2D and 3D Structural Balancing in a Deformed Foreland Basin, Peruvian

Subandean Belt
D.R. RICHARDS1, S.J. CALVERT1, and H. YAMAMOTO2
1. Midland Valley Exploration Ltd, Glasgow, UK.
2. Idemitsu Oil and Gas Co Ltd, Tokyo, Japan

ABSTRACT A frontal fold and thrust in the area gently

changes strike from NNW/SSE to nearly E-W
The Camisea area in southern Peru has yielded across the area (Figure 1). A Tertiary section,
several large discoveries in structural traps. 2D and 3D including up to late Pliocene units, is deformed
structural modeling and balancing are key to generally as a single package, along with the
understanding the hydrocarbon discovery potential of Cretaceous and Paleozoic units below.
this area, as well as evaluating specific prospects.
In order to evaluate the potential of this sub-basin
for new hydrocarbon discoveries, regionally consistent
and balanced 2D structural sections set the framework
for 3D visualization and balancing. Well and surface
data also constrained the 3D model. The process of
building a 3D model enhanced understanding of the
structural development and hence the hydrocarbon
potential of the basin. The process began with depth
converting, consistently reinterpreting and balancing
lines in 2D.
The reinterpreted and balanced 2D sections
provided a much improved understanding of potential
trap volumes. The process of building the 3D model
provided insights on fault linkages, terminations and
timing of deformation in the region. Map view restoration
of a key horizon yielded a consistent kinematic system
for the deformation. The kinematic system is in
accordance with the distinct strike of the two limbs (in
map view) of the fold and thrust belt. The result of the
balancing, modeling and structural analysis is a
comprehensive and valid 3D model of the structural
history and geometry.
Hydrocarbon exploration in onshore frontier basins
often focuses on reinterpreting subsurface data of a
below average standard. Structural balancing in 2D and
3D provide reliable input for basin modeling, as well as
an understanding of the regional structural framework
and geometry.

INTRODUCTION
Several large gas/condensate discoveries are
currently under development, in large structural
traps, in the sub-basin between the Ucayali and
Madre de Dios basins, in southern Peru (Figure 1).
In order to assist in the evaluation of the potential
for additional opportunities in the sub-basin, we
investigated the structural setting and history in the
basin, applying primarily structural balancing
techniques in 2D and 3D. One of the key
objectives was providing structural geometries at
distinct stages to allow improved basin modeling of
the region.
Figure 1. Location and geologic map of the
modeled area, southern Peru, transition between
Ucayali and Madre de Dios basins. Yellow colors
(or lighter grays in hard copy) are Tertiary foreland
basin fill, now deformed in a NE-verging fold and
thrust belt. Other darker colors (or darker grays)
are Cretaceous to Paleozoic section, also
deformed along with the Tertiary section.
 The Tertiary section is foreland basin fill from
the advancing episodes of deformation in the
Andes, ranging from Eocene to present (Butler, et
al.,1995; summarized in Richards, 1995; DeCelles
and Horton, 2003). Generally the deformation in
this sub-basin is thin-skinned, but basement-
involved elements are present and important for
potential prospectivity. Main detachment surfaces
are in the lower Tertiary and below the Cabanillas
top in the lower Paleozoic.
The Cretaceous Chonta Formation is the
primary reservoir, but there are additional potential Figure 2a. Interpreted segy time data, with
reservoir units within the immediately underlying wells inverted to time and projected onto the line of
Upper Paleozoic Mainique and Copacabana section. Surface data indicators also shown and
Formations. Due to the regional scope of the used to constrain interpretation. Section length
modeling, we focused the balancing and modeling approximately 35 km, and 5 sec. vertical extent.
on the Chonta Formation.

