynas 1X
Tucunare 1X
Bolognesi 1
Yanez 1
Martha X 1
Huasaga 1 Plantayacu X 1
Valencia 1
Nueva Esperanza 1
Pucacuro 1
Tuncheplaya X 1
Otorongo X 1
Pavayacu X 3
Tigre 131X
Nanay 26X
Chapuli X-1
Huitoyacu 2X
Sungaroyacu Norte 1X
Sungachi 1X
Belen 4
San Juan 1
Aerico 1
Caterpiza 1X
Tigrillo 1
Piuntza 1
Limonyacu 1X
Ungumayo 1 Nahuapa 1
Santa Martha 1X
Patoyacu 1
Putuime 1 Dominguza 1
Maranon 110
Mahuaca X 1
Cuinico N 1
Concordia 17X
Nucuray 1
Manseriche 1X
Pupuntas 1X
Diana Mae 1
anguintza 1X
Pauyacu 1
Cuinico S 1
Maranon 1 Maranon 22 1
Yanayacu 2
Pastococha 1X
Envidia 1
Samiria 5X
Viracocha X 1
Zapote 3X
Samiria Sur 3X
Tapiche 1
Loreto 1
Palmera 1
Shanusi 1
Santa Elena 1
Palo Seco 1X
La Frontera 1
Santa Lucia 1
Santa Catalina 2X
Orellana 3X
Santa
Santa Clara 1AClara 1
Rayo 1
Figure 2: Map showing location of 2D SEGY Seismic Data set and the new field wildcats utilized in the
Maraon Basin Evaluation
18
The manner in which to do this was through the interpretation of a seamless digital
seismic and well data set, with each being tied to one another combined with an analysis
on the lack of exploratory drilling success in the Basin since the late 1980s.
Supplementing the work done by the PARSEP Group were four additional studies:
Caterpiza 1X
Tigrillo 1
Limonyacu 1X
Ungumayo 1
Mahuaca X 1
Nucuray 1
Manseriche 1X
Pauyacu 1
Maranon 1
Amerada Data
Oceanic Data
0 km 50 km
Yurimaguas 2-1
0 Miles 30 Miles
Shanusi 1
Figure 3: Location of the Amerada and Oceanic data sets in the western Maraon Basin that were
interpreted off of paper copies. The results of this interpretation are included in montages (Enclosures
30a and 30b) outside of the digital data set interpretation.
19
Each of the above were focused on looking on the Basin in manner slightly differently
than previous similar studies and with each contributing in varying degrees in this
manner. The first of theses studies is included as a digital data set in Appendix 5 and the
others as Appendix 4a to 4c respectively, in this report.
One of the more time consuming aspects of this evaluation was the standardization and
quality control of the data. Digital curve data was complied and corrected for each of the
New Field Wildcats in the Basin (Figure 2). A composite well for each was constructed,
which if available included a Caliper, SP, Gamma Ray, Deep and Shallow Resistivity,
Density, Neutron and Sonic curve. A series of 9 cross-sections were strung across the
Basin to standardize the stratigraphy that was to be utilized in the geological mapping
module of this project. Where possible, a synthetic for each of the wells made and tied to
seismic.
0 km 50 km
Cunambo 1
0 Miles 50 Miles
Tangarana 1X
Forestal Extension 1X
San Jacinto 1X
Forestal 1X
Shiviyacu Norteste 1X
Carmen Central 1X
Carmen 1X
Bartra 1X
Shiviyacu 1X Pilar 1X
Shiviyacu Sureste 1X
Huayuri 1X
Macusari 1X
Huayuri S 1X
Tigre 1X
Capahuari Norte 1X
Jibaro 1X
Dorissa 1X
Capahuari Central 1X Jibarito 1X
Capahuari S 1X
Jibarito Sur 1X
Ceci 1X
Tambo 1X
Tambo Sur 1XD Margarita 1X
Andoas 1X
Maynas 1X
Tucunare 1X
Yanez 1X
Martha 1X
Huasaga 1X Plantayacu 1X
Figure 4: Map of the Block 1AB area showing the lack of available SEGY seismic data
The principal seismic data set utilized and interpreted in the project consisted of 22,723
kilometers of 2D SEGY data, which represents coverage throughout most of the Basin
(Figure 2). Despite this abundance of seismic coverage, two very large holes in seismic
data set existed. The first was in the western Maraon Basin where the Oceanic and
Amerada surveys (Figure 3) were not available in digital format and consequently the
interpretation was done off of paper sections.
Subsequent to the completion of the interpretation, most of the Oceanic survey was
received in SEGY format, which has now been incorporated (uninterrupted) into the
PARSEP digital seismic database. The second major hole in seismic coverage was in
area of Block 1AB. Very limited SEGY data was available for this area (Figure 4) and
the navigational data supplied for the location of the other lines was largely unusable.
20
Unfortunately time constraints on the Project did not allow us to correct and interpret this
data set. This was obviously a serious deficiency in the data set as this area contains
many of the producing oil fields of the Maraon Basin.
As part of the standardization process, a number of Maraon Basin wells were renamed
to maintain consistency throughout the PARSEP database. Numerous numbering
systems had been use previously by industry and Petroperu creating inconsistencies in
reference to certain well in later studies. In our system the first well drilled on each
structure has the designation suffix 1X with the X being representative of the wells
exploration status. All subsequent wells increase numerically in sequence and generally
maintain their suffix designation that is currently in place. To avoid any confusion, each
well within the Access database included with this report is referenced to the UWI being
used by Perupetro. All attempts were made in this report to maintain consistency when
referring to wells with this new system. Some, however, were not corrected as such in
some of the earlier work done in the project, due to the magnitude of effort needed to
regenerate maps already finalized. Where this has occurred it is duly noted in the text of
this report.
Due to the significant volume of wells drilled in this Basin it was beyond the scope of
this project to do a comprehensive analysis of all exploratory wells drilled in the Basin as
has been done for the other studies. Instead a study was undertaken as part of this project
to evaluate the wells drilled between 1990 and 2000, and to analyze their results. The
study is summarized in Section 6.0 of this report and a more detailed evaluation on each
individual well is presented in Appendix 3.
21
3.0 PREVIOUS WORK IN THE STUDY AREA
Drilling activity in the sub-Andean Basins of Peru began in 1937 with the drilling of
Agua Caliente #1 to test a mapped surface structure located in the Ucayali Basin. This
well discovered oil pay in Cretaceous Cushabatay Formation at 311 meters. Subsequent
to this during the 40s and 50s, numerous companies were doing fieldwork in the sub-
Andean Basins of Peru and as a result, several more wells were drilled. The next
discovery, however, was not until 1957 with the discovery of the Maquia Field. This was
made by the El Oriente Oil Company just west of the Contaya Arch in the northern
Ucayali Basin bordering on the southern Maraon Basin.
Texaco (Texas Petroleum Co.) was the first company to begin drilling in the Maraon
Basin with the spudding of the Maraon 8-1X well in 1955. They followed this well with
two additional NFW wells between 1956 and 1957. All four wells were dry holes.
Although the Basin didnt experience the drill bit for another 23 years, Mobil Oil drilled
three dry exploratory wells in the neighboring Santiago Basin, an intermountain basin
located to the northwest of the Maraon (Figure 1), in the early 1960s.
With the discovery of significant reserves in the Oriente Basin, the Ecuadorian equivalent
of the Maraon Basin in the late 1960s and early 70s, Petroperu, the national oil
company of Peru was awarded acreage in Maraon Basin in 1971. Shortly thereafter
Occidental Petroleum was awarded Block 1A and Union Oil Block 1B. After a 23-year
drilling hiatus in the Maraon Basin, the Corrientes Field was discovered with
Petroperus first well in the Basin in 1971. As Petroperu was quickly following up their
initial success with a series of other discoveries, Oxys first well in the Basin resulted in
the discovery of the Capahuari field in 1972. Union Oil joined the list of successful
companies with the discovery of the Jibaro Field with their first well. Activity and
discoveries continued at a rapid pace until 1989 after which the Basin experienced a
drilling lull until 1993.
The legal framework, which currently governs the exploration and exploitation of
hydrocarbons, was passed in August 1993. It allows companies to operate under either
Service or License contracts. In January 1994, the Peruvian government set up a new
state agency, Perupetro, to deal with contract negotiations, on the governments behalf,
talking over Pertroperus former role. As a result, industries interest in Peru was
heightened and several new blocks were signed. Activity further increased in 1996,
which also saw the initialization of the privatization process of Petroperu. Although
never completed, Petroperu sold all their producing properties and left the upstream
sector. Drilling and leasing remained active through the rest of 90s. Unlike the earlier
years, however, discoveries were minimal and limited to the three Barrett Resources
heavy oil discoveries, which were found in the northeastern Maraon Basin in 1998.
A chronological listing of new field wildcats drilled in the Maraon Basin and a review
of their results is presented in Appendix 3.
22
4.0 GEOLOGY OF THE MARANON AREA
The Maraon Basin is a large sub-Andean Basin (Figure 5) extending north from the
Ucayali Basin, through Peru into Ecuador and Colombia where it is know as the Oriente
and Putumayo Basins respectively. The Basins evolution begins in the Late Permian to
Early Triassic with a major extensional event that dissected the underlying Paleozoic
platform and basement rocks into a series of roughly northwest-southeast grabens and
half grabens. In the western extremes, deep rift basins were formed containing sequences
of synrift continentally derived sediments that are overlain by a Triassic to Jurassic-aged
marine to transitional (sabkha) unit dominated by carbonate deposition and evaporites.
This in turn is overlain by regressive continental redbeds of Jurassic age.
23
The eastern Maraon on the other hand is very different with the remnants of the Late
Permian to Early Triassic extensional event being persevered only as a series of half
grabens (tilted fault blocks) that contain a preserved section of Paleozoic rocks within the
lows with early Cretaceous peneplanation stripping off most if not all, of the intervening
sediments. In the eastern Maraon the amount of preserved Paleozoic rocks beneath the
Cretaceous decreases considerably from south to north to the point where the Cretaceous
is seen overlying rocks of only basement affinity as the border with Ecuador is
approached.
With this acute difference between the western and eastern Maraon Basins, it is easy to
divide the Basin into two distinct regions divided by a major hinge zone. This hinge zone
is identifiable on seismic and with both magnetic (Figure 6) and gravity data (Figure 7).
It represents the line of flexure separating the stable Maraon platform in the east from
the subsiding Basin to the west during the Basins thermal sag phase from Late Triassic
to Jurassic (+Cretaceous?) time and the rapidly subsiding Maraon foredeep during
Tertiary time.
The Maraon Basin started to take on its present-day configuration through a sequence of
tectonic events that spans the Tertiary and culminated in the Miocene to near Recent with
the highly deforming Quechua I, II and III orogenies. The present day western margin
was formed through a complex combination of wrench related high angle faults, basin
inversions and thin-skinned deformation fronts that now separate the Maraon Basin
from the Santiago Basin to its northwest and the Huallaga Basin to its southwest.
The geological evolution of the greater Maraon Basin area is controlled by two regional
tectonic systems recognized in the sub-Andean basins of Peru. The first, the pre-Andean
System, encompasses three cycles of Ordovician, Devonian and Permo-Carboniferous
ages overlying the Precambrian basement of the Guyana and Brazilian Shields. The
second, the Andean System, was initiated with the beginning of subduction along the
western margin of Peru. It encompasses several mega-stratigraphic sequences and
numerous minor sedimentary cycles, ranging from Late Permian to the Present. The
stratigraphic column that has been used by PARSEP in the Maraon Basin is
representative of all NE Peru and is presented in Figure 8. The exception to this is when
reference is made to the productive reservoir intervals within the Chonta section and then,
the terminology of the original operator is used.
The pre-Andean System begins with the Ordovician cycle and is represented by the
siliciclastic Contaya Formation. In NE Peru as found within the Maraon Basin, the
Contaya Formation has a thickness of up to 150m A maximum thickness of 4500m,
however, has been reported for the cycle in the Eastern Range of southern Peru. The
Contaya Formation outcrops in the Contaya Mountains of the northern Ucayali Basin and
in the Shira Mountains. Within the Basin itself, it has been drilled by four wells, the
Palmera 1X, Maraon 110-1, La Frontera 1X and Tapiche 1X wells and as with all the
24
Figure 6: Magnetic Intensity Map of the Maraon Basin and surrounding area Figure 7: Bouguer Gravity Map of the Maraon Basin and surrounding area
AGE PARSEP Maraon
Huallaga Ucayali Santiago
NE Peru Oxy Petroperu
Q Corrientes Corrientes
Maraon Maraon Nieva
Capas Rojas Ipururo
Pebas Upper Red Beds Pebas Superiores Upper Puca
Chambira Chambira Chambira
TERTIARY
Pozo Shale Pozo Shale Pozo Shale Pozo Shale Pozo Shale
Pozo
Pozo
Pozo
Pozo Sand Pozo Sand Pozo Sand Pozo Sand Pozo Sand
Santiago SS
Lower Puca
Capas Rojas
Yahuarango Lower Red Beds Yahuarango Yahuarango
Inferiores
Sarayaquillo
Condorsinga
Pucar
Condorsinga
Pucar Pucar Pucar Pucar
Aramachay Aramachay
TRIAS
Chambara Chambara
Mitu Mitu Mitu Mitu Mitu Mitu
PERM
Figure 8: Stratigraphic Column of the NE Peruvian basins - highlighted in yellow is the nomenclature
used in this report
26
Maraon Basin Paleozoic penetrations (Table 1), these are located in the east to
southeastern portion of the Basin (Figure 9).
Next in the succession is the Silurian cycle (not present in northern Peru), which is
represented by argillites, flysch and tillites, and can reach thicknesses up to 1000m in
southern Peru (Laubacher, 1978). This depositional cycle ends with an erosional episode
in the Peruvian Oriente that is the result of tectonic movement during the
Caledonian/Taconian Orogeny. The Silurian cycle merges with that of the Devonian,
which is comprised of sediments of the Cabanillas Group that have been deposited in the
Madre de Dios, Ucayali and Maraon Basins. In the south of Peru, Devonian sediments
reach thickness of up to 2000m, while in northern Peru, the maximum thickness attained
is 1000m. Within the study area, rocks of Devonian age have been encountered only in a
minimal number of wells, but only within those drilled along the southeastern margin of
the Basin (Table 1).
27
however has seen a number of penetrations, with the Tamanco 1X, Orellana 1X, Zapote
1X, Palmera 1X, and the Yarina 1X wells all having intersected this sequence. Finally,
the uppermost of the Paleozoic sequences, the Ene Formation has only been penetrated
by the Tamanco 1X and Orellana 1X wells.
In a study done for PARSEP on the Tectonic Framework of Basin Evolution in Peru
(A. Tankard, 2001), Tankard correlates the Juru Orogeny with the onset of our above-
defined Andean System. Towards the end of the Permian, relaxation of the earlier
extensional basin forming stresses that culminated in the deposition of the Ene Formation
were interrupted by a regional uplift and a pronounced unconformity that marks a first
28
Sarayaquillo Cretaceous
Pucar
Ene
Copacabana Mitu
Unflattened section
Cretaceous
Sarayaquillo Ene
Pucar
Mitu
Copacabana
Sarayaquillo Cretaceous
Pucar Ene
Mitu
Copacabana
Figure 10: Seismic line OR-95-08 in the southwestern most Maraon Basin showing the evolution of a
Late Permian to early Mesozoic extensional basin through the use of different datums (flattenings)
(PARSEP, 2002)
29
order sequence boundary after Ene accumulation (Figure 10). This event is believed by
Tankard (2001) to correspond to the Juru event identified in the Acre and Solimoes
Basins of the Brazilian upper Amazon. Tankard (2001) describes a three-part cycle of
basin formation and sedimentation that is repeated throughout the Phanerozoic of South
America. Typically each cycle consists of (1) an early phase of rift-controlled subsidence
and deposition of relatively coarser-grained clastics, (2) abandonment of individual fault
controlled subsidence and yoking together of the various depocenters into a shallow
eperic basin, and deposition of a widespread cover of finer clastics and potential
petroleum source rocks, and (3) a marked change in the stress fields resulting in structural
inversion, uplift and Orogeny.
A regional supratidal sabkha environment developed at the transition between the Pucar
and Sarayaquillo Formations, which marks the beginning of the continental and shallow
marine deposition. Mobil Oil recognized the Shaypaya Formation in the early 90s, a
clastic and shale unit underlying the Sarayaquillo Formation above the Pucar. Similarly,
numerous evaporite salt outcrops were observed at this stratigraphic position although
no regional correlations were attempted. As part of their fieldwork in the Huallaga Basin
area the Advantage/Burlington consortium have suggested a new formation name for this
unit, the Callanayacu Formation (Advantage, 2001). In outcrop and the subsurface it has
been described as an extensive deposit of evaporites, mainly anhydrite, gypsum and
minor salt, interbedded with dolostones and limestones. In the Peruvian Fold and Thrust
Belt this evaporitic unit can be traced over a distance of at least 700 km. These deposits
were intersected in subsurface by the Oxapampa 7-1 and Chio 1X wells in the central part
of the Ucayali Basin, and by the Putuime 1X well of the Santiago Basin in its north. In
between, extensive deposits of evaporites have been identified in outcrop in the Huallaga
Basin, and in the Fold Thrust Belt of, and the westernmost Ucayali Basin.
With further regression of the Jurassic sea the Pucar and Callanayacu Formations were
overlain by Middle to Late Jurassic continental red beds of the Sarayaquillo Formation.
A Pucar summary and facies distribution map for eastern Peru is presented in
Enclosure 21a.
Termination of the Sarayaquillo deposition coincides with the end of the Jurassic, which
is represented by the regional Nevadan unconformity over which lies sediments of
Cretaceous age. This is a boundary generally well recognized on seismic, below which,
the Jurassic is seen to thicken westward and locally subcrops with considerable
angularity. Cretaceous deposition was initiated in the greater Maraon/Ucayali Basin
during Neocomian-Aptian times and was characterized by a westerly thickening wedge
of fluvial to marginal clastics occasionally punctuated by carbonate sedimentation.
30
Figure 11: (After Tankard, 2001) Late Jurassic Early Cretaceous paleogeography, showing two
principal styles of basin formation, viz. strike-slip associated extensional basins in which the extensional
normal faults are approximately northward oriented, and NW-oriented strike-slip basins. The locus of
extensional subsidence was between the Contaya and Jambeli-Naranjal-Vuana shear zones. Ac, Acre
basin; bsz, Biabo shear zone; C, Cutucu depocenter; co, Contaya high; csz, Contaya shear zone; H,
Huallaga Basin; ia, Iquitos Arch; jnvsz, Jambeli-Naranjal-Vuana shear zone; jsz, Juru shear zone; lT
ftb, late Tertiary fold thrust belt of the Madre de Dios range; N, Napo depocenter; pa, Paragua shear
zone; psz, Pucalpa shear zone; S, Santiago Basin; sh, Shanusi fault (Chazuta Thrust-PARSEP); U,
Ucayali Basin.
31
The Cretaceous eperic sea deposition terminated during the Late Cretaceous with the
arrival of the first pulses of the Andean Orogeny (Peruvian and Incaic Phases) at which
time through to Middle Eocene time, molasse-styled deposition dominated the Basin.
This was punctuated during the Late Eocene to Early Oligocene by a marine
transgression that resulted in the deposition of the Pozo Formation. Molasse deposition
resumed in the Late Oligocene, which culminated during the Miocene Quechua
deformation and has continued through to the present.
The database was used to prepare cross-sections and regional maps of the Cretaceous
sequence for the entire Basin. The cross-section grid consists of nine regional
stratigraphic sections (Enclosure 1b) and was designed to include as many of the wells in
the Basin as possible (70%). The lines are located as such, that any of the remaining
wells could easily be correlated back to one or more sections. The cross-sections are
presented as Appendices 2A through 2I in this report. The maps based on the correlated
surfaces of the cross-section project, were prepared at a scale of 1:1,000,000 and include
three structural maps (Enclosures 4 to 6), six isopach maps (Enclosures 7 to 12); and two
sand/shale ratio maps (Enclosures 13 and 14).
All mapping done with well data was limited largely to the Cretaceous section, the
objective section of all wells drilled in the Maraon Basin. Detailed mapping of the
lesser-known Paleozoic section in the SE Maraon Basin is left for future studies. Since
most wells drilled through at least the top of the Cushabatay Formation and the seismic
pick for the Base of Cretaceous is an excellent generally unambiguous pick, a very
reliable Cretaceous thickness map could be constructed across the entire Basin. The
Cretaceous sequence in turn was divided into a lower and upper unit separated by the
major maximum flooding surface, which was picked just above the top of the Chonta
Limestone.
This Chonta Limestone is an excellent correlation unit on wireline logs in the western and
northwestern Maraon, the Santiago, and the Huallaga Basins. Structure maps were
prepared on this surface from well data (Figure 12, Enclosure 12) and seismic data
(Enclosure 17), which both show its distribution. Where present, the top of the limestone
was designated the Chonta Limestone Marker (CLM). In the south and eastern portions
of the Basin where the time equivalent units of the limestone are dominated by
siliciclastic deposition, the Chonta CLM was largely a phantomed marker tied to the well
utilizing correlative shale packages, well synthetics and seismic data. The correlation of
the phantom surface is reliable in the northeast, the south and in the area immediate
32
Figure 12: Structure Map on Top of Chonta Limestone showing the depositional edge of the unit Figure 13: Cretaceous Isopach Map
adjacent to the Chonta Limestone wedge (Figure 15). Further to the east in the Nanay
1X, Belen 1X, Nahuapa 1X Maraon 110 area, correlations proved to be more difficult
due to an over abundance of sands relative to correlative shales. In these areas, there was
a heavy reliance on synthetic/seismic correlations to make the CLM pick
The CLM datum was used to hang the nine cross-sections across the Basin (Appendix 2)
and to divide the Cretaceous into an upper and a lower unit, referred as upper and lower
Cretaceous in the isopach and ratio maps (Enclosures 13 and 14 respectively). The sand-
shale ratio maps were prepared using the Gamma Ray curve, which was available in
almost all wells, and in its absence, the SP curve was used to identify the sandstone beds.
A cut off of 80 GR API units provided good separation of sandstones and shale.
Limestones were included as shales in the construction of these maps. In the northeastern
Maraon the SP was used instead of the GR in the Cushabatay Formation in the Piraa
1X, and Paiche 1X well due to the abundance of radioactive sands (K-feldspar rich)
rendering the GR readings unusable. In addition to the digital well data, the structural
maps enclosed in this study included surface geological data from the Fold Thrust Belt
and seismic information to reflect structuring that was not evident through just the
utilization of wells, at even a regional level. This is most evident in the southern
Maraon Basin, in the vicinity of the Yurimaguas, Shanusi, and Loreto Structures and
along the western mountain front.
Cretaceous Isopach
The isopach map of the entire Cretaceous sequence (Figure 13, Enclosure 9) shows a
wedge shaped basin with a northwest to southeast orientation and a thickening to the west
and southwest (Appendices 2B, 2D, 2I, and 2F). Cretaceous thickness increases
gradually from 300m in the north and northeast to some 1500m to the west. Thickness
increases goes beyond the present day basinal limits into the Fold Thrust Belt, as some
1500m were drilled in the Ponasillo well in the Huallaga Basin and a composite
Cretaceous thickness in excess of 1500m, is present in the Santiago Basin. The thickest
Cretaceous section in the Maraon Basin aligns itself along an axis with a northwest to
southeast orientation immediately east of the Fold Thrust Belt.
A representation of all Cretaceous formations are present in the explored and drilled
regions of the Basin, with the exception of the Dorado 1X well where an old structural
Basement high restricted deposition of the Cushabatay Formation as seen in the cross-
sections B, F and I (Appendices 2B, 2F and 2I). Cushabatay deposition resumed to the
north-northeast of this point, in the Paiche 1X well.
34
Figure 14: Isopach of the Upper Cretaceous (Top Vivian to Chonta Limestone Marker) Figure 15: Isopach of the Lower Cretaceous (Chonta Limestone Marker to Base Cretaceous)
The Lower Cretaceous unit includes the Chonta Limestone whose eastern limit (Figure
15) is drawn as the Chonta Limestone wedge. There is no apparent relationship between
thickness and aerial distribution of this limestone and the overall thickness of the unit.
Thickness of the Lower Cretaceous increases in a northeast to southwest direction,
whereas an east-west trend is observed for the limestone.
It should be noted that this study does not consider the Limonyacu 1X well in the western
Maraon as a valid Vivian test until further irrefutable evidence can be presented that will
36
50
50000 0
0 50
50000 100
100000 150
150000 200km
200000 m
50
50000 0
0 50
50000 100
100000 150
150000 200km
200000 m
Figure 16: Isopach of the Vivian Formation Figure 17: Isopach of the Lower Tertiary (Pozo Shale to the Top of Vivian)
Figure 18: Isopach of the Lower Tertiary (Pozo Shale) to the Chonta Limestone Marker Figure 19: Structure Map Top of the Vivian Formation
support this as having penetrated a full Vivian section. As currently defined within the
Perupetro archived company reports, this well has a Vivian thickness of 33m. This is in
contrast to the neighboring wells, which have Vivian thickness variations from 120 to
over 180m. Furthermore, no such thins were noted in the Santiago Basin where the
nearest wells to west are located. Although long distance seismic correlations from
wells with confirmed Vivian sections to the Limonyacu well are difficult due data
quality, changes of such magnitude within the Vivian are difficult to document
seismically. As a result we have concluded that the Limonyacu well never penetrated or
at least fully penetrated the Vivian section. A further more in depth discussion of this
well is presented in Appendix 3f.
