Maturín

Keith H. James
Consultant Geologist

Honorary Departmental Fellow,

Institute of Geography and Earth Sciences,
University of Wales, Aberystwyth
 Maturín

fold &
thrust belt

foreland
basin

K. H. James
 Lago de
Guanoco

“el manantial del Buen Pastor”

(Humbolt, 1799-1804)

480 75 million bbls

hectares

K. H. James
Lago de
Guanoco

Primero ingeniero de petroleo

K. H. James
 -7 0 -6 5 -6 0

100 Km

12 12

1 5
18
13
4 19
3 24
14 22 23 26
2 6 16 o
8 15 oo
10 21 oo 27 10
9 20 oo
7 25
31 Diapirs
17
10
34
33
11
32
8
30 8
29
12
28
1 Oca 11 S.E. Andean Thrust Front 21 San Francisco 31 Anaco
2 Perijá-Tigre 12 Bramón 22 San Juan 32 Hato Viejo
3 Socuy 13 Morón Fault Zone 23 Bohordal 33 Merey
4 Ancón de Iture 14 La Victoria 24 Los Bajos 34 Temblador
5 El Mayal 15 Guárico 25 Pirital
6 Burro Negro 16 Tácata 26 Warm Springs
6 7 Icotea 17 Guárico Thrust 27 Galeota
8 Valera 18 Coche 28 Caño Limón
9 Boconó 19 El Pilar 29 Machete
10 NW Andean Thrust 20 Urica 30 Altamira

K. H. James
Venezuela Bouguer gravity (James,
2000, after Kiser, 1994)

-73 -72 -71 -70 -69 -68 -67 -66 -65 -64 -63 -62 -61 -60

13 13
+50
+100

+1
+50 +150 +150 +100
0 +100

50
+100

12 0 12
-50
+100 +150 +50
+150

-50 -0 +100 -50

-100

0
0
+210 +50
0
-50
+150 0
11 +50 +50 11
+100 0 0
0 0 -50
-5 0
0 0

+50 -50
1 -30 -50
0
-150 -200 10

-100
-50 0 0 -100
00

9 9
-1

-50
50

0
-1

0 0
-100
8 8

Contour Interval: 50 mgal

6
100 Km
Largest negative gravity anomaly in the
Gravity redrawn from Kiser, 1994

world at sea level K. H. James

2013
Maturín stratigraphy (James, 2000)
N S HC
AGE ERA EPOCH STAGETECT GP/FM GP/FM GEN
M.Y.
0 HOLO-P LEI S TOCE NE HO - PS MESA
PA
LAS PIEDRAS

PI
ZG
ME S
QUIRIQUIRE FM
LA PICA
10 TOR
U FREITES
SER QUIAMARE

TU
MI M LAN OFICINA

TERTIARY (TT)
L BUR CAPIRICUAL CARAPITA FM
A QU MER EC UR E
U CH NARICUAL
OL MERECURE GP
L RP AREO
PR LOS JABILLOS
U
BA
TL

GU AYUTA GP SANTA ANIT A GP

TINAJITAS M BR
EO M LT
50
L
PC U
YP
SN
CARATAS
Where are the
L DA VIDONO

KU
MA

CA
SAN JUAN
SAN
Eocene sandstones?
CRETACEOUS (KK)

SA ANTONIO
CO
TR TIGR E
QUERECUAL
CE CHIMANA CUT ACUAL M BR. CANOA
10 0 TEMBLADOR GP
SUCRE GP

AB

EL CANTIL
AP
KL GARCIA MBR.

BA BARRANQUIN
Gas accumu lati on
HT
NC
VA Oil accumu lati on
BE Sou rce rock
15 0 JU TI
JURASSIC (JJ)

KI Coal
OX

CN ALTAM IR A . Chert
BT IPIRE/
JM Decolle ment
BJ ESPINO
Contraction
AA
Rifting
TC

K. H. James
2013
 Source rock

GAUTIER FORMATION:
grey - black bituminous shale, followed by:
QUERECUAL FORMATION: NAPARIMA HILL:
black, bitiuminous shales and limestones, black-dark brown siltstone and
concretions, chert, pelagic fauna, followed by: siliceous clays tone,
SAN ANTONIO FORMATION;
dark to black shales and limestones with
fine sandstones, cherts.