METHODOLOGY AND DATA INTEGRATION

The seismic data for this regional integration

came primarily from two separate surveys of
different vintage. The quality of the surveys was
variable, and there were imaging problems, typical
of data in onshore fold and thrust belts. With this
type of data, balancing is critical to minimizing
uncertainty of geometry and sizes of potential
prospects. The surface geology provided
important control, especially on fault linkage and
terminations in the 3D model. There are few wells
(8) in the region, and most are clustered in the few
fields. The seismic and other data were from
Perupetro archives, and are primarily data and
geological reports filed by former block holders in
the region, Shell and Chevron.
The available seismic data was in time, so
initially we compiled scarce velocity data from two
wells and used average interval velocities for the
depth conversion. This gave acceptable results
relative to well tops across the region. Inspection
of the seismic reveals that the Tertiary-Paleozoic
units are generally parallel, without large thickness
variations. We therefore assumed constant
thickness of the units regionally. This assumption
simplifies the balancing effort, especially without
more detailed information on thickness variation.
Figure 2 shows a sample of segy data,
projected well data and surface geology indicators,
with interpretation. Six reinterpreted and balanced
2D regional lines set the initial framework, and then
all available 2D lines (31) were interpreted and
balanced to provide sufficient base for the 3D
model. The spacing of 2D lines ranged from 2 km
to 10 km. This is somewhat crude spacing, but
sufficient to develop and structurally test a 3D
model.
Figure 2b. Legend to stratigraphic sequence
as picked on seismic, and shown in Figs 2a, 3b, 3c
and 4.
2D BALANCING
The iterative process of interpreting, testing for
balance, and reinterpreting yielded a structurally
valid regional framework. This process is crucial in
defining geometry and potential sizes of traps.
Figure 3a shows an initial interpretation of the
frontal triangle zone in the central part of the sub-
basin. Figure 3b and 3c illustrate the testing and
balancing process to arrive at a valid 2D model of
this structure. As is commonly most appropriate in
compressional tectonics, the sections were
validated by flexural slip unfolding. Some of the
discoveries have been in this frontal anticline.
In the initial interpretation (Figures 3a and
3b), the line length of the Chonta Formation is
short relative to the length of the lower units. The
positioning of the main foreland verging thrust is
reasonably well-defined in the upper part of the
ramp, but the positioning of the passive backthrust
is poorly imaged. This allows repositioning and re-
shaping of the backthrust and this requires
changing the hanging wall extent and cutoff of the
Chonta. This lengthens the Chonta and brings it
into better balance. This simple example shows
how important it can be to balance and validate
sections in 2D, as this change significantly affects
trap size and potential volume.
Figure 3a. Seismic line showing typical
triangle wedge zone and passive backthrust at
leading front of deformed zone. Original partial
interpretation (from Perupetro data archive, by
major oil company) of faults and some horizons
visible in colors (or lighter grays). Vertical extent of
section is 4 seconds, and length is approximately
21 km.
Figure 3b. Top section shows depth-converted
original interpretation of seismic line in 2a. Depth
range is approximately 8 km. Middle section is a
flexural slip restored section, with length of
Cabanillas Fm. (CB) as restored section template
length. Note that the line length of the main
reservoir horizon, the Cretaceous Chonta Fm (CH).
and immediately underlying beds are not balanced
with the Paleozoic Cabanillas Fm. The bottom
section is restored by the fault parallel flow move-
on-fault algorithm. In this restoration, the Upper
Paleozoic Copacabana Fm. (dark blue, two beds
below Chonta Fm.) hanging wall and footwall
cutoffs are restored, and the CH and CB Fms. do
not restore, thus also illustrating the lack of
balance in this original interpretation. Tertiary
beds were ignored in this restoration.
Figure 3c. Top section is a reinterpreted and
balanced section. Middle section, as in fig 2b , is
restored by flexural slip unfolding. Note that the
bed lengths of the Chonta and below are nearly
equal. The bottom section is restored by fault
parallel flow, as in 2b. Note match of cutoffs for
Cretaceous Chonta and Upper Paleozoic Mainique
and Copacabana Fms. The deeper Ambo and
Cabanillas Fms. do not balance well yet in this
interpretation, as seen by shorter bed lengths in
the middle section and the mismatch of cutoffs in
the bottom section. This is attributed to velocity
conversion problems (i.e., too much pull-up still in
the lower beds in the footwall)
3D MODEL BUILDING
The 2D sections, maps, and wells (with tops)
were compiled into a data repository, in 2DMove
software, where all elements are stored with 3D
world coordinates. This allows straightforward
import into 3D model building software, with all
elements properly located in 3D space.
Importing the sections and wells into 3D gives
a first visualization of the consistency of the
interpretation (Figure 4). During the model building
process in 3D, the consistency of interpretation
from section to section is further tested, as
decisions must be made as to fault linkages and
terminations from section to section (Figures 5 and
6). The geologic map further constrains the model,
and is essential to the interpretation of the faults
and structures in the subsurface.
Figure 6 shows the complete Chonta surface,
color mapped for depth. Where faults terminate,
the surface is continuous around the ends of the
faults. The surface extends from the undeformed
foreland region on the NE, to the limit of the
Tertiary-Cretaceous section to the SW, where the
Paleozoic section is uplifted and thrust over the
younger section. The seismic survey terminated at
this SW limit of the Tertiary-Cretaceous section.
Seventeen faults were incorporated in the 3D
model. Creating geologically sensible and
consistent fault linkages between sections lead to
modifications of selected 2D lines.
Figure 4. 3D perspective view of initial
framework of regional balanced sections, looking
W from SE part of region. Some wells shown with
colored disks indicating formation tops.
Figure 5. 3D perspective view of 3D model,
looking E. Faults are in red (darker gray), and
above them and cut by the faults are some parts of
the Tertiary horizons. The main reservoir, the
Chonta Fm. Top is shown in the background and
below the faults. It is color mapped for depth, with
blue (darker gray) deeper, and warmer colors
shallower (lighter grays). Also shown are surface
fault traces as lines. The grid reference shows
squares of 20 km.
Figure 6. Map view of Chonta surface from 3D
model, color mapped for depth, dark blue (darker
gray) is deepest, red (lighter gray) is shallowest.
The locations of the seismic network of balanced
2D sections, upon which the 3D model was based
are also visible.
3D BALANCING
Balancing individual sections in 2D, even while
attempting to interpret adjacent sections in a
consistent manner, does not guarantee that the 3D
model will also balance. Thus, substantial value is
added by creating and then balancing a 3D model,
even in an area such as this where the data
spacing is relatively coarse.
The balancing process in 3D is map-view
restoration (Rouby, et al., 1993, Rouby, et al.,
1996). The Chonta surface is unfolded by flexural
slip, and then individual fault blocks are translated
and rotated in the xy plane to achieve the best pre-
deformation fit. Overlaps or gaps in the restored
surface indicate areas yet unbalanced. Iterating
back to the 2D sections, reinterpreting to achieve
balance in 3D is the goal.
3D balancing also yields other information
about the geologic history and kinematic system.
The change in strike of the structural system,
especially where the Paleozoic section is thrust
over the Cretaceous-Tertiary section, appears to
suggest distinct compression directions, and thus
perhaps distinct times of deformation. If this is the
case, this could have significant impact on
maturation areas and timing, as well as migration
routes through time.
The change in strike at the hinterland edge of
the sub-basin is nearly 90 degrees and is quite
abrupt, while the frontal thrust and fold gently
curves with a strike change of about 45 degrees
within this area. Can these changes in orientation
be accounted for by the single primary episode of
deformation suggested by the concordant folding
of the Cabanillas to Upper Pliocene section? 3D
balancing holds the answer.
Figure 7a shows the individual fault blocks that
make up the Chonta surface, unfolded to
horizontal. There are several prominent block
boundaries in a NE-SW trend, and these at first
glance might appear to be strike-slip faults in this
system. However, these are only block boundaries
that are necessary for the restoration and do not
imply strike-slip faults. The Chonta surface wraps
around the terminations of faults as a continuous
surface. In Figure 7b, the fault blocks have been
progressively restored, pinning the foreland and
restoring the frontal faults first. The restoration is a
combination of translation and rotation to achieve a
best fit. In general the fit is good, but with
significant remaining overlap along parts of block 7
(gold, as labeled in Fig. 7a). These overlaps
indicate incompatible line length of the Chonta Fm.
in the section with the overlaps relative to the
adjacent sections. To achieve balance, the next
step would be to reinterpret this line, looking for an
interpretation with less line length of Chonta Fm.
that would be allowed by the seismic data. As we
have already illustrated the 2D balancing process,
we do not present these next steps.
Figure 7a. Map view of Chonta surface from
3D model. Each fault block is a distinct color and
number. In this view, each fault block has been
unfolded by flexural slip. Mottled color (or mottled
grays) indicates areas of overlap of the Chonta.
Figure 7b. Restored fault blocks, map view
of Chonta surface from 3D model. The white areas
between blocks are gaps, and mottled areas are
remaining overlaps.
KINEMATIC SYSTEM
Each 2D line, deformed and restored yields a
shortening amount. These are shown in Figure 8,
as a line of approximate total shortening along the
curve of the frontal structure, with the scale
indicated by the gray lines also following the bend
of the structure. The shortening in this sub-basin is
only a few percent in the NW portion, but it abruptly
increases to well over 20% to the SE. This change
corresponds to the zone where many of the faults
and folds terminate. The combination of
progressive clockwise rotation (in the restoration
sense) and translation elegantly accommodates
the change in shortening.
The translation vectors for each individual
block are also shown in Figure 8. These are the
translation vectors only, and do not contain the
rotation component. These vectors illustrate that
the oroclinal bend can result simply from a single
compression episode directed to the NE. This is in
accordance with the plate motions between the
Nazca and South America plates in the Tertiary
(Somoza, 1998), and is in accordance with the
very young age of the deformation indicated by the
concordantly folded section including units as
young as Pliocene. The deformation process
enhances the original bend in the fold belt, and it
increases the bend at the back of the system more
than in the front, resulting in the sharp, abrupt
bend of the Paleozoic and older section thrust over
the sub-basin (Marshak, 1988).