Three structural maps on top of Vivian, Chonta Limestone Marker and Cushabatay are
presented in Enclosures 4, 5 and 6. As all maps show roughly the same structural
characteristics, which are described below, only the Vivian structure map (Figure 19) is
presented in the body of this report.
39
A regional northwest to southeast structural orientation to the Basin with the
deepest sector located adjacent to the Santiago Basin in the northwest, south of
the Ecuadorian border, reflecting the principal Late Tertiary depocenter. Along
the gently structured northern flank, this trend parallels the Iquitos Arch which
represents the eastern limit to Maraon Basin, and along the highly structured
southern flank, it parallels the alignment of the Cushabatay Mountains and the
Contaya Arch
The regional northwest to southeast uniform structural gradient in the northern
half of the basin is cut in the Pavayacu/Corrientes area. This structural feature
extends in subsurface from Vivian to Cushabatay, but it is best expressed at the
Vivian level (Figure 19).
A highly structured southwest Maraon Basin where the Loreto and Yurimaguas
structures, align in an east/west trend and the Shanusi, Santa Catalina and
Orellana structures in a northwest/southeast trend paralleling Fold Thrust Belt
from which they are separated by a deep trough.
Two sand/shale ratio maps were made for the Maraon Basin. This first is of the Lower
Cretaceous section (Figure 20, Enclosure 14), which excludes the Cushabatay section, as
this formation was not fully penetrated by a large number of wells. Fortunately as the
Cushabatay is almost always 100% sand, its inclusion would not significantly influence
the interpretation of the final map. The second map (Figure 14, Enclosure 13) was of the
Upper Cretaceous section as isopached in Figure 21. The general sand-shale distribution
of the Cretaceous is further depicted in the nine stratigraphic sections presented in
Appendices 2A through I. As expected these ratios show a regional westward decrease
of sand content towards the deep Maraon Basin and high sand concentration in the
eastern portion due to the more proximal location of the Brazilian/Guiana Shield, the
source of the terrigenous clastic sediments of the Cretaceous.
The northern-most influence of the Yarina delta is marked by the marine reentrant
defined by the Bolognesi 1X, Arabela 1X and Tangarana 1X wells. The Paiche anomaly
reflects the positive basement features and the rapid thinning of the entire Lower
Cretaceous section in this area and the proximity of a major sand source. The Dorado
well (Appendix 2F) for example was drilled on a basement high and consequently
encountered a very thin Lower Cretaceous section. The map clearly shows the eastern
40
Figure 20: Sand/Shale Ratio Map of the Lower Cretaceous (excluding the Cushabatay Formation) Figure 21: Sand/Shale Ratio Map of the Upper Cretaceous
Oil fields of Lower Chonta reservoirs are located in areas with a 0.2 to 0.65 sand-shale
ratio in Block 1AB where the Lower Chonta reservoirs are secondary in importance
relative to the Vivian reservoirs, and with ratios of 0.6 to just over 1.0 in Block 8
(including the Pastococha/Samiria Area), where they are the principal reservoirs.
This map represents the composite effect of individual stratigraphic variations in the
upper Chonta to Vivian Formations of which some are discussed below in a little more
detail.
The 1:1 sand/shale ratio (contour 1.0) has an approximate north/south orientation
throughout the Maraon Basin. To its east, the Upper Cretaceous interval becomes
progressively one sandstone body as all the Chonta and Vivian sands coalesce. To the
west, the upper Chonta Formation is predominated by a more distal marine facies as seen
by the increase of shale content as in the cross-sections B-B, G-G and E-E
(Appendices 2B, 2G, and 2E), and shale and limestone as in cross-section D-D
(Appendix 2D) north of the Jibarito Sur well.
Through a good portion of the northern and western Maraon Basin the Vivian can be
divided into an Upper and Lower sand punctuated by a well-developed shale interval.
This middle shale unit disappears and the Vivian Formation becomes a massive
sandstone unit to the east when ratio values of 1.0 or greater are met and to the south-
southeast (north of the Contaya Arch) with ratio values of 0.5 or more.
Most of the oil fields producing from the prolific Vivian Formation are located in the
Block 1AB area, which typically has a sand/shale ratio in the range of 0.1 to 0.4. In the
Block 8 production area where the Vivian is of secondary importance from an economic
viewpoint, the sand/shale ratios are in the 0.6 to 1.0 range.
An attempt was made to standardize the stratigraphy of the Maraon Basin (Figure 8),
which has been the recipient of numerous stratigraphic naming systems in the past. The
most notable two are the Oxy and the Petroperu systems, which are also presented in
Figure 5. Several other systems such as those used in the southwest Maraon Basin and
the neighbouring Santiago Basin, have surfaced in literature and company archived files,
and have influenced formation nomenclature. When conducting a regional study such as
this with its associated digital database, it is imperative to main consistency to facilitate
mapping and interpretation. The PARSEP system used is largely an amalgamation of the
42
Line Oxy-23 Line Oxy-U1 Line ADV96-03 Line ADV96-07 Line ADV96-04
Pozo Cycle 3
Pozo Cycle 2 (Datum)
Pozo Cycle 1
Chonta
Agua Caliente
Chonta Lmst
Base
Cretaceous
Sarayaquicllo/Pucar Undiff
Location of composite seismic line.
The line parallels the Ecuador/Peru
Border (not shown), which is
located approximately 10 km
northwest of the Forestal and
Figure 22: West to east composite seismic line through the Maraon Basin showing several cycles of Pozo deposition
Oxy and Petroperu systems favouring that of Petroperu, and hopefully this has eliminated
any ambiguities that may have existed in previous comparisons.
This study was not planned to be a complete rework of the many excellent studies done
on the Maraon sedimentary sequences, particularly that of the Cretaceous, but rather one
in, which the focus was on issues not necessarily documented previously, or where
previous assumptions/conclusions were found to be contradictory or in question by
means of the PARSEP evaluation of the data. The overall goal, however, was to take any
new concept should it emerge, and apply it in such a way that it was possible to enhance
the petroleum potential of the Basin. To some degree this study succeeds in this
objective and is discussed in the following section but with the following caveats.
Unfortunately, the degree of investigation that needs to be utilized to fully understand
some of the insights put forth in this report, are beyond the scope, time and budget
allocated to this project and should be the basis of future work. In several instances
observations and conclusions came out the data that do not necessarily have much impact
on the petroleum potential of the basin. These also are presented below to further the
understand the stratigraphy of the Maraon Basin
The following section summarizes and/or highlights aspects of the four Maraon Basin
mega-sequences, Tertiary, Cretaceous, Late Triassic to Jurassic (Rift/Sag Phase), and
Paleozoic.
4.3.2.1 Tertiary
The Tertiary section was not examined in great detail due to its lack of economic
significance. Nonetheless one particularly interesting observation was made concerning
depositional cycles within the Pozo Formation from seismic data. The Pozo shale, the
result of an Oligocene regional marine flooding event, when coupled with the underlying
Pozo Sandstone, forms one the strongest seismic events in the Maraon Basin. More
importantly, this reflector is the shallowest mappable marker in the Basin and is
representative of the time interval at which the principal period of oil expulsion and
migration occurred.
The Pozo Shale/Sand has always been considered to be representative of the standard
time horizon from which to datum both well and seismic correlations. From seismic data
it now appears that the Pozo is in fact time transgressive across the basin going older in
the east, to younger in the west. This is best displayed on the composite seismic line
displayed in Figure 22 where three cycles can be identified. More work needs to done to
tie several of these strong Pozo reflectors back to wells to further confirm this
observation. In the one case where this was done, the Macusari 1X well (Enclosure 29),
there appeared to be a good correlation of the Pozo sand back to seismic to support this
hypothesis.
Of particular interest is the transition from Pozo cycle 2 to cycle 3. This shift is
coincidental with a major flexure point within the Maraon Basin (Figures 6 and 7)
which in Enclosure 29 has been referred to the Principal Maraon Basin Hingeline Fault.
It is along this trend that many stratigraphic changes within the Cretaceous have been
noted and a trend that is coincidental with much of the oil accumulations found to date in
the Basin. Its therefore not difficult to envision that this tectonic feature was active
44
intermittently throughout geological time and at least one episode being coincidental with
Pozo deposition.
All this being said, care should be taken when correlating wireline logs across extensive
distances within the Maraon Basin utilizing the Pozo interval as a time horizon.
One other issue that need further discussion with respect to the Tertiary in the context of
this study is that of the basal Tertiary and its contact with the Cretaceous. In the 1AB
area (Figure 4), the uppermost productive sand encountered was referred to by Occidental
as the Basal Tertiary. This nomenclature was later continued further to the northeast into
the Dorado, Piraa and Paiche wells of Block 67 by Barrett Resources. Petroperu
throughout the exploration and development of the Maraon Basin referred to the same
interval as the Upper Vivian, thereby implying a Cretaceous age. This later nomenclature
is also the same one utilized by the PARSEP Group.
The contact between the Cretaceous and the Tertiary is very ambiguous in the Peruvian
sector of the greater Maraon/Oriente Basin. In Ecuador, particularly in the northern
Oriente, this same contact is documented as being highly erosive, stripping off the Vivian
sandstone equivalent (M1 sandstone) in its entirety. Such a contact has been difficult to
ascertain in Peru and in many areas, it is treated as being conformable.
4.3.2.2 Cretaceous
As it would be difficult to expand on the excellent studies done to date on the Cretaceous
stratigraphy in the Maraon Basin the reader is referenced to such works as Robertson
Researchs Petroleos Del Per (1990) and Diaz (1999). The objective of this PARSEP
study was to correlate time units across the Basin that could be tied back to seismic. This
proved to be more difficult than first envisioned due to the problems in identifying a time
datum across the entire Basin. The methodology to do so and the results are described in
detail in the preceding section 4.3.1. Within the context of the regional cross-section grid
and geological mapping that was done for this project, it was impossible to examine the
subtle details of the Cretaceous stratigraphy that are needed to further understand its
importance in defining hydrocarbon trapping geometries. A study examining producing
fields needs to taken utilizing all development wells and all seismic. Presently over most
fields, 3D seismic surveys are available. Through the length of this study, development
digital well data and 3D seismic data was collected to further supplement the Maraon
Basin database in preparation for future studies. An earlier attempt was made to
incorporate such development well data but lack of confidence in the bottom hole
location data that was available at that time, of the many deviated wells, and time
constrains, prevented much more than a cursory look at the problem.
The remainder of this section focuses on aspects of Cretaceous stratigraphy that have
been through this study, identified as enigmatic, or aspects that when better understood,
may influence future hydrocarbon exploration of the Basin.
One of the more important observations made in this study are the changes in Cretaceous
stratigraphy across major structural features that would indicate them to have syn-
depositional influences. Most of the industry generated reports presented on the Maraon
Basin focus on post-Cretaceous structuration and in particular post-Cretaceous and pre-
Pozo structures for reasons of early hydrocarbon entrapment which is discussed in more
45
detail later in Section 7.3. Virtually nothing to date has been recorded on structures
contemporaneous with Cretaceous sedimentation and how a better understanding of this
mechanism may lead to future discoveries. The two notable examples of this in the
Basin as well as one example in the Santiago Basin are presented below. This is followed
by a discussion on the Vivian - Chonta contact and the enigmatic Limonyacu 1X in the
western Maraon Basin which intersected an anomalously sand poor section in the Upper
Cretaceous. Finally the section is concluded with a description on an anomalous
carbonate (reefal?) build-up associated with the Chonta Limestone that is noted on 3D
seismic data in the Tambo-Tucunare area.
Agua Caliente
Chonta Limestone
Base Cretaceous
Figure 23: Seismic Line OXY-23 across the Maraon Basin Hingeline fault showing its influence on
Cretaceous deposition
Clearly this is an example where the Hingeline Fault can be documented to be active
during, and influencing Cretaceous deposition. As the overall hingeline trend is
coincidental with the major production in the Maraon Basin, the potential importance of
the observation noted above is discussed in the context of understanding further the
46
hydrocarbon distribution in the Basin and implications for future exploration, in Section
7.
A seismic example of the Situchi Fault is presented in Figure 24, which shows a time
section and a Pozo Reflector Flattened section of line OXY-9. Expansion in the Pozo to
Base Cretaceous interval from east to west across the fault is to up 450ms. Just within
the Vivian to Chonta Limestone, well over 100ms of expansion can be seen into the fault.
The effect on stratigraphy this Cretaceous to Early Tertiary growth fault had, is unknown,
as no wells have yet been drilled on this feature. It is not hard to imagine that an
anomalously thick section of Late Cretaceous aged Vivian sandstone being deposited
within the rapidly subsiding Situchi Graben, and thereby presenting itself as a very
attractive drilling target over the present day structure closure.
The north-south seismic line GSI-50-105 is located in the northern-most area of seismic
acquisition in the Santiago Basin. What makes this line unique relative to others in the
Santiago Basin, is that it was acquired in a syncline paralleling two major, north to south
trending anticlines and consequently, imaged a relatively untectonized section. Unlike
the other lines that were oriented to intersect structures, Line GSI-50-105 allowed a
continuous uninterrupted stratigraphic sequence within the Santiago Basin to be
interpreted across some 40 km. It is clearly evident that there is a dramatic thinning of
the Cretaceous section from south to north across several apparent east-west down to
south normal faults. The thin northern section is the anomalous section, as regionally the
Cretaceous should be increasing in thickness through this area. This one line defines
what appears to be a significant paleo-high during late Cretaceous time in the northern
Santiago Basin. As there is no seismic north of line GSI-50-105, the impact of how this
47
Figure 24: Seismic line OXY 9 across the Situche Graben showing evidence of transtentional tectonics that were active in the northwest Maraon Basin during Cretaceous to Early
T i i
North South
Pozo
Near Top
Sarayaquillo
Maranon
Basin
Caterpiza 1X
Piuntza 1
Putuime 1
Dominguza 1
Manseriche 1X
Pupuntas 1X
Tanguintza 1X
Santiago Basin
Near Top Vivian
SCALE
Near Top 0 km 30 km
Sarayaquillo
Figure 25: A seismic example from the Santiago Basin demonstrating Cretaceous syn-depositional extensional tectonics. Note the dramatic thinning of the Cretaceous section from south to
h
high may have affected depositional patterns of Cretaceous is presently unknown and
further studies are suggested for this area.
Vivian/Chonta Contact
Upon examination of any of the several west to east cross-sections included within
Appendix 2, such as I-I (Appendix 2i) across the Maraon Basin, the Cretaceous is seen
to thicken dramatically to the west. In part this is due to continued basin subsidence
during deposition west of the Maraon Basin Hingeline fault (Figure 6). The other
reason is the time transgressive nature of the Cretaceous. Within the Chonta Marker to
Base Cretaceous section, the transgressive sequence of the Cretaceous, the Cushabatay
becomes younger from west to east. Within the regressive Upper Cretaceous section we
have the opposite occurring with the Vivian sandstones prograding in a southeast to
northwest direction out across the Basin. The Vivian, as is the Cushabatay, are both time
transgressive and generally continuous throughout the region. Vivian sands of the
eastern Maraon Basin would therefore be time correlative to Chonta shales in the west.
The significance of this is that each Vivian progradational cycle may represent a group of
amalgamated sand bodies that may create stratigraphic trapping possibilities. This is
particularly true if each is punctuated by a minor transgressive event depositing a
potentially sealing shale unit. An example of such a relationship is presented in Figure
26.
NNW SSE
Figure 26: Cross-Section from Capahuari Sur to the Tucunare well showing the prograding
relationship of the Vivian and Upper Chonta Formations
Limonyacu 1X Well
Of importance to future exploration efforts in the western Maraon Basin is based on the
understanding of the results of the Limonyacu 1X well (Appendix 3l). The Limonyacu
well is interpreted (Oxy) as having intersected an Upper Cretaceous section through to
the Chonta Formation. The section encountered had an anomalous absence of Vivian
Sandstone and consisted primarily of shales and siltstone. This being the case, the
Limonyacu well would be one of a unique few in the Basin without Vivian sand
50
Figure 27: Location of Tambo 3D (southern Block 1AB area)
Figure 28: Amplitude time slice through Tambo 3D survey 475ms below a flattened Pozo datum showing location of
i i i li
Near Base
Chonta Lmst
Pozo
Figure 30: Carbonate anomalies detailed and datumed on near Base Chonta Limestone.
Near Base
Ch t L t
Interval detailed in
Figures 28 and 29
Pucara
Near Base
Chonta Lmst
Figure 31: As in Figure 29 above but displayed as an instantaneous amplitude section. Figure 29: Composite 3D line through two buildups associated with the Chonta Limestone, with Pozo datum
development. The only other example known by PARSEP in the Basin, is the Nueva
Esperanza 92 well, although in the offsetting Nueva Esperanza 93 and 1X (74X) there
was full Vivian sand development. Two possible explanations that can be used to
explain the Limonyacu well are as suggested by Oxy, poor sand development within the
Vivian section, or the well was misinterpreted and the Vivian section was not reached. It
is the later of these two explanations that is favoured for the following reasons.
1. The presence of Vivian sandstone in all surrounding wells in both the Maraon
and Santiago Basins, and in outcrops along the Basins border.
2. A strong mappable hydrodynamic flow within the Vivian Formation from the
outcrop area in the west, eastward into Basin and through to the Basin margins
(Appendix 4c), indicating a blanket nature to the Vivian Sandstone occurrence.
3. A consistent increase in salinity from west to east suggests a westerly freshwater
recharge area (Appendix 4c), which again supports the blanket nature of the
Vivian sand as suggested by point 2.
4. As the Limonyacu well was drilled in one of the deeper areas of the Basin it is
possible that an expanded section of Upper Cretaceous (Huchpayacu and or
Cachiyacu Formations) was encountered, the result of more pronounced
subsidence in this part of the Basin, at this time. Due to the thicker Upper
Cretaceous section encountered, the Vivian may have been misinterpreted to be
higher than it actually was.
If, however the Limonyacu well did in fact intersect the Vivian Formation it is suspected
that the analogy to the Nueva Esperanza area can be made using the above points as
support and that the Vivian should be encountered only a short distance away.
Sarayaquillo Formation
Within the Sarayaquillo Formation of the Maraon Basin, a seismic event has been
identified by PARSEP that represents a significant, previously, undocumented tectono-
stratigraphic event, which we refer to simply as the Intra-Sarayaquillo Event. This event
is particularly strong in the southern portion of the Basin and is best displayed on the
composite seismic line shown in Figure 32. The event represents an angular
erosional/depositional surface that separates the seismically homogeneous Lower
Sarayaquillo from that of the more reflective Upper Sarayaquillo package.
52
The Lower Unit is represented by a thick, northeast to north-trending wedge of sediments
up from the Contaya Arch (Figure 33). The thick of the Upper Unit parallels that of the
Lower Unit but is offset to its west (Figure 34). The interpretation by PARSEP is that
the Lower Unit represents an alluvial wedge of sediments deposited on the downthrown
side a major fault scarp formed by significant ancestral movement on the Contaya arch
and associated paralleling faults the Contaya Shear Zone of Tankard (2001) (Figure 11)
during early Sarayaquillo times. Further uplift resulted in the deposition of a second
Chonta
Cushabatay
Datum Base Cretaceous
Intra-Sarayaquillo
Pucara
Mitu
Paleozoic
Figure 32: Composite Seismic Line in the southern Maraon Basin showing the inter-Sarayaquillo
event separating the Upper and Lower Sarayaquillo Units.
wedge, the Upper Sarayaquillo Unit located to its west. This fault movement is believed
to be wrench related and the one of the controlling factor in the separation of the
Maraon and Ucayali Basins.
Within the Sarayaquillo section, several significant porous sand bodies have been noted.
One was identified in outcrop along the Huallaga River where its depositional
environment was interpreted to be of an eolian origin. The other was within the Orellana
1X well in the southern Maraon where the sand was found directly overlying the Pucar
Formation. The reader is referred to an earlier PARSEP Study on the Huallaga Basin
(PARSEP 2002) for further details on this unit.
53
Figure 33: Isochron Map of the Lower Sarayaquillo Unit (See Enclosure 14) Figure 34: Isochron Map of the Upper Sarayaquillo Unit (See Enclosure 15)
Pucar Group
The Pucar Group represents an economically important sedimentary sequence that was
deposited from upper Triassic to lower Jurassic times. It is divided into three formations
in the outcrops of the fold and thrust belt, which from oldest to youngest are the
Chambara, Aramachay and Condorsinga Formations and all three are recognized along
the northern and central Andes of Peru. The reader is referred to the PARSEP Study on
the Huallaga Basin (PARSEP, 2002) for a more in depth review of the Pucar Group and
from which much of the following section has been modified.
The Pucar overall, represents the maximum flooding event of a major mega-sequence
with the Chambara and lower Aramachay Formations forming the lower transgressive
cycle and the upper Aramachay and Condorsinga/Sarayaquillo Formations forming the
upper regressive cycle. The Condorsinga Formation is overlain conformably by the
newly defined (Advantage, 2001), predominantly evaporitic, Callanayacu Formation or
by red beds of the Sarayaquillo Formation. An example of the later is evident in the
Shanusi 1X well (Figure 36). Just south of the Maraon Basin in the northern Ucayali
Basin, westward progradation of this upper cycle and the facies transition between what
we interpret to be the Condorsinga equivalent in the subsurface of the Ucayali Basin and
Sarayaquillo Formation, is clearly evident in seismic line CP-739802 of Coastal as
displayed in Figure 35.
W E
Sarayaquillo Fm
Paleozoic
Pucar
Figure 35: Coastal seismic line CP-739802 flattened on the Base Cretaceous Unconformity showing
westward progradational relationship between the Sarayaquillo and Pucar sequences. See Figure 33
for location.
As part of our regional evaluation of the Pucar, which extends well beyond the limits of
the study area of the Maraon Basin, a facies distribution map has been constructed and
is presented in Enclosure 21a. This map represents an interpreted distribution of facies
from the upper part of the Pucar Group during Lower Jurassic time. This map was
generated utilizing most of the information currently available on the Pucar and
Sarayaquillo formations, in addition to an extensive array of data that included seismic
55
and well files (logs, reports, etc.), field sections, published papers, personal com-
munications, etc. were also incorporated. An isochron of the Pucar formation showing
its distribution independent of facies is presented in Enclosure 22b and Figure 36.
The eastern Pucar shoreline was irregular in shape and had roughly a NS trend to it
with the hinterland being located to the east. As interpreted by some, the Pucar
depression was a restricted basin partially isolated from the open sea by early positive
movement on the NWSE trending proto-Maraon high that acted as a subtle barrier
during basin development. An alternative explanation and the one supported by this
study, is that the basin was segmented into a series of smaller wrench related restrictive
depocenters and that a good percentage of the deposited evaporites were the result of
sabkha deposition.
Potential
productive
reservoir facies
trend
Map area
shown in
Figure 37
Figure 36: Isochron Map of the Pucar Group in the Maraon Basin
56
Seismic line DX-31
shown in Figure 38
Shanusi
1X Well
Figure 37: Isochron map of Chonta to Paleozoic/Basement interval showing paleo-highs and lows in
the vicinity of Shanusi and Loreto wells that would have had an influence on the deposition of the
Pucar Formation.
Depositional patterns and facies distributions of the Pucar were probably greatly
influenced by pre-existing structural features. An example of such a feature is found
within the study area approximately 30 kilometers north of the Tiraco Dome. The
Shanusi 1X well (Figure 37) intersected a porous and predominantly dolomitic section in
the upper Pucar Group that we interpret to be representative of an intertidal depositional
environment. What appears to be of depositional significance is that this section is
located on a paleo-horst block that was a positive feature during Pucar time (Figure 38),
just to the west of the synclinal axis of the Jurassic basin of the proto-Maraon (Figure
36). It is interpreted that the eastern graben may have acted as clastic sink allowing
uninterrupted shallow marine carbonate deposition along the Shanusi Horst.
One of the initial enigmas encountered while studying the Huallaga area (PARSEP,
2001) was the mode of occurrence of the salt mapped on the Ingemmet geological
quadrangle map sheets, on which all occurrences of salt are referred to as domes.
Further investigations and inquiries indicated that much of this salt was in fact bedded
evaporites composed of gypsum and anhydrite, with minor amounts of salt and
sediments. These observations were supported by a PARSEP sponsored field trip to the
Huallaga area in late 1999 and 2001, and by the fieldwork done by Advantage Resources
on Block 87 (Advantage, 2001). Furthermore in almost all instances the salt exposed
on surface, is found in the same stratigraphic position, in contact with the Sarayaquillo
Formation. We therefore consider much of the so called salt to be sabkha related
evaporitic beds that are non-diapiric in occurrence and in their original stratigraphic
position. Progressively decreasing in age from east to west, this time transgressive
evaporitic unit has the significance of potentially providing an excellent seal to the
Pucar carbonate reservoirs from the overlying Sarayaquillo and Cretaceous aged
57
formations. As stated previously, this interval has been designated the Callanayacu
Formation by Advantage Resources (2000).
Shanusi 1X Loreto 1X
Paleozoic/Basement
Paleozoic/Basement
Paleozoic/Basement
Figure 38: Series of flattenings across the Mitu graben located east of the Shanusi well (Figure 37).