TEMBLADOR GROUP:
CANOA FORMATION:
mottled, continental sandstone, followed by
TIGRE FORMATION:
coastal - shallow marine sandstone, coals,

Querecual - overmature in Serranía 100 km

CENOMANIAN - TURONIAN - CONIACIAN

Source rock interval K. H. James

Not drilled in the basin

Where did the oil come from?

K. H. James
2013
Reservoir – middle Oligocene –
Lower Miocene

?
?
?

CARAPITA FORMATION: NARIVA FORMATION:

NARICUAL FORMATION: marine shale, major seal, shallow marine sandstone, siltstone and
deltaic sandstone, shale and coal, pass es north to: contains turbidite fans
claystone, grades south to
QUEBRADON FORMATION: CIPERO FORMATION:
shale, coal, gypsum, continental sandstone and
deep marine clays tone, Globigerina ooze
conglomerate

OFICINA FORMATION:
major reservoir of Oficina fields and heavy oil belt,
shallow marine-deltaic sandstone, shale and coal
associated with proto-Caura, Coroni and Orinoco
rivers, draining Guayana Shield

100 km

MIDDLE OLIGOCENE - LOWER MIOCENE

Reservoir Interval
K. H. James

K. H. James
2013
Reservoir – Middle – Upper Miocene

LA PICA FORMATION:
pro delta sandstones, siltstones and shales

HERRERA FORMATION:
turbiditic sandstones
CARAPITA FORMATION:
deep water shales containing turbitic
sandstone of the CHAPAPOTAL MEMBER
(= Herrera)

OFICINA FORMATION:
deltaic sandstones

100 km

MIDDLE - UPPER MIOCENE K. H. James

Reservoir Interval

K. H. James
2013
Source rock maturity
(Talukdar et al., 1987)

VR > 1.3%

VR 0.9-1.3%

El Pilar Fault
VR 0.5-0.9%

San
F ran
cisc
o Fa t
u lt rus
Th
an
n Ju
Sa
st f s
ru
ust it o ck
Th im ce ro
Uri c tal Thr L r
a Fa on r ital ate o u
u lt Fr P i im p S
prox ta G
Ap ayu
Gu

r
a Rive
After Talukdar Gu an ip
K. H. James

limit of Guayuta Group

ORGANIC MATURITY OF LATE CRETACEOUS
SOURCE ROCK, MATURIN SUB-BASIN

K. H. James
2013
Maturín section/plays (James, 2000)

K. H. James
2013
Maturín section/plays – thin-skin interpretation

N INTERIOR RANGE GUAYANA SHIELD S

Guanoco Quiriquire El Furrial Amarilis
H2 S Jusepin Pedernales Oficina Temblador Heavy Oil Belt
VR 1.3 Km
0
KK PI MI
OL? OL
EO?
? KK, JJ? VR 0.5
OL 3
Pz? Oil Precambrian basement
MI (local Pz sedimentary
cover, local Pz and 6
VR 0.9-1.3 Tr - JJ grabens)
Unknown extent of foreland
below thrust complex
PC-EO? Top basement not known in north: 10 Km
KK
gravity and magnetic data conflict

EASTERN VENEZUELA (MATURIN) BASIN

SCHEMATIC CROSS SECTION WITH MAIN PLAYS
(with alternatives for possible subthrust sections) K. H. James

