| Popis: |
Interest in Trinidad and Tobago&s deepwater Atlantic Basin spans more than twenty years. Geoscientists working in the area have been curious as to what lies beneath water depths in excess of 1,000 metres. In 1996 and onwards, the drill bit talked. The primary source of data over the area was provided by 2D seismic shot over the area in 1980&s. After the 1996 "Deep Water" Bid Round, extensive 3D seismic data was acquired over the eastern Blocks (Blocks 25a, 25b, 26 and 27) along with cores and gravity and magnetic data. The outcome of all of this data collection was eight wells drilled to various depths, none finding hydrocarbons in commercial quantities. The exploration campaign proved the existence of a working hydrocarbon system. It also confirmed the presence of reservoir, predominantly in the eastern portion of the area. A better understanding of shale diapirism and its effects on the hydrocarbon system was also gained. One of the major pitfalls in the interpretation of this basin was its comparison with the Gulf of Mexico. A misunderstanding of the tectonic history and the influence of major plate boundary movement also contributed to some of the drilling problems encountered. The main unanswered question for the area is whether or not there are viable commercial hydrocarbon accumulations. Future work should look at the influence of shale diapirs on sedimentation patterns, the location of the proto-Orinoco as a sediment source, and the role of the tectonic setting of the area. |