Mitu
The Mitu Formation is considered to be the syn-rift sequence associated with the initial
opening of the proto-Maraon Basin. Within the Maraon Basin and surrounding areas it
is deposited in a series of grabens (Figures 10 and 37) formed within a rifted Paleozoic
section. From observations made during PARSEP sponsored field trips, the contact
between it and the overlying Pucar is conformable in several locations implying the two
are part of the same mega-sequence. However, in most literature and published
stratigraphic columns, the Mitu is often described as an unconformity bound unit and
depositionally, separate from the Pucar Group.
One additional point needs to be emphasised regarding the Mitu and it is as follows. In
many of the wells drilled beyond the boundaries of the mapped Sarayaquillo
depositional/erosional edge (Figures 33 and 34), well reports often describe the red bed
sequences underlying the Cretaceous, as being Sarayaquillo in age. As the Sarayaquillo
edge is a very mappable surface geophysically, such an age for these sediments well to
the east of this edge, is difficult to support. As an alternative, we suggest these easterly
red bed sequences are largely of Mitu age and are all that remain of the Upper Permian-
Early Triassic rift basins that were deeply eroded by Cretaceous peneplanation.
4.3.2.4 Paleozoic
Little work was done on the Paleozoic section other than to map the top of the Cabanillas
(Enclosure 23) and Contaya (Enclosure 24 and Figure 39) Formations, geophysically in
the southern Maraon Basin where thick sequences are preserved in an extensive series
58
of half-grabens beneath either the Mitu-Pucar-Sarayaquillo or Cretaceous
unconformities. The distribution of the mappable Paleozoic preserved section is
displayed in a TWT Structure Map on the top of the Contaya shown in Figure 39.
Maraon Well penetrations into the Paleozoic section from which the geophysical
mapping was correlated to, are shown in Figure 9.
For more information on the Paleozoic section the reader is referred to studies done by
Anadarko (1995), Enterprise (1997), and San Jorge (1999).
Seismic Line
shown in
Figure 40
Extension of the
Solimoes Basin
westward in to Peru
from Brazil
Figure 39: TWT Structure Map on the Contaya showing the distribution of Paleozoic rocks in the
Southern Maraon Basin
The tectonic evolution of the Maraon Basin begins in the Late Permian Early Triassic,
during which time major extensional faulting and erosion alternately preserved and
eroded thick Paleozoic sections. This evolution is attributed to a process of orogenic
collapse following the late Hercynian Juru orogeny (Tankard, 2001) and marks the onset
of the Andean tectonic event. Within the isolated rift sequences, red beds of the Mitu
Formation accumulated and with further sag and coalescing of the rift segments, the
carbonates and evaporites of the Pucar Group. This cycle terminated with the
widespread deposition of the Sarayaquillo redbeds.
The pre-Andean terrain of the Maraon Basin is thus comprised of a series of preserved
Paleozoic grabens and half grabens alternating with bald highs in its southern and
59
Pozo
Base Cretaceous
Ene? Copacabana
Cabanillas
Contaya
Basement
Figure 40: Preserved Paleozoic section in the southern Maraon Basin showing the horst and graben
system that developed at the beginning of the Andean Orogeny. Many of the normal faults cutting the
Paleozoic section have undergone later minor compressional reactivation. The Paleozoic intervals noted
on the seismic line are approximations only
demonstrated in Figure 40, many of the extensional faults punctuating the Paleozoic
section have been reactivated in a reverse sense by later compressional tectonics from
Late Cretaceous time and through the Tertiary.
Figure 41: Deflection of the Shanusi fault around the Tiraco Dome (Modified from Ingemmet digital
quadrangle maps).
60
western regions (Figure 40) while in the northeast it is underlain by basement rocks of the
Brazilian/Guyana Shield. Figure 39 is a time-structure map on the Contaya Formation
which is representative of the distribution of Paleozoic rocks in the southeastern Maraon
Basin. In the western Maraon the Paleozoic distribution is somewhat more discernable
due to the lack of seismic reflectors deep in the section beneath a very thick Tertiary and
Mesozoic section.
61
corresponds approximately with early Pozo time. This phase represents a period of
regional flexural tilting, onlap, and renewed structural growth (Mathalone and Montoya,
1995) and one during which the first pulse of Cretaceous oils were generated and
underwent migration. The cumulative effects of the Peruvian and Incaic Phase of
deformation are represented in the Pozo to Base Cretaceous Isochron map (paleo-
structure map) shown in Figure 42 and Enclosure 19. The map shows a relative gentle
east to west tilt of the Maraon Basin, the development of subtle structural closures noses
and a well-defined margin on the southern flank of the Basin. Also worthy of note is how
the production fairway of the Basin falls within a flat between two steep flexural trends
that were prominently developed at this time.
The final and most diastrophic compressional event in the Maraon Basin took place in
the Late Miocene and has been designated the Quechua III Event. Literature typically
describes a Quechua I and II phase of tectonism in earlier Miocene time although there is
no evidence of such deformation in the sub-Andean Basins of Peru (Mathalone and
Montoya, 1995) (per. com. Wilber Hermosa). The present day foreland basin
configuration of the Maraon Basin took its form from this event with the combination of
near vertical uplifts through a major reactivation of wrench faults such as in the northern
Campanquiz Mountains (Figure 43), which now separates the Santiago Basin from the
Maraon (PARSEP, 2001), and thin-skinned detachment faulting with up to 50 km of
horizontal shortening as seen in the Chazuta Thrust sheet whos uplift now separates in
part, the Huallaga and Maraon Basin (Figure 44).
Within the Maraon Basin itself during the Quechua III Phase of deformation we see the
selective reactivation of the older faults such as those shown in Figures 24 and 40 in
addition to the breakthrough of a new fault system with no older roots. Examples of the
later are shown in Figure 45.
Santiago Basin Campanquiz Mountains Maraon Basin
L. Puca
Chonta
Cushabatay
B. Cret
B. Pucara?
Figure 43: Seismic example of the vertical uplift of the northern Campanquiz Mountains separating the
Santiago and Maraon Basins
62
Huallaga Basin Fold Belt Maran Basin
Tertiary
Tertiary
Cretaceous
Cretaceous
zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
Sarayaquillo/Evaporites Chazuta
Thrust
Note Stratigraphic thinning of
the section onto the southern
plunge of the Tiraco Dome
Mitu/Salt
Sarayaquillo
Pucar/Salt
Paleozoic
Figure 44: Seismic line MPH 23 across the southern plunge of the Tiraco Dome. This line is orientated
SW to NE and is located just south of the Tiraco Dome as shown in Figure 41.
Figure 45: SW-NE seismic line through the northeast Maraon Basin (Block 67 Area) showing a
proliferation of faults with a very young origin that were formed during the Quechua III compressional
tectonic event.
63
5.0 GEOPHYSICS
5.1 INTRODUCTION
The geophysical interpretation for this study was done through the use of an extensive
seismic library within the archives of Perupetro. In total over 50,000 km of seismic have
been acquired in the Maraon Basin by Petroperu and a number of other operators since
1970 (Figure 46). Most of this data is available on tape in its raw form and in its final
processed form in paper copies. However, to do a project such as the one undertaken by
PARSEP, the only method to successfully handle the voluminous amount of data was to
use only the data available in digital SEGY format to allow for workstation interpretation.
Unfortunately collecting and quality controlling the seismic data in this format proved to
be a much more monumental task than originally thought. Where significant holes in the
data coverage existed, Perupetro made requests to the acquiring company for copies of
the data set in the format we required. Fortunately to the advancement of the project, all
companies were quite cooperative and by the end of December 2001, over 23,000 km of
data had been acquired. This is the data set that used for this study (Figure 46). Since
that time, the database has been populated with considerably more 2D data and nine 3D
surveys in the Basin.
Figure 46: Map on left shows locations of the majority of seismic shot in the Maraon Basin since
1970. Map on right is a display of the SEGY Seismic data set that was used in this interpretation.
Included in both are the available data sets in the Santiago and Huallaga Basins.
Once the seismic data was acquired in the appropriate format the general workflow
undertaken by the Group was as follows:
64
Load data in PC platform utilizing WinPics (Kernel Technologies) seismic
interpretation software
Further correct navigational data
Quality Control data, i.e. find and correct lines with reversed coordinates, lines
with serious misties then correct or opt not to use, etc.
Export data to SMAC (Kernel Technologies) a statistical mistie program that
was used to bulk ship all the seismic to a common datum and to phase and
amplitude tie the data.
Refinement of the above step in WinPics
Export of data from WinPics into UNIX platform utilizing GeoQuest
(Schulmberger) seismic interpretation software
Seismic profile construction, final interpretation and mapping with GeoQuest.
Despite this exercise, serious problems surfaced in the data set once interpretation began.
These problems focused largely on ones associated with navigational data, which in part
had to do with the use of different coordinate systems and projections and in many
instances, with just poorly surveyed lines. With the older GSI and Prakla data sets from
the 70s, a number of lines were reversed and displaced (as evidenced by offset along a
well defined fault trends). As the exact location of some of this lines were not known, we
were forced to exclude this data from our interpretation. A good example on a detailed
level of on the navigational problems was in the area of the Corrientes oil field where a
considerable amount of detailed 2D data have been acquired through multiple campaigns.
After the first pass of interpretation, the projections of the fault contacts onto the seismic
line for any given reflector indicated a highly complex and discontinuous series of faults.
As this was obviously in error, the magnitude of the navigational problems became
evident. In the case of Corrientes fortunately, a large 3D survey now covers the field and
the structure can now be accurately mapped.
For the next phase of the Maraon Project we are recommending there to be an in-depth
detailed evaluation of the Basin utilizing 3D seismic data and development wells. During
this evaluation, which is currently slated for next year, the problem of correcting the
navigational data will be aggressively tackled. This will begin by going back to the
original field records and topographical maps to correctly locate the shotpoint locations
and then correctly convert the data into a proper and widely used UTM coordinate and
projection system.
Data utilized in the Maraon project was supplied by PERUPETRO in SEGY format and
consisted of 22,723 km. in 777 seismic lines from approximately 30 different seismic
surveys (Table 2). This data set spans the time interval from the seventies to the present
it is tabulated as a digital data set in Appendix 5.
65
No SURVEY BLOCK No. of Lines Km
1 ADVANTAGE 96 & 97 67 39 857.50
2 AMERADA HESS 11 6 177.98
3 AMOCO 10 11 590.35
4 ARCO 14 11 820.81
5 BRITISH 13 7 313.58
6 CHAMBIRA 8 1 12.00
7 COASTAL PERU 73 LTD. 73 8 261.94
8 COASTAL OIL & GAS 74 11 342.63
9 CORRIENTE SUR 94 8 10 72.87
10 DEMINEX 12 36 1867.73
11 GETTY 3 45 2080.86
12 GREAT WESTERN 65 & 65M 59 996.60
13 GSI 8 32 1543.98
14 LOTE 8 8 113 1693.34
15 LOTE8X 8 24 421.26
16 OCEANIC 4 3 335.87
17 OCCIDENTAL-1A 1A 22 680.19
18 OCCIDENTAL-1AB 1AB 14 365.33
19 OCCIDENTAL-4 4 31 399.06
20 OCCIDENTAL-54 54 34 817.65
21 PETROLEOS DEL PERU 8 26 398.78
22 PHILLIPS 7 16 937.43
23 PRAKLA-8 8 82 2466.99
24 PRAKLA-2 2 23 1061.32
25 REPSOL 33 8 229.00
26 RUNTUSAPA 54 20 344.72
27 SAN JORGE 68 12 207.23
28 SEISCOM DELTA UNITED 8 19 299.87
29 SUN OIL 6 31 1261.68
30 UNION OIL 1B 23 864.45
TOTAL ==> 777 22,723.00
Table 2: Seismic acquisition history of the data used by PARSEP in the Maraon Basin
Briefly something needs to be stated about the quality of the seismic data that was
utilized in this study. Almost all of the more modern (post 1985) was of good quality and
generally posed few problems for interpretation. The older data sets, however, were of
variable data quality, some of which was quite good and others quite bad. Outside of the
navigational problems mentioned previously, the regional speculative surveys of the
1970s of both Prakla and GSI throughout the Maraon Basin were of moderate to good
quality. One of the reasons for the large range of quality is due to the different
reprocessings that these two very regional data sets have seen throughout the years in
various parts of the Basin. Another older data set that is of very good quality is the 70s
Deminex survey in the southwestern Maraon Basin, which was reprocessed by Coastal
in the mid 1990s.
66
When it comes to bad data, several surveys in particular need to be highlighted. Perhaps
the worst is the Amoco survey in the easternmost Maraon in the vicinity of the Bretaa
1X well. This data was plagued by navigational errors, which still have to be resolved
and as a result, misties abounded. It is also of very poor quality data with low frequency
and a very washed out appearance. In the western Maraon Basin, is the very large Sun
Oil survey located north of Deminex area. This data is of low frequency and has
significant mistie problems. Again this later point is largely a function of bad
navigational data. Finally, the Phillips data, which is to the west of the Amoco survey,
was acquired in three separate seismic campaigns. Several of the long critical strike lines
that were needed to tie the dip lines had mistie problems so severe that could not be
resolved and consequently the lines were not used due to uncertainty of their location.
In summary all usable data was incorporated into the final interpretation and is included
in this report as SEGY files on a 8mm Exabyte tape included as Appendix 12 in this
report. As previously noted, a number of lines had to be discounted and ignored as their
actual locations were in serious doubt. The lines not used were largely restricted to the
Phillips, GSI and Prakla data sets.
Approximately 80% of the exploratory wells drilled in the Maraon Basin were tied to
seismic lines with synthetic seismograms. This was done in conjunction with the
regional cross-section program that allowed us to create a fairly accurate picture of
Cretaceous stratigraphy across the Basin. The completion of this aspect of the study set
the foundation for the Maraon Basin Seismic Profile study, which is covered further in
the following section.
Ten seismic profiles were constructed across the Maraon Basin. Originally this grid was
intended to more or less mimic the one used for the regional geological cross-section but
limited data in certain areas ultimately resulted in the two grids being relatively
independent of one another. The principal reflectors picked regionally across the Basin
are the Pozo (Oligocene/Eocene); Chonta, Agua Caliente, Base Cretaceous (Cretaceous);
intra-Sarayaquillo, Pucar, Mitu (Jurassic to U. Permian); Copacabana, Cabanillas, and
Contaya (Paleozoic); and Basement. Each Profile (Appendices 26a to 26j) is presented
with the seismic displayed in two forms, a) time structure, and b) flattened on the Pozo
reflector to highlight paleo-structuration at Eocene time. A description on each of the
seismic profiles is as follows,
This NE-SW seismic profile intersects the wells, Orellana 1X, Santa Catalina 1X, Loreto
1X, Viracocha 1X, Pastococha 1X, and Nahuapa 1X, and is located in the southern part
of the Maraon Basin. In this profile little variation in Cretaceous thickness is seen with
the seismic reflectors generally having good coherence and continuity. Pre-Cretaceous
sequences are well defined with the interpretation being constrained by ties to the
Orellana, Santa Catalina and Loreto wells. The eastern part of the section is dominated
by half-grabens containing Paleozoic rocks and in the west by the Mitu to Sarayaquillo
mega-cycle which is seen pinching out to the east through onlap to the Paleozoic section
67
and truncation beneath the Cretaceous unconformity. The profile crosses the Loreto
structure tested by the Loreto 1X well. This the largest structure mapped in the Maraon
Basin with approximately 800 km2 of closure. It is unusual in that it is domal in
occurrence, has no significant apparent ancestral features and is extensively dissected by
extensional (tensional) faulting over its crest.
9' COLOMBIA
10'
7'
5'
9
ECUADOR
2'
6'
8'
5
78 10 1'
6
2 4'
3'
4
BRAZIL
1
3
Figure 47: Map of the Maraon Basin showing the location of the ten Seismic Profiles
Profile 2 is orientated south to north and intersects the Samiria 1X, Yanayacu Sur 1X,
Pastococha 1X, Cuinico S 1X, Cuinico N 1X, Santa Martha 1X (Projected), Chambira
Este 1X, San Juan 1X, Huangana 1X, Tigre 131X, and Bolognesi 1X wells. The
Cretaceous section is seen increasing in thickness from south to north as the eastern flank
of the Maraon Basin is approached. The Mitu to Sarayaquillo section is well
represented in the south half of the profile and is seen to pinch out completely to the
north.
68
5.3.3.3 Profile 3 NW Ucayali to Tapiche (Enclosure 26c)
This SW to NE Profile goes through the wells, Orellana 1X, Santa Lucia 1X, Tapiche 1X
(projected) and La Palmera 1X (projected). It begins in the northernmost Ucayali Basin,
crosses the northern subsurface projection of the highly faulted Contaya arch and into the
Maraon Basin where the extension of the Brazilian Solimoes Paleozoic Basin westward
into Peru is seen beneath the Cretaceous unconformity.
Throughout the profile, the Cretaceous maintains a fairly constant thickness. The Mitu-
Sarayaquillo mega sequence is well defined and as in Profile 1, is seen pinching out from
west to east through onlap and truncation. The most significant aspect of the profile,
however, is the dominance of a thick Paleozoic section. This is particularly pronounced
in the northern Ucayali Basin portion of the profile where over two seconds TWT of
Paleozoic section can be mapped. The upper one second TWT of this section has
tentatively been identified as post-Copacabana and would therefore have to include Ene
and presumable a thick sequence of younger aged sediments.
When evaluating the Sarayaquillo Formation on this line it is important to note a strong
seismic event identified by the PARSEP Group as a significant tectono-stratigraphic
event. This is an angular erosional/depositional surface that separates the seismically
homogeneous Lower Sarayaquillo from that of the more reflective Upper Sarayaquillo
package. The interpretation of this event is discussed in considerable more detail in
Section 4.3.2.3 of this report.
In addition to the Loreto feature a very significant structural depression is seen to its west
just to the east of the anticline tested by the Shanusi 1X well. This closed synclinal low
is as spectacular a negative feature as the neighboring Loreto is a positive one. It is
constrained by several large displacement northwest trending high angle reverse faults
and is readily identifiable all 2WT structure maps of which Enclosures 15 (Pozo) and 18
(Base Cretaceous) are such examples.
This is an almost south to north seismic profile, located along the eastern flank of the
Basin, intersecting the wells Huangana 1X, Tigre 131X, Otorongo 1X and the Tangarana
1X.
69
In this profile there is an excellent seismic response to all the regionally mapped
Cretaceous markers with the line demonstrating how the Cretaceous sequence thins
towards the Iquitos Arc, where it rests unconformably over granitic basement. In the
middle section of this profile, some angular pre-Cretaceous events are noted, the age of
which are not well constrained. This area is generally further north than where preserved
Paleozoic sections beneath the Cretaceous have been mapped. Additionally, a much
different and weaker seismic character to these reflectors may also suggest that they have
a different origin and perhaps be indicative of an older, possible metasedimentary
sequence.
Profile 6 is a southeast to northwest section incorporating the seismic along the eastern
most flank of Basin incorporating the Nanay 1X, Belen 1X, Zorro 1X and Nahuapa 1X
wells.
As this is largely a strike line, the thickness of the Cretaceous sequence remains constant,
as one would expect. What is significant about this Profile is in its definition of the
Paleozoic section, which is defined largely as a series of block faulted horst and grabens
unconformably underlying the Cretaceous sequence. Later minor compressional
reactivation of these features created low amplitude folds within the overlying Cretaceous
and Tertiary section.
This spectacular regional section traverses the Santiago Basin in the west, across the
entire girth of the Maraon Basin onto beginning of the Iquitos Arch to the east. It
demonstrates how the entire Mesozoic section thin from west to east including the
termination of pre-Cretaceous Mesozoic Basin midway in the profile. This termination
point roughly corresponds to the Maraon Basin Hingeline Fault depicted in Figures 6
and 7.
In the flattened profile it can easily be appreciate how the Santiago and Maraon Basins
were once one with the depocenter being located in the Santiago segment and how the
Santiago Basin was later filled with Tertiary sediments and uplifted during the Miocene
Quechua deformation.
Also worthy of note on the eastern portion of this line is the massive Arabela structure
that was drilled by Mobil. Over the structural culmination of the feature (to the north of
the profile, the closure is largely constrained by faults (Profile 10 Appendix 26j). The
lack of success of this well is attributed to late movement on the sealing fault, which
probably breached any preexisting accumulation.
Profile 8 is a west to east section paralleling the more southern Profile 7, and intersects
the Ungumayo 1X, Tigrillo 1X, Capirona 1X and Otorongo 1X wells. Comments similar
with respect to the Mesozoic section discussed for Profile 7 apply to this section as well.
70
Of significance on this section is the young Capirona-Pavayacu structure, located just to
the east of the pinchout/truncation of the pre-Cretaceous section. This structure has no
apparent ancestral history, yet traps both the Capirona and the much more significant
Pavayacu oil accumulations. Refer to Figure 45 for a more detailed view of this feature.
This short, south to north Profile is located in the northernmost Maraon Basin
interesting the three Barrett heavy oil discoveries, Piraa 1X, Dorado 1X (projected), and
Paiche 1X. All wells TDd in Basement it is interesting to speculate as to the source of
the deeper reflectors seen on the Profile.
This roughly north to south Profile, is located in the eastern and northern part of the
Basin reflecting sections similar to and the same as portions of Profiles 5 and 7, and was
constructed as such to link and tie a group of important wells, a number of which were
significant oil discoveries. The profile intersects first, the Arabela 1X well which tested
a huge fault bounded structure, then the Martha 1X, Valencia 1X, Nueva Esperanza 1X,
Tuncheplaya 1X (Projection), Pavayacu 1X, Copal 1X, and Corrientes 1X wells. Of
these, Valencia, Nueva Esperanza, Pavayacu and Corrientes 1X were oil discoveries.
All seismic mapping for the Maraon Basin was done in time, and with the mapping
module of the GeoQuest IESX seismic interpretation software. No depth conversions
were done. In total 11 maps were made, of which 6 were TWT structure maps and were
done for the Pozo (Enclosure 15), Chonta (Enclosure 16), Chonta Limestone (Enclosure
17), Base Cretaceous (Enclosure 18), Cabanillas (Enclosure 23), and Contaya (Enclosure
24) reflectors. The remainder were isochron maps and of the units Upper Sarayaquillo
(Enclosure 20), Lower Sarayaquillo (Enclosure 21) and Pucar (Enclosure 22b), and the
intervals, Pozo to Base Cretaceous (Enclosure 19) and Base Cretaceous to Cabanillas
(Enclosure 25). As most of these maps have been discussed and presented as figures in
considerably more detail elsewhere in this report within the appropriate subsection of
Section 4.0 Geology of Maraon Basin Area, no further discussion on them is presented
within this section.
71
6.0 SUMMARY OF WELLS DRILLED BETWEEN 1990 - 2000
A detailed evaluation was done in this study of the thirteen wells drilled between 1990
and 2000 (Appendix 3a). The intention was to identify the success/failure of each to
understand better how to explore for Maraon oil. Where possible, PARSEP generated
maps were utilized from the available well and seismic data, utilizing the interpretation
provided by the operator only when sufficient data was not available. These evaluations
are presented in their entirety in Appendices 3b through 3n. Below is a brief summary of
the wells
Paiche 1X
Dorado 1X
Piraa 1X
Arabela 1X
ECUADOR
Pucacuro 1
Tucunare 1X
Tigre 131X
Sungaroyacu
Norte 1X
Santa Martha 1X
Limonyacu 1X
Zorro 1X
Diana Mae 1X
PERU
Santa Catalina 1X
Orellana 1X
Figure 48: Location of exploration wells drilled in the Maraon Basin between 1990 and 2000.
72
6.1 PUCACURO 1X
The Pucacuro 1X well (Appendix 3b) was drilled northeast of the main Maraon Basin
productive trend (Figure 1) and just south of the principal Chonta source rock charge area
to the northwest. The primary charge for any accumulations in this area is expected to
be the result of first, a long-range migration from the Pucar Formation to the southwest
into paleo-traps of both a structural and stratigraphic nature and then, a remigration into
Late Tertiary formed structures. No significant hydrocarbons shows have to date been
found this far to the northeast off of the known productive trend and south of the Block
67 discoveries. One explanation for this may be the lack of available hydrocarbons to fill
structures much beyond the current productive Pavayacu/Corrientes/Yanayacu trend.
In all likelihood the Pucacuro 1X well was probably dry due to the lack of available
hydrocarbons to charge the structure. However, because of the significant differences in
interpretation between PARSEP and Murphy (Appendix 3b), the integrity of the closure
mapped also remains in question until all data can be incorporated into the database and
interpreted.
6.2 TIGRE 1X
In almost all manners, the Tigre 131X well (Appendix 3c) has all the characteristics of
those productive in the Pavayacu structure located approximately 22 km to its west
(Figure 48). It is a closed structure, has a subtle paleo-structure (although not considered
to be a significant factor with respect to the Pavayacu accumulation), and excellent
reservoirs. The critical difference between the two is that the Tigre well is found to be in
a significantly lower present day structural position. This is more or less the structural
position during the period of Pucar oil remigration up from the postulated downdip
paleo-traps in the Basin to the south and west. The remigrating oil would have been
focused into the considerably structurally higher Pavayacu and Capirona features and the
Tigre feature, being in a regional structural low would have been bypassed. The thin oil
column found within the Vivian sand in the Tigre well is probably the result of a small oil
accumulation associated with pre-Pozo structuration preserved through the downwarping
of the Tigre area and uplift of the surrounding area.