K. H. James
N. Maturín (Margerita & Riart Model,
1989)

K. H. James
2013
North Monagas traps

GUANOCO

QUIRIQUIRE
JUSEPIN
PEDERNALES

QUATERNARY-

UPPER MIOCENE
CRETACEOUS

PALAEOCENE-
OLIGOCENE CHAPAPOTAL

MUD DIAPIR
Stratigraphic
MIDDLE MIOCENE
DEEPER QUIRIQUIRE
Fracture porosity
LOWER MIOCENE

K. H. James

K. H. James
2013
Source/kitchen:
Querecual-San Antonio, upper Cretaceous, matured late Miocene-
Holocene beneath the main thrusts
Hydrocarbons:

Quiriquire Field
748 MMBBLS produced 12 - 28°API oil, gas and condensate (55-56°)
at deeper levels (none produced, Los Jabillos is best known).
UR 812MM and 545BCF; 4-5 MMM STOIIP

Gulf of
Paria
Oil and gas
seeps
Maturín

Field lim it

00 2 Km
20
00

0
300
25

Co nto urs on top THETA Member

N S

2000'

QUIRIQUIRE FM.

MORICHITO FM. 3000'

4000'
CARAPITA FM.

5000'
AREO FM.
LOS J ABILLOS FM.
6000'
SAN J UAN FM. CARATAS FM.
VIDONO FM.

K. H. Ja mes
K. H. James
2013
 Quiriquire Field

Quiriquire Field Summary

Trap:
Southeast dipping monocline with lateral pinchout and deeper faulted anticline
Reservoir/seal:
Pliocene Quiriquire Fm. alluvial fan sandstones/conglomerates,
18% porosity, sealed by lateral shale-out and gilsonite, also Oligocene (main deeper
reservoir (11% porosity, fractured), Eoceneand Cretaceous sandstones.
Source/kitchen:
Querecual-San Antonio, upper Cretaceous, matured late Miocene-
Holocene beneath the main thrusts
Hydrocarbons:
748 MMBBLS produced 12 - 28°API oil, gas and condensate (55-56°)
at deeper levels (none produced, Los Jabillos is best known).
UR 812MM and 545BCF; 4-5 MMM STOIIP

Gulf of
Paria
Oil and gas
seeps
Maturín
K. H. James
2013
Source/kitchen:
Querecual-San Antonio, upper Cretaceous, matured late Miocene-
Holocene beneath the main thrusts

Hydrocarbons: El Furrial Field

1690 MMBBLS reserves, 26.5°API

15400' Gulf of
5 Km 14600'
13800' Paria

13000'
Maturín

N S
El Furrial
(1985)

PLIOCENE
1500m
MIOCENE

3000m
EOCENE
OLIGOCENE
10 km CRETACEOUS
U Unknown section
U
After Pe reira and Aymard, 198 8

K. H. Ja mes
K. H. James
2013
 U
El Furrial Field

El Furrial (Musipan) Field Summary

Trap:
Fault bend fold, 10 x 8 km, 915m closure, part of a large feature (100km long)
cross-cut by tear faults, tar mat north and south limits, Carapita decollement
Reservoir/seal:
Oligocene ("Naricual") deltaic sandstones (13-17%) and Cretaceous San Juan
sandstone (9-11%), sealed by Cretaceous interbedded and Miocene overlying
shales

Source/kitchen:
Querecual-San Antonio, upper Cretaceous, matured late Miocene-
Holocene beneath the main thrusts

Hydrocarbons:
1690 MMBBLS reserves, 26.5°API

5 Km 15400' Gulf of
14600' Paria
13800'
K. H. James
13000' 2013
Maturín
 sandstones.
Source/kitchen:
Querecual-San Antonio, upper Cretaceous, matured late Miocene-

El Carito Field (after Aymard et al., 1990)

Holocene beneath the main thrusts

Hydrocarbons:
2.4 MMMBBLS (33-36°API) and 2.8 TCF, fluid expansion drive.

