JSG at 4th Geological Conference

Tutor: Paul Mann, University of Texas, Austin,USA / Alejandro Escalona, University of Stavanger, Norway
Date: Thursday June 21 - Friday June 22, 2007
Venue: Scarlet Ibis Room Room, Hilton Trinidad, Port of Spain, Trinidad.
Time: 8.30 A.M - 4.30 P.M.
Registration Fee: GSTT Members US$800.00; Non Members US$950.00; Students US$400.00

Course Outline

Day 1 Morning: Tectonic framework and mature onland foreland basins

8:00-8:20 am
1) INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES OF COURSE
(a) Instructor and student introductions
(b) Course objectives
(c) Handouts and screensaver demos

8:20-9:00 am
2) TECTONICS AND HYDROCARBONS IN THE CARIBBEAN AND GULF OF MEXICO REGION
(a) Hydrocarbon significance of northern South America
(b) Plate tectonic animation of the Gulf of Mexio-Caribbean from Jurassic to recent showing giant fields through time
(c) Summary of main periods of Caribbean tectonic history: Pangea assembly, Jurassic rifting, Cretaceous passive margins, Cenozoic foreland basins, Cenozoic strike-slip margins
(d) Alternative tectonic models for Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean evolution
(e) Discussion and questions

9:00-9:30 am
3) RECOGNIZING BASIN TYPES ALONG CARIBBEAN PLATE BOUNDARIES AND ASSESSING THEIR HYDROCARBON POTENTIAL
(a) Previous basin classifications
(b) Classification we use
(c) Hydrocarbon preservation potential of various basin types
(d) Discussion and questions

9:30-10:00 am
Exercise 1: Recognizing major basin types and their hydrocarbon potential

10:00-10:15 am -----------Coffee break-------------------

10:15-11:00 am
4) OVERVIEW OF TECTONICS AND BASIN GEOLOGY OF NORTHERN SOUTH AMERICA
(a) History of oil exploration in Venezuela and Trinidad
(b) Summary of basin types and hydrocarbon reserves
(b) History of oil exploration in Venezuela and Trinidad
(c) Level of understanding of onshore vs. offshore basins
(d) Data sources used for reconstructions and basin geology
(e) Plate tectonic animation of northern South America
(f) Paleogeographic evolution of northern South America

11:00-11:45am
5) MARACAIBO BASIN OF WESTERN VENEZUELA
(a) Basin framework
(b) Jurassic rift structures
(c) Passive margin history
(d) Foreland basin history
(e) Andean history
(f) Quick summary of sources and reservoirs through time of major producing fields

11:45-12:45 pm ---------------Lunch--------------------

Day 1 Afternoon: Mature onland and offshore foreland basins

12:45-1:30 pm
Exercise 2: Recognizing major tectonic events in the Maracaibo basin and understanding their implications for hydrocarbon trapping and secondary migration

1:30-1:50 pm
6) BARINAS AND GUARUMEN FORELAND BASINS
(a) Basin framework
(b) Passive margin history
(c) Foreland basin history
(d) Andean history
(e) Quick summary of sources and reservoirs through time of major producing fields

1:50-2:45 pm
7) EASTERN VENEZUELAN BASIN AND HEAVY OIL BELT
(a) Basin framework
(b) Jurassic rift structures
(c) Passive margin history
(d) Foreland basin history
(e) Quick summary of sources and reservoirs through time of major producing fields including the Heavy Oil Belt

2:45-3:00 pm -----------Coffee break-------------------

3:00-3:30 pm
Exercise 3: Recognizing major tectonic events in the Eastern Venezuelan basin and understanding their implications for hydrocarbon trapping and secondary migration

3:30-4:30 pm
8) TRINIDAD AND COLUMBUS BASIN
(a) Basin framework
(b) Passive margin history
(c) Foreland basin history
(d) Quick summary of sources and reservoirs through time of major producing fields

4:30-5:00 pm
Exercise 4: Intersection fault families in the Columbus basin and their controls on oil and gas fields

Day 2 Morning: Active strike-slip margin and deepwater frontier areas

8:00-9:00 am
9) ACTIVE STRIKE-SLIP MARGIN AND RELATED BASINS
(a) Earthquakes
(b) Onland fault traces and morphology
(c) Bocono fault and Merida Andes
(d) Venezuelan Andes and coastal faults
(e) Cariaco pull-apart basin
(f) El Pilar fault
(g) Paria pull-apart basin
(h) Active faults in Trinidad
(i) Active faults in eastern offshore Trinidad

9:00-9:40 am
10) STRUCTURE AND STRATIGRAPHY OF ULTRADEEP AREAS OF OFFSHORE VENEZUELA
(a) Venezuelan basin
(b) South Caribbean deformed belt

9:40-10:55 am -----------Coffee break-------------------

9:55-10:40 am
11) STRUCTURE AND STRATIGRAPHY OF DEEPWATER AND COASTAL BASINS OF VENEZUELA (AE)
(a) Dutch Antilles and Aves Ridges
(b) Bonaire and Falcon basins

10:40-11:10 am.
Exercise 5: Recognizing offshore regions and hydrocarbon indicators on deepwater seismic data and their significance for offshore exploration

11:10-11:45 am.
(c) Grenada and Tobago basins

11:45-12:45 pm ---------------Lunch--------------------

Day 2 Afternoon: On and offshore synthesis and summary of petroleum systems

12:45-1:25 pm.
12) THE BARBADOS ACCRETIONARY PRISM: IS IT PROSPECTIVE
(a) Plate reconstructions
(b) Main prism provinces
(c) Barbados as a window into the prism geology
(d) Hydrocarbons on Barbados
(e) The Sandy Lane well near Barbados

1:25-2:00 pm.
13) EFFECTS OF STRIKE-SLIP OFFSETS BETWEEN THE CARIBBEAN AND SOUTH AMERICAN PLATES AND THE DISTRIBUTION OF CENOZOIC FLUVIAL-DELTAIC AND DEEPWATER CLASTIC SEDIMENTS
(a) Isochron maps
(b) Plate reconstructions
(c) Grenada-Tobago link to the Maracaibo basin
(d) Discussions, questions, demo of flyover

2:00-2:45 pm.
14) MAJOR CONTROLS ON SOURCE AND RESERVOIR ROCKS
(a) Onland foreland basins: Maracaibo, Barinas, Guarico, EVB
(c) Coastal and onshore basins: Bonaire, Falcon

2:45-3:00 pm -----------Coffee break-------------------

3:00-3:45 pm
15) MAJOR CONTROLS ON SOURCE AND RESERVOIR ROCKS
(a) Offshore foreland basin: Columbus
(b) Strike-slip basins: Cariaco, Paria, Darien Ridge
(c) Barbados accretionary prism
(d) Arc-related basins: Grenada, Tobago

3:45-4:30 pm
Exercise 6: Finding creative yet constrained solutions to explain the possible occurrence of widespread hydrocarbons in the Barbados prism. Recognition of exploratory targets offshore northern South America.

4:30-4:50 pm
16) REVIEW OF MAIN POINTS OF COURSE AND WRAPUP DISCUSSION SESSION

4:50-5:00 pm
COURSE EVALUATIONS