6.3 ARABELA 1X
The Arabela 1X (Appendix 3d) tested a massive structure on northeastern margin of the
Maraon Basin. Regionally updip from the three Block 67 (Barrett) discovery wells to
the north, and the 1AB fields to east (Dorisa, etc.) the Arabela structure was more than
likely along the migration pathway to receive a charge of Chonta sourced oil. Whether
this oil was remigrated Chonta oil from an earlier generative pulse (Pozo time) or a late to
present day early mature oil generated to the north and east or a combination of both is
still under discussion. Oil shows with the Vivian section attest to the fact that oil had
migrated through the Upper Cretaceous section.
The updip, bounding fault to the Arabela structure has an impressive amount of throw
with over 150ms of displacement. Although the structure is young in age, the Paiche
Structure as shown seismically in Figure 5 of Appendix 3n, is of the same age and was
73
found to be hydrocarbon bearing in Block 67 to the north. The Arabela Structure,
however, has no apparent four-way independent closure and relies solely on the fault to
trap any potential accumulation. The lack of an adequate fault seal in all likelihood is the
reason for the lack of hydrocarbons in the Arabela structure. Should an accumulation
have been trapped, it most likely would have been one, containing heavy oil.
The Diana Mae 1X well (Appendix 3e) is located approximately 25km north of the
Yanayacu Oil Field. As with all wells in the area, the Diana Mae well displays well-
developed sandstones of reservoir quality in the Vivian Formation and Cetico member of
the Chonta Formation. These two reservoirs are the principal hydrocarbon bearing sand
bodies in the southern Maraon Basin, i.e. Corrientes Field, Yanayacu Field, and Samiria
Sur 1X). Additionally, thick shales cap both of these units offering excellent seals to any
potential accumulation that may be found in the underlying reservoirs,
The problem with the Diana Mae location is two fold. The first is in the subtlety of the
structure, which has a maximum of 8 ms of closure on the top of the Vivian along a well-
defined southwest plunging structural nose. The saddle defining the counter regional dip
to close the Diana Mae structure is poorly defined and additional seismic may show this
closure to be even less than currently mapped. There is no faulting associated with the
Diana Mae structure.
The second and perhaps the more significant problem associated with the Diana Mae 1X
well is that it is believed to be located within a migration shadow for remigrating Pucar
oil during the Late Tertiary. It is located updip and to the northwest of a much larger
fault bounded, undrilled structural feature, which the PARSEP Group has defined as the
Majaz Prospect (Enclosure 32). The Majaz Prospect is believed to have been charged
from a paleo-structure located to its south and to the west of the Yanayacu field. The
reader is referred to a more complete description of on the Majaz Prospect within
Section 7.3.4 of this report.
6.5 TUCUNARE 1X
Occidentals Tucunare 1X well (Appendix 3f) was drilled on a 100 km2 3D seismic
survey along a south plunging nose downdip from the Tambo Field. The location drilled
had no structural closure and almost certainly for this reason, the Tucunare 1X failed to
find any economic accumulation of hydrocarbons. Despite the lack of closure, the well
did have significant hydrocarbon shows in a number of Chonta sandstones, which were
calculated to be hydrocarbon bearing by Occidental (1998). Eight feet of net pay were
calculated in the Upper Chonta, 1.5 feet in the sand immediately above the Chonta
Limestone (Upper Cetico equivalent), and finally 5.5 feet in the sand immediately below
the Chonta Limestone (Lower Cetico equivalent). With the absence of structural
closure, these accumulations are considered to be stratigraphically trapped. No tests
were conducted in these sands due to the poor calculated petrophysical qualities of the
reservoirs.
6.7 ZORRO 1X
The Zorro 1X well (Appendix 3g) was drilled in an area where almost all of the
Cretaceous sands are starting to amalgamate into one massive sand body. Consequently,
the well had little chance of encountering oil below the top of the Vivian within the
Cetico and Pona sand members of the Chonta Formation, which are the principal
producers in the Corrientes Field to the east. The sequence from Agua Caliente to top
Vivian is almost 100% sand and there is a lack of any significant intraformational seals
within this interval.
The Santa Catalina 1X well (Appendix 3h) was drilled in the southern Maraon Basin as
part of a three well program by Coastal in the late 90s. The other two wells were
Orellana 1X, also of the southern Maraon Basin and Insaya 1X of the northern Ucayali
Basin. All three were drilled on very robust structures with four-way dip closures cored
by high angle reverse faults.
In all three wells, the Cretaceous objectives penetrated are seen to have excellent
reservoir characteristics coupled with well developed overlying seal-quality, thick shale
units. All Cretaceous sands penetrated in the Santa Catalina well and in general, all wells
in the southern Maraon and northern Ucayali Basins are fresh water wet indicating a
proximal recharge area that probably originates in the Cushabatay Mountains and the
Contaya Arch where the Cretaceous outcrops. It is believed that the strong hydrologic
head developed within the Cretaceous formations from the much higher elevated
recharge areas into the basins, was sufficient to completely flush the reservoirs if oil was
once trapped
The lack of any residual hydrocarbon shows in Santa Catalina 1X, indicates that
hydrocarbons probably never migrated through the section penetrated by the well bore.
The Chonta Formation is not considered a legitimate source rock in the southwest
Maraon area and the source rock that is present, the Pucar Formation, is probably
effectively sealed off from the Cretaceous. This has been documented in the Shanusi 1X
Well where Pucar generated gas reservoired in Pucar dolomites is trapped beneath
intra-formational seals of tight carbonates and possibly evaporitic units. Regionally, a
thick evaporitic unit of sabkha origin has been identified that at least locally may encase
the Pucar generated oils both laterally and vertically.
75
In conclusion reservoir flushing and/or the lack of access to Pucar generated
hydrocarbons due to effective seals are the probable reason(s) for the lack of success of
the Santa Catalina 1X well.
6. 9 SANTA MARTHA 1X
The Santa Martha 1X (Appendix 3i) was drilled as a deviated well and was the last of the
Great Western/Enterprise three well commitment on Block 65. The well encountered
excellent reservoirs and well developed seals overlying the objective targets in the
Cretaceous as expected. All sands were wet with minor oil shows in the Vivian
sandstone. The structure on the other hand, is extremely subtle with only 6 ms
(maximum) of closure with an even more subtle expression of paleo-structuration. Minor
velocity variations within the shallow section known to be inherent to the area
(Enterprise, 1997) may further enhance or diminish the amplitude of the structure.
Minor shows within Vivian indicate that the location was at least probably on the
hydrocarbon migration pathway. In our interpretation because of the very small amount
of vertical closure, the structure was probably flushed and the migrant hydrocarbons
accumulated updip within the Corrientes structure. In the Corrientes structure, the Vivian
reservoir only has a fill factor of around 35% (Pluspetrol, per. com.). The volume of
unfilled vertical closure within the Vivian section at Corrientes, well exceeds the mapped
closure at Santa Martha.
6.10 ORELLANA 1X
The reasons attributed to the lack of success referred to in the above Section 6.8 for the
Santa Catalina well, are also applicable for the Orellana 1X well (Appendix 3j).
6.11 SUNGAROYACU 1X
Why the structure tested by the Sungaroyacu 1X well (Appendix 3k) was not charged by
remigrated oil out of the southern paleo-culmination as both reservoirs and seals appear
to be more than adequate, may be a function of the subtlety of the structure itself. It is
difficult to map more than 5-6 ms of closure, which simply may have not been sufficient
to protect the reservoir from flushing. Another potential answer although purely
speculative, may be due to shallower velocity variations. An accurate conversion of time
to depth may show that the structure is open to north and has no closure. With only 5-6
ms of closure in time, this is not difficult to imagine. Another explanation can be given
similar to the one described for the Tigre 1X well, with Sungaroyacu lying within a
migration shadow zone behind the much larger structural culminations of Corrientes to
its southeast, and Pavayacu/Capirona to its northwest during the time of Pucar oil
remigration in the Late Tertiary.
6.12 LIMONYACU 1X
The Limonyacu 1X (Appendix 3l) was proposed to test a structural closure within the
deep Maraon Basin a considerable distance away from the nearest well control. The
76
three closest wells are the Chapuli 1X and Huitoyacu 1X wells to the north and
Ungumayo 1X well to the east. All are 50 or more kilometers from the Limonyacu well.
The structure drilled by Occidental is a well defined four-way dip closure with over 20
ms of vertical closure at the Chonta Limestone level. This is a structure that also shows a
considerable amount of ancestral growth in pre-Pozo time. The post-mortem on the
Limonyacu 1X well (Oxy 1996) states the Vivian sandstone was poorly developed to
non-existent within this part of the Basin and as a result, the well was dry. However, in
the entire Santiago/Huallaga/Maraon Basin area only one well, the Nueva Esperanza 92,
has been noted by the PARSEP Group to have such a poorly developed Vivian sandstone
interval. Although with poor sand development, a short distance away within the two
offsetting wells, 74X (1X) and 93, the Vivian is fully developed, indicating the lack of
sand in the 92 well to be an anomaly. Consequently, our conclusion is that the
Limonyacu well was TDd prematurely and that the objective Vivian reservoir was never
reached. An attempt was made to seismically correlate the Vivian top from synthetics in
neighboring wells but the intervening seismic was not of sufficient quality to allow a
definitive correlation. Unfortunately, there will always be some doubt concerning which
formations were penetrated by this well. Had this well been drilled several hundred
meters deeper into the Chonta Limestone, however, this would not have been an issue.
The three wells drilled by Barrett in Block 67 (Appendix 3m), Dorado 1X, Piraa 1X,
and Paiche 1X, were all oil discoveries with API gravities ranging from 12 to 210 API and
low BTU gas. The Dorado and Piraa wells found most of their reserves within the
Chonta reservoir while in the Paiche well, reserves (low BTU gas and oil) were found in
Upper and Lower Vivian and Chonta sandstones. It should be noted that the uppermost
Vivian sand as noted by PARSEP, is called the Basal Tertiary or Tena Sand by Barrett.
The results of these three wells are significant as they extend the heavy oil trend from the
Tiputini and Ishpingo fields to the north in Ecuador, south into Peru along the eastern
margin of the Maraon Basin. Although it is known that the oil is sourced from the
Chonta Formation, it is still unclear whether its low gravity is a result of, a)
biodegradation/remigration of earlier trapped oils or, b) whether the reservoirs received a
recent charge of early mature oils. Because of the high present day heat flows noted in
the three Barrett wells the PARSEP modeling has the Chonta presently in the mid-mature
range for oil generation.
The age of the three structures tested by the Barrett wells, all show development in time
at stages different from one another. The Paiche structure is primarily a Late Tertiary
feature. Piraa is similar in age although the structure is seen to diminish from the Top
Cretaceous into the upper Tertiary indicating a slightly older history. The Dorado well is
the oldest of the three features, having developed as a drape structure over a fault
bounded basement high, which experienced only minimal Late Tertiary movement.
Clearly the migration of hydrocarbons into this area was quite late and postdates the
formation of the youngest structure such as seen in Paiche.
77
6.14 SUMMARY
One of the factors that have been plaguing the rejuvenation of Peruvian petroleum
exploration in the Maraon Basin in recent years has been because of the lack of drilling
success between the years 1990 and 2000. After an extensive review of well reports and
well data, it becomes evident that a number of these wells were drilled based on the same
concepts that have driven exploration in the Basin for 20 years. The premise of this
concept was the necessity of having an older structural component to any present day
feature, to trap oil migrating during the primary pulse of Chonta oil generation in the
early Tertiary.
As with any mature basin, the remaining undrilled structures become progressively
smaller after every subsequent drilling campaign. Such is the case with the Maraon
Basin. What largely took place in the 90s in the Maraon Basin was industries focus on
drilling very subtle structures with ancestral growth. Interestingly enough this was also
done in the southern Maraon Basin where it can be documented that it is the remigration
of oil during late Tertiary time that is the important event and thereby rendering the age
of structuration to be of only secondary importance. Many of the structures tested during
the 90s have a mappable closure in time of less than 10ms and with some, just being
above 5ms. To enhance these features or in some cases to create structures, depth
conversions were done to compensate for the velocity problems inherent within the
shallower Tertiary section which is a know problem in the area. Very few if any, of the
depth conversions worked as in reality the structure drilled were almost always less than
anticipated. In some cases as with Tucunare the closure, disappeared. Closure mapped
in time for a number of these wells is less than the unfilled closures at certain levels in
neighboring oil fields. As a result of this analysis wells such as Tucunare, Zorro, Santa
Martha, Diana Mae and Sungaroyacu due to the subtlety of the structures or in the case of
Tucunare, the existence of one, may be discounted, as they were very high-risk tests with
a low chance of success for reasons of fill and flushing.
The wells drilled by Coastal were in an area, the southern Maraon Basin, where the
Cretaceous accumulations have historically proven to be elusive and small due to serious
flushing and source rock issues. Again, this group of wells is considered to have been
one of high risk with a very low chance of success.
The Limonyacu well, is discounted completely within the contents of this study and is not
considered a valid test as it is not believed to have reached its objective.
When one considers the above observations in conjunction with the oil discoveries of the
three Barrett wells drilled in the northwest Maraon Basin, the perception of drilling
success percentages in the Maraon Basin, starts taking on new meaning. What could
future exploration in the Basin yield if the 20-year-old concepts that have dictated
exploration in the basin were discounted and newer ones pursued? It is on the basis of
this later point for which this study was initiated and one on which it has focused.
78
7.0 PETROLEUM GEOLOGY
7.1 GEOCHEMISTRY
7.1.1 General
One of the major conclusions drawn from these studies is in the recognition of two
significant petroleum source rocks that have generated the hydrocarbons found in the
Cretaceous Reservoirs of the Maraon Basin. These are, the Cretaceous Chonta/Raya
Formations and the Triassic/Jurassic Pucar Group. A third less known petroleum
system is also present with source rocks being noted within the Devonian Cabanillas
sequence. This system however is confined exclusively to southeastern portion of the
Basin.
Other conclusions generally accepted are; 1) The Chonta and Pucar source rocks in the
Basin and neighboring areas are sufficiently rich enough to have generated the
commercial amounts of hydrocarbons presently found in the oil fields of the Maraon
Basin in addition to a sizeable amount of as of yet, undiscovered reserves; and 2) A long-
range migration from these source rock kitchen areas to reservoir is implied for the
accumulations found to date.
PARSEP as part of this study has completed a regional basin modeling project of the
Maraon Basin utilizing; its understanding of the regional geology; geochemical
analytical data from well reports; and, BasinMod Software from Platte River Associates.
Twenty wells were modeled from which, three cross-sections with maturity windows,
four present-day maturity maps for the top and bottom of the Chonta Formation and
Pucar Group, were constructed in addition to a present-day temperature gradient map,
and are presented in this report.
79
generation and expulsion episodes. This multiphase HC generation occurred in the
Paleozoic and late Jurassic as documented within the Maraon 110 well, and had a main
effect on Pucar hydrocarbon generation. PARSEPs CTI (2000) study also attempted to
incorporate and integrate the excellent works previously performed by CoreLab (1996) in
their regional geochemical study on the Peruvian Sub-Andean basins, with those done by
Anadarko (1995) and Arco (1996).
CTI modeled two wells from the Maraon Basin, Forestal 1X and Maraon 110, two
from the Santiago Basin, Tanguintza 1X and Putuime 1X and one from the Huallaga
Basin, Ponasillo 1X. With the identification of the known stratigraphy and major events
at that time, it identified three major episodes of HC generation and migration. The first
event occurs during Carboniferous/early Permian time with the generation of
hydrocarbons from the Devonian Cabanillas and Ordovician Contaya Formations. CTI
questions the survival of this early hydrocarbon generation through time due to later
tectonics and over-maturity. The second event occurred in late Jurassic time, which
triggered Pucar hydrocarbon generation and maturing even more, the existing Paleozoic
source rocks locally beyond the gas window. The third hydrocarbon generation event
occurred during Neogene time and affected the Mesozoic and partially the Tertiary
sequences. It generated a second pulse of mature oil and gas from the Pucar where
Pucar hydrocarbon generation had not terminated. This episode also allowed the
Cretaceous Chonta to mature fully in the deep, western Maraon and adjacent
Santiago/Huallaga Basins. Chonta HC generation and migration, however, is an ongoing
process that has continued through to the present and can be recognized where older
heavily biodegraded oil containing high molecular HC is found next to the younger light
HCs.
Based on TOC and Rock-Eval data nine formations from Ordovician age to the Tertiary
can be identified as/or potential source rocks in the Maraon Basin (Table 3):
Tertiary
Pozo Shale Formation with Type II Kerogens, locally developing into a Type I
Kerogen, this source rock may be restricted to the Santiago and the Huallaga
Basins, as low TOCs have been recorded in most parts of the Maraon Basin.
Cretaceous
Chonta Formation contains Type II and Type II-III Kerogens with TOC values
typically in the 2-3% range in the northern and NW areas of the Maraon Basin
Raya, Agua Caliente and Cushabatay Formations also have source characteristics,
but are mainly of Type III and III-II Kerogens.
Triassic/Jurassic
Pucar Group is a bituminous carbonate with interbedded organic rich shale
sections, which is found in the westernmost Maraon Basin and Huallaga areas.
80
Paleozoic
Ordovician Contaya and Devonian Cabanillas Formations are generally extremely
mature but still have moderate present-day TOC values in the SE Maraon.
Originally they were in the range of 2-4 wt% TOC.
Ambo/Tarma-Copacabana Formations consisting of marine shales and carbonates
located in the southern portion of the Basin.
The presence of a present-day kitchen for the Maraon oil is considered fairly certain
based on the interpreted tectonics, geologic history, geohistory modeling and oil
production data. Source rocks in the deep basin with widespread good source conditions
are rare although numerous shale samples in the Cretaceous section have TOC in excess
of 1.0 wt% and in exceptional cases, values over 3 wt%. In the Maraon Basin,
measured vitrinite maturities in the Cretaceous section do not exceed the late maturity oil
window. This is even in the deepest part of the Basin where the sediments are buried at
depths of up to 6000m. Sampling in the deep NW portion of the Basin, however, is
restricted to just the Chapuli and Yaez wells, which are 56 km apart. A similar distance
away from the Chapuli well to the west within the Santiago Basin, source rocks
conditions for the Cretaceous and Tertiary sediments improve considerably. The Pucar
Group has not been drilled in the deep Maraon Basin and our knowledge of source
conditions comes mostly from the SW Maraon and the Huallaga Basin.
Formation Main Data Max TOC Freq. TOC Max HI Freq. Kerogen Type
Source Basin (%) (%)
Contaya Maranon 1 1.00 9 Type II (?)
Cabanillas Maranon 3 1-2 145 Type II (?)
Ambo Ucayali 35 5-25 483 Types II-III & II
Tarma Ucayali 13.1 2-4 165 Type III
Ene/ Ucayali 21.5 2-6 673 Types II and II-III
Copacabana
Pucara All 12.5 2-5 538 Type II
Raya/ All 65 2-7 227 Types III & III-II
Cushabatay
Chonta Santiago/ 5.8 2-3 642 Types II & II-III
Maranon
Pozo Santiago 2.4 4-7 491 Type II-I
Table 3: Summary of Source Rock Data
7.1.2.1 Tertiary
Potential source rocks of Tertiary age are limited to the Pozo Shale. In the
Chapuli/Yaez area in the northwest Maraon and the La Frontera/Yarina area in the
southeast Maraon, it has TOCs less than 0.5 wt% and is in the early to very early
mature oil window. Locally, a TOC of 1.11 wt% was found in the Chapuli 1X well with
probable original type II/III kerogen. Source rock conditions for the Pozo Shales
improve significantly to the west within the adjacent Santiago Basin (TOC 4-10 wt% and
Type II potential oil source rocks). GC and GC-MS extract data indicates contributions
from mainly marine matter with minor terrigeneous content. Original Type II kerogens
81
of the above samples were preserved due to low thermal maturities, and they are
considered to be potential oil source rocks.
A shale at the basal Pozo Sand level in the La Frontera 1X well was defined as an
excellent Type II oil source rock with TOCs of 10.69 wt%, HIs of 480 mgHC/gTOC,
40% fluorescence and 45% non-fluorescence amorphous organic matter. This shale,
however, is in the immature to early-mature stage.
7.1.2.2 Cretaceous
The Cretaceous Chonta Formation in the Santiago (Peru) and Oriente Basins (Ecuador)
has been attributed to sourcing much of the oil in the greater northern Maraon/Oriente
Basin. The Cretaceous source rocks in the Maraon Basin show a great variety of TOC
values, in many cases in excess of 1.0 wt%. Several shale units with lower TOC contents
and dominantly Kerogen Type III materials as within the Raya, Agua Caliente and
Cushabatay Formations, probably contributed to oil generation and further enhanced the
Kerogen-Type II-III or III-II character of the oils. As a general statement it can be said
that the overall quality of the Cretaceous source rocks decreases from the north to the
south and southeast in the Maraon Basin, as coarse siliciclastic input increases
substantially as the Basin margins are approached.
Shales from the Chonta, Raya and Agua Caliente Formations in the Chapuli 1X/Yaez
1X area in the northwest Maraon Basin are in the early to mid-mature oil window at
depths of 5000m (0.62 - 0.76 %Ro). Some Chonta shales in the Chapuli well have
TOCs greater than 1.0 wt%, Tmaxs of 437-454C, and HIs of 61-136 mgHC/gTOC
original kerogen Type III. These samples are suggested to have generated minor amounts
of oil and gas (CoreLab, 1996).
In the southeast and south part of the Basin in the Yarina 1X and La Frontera 1X wells,
samples from the Chonta, Agua Caliente and Cushabatay Formations, have TOCs of
0.98, 0.82-2.38 and 0.55-1.77 wt%, respectively. No GC or GCMS extracts were
obtained for these samples, which are generally of Type III kerogens. These formations
are in the early mature oil window with less than 0.6 %Ro.
From samples of wells elsewhere in the Maraon Basin the Cretaceous can be seen with,
1) TOC higher than 1% and with Ro values within the oil generation window which is
placed at 0.65 %Ro, and 2) Sometimes exceptional high TOC values in the 3-6 wt%
range, as in the wells, Tangarana 1X (Chonta 4.0 wt%), Chambira Este1X (Vivian, 3.1
wt%), Belen 1X (Vivian and Chonta, 8.4 and 3.67 wt%), Palmera 1X (Chonta 6.0 wt%).
The vitrinite reflectance data from these wells are in the 0.45-0.95 %Ro range.
Bordering the western limit of the Maraon Basin in the Pongo de Manseriche, the
Cretaceous samples greatly improve with respect to their oil source potential. Here, the
Chonta samples are considered effective oil source rocks that have generated and
expelled oil. They have been recorded with TOCs of up to 3.23 wt%, HIs of 100-280
mgHC/gTOC, mature Tmaxs of 440-442C, Ros of 0.83% and composed of Type II
kerogens. GC and GC-MS extracts show a marine organic matter contribution and a
moderately anoxic depositional environment. At the same location, other Cretaceous
formations are mainly of Type II/III kerogens. The Raya was analyzed to have TOCs of
1.1-5.6 wt%, HIs 36-183 mgHC/gmTOC and Tmaxs of 442-451C, and the Cachiyacu
82
and Agua Caliente, TOCs of 0.9-1.2 wt%). These shales have probably generated some
oil and gas.
7.1.2.3 Triassic/Jurassic
Commercial oil accumulations in the southern Maraon Basin, the oil seeps Shanusi,
Tiraco and Callanayacu in the Huallaga Basin and the newly categorized oil seeps in the
Santiago Basin (CTI, 2000) are identified as Maquia/Samiria Family C oils and
correlated with Pucar source rocks (Figure 49). The Pucar Group, whose stratigraphy is
discussed in detail in section 4.3.2.3, consists of platform carbonates with a middle shale
unit, called the Aramachay Formation. This unit has historically been regarded as the
main source rock for the Maraon Basin Pucar generated oils. It should be noted,
however, that the geochemical data points to a pure carbonate and a shaly carbonate as
the source rocks for the Pucar oils (CTI, 2000). If this is the case, the organic rich-
carbonate facies in the lower and upper Formations of the Pucar Group, the Chambara
and Condorsinga Formations and a more carbonaceous Aramachay facies, must account
as the source for these oils.
Little is know on the subsurface distribution of potential Pucar source rocks and most of
the work done to date on its oil source potential, has been limited to outcrop work. The
Pucar has been drilled only in the SW Maraon in the Shanusi 1X well, Loreto 1X,
Santa Lucia 1X, and Orellana 1X, but with the exception of the Shanusi 1X well, all
others intersected continental/supratidal facies that have no source rock character. The
carbonates drilled by the Shanusi well had good reservoir properties and are interpreted
to be representative of an intertidal facies. To our knowledge no samples were ever
analyzed from this well to determine their source potential.
7.1.2.4 Paleozoic
The Paleozoic sequences of the Maraon are restricted to the south and southeast portion
of the Basin and here, a potential petroleum system with source rocks of the Devonian
Cabanillas Formation is recognized. Typically this formation displays good source rock
characteristics in the Peruvian Sub-Andean Basins, and has generated oil and gas.
Although no commercial production has been established in Peru from the Devonian, the
equivalent section is presumed to have sourced the high gravity crudes discovered to date
in the neighboring Solimoes and Acre Basins in Brazil.
Although these shales probably generated plenty of HC in the distant geologic past, due
to the geometry of the Maraon Basin, some source rocks of Contaya and Cabanillas
were subsequently only matured by Tertiary or Cretaceous burial.
83
TOC that are barely within the uppermost main gas generation window with a 1.35 %Ro.