Orocual 50
Gulf of
El Furrial 1690 Paria
Musipan 520
Maturín
10 km
Sub-basin

El Carito 2410 MMBLS

El Carito
N (1987) S
LAS PIEDRAS

1 sec

CARAPITA
NARICUAL
PIRITAL SAN JUAN
THRUST

CRETACEOUS
KM
0 1 2 3 Unknown section

After Aym ard e t al ., 1 990 K. H. Ja mes

K. H. James
2013
Furial Field (Aymard 1990)

K. H. James
Furial Field (Aymard 1990)

K. H. James
Furial Field (Aymard 1990)

K. H. James
Furial Field (Aymard 1990)

K. H. James
Furial Field (Aymard 1990)

K. H. James
Furial Field (Aymard 1990)

K. H. James
Furial Field (Aymard 1990)

K. H. James
Furial Field (Aymard 1990)

K. H. James
 El Carito Field

El Carito Field Summary

Trap:
Fault bend fold, 32km2, part of a large feature (100km long Greater Furrial
trend) cross-cut by tear faults, limited north and south by thrust faults.
Reservoir/seal:
336m Oligocene ("Naricual") deltaic - shallow marine sandstones (11-18%),
clean, sorted, early authigenic clay coat, sealed by 900' of
overlying Miocene Carapita shales. Secondary level Cretaceous San Juan
sandstones.
Source/kitchen:
Querecual-San Antonio, upper Cretaceous, matured late Miocene-
Holocene beneath the main thrusts

Hydrocarbons:
2.4 MMMBBLS (33-36°API) and 2.8 TCF, fluid expansion drive.

Orocual 50
Gulf of K. H. James
El Furrial 1690 Paria 2013
 in the north of the Maturín Basin

Hydrocarbons:

Pedernales Field
18-22 and 26-31°API oil, 58 MMBBLS produced, 547 MMBBL STOIIP,
extension STOIIP 600 MMBBL

'
Gulf of
0
7 00 Paria
'
00
30
'
00 Maturín
10 0'
0
40

Contours top Pedernales Mbr., La Pica Fm C

N S
0m
Pliocene

Mioce ne
!0 00m
Oligo-
Mioce ne
No produc tion
on south fla nk 20 00m
Dia piric
Core

0 KM 1 30 00m

K. H. Ja mes

K. H. James
2013
 Pedernales Field

Pedernales Field Summary

Trap:
Stratigraphic traps on flank of clay diapir (Oligo-Miocene Carapita)
generated by Andean compression
Reservoir/seal:
Miocene La Pica turbidites to deltaic channel sandstones (27%, 300md), maximum
thickness 840', sealed by interbedded and overlying shales
Source/kitchen:
La Luna and San Antonio matured in Late Miocene to Recent kitchen
in the north of the Maturín Basin

Hydrocarbons:
18-22 and 26-31°API oil, 58 MMBBLS produced, 547 MMBBL STOIIP,
extension STOIIP 600 MMBBL

Gammacerane in oil suggests evaporites Gulf of

'
00 Paria
70
K. H. James
0 0' 2013
30
Maturín – diapirs (Duerto and Mc
Clay 2002)

K. H. James
Maturín – diapirs (Duerto and Mc
Clay 2002)

K. H. James
Maturín – diapirs (Duerto and Mc
Clay 2002)

pre-growth, syn-growth, post-growth

sediment sequences
K. H. James
Maturín – diapirs (Duerto & Mc Clay 2002)

diapir growth migrated west to east, following

thrust migration (presently south of Trinidad)
K. H. James
2012
Maturín – diapirs (Duerto and Mc Clay 2002)