Figure 8. Shortening variation along strike of
fold and thrust belt. Includes shortening primarily
in Tertiary-Paleozoic cover in frontal part of fold-
thrust belt. Restored fault blocks as in 7b, with
translation vectors shown in yellow (light gray).
. 86.
CONCLUSIONS
Initial 2D balancing tests, and subsequent
reinterpretations, led to a consistent set of cross-
sections covering the sub-basin. These balanced
sections individually better define the geometry
and trap size of potential prospects.
A better understanding of the fault linkages
and shapes of structures in 3D resulted from
creating a 3D model. Surface geology and wells
were crucial as constraints, both for the 2D and
even more importantly for the 3D modeling.
Even with coarse spacing of lines, 3D
balancing provided significant value to
understanding the regional structural development:
a kinematic system, regionally consistent and in
accordance with the regional tectonics was
determined by the 3D restoration.
While the balanced and restored 2D sections
and 3D model may improve from further
refinement, the regionally consistent structural
history provides key input to basin modeling
efforts. All parts of the structural investigation and
modeling are key to evaluating the hydrocarbon
potential of this lightly explored region.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
We thank Idemitsu Oil and Gas and Perupetro
for permission to publish these results. Midland
Valley provided its proprietary structural modeling
software, 2DMove and 3DMove.
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