The kerogen is Type II lipid and oil prone.
The northernmost occurrence of Paleozoic rocks in the Maraon Basin occurs in the
Yarina/Maraon-110 area (Figure 9), where the Devonian section is over-mature with the
Cabanillas Shales having Ro values in the Yarina 1X well for example, in the 2.0-2.16
range. TOCs for the Cabanillas Shales measured in Yarina are of 1.47 wt% and are
considered to have probably generated oil and gas (CoreLab, 1996). Anadarko (1995)
again came up with conflicting numbers for the same well, determining lower TOC
values and more mature conditions with a 2.6%Ro. Anadarko also found highly over-
mature samples with Ro values over 3.0% for the Maraon 110-1 and Nahuapa 1X wells.
The TOC ranges for these wells were between 1.46-4.55 wt%.
Other Paleozoic potential source rocks noted in the southern Maraon Basin include the
Carboniferous Tarma Shales. These were found in the La Frontera 1X and Maraon 110-
1 wells and they may have as well, generated minor oil and gas. The samples analyzed
were found to have TOCs of 1.05 and 1.65 wt%, Ro values of 0.85% (mid-mature oil
window) and 1.1-1.45 % (late-mature oil window to main gas generation window), HIs
of 149 to 147, respectively and both of Type II/III kerogens. Other samples analyzed
from the Zapote and Tamanco wells were found to be over-mature with 2.5-3.07 Ro%
values (CoreLab 1996 and Anadarko 1995, Enclosure 3.1.4).
Two/three major genetic oil families are recognized in the northern Sub-Andean basins
based on geochemical studies of produced oil, oil seeps, and extracts from potential
source rock in wells and outcrops. The aerial distribution of these oil Families and
principal geochemical characteristics are presented in Figures 49 and 50 and Table 4.
The genetic oil Families show distinct character in whole oil gas chromatography GC,
gas chromatography-mass spectrometry GC-MS, saturate and aromatic biomarkers
including some age specific biomarkers and carbon isotope 13C ratios on saturate and
aromatic fractions. Differences for classification of genetic families reflect changes of
source rock, organic facies, depositional environment and geologic age. All the oils were
generated from marine source rocks with dominant Type II kerogen with variable
amounts of algal, bacterial and minor terrigeneous organic matter, which characterized
individual depositional environments. All the oils have a maturity range of 0.80-0.95
%Ro.
84
T25
PUCARA WEDGE
Figure 49: Distribution of Oil Families in the Maraon, Santiago and Huallaga Basins with the Tambo/
Sungachi Family in the northern areas and the Maquia/Samiria Family in the south. Modified from
CTI (2000)
CUNAMBO
TANGARARA
FORESTAL
SAN JACINTO
FORESTAL EXT
CARMEN
SHIVIYACU
HUAYURI N BARTRA
HUAYURI S.
CAPAHUARI N.
JIBARO
DORISSA
CAPAHUARI S.
JIBARITO
ANDOAS 52X
YAEZ-1 TAMBO
VALENCIA
HUASAGA
PAVAYACU
CHAPULI-1
FAMILY 2A
HUITOYACU-1 CAPIRONA
SUNGACHI-1
FAMILY 2B
CORRIENTES
FAMILY 1A
YANAYACU &
PASTOCOCHA
CHAMBIRA ESTE
FAMILY 1B
Figure 50: Detail of Oil Families in the northern Maraon Basin, modified from Arco (1996)
85
FAMILY A B C
Reservoir Cretaceous Cretaceous/Tertiary Cretaceous
API 27.3 15.4 - 36.4 13.9 - 35.8
Sulfur Content (%) 0.26 0.13 - 0.76 0.16 - 0.77
Pristane/Phytane (Unaltered) 1.15 1.27 - 1.29 0.70 - 1.05
Hopanes/Steranes (Unaltered) 1.56 0.95 - 1.05 2.5 - 3.27
C27/ C29 Sterane 1.35 1.24 - 1.43 0.98 - 1.06
C28/ C29 Sterane 1.27 1.05 - 1.29 0.55 - 0.72
C24 Tetracyclics / C26 Tricyclics 0.19 0.30 - 0.42 0.66 - 0.86
C19 Tetracyclics / C23 Tricyclics 0.13 0.18 - 0.57 0.18 0.61
Dinosteranes Present Present Present
Diahopanes (X,Y,Z) Present Present Present
13 C Saturates (parts per mil) -25.3 -27.2 to 28.3 -28.4 to 29.4
13 C Aromatics (parts per mil) -23.9 -26.2 to 26.6 -28.4 to 28.9
Table 4: Geochemical Characteristics of Genetic Oil Families in the Maraon, Santiago and Huallaga
Basins (CoreLab, 1996)
Biomarker data analysis reveals a pure Kerogen Type II carbonate and a shaly carbonate
source for the Maquia/Samiria oil Family. Basic biomarker assemblages of the Maquia
oils (including its 2nd charge of light oil) and Samiria oils identify a remarkable identical
source rocks for these oils that substantially differentiate them from all other oils found in
the Greater Maraon Basin (Figures 51 and 52). A partial mismatch is expected
considering the fact that the two oils fields are 300 km apart and in different present-day
basins. Among the biomarker characters to differentiate the oil families and
environments, is the C24-Tetracyclic Terpane (Tet). An extreme dominance of Tet
corresponds to an oil sub-family of pure marine carbonate environment, separating it
from a second oil sub-family with moderate Tet dominance reflecting some shale
presence within this carbonate. Additionally, among the seeps bordering the Maraon
Basin, the Tiraco Dome Seep is a Samiria oil type based on basic geochemical criteria
and specific biomarker profiles. This is also supported by very reduced Diasterane levels,
which may reflect a reducing pure carbonate environment. The Tiraco Dome Seep is
definitively not derived from a Cretaceous terrestrial source. The bimodal n-alkane
distribution in Maquia-type oils in some reservoirs defines two phases of HC generation
and expulsion, the second being a high mature charge. It is interesting to note
identification of Maquia oil Family in the Chingana and Ipacuma Seeps in the Santiago
Basin.
The Tambo/Sungachi oil family is derived from a Kerogen Type II-III source rock
deposited in an open, anoxic depositional environment. The subfamily Tambo oil has a
slightly higher terrestrial influence with more land plant derived biomarker compounds
than the Sungachi oil Sub-family. No regional trends for the respective sub-families can
86
Sungachi 1
Steranes &
2 x Tet < T25 + T26
Sungachi 1
Tambo 1
T25
Time (min)
Tiraco Dome
Figure 51 Comparison of Sterane biomarker patterns of Sungachi and Tambo oils. Figure 52: Distribution patterns of C25 and C26 Tricyclic Trepanes
Note close correlation due to close genetic relationship. (Modified from CTI, 2000). (T25 and T26) and C24-Tetracyclic Terpane (Tet) in Sungachi
1,Samiria oils and Tiraco Dome Seep (Modified from CTI, 2000).
be established with available biomarker data. In Tambo/Sungachi type oils, Tet is always
reduced compared to the two Tricyclic Terpanes T25 and T26 (Figure 52).
Arco (1996) and Anadarko (1995) reached similar conclusions regarding the
classification of oil families. Anadarko conducted a geochemical study through DGSI
Total Quality Geochemistry, and focused on the pre-Cretaceous sequences. They also
identified three genetic oil families A, B and C utilizing similar geochemical
characterization, and their distribution in the Basin, but attributed all three oil families as
having been generated primarily by source rocks of the Pucar Group. They state,
however, that Families A and B, have a very strong overprint from the Cretaceous Chonta
generated oils that are present in lesser amounts than those from Pucar. They do not
consider the Chonta source rocks to be good enough within the defined kitchen area
Figure 53: Oil Families in the Maraon Basin Crude oils, from Arco (1996)
(areas with %Ro > 0.65) to have generated the amount of known oil reserves.
Additionally they suggested that since old closures present in the kitchen area at the time
of Cretaceous oil migration were not filled and have only traces of hydrocarbons, this
was further evidence with respect to the lack of importance of the Cretaceous aged source
rocks. Anadarko, however, neglect the possibility of long-distance migration for the
Chonta generated oils as they have so readily assumed for the Pucar oils which
originated at least as far west as the present-day western margin of the Maraon Basin.
Arco (1996) limited their study to the oil production in the northern Maraon Basin only.
Here they recognized two major oil families each with two subfamilies, using stable
carbon isotopes and biomarkers (Figure 53). Family 1 oils are characterized by lighter
isotopes and higher proportion of C29 steranes than Family 2 oil. Oil-source rocks
correlation is depicted as originating primarily from the Chonta Formation. As their
sampling was limited primarily to the northern Maraon, their study was not influenced
88
by the abundance of Pucar sourced oils in the more southern production areas of the
Maraon Basin.
The Pucar Formation is identified as the source for the Maquia/Samiria Oil Family and
the Chonta Formation for the Tambo/Sungachi Oil Family as indicated by near perfect
correlations of biomarker profiles in rock and oil samples (CTI, 2000). Figures 51 shows
an excellent correlation of biomarkers between Tambo and Sungachi type oils and Figure
52 shows the differences between the two oil families, Pucar (Maquia/Samiria) and
Chonta (Tambo/Sungachi) sourced oils, using Tet values. As part of their evaluation,
source rock logging by CTI, utilizing wireline logs in five Maraon wells identified the
two prominent source rock sequences in the Chonta (Family A and B) but revealed no
additional, major source intervals that would be of significance.
In conclusion effective major source rocks of the Pucar Group and Chonta Formation
are present bordering the Maraon Basin. Oils sourced from the Pucar Group are
largely confined to the southern Maraon Basin and the Chonta Formation sourced oils
are limited to the northern Maraon Basin. The role of the Paleozoic source formations in
the SE Maraon Basin is still not clear.
The distribution of the oil families and maturities of Chonta and Pucar effective source
rocks in the Maraon Basin fields, defines a regional NE migration pathway as seen in
Figure 54. This HC migration pathway is outlined by a clear distinction in the
distribution of oil families, the identification of their respective source beds, and specific
geochemical observations. Lateral migration distances of over 150 km from the principal
kitchen areas in the northern and northwestern part of the Maraon Basin, the Santiago
Basin and the Oriente Basin in Ecuador to the reservoired Chonta oils, is well established.
Migration distances of Chonta oils may even be further should the oils in the Barrett
Block 67 have originated from the same source (primary + secondary migration) and not
be the product of a recent, charge from marginally mature Chonta source rocks much
more proximal. Whether these oils are biodegradated older remigrated Chonta oils or
more locally derived under mature Chonta oils is still unresolved.
The Maquia/Samiria Pucar oils were generated in a kitchen area covering large parts of
all basins and a subsequent northeastern migration route explains their wide distribution.
There is a remarkable alignment of structures that have trapped Pucar oils after long
lateral migration from the west, with the eastern border of the Pucar subcrop as shown in
Figures 49 and 54.
HC remigration is not adequately addressed for the Peruvian oil fields. A factor
complicating the understanding is the issue of young hydrocarbon recharge. In the
Maraon Basin many young and adjacent old structures both contain oil, which is often
explained by remigration. Source and circumstances of this remigration is not clear, and
a critical reader is left to speculate to what degree certain geochemical data (and
interpretations) are influenced from a second pulse of generation and migration.
89
CHONTA
BLOCK 67
PUCARA
CHONTA
PUCARA
Figure 54: Migration pathways of Chonta and Pucar oils in the Maraon/Oriente Basin. Note
orientation of oil fields and Pucar subcrop. Modified from CTI (2000)
7.2.1 Introduction
PARSEP completed basin modeling histories for 20 wells in the Maraon Basin
(Figure 55), to determine the regional geothermal history in the Basin and the timing
of hydrocarbon migration. Burial history diagrams, maturity versus depth and/or time
charts are presented for modeled wells, which include; Chambira Este 1X (123-3X),
Chapuli 1X, Corrientes 1X, Forestal 1X (3X), Jibaro 1X, La Frontera 1X (3X),
Loreto 1X, Mahuaca 1X (3X), Maraon 110-1, Orellana 1X (3X), Piraa 1X, Santa
CH
Catalina 1X (2X), Santa Lucia 1X (2X), Shanusi 1X (2X), Tapiche 1X (2X),
Tucunare 1X, ON Valencia
TA
1X (25X), Yanayacu 1X (27X), Yaez 1X and Yarina 1X
(2X) wells. Wells in bold have vitrinite reflectance data which was used to fit
maturity models. The three cross-sections in Figure 54 show present-day maturity
versus depth data throughout the Basin.
Before the basin modeling project began, a detailed revision of the stratigraphic units
drilled in the Maraon Basin was completed to standardize formation names. Seismic
interpretation was in progress at that time and the preliminary interpretation gave
90
Dorado 1X
Piraa 1X Piraa 1X
Cunambo 1
CROSS SECTION 1
Arabela 1X
Forestal 3X
Forestal Extension 1
San Jacinto 01
Tangarana 1
Forestal 01
Shiviyacu Norteste 1
Carmen Central 5X
Carmen 1
Bartra 01
Shiviyacu 01 1X
Pilar
Shiviyacu Sureste 1X
Huayuri 19X
Macusari 1X
Jibaro 1X
Huayuri S 33X
Tigre 1
Capahuari Norte 1
Jibaro 1X
Dorissa 01
Capahuari Central 1 Jibarito 27X
Capahuari S 01
PUCARA re 1X
Tucuna
Jibarito Sur X 1
Ceci X 1
Tambo 1 XD 1
Yanez 1X
Tambo Sur
Margarita 1X
Andoas 1
Maynas 1X
Tucunare 1X
Valencia 25X
Bolognesi 1
Yanez 1
Martha X 1
Huasaga 1 Plantayacu X 1
Valencia 1
Nueva Esperanza 1
Pucacuro 1
Tuncheplaya X 1
Otorongo X 1
Pavayacu X 3
Chapuli 1X
Tigre 131X
Nanay 26X
Chapuli X-1
Huitoyacu 2X
Sungaroyacu Norte 1X
Sungachi 1X
Corrientes 1X
Belen 4
San Juan 1
Caterpiza 1X
Tigrillo 1
Piuntza 1
Limonyacu 1X
Ungumayo 1 Nahuapa 1
Santa Martha 1X
Patoyacu 1
Putuime 1 Dominguza 1
M aranon 110-1
M ahuaca 1X Mahuaca X 1
Cuinico N 1 Concordia 17X
Maranon 110
Nucuray 1
Manseriche 1X
Pupuntas 1X
Diana Mae 1
anguintza 1X
Pauyacu 1
Cuinico S 1
Maranon 1
Yanayacu 27X
Yanayacu Sur 2X
Pastococha 1X
Yarina 2X
Yanayacu Sur 2X Bretana 1 Yarina 1
Zapote 3X
Samiria Sur 3X
Shanusi 2X Palmera 1
Shanusi 1
Santa Elena 1
Palo Seco 1X
Santa Lucia 2X
La Frontera 3X
La Frontera 1
Santa Lucia 1
Santa Clara 1
Orellana 3X
Santa Clara 1A
Rayo 1
Figure 55: Index map of Maraon Basin wells which were modeled with BasinMod and cross sections
with present day maturity depths
The major events identified for basin modeling included erosional episodes at the end of
Paleozoic and Jurassic time (pre-Cretaceous), at the end of Paleogene time (post
Yahuarango Formation) and Neogene Tertiary/Quaternary erosion. The time break in the
Cretaceous/Tertiary contact does not affect modeling and it is interpreted as a general
continuous transition in most of the Basin. The complex Paleozoic tectonic and
stratigraphic history is well understood, but for our regional modeling project it was
treated as one generalized mega-cycle. Modeling was conducted with the principal
91
200000 400000 600000 200000 400000 600000
9800000
Pirana 1X
A'
0 Pirana 1X
1.09 A' 9800000
Chapuli 1X Chapuli 1X
0.81
9600000 0.73 0 9600000
Corrientes 1X Corrientes 1X
Chambira Este 1X
IQUITOS Chambira Este 1X
0.65 IQUITOS
0.58
0.69
0.61
C'
Maranon 110X
C'
Maranon 110X
Mahuaca 1X Mahuaca 1X
0.59
1.08
0.59
0.87
A Yanayacu 1X
A Yanayacu 1X
0.73
0.67
Yarina 1X Yarina 1X
0.62
0.54
9400000 0 9400000
C 0.58
BRAZIL
L ate Matu re O il W i n d o w Ro % 1.0 - 1.3 C BRAZIL
9200000 0 n Ro % 1.3 - 2.6 9200000
Main G as G en eratio
Figure 56: Present-Day Maturity in the Maraon Basin at Top Chonta level. Figure 57: Present-Day Maturity in the Maraon Basin at bottom Chonta level.
Maturity increases to the deep Western basin and to the NE where the Basement is at
shallow depths.
200000 400000 600000
200000 400000 600000
9800000 Pirana 1X
A'
Pirana 1X
A' 9800000
ECUADOR ECUADOR
Forestal 1X
Forestal 1X
PU B' PU B'
CA CA Jibaro 1X
RA Jibaro 1X RA
W W
ED ED
Tucunare 1X G
Tucunare 1X G E
Yanez 1X
E Yanez 1X
1.13 1.32 Valencia 1X
Valencia 1X 1.31
1.09
Chapuli 1X
Chapuli 1X
C' C'
Maranon 110X
Maranon 110X Mahuaca 1X
Mahuaca 1X
1.81 2.33
A A Yanayacu 1X
Yanayacu 1X
Yarina 1X Yarina 1X
9400000 9400000
B 1.08
La Frontera 1X B 1.32
La Frontera 1X
Santa Lucia 1X
Santa Lucia 1X Early Matu re O il W ind o w Ro % 0.5 - 0.7
1.09 1.26
Mid Matu re O il W ind o w Ro % 0.7 - 1.0
Santa Catalina 1X Santa Catalina 1X
C C
1.04 Main G as G en eratio n Ro % 1.3 - 2.6 1.38
BRAZIL
9200000
BRAZIL 9200000
Figure 58: Present-Day Maturity in the Maraon Basin at Top Pucar level. Figure 59: Present-Day Maturity in the Maraon Basin at bottom Pucara level. Maturity
increases to the deep Western basin and to the NE where the Basement is at shallow depths.
MAHUACA 3X CHAPULI 1X YAEZ 14X TUCUNARE 1X FORESTAL 3X PIRANA 1X
140 KM 55 KM 70 KM 73 KM 100 KM
0
0 0
Ro%
EARLY MATURE OIL WINDOW 0.5 0.7
2000 2000
2000 2000
2000 UPPER TER TIARY 2000
-2000 -
BASEMEN T
3000 3000
3000 3000
3000
?
M -3000 PO ZO SHALE ? -
e
t
e
r
s YAHUARANGO ?
4000 4000
4000
4000
?
-4000 VIVIAN -
CHONTA
Dorado
Dorado 1X
1X
Piraa 1X Piraa
Piraa 1X
1X
? Cunambo
Cunambo 1
1
CHONTA LS
Arabela
Arabela 1X
1X
Forestal 3X Tangarana
Tangarana 1
1
AGUA CALIEN TE
Forestal
Forestal Extension
Extension 1
1
San
San Jacinto
Jacinto 01
01
Forestal
Forestal 01
01
RAYA
Shiviyacu
Shiviyacu Norteste
Norteste 1
1
Carmen
Carmen Central
Central 5X
5X
5000
Carmen
Carmen 1
1
?
Bartra
Bartra 01
01
Shiviyacu
Shiviyacu 01
01 1X
Pilar
Pilar 1X
5000 Huayuri
Shiviyacu
Shiviyacu Sureste
Huayuri 19X
19X
Sureste 1X
1X
?
Macusari
Macusari 1X
1X
CUSHABATAY
Huayuri
Huayuri S
S 33X
33X
Tigre
Tigre 1
1
-5000 -
Capahuari
Capahuari Norte
Norte 1
1
Jibaro
Jibaro 1X
1X
Dorissa
Dorissa 01
01
Capahuari
Capahuari Central
Central 1
1 Jibarito
Jibarito 27X
27X
Capahuari
Capahuari S
S 01
01
Tucunare 1X
Jibarito
Jibarito Sur
Sur X
X11
Ceci
Ceci X
X11
Tambo
Tambo 1
1 XD
Yanez 1X
Tambo
Tambo Sur
Sur XD 1
1
?
Margarita
Margarita 1X
1X
Andoas
Andoas 1
1
Maynas
Maynas 1X
1X
Tucunare
Tucunare 1X
1X
Bolognesi
Bolognesi 1
1
Yanez
Yanez 1
1
Martha
Martha X
X11
Huasaga
Huasaga 1
1 Plantayacu
Plantayacu X
X11
Valencia
Valencia 1
1
Nueva
Nueva Esperanza
Esperanza 1
1
Pucacuro
Pucacuro 1
1
Tuncheplaya
Tuncheplaya X
X11
?
SARAYAQUILLO
Otorongo
Otorongo X
X11
Pavayacu
Pavayacu X
X33
Chapuli 1X
Tigre
Tigre 131X
131X
Capirona
Capirona 2X
2X Huangana102X
Huangana102X Intuto
Intuto 23X
23X
Chapuli
Chapuli X-1
X-1
Huitoyacu
Huitoyacu 2X
2X Sungaroyacu
Sungaroyacu Norte
Norte 1X
1X
?
Sungachi
Sungachi 1X
1X
San
San Juan
Juan 1
1
Aerico
Aerico 1
1
X
X11
-
?
Chambira
Chambira Este
Este 123
123
Caterpiza
Caterpiza 1X
1X Tigrillo
Tigrillo 1
1
Piuntza
Piuntza 1
1
?
Limonyacu
Limonyacu 1X
1X
Ungumayo
Ungumayo 1
1
?
Santa
Santa Martha
Martha 1X
1X
Patoyacu
Patoyacu 1
1
MITU
Putuime
Putuime 1
1 Dominguza
M ahuaca 1X
Dominguza 1
1
? Mahuaca
Mahuaca X
X11
Cuinico
Cuinico N
N11
?
Nucuray
Nucuray 1
1
?
Manseriche
Manseriche 1X
1X
Pupuntas
Pupuntas 1X
1X
Diana
Diana Mae
Mae 1
1
?
Tanguintza
Tanguintza 1X
1X
Pauyacu
Pauyacu 1
?
1
Cuinico
Cuinico S
S11
-7000 ? -
Figure 60: Present day maturity in the northwestern and northern Maraon Basin.
SHANUSI 2X LORETO 1X YANAYACU 27X CORRIENTES 1X VALENCIA 25X JIBARO 1X FORESTAL 3X
33 KM 130 KM 125 KM 103 KM 60 KM 45 KM
0 0
Ro%
EARLY MATURE OIL WINDOW 0.5 0.7
-1000 -
2000
2000 2000 2000 2000
2000 2000
-2000 -
POZO SHALE
M
e
t
e
YAHUARANGO
r
s
VIVIAN 3000
3000 3000 CHONTA 3000 3000
3000 3000
-3000 -
AGUA CALIENTE
RAYA
CUSHABATAY
SARAYAQUILLO
Forestal 3X
Forestal Extension 1
Tangarana 1
MITU
San Jacinto 01
Forestal 01
Carmen Central 5X
? ?
Carmen 1
Bartra 01
?
Shiv iyacu 01 1X
Pilar
?
Shivi yacu Sureste 1X
Huayuri 19X
Macusari 1X
4000 Jibaro 1X
Huayuri S 33X
Ti gre 1
Capahuari Norte 1
?
J ibaro 1X
4000
Doris sa 01
Capahuari Central 1 Ji bari to 27X
Capahuari S 01
J ibarito Sur X 1
Ceci X 1
Tambo
Tambo 1 XD 1
Sur
Margarita 1X
Andoas 1
Maynas 1X
PUCARA
Tucunare 1X
-4000 ? ? Yanez 1
Huasaga 1
Martha X 1
Valencia 25X
Plantay acu X 1
Valencia 1
N ueva Esperanza 1
Bolognesi 1
-
Puc acuro 1
Tuncheplaya X 1
Otorongo X 1
?
Pavay acu X 3
Tigre 131X
Nanay 26X
Chapul i X-1
Corrientes 1X
Bel en 4
San Juan 1
?
Chambira 4X Copal 19X
Corrientes X 1
Aeri co 1
?
Chambira Este 123
Zorro 1X
Tigril lo 1
?
Limonyacu 1X
Ungumay o 1 Nahuapa 1
Santa Martha 1X
?
Patoyacu 1
MITU ?
Maranon 110
Mahuaca X 1
Cuinic o N 1 Concordia 17X
Nucuray 1
?
?
Di ana Mae 1
Pauyacu 1
Cui ni co S 1
Maranon 1
Yanayacu 27X
? ? Yanayacu Sur 2X
Pastococha 1X
5000 Envi di a 1
?
Samiria 5X
Virac ocha X 1
Zapote 3X
Samiri a Sur 3X
-5000 ? -
Yurimaguas 2-1 Tamanco 1
Loreto 1X
Tapiche 1
Loreto 1
Shanusi 2X
?
Pal mera 1
Shanusi 1
Santa Elena 1
?
Palo Seco 1X
Figure 61: Present day maturity in the southwestern and central Maraon Basin.