K. H. James
Maturín – diapirs (Duerto and Mc Clay 2002)

mud volcano, Orinoco Delta, oil and gas

K. H. James
Maturín – diapirs (Duerto and Mc Clay 2002)

diapirs formed at thrust fronts

K. H. James
Maturín – diapirs (Duerto, PDVSA,
and Mc Clay, RHBNC, 2002)

K. H. James
Maturín – diapirs (Duerto & Mc Clay 2002)

K. H. James
Maturín – diapirs (Duerto and Mc Clay 2002)

hydrocarbon traps: adjacent to diapir in

thrusts, stratigraphic pinch-out, calderas

K. H. James
Maturín – diapirs (Duerto and Mc Clay 2002)

K. H. James
Maturín – diapirs (Duerto and Mc Clay 2002)

K. H. James
Maturín – diapirs (Duerto and Mc Clay 2002)

K. H. James
 El Furrial (Chatallier et al., AAPG, 2003)

Phase 1: compression from NW –

WSW-ENE folds
K. H. James
2013
 El Furrial (Chatallier et al., AAPG, 2003)

Phase 1: low angle faults, pressure

solution and quartz cement (pre-charge)
K. H. James
2013
El Furrial (Chatallier et al., AAPG, 2003)

Phase 1: WSW-ENE
structures separated by
tear faults.

K. H. James
2013
 El Furrial (Chatallier et al., AAPG, 2003)

Phase 2: compression from NE

K. H. James
2013
 El Furrial (Chatallier et al., AAPG, 2003)

-N220 degree dips and NE-SW tear faults.

-1000s feet isopach offset.
K. H. James
2013
Carito (Chatallier et al., AAPG, 2003)

-API decreases with depth.

K. H. James
2013
 El Furrial (Chatallier et al., AAPG, 2003)

-Porosity decreases with depth.

K. H. James
2013
 El Furrial (Chatallier et al., AAPG, 2003)

Phase 3: compression from NW

K. H. James
2013
 El Furrial (Chatallier et al., AAPG, 2003)

-detachment faults.

K. H. James
2013
 Carito (Chatallier et al., AAPG, 2003)

-fault reactivation.
K. H. James
2013
 Santa Barbara (Chatallier et al., AAPG, 2003)

-detachment faults.

K. H. James
2013
 Santa Barbara (Chatallier et al., AAPG, 2003)

Phase 4: extension (gravity sliding?)

K. H. James
2013
Travi – Manresa – Orocual fields

K. H. James
2013
Orocual, 1933, well ORS-1

deep reservoirs (13,000´) Carapita, Caratas-

Jabillos, Naricual (Oligo-Miocene), San Juan
(Cretaceous)
shallow reservoir Las Piedras (Pliocene)

most production from deep reservoirs

49% condensate, 35% light oil, 16% medium oil

K. H. James
Manresa, 1954, well OMR-1

reservoirs Miocene Morichito continental

sandstones, Cretaceous El Cantil fractured
limestones
shallow reservoir heavy crude 18o API, 12%
recoverable
El Cantil 3% porosity, heavy crude 16 – 19o API

K. H. James
Travi, 2004, well TRV-2x

reservoirs Naricual, 9% porosity, 33o API oil

K. H. James
Travi – Manresa - Orocual

high intitial rates, rapid decline

problems: great depth

poor petrophysics

structural complexity:

four fault families defining

clockwise-rotated blocks (dextral)

K. H. James
Travi – Manresa - Orocual

Oligocene and Cretaceous reservoirs

30 different sands, separated by clays

oil gravity 5 – 36o API

low permeability in compressed zones

high permeability on fold flanks with

heavy – very heavy crude

K. H. James
Travi – Manresa - Orocual

reservoirs that suffered high levels of tectonism

lost light fractions via non-sealing faults
asphaltenes and resins remained

most wells are drilled with oil-based mud

this makes logging difficult

K. H. James
Travi – Manresa - Orocual

volatile petroleum is very lively and liquid in the

reservoirs, where the temperature is close to fluid
critical level
fluids have saturation pressure close to
bubble point and high levels of shrinkage
- up to 40% of pore space with 10% pressure
reduction
-so pressure drop results in rapid
shrinkage

K. H. James
Travi – Manresa - Orocual

gaseous fluids under reservoir conditions form

liquids with minimal reduction of pressure below
the dew point (punta de rocio)
these retrograde condensates are relatively
immobile compared to the gas phase

resulting in preferential gas production, leaving

the more valuable liquids behind

K. H. James
Orinoco Heavy Oil Belt (USGS - Fiorillo, 1987)

K. H. James
2013
Orinoco Heavy Oil Belt (USGS - Fiorillo, 1987)

K. H. James
2013
50,000 km2

1 trillion bbls heavy crude in place (4 -16o

API). (USGS range: 1,300 – 1,400 mmbbls)
53 – 262 (mean 135) Tcf associated dissolved gas

513 million bbls “technically”

recoverable (range 320 – 652 million)
recovery factor median 45%, maximum 70%

horizontal drilling, steam assisted

gravity drainage, other processes
K. H. James
Miocene Oficina Formation fluvial, nearshore
marine and tidal sandstones reservoirs.

mainly unconsolidated.

150 – 1,400 m deep.

several depostional sequences with internal

fluid-flow heterogenity, shale barriers

K. H. James
seismic character is dependent upon oil
characteristics:

oil properties similar to light oil at temperatures

above melting point (MP: 50 – 70oC)

below MP heavy oil changes from low-viscosity

liquid to quasi-solid, increasing viscosity
- S-waves become measurable.

at lower temperatures the oil becomes

glass-like, solid

K. H. James
Schematic channel relationships (Srinlvasan)

K. H. James
 Composite gamma ray/resistivity log

Thick, high
resistivity: clean,
well-sorted fluvial
sands

Thinner sands
interbedded with
shales, marine, tidal

K. H. James
Seismic response of lignites and sands

lignite

sands
Lignites: strong response
dominant frequency is low, scarcely resolves thicker strata

K. H. James
Maturín section/plays: thin-skin

N INTERIOR RANGE GUAYANA SHIELD S

Guanoco Quiriquire El Furrial Amarilis
H2 S Jusepin Pedernales Oficina Temblador Heavy Oil Belt
VR 1.3 Km
0
KK PI MI
OL? OL
EO?
? KK, JJ? VR 0.5
OL 3
Pz? Oil Precambrian basement
MI (local Pz sedimentary
cover, local Pz and 6
VR 0.9-1.3 Tr - JJ grabens)
Unknown extent of foreland
below thrust complex
PC-EO? Top basement not known in north: 10 Km
KK
gravity and magnetic data conflict

EASTERN VENEZUELA (MATURIN) BASIN

SCHEMATIC CROSS SECTION WITH MAIN PLAYS
(with alternatives for possible subthrust sections) K. H. James

K. H. James
2013
Maturín summary
Seeps, asphalt lakes on northeast flank
and above diapirs. Seep of unknown
source along Coastal Range.
Plate boundary dextral slip compression
forms surface and seismically-defined
anticlines on north flank.
Décollement in Querecual and Miocene
shales.
Stratigraphy/extent of foreland below Serranía
del Interior not known.
Normal faults, down to south, trap oil in
foreland.
K. H. James
Travi – Manresa - Orocual
Oligocene and Cretaceous reservoirs.

30 sands, separated by clays.

Oil 5 – 36o API.

Low permeability in compressed zones.

High permeability on fold flanks, heavy – very

heavy crude.
Tectonized reservoirs lost light fractions,
leaving asphaltenes and resins behind.

K. H. James
Travi – Manresa - Orocual

Most wells drilled with oil-based mud

(logging compromised).

Volatile petroleum, pressure drop results

in shrinkage.

Preferential gas production leaves liquids

behind.

K. H. James
Maturín summary
Source rock Querecual and San Antonio –
napthenic oil. La Pascua, Merecure,
Oficina parafinic oil. Not penetrated in
foreland!
Kitchen deep in north, active since Middle
Miocene. Must extend below Serranía del
Interior to explain volume of oil.
Is this sufficient or is there another
explanation?
Reservoir: Cretaceous, Palaeogene and Neogene
and sandstones, fractured Cretaceous
Limestones?
Where are the Eocene sands?
K. H. James