ORELLANA SANTA CATALINA 2X SANTA LUCIA 2X LA FRONTERA 3X TAPICHE 2X YARINA 2X MARAON 110X
34 KM 47 KM 43 KM 88 KM 76 KM 90 KM
0
0 0
Ro%
EARLY MATURE OIL WINDOW 0.5 0.7
M
-2000
PO ZO SHALE YAHUARANGO -
e
t
e
VIVIAN
r
s
CHONTA
SARAYAQUILLO
AGUA CALIEN TE RAYA
PUCARA
3000 3000 CUSHABATAY 3000 3000
3000 AMBO
-3000 -
COPACABANA
Patoya
Patoyacu
cu11
M
Mahu
ahuaca
acaX
X11
Cuinico
CuinicoNN11 Concordia
Concordia17X
17X
Nucuray
Nucuray11
BASEMEN T
Diana
DianaMae
Mae11
Pauyacu
Pauyacu11
?
Cuinico
CuinicoSS11
?
Maranon Maranon
Maranon22
2211
Maranon11
4000
YYan
anayacu
ayacu 27X
27X
4000 Yarina 2X
Pastococha
Pastococha1X
1X
-4000 -
BBretana
retana 11 YYarina
arina 11
?
EN E? Viraco
Viracocha
chaX
X11
S amiria 5X
Samiria 5X
Samiria
SamiriaSur
Sur3X
3X
EEnvid
nvid ia
Zapote
ia11
Zapote3X
3X
? ?
Yurimag
Yurimaguas
uas 2-1
2-1 Tamanco
Tamanco11
Tapiche
Tapiche 2X
Tapiche11
Loreto
Loreto11
?
COPACABANA
PPalmera
almera 11
Shanusi
Shanusi11
Santa
SantaElena
Elena11
P alo Seco
Palo Seco1X
1X
Santa Lucia 2X
La Frontera 3X
La
LaFrontera
Frontera11
S anta Lucia
Santa Lucia11
? Santa Catalina 2X
? ?
Santa
SantaCatalina
Catalina2X
2X
Orellana 3X
?
Orellana
Orellana3X
3X
?
Santa Santa Clara
Clara11
Santa Clara 11A
Santa
Clara A
Rayo
Rayo11
Figure 62: Present day maturity in the southern and southeastern Maraon Basin. A pre-Cretaceous maturity history is implied east of the Santa Lucia 2X well.
source rocks being the Cretaceous Chonta and Raya Formations and the Triassic/Jurassic
Pucar Group.
Three general burial models with minor local variations fit measured maturity data in
each of the three areas mentioned above. Formations and events for basin modeling were
individualized according to the stratigraphic column for each well and then grouped.
Preliminary basin modeling runs were performed to finally group wells by areas with
similar stratigraphic sequences.
The modeling completed for the 20 wells, outlines the regional maturity conditions of the
source rock sequences of Paleozoic, Mesozoic and Cenozoic age. Present day modeled
maturities versus depths in the Maraon Basin are presented in four maps for top and
bottom of the Chonta and Pucar Formations (Figures 56, 57, 58 and 59), and three cross-
sections (Figures 60, 61 and 62). Most of the stratigraphic section in the Maraon Basin
was subjected to continuous burial and subsequent maturation during Mesozoic and
Cenozoic time. This maturation history was superimposed on a previous maturation
burial of a thick Paleozoic section present in the southeastern portion of the Basin.
The deep west and northwestern Maraon Basin remained buried during and after the
main Andean uplift. In these areas, the Pucar and Cretaceous source rocks
continuously reached the late- and mid-mature oil windows at depths in excess of
6000 and 5000m, respectively.
The Cretaceous source rocks reached the early- to mid-mature oil windows in most of
the Maraon Basin. A late-mature oil window was reached in the Mahuaca well and
the Piraa well areas (Figures 56 and 57). Basin modeling suggests an increase of
heat flow equivalent to an erosional event of 1000m of uppermost Tertiary sediments
in the eastern portion of the Basin where the Cretaceous sequence reached the late- to
mid-mature oil window. The Cretaceous section overlies a shallow Basement on the
Iquitos Arch.
The top of the Pucar Group reached the late-mature oil window in the northwest
Maraon in the Chapuli and Yaez area and to the southwest in the Shanusi area (Figure
58) and the gas window in the Mahuaca area. At the bottom of the Pucar, the main gas
generation window was reached in the west and southwest portions of the Basin in the
Mahuaca/Shanusi/Loreto/ Orellana well area (Figure 59). Less mature late- and mid-
mature oil windows are reached in a NW/SE belt west of the Maraon production
areas and in the Chapuli area.
The Paleozoic section in the southeast Maraon Basin reached the main gas
generation window prior to deposition of the Cretaceous section. This area had a
major uplift and erosional episode that removed a thick Paleozoic section locally in
excess of 3000m, with less matured conditions. Also, Paleozoic blocks preserved late-
mature conditions where protected in grabens as in the Tapiche 2X well.
97
in the Piraa well. The Pozo Shale is basically in the early-mature oil window
throughout the Basin except in the Piraa well area where it reaches the mid-mature oil
window. Proximity to a much higher heat flow source is suggested here at this later
location.
The cross-section in Figure 61 covers the southwest, central and northern Maraon Basin.
The Pucar Group is in the main gas generation window, just past the late-mature oil
window in the Shanusi well near the Andean Fold Thrust Belt, a condition that continues
to the east at the Loreto well before Pucar pinches out. The Pucar Group pinches out
east of the Loreto well and is absent in the remaining wells in the cross-section. The
Shanusi and Loreto wells acquired their present-day maturity before the area was uplifted
during the last stages of the Andean orogeny. The cross-section shows a remarkable
imprint of maturity in the Loreto well. The Raya Formation is in the mid-mature oil
window throughout the entire cross-section and the Chonta Formation reaches this stage
locally at the Loreto and Yanayacu wells but in general, is within the early-mature oil
window. The Pozo Shale only reaches the mid- to uppermost early-mature oil window in
the southwest and central Basin.
The cross-section in Figure 62, in the south and southeastern portions of the Basin, shows
two major maturity burial episodes. Mitu and post-Mitu deposition prevented removal of
the Paleozoic section in the area of the Orellana, Santa Catalina and Santa Lucia wells.
As a result, most of the Paleozoic and the Pucar Group reached the main gas generation
window and the overlying section reached less mature stages before the Andean uplift.
The Orellana and Santa Catalina wells acquired their present-day maturity at greater
depths before this Andean uplift. In the area to the east of the Santa Lucia well, the
Paleozoic section reached the main gas generation window before the Cretaceous rocks
were deposited. Most of the Cretaceous rocks are within an early-mature oil window.
They overly a highly eroded Paleozoic section that reached the main gas generation
window in the La Frontera well, and even the bottom of the main gas generation window,
as seen in the Yarina and Maraon wells. The Paleozoic section that had reached late-
and mid- mature oil levels was eroded off. Locally, the Paleozoic still maintains a late-
and mid-mature oil window as in the Tapiche well. The Pozo Shale barely reached the
uppermost early-mature oil window in the Orellana and Yarina wells.
A detailed description of the hydrocarbon generation models used for the twenty
evaluated wells across the Maraon Basin is given below listed in alphabetical order.
Refer to Figure 55 for location of these wells.
The Chambira Este 123X well was drilled in 1989 to a depth of 4429m. The stratigraphic
section penetrated and events are presented in Table 5. The well is located a few
kilometers east of the Pucar subcrop edge and the only potential source rocks in the well
are within the Cretaceous/Tertiary section.
The burial history diagram and Maturity versus Time plot are presented in Figures 63 and
64. The Raya Formation entered the early- and mid-mature oil windows in late
Paleogene and early Neogene time, (26 and 7my, respectively). The Chonta and Pozo
98
Shale Formations reached the early-mature oil window in early Miocene and Pliocene
time (17 and 4.4 my, respectively).
Figure 63: Maturity burial in Chambira Este 123X Well shows the Pozo and Chonta in the early-
mature oil window and the Cretaceous Raya in the mid-mature oil window
99
Figure 64: Maturity versus Time plot in the Chambira Este 123X Well
The Chapuli 1X well was drilled in 1982 to a depth of 5197 m. The stratigraphic section
penetrated and events are presented in Table 6.
100
Figure 65: Maturity burial in Chapuli 1X Well shows the Pozo in the early-mature oil window, all
Cretaceous in the mid-mature oil window and the Pucar mainly in the late-mature oil window.
The burial history diagram and Maturity versus Time plot are presented in Figures 65 and
66. The Pucar unit entered the early-mature oil window in the Late Cretaceous (84 my),
the mid-mature oil window in early Paleogene time (51 my), the late-mature oil window
in Miocene time (16 my).
101
The Raya and Chonta Formations entered the early-mature oil window in Paleogene time
(50 and 38 my) and the mid-mature oil window in Miocene time (18 and 14 my). The
Pozo Shale Formation reached the early-mature oil window in Miocene time (12 my).
The Corrientes 1X well was drilled in 1971 to a depth of 3835m. The stratigraphic
section and events are presented in Table 7. Similar to the Valencia 25X well, the
Corrientes 1X well is located east of the Pucar subcrop/pinchout and the potential source
rocks considered for modeling are within the Cretaceous/Tertiary section. Additionally, a
pre-Cretaceous conglomerate underlies the Cretaceous section in this area, which rest on
basement.
Formation Type Begin Age Well Top Present
or Thickness
Event Name (my) (m) (m)
Erosion3 E 5
UpperTertiaryEroded D 11.9
UpperTertiary F 36.6 0 2347
PozoShale F 54 2347 128
Hiatus2 H 55
Erosion2 E 58
YahuarangoEroded D 61.9
Yahuarango F 65.5 2475 221
Vivian F 76 2696 139
Chonta F 90.4 2835 243
Agua Caliente F 97 3078 247
Raya F 112 3325 66
Cushabatay F 142 3391 257
PreK F 260 3648 187+
TD 3835
Table 7: Corrientes 1X Well Formations and Events
Figure 67: Maturity burial in Corrientes 1X Well shows the Pozo and Chonta Formations in the top and
middle of the early-mature oil window and the Raya the top of the mid-mature oil window
102
Figure 68: Maturity versus Time plot in the Corrientes 1X Well
The burial history diagram and Maturity versus Time plot are presented in Figures 67 and
68. The Raya and Chonta Formations entered the early-mature oil window in early and
mid Pliocene time (22 and 15 my). The Raya Formation also reached the mid-mature oil
window in Pliocene time (4 my). The Pozo Shale Formation reached the early-mature oil
window in Pliocene time (4 my).
The Forestal 3X well was drilled in 1973 to a depth of 3653m. The stratigraphic section
penetrated and events are presented in Table 8.
The burial history diagram and Maturity versus Time plot are presented in Figures 69 and
70. The Forestal 3X well is located in an area to the east of the Jurassic/Pucar edge and
potential source rocks utilized in the modeling are those of Cretaceous and Tertiary age.
A pre-Cretaceous unit overlying Basement has suspected measured maturities of 1.1%Ro
given a pre-Cretaceous maturity episode different than that for the Tertiary/Cretaceous
sequence. In the Forestal area, seismic does not support the presence of a complete
Paleozoic section. A thin pre-Cretaceous unit overlies Basement, which in turn is
overlain by the Cushabatay Formation with an erosional event stripping off the original
Sarayaquillo/Pucar section. It is very likely that a Basement high prevented deposition
of the Paleozoic section. The dual maturity suggests an event with some 3000m of
erosion, which is difficult to interpret based on available seismic data. The modeling uses
an erosion event that removed no more than 1500m of sediments and additionally we
interpret the vitrinite to be affected by oxidation during a long period of erosion prior to
Cretaceous deposition and by a 90m+ thick volcanic bed underlying the pre-Cretaceous
unit at the well TD.
The Raya and Chonta Formations entered the early-mature oil window in early Miocene
time, (22 and 18 my respectively), and the mid-mature oil window in Miocene time (19
103
and 16 my, respectively). The Pozo Shale Formation reached the top of the early-mature
oil window in Pliocene time (2 my).
Formation Type Begin Age Well Top Present
or Thickness
Event Name (my) (m) (m)
Erosion3 E 5
UpperTertiaryEroded D 13.7
UpperTertiary F 36.6 0 2032
PozoShale F 54 2032 181
Hiatus2 H 55
Erosion2 E 58
YahuarangoEroded D 58.6
Yahuarango F 65.5 2213 516
Vivian F 76 2729 40
Chonta F 90.4 2769 183
Agua Caliente F 97 2952 137
Raya F 112 3089 61
Cushabatay F 142 3150 137
Hiatus1 H 155
Erosion1 E 178
PreKEroded D 236.6
PreK F 260 3287 600
TD 3653
Table 8: Forestal 3X well Formations and Events
Figure 69: Maturity burial in the Forestal 3X Well shows the Pozo in the early-mature oil window and
all the Cretaceous in the mid-mature oil windows
104
Figure 70: Maturity versus Time plot in the Forestal 3X Well
The Jibaro 1X well was drilled in 1974 to a depth of 3899m. The stratigraphic section
penetrated and events are presented in Table 9.
Formation Type Begin Age Well Top Present
or Thickness
Event Name (my) (m) (m)
Erosion3 E 5
UpperTertiaryEroded D 13.0
UpperTertiary F 36.6 0 2242
PozoShale F 54 2242 184
Hiatus2 H 55
Erosion2 E 58
YahuarangoEroded D 58.6
Yahuarango F 65.5 2426 497
Vivian F 76 2923 57
Chonta F 90.4 2980 202
Agua Caliente F 97 3182 152
Raya F 112 3334 68
Cushabatay F 142 3402 155
Sarayaquillo F 175 3557 196
Paleozoic F 229 3753 146+
TD 3899
Table 9: Jibaro 1X Well Formations and Events
105
The burial history diagram and Maturity versus Time plot are presented in Figures 71 and
72. The Jibaro 1X well is also located in an area to the east of the Pucar edge and the
source rocks utilized in the modeling, are those of Cretaceous and Tertiary age.
Figure 71: Maturity burial in the Jibaro 1X Well shows the Pozo in the early-mature oil window and all
the Cretaceous in the mid-mature oil window
106
The Raya and Chonta Formations entered the early-mature oil window in late Paleogene
and early Miocene time (24 and 19 my, respectively) and the Raya Formation reached the
top of the mid-mature oil window in late Miocene time (6 my). The Pozo Shale
Formation reached the early-mature oil window in Pliocene time (5 my).
The La Frontera 3X well was drilled in 1975 to a depth of 3024m. The stratigraphic
section penetrated and events are presented in Table 10.
The burial history diagram and Maturity versus Time and Depth plots are presented in
Figures 73, 74 and 75. Two sets of measured %Ro data are included in the model (Figure
75), which indicate the pre-Cretaceous section is in the late-mature oil window or in the
main gas generation window. Live oil shows recorded while drilling the Cabanillas
suggest the presence of either, original pre-Cretaceous oil or re-migrated hydrocarbons.
Using the more mature data, modelling indicates the potential source rocks in the
Devonian Cabanillas Formation entered the early- and mid-mature oil window in
Carboniferous time (315 and 294 my), the late-mature oil window and the main gas
generation window in early Permian time (277 and 266 my).
The Raya and Chonta Formations entered the early-mature oil window in early and mid
Miocene time (22 and 12 my, respectively).
107
Figure 73: Maturity burial in the La Frontera 3X Well shows the Cretaceous Chonta and Raya
Formations in the early-mature oil window and the Devonian Cabanillas in the main gas generation
window
108
Figure 75: Maturity versus Depth plot in the La Frontera 1X Well
The Loreto 1X well was drilled in 1975 to a depth of 4157m. The stratigraphic section
penetrated and events are presented in Table 11.
109
The burial history diagram and Maturity versus Depth plot are presented in Figures 76
and 77. The Pucar Group entered the early-mature oil window in mid Jurassic (165
my), the mid-mature oil window in early Cretaceous (104 my), the late-mature oil
window in late Paleogene (30 my) and the main gas generation window in the mid
Miocene (15 my).
Figure 76: Maturity burial in the Loreto 1X Well shows the Pozo in the early-mature oil window, the
Cretaceous Chonta and Raya in the mid-mature oil window and the Pucar in the main gas generation
window
110
The Raya and Chonta Formations entered the early-mature oil window in Paleogene time
(39 and 28 my, respectively) and the mid-mature oil window in mid to late Miocene time
(16 and 10 my, respectively). The Pozo Shale Formation reached the early-mature oil
window in mid Miocene time (14 my).
The Mahuaca 3X well was drilled in 1985 to a depth of 5163m. The stratigraphic section
penetrated and events are presented in Table 12.
Formation Type Begin Age Well Top Present
or Thickness
Event Name (my) (m) (m)
Erosion2 E 5
UpperTertiaryEroded D 5.7
UpperTertiary F 36.6 0 3182
PozoShale F 54 3182 187
Yahuarango F 65.5 3369 667
Vivian F 76 4036 183
Chonta F 90.4 4219 478
Agua Caliente F 97 4697 275
Raya F 112 4972 82
Cushabatay F 142 5054 400
Hiatus1 H 148
Erosion1 E 150
SarayaquilloEroded D 153.3
Sarayaquillo F 175 5454 1300
Pucara F 229 6754 600
TD 5163
Table 12: Mahuaca 3X Well Formations and Events
Figure 78: Maturity burial in the Mahuaca 3X Well shows the Pozo in the early-mature oil window, the
Cretaceous Chonta and Raya in the mid-mature oil window and the Pucar mainly in the top of the
main gas generation window
111
Figure 79: Maturity versus Time plot in the Mahuaca 3X Well
The burial history diagram and Maturity versus Time plot are presented in Figures 78 and
79. The Pucar Group entered the early- and mid-mature oil windows in mid and late
Jurassic (170 and 155 my), the late-mature oil window in late Cretaceous time (86 my)
and the main gas generation window in early Paleogene time (56 my). Based on the
maturity data and according to the modeling, the Mahuaca 3X well is located in an area
where the Pucar Group acquired maximum maturity.
The Raya and Chonta Formations follow a similar early- to mid-maturity path as the
Pucar. They both entered the early-mature oil window in early Paleogene time (56 and
45 my, respectively), the mid-mature oil window in late Paleogene time (33 and 23 my,
respectively) and the late-mature oil window in mid and late Miocene time (11 and 5 my,
respectively). The Pozo Shale Formation reached the early mature oil window in mid
Miocene time (11 my).
The Maraon 110-1 was drilled in 1955 to a depth of 3516m. The stratigraphic section
penetrated and events are presented in Table 13.
The burial history diagram and Maturity versus Depth plot are presented in Figures 80
and 81. The potential source rocks of the Devonian Cabanillas Formation entered the
early- and mid-mature oil windows in late Carboniferous time (310 and 295 my), the late-
mature oil window and the main gas generation window in early Permian (282 and 273
my). A measured average %Ro of 2.5 has been recorded in the Cabanillas and Contaya
samples from near the bottom of the hole.
The Raya and Chonta Formations entered the early-mature oil window in early and mid
Miocene time (18 and 12 my, respectively). The Pozo Shale Formation is immature.
112
Formation Type Begin Age Well Top Present
or Thickness
Event Name (my) (m) (m)
Erosion4 E 5
UpperTertiaryEroded D 12
UpperTertiary F 37 0 1891
PozoShale F 54 1891 99
Yahuarango F 66 1990 55
Vivian F 76 2045 158
Chonta F 90 2203 285
Agua Caliente F 97 2488 174
Raya F 112 2662 28
Cushabatay F 142 2690 221
Hiatus3 H 155
Erosion3 E 260
AmTarCopacabanaEroded D 330
AmTarCopacabana F 344 2911 137
Hiatus2 H 347
Erosion2 E 363
CabanillasEroded D 391
Cabanillas F 409 3048 185
Hiatus1 H 444
Erosion1 E 464
ContayaEroded D 477
Contaya F 510 3233 283
TD 3516
Table 13: Maraon 110-1 Formations and Events
Figure 80: Maturity burial in the Maraon 110 Well shows the Chonta and Raya Formations in the
early-mature oil window, and Devonian Cabanillas in the main gas generation window
113
Figure 81: Maturity versus Depth plot in the Maraon 110 Well
The Orellana 3X well was drilled in 1997 to a depth of 4207 m. The stratigraphic section
and events are presented in Table 14. In the southern Maraon Basin the stratigraphic
Formation Type B egin Age W ell Top Present
or Thickness
Event Name (my) (m) (m)
Erosion3 E 5
UpperTertiaryEroded D 33,6
UpperTertiary F 36,6 0 240
PozoShale F 54 240 73
Hiatus2 H 55
Erosion2 E 58
YahuarangoEroded D 64,7
Yahuarango F 65,5 313 51
Vivian F 76 364 227
Chonta F 90,4 591 308
Agua Caliente F 97 899 420
Raya F 112 1319 76
Cushabatay F 142 1395 280
Hiatus1 H 148
Erosion1 E 150
SarayaquilloEroded D 168,5
Sarayaquillo F 175 1675 259
Pucara F 229 1934 546
M itu F 254 2480 1112
Ene F 287 3592 211
TarCopacabana F 322 3803 404
TD 4207
Table 14: Orellana 3X Well Formations and Events
114
Figure 82: Maturity burial in the Orellana 3X Well shows the Pozo Shale at the top of the early-mature
oil window, the Cretaceous Chonta and Raya Formations in the early-and mid-mature oil windows,
respectively, and the Pucar in the late-mature oil window and top of the main gas generation window
115
The burial history diagram and Maturity versus Time plot are presented in Figures 82 and
83. The Pucar unit entered the early-mature oil window in early Cretaceous (131 my),
the mid-mature oil window in the late Cretaceous (76 my), the late-mature oil window in
the late Paleogene (29 my) and the main gas generation window in late Miocene time (8
my).
The Raya Formation entered the early-mature oil window in Paleogene time (42 my) and
the mid-mature oil window in mid Miocene time (14 my). The Chonta Formation
entered the early-mature oil windows in early Miocene time (10 my) and the mid-mature
oil window in Pliocene time (3 my). The Pozo Shale Formation entered the top of the
early- mature oil window in late Miocene time before final uplift (5 my).
The Piraa 1X well was drilled in 1998 to a depth of 2116m. The stratigraphic section
penetrated and events are presented in Table 14.
The burial history diagram and Maturity versus Time and Depth plots are presented in
Figures 84, 85 and 86. The Piraa 1X well is located on the stable platform of the eastern
Maraon Basin where rocks of Cretaceous age rest directly over Basement.
According to the modeling, the Raya and Chonta Formations had a similar burial pattern.
Both formations entered the early-mature oil window in late Paleogene time (31 and 27
my, respectively), the mid-mature oil window in Miocene time (20 and 18 my,
respectively) and the late-mature oil window in late Miocene time (9 and 7 my, res-
pectively). The Pozo Shale Formation also reached the early- and mid-mature oil
windows in Miocene time (18 and 10 my). A projected main gas generation window can
be established at upper Basement depths
116
Figure 84: Maturity burial in the Piraa 1X well shows most of the Cretaceous in the late-mature oil
window and the Pozo in the mid-mature oil window
117
Figure 86: Maturity versus Depth plot in the Piraa 1X Well
The Santa Catalina 2X well was drilled in 1997 to a depth of 2572m. The stratigraphic
section penetrated and events are presented in Table 16.
Formation Type Begin Age Well Top Present
or Thickness
Event Name (my) (m) (m)
Erosion3 E 5
UpperTertiaryEroded D 24.4
UpperTertiary F 36.6 0 965
PozoShale F 54 965 118
Hiatus2 H 55
Erosion2 E 58
YahuarangoEroded D 62
Yahuarango F 65.5 1083 124
Vivian F 76 1207 238
Chonta F 90.4 1445 373
Agua Caliente F 97 1818 234
Raya F 112 2052 127
Cushabatay F 142 2179 311
Hiatus1 H 148
Erosion1 E 150
SarayaquilloEroded D 153.1
Sarayaquillo F 175 2490 1400
Pucara F 229 3890 500
TD 2572
Table 16: Santa Catalina 2X Well Formations and Events
118
Figure 87: Maturity burial in the Santa Catalina 2X well shows the Cretaceous Chonta and Raya
Formations in the early- and mid-mature oil windows, respectively, and the Pucar in the main gas
generation window
Figure 88: Maturity versus Time plot in the Santa Catalina 2X Well
The burial history diagram and Maturity versus Time plot are presented in Figures 87 and
88. The Pucar Group entered the early-mature oil window in the early Cretaceous (146
119
my), the mid-mature oil window in the late Cretaceous (97 my), the late-mature oil
window in the Paleogene (55 my) and the main gas generation window early Miocene
time (17 my).
The Raya Formation entered the early-mature oil window in the late Paleogene time (32
my) and the mid-mature oil window in late Miocene time (8 my). The Chonta Formation
reached the early-mature oil window in early Miocene time (19 my). The Pozo Shale
Formation never reached the early-mature oil window before final uplift and remained
immature.
The Santa Lucia 2X well was drilled in 1974 to a depth of 4475m. The stratigraphic
section penetrated and events are presented in Table 16.
The burial history diagram and Maturity versus Time plot are presented in Figures 89 and
90. The Pucar Group entered the early-mature oil window in the early Cretaceous (132
my), the mid-mature oil window in the late Cretaceous (81 my) and the late-mature oil
window in late Paleogene time (24 my).
The Raya and Chonta Formations entered the Early-mature oil window in early to mid
Miocene time (20 and 12 my). The Pozo Shale Formation did not reach the early-mature
oil window before final uplift.
120
Figure 89: Maturity burial in the Santa Lucia 2X Well shows the Cretaceous mainly in the early-mature
oil window and the Pucar in the late-mature oil window
Figure 90: Maturity versus Time plot in the Santa Lucia 2X Well
121
7.2.2.14 Shanusi 1X (2X) Well
The Shanusi 2X well was drilled in 1975 to a depth of 4488m. The stratigraphic section
penetrated and events are presented in Table 18.
Figure 91: Maturity burial in the Shanusi 2X Well shows the Pozo and Chonta Formations in the early-
mature oil window, the Raya Formation in the mid-mature oil window and the Pucar between the late-
mature oil window and the main gas generation window
122
Figure 92: Maturity versus Depth plot in the Shanusi 2X well
The burial history diagram and Maturity versus Depth plot are presented in Figures 91
and 92. The Pucar unit entered the early- and mid-mature oil windows in the middle
Jurassic (171 and 158 my), the late-mature oil window in the early Paleogene (65 my)
and the main gas generation window in late Miocene time (6 my).
The Raya Formation entered the early-mature oil window in early Paleogene time (53
my) and the mid-mature oil window in mid Miocene time (11 my). The Chonta
Formation reached the early-mature oil window in the late Paleogene (33 my). The Pozo
Shale Formation reached the early-mature oil window in late Miocene time (9 my).
The Tapiche 2X well was drilled in 1975 to a depth of 3938m. The stratigraphic section
penetrated and events are presented in Table 20.
The burial history diagram and Maturity versus Time plot are presented in Figures 93 and
94. Potential source rocks of the Devonian Cabanillas Formation entered the early-
mature oil window in late Carboniferous time (313 my), the mid- and late-mature oil
windows in the early Permian (286 and 264 my), and the top of the main gas generation
window in the late Triassic (210 my), a condition that has prevailed to the present.
The Raya and Chonta Formations entered the early-mature oil window in early and mid
Miocene time (20 and 11 my, respectively). The Pozo Shale Formation remained
immature through its history.
123
Formation Type Begin Age Well Top Present
or Thickness
Event Name (my) (m) (m)
Erosion4 E 5
UpperTertiaryEroded D 6.2
UpperTertiary F 36.6 0 2118
PozoShale F 54 2118 80
Yahuarango F 65.5 2198 75
Vivian F 76 2273 114
Chonta F 90.4 2387 307
Agua Caliente F 97 2694 163
Raya F 112 2857 66
Cushabatay F 142 2923 235
Hiatus3 H 155
Erosion3 E 259.7
AmTarCopacabanaEroded D 343.8
AmTarCopacabana F 344 3158 0.1
Hiatus2 H 347
Erosion2 E 362.5
CabanillasEroded D 368.8
Cabanillas F 408.5 3158.1 430.9
Hiatus1 H 444
Erosion1 E 464
ContayaEroded D 486.8
Contaya F 510 3589 151
Basement F 600 3740 198
TD 3938
Table 19: Tapiche 2X well Formations and Events
Figure 93: Maturity burial in the La Frontera 3X Well shows the Cretaceous Chonta and Raya
Formations in the early-mature oil window and the Devonian Cabanillas in the main gas generation
window
124
Figure 94: Maturity versus Depth plot in the Tapiche 2X Well
The Tucunare 1X well was drilled in 1998 to a depth of 3653 m. The stratigraphic
section penetrated and events are presented in Table 20.
125
Figure 95: Maturity burial in Tucunare 1X Well shows the Pozo in the early-mature oil window, the
Cretaceous between mid- and upper late-mature oil windows and the Pucar in the top of the main gas
generation window
126
The burial history diagram and Maturity versus Depth plot are presented in Figures 95
and 96. The Pucar unit entered the early-mature oil window in the late Cretaceous (78
my), the mid-mature oil window in late Paleogene time (33 my), the late-mature oil
window in Miocene time (14 my), and the top of the main gas generation window also in
mid Miocene time (10 my).
The Raya and Chonta Formations entered the early-mature oil window in late Paleogene
time (34 and 30 my, respectively), and the mid-mature oil window in early and mid
Miocene time (17 and 14 my, respectively). The Raya Formation also entered the late-
mature oil window in Pliocene time. The Pozo Shale Formation reached the early-mature
oil window in the Miocene (15 my).
The Valencia 25X well was drilled in 1975 to a depth of 3592m. The stratigraphic
section penetrated and events are presented in Table 21. The well is located in an area to
the east of the Pucar subcrop/depositional edge and the source rocks utilized in the
modelling are those of Cretaceous and Tertiary age. Additionally, a pre-Cretaceous
conglomerate that rests on an old basement high underlies rocks of Cretaceous age.
The burial history diagram and Maturity versus Time plot are presented in Figures 97 and
98. The Raya and Chonta Formations entered the early-mature oil window in late
Paleogene and early Miocene time (23 and 18 my, respectively). The Raya Formation
also reached the mid-mature oil window in late Miocene time (5.4 my). The Pozo Shale
Formation reached the early-mature oil window in late Miocene time (5.4 my).
127
Figure 97: Maturity burial in Valencia 25X Well shows the Pozo and Chonta Formations in the early-
mature oil window and the Raya Formation in the mid-mature oil window
128
Figure 98: Maturity versus Time plot in the Valencia 25X Well
7.2.2.18 Yanayacu 1X (27X) Well
The Yanayacu 27X well was drilled in 1974 to a depth of 5172m. The stratigraphic
section penetrated and events are presented in Table 22.
Figure 99: Maturity burial in the Yanayacu 27X Well shows the Pozo Shale in the early-mature oil
window, the Cretaceous Chonta in the early- to mid-mature oil window and the Raya in the mid-mature
oil window
129
Figure 100: Maturity versus Depth plot in the Yanayacu 27X Well
The well is located a few kilometers east of the Pucar subcrop/depositional edge and the
potential source rocks drilled by the well are only within the Cretaceous/Tertiary section.
The pre-Cretaceous formations consist of sandstones and a basal conglomerate with poor
source rock potential.
The burial history diagram and Maturity versus Depth plot are presented in Figures 99
and 100. The Raya and Chonta Formations entered the early-mature oil window in late
Paleogene and early Neogene time (32 and 23 my, respectively) and the mid-mature oil
window in mid- to late Miocene time (11 and 5 my, respectively). The Pozo Shale
Formation reached the early-mature oil window in mid Miocene time (13 my).
The Yaez 14X well was drilled in 1975 to a depth of 5040m. The stratigraphic section
penetrated and events are presented in Table 23.
The burial history diagram and Maturity versus Depth plot are presented in Figures 101
and 102. The Pucar unit entered the early-mature oil window in the late Jurassic (151
my), the mid-mature oil window in early Paleogene time (52 my), and the late-mature oil
window in Miocene time (16 my).
The Raya and Chonta Formations entered the early-mature oil window in Paleogene time
(50 and 38 my, respectively) and the mid-mature oil window in early and mid Miocene
time (18 and 14 my, respectively). The Pozo Shale Formation reached the early-mature
oil window in Miocene time (13 my).
130
Formation Type Begin Age Well Top Present
or Thickness
Event Name (my) (m) (m)
Erosion2 E 5
UpperTertiaryEroded D 5.8
UpperTertiary F 36.6 0 3164
PozoShale F 54 3164 183
Yahuarango F 65.5 3347 958
Vivian F 76 4305 63
Chonta F 90.4 4368 381
Agua Caliente F 97 4749 143
Raya F 112 4892 90
Cushabatay F 142 4982 400
Hiatus1 H 148
Erosion1 E 150
SarayaquilloEroded D 162.5
Sarayaquillo F 175 5382 500
Pucara F 229 5882 600
TD 5040
Table 23: Yaez 14X Well Formations and Events
Figure 101: Maturity burial in the Yaez 14X Well shows the Pozo in the early-mature oil window, all
the Cretaceous in the mid-mature oil window and the Pucar mainly in the late-mature oil window
entering the top of the main gas generation window
131
Figure 102: Maturity versus Depth plot in the Yaez 14X Well
The Yarina 2X well was drilled in 1975 to a depth of 3741m. The stratigraphic section
penetrated and events are presented in Table 24.
Formation Type Begin Age W ell Top Present
or Thickness
Event Name (my) (m) (m)
Erosion4 E 5
UpperTertiaryEroded D 16.9
UpperTertiary F 36.6 0 1994
PozoShale F 54 1994 126
Yahuarango F 65.5 2120 26
Vivian F 76 2146 146
Chonta F 90.4 2292 259
Agua Caliente F 97 2551 174
Raya F 112 2725 95
Cushabatay F 142 2820 214
Hiatus3 H 155
Erosion3 E 259.7
TarCopacabanaEroded D 311.2
TarCopacabana F 317 3034 254
Hiatus2 H 340
Erosion2 E 362.5
CabanillasEroded D 368.4
Cabanillas F 408.5 3288 348.9
Hiatus1 H 444
Erosion1 E 464
ContayaEroded D 509.8
Contaya F 510 3636.9 0.1
Basement F 600 3637 104
TD 3741
Table 24: Yarina 2X Well Formations and Events
132
Figure 103: Maturity burial in the Yarina 2X Well shows the Chonta and Raya in the early-mature oil
window and the Devonian Cabanillas in the main gas generation window
Figure 104: Detailed Maturity burial chart for the Yarina 2X Well
133
Figure 105: Maturity versus Depth plot in the Yarina 2X Well
The burial history diagram and Maturity versus Time and Depth plots are presented in
Figures 103, 104, and 105. Potential source rocks of the Devonian Cabanillas Formation
entered the early- and mid-mature oil windows in late Carboniferous time (303 and 291
my), the late-mature oil window and the main gas generation window in the early
Permian (281 and 274 my), and reached an over-mature stage before Cretaceous and
Tertiary deposition.
The Raya and Chonta Formations entered the early-mature oil window in Miocene time
(23 and 16 my, respectively).
134
Pirana 1X
3.01 A'
Forestal 1X
2.56
B'
Jibaro 1X
ECUADOR 2.70
Tucunare 1X
Yanez 1X 2.73
2.58 Valencia 1X
2.67
Chapuli 1X
2.45
Corrientes 1X
2.34 IQUITOS
Chambira Este 1X
2.17
Mahuaca 1X
C'
Maranon 110X
2.73
2.48
A Yanayacu 1X
2.20
Yarina 1X
3.11
Loreto 1X Tapiche 1X
2.11 2.07
Shanusi 1X
1.62
B La Frontera 1X
Santa Lucia 1X 2.80
1.56
Santa Catalina 1X
Orellana 1X
1.94
C BRAZIL
Figure 106: Temperature Gradient map in the Maraon Basin w/Data from over 100 NFW (only
modeled wells shown)
The following section will present a discussion on past and present (PARSEP)
exploration models in the Maraon Basin. Additionally, as all exploration to date in the
Basin has been focused on Cretaceous siliciclasitic reservoirs, this study also emphasizes
the importance of defining new reservoir targets such as the Pucar carbonates to open up
new exploration areas in the Basin.
7.3.1 Historical Exploration Strategies for Oil Exploration in the Maraon Basin
One of the critical criteria in defining Cretaceous exploration targets historically in the
Maraon Basin was the presence of paleo-structures. The logic behind this is sound in
that the paleo-structures needed to be in place in the Early Tertiary, Peruvian or Incaic in
age (pre-Pozo time), to catch the primary and principal pulse of Chonta generated oils.
135
The example below (Figure 107), which has been extracted and modified from a
Perupetro in-house presentation, is a case in point where this approach was used to
explain a dry hole. This is a philosophy that has dictated exploration in Maraon Basin
for quite some time despite the numerous accumulations with,
No paleo-structure
Paleo-structures too small to account for the amount of presently trapped oil
Present day structures with well developed paleo-structures that are dry or with
insignificant oil columns.
Figure 107: Seismic Line through Huitayacu 1X Well showing present day structure (left) and a paleo-
structural section (right) which has been flattened on the Pozo. Note the absence of a paleo-structure
associated with the Huitayacu 1X Well
While much of the above at times is true, it is far from the full story. When the above
model didnt work, migration pathways, use of incorrect velocity models were often used
to explain the lack of success. This exploration model is believed to have originated
largely through a continuation of concepts developed in Ecuadors Oriente Basin to the
north and through analyses done on the oil fields of the Block 1AB area where apparently
there is a good correlation between old structures and oil accumulations. Unfortunately
little seismic data in the Block 1AB area was available to PARSEP (Figure 4) at the time
of this study to investigate this relationship further. Even with our minimal data set,
however, a number of inconsistencies with respect to early structuration model begin to
appear.
Seismic Line Oxy-23, is a long southwest to northeast regional line in the northern
Maraon Basin through Block 1AB, (Enclosure 29, Figures 108 and 109). It traverses
from west to east, the northern projection of the Capahuari structure (productive to the
south), the Macusari structure (dry), the Carmen structure (oil field) and the Forestal
136
CARMEN CENTRAL 1X
(no synthetic)
Northern projection of
Capahuari North Structure
CARMEN CENTRAL 1X
(no synthetic)
Base Sarayaquillo
Figure 108: Seismic Line Oxy-23 through several productive structures in the northern Maraon Basin. The upper display is in present-day 2WT section and the lower display is flattened on the Pozo showing
structure development during early Tertiary time.
structure (oil field). The seismic line is shown in time structure and below, flattened on
the Pozo to highlight paleo-structures.
The two structures displaying significant paleo-structure are located on the western
portion of the seismic line within the Capahuari North (northern projection) and Macusari
structures. Capahuari is the largest oil field discovered to day in the Maraon Basin and
Macusari was a dry hole. As insufficient seismic was available to confirm the closure on
the Macusari structure, it is presently being assumed that the well was on a valid
structure. The Forestal field
was discovered on a somewhat
subtler feature developed along
the NW-SE trending hinge line
of the Maraon Basin. The
Carmen field where crossed by
the Oxy-23 line shows no
evidence of ancestral structural
growth. Clearly from the
observations made just from
this seismic line, there is not a
simple one to one relationship
tying structures with ancestral
growth and present day
hydrocarbon accumulations.
Figure 109: Location of Seismic Line Oxy 23
Pursing this theme a little further, it is of interest how exploration remained focused on
the paleo-structure concept despite the successes further south in the Basin within the
Block 8 area of Petroperu on very
young structures. Two seismic
examples are presented of this in
Figures 110 and 111 through the
Corrientes and the
Capirona/Pavayacu structures.
These examples and others are also
shown as part of Enclosure 28.
Figure 110: Seismic Line through the Corrientes structure showing present day structure (above) and
paleo-structure (below) which has been flattened on the Pozo. Productive reservoirs are highlighted.
Note the absence of paleo-structure.
138
Figure 111: Seismic Line through the Capirona and Pavayacu structures showing present day structure
(above) and paleo-structure (below) which has been flattened on the Pozo. Productive reservoirs are
highlighted. Note the absence of paleo-structure.
7.3.2 Revised Exploration Strategies for Oil Exploration in the Maraon Basin
This section is divided into sub-sections based on the ages of potential reservoirs groups.
As mentioned previously, almost all exploration in the Maraon Basin in the past has
been for Cretaceous reservoirs. Exploration success within the Cretaceous has
progressively diminished in the last 30 years since the first discoveries by Petroperu and
Oxy. In the context of this study, the Cretaceous has been studied with this in mind and
the focus was to introduce new concepts (logic is perhaps a better term) on how to better,
or differently, explore for these reservoirs. The remaining sub-sections, involve
sequences for which little is known in the subsurface of the Maraon Basin. The Pucar
Group is such an example. These sections are obviously discussed much differently than
that of the Cretaceous, which has an exploration history in the Basin extending back to
the 1950s.
7.3.2.1 Cretaceous
In the previous section 7.3.1 Historical Exploration Strategies for Oil Exploration in
the Maraon Basin, the concept of early migration of Chonta and Pucar generated oil
into structures with ancestral growth and how this concept has influenced exploration in
the Maraon Basin until the present, was discussed. Fundamentally, this concept is
correct but it falls short on several important fronts, which are addressed below.
Where oil has been found in younger structures, the explanation is one utilizing the
remigration of oil from an older breached accumulation. This is widely accepted and in
the context of this report, one of the most critical aspect for future oil exploration in the
Maraon Basin. The shortcomings of the paleo-structure hypothesis as previously
139
interpreted, are that it misses two very important issues, large-scale paleo-stratigraphic
traps and paleo-structures that are no longer closed. As long as traps of both these styles
were in place and proximal to the later developing Andean Late Tertiary aged structures,
the remigration from these paleo-accumulations into younger aged structures is far from
difficult to imagine. Obviously, some of these paleo-traps would be coincidental with the
younger structures and others not. The key to exploration in the Maraon Basin is in the
definition of paleo-traps, not just structures, and in the remigration route of that
hydrocarbon during the Quechua deformation. Examples are given below.
Paleo-Stratigraphic Traps
In exploration, its a well-accepted fact that stratigraphic traps are much harder to define
than structural traps for obvious reasons. Looking for paleo-stratigraphic traps is even
more difficult still. One thing that is presently known, however, is the importance of a
stratigraphic trapping component to a number of Maraon producing fields. Examples of
this are,
Valencia no mappable closure
Nueva Esperanza no mappable closure
Pavayacu the Pona reservoir has been found to contain numerous sand bodies
not in pressure communication with one another (per. com. Pluspetrol)
Dorisa, Shiviyacu (per. Comm. R. Bolaos, Perupetro)
With this in mind, it is not hard to imagine the presence of large-scale stratigraphic traps
and perhaps their dominance over structural traps, in pre-Quechua time when the Basin
was structurally much simpler. Despite the difficulty, there is still seismic evidence to
suggest that conditions in the Cretaceous during pre-Quechua time would be conducive to
the development of stratigraphic traps.
The best example currently identifying the one-time presence of a paleo-stratigraphic trap
is in the Block 1AB area on seismic line Oxy 23 which is shown in Figure 108 and
Enclosure 29. The seismic insert, which is outlined on Figure 108 and shown in Figure
23, is a zoom-in of the Cretaceous section in the region of the Carmen and Forestal
Fields. This Figure was discussed previously in Section 4.3.2.2. with respect to syn-
depositional tectonics, and some of what was said before bears repeating, as well as being
addressed in the context of hydrocarbon exploration. Within the section just above the
Chonta Limestone, and between the blue and yellow arrows in Figure 23, a very lense-
like character can be seen within the Lower Chonta section (Upper Cetico Sandstone
Member). The two red peaks highlighted by the blue and red arrows are seen to merge at
the yellow arrow. The fault to the right of the yellow arrow, forms the major basinal
hinge line along which most of the production has been found in the Maraon Basin.
This prominent structural feature appears to have been active intermittently through
geological time and consequently we should expect major stratigraphic changes from one
side to the other. Along this trend, major stratigraphic traps should have been created
(ancestral and present day).
It is obviously difficult to ascertain, but one logical explanation for the concentration of
oil fields along the Maraon Basin Hingeline is that several large scale stratigraphic
accumulations were trapped against the Hingeline due to significant stratigraphic changes
from one side to the other as indicated in Figure 23. With the hydrocarbon kitchen area
being downdip to the west and the pinchout updip to the east, conditions were ideal for
such a development. Significant tectonic reorganization during Quechua deformation
140
would have breached some of the paleo-stratigraphic traps while leaving others intact.
Oil from breached accumulations would then have remigrated, probably just a short
distance into the nearest structure be it Quechua or older in origin, or have been
redistributed within the containing sand body reflecting its structurally modified trapping
conditions.
To further emphasis the importance of the Hingeline and its effect on Cretaceous
stratigraphy, one other interval needs to be discussed, the Chonta Limestone. The eastern
limit of the Chonta Limestone out of the Basin defined both geologically (Enclosures 5)
and geophysically (Enclosure 17), coincides roughly with the Hingeline area and the
Maraon productive trend. Just downdip from this in the Tambo area (Figure 27),
Chonta patch reefs have been seismically identified (Figures 28 to 31) trending roughly
parallel to this trend. In addition to being possible stratigraphic drilling targets them
selves, the significant amount of drape seen over these features would indicate they have
strongly influenced depositional patterns in the younger Cretaceous sequences which
overly them.
Clearly when one examines the evidence, the Hingeline area is one of important
stratigraphic changes within the Cretaceous section and one in which numerous
stratigraphic traps may have existed. Any breaching of a paleo-stratigraphic
accumulation in this area would result in the remigration of hydrocarbons into the nearest
trapping geometry, which to some degree may account for the concentration of oil
accumulations in this region.
Although the above discussion has focused on Chonta generated oils, the same logic can
also be applied to Pucar generated oils in the more southern reaches of the Basin.
Paleo-Structural Traps
Unlike its counterpart in this section, paleo-stratigraphic traps, paleo-structural traps are
much easier to identify. Of these, there are two types, 1) paleo-structures with a present
day structural component which have been the focus of attention in the Maraon Basin
for the last 20 years, and 2) subtle but areally large paleo-structures that no longer have
closure. The following discussion will focus on the later of these two.
Pozo Sand
Base Cretaceous
Figure 112: Unflattened and Flattened (Pozo) seismic line (PK3-256) through the Yanayacu field. Note
the lack of any paleo-structure at Pozo depositional time
141
Two notable examples of paleo-structural traps have been identified in the Basin. The
first is in the Samiria/Yanayacu area and the other in the Tambo/Tucunare area.
The southernmost accumulation identified in the Maraon Basin is the Yanayacu oil field
(Enclosure 31, 1 of 3). Seismic line PK8-256 through the discovery well Yanayacu 1X
(32X) is shown in Figure 112 in time, and flattened displays. As with the other southern
Maraon Basin oil field (Enclosure 28) there is no discernable paleo-structure associated
with the Yanayacu structure. To the west and southwest of the Yanayacu Field
(Enclosure 31, 1 of 3) there are several wells, Pastococha 1X and Samiria Sur 1X, with
significant oil shows within the Cretaceous section. The Pastococha well tested oil up to
822 bopd from the Upper Cetico Chonta reservoir and the Samiria Sur well tested oil
from two zones in the Chonta with flow rates up to 1149 BFPD and from the Vivian at
rates up to 432 BFPD. These and the neighboring wells are presented in more detail in
Enclosure 31 (2 of 3).
In a Pozo to Base Cretaceous isopach (Figure 113) of this the area, there is no apparent
significant, coincidental paleo-structure associated with these wells. It should be noted
that Pastococha, does, however have a minor paleo-drape component, as it sits over a pre-
Mitu, rifted horst block (Enclosure 31, 3 of 3) but it is beyond the resolution of the
contour interval of the map. What is significant, however, is the sizable paleo-structure
north of the Pastococha well, which is also very evident on the flattened (Pozo) seismic
section shown in Figure 114, at Base Cretaceous and younger levels. Present day
structure, a result of later Quechua deformation, over this location is non-existent as
shown in Figure 115. Based on the above analysis, it is speculated that the paleo-
structure defined north of the Pastococha well once reservoired a large accumulation.
With Quechua downwarping, this oil then migrated updip into other structures that were
forming contemporaneously with this deformation. Structures such as Yanayacu and
Samiria Sur were filled as a result of oil remigration from this ancestral accumulation.
Figure 113: Pozo to Base Cretaceous Isochron showing the presence of a large paleo-structure just
north of the Pastococha well. The seismic line highlighted is shown in Figures 114 and 115
142
Figure 114: Seismic Line PHI-10 flattened on the Pozo showing the presence of a sizable paleo-
structure that existed in the Pastococha/Samiria area in early Tertiary time
Figure 115: Present day time section of Seismic Line PHI-10 showing how the high as mapped in
Figure 113, has disappeared
143
This being the case, other proximal structures such as the ones defined in this study as the
Nutria Prospect (Enclosure 31, 3 of 3) and Majaz (Enclosure 32) would have to be
considered as being favorably located to receive a charge of remigrated oil in late
Tertiary time.
Figure 116: Amplitude time slices through the Tucunare 3D survey showing how Tucunare Structure
disappears at shallower depths
In this example any previously trapped hydrocarbons in the ancestral Tucunare closure
would have remigrated updip towards the Tambo wells in the north.
Conclusions
From the examples discussed above, it becomes evident prospective structures do not
necessarily have to have an ancestral component. By focusing on prospects with a
young, Quechua-aged structural evolution that were in a favorable position to receive a
charge of remigrating oil from breached paleo-stratigraphic and structural traps may open
up new areas of exploration in the Maraon Basin.
144
7.3.2.2 Pucar
Historically all exploration to date in the Maraon Basin has largely been confined to
Cretaceous targets. In the process of evaluating the Huallaga Basin and surrounding area
(PARSEP, 2001), it became evident that carbonates of the Pucar Group represent viable
exploration targets in western Maraon Basin. In the total Maraon Basin there are only
four penetrations into the Pucar and all are located in the southwestern most corner of
the Basin. The four wells are:
Our current model has the Shanusi 1X well penetrating a high-energy intratidal carbonate
along a paleo-high trend created by the late Permian to early Triassic rifting event as
depicted in Figure 38. The reader is referred to Section 4.3.2.3 of this report for a more
in depth review of the Pucar depositional environment.
Information on the Pucar is sparse and with respect to its reservoir hydrocarbon
potential, non-existent and reliant on the results of the Shanusi well and outcrop work.
The Shanusi well encountered dolomites with vuggy and intercrystalline porosity
estimated to be in the 10 to 20% range. At 4471m within the Pucar, high-pressure gas
of predominantly methane with minor ethane and pentane, was encountered. Between
4481m and 4484m gas and salt water caused a slight flow. Formation pressure was
calculated to be 10,900 psi, equivalent to 14.3 lb/gal mud. At FTD, the drill string got
differentially stuck and the BHA was eventually cemented in the hole (top 4037m and
bottom 4478m). As a result no wireline logs were ever taken through the Pucar interval.
Our knowledge from outcrop is limited largely to the fieldwork done by Advantage in
their evaluation of Block 87. They report the presence of good visible
porosity(sucrosic type) in outcrops of the Callanayacu area in the fold and thrust belt
area of the SW Maraon (PARSEP, 2001), within the Callanayacu Formation
(Advantage, 2001). The Callanayacu Formation as discussed in previous sections
represents the lower section of the transitional zone from Pucar to Sarayaquillo or in
terms of depositional environments, from intratidal to supratidal facies.
In summary:
2. All of the oils found in the southern Maraon, Huallaga and northern Ucayali
Basins, can be typed back to a Pucar source rock. These are (refer to the
PARSEP (2002) Study on the Huallaga Basin for location map):
a. Shanusi oil seep
145
b. Tiraco oil seep
c. Callanayacu oil seep
d. Maquia oil field
e. Huaya wells
6. The Pucar is highly under explored with only four penetrations in the southern
Maraon Basin. One was a gas discovery within an intratidal facies and the other
three intersected the Pucar in what we are interpreting to be a supratidal to
continental depositional environment, a non-prospective facies for Pucar
reservoir development.
The regional compilation map of the Pucar presented in Enclosure 21a was made to
demonstrate the distribution of the Pucar facies in northeastern Peru with the hope it
could be utilized to help predict prospective reservoir fairways. A postulated prospective
trendline has been drawn on the Pucar Isopach Map shown in Figure 36.
7.3.2.3 Paleozoic
Although minimal work has been done on Paleozoic section of the Maraon, some
encouraging results have emerged. Perhaps the most significant to date are from the
Basin Modeling work completed (Section 7.1) that puts the organic-rich, Devonian aged
146
Cabanillas source within the late-mature oil window. This is compatible with the high
gravity API crudes found in Brazils Solimoes Basin.
Two other issues relating to the exploration of hydrocarbons in the Maraon Basin need
to be address. The first is in data quality control and second Basin hydrodynamics.
The first issue is one that is often taken for granted, with assumptions being made that the
previous operator had ensured that the seismic line they drilled on was in the correct
location, well coordinates are accurate, etc. As addressed previously, a number of serious
data errors were uncovered while data assembly and its quality control, was in progress.
Most of these errors were related to accurately locating seismic data. In one instance, a
well was drilled on a seismic line that we could not tie into any seismic grid and
consequently were in serious doubt as to the lines correct location. In another instance, a
seismic line was shot directly over one from an older survey. The reasons for this may be
one of purely logistics as this line was critical to tie several others from the new shoot
together. The older line, which in its initial state as received by us, did not tie anything.
Upon closer examination of the older line, however, it was seen to be reversed and upon
correction, it then tied the others perfectly. In the following Prospect Section, several
prospects were defined through the mapping of only the data sets that tied and this was
after bulk shifts, phase rotations and amplitude adjustments had been made to ensure the
best fit. Confirmation of these as prospects, however, will not be completed until the
disregarded lines can be accurately located which is part of next years proposed detailed
147
Maraon Basin study. In some instances, reprocessing may also be required. In
conclusions, when using the present data set for exploration in the Maraon Basin,
question the validity of the data when things do not fit. There is obviously a danger to
this but sometimes as we have found out, the geology is not quite as complicated as the
data makes it out to be, and prospects may be obscured by one reversed, badly located
seismic line.
7.3.3.2 Hydrodynamics
In the Ecuadorian sector of the greater Maraon Basin (Oriente Basin), the presence of a
dynamic water flow field has been documented by RPCL (Rakhit, 2002) in a
hydrodynamic evaluation of the Basin and a number of studies published in the literature.
Investigations there have shown that hydrodynamic gradients and water flow commenced
during Late Andean uplift, post-dating peak oil expulsion. Present day hydrodynamic
influence has been documented at a number of Cretaceous oil fields. Many major pools
in Ecuador (Sacha) are shifted from the structural crests and oil/water contacts are tilted
in the direction of water flow (Canfield, 1991). As such an evaluation has never been
done for the Maraon Basin in Peru and it was logical to extend the work of RPCL south,
as there are a number of specific applications of an integrated petroleum hydrogeology
study that can be used for exploration and production. These are:
1. Create a coherent hydrogeologic framework for the basin. This provides a three-
dimensional picture of flow patterns, recharge and discharge areas and both lateral
and vertical pressure profiles.
2. Analyze reservoir continuity, which when integrated with geology helps to refine
geologic trends, define play fairways and new areas with potential trapping
capacity.
3. Hydrochemical mapping, maps of formation water salinity and oil quality have
applications for analyzing areas of recharge, flushing, biodegradations as well as
maturity. Formation water data also helps constrain petrophysical parameters for
water saturation calculations.
5. Tilted oil/water contacts, which can result from a dynamic flow system can
impact reserves and productivity. An understanding of their occurrence and trend
may breathe new life into existing pools or marginally economic pools.
This RPCL study was just completed at the time this report was being finalized and
consequently its results were not adequately incorporated into our interpretation. The
study, however, is included as Appendix 4C to this report and the reader is referred to
that for a complete analysis of the above issues.
148
7.4 NEW PROSPECTS AND LEADS IN THE MARAON BASIN
The Maraon Basin Study was intended to be a regional work, integrating as much data
as possible within the Basin to investigate whether new concepts exploration concepts,
exploration fairways, etc., could be defined. It was not intended to be an exploration
exercise where the ultimate goal is in defining drillable prospects. Ultimately, however,
in a study such as this, certain prospects and leads do emerge and this section is a
summary of our findings. It should be emphasized that this is not a cataloging of
prospects within the Maraon Basin nor does it document company generated prospects
such as those defined by Arco and Oxy in Block 64, the Situchi Prospect for example.
The reader is referred to the specific Block write-up for that or others studies such as
Perupetros Catalogo de Propectos No Perforados, 2001 - ITP.
The Picuro Prospect is one developed along the western margin on the Maraon Basin
(Figure 118) and was interpreted utilizing paper copies of the Amerada and Oceanic
seismic data sets (Figure 3). Objectives are a large, 44 km2 four-way dip closure in the
Vivian (Enclosure 30a, Figures 119 and 120) and a linear series of four-way dip closures
within the Pucar Group (Enclosure 30b, Figure 121)
The Vivian closure is located in the Maraon foredeep and is a broad, gentle structure
with no associated faulting. From the hydrodynamic study done for PARSEP (Appendix
4C) it is know from well control that to the north and south of this area that this is a
strong easterly hydrologic flow within the Vivian due to the highly elevated recharge area
to the west in the fold belt. Reservoir quality is a risk as burial depths are considerable in
this area. However, in the Huasaga 1X well in the north-central Maraon Basin, the
lower Vivian sandstone at 4087m was
fresh water wet (salinity 11200 ppm NaCl)
and when tested flowed formation water to
PICURO the surface at an estimated 1340 bwpd.
PROSPECT
AREA Clearly this well demonstrates two
important factors in the deep Maraon, the
connectivity of the Vivian to the western
recharge area and hence its blanket nature,
and the ability of this Vivian sandstone
member to maintain excellent porosity and
permeability at relatively deep depths of
burial. Because of the high hydraulic head
in this area, any accumulation is expected
to have a strong easterly tilt. Hydrocarbon
charge is expected to be from the Chonta
shales whose present day maturity is within
the mid-mature oil window near its top
(Figure 56) and in the late-mature oil
window at its base (Figure 57).
Figure 118: Location of the Picuro group of prospects
149
The Pucar group of
prospects consists of a
series of northwest to
southeast linear aligned
Orientation of 3D Map closed structural highs of
in Figure __ which the largest is 34
km2. The seismic line
displayed in Figure 122
shows the Pucar structure
Picuro to be cored by an east
Vivian verging reverse fault that
Closure terminates at the base of
the Sarayaquillo above
which there is no struct-
ural closure. Overlying
and sealing any possible
AH - 266 Pucar accumulation is
the postulated regional
AH - 256 sabhka evaporitic facies
which is in confomable
contact with the Pucar
intratidal facies that
respresents the potential
The two seismic lines in
yellow are displayed in
reservoir unit. Unlike
Enclosure 30a siliciclastic reservoirs
CONTOR INTERVAL =
carbonates are not as
100ms susceptible to porosity
occlusion due to burial
diagenesis.
Figure 119: TWT Top Vivian Map showing the Picuro Vivian Prospect
Hydrocarbon sourcing is
North expected to be from the
Pucar, which from the
diagrams in Figures 58
and 59, would be in the
main gas generative phase.
For a review of maps and
seismic for this prospect
refer to Enclosures 30a
Picuro Vivian and 30b
Closure
150
Contour Interval = 50 ms
Closures from N to S
(Colored Yellow)
D = 2.8 km2
C = 34.3 km2
B = 8.8 km2
A = 5.0 km2 AH 73-1
Figure 122: Seismic Line AH73-1 (Figure 121) through the east verging fault trend that creates the
series of closures at Pucar level, colored yellow in Figure 121
151
7.4.2 Pastococha/Samiria Area (Enclosure 31)
The Pastococha/Samiria Area is located in the southern Maraon Basin (Figure 123)
south of the Yanayacu Oil Field which is currently producing from the Vivian Formation,
and to the west of the Bretaa Discovery, which tested 807 bopd of 18o API gravity oil,
also from the Vivian Formation. A block with the configuration as shown in Figure 123
is being recommended to Perupetro to put out for tender. On the Block itself are five
wells
1. Pastococha 1X (6X) Oil Discovery in the Upper Cetico Member of the Chonta
Formation which tested 822 BOPD of 26.1 o API gravity oil (decreasing to 672
o
BOPD (26.1 API) + 23.7 MCFGPD; GOR 35
2. Samiria Sur 1X (3X) Oil Discovery that tested oil from two zones in the Chonta
with flow rates up to 1149 BFPD and from the Vivian at rates up to 432 BFPD.
3. Samiria 1X (5XC) Dry Hole with shows
4. Yanayacu Sur 1X (2X) Dry Hole with shows
5. Viracocha 1X (7X) Dry Hole
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152
Of these five wells, three of the wells were not drilled in optimal structural positions as
indicated with the seismic data interpreted by this study.
Yanayacu Sur 1X (3X) (1975) was drilled on Seismic Line PHI-18. This line was not
used in this evaluation, as it would not tie with the others lines used. Its true location is
in question. The well was drilled in a significant low structural position between the
North trending Yanayacu Structure and the Northwest trending Samiria Structure
(Figures 124 and 125). Even in this position hydrocarbon shows were encountered in
two DSTs of the Vivian Formation. DST #1 - 5905' salt water with gas and traces of
oil. DST #2 - 6751 salt water, 5' water contaminated with traces of oil.
Samiria 1X (5X) (1977) was drilled in a saddle between two structural culminations and
consequently, it is not considered to be a good structural test (Figures 124 and 125),
Viracocha 1X (7X) (1984) is a more difficult well to assess as its location was picked off
of the Hamilton Bros. 1982 seismic data set that was not reviewed in this evaluation.
Preliminary indications are that there may be structural positions more favorable than
where this well was drilled (Figures 124 and 125).
Nutria
Prospect
C.I = 20ms
Figure 124: TWT Structure Map on the Pozo. Note the structural elevation of the Nutria structure
relative to the one tested by the Samiria Sur 1X well. Highlighted seismic line displayed in Figure 126
Hydrocarbon sourcing the Pastococha and Samiria areas and the Yanayacu and Bretaa
areas as well, is discussed in detail in Section 7.3.2.1 and can be summarized as follows,
153
Figure 125: 3D TWT map on the Base Cretaceous (from seismic map on Enclosure 2 of 3 this series)
with cross sections AA and BB of wells (Pozo to Base Cretaceous in depth) projected onto the surface.
Note the off-structure locations of the Samiria 1X and possibly the Viracocha 1X wells
Long range migration from mature Pucar kitchen areas from an area more or less
coincidental with the fold and thrust belt area to west during early Tertiary time.
Entrapment of migrating hydrocarbons into paleo-traps.
Remigration of hydrocarbons during Quechua deformation into present-day traps.
Another important issue that needs to be addressed, as it is an issue in this area, is the
problem with shallow velocity anomalies that adversely affect the accuracy of time depth
structure maps. This has been documented within the Yanayacu Field (per. com.
Pluspetrol). With this in mind it is interesting to speculate whether both the Samiria Sur
1X and Bretaa 1X well were accurately placed on each structure relative to the true
depth crestal position for each.
In summary the Pastococha/Samiria area is one where there has been a significant
amount of hydrocarbons found to date. An oil gravity 18o to 26o API is expected for the
area. It is close to infrastructure with the connection point into the pipeline being at the
Yanayacu Field (Figure 123)
154
7.4.2.1 Nutria Prospect (Figures 124 to 126)
The Nutria Prospect is the northernmost structural culmination along the Samiria Fault
(Figure 124), northwest of the Samiria Sur 1X oil discovery made on the southern
culmination. With the data at hand, it appears that the Samiria 1X well was drilled off
structure on the NW-SE seismic line PHI-29 and the actual closure, the Nutria Prospect,
PHI-13, remains untested.
Figure 126: composite seismic line (located on Figure 124) through the Nutria Prospect, the Samiria 1X
well and the Samiria Sur 1X wells.
Two other structural leads, Viracocha N and Pastococha W have been noted in the area.
Both are covered by additional seismic data that has not yet been examined. This data
was acquired in the 1980s by Hamilton Bros and is available in paper copy. Further
follow up is recommended in this area, and to re-map it utilizing all available seismic
data.
The Majaz Prospect located just to the northwest of the productive Yanayacu oil field
(Figure 127), is a prospect that fell out while doing an analysis on the Diana Mae 1X
well. Consequently, the best way of introducing this prospect, is in first discussing the
results of Diana Mae evaluation which is also presented in more detail in Appendix 3e.
For the PARSEP evaluation only the newer Great Western seismic lines were used due to
the serious misties seen in the Prakla (PK) data set of which PK8-54 is an example
(Figure 127). This critical line ties nothing and there is a belief that it may be reversed as
well as poorly located in manner similar to several other PK lines we have encountered.
The problem with the Diana Mae location is two fold. The first is in the subtlety of the
structure, which has a maximum of 8 ms of closure on the top of the Vivian along a well-
defined southwest, plunging structural nose. The saddle defining the counter regional dip
to close the Diana Mae structure is poorly defined and additional seismic may show this
closure to be even less than currently mapped. There is no faulting associated with the
Diana Mae structure (Figure 128 to 130).
155
Figure 127: Location Map showing seismic lines used for this evaluation (thick dark blue); examined
Prakla and GSI lines not used due to serious mistie problems (thin dark blue); and the seismic lines that
were not available for this evaluation (thin black)
Figure 128: The maximum size of the structure when mapped on the top of the Vivian if closed at the
2655ms level as indicated above, is approximately 100 km2
156
The second and perhaps the more significant problem associated with the Diana Mae 1X
location, is that it is believed to be located within a migration shadow for remigrating
Pucar oil during the Late Tertiary. It is located updip and to the northwest from what we
interpret to be a much larger fault bounded, undrilled structural feature (Figure 129 and
130). This prospect is defined as the as the Majaz Prospect. We believe the Majaz
Prospect to have received a charge of remigrating Pucar sourced oil from a paleo-
structure located to the south of the prospect and to the west of the Yanayacu field
(Figure 113). This is discussed in detail in Section 7.3.2.1 as well as the preceding
section on the Pastococha/Samiria Area in Section 7.4.2.
Figure 129: Composite line (Figure 128) across the corner of the Majaz prospect and Diana Mae
locations
Figure 130: West to east seismic line GW95-Q4 (Figure 128) across the Majaz structure
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Obviously, the seismic data over this feature needs to be re-examined in the hope of
identifying and correcting any location problems. Reprocessing of the Prakla data as well
as all the other lines for which we do not have SEGY files, is also strongly recommended.
The sheer size of this structure, 100 km2 as currently mapped, being updip to the Cuinico
S 1X well, which tested free oil from a Chonta sandstone member, and lying along the oil
pipeline, makes this an attractive prospect. Additionally, seals and reservoir are expected
to be excellent and identical to what has been seen in the Diana Mae 1X well and all the
wells to south in the Pastococha/Samiria area and presented within Enclosure 31. An oil
gravity 18o to 26o API is expected for the area.
The following two prospects have been discussed previously in Huallaga Basin Study
(PARSEP 2002) and are reintroduced in this study in a slightly abbreviated form for
completeness sake as they are confined within the boundaries of Maraon Basin.
The mapping at Chonta level (PARSEP, 2002) indicates that the Shanusi 1X well tested
the Cretaceous structural culmination of the feature drilled. At Pucar level, however,
considerably more elevation can be gained from the well as the structure is seen to open
up to the SE as shown in Figure 15. With the original well having discovered gas, an
offset to this well will probably generate little interest unless some method of marketing
the gas in this region can be established. This discovery does, however indicate, that
hydrocarbons are migrating through the system and that perhaps the gas represents a late
generative phase from the Pucar source rocks. Basin modeling shows the Pucar in the
very top of the main gas-generating window at this location.
Figure 131: Shanusi area time-structure map on top of Pucar. The Shanusi 1X well tested gas on a
small satellite structure that opens up to a much larger feature to its SE.
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7.3.4.2 Yurimaguas Structure
Approximately 25 km north of the Shanusi well is the huge Yurimaguas structure (Figure
44), which was drilled by Texaco in the 50s. The well was TDd in the Cushabatay after
encountering all the Cretaceous reservoirs to be fresh water wet. The Pucar Group on
this structure remains untested. As this structure appears to be on trend with the
postulated Pucar reservoir fairway, it remains as an attractive prospect.
On a somewhat speculative note, one might hypothesis that oil once reservoired in the
Shanusi structure was displaced further updip into the Yurimaguas structure by a late gas
charge.
Figure 132: Subsea structural map on Top Vivian showing the relative structural relationship of the
Yurimaguas well to that of the Shanusi 1X well. Highlighted area is potential reservoir fairway trend of
the Pucar identified in the Shanusi well
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8.0 CONCLUSIONS
The Maraon Basin is a large sub-Andean Basin extending north in Ecuador and
Colombia where it is know as the Oriente and Putumayo Basins respectively. The
Basins evolution begins in the Late Permian to Early Triassic with a major extensional
event that dissected the underlying Paleozoic platform and basement rocks into a series of
roughly northwest-southeast grabens and half grabens. In the western extremes, deep rift
basins were formed containing sequences of synrift continentally derived sediments that
are overlain by a Permian to Jurassic-aged marine to transitional (sabkha) unit dominated
by carbonate deposition and evaporites know as the Pucar Group. The Pucar Group is
the principal source rock for the hydrocarbon accumulations found in the southern
Maraon Basin and is overlain by regressive continental redbeds of Jurassic age, the
Sarayaquillo Formation. With continued Basin subsidence during this time hydrocarbon
generation from Pucar source rocks was triggered in the Late Jurassic.
Termination of Sarayaquillo deposition coincides with the end of the Jurassic, which is
represented by the regional Nevadan unconformity over which lies sediments of
Cretaceous age. Cretaceous deposition was initiated in the greater Maraon/Ucayali
Basin during Neocomian-Aptian times and was characterized by a westerly thickening
wedge of fluvial to marginal clastics and the occasional carbonate unit.
The onset of Andean deformation began in the Late Cretaceous to Early Tertiary with the
Peruvian orogenic event. The second period of Andean compressional deformation, the
Incaic Phase, took place in the early-middle Eocene. This phase represents a period of
regional flexural tilting, onlap, and renewed structural growth and one during which the
first pulse of Cretaceous oils were generated and underwent migration. This event also
generated a second pulse of mature oil and gas from the Pucar where Pucar
hydrocarbon generation had not terminated. Relative to todays configuration the Basin
was relatively simply structured and migrating oil was trapped in structural and
stratigraphic traps throughout the Basin. It is believed that large-scale stratigraphic
accumulations were created at this time as significant stratigraphic changes within the
Cretaceous can are noted seismically along significant geological features such as the
Maraon Hingeline flexure.
The Maraon Basin started to take on its present-day configuration through a sequence of
tectonic events that spans the Tertiary and culminated in the Miocene to near Recent with
the highly deforming Quechua orogeny. The present day western margin was formed
through a complex combination of wrench related high angle faults, basin inversions and
thin-skinned deformation fronts that now separate the Maraon Basin from the Santiago
Basin to its northwest and the Huallaga Basin to its southwest. During this deformation
hydrocarbon accumulations were readjusted or completely displaced as traps were
realigned structurally and/or breached although in a number of instances, the older
formed traps remained intact. Hydrocarbons from displaced accumulations remigrated
into newly formed traps be it newly formed Quechua structural features or realigned
stratigraphic traps.
Exploration in the Maraon Basin has been focusing primarily on one type of trap for the
last 20 years and consequently the well sampling has become somewhat biased in recent
years not necessarily reflecting the true potential of the Basin. With the attention in the
160
Basin on structures with ancestral growth, drilling targets have progressively gotten
smaller as the most of the obvious targets within the production fairways have been
drilled. To enhance this progressively dwindling supply of drillable structures,
companies have moved to depth conversions to add closure to structures that have little to
no closure in time introducing another variable into the risk. As a result exploration
success along with size of the remaining structures has diminished as well. This velocity
variable (issue) is obviously much less important in the more robust structures that were
drilled early in the exploration of the Maraon Basin, which could survive a rigorous
velocity analysis and conversion to depth. In other words, a 5 ms (or its depth
equivalent) change one way or the other will not have much of an impact whether a well
gets drilled or not.
It has long been accepted that there has been remigration of hydrocarbons in the Basin
that was initiated by the Quechua deformation. Block 64 in the northeast Maraon and
the fields of the southern Maraon Basin are such examples. It is nave to believe that in
the past, that only structures, and structures that remained intact after Quechua
deformation are the only traps that could have harbored any significant hydrocarbon
accumulation. We believe the importance of remigrated hydrocarbons their migration
route during the Quechua deformation has greatly been underestimated and significant
reserves remain to be found proximal to areas were large stratigraphic accumulations
once resided. The same holds true for closed broad gentle structural features that lost
closure due to the effects of the Quechua deformation.
Exploration in the Maraon Basin must in the future consider the above as well as new
reservoirs in the Chonta Limestone (patch reefs), Pucar and the Paleozoic sections,
which this study has attempted to emphasis the importance of. The effects of
hydrodynamics are also a component in understanding the hydrocarbon potential of the
Basin as indicated through the study sponsored by PARSEP. Finally, an issue as
mundane as data verification/qualification may also lead to prospects in a Basin where
the seismic data can be fraught with navigational errors. Whether the prospects defined
by this study by questioning the data, will hold up under further scrutiny, remains to be
seen. It is a starting point, however, for future evaluations.
Upon the completion of this report, it was only to obvious to all involved that to fully
understand the idiosyncrasies of the Basin, a detailed examination must be conducted
utilizing all available seismic, 2D and 3D, and development wells, but only after an effort
to clean up the navigational problems of the seismic data is completed. As the results of
this study, PARSEP is leaving a tied data set comprising of almost 23,000 km of 2D
seismic lines, over 100 composite LAS files of all exploratory wells, and an Access
Database upon which future studies can expand.
161
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Geological and Geophysical Evaluation, Block 64 (Arco), Maraon Basin. Appendix 1
to 6. Perupetro Technical Archive ITP20446-20449.
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Geochemistry of Oil Samples Report, Dorado 67-35-1x Well. Perupetro Technical
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162
Coastal (1998)
Final Report of The Exploratory Campaign, Blocks: 73 (A, B, C And M) And 74.
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Dalmayrac, B. (1986)
Estudio Geolgico de la Cordillera Oriental, Regin de Hunuco. Boletn N 11, serie D.
Estudios Especiales, INGEMMET, 140 p.
Diaz, G. (1999)
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INGEMMET, (1995)
Boletn N 56, Serie A: Carta Geolgica Nacional. Geologa de los Cuadrngulos de
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163
Kobe, H. (1995)
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Pucar, Per Central. Volumen Jubilar Alberto Benavides, Sociedad Geolgica del Per,
pp. 179-191
Laubacher, G. (1978)
Gologie de la Cordillre orientale et de lAltiplano au Nord et Nord-Ouest du Lac
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Estudio Geolgico de los Andes del Per Central. Boletn del Instituto Geolgico, Minero
y Metalrgico, 8 serie D, 227 p.
164
Occidental Petroleum (1998c)
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1997. Perupetro Technical Archive ITP20683.
Orchard, M. (1994)
Late Triassic (Norian) Conodonts from Peru. Palaeontographica Abt. A, 233, p. 203-208.
Palacios, O. (1980)
El Grupo Pucar en la Regin Subandina (Per central). Boletn de la Sociedad
Geolgica del Per, 67, p. 153-162.
Pluspetrol/Oxy (1997)
Informe Final del Primer Periodo Exploratorio, Lote 54 (Pluspetrol-Oxy) - Volmenes 1
y 2. Perupetro Technical Archive
165
Pluspetrol (1998)
Informe Final Del Segundo Periodo Exploratorio, Lote 8X, ITP20092
Polansky, J. (1970)
Carbonfero y Prmico de la Argentina: Buenos Aires, Eudeba, 216 p.
Senowbari-Daryan, B. (1994)
Mesozoic Sponges of the Pucara Group, Peru. Palaentographica Abt. A, 233, p. 57-74.
166